Rebelious rules by Kristina Gallo

One of my favorite authors from Croatia is Stjepan Cobets. S tjepan Varesevac Cobets was born on 12 September 1965 in Split, Croatia. He lives and works in Kastel Sucurac, where he finished elementary and secondary school. At a very young age, he started reading and loved it because, through books, he traveled to places he could never visit in person. He loved fairy tales and adventure but later discovered other genres as a child. When he found a Jules Verne book in the library, he became fascinated by science fiction. He has been writing poetry for fifteen years and has started writing science fiction. Lately, he has also written children’s fairy tales and fables. He published in Croatia poetry collections “An Opened Heart” in 2002, “The Sleepy Way” in 2005, and “Love” in 2006. On Amazon, he has published science fiction novels such as “Godeena” in 2015 and “The Dream of the Forest” in 2018, the science fiction short story “Butterfly” in 2016, and several novellas including “The Colle...

Being an indie author means a strong character. You should not let anything make you unfocused. Strong nerves and a good stomach must be your label. Otherwise, you will give up too soon.  During these five years as an indie author, I noticed some myths while I promoted my books. 6 myths in indie author's world: An indie author is not a real author. Just because I don't have an agent and I am doing everything alone, it doesn't mean someone should doubt my professional side.  Negative ratings and negative reviews. Checking your books means you will find negative ratings - 1 star, 2 stars, without explanations. Some people simply do that, to ruin your rating. Negative reviews are higher level, they explain why they don't like your book. It is ok if this explanation doesn't attack you personally or have a sense. Sometimes, it could be trolling.  Expectations about sales . It is not weird if you don't sell anything for months. This market is huge, indie authors are...

What is the dream of every author? To sell a book, of course. Nothing frustrates me more than waiting months for a book sale. I experienced it in April when I was 38 days without sales, until the middle of May.  Meanwhile, I got many promises that woke up fake hopes and expectations. "I would love to read this. " "Sounds thrilling. " "It will be on my Kindle." Checking my sales report, I did not see changes. That made me think, how many times do authors live in illusion? In the middle of May, the situation started to change. I sold e-books, and paperback, and even got some KENP reads. My buyers simply commented:" I purchase it. I bought it." It was very important to me because also I got 3 new ratings, 5 and 4 stars for my books. I don't know who rates it, but I am glad my readers like my books. Then I realized, that authors must separate fake buyers from real ones, to make difference between promises and pretending and separate it from real ...

If you are an author, the feeling of madness is familiar to you. Emotions will fly on the paper. Depending on your mood, your expression will find a place in your story. Sad? Your lines will be filled with sadness. Angry? Your letters will burn in anger. Happy? Your lines are smiling. If you have the power to forward your message to readers, they will feel it. Primarily if your stories are based on actual events, you can reach to reader's emotions. Some myths about authors: They are addicts. Drinking and taking drugs was not unknown to authors, but it is not the label everyone should wear. They have mental problems. Writers such as Poe and Kafka are usual patterns, but not every author deals with this. If authors have writer's block they fall into depression. You can see this in movies when the writer is desperate because his thoughts can't go in the direction he wants. Javier Bardem is a playing writer who will do everything to please his fans in the movie "Mama....

2 million authors are available on Amazon. It is a huge number, and all authors compete for the circle of readers. Famous names will take advantage and there is a huge chance to stay invisible and without an audience. To get noticed, you should be ranked in the first 100 authors. For that score, your book must be in the top 100 with a certain number of reviews and good sales. How do accomplish it? Gain the reviews. This is a hard task. Your reviews could be deleted or rejected, if Amazon algorithms judge them as irregular. Sell the book. To get sales, you need to promote your book. Even if you paid for promotional sites, there is no guarantee for selling, but you can lose your money. How to stand out from the crowd? Tik Tok gave us a chance to make our own videos with nice filters and to promote our books in self-made videos. Grab your book in your hands and show it to the world. Make a funny and interesting video with special effects, to pull attention. The problem with promotion is o...

Today I am featuring an awesome author, whose books I read with pleasure. P.J. Blakey-Novis is a British writer living on the south coast of England. Writing in numerous genres, most of his work falls firmly under horror. He is the author of two novels, eight collections of short stories, a novella, and a series of children’s books.  P.J. is also the co-founder of Red Cape Publishing, a small press focused on everything horror, from novels to anthologies. Peter lives with his wife and five children in a small town in Sussex, England. For as long as he can remember it had always been an ambition to complete a novel and, after the success of his debut, The Broken Doll, it has been fantastic to have the opportunity to turn a hobby into a new career. Since the release of The Broken Doll in February 2017, Peter has released the follow-up novel, Shattered Pieces, as well as seven collections of short horror stories, a horror novella, and three children's books. Peter has had work publish...

When you are an indie author, it is like everything is against you. Amazon rules, trolls who write negative reviews, expensive editing, and readers' ignorance. Many people started to write and gave up, because of a lack of motivation. How to motivate yourself when there are big chances that you will never sell more than five books in a month? 5 reasons that motivated me are next: Show that you can to those who underestimated you. I was in the situation when I experienced how is to be without support, surrounded by people who disliked me. My keyboard was my only friend. Expel your traumas . If you feel that there is a secret inside of you, embarrassing or hard to tell, you can write. Make a story with fictional characters, play with their destinies and you will feel illuminated. You have an audience. Look at your ratings, reviews. First time I got reviews I was very happy. Wow, someone read my books. It might not be the audience I dreamed about, but a group of people read my books...

Today I am featuring an awesome author Martin J. Best. His stories about ghost hunting captured my interest. A short biography: Born in 1965, Martin J. Best is a native of Torquay, on the UK's English Riviera, where he grew up in an actively haunted house. He has had a varied work life, including many years running his own mobile disco business, and is now fulfilling a life-long dream to write full-time. When not working, he enjoys listening to a wide variety of music, ghost hunting, and walking/trail running with his dogs Shadow and Raven – a Northern Inuit and a Groenendael.   Much of the action in Martin’s character-driven paranormal stories are set in and around his hometown, the use of genuine locations giving his meticulous world building an unpretentious authenticity. The Moth Trap - https://1books2read.com/u/b5QLak A Step Aside – https://books2read.com/u/4AxNPK The Novice Ghost Hunter - https://books2read.com/u/47X827 Ghost Hunter I: A Matter of Faith - https://books2re...

If you are an indie author, you will do everything alone. Writing a book is an easier part. You will do promotion, editing, marketing, choosing cover creators, and your editor for a final manuscript. Indie authors are aware of this so they do the best they can to look professional.  There are some exceptions, those are people who are just starting or they are naturally egoistic so they think everyone will listen to their demands. What kind of mistakes do indie authors do in approaching their audience? Send private messages to unknown people.  Tag unknown people with their book links. They post above-pinned tweets of other authors their book links. They post under other authors' links their book links. Underestimate other authors, trying to make laugh at their work. Selling a book means you need to find a market. If you are lecturing others, you will not be popular. If you try to use others, it will come back to you. Here are three tricks that some indie authors use: Fake promi...

Today I am featuring fantasy author Josephine Wrightson. Living in North Devon, in a beautiful rural cottage with her family. Hubby and two girls, there is much inspiration all around her. The rolling green hills and forests, but she is doubly lucky to have beautiful beaches and the tumultuous coastline near too. So many tales to tell, and plenty of inspiration all around her. Josephine has been writing for more years than she cares to admit to. Having started in her early 20’s, and before then reading so much. Anything and everything. However, as with many of us, life got in the way and encouragement was lacking, so her ambition got shelved, or more to the point packed into a case. After a strange couple of years, with the help and encouragement of a great husband and children, who Josephine admits to being her very own ‘hero ‘ decided to pick it up again, with a renewed vigor and determination. As life is very often too short. So being an indie publisher became her goal. And this ...

Let's sell the book. This is the dream of every indie author. Until now, you learned already about difficulties, and how to sell the book. One of the important things is collaboration between authors and readers. Also, authors should respect other authors. When I started writing, for four years, I had some experiences with other authors. I asked for opinions and got lessons. Sure, I did not like it. When the author asks for a review, he expects the review. You can always politely refuse and said you don't have time to read, or you don't want to leave a review because you don't like the book. Some authors are crossing the limits, by giving lectures. For example: "Oh, do you have an editor? I would read a book, but I would recommend you some editors, or I will edit this for a suitable fee." "Do you think you are ready to publish it? I have a book, let's take a look, and read it, so you can learn something from me. " When someone lectures you, he br...

Many authors will give their books for free for the purpose of promotion.  Their expectations are: Many KENP readers, because the book is free. Many reviews, because the book is free. With many ratings, the book is free. Reality is not so dazzling. People will grab a free book, but many will not read this. Some of them will give bad ratings or bad reviews, and the minority will give a read. When you see something free, your first thought might be: well, this is not worthy it. If this is a quality, it will be priced. Giving your book free might give a wrong impression : This is an author I never heard about. This is a low budget. This is a trashy read. When you give your book for free, it should be targeting the audience.  You expect a reader's circle, so the blurb must be well described, the cover must be professional and the story must be edited. Also, if you have more books, let other books have a price.  You are offering a free book but as a representative pattern of y...

Hello authors. I bet this is the question you ask yourself very often? What is wrong with my book and why is not selling? Why others are selling books and I can't manage it? Now is a year since I am selling my books. Croatian bank was not in the American bank system so I had to wait 3 years to get my money from Kindle. So, there are worse things than passive readers, agree? I will not lie, it is not an ideal position, and I am not Stephen King or John Grisham.  I learned a few things and I want to share them with you. The cover. What is the first thing that attracts the reader? Your book cover. If you want to buy the book in the library, I am sure you will take the one with an interesting cover. The same is with e-books, you will pick a book by the cover. Professional covers are expensive, but sure you can invest some money and find a suitable price.  The blurb. Now, you want to know what is a book about, before you buy it, isn't it? That is similar to a movie, you will read...

Every writer wishes to sell his books. We want primary purpose, to reach an audience, readers who will buy our books. What makes difference between amateurs and professionals, is how they talk to the audience. If you hit an unknown internet user with a message "Hello! Will you review my book? I kindly ask you to read and review my story.", there is a big chance that you will get blocked. No wonder, you remind the reader of a beggar who is standing in front of your door, asking a favor.  Reviews are the main tools for sale, but how to get them? Why should someone read your book when you have millions of indie authors and books online? Why should someone buy your book when you have free books online? From my experience, how you represent yourself is the key to your sales. I have twelve books, various genres. How to - self-help books. I don't have an intention to lecture someone. I transfer my personal experience. In this way, I clean my soul from my mistakes and give you s...

If you are a writer, you know what I am talking about. Some days you have an invisible obstacle in your mind, feels like a frozen stick inside and you don't know how to start. What to write and how to get out from the blockade? Writer's block could manifest in various forms: You can't start the book. You are stuck in the middle of the book. You don't know how to end the book. You are repeating yourself, this idea is already written.  How do I deal with writer's block? I use my memories from real life. I can't mistake it there, my life already told the story. I read books. I will not copy anyone, but others' books can develop the seed of an idea.  I take a break. Going out in the fresh air helps. You might meet someone who will inspire you. What motivates me?  My best writing period happens when I got angry. My words are flowing then, like someone talking to me about exactly what I should write.  Critics are the wind in my back. Let me show to assholes what I...

I am scrolling through social media and notice many indie authors on Tik Tok, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. When you ask people are they reading books, many will say without shame they don't read. In the age of technological progress, people are so busy that they have no time to read. Hear and see, those actions have an advantage over reading. Tik Tok is based popularity on videos and teenagers will brag they don't read. If they read, they wish to read about how to make money or get famous. I made a poll on Tik Tok, 70% of people said they don't read indie authors. Based on the teenager's pattern, they probably think about how reading is a waste of time.  This makes my next question : Why write and who will read? First, you must reject the old stereotype of how the author is an old man with glasses or authoress is an old lady who is boring and not pretty.  Nowadays, authors use social media, and technology and they look great. More than ever, your appearance is impo...

Many indie authors offer their books for free in the hope of getting reviews. It is a noble guest and generous, but there is no profit from this in the long term. Why? People will get a book free, and then they will not leave a review. Sometimes you can get a review if you repeat you need it, or if a person is your friend, but unknown people are not obligated to review, so in general, they will not do it. If you show your audience they can get every book for free, you show they don't need to pay for your work. It is not about money, it is about your rating. You invested in your book, cover, formatting, and editing, and now you should give a book for free? Indie books are cheap. The E-book is between 0.99 cents and 3.45 dollars, and this is small money. Kindle will take their percentage, and you can't get much. But, your product must have a price, you are not a charity. Even if this price is symbolic, still your product is marked for sale. Ask people, do they remember how much m...

I f you are an indie author, you will get offers for paid reviews, sooner or later. Someone of money hunters will approach you through your inbox or in groups, offering their reviews for your books, in exchange for "small fees." Indie authors are struggling with book sales, but some reviewers are like vultures, trying to get money from authors because we need reviews as a marketing tool for our books. Some reviewers will ask 10 dollars for one review, some even more. I advise you: don't buy it. Don't accept it. Why? Paid reviews are not objective . Someone will praise your book, and you paid for it. Do you remember when you go shopping and a saleswoman praises you for how you look good in a new dress? She does it because she wants to sell a dress. So, if you paid for a review, it will be praised, because you give money. You will get 5 stars, and a person even did not read a book. Amazon will punish you . If they discover you paid for reviews, you are breaking their ru...