The Vincent Zandri Vox: Should You Go to Writing School?

Oh, no! He said a bad word!

Panzer was out in the Catosphere today and he stopped in at Vincent Zandri's blog. Panzer hasn't been there for a long time and wanted to find out what Vincent is doing.

 Vincent's most recent post answers readers' questions about the importance of writers going to writing school and getting an MFA. He admits he did go to school and get the MFA, but for reasons other than being a writer. He wanted to be a college professor and, therefore, needed an MFA. But, his thesis became his first novel sale and success.

So ... is it important to get an MFA? You'll have to read his post to find out all of his advice, but be warned the post is not G rated.

With that warning in mind, tootle on over to The Vincent Zandri Vox: Should You Go to Writing School?

E-Books and Libraries: What the Big 6 Doesn't Get

Panzer's needs a costume

for Halloween

Panzer hasn't been over to Vincent Zandri's blog for awhile so he stopped in for a visit.

Zandri takes on Joe Konrath about the ebooks in libraries issue. Panzer and I totally agree with Zandri. We've been checking ebooks out of the library for two years. We've seen authors do "book gatherings" for their ebook fans at libraries using Skype.

So ... Panzer and I do think libraries get it.

Tootle over to  E-Books and Libraries: What the Big 6 Doesn't Get and see what you think.

The Vincent Zandri Vox: Libraries Get It

Panzer is doing the happy cat dance!

Panzer and I stopped in at Vincent Zandri's blog today and got the answer to a question we've been thinking about for quite awhile.

Is there someplace we could do ebook promotions besides on a virtual blog tour?

Well, Zandri has the answer: a library. A library? Yup. He has a promotional gig at a library for one of his ebooks.

Panzer says, "That is so awesome!"

Go to The Vincent Zandri Vox: Libraries Get It  to read all about it.

Google's "Glasses" Will Change the World Forever

Panzer and I are on the way to one of his cat friend's house for a party, so just a quick post tonight.

Vincent Zandri has an interesting post at his blog about Google's attempt to take over the world with their new eye glasses. Yes, you read that right: take over the world with their new eye glasses.

Tootle on over to Google's "Glasses" Will Change the World Forever to read all about it.

Gotta go. We're late! We're late! For a very . . . you know the rest.

Freedom of Choice

Panzer and I were traveling around the catosphere today and we stopped in at Vincent Zandri's blog.

He's blogging about the freedom of choice available to authors now that we have indie publishing and traditional publishing to choose between. He uses Barry Eisler (and himself) as an example.

Panzer says tootle on over to Freedom of Choice and read Zandri's take on indie publishing.

Vincent Zandri: So What Are You: Indy or Anal?

This is so not what you think it is!

Vincent Zandri is posting about whether he plans/outlines his novels or just goes for it.

Personally, I cheat. I write the end first, then go back and write a beginning that gets me there. The trip is so much easier, if you already know where you're going.

Just read So What Are You: Indy or Anal? and you'll see where Zandri puts himself.

Now ... where do you put yourself?

Is Indie Publishing Dead? Bestseller Scott Nicholson Weighs in on the Possibility

Today at Vincent Zandri's blog, Scott Nicholson posts about the changes he sees coming to the world of indie publishing.

Recently, I've been thinking along the same lines as Nicholson. For quite a while now indie writers have been blogging about how to attract ebook buyers. We talked about the best covers, the best price points, and what worked for us. We've done it so much that agents have taken notice. They've started moving over into indie publishing territory.

Guess what?

How much longer do you think it will be before the Big 6 follow suit? Once they do,  it won't be indie publishing as we know it anymore.

Read Is Indie Publishing Dead? Bestseller Scott Nicholson Weighs in on the Possibility and see what we're looking at in the not too distant future.

Are you ready?

The Future of Publishing: An Insider's Scoop

Vincent Zandri is back from Thrillerfest with his predictions for the future of the publishing world. If his crystal ball is working, it looks like interesting times for ebooks.

You'll want to read his predictions at  The Future of Publishing: An Insider's Scoop.

What do you think?  A kiosk on every corner?

SUNDAY BLOG in BED: The Eye of the Reader

 Vincent Zandri's Sunday blog was about the importance of good covers for your branding. Zandri discusses how authors can use their covers to help readers click that Buy Me button.

Branding is important to authors. I write in three different genres. Using my name Fiona L. Woods, I write cats involved in crime mysteries. Hence this blog: Cats and Crime. The covers for my ebooks in this series have cats on them. These are part of my branding plan. I have other branding programs for my other two genres.

Zandri uses John Locke as one of his examples. Locke uses a woman's legs on his covers as his ebook branding. That way, whenever a reader sees a cover with those legs on it, he or she knows it's a John Locke ebook.

Read Vincent Zandri's  SUNDAY BLOG in BED: The Eye of the Reader  to help you with your own ebook branding.

Amazon Tags: The Good News & The Good News

When I started reading around the blogosphere about Amazon's missing tags, I wasn't too happy about their policy. Since I get review copies that don't show up as being purchased by me, their new policy precluded me from posting a review there. While Vincent Zandri has managed to track down the missing tagging position, I don't think this will allow to post my reviews there any more.

If you were wondering where the tags went when you went back to write a review after you bought a book at Amazon, go to Amazon Tags: The Good News & The Good News and follow the instructions.

Let's Talk Numbers.

Let's continue with our look at marketing ebooks.


There is no doubt the pricing of your ebook has an effect on your sales. A 99 cent price tag on your ebook is a great incentive for an impulse buy to a purchaser. It also works as a sale price for an ebook they've been curious about, but not curious enough to pay full price.

Today, Aaron Patterson is examining his and Vincent Zandri's approach to pricing Vincent's ebooks. Vincent has been doing blog tours for his various ebooks. They've been adjusting the pricing on each book as it is featured in the tours.


Check here to see how it's been affecting the sales figures for each of the books:   THE WORST BOOK EVER!: Let's talk numbers.

Buy my Ebook - Part Two

 On April 29, I pointed you to  Vincent Zandri's blog where he posted about how he managed to sell 100,000 ebooks. He told you all of his marketing secrets.

Did you put any of those secrets into your marketing plan? Did they work for you, or are you still trying to figure out how to market your ebook and get into Amazon's Top 100? Top 50? Top 10?

Well, here are some more marketing ideas for you from a different perspective. Today, J.A. Konrath is blogging about how he's managed to make all of his sales.

Read J. A. Konrath's advice here: A Newbie's Guide to Publishing

Buy my Ebook

How many of us are tired of listening to all the talk around the blogosphere about "How can I sell my ebooks?" Or, how about "Why won't you/they please, please, please buy my book?" 

Everybody hold up your hands so I can see how many of us there are who are so tired of those refrains every day. Okay, that's good. I knew I wasn't the only one. There is actually a beacon out there for those poor souls looking for help with their sales.

100,000 ebooks. Yup, that's right. That's what Vincent Zandri has sold in two months. And exactly how did he achieve this monumental fete? Magic? Blackmail? Bribery?


Well, he's going to confess his marketing strategy at his blog today. All the steps he goes thru, and how and what he does at each step. So click the link below for the secrets to his marketing success: 

How I Sold 100,000 EBooks in 60 Days: A Letter to my Mom

Mommy Blogs More Powerful than The New York Times

In the past week I've seen three different indie authors wonder on their blogs how to make more sales for their books. The same question, "What can I do?" 

On one of the blogs I posted a comment about blog reviews and tours. In a private email to me the indie author bemoaned the waste of sending free ebooks for review to blogs and the waste of writing time to go on a blog tour. It's obvious to me the author didn't understand about the potential of Mommy Blogs.  (I know, funny name.)

 It's also obvious to me that Vincent Zandri does get it. And he uses it to his advantage. Read his blog post here:

Mommy Blogs More Powerful than The New York Times

Thinking Outside the Box While Living Inside the Box

Vincent Zandri has an interesting post today on his blog concerning his move from traditional publishing to epubbing. His sales success this month has been unbelievable. He's made it into the top 10 at Amazon. Read about it here:
Thinking Outside the Box While Living Inside the Box