A Sure Fire Way to Get More Readers

In this world where $ rules, there is one simple trick that will get you more readers. 

But before I tell you what it is, I need to make sure we are on the same page; otherwise none of this will apply.

Page 1: I'm assuming you have a great book and that you have had it professionally edited. I'm also assuming that your writing is fresh and interesting and your plot is to die for.

Page 2: I'm assuming you have a brilliant cover, because if a reader doesn't like the art, he or she ain't gonna buy your book. (And do not give me crap about sayin' ain't... this is just a freakin' blog. Get off your high horse)

Page 3: I'm assuming you have written an eye catching and interesting blurb on your book page. If the reader isn't hooked by your "hook" (or lack thereof), why would he or she spend money on something that is not interesting?

Okay, so we're on the same page. Your book is awesome. I get that. Mine is too. Good. Now what's the secret? Simple. One word. Free. Yes, free.

Free is the new word for sales. Don't believe me? Ask any one who signed up for the KDP Select program. Ask anyone who has given away 1,000 copies of their book. Ask anyone who has received a gift that they didn't deserve. Free is good. Free is nice. Free is better. Free is word of mouth. Free is your friend.

So what's the big deal? Why even bring it up?

I'm posting this because we are embarking upon a season when we give and receive gifts. It's a time when we can all relate to how good it feels when someone gives you something you don't deserve. In fact, getting almost feels as good as giving something away.

If you've ever thought, I'm not giving away my book that I spent months and even years working on. My time and talent is far too valuable to throw my labor away like that, I'm here to tell you that you are DEAD wrong. Everyone loves a cheerful giver. Everyone loves a gift. And everyone remembers the one who gave them something for free.

So the secret to more sales is...give your book away.

Workin' the world of freebies is something that's hard for authors to understand because they're ready to recoup their publishing expenses. But as I've said in the past, indie publishing is not for the one-trick pony. It is a life-long journey; one that you cannot help to traverse once you have strapped on your boots.

Bottom line: We all want to sell our books. But remember to give your ebooks away, at random, from your blog, in contests, as gifts, to help promote your other titles and just because you like doing it. If you don't love the smiles, you'll love the boomeranging sales.

HINT: Amazon has this really cool algorithm that has a funny way of putting your book on A LOT of book pages every time you make your book free. When that happens, more eyes see your book. When that happens, if you've done everything right (i.e., we're on the same page) you will sell more books. Wink. Wink. BOOM!

Incidentally, REUNION, my #1 best selling suspense thriller is FREE today and tomorrow in the Kindle Store. If you have a Nook and would like a copy, leave your email address. I'll get you a copy asap. 


~ Jeff Bennington is the author of Twisted Vengeance, Reunion and Creepy

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Four Great Books to Improve Your Prose!

Writing is fun and easy...Good writing takes work....a lot of work!

I’m posting this because I’m so stoked about everything I’ve learned about writing in the last year that I want to share it with you (Yes, I've been doing a lot of reading along with my writing). And if you’re a writer or want to write, you’ll want to pay attention! So, are you paying attention? Good, because what I'm about to tell you can make you a better writer, I promise.

In keeping with that promise, I have a preface, and that is...if you want to write good fiction, you have to educate yourself and study the craft of writing. Although I write suspense, I am currently reading Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte.

 To begin with, good writing starts with reading lots of good literature and writing lots of words, but that's another post all together and it's covered in lots of other blogs, so I won't rant about writing and reading. I will, however, tell you about four books that I've read that have improved my prose ten fold (in my opinion). They are as follows: On Writing by Stephen King, Revision and Self-Editing by James Scott Bell, Writing like the Masters by William Cane, and On Writing Horror by The Horror Writer’s Association (You don’t need to write horror to benefit from this one). These are all excellent books and I’ll tell you why. So if you write, you’ll want to get these books. I'm sure there are others and I'd like to know about them, but I read these and I think they're a great place to start.

• The first book that I read about writing was suggested to me by my first editor Jodie Renner: Revision and Self-Editing, by James Scott Bell. I hear you...revision... self-editing....how boring! Well, actually, it is not as boring as it sounds. James does a great job teaching many of the common mistakes writers make and how to clean up your manuscript all by yourself. This is a must read if you have written a manuscript that needs a little TLC or not.

• The next book on my hit list is On Writing by Stephen King. First of all...it's by Stephen King! What more is there to say? Like him or hate him, he's sold a lot of books and there are lots of good reasons why. On Writing covers much of his writing process and the things you should avoid stylistically, but the thing I loved the most about this book is hearing his story. That's right, this book is 1/3 autobiography, 2/3 education. And actually, the autobiography is an education in patience, and how the publishing business works. Very cool, especially if you're a King fan.

• Another book I recommend is Writing like the Masters by William Cane. This book is will transform the way you look at your writing. It is more or less a study of the methods and styles of all the great authors of modernity, and teaches what the masters did/do that makes/made them great. Cane covers the whole gamut of masters from Faulkner to Balzak, from Dickens to Hemingway, and Bradbury and Orwell and Melville to King. He covers every style and genre and teaches exactly what each one does/did that made/makes their writing unique. This book will teach you how to integrate their methods into your own unique voice and give you an appreciation for the classics. If you hate classic literature, you could potentially hate this book. However, if you love writing, you will learn to like the classics after reading this. I'll be the first to admit that I never heard of Balzac or Dostoevsky before I read this, but I've read them now and appreciate each one. You will too!

• Finally, I want you to know about On Writing Horror by The Horror Writer's Association. Believe it or not, this hidden jem was tucked away deep in the literary mine of my local library, but I dug it up, brushed off the dust and couldn't put it down. Don't let the title scare you! This book is anything but horrifying. It was written by over twenty top selling authors and editors and is bursting with great information and very specific techniques for improving your writing. After I return this book, I fully intend on purchasing it as a full time reference book; it's that good.

So there you have it; four great books that will make you a better writer. And if you think writing comes naturally for some of us, you may be right, but good writing takes a lot of work! BOOM!