Authors, are you sitting on a fortune without realising it?

A short while ago I wrote a post about the different ways and reasons authors might sign their books. Why you should take signing and inscribing your books very seriously…

This post follows on from that one, but not along the route you might think.

Once again, this is an in-depth and informative article, from which I think you will take far more than just the main points I make.

At least, I hope so.

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The idea for this post came about while I was chatting away with a friend, discussing how easy it is to recycle print books nowadays, especially since the introduction of environmentally friendly inks, papers, films, card and such.

However, as with most conversations, our chat wandered across many subjects, soon I found myself explaining how I sold several uncorrected proof copies of my books, ones which included errors, misprints, formatting issues and so forth to either fans or collectors.

My friend, who happens to be an avid collector of rare books, said this is not such an unusual occurrence, many book collections would not be complete without an uncorrected proof copy or two.

He said, some of these proofs are produced without cover illustrations, so the books are, in his words ‘raw’, just containing the writer’s words and little else. The resulting post is formed both from the information my friend shared and from research I undertook following our meeting.

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I do understand why people collect first editions.

I the early days of printing presses the plates were made of lead, the sharpness of the edges on these plates would, after a number of impressions, wear. Thus, the earlier impressions would be far sharper and clearer than those printed later.

This was most important where the printed work contained illustrations or maps, which were generally finely penned pen & ink drawings or engravings, so clarity of reproduction was all-important.

In modern times, first with off-set printing and now with digital technology, this is no longer a factor and collecting ‘first’ or ‘early’ editions is now more of an act of faith than a practical necessity.

If one was to take the ‘early’ edition to its most, but logical, extreme, then it is the authors manuscript would be the rarest and most valuable version of ‘the book’… which it is.

Most collectors, including institutions, cannot collect authors manuscripts as widely, or as thoroughly, as they may wish.

There is, however, a preliminary state of a book, prior to the first published edition and therefore closer to the authors manuscript so it still holds a high rarity value yet is more readily available.

These fall into two categories.

The first is the authors proof copy(s). Dependent on how many ‘proof’ editions are required.

The second is the ARC’s or ‘galley’ proofs, which often need final-final proofreading before publication and printing start in earnest.

These copies of your own books can also hold a higher intrinsic value than those of your production run, including POD’s.

The reason is twofold; the first is they are early examples, so they are rare, most being produced in low quantities of a dozen or so.

Secondly, most books will undergo their final revisions, by the author and editors, after the printing of the proof copies; meaning these books often show a state of the authors work otherwise unpublished. This is enormously interesting and informative for scholars and students of literature and language studies.

The history of producing proof copies for distribution dates to the partly printed ‘salesmen’s dummies’ of the 19th century.

But ‘proofs,’ as part of the publication process, has a shorter history.

Advance copies of books for in-house use by the publisher are customary,  either as long galley proofs or in other formats. Printed and bound advance copies for distribution were rare in the 1930s and 40s, only becoming regular practice in the 1950s and 60s.

This was mostly due to Crane Duplicating Service, a Cape Cod printer, who promoted the idea to the publishing industry. Those who had a ‘Crane’ could print inexpensive prepublication editions which they could send out for early reviews, thus tempting the major wholesalers and retail buyers to place larger orders. Another development to assist with this was also devised by Crane, this was the placing of promotional ‘blurb’ on the rear covers or dust jackets of these promotional books.

This practice gained such wide acceptance proofs became known as ‘cranes’ by the print industry for many years, a practice which has only recently fallen from fashion.

You can see the natural, almost organic progress of how this influenced the concept and design of the modern book, which still sports the back cover and dust jacket ‘blurb’ first fashioned by those early publishing houses.

The number of proof copies is a secret kept by each publisher, but some figures have escaped, such as the 57 copies of Robert Stone’s first novel, The Hall of Mirrors, or the 39 proofs of Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five.

One of Phillip K Dick’s novels contained ‘potentially libellous’ text. It is said that 19 proof copies of this book still exist… somewhere.

Not satisfied with these simple proof copies, many publishers (since the 1930s) issue elaborately produced prepublication volumes in hope of generating further interest in forthcoming releases.

Raymond Chandler’s first novel, The Big Sleep, was issued in such a prepublication form, as were Dashiell Hammett, and James M, Cain and, in 1961, an ‘advance reading copy special edition’ of a forthcoming first novel called Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, was created.

Since then, ARC’s have become commonplace, they are now par-for-the-course for most releases, such is the case for ‘The World According to Garp‘, John Irving’s breakthrough novel, which used 1500 advance copies printed for promotional purposes. Martin Cruz Smith’s ‘Gorky Park‘ had two printings of ARC’s totalling 2500 copies; it was his first bestseller. Since which he has become one of the most popular and successful thriller writers of all time.

Examples of textual changes in proofs abound.  Most are never discovered until someone does a line by line comparison with the final book.

Tim O’Brien revised his National Book award-winning novel, ‘Going After Cacciato‘, after the proof was printed, and O’Brien’s own copy has whole paragraphs marked out and rewritten. His second novel, Northern Lights, has a two-page section in the proof that does not appear in the finished book.

Peter Matthiessen’s National Book Award-winning ‘The Snow Leopard‘ has major changes made after the proof was printed, after he sent it to a friend, and Buddhist scholar, for comments on his references to Buddhism.

Kent Anderson’s powerful Vietnam war novel ‘Sympathy for the Devil‘ has the most stunning passages excised after the proof was printed, perhaps because they were deemed by editors to be too harsh for publication.

Oh, and no one would have known just how bad Ernest Hemingway’s Spanish was in the late 1930s if the proofs of ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls‘ was not found.

So, even if you change, finalise, re-edit sections or whole parts of your book after feedback from your ARC’s, this may not be a bad thing.

There is a case made because proofs are printed first and are distributed outside of the publishing house, they comprise the ‘true first edition’ of a book, as such distribution constitutes the ‘publishing’ of said work. i.e., making a book available to the public, however limited the availability may be.

Combining their historical scarcity, and likely future scarcity, with the textual variations which are often found and which, by definition, represent a state of the text closer to the author’s original manuscript, the value in collecting proof copies is self-evident.

Which brings me, albeit by such a circuitous route, to where this post links back to my previous one about book signings.

I have sold all the copies of my own proof books and intend to do so in the future as I release new works.

I combined the rarity of such with the opportunity to sign and/or inscribe each copy as described in the previous post on this blog.

Of course, the cost of these rare editions is a little higher than the general releases and, as I have the physical copies, shipping charges are also paid by the buyer.

Some may think this would dissuade the regular purchaser, but I have found otherwise and, on two occasions, had people bidding against each other.

I no longer allow people to get embroiled in this way and set what I consider to be a fair and reasonable price for each book.

Taking this one step further, I would also welcome the sale of my original manuscript, should I have handwritten, typewritten or even made handwritten alterations on hard copy, which I have, sadly, not.

Personally, I do not work that way. I do know some authors who prefer to do so and maybe this is an option they may like to consider?

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To cap this post off, here are some points you may like to consider in your future marketing plans. Please note, these are ideas for Paperbacks and Hardcover books, they are not ideal or workable for eBooks.

The following notes are based on the premise from which I started this post… “are you sitting on a fortune without knowing it?”

1, Create a ‘first edition’ short run of your next book.

You could do this as a time-limited promotion or for a set number of books. Of course, you may find some little niggly alterations you need to make, which would only better the rarity of this first edition run.

2, Use any ARC copies (which could simply be a small number of the above or a set number of pre-proofread editions) to your benefit.

Don’t just send them to ‘reviewers’ or ‘friends’ seeking Amazon/Goodreads reviews. Such reviews now lack credibility as their authenticity is under challenge, which is why Amazon deletes so many ‘reviews’.

Instead, give them to your local radio and TV stations; in the UK seek out the local BBC stations as well as the independent ones. Do the same with your local newspapers. Give one to the manager of your local Waterstones bookshop, (these managers have a say in selecting the books their stores stock.)

The main reasons I suggest ‘local media’ is they are constantly hungry for ‘local’ news, so an author from the area who has or shall soon, be releasing a book is exactly the type of story they need. You may well get an interview or be asked to appear as a guest.

Try and milk the airtime. Do a pre-book release show with the ARC & get invited back, in say, two weeks, once your book has been released and is ‘live’ online. (Get two bites of the cherry & create a relationship with the host(s))

I have appeared on two of the three local radio stations in my hometown. Including several guest appearances on the primetime breakfast show.

Note: Do think outside the box, which is especially relevant for certain genres and non-fiction. I have some of my own books in maritime museums, seafarers, and naval heritage centre gift shops and online websites.

You can try your local tourist information centres if your book is about, or set in, the locality. Check out your local museums, galleries and tourist hot spots. Your book may just be welcome on their shelves.

3, If you want to try to attack the regional market, which will encompass your ‘State’ in the USA, then why not produce your own ‘special prepublication edition’ to send to the key organisations? (This would work for National campaigns too, but they are far more difficult to organise and manage.)

As with #2 above, only offer to sign or inscribe these ARC’s for the host when you are interviewed or appear on their show, or when your recorded slot has been aired. Try not to do it pre-show or during recording sessions.

After which, it is always worth turning up ‘out-of-the-blue’ on another day to sign the book when the show is on-air. (It is to the hosts benefit… they will almost certainly ‘fit-you-in’. Trust me, I have done this.)

Even if you do not get lucky with more airtime immediately, you can arrange a time to go back for the signing, even offer to give a signed book or two to the listeners, suggest holding a little quiz or competition. Anything that engages the station’s listeners will make them jump all over you for the privilege.

4, Manuscripts.

A, If you handwrite and are willing to sell your manuscript, either your first draft of your final draft, then please offer it for sale at a price that reflects your love for your story, (i.e. not cheaply). You could fashion a loose cover or folder to keep the whole thing neat, or at least together for presentation purposes. If this has your signature or additional notes written on it, it will add to the overall provenance.

B, If you use a computer to write, as I do, why not consider printing out your draft, at least the ‘final/final first draft’ and making your own handwritten editorial notes on the physical copy, along with and as, you edit the on-screen copy.

This could then be treated as the manuscript above.

Please, however, only have one copy of your first draft and one of your final draft, (although other working copies are acceptable, such as the ARC draft, bot ONLY as long as each is a sole copy and unique), any other/repeat copies will only devalue your manuscripts and will be considered fraudulent, which is not, I am sure, a label you want to associate with your good name.

The more handwritten crossings out, margin notes, additions and so forth the better. These are the things collectors, libraries, scholastic establishments and museums adore. Such items tend to lend people a sense of ‘knowing’ the author as they work, an insight into their mindset if you will.

Well, that’s it from me for this post.

I do hope you can use some of these ideas or, indeed, find fresh ones which suit your own unique situation.

Finally, I can’t help think of eBooks as being ephemeral, subject to being lost in a power outage or, as Amazon.com did with a number of George Orwell books, when it found it sold them without having rights to them, simply erased them from the face of the earth. Something which is far harder to achieve with printed books…. note ‘Fanrenhight 451‘.

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Find my books, even those not available on Amazon.

Get a preview of my current Works in Progress.

See my Artworks and Photography.

Find my Biograph. 

Visit my website

HERE

 

Publishing Trends & Indie Author Insights for 2019.

Those of you who follow Ramblings from a Writers Mind will know at this time of year I write about trends and marketing projections for the forthcoming year.

On December the 15^th 2017, I published ‘Insights & Publishing Trends for 2018’, in which I mentioned Data Breaches, GDRP, Narrative (Native) Advertising, the rise of Hybrid publishing, Books Shelf Life, the growth of Audiobooks and more. The post is still available to read HERE

I think you will find I was scarily accurate.

This post, my Insights and Projections for 2019, I hope will prove to be just as precise.

The following opinion is more than me simply licking my finger and holding it aloft to see which way the wind is blowing. It is from information accrued from a number of respected sources including;

CQ International Publishing, TOAD Publishing, Amazon.com, China South Publishing & Media, Hachette Book, Holtzbrinck Publishing, Penguin Random House, Phoenix Publishing and Media, Bonnier, Bungeishunju, China Publishing Group, De Agostini Editore, Planeta, HarperCollins Publishers, Informa, Kadokawa Publishing, Kodansha, and Sanoma Media

The following conclusions are a distillate of studying reports regarding;

Consumer Print Book Publishing, Consumer Digital Book Publishing, Market Size, Differential Market Regions, Main Consumer Profiling, Regional Production, and Demand Forecasts by Countries etc.

My 2019 report

It is important for Indie Authors and publishers to be aware of the industries shifting patterns, particularly as the market is more competitive than ever before.

While it is continuing to get easier to publish books, the general trend is for people to spend less time reading books.

In the USA the decline has plummeted by almost one-third since 2004.

Measure this against the rise of digital publishing and print-on-demand, the two main elements driving indie growth by making it accessible to almost everyone, and you can see there is a shrinking market which is flooding ‘over the brim’.

Way back in 2014 Amazon published figures showing a new book was published every five minutes. Some now estimated this figure to be one new book every thirty-seconds.

One thing which surprises many aspiring authors is when they learn eBooks are still lagging far behind the popularity of print books.

A survey earlier this year, (2018), showed 67% of people said they read at least one print book in the preceding 12 months in comparison to only 26% having read an eBook during the same time period. A decline of 2% from the 2016 survey.

This may be due to several factors, these are some of the most voiced:

You don’t need power to read a print book.

They [print books] are not as fragile, so best when travelling to remote and rugged regions.

Print books fit into pockets and pouches easily, (referring to jamming them in and rolling them.)

You cannot prop up a wobbly table with an electronic device. (also… cannot use to swat spiders/flies etc.)

You cannot lend/pass on/swap electronic books as you can print books.

Print books are tougher and resist damage better. (You can drop, stand on printed books.)

Moving on.

Audiobooks.

Digital audio is, as I predicted, a major area of growth during 2018 and will continue to grow rapidly during this [2019] year.

In fact, 25% of all Harper Collins digital revenue in the first quarter of 2018 was created from digital audio. This figure increased to 43% for Simon & Schuster, while Audible UK’s revenue grew by 45% from the previous year [2017].

Areas of audiobook growth to consider are the sight impaired, where reading print or digital display is difficult, impracticable or impossible.

The second sector to consider is group listening. This is clearly applicable for educational establishments, but the marketplace also caters for businesses, training/coaching/group bonding/team building etc.

I think it wise to contemplate specialist books written for relaxation therapy, traumatic recovery, inspirational and positive reinforcement.

With these and other, as yet, unexplored market areas it may be worth looking closely at the current expanding audiobook market and to research the potential of new and unexplored market segments.

We can expect to see the continued growth of Hybrid Publishing.

The attraction of Hybrid, especially to new and inexperienced indie authors, is the benefits of having the  ‘middle-ground.’

While authors (mostly) maintain creative control and revenue creation, the enlisted aid from experts (usually) ensure quality and help with market reach.

Some of the traditional publishing houses are now creating collaborative arms of their businesses to harness the rise of Hybrid publishing.

I think this route may be worth considering when entering the audiobook market as it can be an investment and time-consuming task with many pitfalls.

Covers.

Be prepared for a major publishing‘Cover war’ during 2019.

The new designers and predicted trends for this year will make cover designs a prime factor in all book marketing, in both on and off-line sales.

Pantone has already revealed their colour trend forecast for 2019 so, this year, use bold colours if you want your work or business to stand out. Yellows, orange,  pink, and bright blues, in combinations and in contrast all form part of this year’s mix.

Big book design. By big book, I mean copying and using the design keys which are traditionally reserved for famous authors with massive track records.

Crossing out. One element often seen on established authors books has found its way to the smaller author. Often combining handwriting over a font.

This fresh take adds a vibe of revision and restlessness, introducing the idea that the author thought about the title, crossed out words and made changes.

Geometric asymmetry is a big one, combined with geometric shapes and 3d renders. (With complimentary animated variations used in online promotions).

Gradients have seen a huge comeback in late 2017-2018 and are here to stay during 2019. With Apple and Instagram using them in their branding, this is a winning choice in 2019 for book covers too.

Bold fonts, with typography, are getting more and more into the spotlight. In some cases, typography is replacing prime images. Typography is now bigger and bolder, making it a trend for this year’s predictions. The winning combination, when you are using a big font is minimalism, otherwise, the design can be overcrowded and not really appealing.

Notes:

1, League Gothic and close derivative fonts, once usually reserved for Crime and Thriller novels will be touted for other genres.

2, Lydian font has re-emerged in late 2018, leggy, light and gender neutral, I see it continuing its resurgence in literary fiction and then spreading to nonfiction.

Florals. Floral backgrounds will be trending and not only for romance but mixed with masculine elements, such as bold fonts. Illustrations of flowers and plants are ‘on trend’ for 2019.

What makes this floral trend different is the flowers tend to heavily interact and even obscure the text elements on some of this year’s biggest covers. Something else which makes this trend unique: these botanicals are eschewing tradition and finding their way onto covers of books written by both women and men.

Overlapping Elements, previously it was taboo to have images overlapping the text on a books cover. No more. The new designers are ignoring this rule, with some wonderful outcomes.

Implemented cleverly, this can give a 3d-(ish) effect to a flat 2d image.

Hyperrealism. This generally favours non-fiction. These are cover designs which integrate the information about the book into a familiar product or household item.

Whether made from newspaper clippings, food wrappers or even projector slides, these hyper-real covers create effortless nostalgia and a feeling a wistfulness by taking something expected from our life and introducing it into an entirely new setting.

Expect more make-you-look-twice designs like these coming in the next year.

Modern illustration. Illustrated book covers have been having a well-recognized moment, the likes of which we have not seen since the mid-century era. This resurgence reflects the like of those old ‘trippy’ Penguin Classics.

Book cover design trends in 2019 look like they will be defined by contradiction.

Some designers will continue to push boundaries and move to edgier places, while others choose to embrace the typefaces and illustration styles of earlier eras.

Both directions mean readers’ shelves will be filled with gorgeous and fresh jackets.

If you are looking for a special, outstanding designed book cover then contact the award-winning artist designer, PeeJay.

 

PeeJay designs only take on a few new clients in any given year but you may lucky enough to become one of them. PeeJaydesigns@mail.com

 

Marketing.

Passive Aggressive Marketing is the key for a successful 2019.

‘Passive’ as in subtle engagement with your audience and building trusted relationships.

‘Aggressive’ applies to the consistency, continuity and visibility of your promotions. If you are not constantly seen your competitors will be.

One of the prime areas of being indie is the ability to successfully marketing your book(s).

This does not mean simply putting in a big effort on the publication/release of your book, but a continuous, ongoing, planned marketing strategy which is well implemented and executed.

The key word is ‘Ongoing’.

Amazon, for instance, has a vast online activity where your book is swallowed-up and made to disappear instantaneously. Even ‘successful’ books and those considered ‘still-relevant’ can get buried quickly if the marketing effort is not constant.

The torrent of new titles and advertising from new authors and mainstream publishing houses will swallow-up any effort that is not effective and constant.

Without this continued attention, your book may become irrelevant quickly, losing visibility under an avalanche of newer releases in its category. Think of it as having your book available in a giant bookstore, crowded with millions of new releases. (Which it is.)

My suggestion for 2019 is authors will benefit from long-term marketing strategies. Margins may be lower and slower as a result, but the longer-term benefits will make-up for any short-term shortfall.

Creating an ongoing marketing campaign is like paying to keep your book on a display in the front of the store, with ads visible right when customers walk in, instead of letting it move to a shelf in the back. It will have a noticeable effect on sales.

Staying a step ahead of these book publishing trends can make the difference between turning out a bestseller or just another drop in an ocean of self-published work that falls short of its full potential.

This is a transitional time for the publishing industry and these changes will only accelerate through 2019.

Content marketing has been steadily growing for several years now.

More and more businesses realise the long-term ROI (return of investment) of brand-owned content. 2018 was a big year for content; recent studies have shown content marketing revenue is projected to exceed $300 billion by 2019. 86% of B2C marketers think content marketing is a key marketing strategy. Content marketing generates over 4x more leads than PPC per $1000 within 36 months.

Most businesses seem to publish content only because they have heard, “Content is king” or because they saw competitors trying to put out some content too.

Publishing content for the sake of publishing content is useless.

An effective content strategy involves a lot of analysing, organizing and planning. It may be tough, but it is the only way to go if you want to see your content drive traffic and conversions.

Gone are the days where content means the blog posts your company writes. Instead, content marketing now includes a diverse set of content types and multiple channels to push them through.

Chances are that if you’re already using social media, you are doing content marketing to some extent. The next step is to get a strategy in place.

Content marketing is taking any type of content (digital or physical) and purposefully sending it out to your audience. Adding a strategy to this means you have thought about your goals, audiences and distribution channels.

There are quite a few types of content out there now, with new channels being developed every year. Part of being a good content marketer is being able to learn new types and be open to experimentation. Relatively new to the scene is user-generated social media content which can be used as part of your strategy.

This is a non-exhaustive list to help you think about what type of content you may want to consider.

Blog posts, Branded blog posts, User-generated content like an Instagram post, Videos, Podcasts, Infographics, Photos, Webinars, Quizzes, Press releases, News and magazine articles.

Unfortunately, in a world where everyone is connected, one poorly timed, or poorly worded message could destroy your brand reputation.

Taking the above information into consideration, it shows there are two main factors to contemplate in creating a successful marketing strategy for 2019 and beyond.

From this moment onwards, promotional tactics must focus on brand building and audience engagement.

Do not just take my word.

This is what some market-leading professionals have to say;

“In 2019 it seems that the brands who excel in cultivating community and brand loyalty will be the most successful. This means brands need to find their niche audience (instead of trying to be everything to everyone) and support them – through authentic content, top-notch customer service, and surprise-and-delight experiences.” Emily Hughes, Loup Digital

 

“2019 will be about using video. Facebook is going to continue to decline in reach so SEO will continue to be a top priority.” Melissa Chowning, Founder of  Twenty-First Digital

“Going forward, I feel that small online publishers won’t have a future if they try to be all things to all people. So, we are always looking at what we do best and doubling down on that. The Pareto Principle at play, as ever. Our strength is the trust we have built with our users, the quality of our editorial, and the relationships we have with our writers and key players in the media.” Mark Hodson, Co-founder, and editor of 101 Holidays

“In 2019, we will continue to focus on developing great content for our audience and look for new ways to expand our reach. As always, we’ll experiment with new technologies but will always keep the end user experience as a top priority.” Dianna Dilworth, Editor in Chief at Marketers Quarterly

 “My primary focus in 2019 will be building new and building on current relationships. The best way to learn about market trends, challenges, and opportunities are to spend time with the people dealing with them first hand. It’s essential to gain an understanding of what’s important to the people who comprise the different areas of your industry to best serve that industry. The reality is, business isn’t “just business”; it’s personal — and, personally, I enjoy getting to know the people who make the marketing industry come alive.“ Ginger Conlon, U.S. Editor in Chief at The Drum

 

The common threads here are; brand building by engagement of the audience, creating and cultivating community, delivering high-quality content and service, creating partnership and relationships with other organisations and using new technologies.

Last year, after my 2018 report (published Dec 2017), as part of my belief in my own predictions, I created a marketing opportunity for indie authors I called Electric Eclectic.

During 2018 Electric Eclectic built the foundations and established a working formula for a long-term marketing strategy, much based on the industry pattern shifts detected through 2018 and projections for 2019.

Electric Eclectic takes into consideration the need for constant ongoing promotion, for narrative engagement with potential readers (our audience), delivering great service and products while creating mutually beneficial partnerships and relations with individuals and organisations.

In 2019, Electric Eclectic will be considering requests for a small, select number of authors to join our marketing programme.

If you are interested please email eebookbranding@mail.com

Electric Eclectic website: http://bit.ly/visitEEbooks

Electric Eclectic on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElectricEclecticBooks/

The Electric Eclectic App on Google Play: http://bit.ly/2GFyarv

 

BOOKS.

There are two books ALL indie authors, regardless of experience, should have in their reference library.

Neither is a ‘How to’ book or ‘Step by step guide’.

Instead, they are full of relevant and enlightening information you can utilise to your own advantage.

‘The Frugal Author’

 https://amzn.to/2GH9HC7, as the cover suggests, this is all about creating and publishing your book at the lowest possible costs while keeping the quality high.

 

‘Lots of Author Stuff you Need to Know’ 

https://amzn.to/2GGwL3L is full of lots of stuff you really do need to know as an Indie author. This book includes pertinent material such as book parts, when and how to use them, industry word count for various genres, copyright, formatting, stuff about literary agents and much, much more.

 

I strongly suggest you arm yourself with both of these eBooks, which you can download NOW, using the links above.

 

Other marketing tools you need to be making more use of in 2019 are:

Twitter cards.

With more than 330 million monthly active users Twitter should not be overlooked this year.

Latest figures reveal around 51% of Twitter users earn more than $50,000 dollars per year. That is a vast amount of purchasing power. Advertise directly, but utilise Twitters reach to drive traffic to your blog, website and product pages while engaging with your followers.

Twitter cards have more visibility than a regular tweet, allow for immersive interactions while making your tweets attractive encouraging conversation from your audience.

The result of image-based tweets greater exposure with figures suggesting up to 55% increase in leads and a 41% jump of re-tweets.

Check out the four types of Twitter cards available and use/mix & match each style as needed.

Longer Tweets.

We all know Twitter changed its word limit from 140 characters to 280 and allowed images in addition to character count. But did you know you can create follow-on tweets from the drop down?

Want even more? Then try Longertweets.com and read their blog at automaticallytweet.com

You can also use WordPress plugins Tweetly, Tweet Old Post, Tweetable and WP to Twitter to boost and organise your Twitter presence.

Time and organisation.

Scheduling tools may make the difference between success and failure of your book sales this year if you do not have time to be constantly posting and promoting manually.

Having the right scheduling tools on deck can help you save time and push out more content to your audience. The more of your social strategy you put on autopilot, the more time you have to connect with your followers in real time.

The trick is to pick the right social media scheduling tools for you.

Take time to browse them and select the one(s) which offer you solutions to your own situation.

My prediction is for Instagram to be a key element in narrative engagement marketing this year.

The greater your Instagram reach, the more eyes you can get on your brand’s visual content.

With over a billion monthly active users and a constant flood of content, now’s the time to rethink how you can extend the lifespan of any piece of Instagram content and, of course, your reach.

Cross-posting content, that is placing the same/identical content on several social media platforms within the same timeframe. Starbucks marketing is a prime example of how to do this well.

Although you should not cross-post everything. The bulk of your Instagram content should be exclusive to Instagram.

 

BUT… Pinterest posts should be cross-pollinating because the Pinterest platform is designed to be ‘Evergreen’ in terms of network search. Therefore, it is a prime place to house your Instagram posts.

If you do not already know, Pinterest allows you to ‘Claim’ your Instagram account and your YouTube account. Check it out.

Pinterest also provides your brand content attribution, meaning that you can drive more Pinterest traffic directly to Instagram.

I have not yet delved into the recently launched IGTV… Instagram Television… but I shall and will report back on this blog during the forthcoming year.

IGTV is still in its early stages but considers that any followers you gain on IGTV translate to your regular account. Furthermore, the platform allows for heavy tagging and links to drive more attention to your Instagram content and promotions alike.

But that does not mean you should dismiss it out of hand. Go take a shuftie and see what potential you think IGTV holds for you.

Facebook.

The question here is Facebook throwing the baby out with the bathwater?

I don’t think so… at least not yet.

Kicking off 2018 with a reach-rocking algorithm shift, the social giant is now throwing some business owners for a loop with some recent changes to their Pages platform.

The new Facebook Page publishing authorization is something that brands of all shapes and sizes should be aware of.

These rule changes are part of Facebook’s reaction to threatened Government governance of the net and the many major security and data breaches in the last few years. One of the reasons Google is closing their social media platform, Google Plus, in January 2019.

You can read my post on this subject at HERE

Facebook told me that,

“Our goal is to prevent organizations and individuals from creating accounts that mislead people about who they are or what they’re doing. These updates are part of our continued efforts to increase authenticity and transparency of Pages on our platform.”

In short, Facebook is looking to fight disinformation and guarantee to users that Page owners are who they say they are. The Facebook Page publishing authorization provides a straightforward line of defence to achieve both of these goals.

If affected, you will see an alert banner like the one above in your News Feed. You will be asked to confirm your identity and likewise consistently reminded to do so until you go through the process.

Even if you take issue with Facebook questioning your identity, it’s best to simply go along with it if you want to stay in the good graces of the platform. Facebook seems to understand the inconvenience and has made the verification process quite simple as a result.

Remember, so much of social media is about rolling with the punches. Platforms change, rules change. It happens. These are private companies with commercial interests, they are not free public services and no one has an undeniable right to use any of them.

Expect Facebook to roll out many more security influenced changes during 2019.

That’s about it for one post, so I’ll close for now, leaving you with the following message.

As someone who enjoys reading a ‘good book’, you will not go far astray picking one or more of these ‘must reads for 2019’ as selected by from CQI Magazine.

 

 

Publish your book at little, or zero cost?

This is what The Frugal Author says you can achieve, in this book of the same name.

He has written this book as an aid for independent authors in pursuit of economical, prudent self-publication.

The Frugal Author produces his own eBooks, paperbacks and high-quality hardcover publications with very little if any, financial outlay.

This book is full of the distilled results, the acquired knowledge and personal practice of being a successful indie author who dislikes paying out more than is absolutely necessary.

In this book, he explains how he achieves that, along with insights into indie publishing and sharing his ideas of how you too can implement the same type of methods for your own books.

The Frugal Author is NOT a ‘how to’ book. It is NOT a step by step guide or tuitional publication. The Frugal Author simply shares methodology, ideas and principles which you can adopt fully or partially, implement in part or whole over time and adjust to suit your own working practices.

You may well ask what credibility The Frugal Author has? and you are right to do so.

To date, he has published 19 books, ranging from children’s stories and poetry to psychological suspense. From Tales of Crime & Violence through to true accounts of Life in the Warzone. Pulp-fiction comic book yarns are written alongside romantic stories and non-fictional military social history.

The Frugal Author is a true multi-genre author. He is also a multi-format author having eBooks, Paperbacks and Hardcover publications.

Two of his books are recognised and authenticated Amazon bestsellers.

 

He is a well-known and respected member of the global Indie Author and Writers community and a founding member of APC, Authors professional Co-operative, Founder of Electric Eclectic books and chief editor of CQI Magazine.

He is acknowledged for the help and advice he shares and the initiatives he employs to help all writers succeed, irrelevant of their experience.

Now, he is sharing some of his ideology and methodology with you in this book, The Frugal Author.

Download yourself a copy today, start saving money and start heading into profit… NOW.

 

Wherever you are in the world,

you can get your copy of

The Frugal Author right HERE.

 

Your book is out-of-stock, (not)

I often hear authors sound flabbergasted when their books, even their newly launched publication, the one they have been working on for so long and spent a fortune, in both time and effort promoting and marketing, shows as OUT OF STOCK on major bookstore sites.

I mean, how can a brand-new novel, only published yesterday, already be out of stock? Besides, it has been published as a POD (print on demand) so it can never be out of stock… can it?

Why, if it is available from one site, is it showing as out of stock in another? It all seems so confusing.

I have been asked, “Surely if my potential reader sees out of stock against my book, they will simply by another book, someone else’s book… won’t they?”

My answer is “It is a possibility, even a probability.”

So, why can/does your newly published book show out of stock on some site and stores listings.

There are a few reasons. Much depends on who has published your book. CreateSpace (as was), KDP, or another online book publisher like Babybook, Smashwords or B2B, or a private printing company and, who holds your prime stock, if any?

That last part may sound a strange inclusion when speaking of POD books, but some places will/do hold stock, physical stock of POD books… I bet you never considered that before, did you?

Okay, so let me clarify some of this.

First, let’s speak of those who may hold actual stock of your books.

These are varied, so this is a general overview rather than a focused statement.

Many high street bookstores, even some of the larger chains, do hold some independent authors books. You may have to get ‘lucky’ (or have a proven ‘bestseller’) for your book to take up valuable shelf space which is at a premium at this level of retail, but it can happen.

I have several of my own books, (POD published via KDP), which are stocked by and on the shelves in maritime and military museum bookshops.

There are even a few re-sellers and wholesalers who are looking closely at getting more indie authors books in front of the high-street public… but that’s another story (Pun intended.)

Bookstores generally order their books on a fortnightly basis, often guided by their sales/buying/distribution agents convoluted algorithms, which are designed to predict purchasing patterns. Hence, if your book has continued/constant high-volume sales on a site such as Amazon, your book could, possibly, maybe, end up on the shelves of your local bookstore.

This is how the bookstore, should they have an internet presence, (I don’t know one that does not), may list your book as out-of-stock. This does not mean your book cannot be purchased via that particular site, only that the store does not have it on the shelf, or in their warehouse, but your order will be dispatched as soon as the new fortnight’s order arrives from the wholesale/resale company.

The agent will order your book as a multiple/bulk order and distribute copies to the relevant stores they supply the inventory for the two-week cycle. It is these companies who would, for example, buy from Amazon as part of the ‘Expanded distribution’ should you have enabled that option.

Now, let’s get to grips with the sites that do not hold any, or very little, stock and why they may mark your book as out of stock. (This post is Amazon focused, simply because they are the largest bookseller and I am certain almost every indie has or has had, dealings with them.)

Historically, the biggest times of out of stock, or two to three weeks delivery notices, came when Amazon was solidifying its position as the major book distributor in the world. It had a long ongoing, but quiet battle, with Lightning Source and the two main suppliers Amazon used as dropships, Ingram and Baker & Taylor.

As part of the ever-growing Amazon domination, it needed warehouse space and to reduce costs, which can spiral, expediently, even for a massive organisation.

Thus, Amazon reduced its stock levels of all POD books re-ordering necessary stock on a daily basis. But this was not always enough time for POD printers to supply demand in the timespan, hence ‘out of stock’ messages appeared.

All this, along with the continued adjustments since, created a shift change in the marketplace. Since the demise of Createspace, KDP is now undoubtedly the main supplier of indie books to Amazon Books, as it is part of Amazon anyway. So, for the least chance of having your book listed as out of stock, or as delayed delivery, KDP is your best bet.

Lightning Source, Blurb, Babybooks, Lulu, B2B and so on, take a secondary seat in the ongoing war for profits, which is what affects your book sales the most. You cannot blame Amazon or Barnes & Noble, Ingram or anybody else, this is what business is about, maximising revenue and profits.

On that basis, not one of these companies actually cares about you, or your book. (on an individual basis). It is nothing personal, your book is just another item of stock/listing among the many millions, which needs to be sold. So, if your POD company does not supply in time, has an issue with Amazon, your book may be tagged as out-of-stock.

Oh, occasionally it is a genuine mistake, someone clicks the wrong button, but that is far and less often than many would have you believe.

Even if your book is not listed on the major sites, the POD wholesale/agent distribution factors do still influence the availability of your book.

The note to take from this post, if nothing else, is the misconception most indies have in believing all orders from a POD publisher are printed there and then, to order, on the order/request of each customer. This is not necessarily true, as I have explained above.

Which is why you could see that unwanted message, ‘out of stock’ on your books sales pages, no matter which site(s) you use.

Finally, as a personal disclaimer, arse covering statement… there are far more book publishers/printers/distributors/suppliers than I have mentioned here, like TOAD Publishing… oh that’s my own Publishing house!

The secret is to choose the one, (or the several), which suits you and your needs the best.

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That’s it from me just now. I hope this post has been helpful.

Please subscribe to Ramblings from a Writers Mind, then you will know when one of these sporadic articles has been posted.

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In the meantime, you could sit back and relax with some Tales of Crime & Violence… go on, you know you want too. https://goo.gl/8aY9XR  

You can download the Book versions if you prefer. https://amzn.to/2P1BwHO

Choose from volume 1, 2 or 3. or better still, grab all three and save yourself from coming back for another.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Say what you mean

This blog, as its subtitle states, is where I write about writing for writers.

When I do so, I want to make it clear what each of my posts is about so you can choose to indulge in my words or skip on to something else which blows your frock up in the moment.

The point is ‘CLARITY’.

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Allow me to explain where my thoughts are…

I read an awful lot of stuff about writing and being an indie author; articles, blogs, books, newspapers, social media posts, written by other writers, authors and publishers with the intent of giving advice or insight into the ‘black art‘ of a writer’s life.

Generally… and I know one should not generalise by right, but on this occasion, I shall… Generally, all these posts are written with a single perception in mind, that of the fiction writer.

It is assumed, by most authors of these posts, articles and essays that ‘writing’ or being a ‘writer’ means you are working on a fictional novel.

Do not simply take my word, browse away all you like, look for yourself.

I can understand why.

Most of these articles are written, with good intent, by authors of fiction, reaching out to help others. Sharing knowledge and accumulated wisdom. Something which is rarely done in other areas, areas where another person could be perceived as being, and often is, your competition.

This is one matter where the indie writer’s community excels. It is supportive and encouraging to all who venture within the dark realms of the quill.

Yet the term ‘writer’ means so much more and covers a far wider sphere, than fiction alone.

I try to be as inclusive as possible in my own posts.

If I am not writing directly about a particular aspect of fiction, I try to make my posts content equally applicable to those writing a blog, a historical article, poetry, or a non-fictional account as I am to the writers of fiction alone.

A writer could be a reporting journalist, a diarist, a playwright, or engaged in composing a technical manuscript as well as engaging in stories of fantasy and fiction.

So, come on all you other bloggers who tap away on your keyboards. Make it clear from the outset of your post if it is about something which affects all forms of writing, such as grammar, or your view on the loneliness a writer may endure.

Please alert people if it is specific to a certain genre or area of writing, like romantic fiction, historical recording, technical manuscripts or horror. 

Why?

Well, I for one do not want to start reading your post, which I am sure you will have made as interesting and comprehensive as possible, to find, a few paragraphs in, it is covering a subject which I have no connection with and is therefore of absolutely no interest to me.

Being unnecessarily drawn into such will only make me disregard any future article you might post, even if it then covers a subject I am connected with.

You can still have a ‘catchy’ headline or title if you do not want a fully descriptive header. Just ensure, for those browsing a subject they want to read, that you clarify, in the first few lines, the subject matter of the post.

It will help the reader find what they want and it will help you gain followers who like your subject matter.

That’s all I have to say for now.

Enjoy the rest of your day, Paul.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bucking the trend (or one reason why you are not making money)

Unlike many of my Ramblings, this post is written in a far more focused manner, giving a clue to the importance I place on this content.

I think, ALL indie authors NEED to read the following, in full.

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Recently I have seen a large number of indie authors discounting their books, or giving them away freely, offering a plethora of ‘giveaways’, from the humble bookmark to expensive looking jewellery, even a combination of all the above.

Whilst this form of promotion is not unusual by itself, the number of offers has increased to such a degree, that it seems no one is selling a book at full value price.

In fact, a quick scan of the internet shows very few books, (in relative context), for sale above zero, naught, nil, zilch, nothing.

This is excellent if you are a reader. You have the largest and widest choice of reading material ever produced in the history of human life, being offer to you at no cost; even incentivised, bribed, to take up such offers, by the additional giving of gifts.

Life has never been so cosy.

This recent explosion of free books has been boosted by the hundreds of book promotion sites, offering authors the service of marketing their works to millions of potential readers, for a small fee.

The sales gist of this is, should the author give away books, each person receiving a free book may like it so much, they will buy more of that authors works.

This seems a viable strategy… in principle.

BUT… there is always a but!

This form of book marketing was, for want of a better word, pioneered by Amazon when they were quite a young organisation selling only books.

At that time, the indie authors publishing phenomenon had not established, making it a very different market place; one where the novelty of being offered a free book was the exception not the rule.

Furthermore, add this marketing fee to the cost of production, editing, proofreading, formatting, cover designer, advertising, etc. Now, work out your royalties per-sale, because that is what must pay for your books production costs.

From this simple equation, you will see how many books you must sell to break even.

NOTE: This figure is cost based only. It does not include a budget for your time, your internet bill, your software licence fees, office space offsets (even if ‘the office’ is a table in your lounge) and other associated costs, which as a business person you need to consider. If you do not, whatever monies you think you have made form that book, will be demanded from you by those wonderful, friendly folks at the Inland Revenue.

So…how much do your royalties add up too…oh, nothing… because you gave it all away, with the bookmarks and coasters you paid for to boost your sales.

Not very business minded, are you?

 

Let’s fast forward to today.

The indie publishing business is a global industry, with hundreds of thousands of books being self-published each month, in every country and every language on earth.

This is a world where an adage I loth, ‘A victim of our own success’, has the hollow ring of truth.

Because computer technology has allowed the growth of, what was once referred to as ‘desk top publishing’ to grow in such an unprecedented way, the competition in the indie publishing scene is immense.

However,… there is always a however, too!

While the market place for book sales has undergone change akin to continental drift, the methods used by indie authors is still as primitive as the those used in the embryonic days of Amazon’s birth.

You see, Amazon has outgrown the indie author world. It has outgrown many, if not all the established mainstream publishing companies and, by doing so, has irrevocably altered the landscape of publishing in general.

Neither is this giant called Amazon about to offer indie authors a helping hand.

It does not have to and does not want to. Not only has it outgrown the publishers, but it has established itself as the master of sales opportunities. Basically, as an independent writer, if you want to sell a lot of books you must factor Amazon into your marketing mix. What is more, Amazon will need to be your prime ingredient in the clear majority of cases.

Which brings us back to the reader, those illusive, almost mythical creatures who may, one day, if you are extremely lucky, buy one of your books.

BUT… yes another but!

BUT… it is getting less and less likely any reader will put their hand into their pocket and pull out some money, simply to get hold of a copy of your book.

You see, they don’t have too.

There are hundreds and thousands of books available for free. The reader can order any of these, or simply download an eBook version, which they can add to the hundred unread books waiting on their Kindles and E-readers, without ever spending a single penny.

Oh, that fleeting promise of maybe’s, the one the book marketing sites sold you, you know, the one that goes… “if they like your style they will buy the rest of your series/books….”

You didn’t fall for that old spangle, did you? 

Because they will not.

Please do not dismiss the reader thus. Like all of us, our readers must be canny when it comes to spending, whether buying packet of sausages in a supermarket, or buying a good book to curl up with in front of the fire.

These folks will:

A, wait until another of your series is offered for free.

B, read another free book. (They may enjoy it better than yours.)

C, Both, of the above.

This is a reader’s market. It has got this way because of several factors, but (another but!), it is you, the indie author who has brought this situation upon yourself.

By publishing your book at a ridiculous low price, then lowering that price and eventually giving your book away, you are part of the overall problem affecting many, if not most indie authors.

You are simply adding to the situation you are moaning about. You know the one, about having too many free books on Amazon. That the competition is too great, because the market is flooded with cheap books, 99 cents and below.

This WILL NOT CHANGE until you…yes, YOU do something about it.

Ideally, for me. As of tomorrow morning, there would not be one book, not a single novelette being given away.

Novella’s and the such would be priced at around £2.00/$2.40 for the shortest book and escalating up from there.

Novels would kick in at a minimum of £10.00. Book prices would be back to a decent level, a level not too dissimilar to that before Amazon muscled in.

We all, from time to time, often with good reason, knock the major publishing houses who controlled publishing, much as DeBeers control the diamond market. Yet they ensured authors got a fair return for the time and effort involved in creating a book.

That cannot be said of Amazon, or any book promotion site encouraging free and 99c priced book sales.

I know there is a movement within the indie community, one which is trying to discourage the giving away of books.

I am part of that movement.

I believe, if ALL indie authors removed ALL free books, re-priced their books to reflect true value for authors, we would see a major shift change within the industry almost overnight.

Don’t worry.

People will not stop reading.

They never have and they never will. They shall simply be paying a fair price for the goods they receive.

Authors will start earning a fair return for their creativity, effort and investment. The quality of books will increase.

The world will be full, once again, of wild unicorns running free in green woodlands full of Tinkerbelle fairies… well, I may be pushing it a bit too far now; but the facts are, indie authors will be better served without cheap and free books…. FACT.

Which brings me to the title of this post, ‘ Bucking the trend’

What give me the right to state such?

Firstly, this is not me simply making a vortex of hot air.

I stand by my convictions. I do not have any FREE books. I shall not be giving any books away. I do not have gifts of incentives. I have no bookmarks or jewellery.

In fact, I am deliberately ‘Bucking the trend‘.

Recently, I have increased the price of all my books, both Paperback and eBook/Kindle formats.

One of which, is an Amazon No.1 bestseller.

The coveted No1 position, is something I doubt would have occurred, if the book was priced undervalue.

You see, perception plays a large part in decision making.

What value you initially consider an item, is easily disputed once furnished with a low price. Hence altering perception.

With that in mind, a low cost, or free book will hold little or no perceived value to the reader.

If the same book is viewed at a higher price, the value is assumed to be greater.

In association, the assumption of quality is also presumed higher or lower in direct proportion the estimated value implicit.

This is my view and the principles I adhere too.

I shall charge a fair price for my books. Not a penny less.

Readers can buy them, or not.

BUT…. (The last one I promise), consider this:

Should I just sell one copy of one of my books this year, I would have made more money than you, giving a thousand copies away.

I’ll leave you to muse over this.

Sleep tight, 

Paul

 

How to be very, very SEXY and attract lots of attention.

I have recently posted a number of articles intended to assist you with self-promotion and the marketing of your books, blogs and other writings. (If you have not read them scroll down and take a look after you have read this).

In this post I am not going to get technical or start preaching, but simply ramble away about how you can use the oldest attractor to help generate many more ‘hits’ to your site, Blog or book promotions.

It is something you know well, even intimately! Yet are still hesitant about showing it off to the public at large!

You will, no doubt be aware of the old saying that ‘sex sells’.

It is one of the most truthful quotations ever and one which continues to prove its own legitimacy on a daily basis.

Now before you go off in a huff of indignation or embarrassment let me make it quite clear this is not a post about sex per se, but the use of sensuality and titillation to initially attract readers to your works.

I have already demonstrated the simplest of these methods, the word itself.

In this case the word ‘sexy’ made you stop and read this blog today. Okay I teamed it up with a few other words to make a sentence, but it was that single word ‘sexy’ that has bought you right here, right?

Therefore, as long as you employ some link however tenuous it may be, to lead the reader from the ‘sex’ word to your content you have made the first step, you have attracted another potential follower, or purchaser of you goods.

If you are averse to using the word directly you can substitute it with other words which create passionate or sensual imagery adopting a subtle ‘softer approach’. The outcome however will be the same to the reader, a mental stimuli which is difficult to ignore!

The next step is to add an image, which again I have done here, (at the top of the post).

Whether you use the soft curves of a female torso or the squarer, muscular masculine is dependent to which audience you are directing your writing towards.

Although overall the female form has a greater impact on the general populace as both sexes are attracted, albeit for a variety of reasons, including gender and sexual persuasion, which I shall not endeavour to delve into in this particular post.

Once again however, I am not speaking of pornography, unless you are solely directing your work to that market, in which case I would then suggest looking at a very different approach altogether so as not to become enmeshed in the mass of generality.

For the most part soft suggestive stimuli is all that is required, after that it is you work, your content and presentation which must endear your readers.

Basically I am saying that, yes…SEX does sell.

Do not be afraid to use it for your own gain; after all you won’t know how good it is until you have tried it!

Enjoy, Paul.

Have you read my Blog ‘Further Ramblings’ yet? It’s all about life and living, go take a look now. http://wp.me/5njAU

Down by the Dockside

  I am not usually taken to reviewing books, or recommending those from well-established mainstream authors, instead I like to support and promote the hard working, inspiring and enthusiastic Indie Author.

However, I am often asked which books I read, what novels inspire me personally, which Authors I like and lots of stuff like that. So I have broken my usual reserve and for once shall reveal a book which had a profound effect on me as a writer, albeit the young, and not very good writer, I was at the time!

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Down by the Dockside by ‘Criena Rohan’

A review by Paul White.

Sometimes and for some unknown reason a book resonates within your soul, this is one such book that did, and still does resonate within me.

Down by the Dockside is a too long unrecognised Australian urban classic. Compassionate and sympathetic to the working class in post war Australia.

I first read this years ago, (circa 1975). It is about a plucky, literate girl who grows up in poverty in Port Melbourne during the Depression, marries a sailor during the war and loses him in a fight at Christmas in 1946, teaches dance and consorts with the criminals her childhood pals have become, it’s a lively and endearing tale of Australia in the 1930s and 1940s.

You may encounter problems when searching for biography on Criena Rohan, because this was her Irish pseudonym. Her real name was Deirdre Cash (1924-1963), novelist, was born on 16 July 1924 at Albert Park, Melbourne.

Criena’s first book was The Delinquents (1962). A compassionate tale, set in the 1950s, of defiant, street-wise, ‘bodgie-widgie’ teenagers oppressed by their elders and the welfare state, it was dubbed ‘a back-street Tristan and Isolde’ by London’s Daily Mail. The Times Literary Supplement called the characterization of the heroine Lola ‘a triumph’. In 1989 The Delinquents became a teenage cult film with Kylie Minogue as Lola.

As poignant and harsh as the life and stories of her characters, so was Deirdre’s own life.

Deirdre was pregnant when, on 4 February 1948, she married a law student Michael Damien Blackall at St Augustine’s Church, Melbourne, but she was also lunging at a gentility she could not sustain. Leaving her husband and son, she earned a living as a torch-singer and ballroom-dancing teacher, occasionally on the fringe of the demi-monde. Although the autobiographical glow of her novels suggests otherwise, she was teetotal, earthy but not indecent in speech, and never in trouble with the police. Similarly, her fictional, family-based portraits are sometimes romanticized, sometimes cruel. In 1954 she met her true inamorato, a coastal seaman Otto Ole Distler Olsen, whom she followed to various ports. Her divorce having been granted on 18 October 1956, she married him eleven days later in the office of the government statist, Melbourne.

Cash was dying from a now correctly diagnosed colonic carcinoma when she finalized her second novel, Down by the Dockside (London, 1963), which attempted a more complex characterization of alienated, working-class people in wartime Melbourne. While her often sentimental and melodramatic social realism lacks literary polish and form, this weakness is offset by Dickensian humour, sharp dialogue, throwaway gibes and a gutsy narrative style. She allegedly wrote a third novel, ‘The House with the Golden Door’, but, if so, the manuscript mysteriously disappeared. Survived by her husband and their daughter, and by the son of her first marriage, Cash died on 11 March 1963 at the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, and was buried in Fawkner cemetery.

This is not a literary masterpiece in the common sense, even being rejected by several Australian publishers whom she subsequently scorned as jingoistic. But it is haunting and touching and should be on every ones ‘Must Read’ list.

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Thank you for taking your time to read this. Should you ever get yourself a copy I would love to know your thoughts on it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Down-Dockside-Criena-Rohan/dp/1863401032/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419354395&sr=1-8&keywords=Down+by+the+Dockside