Category Archives: Sharon C. Williams

Speech: Author platform and social media

imagesThis past Saturday I gave a small speech to one of my writers group. There were three of us sharing information to the members. One discussed the process of being a self published author. The second filled in the gaps we left behind thank goodness. I talked about the traditional side with query letters, the dos and don’t of the process, gave a nice list of links and then moved on to social media via author platform and why it is so important.

This is something I been working on for a few years now, my author’s platform to where now it is almost second nature to me so doing a small gathering on this was easy on my part. They were so interested I been asked, maybe coerce is a better word, to do another one at my convenience which will be next Wednesday. It is nice a/ to be able to talk about something I am very familiar with to where it is little work to where I just need to prepare for a few run through and b​/ helping other people out especially writers who are more green then I am.

There is enough room for all us to have our books up there. We all write in different genres, different age groups and different target audiences and there will never, hopefully, be a shortage of readers. As an avid reader myself it is a great time for the choices keep expanding on what is out there to read.

Pictures inside your book

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In my first book there were few pictures. This was something I received slack on. The ones it came from were my friends. The ones who don’t have books out yet and haven’t gone through the process of putting a book together.

I wish there had been more but there was a reason why there wasn’t. Price. The more pictures you place in a book the more expensive the book is to of set the cost of the pictures. I didn’t want to have my very first book be so high that few people would purchase it. And to be honest who could blame them? Definitely not me.

When my second book came out, Squirrel Mafia, I wanted pictures for each chapter, a challenge for my team to get it in there just right without making the pictures look crappy hence the book crappy. Now the price will go up for two reasons. The first as I mentioned by having pictures in the book. But if those pictures are color, than watch out for  the price goes incredibly up as is the case with my color version of Squirrel Mafia. But I did that one for a purpose, it was for me. I wanted one in color to give to my mom, my mother in law and to have one for myself . I did not expect anyone else to purchase it since it is high. Well, I was wrong. People are buying which is nice but suppressing.

Price of your book does depend on a few factors and pictures are one of them. Whether you add pictures or not, color photos or not or rather you just have text. It is up to yo, but one must keep in mind with the price, the audience your book is geared at and if they will be willing to pay those prices.

Your book cover: It’s important

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Book covers are so important. It is the first thing readers will see when your book catches their eye. One has to spend some time with the illustrator, being willing to compromise and also knowing when to stand firm at the same time.

I am fortunate that I have two illustrators that are awesome. Squirrel Mafia was easy, with it being a non fiction book, since all the pictures in the book and cover are ones I personally took from around my area. For my Jasper series it involved me sending the team close to 100 pictures of Jasper so they could get a good idea of what he was like, his mannerisms and positions that he had. So the two covers reflect that.

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It again takes time. I have had to tell them a/Ah hmm can you lighten this portion of the book? b/ Can you lower the title a bit? c/ Can you make the font for book 2 a bit more bigger? d/ Ah hmm that is not the title I ended up with to f/ No that won’t work at all.

The team that does Jasper is wonderful and are willing and open to listen to my ideas and thoughts when it comes to the cover and the pictures inside . I am fortunate they give me leeway with each of my books and also welcome suggestions and don’t get upset when I say no that is not going to work period.

I want it just right. It is a tiresome process and stressful one at that for I want it as great as I can get it. Not everyone is going to like it. That’s okay for you can’t please everyone. What I need to do is get a cover that represents the material inside to the best of my ability.