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TIP OF THE WEEK -
Independently published books need exposure, on a global scale. One way to accomplish
this is by creating an Independent Book Review Program. A free credible objective review of Independently published books.
Below you will find the details of the new program launched on December 1st. Whether you would like your book reviewed
or want to become a book reviewer, information is below.
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INDEPENDENT BOOK REVIEW PROGRAM -
The goal of this program is to provide a free objective review
of Independently published books profiled on NothingBinding.com.
The integrity of this book review process is critical to the
success of the program. NothingBinding.com will do everything possible to maintain an honest and objective book review process.
Authors submit their titles for review and NothingBinding.com makes no guarantee as to the results of that review.
The book reviews posted on NothingBinding.com are the opinions
of each individual book reviewer and their opinion only. The review does not represent the opinions of NothingBinding.com
who operates as the facilitator of the review process. NothingBinding.com does not influence book reviewers nor make guarantees
of any kind to authors.
Authors—
Must have a complete profile on NothingBinding.com to participate
in the program, including personal photo—book description—bio—inspiration—book cover—book excerpt—audio
or video preferred but not required.
Must make contact information available to NothingBinding.com:
including name, mailing address, email address, and phone. This personal information is for review purposes only and will
never be shared with book reviewers or third parties and will always remain strictly confidential.
Must be willing to promptly ship their title to a book reviewer
once selected and agree to absorb the cost of their book and the postage regardless of where the book reviewer may be located.
This includes shipping to reviewers living outside the United States and for authors living overseas to book reviewers living
inside the United States. Priority or
overnight shipping is not required, media mail or first class is acceptable.
Must indicate their interest in having their book reviewed
by completely filling out a questionnaire, provided by NothingBinding.com. Questionnaire will include: (a) genre, (b) year
of first publication, (c) professional editor (yes or no), (d) name of editor, (e) name of publisher, (f) name of cover designer,
and (g) brief synopsis (100 words or less). This questionnaire will be in addition to the profile on NothingBinding.com.
Have the right to refuse publication of any review and the
combined score for their book as evaluated by each Independent book reviewer before being placed on NothingBinding.com.
May limit the number of reviews and stop participating in the
book review program at any time.
Independent Book Reviewers—not required to be authors.
Chosen by NothingBinding.com, at the discretion of NothingBinding.com.
Each book reviewer would search the site for books they are
interested in reviewing and forward their request to NothingBinding.com via email a list of 3 books written by 3 separate
authors. Titles available for review will be identified by NothingBinding.com. The selection of three books eliminates the
possibility that book reviewers are selecting titles for the purpose of writing positive reviews.
NothingBinding.com would then make the book selection for the
reviewer then contact the author for shipment of the selected book to reviewer.
Book Reviewer could remain anonymous (if preferred) and would
not under any circumstances agree to receive money or any form of compensation from any author for any reason. The book is
made free to them in lieu of more direct compensation.
Once the book arrives, the book reviewer must notify NothingBinding.com
via email and submit within 30 days via email, a written review, evaluation and combined score.
Book reviewers are required to read each selected book in its
entirety, and will not receive another book until their written review, evaluation and combined score has been submitted to
NothingBinding.com. within 30 days of receiving any selected title.
Book reviewers can review only one title at a time and must
be fair, objective, honest, and as professional as possible.
NothingBinding.com reserves the right to discontinue a relationship
with any book reviewer at any time for any reason.
This is a non-compensated book review process, reviewers are
to remain totally objective and agree not to review titles written by friends, family, or where the reviewer is familiar with
the author such as an acquaintance, fellow member of a writers group or colleague. Integrity of the program is critical to
success.
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CHECK OUT MY LATEST TELE-INTERVIEW -
Here is the link:
http://bookmkr.audioacrobat.com/download/1ec18a72-ccb9-bdf1-3683-f1f6bacefd8f.mp3
The interview was conducted by Penny C. Sansevieri
Author Marketing Experts,
Inc. -- Turning Authors into Success Stories
http://www.authormarketingexperts.com
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QUESTION OF THE WEEK -
Q - I am inundated daily by promotional
sites, newsletters etc. etc. ... What do they all have in Common? All of them offer "list your book free on these author sites"
and the list goes on. Now, my question is this ... What exactly is the benefit of doing this? Aren't we all just patting each
other on the backs?? Aren't we all just singing to the Choir?
A - First off, you are right on the money, and that is the problem with the Independent writing and publishing
community. There are millions upon millions of tiny little pieces and no one single destination for authors and books.
My biggest disappointment with this segment of publishing is that too many companies
are making money, or trying to make money, off the backs of the writers and authors. "Buy this and you can get your book here,
or buy this and I'll teach you how to do something bigger and better," most are scams in my opinion because they don't work.
They
don't work because the system that everyone is trying to get a piece of is controlled by the big publishers and will always
be controlled and dominated by them. The ONLY way for Independent publishers and authors to create sales, and excitement about
their books, is to create their own market for selling to the public. A single destination, one source for all of Independent
publishing, completely and totally unassociated with any organization or company, and my hope and wish and dream is that Nothing
Binding will become that source.
We will change the way Independent books are sold in this country and around the world.
It might just change the face of publishing as we know it and finally bring the recognition to Independent publishing that
it deserves.
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DEAR EDITOR -
Q - I am most curious why every publisher, editor and reader says how important
it is to grab the reader in the first few pages. Yet, in Lonesome Dove I was barely able to struggle through the first
100 pages before beginning to enjoy the story (same with some other current novels). What is so different about these books,
other than they’re written by a popular author?
A - Some critics say that it’s a sign of our times, that it’s important to capture the reader immediately
because we (whomever we really is) suffer a short attention span due to our fast-paced lifestyle and the pervasive
curse of television, blah, blah, blah. But I don’t think that’s the whole story.
First off, I think fans of McMurtry know that the slow intro
is worth the wait. He has a long legacy and his readers have become accustomed to his pacing. But even though
his novels appear slow to start, there’s still important movement going on.
Our mind’s eye has been trained to track motion.
Motion, today, is commonly seen as action. But in a book,
the mechanism of action can vary. A writer can choose to move the story or move the reader, or both, and this motion
can be handled in a lot of different ways: internally, externally, superficially, or through some form of literary underlayment
as McMurtry does. By that I mean he keeps his reader turning pages because we know something very deep is going on,
he’s just moving underground for a while. At its core, the first few pages hold promise, and McMurtry holds to
that promise. So indeed we will “struggle through his first 100 pages.” He’s still moving us,
but it’s subtle.
Introductions used to be a slow seduction. They were
polite and genteel. Lonesome Dove is a sprawling, old-school tale. Slow to build, it gets us thinking on
a larger horizon, because we’ll need that space. He covers lots of ground, metaphorically and geographically.
All of this is necessary to create the spread and practical pacing for the journey ahead.
The initiating movement of any book is still about promise.
Those introductory pages work on the reader at multiple levels, for good, for bad or for ugly. All books start with
promises, it’s just that some promise great potential and some promise crap.
Behind the scenes in these early pages, the tone is set, authorial
distance is established, narrative diction is stabilized, and literary skills are put on the table. Inside the first
paragraphs we can detect the writer’s economy with words and his abilities with language and thought. On stage
we will meet our story speaker and maybe our protagonist. We might get an early tremor of the problem the book will
work to solve or explore. Early color and texture is being added. We’re being manipulated, put inside the
trance. A good book will strive to do all this and more.
Some writers will choose to murder, maim or torture here, some
will engage in pursuit. Others will work to enchant their reader through lyricism or through the voice of the speaker
or characters in the book. Still others might set a pace or tempo and hope to trap the reader in an anticipated upsurge.
Lots and lots of things need to happen, and continue to happen, to secure a successful read. But whatever technique
or tactic a writer chooses, he or she must indeed capture their reader’s heart or mind in the earliest stages or the
book will be quietly closed, the title and writer forgotten.
Nancy McCurry
www.NancyMcCurry.com
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TIPS FOR WRITERS –
Marilyn Haight is a frequent contributor to this newsletter, here is her latest.
Should I Write This Non-fiction Book?
Today I received yet another call from a would-be author in my field, who is trying
to decide whether to write a book. So I go back into my Lucy-Psychiatrist booth and offer my 5¢ worth—again. Here is
the answer, once and for all, so I don't have to keep repeating myself:
You're asking the wrong question. The right question is: "What is my objective?"
· If you want to increase your business,
spending time writing; editing; rewriting; publishing; and promoting a book will have the opposite effect.
· If you want to be more credible, writing
a book will not make you more qualified.
· If you want to increase awareness, be aware
that the people who need your book are the least likely to read it.
· If you want to save the world, a book won't
do it.
· If you want to become rich or famous, forget
about it.
· If you want to advise and help people in
ways no other book already has, then write it.
Yes, I accept personal checks.
Marilyn Haight
http://www.wordedwrite.com
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