I've had quite a few ebook sales the last while, but I know many of you out there prefer the good old feel and weight of paper in your hand. This sale is for you!
If you purchase Mimgardr through the Createspace Online Store using discount code 3LZM3ENM between now and Christmas Day, you will get 25% off as my Christmas gift to you!
First things always go first, so here's the first thing: Successful writers have and use business cards. Business cards provide you with a recognizable, professional image. A scribbled on piece of paper torn from a notepad is just not a great way to leave an impression with potential readers, other writers, publishers, agents, etc. People look for quality when they explore new things, including books, and you don't want to be written off as soon as you hand over your information. Business cards contain all of your contact information and are about you as a writer--not your books. Bookmarks are for your books. Don't get this mixed up. Business cards focus on you. That being said, writers also need simplicity. Don't make your business cards flowery, image-laden or too calligraphic. Too many writers include pictures of quills, typewriters, books, and the like--things that make the card too busy. Remember, professional cards are simple and direct. Keep it simple, keep it clean and keep it easy to read. The list of things you want on your business card is actually very brief:
Name -- your real name, pen name, or both depending on your privacy preferences.
Title -- something like "Author" or more specifically "Young Adult Fantasy Author"
Official Website Address
Other Forms of Contact -- Facebook, Twitter, etc. Pick your one or two most prominent and leave it at that.
Author Brand or Logo (If applicable)
Very simple color scheme
Now, let's talk about bookmarks. Bookmarks make great pass-along cards. Not only do they contain information about your books and where to buy them, but they also help you advertise yourself and your work to a wider circle of people. They also increase your chances of staying connected to people you speak with, because those people have a constant reminder of you, your book(s) and your website. And the best part is that your bookmarks don't have to be crowded and busy to achieve these goals. In fact, most of the time, the simpler they are, the more attention they'll get. Messy layouts and overabundant text drive people away, leaving a bad taste in their mouth that will be forever connected to you. (Not good.) So, keep it simple. Here's an example of a fairly common and successful design that you could use with a front and back card layout: On the Front
Your book's front cover
On the Back
The Blurb -- from the back cover of your book or the dust jacket flange.
One or Two Reviews (if you like)
Where to Learn More and Buy (This is a great place to use QR codes.)
Your Website Address (Again, this is a great place to use QR codes)
Your Social Media Contact Points
That's really all it takes. A simple design that conveys everything they need to get interested and nothing more. A well-written and beautifully published book, elegant business cards for you, attention-grabbing bookmarks for your books, and your confident work to see that they get handed out with pleasant conversation and a handshake. These are the things that will get you grounded right and start you on the way to success. Good luck!
Welcome to December, everyone! I hope you enjoyed Thanksgiving and are now enjoying your Kindle editions of Mimgardr!
If you're in an area anything like mine, the Christmas bombardment has begun and the radio is overflowing with Christmas music. Because of this, I've decided to theme today's Clash of the Composers on Christian-themed Hallelujah anthems. Let's take a look at our contenders!
In this corner:
George Frideric Handel
wielding the well-known
"Hallelujah Chorus," from Messiah
And in that corner:
Ludwig van Beethoven
with the dramatic and forceful
"Hallelujah," from Christ on the Mount of Olives
Neither piece was explicitly written to celebrate Christmas--the humble arrival of the baby Jesus Christ to a virgin mother in a stable. In fact, they are often criticized for being played out of context at Christmas and confusing people as to the true meaning of the pieces. Both were written to celebrate the day when the Messiah returns to take up the throne of the world as "King of kings and Lord of lords," drawing many of their lyrics from Holy Writ, especially the Books of Revelation and Isaiah. They aren't about the humble arrival, but about the triumphal return--the Second Coming--when all wickedness will be cleansed from the world and God's glory will once again shine down on the Earth unhindered.
Regardless of personal religious opinions and specifics, one must recognize and honor the fact that a day of glory when only goodness can and will exist on earth--a day when pain, sickness, anguish and death are no longer existent--is the dream of almost every person and culture in history. Not all people worship in the way of the Christian, but nearly all worshipers dream of a day of peace and glory.
Some say that the Nativity is an inappropriate place for these pieces; I, however, wholeheartedly disagree. When a child is born, parents wonder and marvel about what their child will become. At Christmas, the prophesies of what the tiny babe was and would become were nothing short of miraculous--easily worth years of celebration.
Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus because it is the ultimate token that God will never abandon his children. If Christ was born as hundreds of prophecies had dictated, then he would also sacrifice himself for sin; and if he sacrificed himself from sin, then each person could be cleansed from their mistakes and healed. If the atonement and resurrection took place, then Christ would ascend to Heaven; and if he ascended to Heaven, then he would one day return to see that wickedness was abolished and glory unveiled.
If the child was never born, then none of the other prophecies could come true either; but if he was, then the world had a marvelous destiny ahead and a great duty to perform. To believe that Christ was truthfully born as the Son of God is to change the meaning of Christmas forever. To celebrate the birth of Jesus is to celebrate the future return of the greatest King the world has ever known or will ever know.
That's why I don't consider these pieces out of place at Christmas in the home of a true believer in the Christian way. The Great King was born to give all to his people before he returned again to rule them; Christians give gifts today in hopes that they can remember and become more like the king who is to come. (Step aside, Santa. A true Christian has far better reasons to gifts than to deceive their children into a fleeting belief in you.)
So with it decided that the pieces are acceptable and perfectly fitting for Christmas, we have to make a decision. Who wrote the better homage to the King of kings and Lord of lords? Handel or Beethoven?
Is the shear fame of Handel's chorus enough to topple Beethoven? Or can Beethoven battle back with his use of builds and emotion to knock Handel off the mountain?
Give both pieces a few listens and cast your vote in the comments below or in an email! The winner will be announced next week!
(Special thanks to YouTube and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for making it possible for me to share quality audio/video recordings of the two pieces!)
I've had quite a few ebook sales the last while, but I know many of you out there prefer the good old feel and weight of paper in your hand. This sale is for you!
