Author Interview with Karen Baney - Author Marketing/Business Self-Help Book 10 Keys to Ebook Marketing Success .
Best-selling self-published author, Karen Baney, enjoys sharing information to help authors learn about the Business of Writing. She holds a Masters of Business Administration from Arizona State University and has worked in various business related career fields for the past 20 years.
She writes Christian Historical Fiction and Contemporary Romance novels.
Interview with Karen Baney
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| Author Karen Baney |
Karen Baney:I first started writing professionally in early 2010. Since then I’ve released five novels, one omnibus, and one non-fiction book for authors.
Who are your favorite writers, your favorite books, and who or what are your writing influences?
One of my favorite authors is Terri Blackstock. I love how she writes suspense with a touch of clean romance. I’ve learned a lot about building suspense from studying her work.
When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
In March 2010, I went through a series of health problems which resulted in period of tremendous personal and spiritual growth. At one point, I asked God what his plan was for me. He said, “Write.” After a month of trying to figure out what to write, my first novel, A Dream Unfolding, was born and I haven’t stopped writing since then.
Tell us about your writing process. Do you have a writing routine?
Because I work a full-time job outside of the home, I have to squeeze writing in where I can. Typically, the bulk of my writing is done on the weekend, while I focus more on marketing during week nights.
Most of my books start out with a fluid outline. I say fluid, because I’m always open to changing it as I go. Whether fiction or non-fiction, the books tend to tell me how they want to be written.
"Just sitting down at the keyboard and letting the words flow."
What do you find easiest about writing? What the hardest?
The easiest part is the writing. Just sitting down at the keyboard and letting the words flow. The hardest part is towards the end of the editing and revision process. I’m not sure that I should admit this, but I usually get fed up with the book just before publishing it. Probably because I’ve read it close to fifty times or more by then. That’s the part of the writing process that feels more monotonous to me.
Karen, please tell us a little about your book '10 Keys to eBook Marketing Success'.
Sure. It’s an easy-to-read book about eBook marketing for writers. I take business concepts that I learned through my education (Masters of Business Administration) and through twenty years in business. Then I apply those concepts to marketing books. I’ve been very blessed to have an amazing second year as a published author; closing out 2012 with over 200,000 downloads. Now it’s my turn to pay it forward to other authors.
235.jpg "10 Keys to eBook Marketing Success") |
| Click to Read an Excerpt |
What inspired you to write the book?
I remember how overwhelming it seemed when I first learned how to market my books. There was so much to learn, even with all of the real-world business experience I had. Over the past two years, I’ve written tons of articles on my website about marketing and self-publishing. Finally, one of my mentees nagged me enough that I finally compiled everything into this short reference manual.
"The ideal audience for this book is anyone who is new to eBook marketing."
Who do you see as your target audience and where can we buy the book?
The ideal audience for this book is anyone who is new to eBook marketing. The self-published author will benefit the most, as I discuss topics like pricing and distribution, which traditionally published authors have no control over. This book is probably a little too basic for seasoned book marketers that already know how to leverage social media, paid advertising, etc.
How would you describe the success of your book so far? (Sales, Awards, Reviews)
The book is still in its first month, and I have been slowly building up momentum for it. I’ve been blown away by the large number of 5-star reviews so far. I think 12 in the first month is really good.
How long did it take it to write the book?
I wrote the first draft of the book in two days. Some of the material was similar to blog posts I wrote in the past, so I was able to update and incorporate that content into the book. The revision and editing process took longer, but from start to finish, I had the book published in three weeks. For some reason, this seemed easy to write. I also wanted to keep it short enough for authors to read in one evening. I know how hard it is to sacrifice writing time for reading time.
Please, tell us where you self-published the book.
Right now, it’s available on Amazon. I am currently working on the paperback version, which will be available in March. Then, in late April, it will be available on Barnes & Noble for the Nook, on Kobo, and on other retailers.
How smooth went the self-publishing process? Any issues? What are things to look for when self-publishing a book?
Since this was my seventh self-published book, it was a breeze! The biggest challenge with 10 Keys to Ebook Marketing Success was the formatting for paperback. Non-fiction always seems harder than fiction for formatting.
Did you hire an editor and/or Cover Designer for your book?
Yes. My amazing cover designer, Brian Ring, has designed the layout on all of my books and the actual cover art on book 4 in my Prescott Pioneer Series. He’s getting busy these days with all the referrals, but he still makes time for my covers.
I also hired an editor, as always.
Can you give some tips for other Indie Authors regarding the writing and self-publishing process?
The biggest misconception with self-publishing is that it is easy. It’s not. Now you have to do everything yourself or manage those that you outsource to. My biggest advice is to be patient and take your time, especially with the first book. Don’t rush to publish just because you can. Get quality help (cover designers, editors). You’ll set yourself up for success if you use a large dose of patience.
Are you working on another book project? Can you tell us a little about it?
I’m currently working on two books. The first is a new historical western book. Precious Riches (Hidden Prospects #1) picks up with a favorite character from the Prescott Pioneers Series, Paul Lancaster. We follow the chaos that his life has become and we get to see if his hope for love is fulfilled. All three planned books in this series pulls at least one minor (sometimes very minor) character from the Prescott Pioneers Series, though it is not necessary to have read the Prescott Pioneers in order to read Hidden Prospects. It’s just one of those fun things for fans of the first series.
The other book I’m working on is Unlock eBook Marketing: Pricing & Promotion Strategies. This one is just in outline form at this point, but I hope to release it later this year.
"I love the flexibility and control that comes with self-publishing."
Are you planning to move forward as an Indie author or are you looking forward to have one of your next books to be traditionally published?
I love being an indie author and I’ve been very successful. I love the flexibility and control that comes with self-publishing. I’m also an entrepreneur at heart, so this satisfies that side of me.
Where do you see the book market in 5 or 10 years? Will there be only eBooks and will book stores disappear like record stores disappeared?
I think 10 years is too soon for the demise of book stores. I think they will continue to decrease or change to be a hybrid of book store / coffee shop / ebook store. I don’t think paperback books will go away completely. I’ll be honest, I prefer paperback for research, textbooks, and workbooks. Everything else, I’ve been an ebook convert for years.
I think ebooks will continue to grow. There are still so many readers, and even authors, who are not sold on the idea of ebooks so there’s still a lot of room for growth.
Do you write full-time or do you have a day job?
I’m a software engineer by day and author by night. My husband and I also manage a few online businesses, like ChristianEbooksToday.com and MyAuthorServices.com. It’s a good thing we don’t have kids—otherwise they’d never see us!
How can readers connect with you?
Authors can connect with me at: Karen@myauthorservices.com or on the web at www.myauthorservices.com where Jim and I publish new articles about marketing and self-publishing on a regular basis.
Twitter: @karen_baney
Facebook: Facebook Fan Page
Google+: Google+
Thank you very much for the Interview, Karen.
About the Book 10 Keys to Ebook Marketing Success
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| Click to Read an Excerpt |
How does 200,000 downloads in one year sound? What about a paycheck over $70,000?
These aren’t just meaningless or made up numbers. These are the stats that best-selling author, Karen Baney, achieved in her second year as a published author. How did she do it? By applying the principles and tips she now shares with you in 10 Keys to Ebook Marketing Success.
Well-organized, this book is broken down into 10 Keys. Each key contains success tips, do’s and don’ts, concise summaries, and the Marketing Minute—an opportunity to evaluate your own progress and apply what you just learned to your marketing plan.
If you’re disappointed with your sales and want to learn how to market your eBook effectively, this book is for you.
"10 Keys to Ebook Marketing Success is a must-have resource manual for both, the new and veteran self-published author. Thorough and well-organized, this book will take you through the sometimes overwhelming maze of marketing and guide you to success." - Reader Review
Links to the Book
Link to the eBook 10 Keys to Ebook Marketing Success with Excerpt
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