Review: Recommended for Indies and self-published authors...
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 29, 2012
I have read three excellent books that helped make marketing my own books easier, quicker and more productive. While I got some good pointers from each, I must say I truly got more from8 Hours to Jump Start Your Career: A Step-By-Step Guide for Self-Published Authors (The 8 Hour Series)than any other.After several years spent learning (by trial and error) the ins-and-outs of the various Social Media sites--especially when dealing with the e-book craze--I admit that I already used many of the methods described by author Tammie Clarke Gibbs.  However, what I learned from Gibbs in this book is helping organize my efforts in a more productive way, thus saving me time. And we all know that time is money...Since I have a journalism career background, I grew up learning "newspaper ways," but books are a whole new ballgame... I published my first print book in 2000, then e-books came along and changed ALL of what I knew about print marketing. With a million competitive and talented authors vying for e-book sales, I know that we authors need to learn all we can.I quickly learned that I couldn't do it alone...I've always believed in authors helping authors (people helping people), so I eagerly joined author-friendly sites like Daniel L. Carter's Author Central, Carolyn Arnold's Celebrating Authors, Janet Beasley's JLB Creatives, Niamh Clune's On The Plum Tree, Robert Stanek's Go Indie and many more... I'm pleased by how most of the authors in those groups jump in to help the new members and each other. I always try to help others, also; often at the neglect of my "next manuscript." (I'm sure you've heard that same lament from other authors.)I actually met Tammie Clarke Gibbs on Author Central, but ran into her on all those other sites, also, so knew we were on similar tracks. We soon became friends and I've read two of her romance books,Island of Secrets: A Time Travel, Gothic RomanceandCounterfeit Kisses. Make no mistake about it, she's an outstanding writer. But in the e-book market, it takes more than good writing, as we all learn the hard way: It takes great marketing skills!And that's why this book has become such a treasured possession!I can't say I've mastered all the skills described in this easy-to-follow, masterly written guide, but I'm on my way. My books have won awards and reached #1rank in various categories on Amazon Kindle, but even with those successes, sales go from extreme highs one month to mediocre lows the next.I think mastering the lessons Gibbs teaches in this book will help keep my book sales steady--but only if I apply myself diligently. Eight hours might seem like a long time, but the way this author lays her program out in easy-to-follow steps and increments, it's an enjoyable time. As an extra bonus, she even gives the readers links to many helpful sites. (That alone is worth the price of this book.)However, when all is said and done, it's still up to the authors to get the word out; to shout out about their books. Gibbs has given us the proper tools and is the first to tell us that it's up to us to mine for the gold! It's still work, but much more organized...and gets easier the more you follow her skillfully laid-out program.I mentioned above how marketing takes too much of an author's time. With that in mind, I hope I'm not presumptuous in offering a quote I coined several years ago: "Writing a book is like sliding down a rainbow; marketing it is like trudging through a field of `chewed' bubblegum on a hot, sticky day."That will always be true, I fear, but Tammie Clarke Gibbs's very helpful book has eliminated many hours of my "trudging" time.I highly recommend this book to all serious writers. You put your heart and soul into writing your books; now it's time to invest some time in learning the proper way to sell them in this rapidly changing industry.Since this is an e-book, I can't say I'll proudly display it on my shelf right next to Stephen King's hardcover "On Writing," but if it were, that's exactly where it would be! As it is, it's right up front in my favorites on my precious Kindle Fire (right next to John Locke and Cheryl Kaye Tardif). Thus, when I need a refresher course, I can always open my KF (it goes everywhere with me).Review by Betty Dravis, 7/20/2012Author of "Dream Reachers" series (with Chase Von) and other books