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We bloggers are short on time but have to spend a lot of time writing articles. So. I wrote this post for my blog " Long on Words, Short On Time; Pitch to Your Inner Editor in it, I give 10 steps to complete to create a story idea pitch to yourself for future article development. It's an attempt to get the blogger to form blogging "muscle memory" for content production. Step 7 is to how to use a news hook in the intro of the blog post ... A News Hook ties your author and their book into a national news story and/or event. In addition, a blogger can use a news hook for SEO to continue to generate traffic . In January of this year, I followed up on "Nasty Woman" the poem Ashley Judd performed at the Women's March and it's the number 1 search term that brings visitors to my site, So here's one way booksellers can use a News Hook in their article: Make even the most staid topic provocative, titillating, timely and SEO friendly by using a News Hook. Hint: Check out a social network trending topics such as Twitter or Google.

A recent post about a book on Black Unity prompted this question. Here is the setup for the question: One of the most significant changes I've made to AALBC.com is that I've designed the site so that I can send readers to any site to purchase a book. Right now, by default, I send readers to Abe Books, Amazon, Books-A-Million, BarensandNoble.com, and Indiebound (a consortium of independent booksellers). I even provide a link to one's local library. I also direct readers other Black owned booksellers; right now, for example, MahoganyBooks is running a sale on Kimberla Lawson Roby's new book, Sin of a Woman. For some publishers, I send readers to the publisher's website. Check out any of "Buy" links for the books published by Black Classic Press, or Just Us Books. Of course, it should be obvious by now that I can also sell books directly. Well, the way it would work is that I would collect payment and have the book shipped directly from the distributor. The problem is that people only buy from Amazon. Sure, some people buy from B&N link but the numbers of B&N sales are so small--I don't even factor those sales into my bestsellers list. and no one by from the other retailers I link to...not a single person ever. Now if you thnk this is only because Amazon has the best prices--think again. Amazon does not aways offer best prices (always price shop). I've offered a popular book for sale directly, that was autographed and priced LOWER than Amazon. Amazon did not have autographed copied and I beat them on price., but still people still bought the books from Amazon! This was before Amazon offered their Prime service, so getting sales away from Amazon is today is exceedingly difficult. The result is that Black owned booksellers, both online and in physical world must fight against Amazon's dominance. I'm afraid we are losing the battle. But it is not a battle we can wage alone. Readers must join us in the fight. I argue it is a fight we must wage because what we have gained in terms of low prices and same day shipping does not make up for what we will lose. Keep in mind, there is also no guarantee that Amazon will continue selling books at a loss once all of their competition has been eliminated or marginalized into obscurity. What is the benefit of an Indie bookseller? The personalized service, curated selection, and passion for books offered by independent booksellers simply can‘t be replicated by an algorithm. Someone who knows you, understands your culture, maybe even your financial position is not available at Amazon.com. I've actually sold books to people on credit--told to send me the money when they got it, because I knew the book I was giving them was something they needed. I took their word they would pay me. Of course, I've given away countless number books too--thought I probably should be selling more of these. I visit books store all over the country. As a bookseller, I'm always amazed to discover a writer or book I was previously unfamiliar with. These books are simply undiscoverable on Amazon, their algorithms don't work that way. Amazon is designed to extract as much money from you as possible. In business school well called that "maximizing shareholder wealth." Independent booksellers are mission driven and have a passion for what they do. Mine is celebrating Black culture. We are also keenly interested in helping you to be as entertained, enriched, and informed from the books we recommend. As a bookseller, my biggest joy is not how much money I make off the reader, but hearing from them how much they enjoyed a book I turned them on to. Readers typically value this service, but I don't they truly appreciate how close we are to losing it Today we have far fewer bookstores and websites than we did 10 years ago. Many of the ones that remain are struggling. Even AALBC.com is in a constant state of fighting for survival. As a result, my ability to sell books and maintain this website is greatly constrained. Obviously, the services provided by indie booksellers don‘t come without a cost. But unlike Amazon, we are not bolstered by Wall Street investors who don't mind us selling books at a loss to gain market share. We must actually generate a profit from the sale of books, collect sales taxes, and do all the other thing you'd expect business to do. It is not unrealistic to envision a time, in the near future, that Amazon will be the only place to buy a book written by a Black person. We already know B&N shelves are not overflowing with books written by Black writers. Many people simply do live near a Black bookstore (there are less than 80 Black owned bookstores in the US). If Amazon owns Black book sales we will not be exposed to the best books; We'll be exposed to the books that make the most money for Amazon. Perhaps it will be the books that Amazon published and are promoting, or maybe it is the book with the largest marking budget. If we allow Amazon to be the only place we can buy a Black book, we will be severely underserved, if not harmed culturally. We simply can not allow a fantastically wealthy and powerful corporation, which is solely motived by money, to control our stories, our history, our very culture. Question: If you truly value the services provided by indie booksellers Are you willing to support us by paying the full retail price, traveling to our stores, or waiting a few days it to have it delivered?

@Troy , The EU just BITCH-SLAPPED Google with 2.7 BILLION DOLLAR FINE for promoting their own ads in the search query https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-slapped-with-2-7-billion-eu-fine-over-search-results-1498556971 Google Slapped With $2.7 Billion EU Fine Over Search Results EU orders Google to treat rival comparison-shopping services equally in its search results By Natalia Drozdiak and Sam Schechner Updated June 27, 2017 9:36 a.m. ET 231 COMMENTS BRUSSELS—The European Union’s antitrust regulator on Tuesday fined Alphabet Inc.’sGOOGL -1.72% Google a record €2.42 billion ($2.71 billion) for favoring its own comparison-shopping service in search results and ordered the search giant to apply the same methods to rivals as its own when displaying their services. The decision, if it is upheld, would force Google to reshape the way it presents search results for products in Europe, the latest move by Brussels to rein in the tech world. The decision could also have further-reaching implications for other Google products and services—as well as those from competitors. If the ruling sets a precedent that holds, these firms might all have to rethink how they make products that—like Google’s search engine—have become more than just tools, but dominant gateways to the wider internet. More at the WSJ -

No, of course not. Whites are focused on things that matter more, getting educated, building and maintaining wealth. They leave the entertaining to Negros and foreigners. Have you attended a professional basketball game lately. it is a sea of whiteness. Especially in the seats where you can actually see the game. The owners, who are virtually all white American men, are interested in winning and they take the best players. They don't care what color they are or where they are from. Professional athletics is perhaps only place in America, where talent matters most. Unfortunately professional athletics, entertainment in general, is viewed by Black people as the best way to become wealthy. A poor kid from the Dominican Republic and come here and play baseball--he doesn't even have to be able to speak English--and become a millionaire. We used to have a lot of Black Americans playing baseball. Why not inquire about a quota for Black baseball, Ice Hockey, or Tennis Players? Don't worry white folks will be fine, even when the NBA has nothing but foreign players in it.

When i lived in Manhattan rush hour happened three times a day. And each time period was longer. Next to taking the train riding a bike was the quickest way to get around at least for short distances. It was only in the 90's the Transportation Alternatives' advocacy work statred making inroads. By sponsoring bike ti work week and getting bike laned and bike paths.

We can't lose this store. This is about more than just books. CBC has been a driving source of support for African American authors since they first open their store more than 30 years ago. Vera and Mama Jenn have also opened their doors to support other entrepreneurs. CBC is a meeting place for knowledge, culture, and community. If our economic dollars are strong enough to help other industries thrive, they should be strong enough to keep businesses in our own communities alive.

I always try to buy directly from authors or independent book sellers. Additionally, I think part of the problem is black authors ONLY selling their books through Amazon or B&N (all the big names) with no options to sell directly through their website with the monies going directly to their bank account, no one taking a cut. Not only do authors need to sell through their websites, but readers need to buy directly from authors and independent black book sellers. If authors don't stop going to Amazon to sell their books, readers won't either. There needs to be this sort of simultaneous action that allows for the change to happen. Readers and authors are far too trusting when it comes to Amazon, which, like you pointed out, doesn't always give the best price for books.