Review: At least one error authors will need to know about...
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 8, 2012
Secrets of Successful Writers contains transcribed interviews with fifty authors, both traditionally published and self-published (or both). It is not made clear whether the interviews were conducted face to face or via email (I suspect the latter). Little of the information is new and a lot of it is either predictably similar (e.g. everyone has a blog and a website) or predictably contradictory (e.g. plotters vs. pantsters).Of the fifty authors interviewed, I've actually only heard of two (John Locke and John Marsden), although that is probably not suprising as most of the authors tend to be indies, writing in genres I don't read, or both. While some of the authors state their books have been in the Kindle Top 10, those same books are currently lurking closer to 200,000. Perhaps they meant the UK Top10? Either way, it can't be denied that making the Top 10, whether on Amazon UK or US, no matter how briefly, is a huge achievement.In looking at the product page, I noticed that '3 Kindle users' have highlighted this quote from author Michael Prescott:"promote your book using Amazon's discussion boards, which can be accessed toward the bottom of any Kindle book's sales page..."Don't. Even. Think. About. It.This is outdated information. Since May 2011, Amazon.com have ONLY permitted authors to promote their work in the Meet Our Authors discussion board, not in the general discussion forums (e.g. Kindle, Kindle Book, Romance). Authors who do mention their book/s outside MOA are reported and their posts deleted (especially those who follow Michael's advice and post five self-promoting comments each day).New authors need to know this, to save them the flame wars that erupt when they are discovered self-promoting or spamming. Amazon UK have the same rules, but don't seem to enforce them so rigidly (although they could just have less spam all round). This is the only error I have found in the book, although there are a couple of typos (it's either FaceBook or Facebook. It can't be both). Apart from this, it's an OK read. Nothing really new or exciting, and probably nothing that isn't already on Pitt's own website. Mildly interesting, but neither bad nor great.