Link to great article on how authors can best utilize Twitter

Alan Rinzler wrote a great article on how authors can best utilize Twitter.

He suggests that writers should use their real names (the one they write under) because your name is your brand.

Know your audience, and build a following by finding and following people who are interested in your topic through Google's book blogger search  and with http://www.twellow.com which is like a yellow pages for Twitter. Also, @GalleyCat on Twitter has compiled lists of  useful people to follow, including book reviewers.

Putting people into lists on Twitter lets you see the most recent posts by people on that list. Follow them, and they might follow you. Start Tweeting, and make sure your posts are original, funny, timely,  or informative: the kind of stuff others may retweet. Retweet things you find interesting. Provide content about your topic, area of expertise, or if you write fiction, "a character, scene or situation you're working on." I would also add that you should ask questions. It's a good way to meet people in real life, so why wouldn't it work online too?

Link back to your blog, Tumblr page, website, Facebook, and include your Twitter name in your email signature, on your websites and blogs and so on. Put it in the back of your book. And after a while, mention that your book is available and link to where people can read chapters or buy it. Don't try to sell your book. Instead, simply try to provide useful content to others. 

Great article! http://www.alanrinzler.com/blog/2011/03/20/strategic-tweeting-for-authors/

This sums up how I'm feeling about my decision to epublish my first novel. I'll be starting with Toren: The Teller's Tale.

Places to get cover art, book trailers and more

1. http://hubpages.com/hub/Using_Photos_On_Your_Website

2. Rob Siders, for ebook formatting: http://www.52novels.com/

3. Great illustrator who does covers: http://www.partzero.com/

4. Derek Mah's website for covers: http://www.attoboy.com/

5. Carl Graves (cover designer, reasonable rates) website: http://extendedimagery.blogspot.com/

6. Sharon Pavón: "My cousins make independent films and are open to doing book trailers. This is their website" http://www.roaringcreekfilms.com/

7. Premade ebook covers at great prices: http://mycoverart.wordpress.com/clearance/

8. Mia Castile says, http://www.sherylclarkproductions.net/ did my amazing cover :) (She does book trailers too.)

9. Huge collection of images, reasonable prices: http://www.bigstockphoto.com/search/category/abstract/

10. Another huge collection of images, as well as video and audio, at reasonable prices: http://www.istockphoto.com/

11. From Arthur Slade "This is the company that did a few of my book trailers": http://www.audioartcafe.com/

Useful blogs, articles and other info on epublishing

1.Blog of an ebook bestseller: http://amandahocking.blogspot.com/

2. Great advice on ebook publishing: http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/

3. Interview with Amanda Hocking: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qWOy4p4MvM

4. Books for Kindle outselling all other formats--including paperbacks--sold by Amazon:
http://www.suite101.com/content/how-do-kindle-book-sales-compare-to-paperback-and-hardback-books-a339041#ixzz1FqvBzHWv

5. Published authors, like Arthur Slade, are self-publishing their out of print books as ebooks: http://catherinestine.blogspot.com/2011/03/gone-are-days-where-publishing-ones-own.html

6. E Is for Book is "a coalition of respected children’s trade book authors developing their books for electronic media." http://www.eisforbook.com/p/indie-links_02.html

7. Arthur Slade's blog where he writes about his ebook adventures: http://arthurslade.livejournal.com/61038.html

8. Up-to-the-minute information on ebooks: http://write2publish.blogspot.com/

9. Successful ebook self-publisher Terri Reid's blog: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4192570.Terri_Reid/blog

10. Bestselling author L.A. Bank's reasons for choosing to epub her own books and how she did it: http://liarsclubphilly.com/?p=1784

11. A How-To article from CNet on self-publishing ebooks: http://reviews.cnet.com/how-to-self-publish-an-e-book

12. How to make full-bleed (allowing pictures to reach the edges) picture books for the iPad: http://www.pigsgourdsandwikis.com/2011/02/fixed-layout-epubs-for-ipad-and-iphone.html

13. A couple of useful Yahoo! Groups, one for self-publishers and the other for self-publishers of children's books: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Self-Publishing/ and http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CBPublishing/

Links for writers interested in publishing their own ebooks

Getting started with Kindle: http://forums.kindledirectpublishing.com/kdpforums/index.jspa

Getting started with CreateSpace (for paper books sold through Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/gp/seller-account/mm-product-page.html?topic=200354160&ld=AZOnDemandMakeM

PubIt! for Barnes & Noble's Nook: http://pubit.barnesandnoble.com/pubit_app/bn?t=pi_reg_home

SmashWords: ebook publisher and distributor (takes 10%): http://www.smashwords.com/about/how_to_publish_on_smashwords

Book Baby: ebook publisher and distributor (costs $99): http://www.bookbaby.com/

Ebook conversion starting at $99.95: http://www.freeebookconversion.com/