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WRITERS - CREATE A STAY AT HOME RESOURCE KIT


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WRITERS – CREATE A STAY AT HOME RESOURCE KIT

Fellow Writers,

I suggest that you create your version of a

STAY AT HOME RESOURCE KIT.

What is that?

It’s any combination of links, essays, videos, music that fits in with the theme of your book. Everyone is home working, attending classes online, or not working.

Think about what these various people need and how that dovetails with your book. My title is generic, I am sure you can think of something snappy and original for your kit: Mazie’s Amazing Marble Cake for Staying at Home

 

Recently, I was in a webinar sponsored by the Independent Book Publisher’s Association. According to one panelist, who was a publisher, there are three categories of books that readers want right now: Young Adult non-fiction, cookbooks, and escapist literature.

 

I am sure she is right, but all sorts of people are looking for all kinds of books right now. Your book could be one of them.

 

Is there a single parent trying to work at home and supervise homework for a fourth grader? Of course, the school has sent home curriculum, but maybe you have a children’s book that would fit right in with this grade level.

 

Lead with various activity suggestions or links that would be useful.

 

At the end of the list, send a chapter of your book or a description of the book and a link to your website where the parent can buy the book. If you don’t have a website, now is the time to set one up. 

 

(See LATEST BLOW TO BOOK INDUSTRY- posted on Amazon Forum)

 

What about people who want to use this time to create more home cooked meals?

 

For instance, a cookbook writer could include easy-to-cook recipes for nutritious meals, with emphasis on the best foods to boost your immune system. End with information about your book and a link to your website.  

 

Okay, so you get the idea.

 

 An Extraordinary Life: Josephine E. Jones tells my mother’s life story interspersed with African American History. It traces the racial, gender, and class discrimination that she faced and overcame.

 

I write a (mostly) monthly article, including sources, on a black woman or man in American History on my website for my email list.  

 

Because I was so active celebrating Black History Month in the physical world, I had not done it online. And here it was near the end of March and I hadn’t done anything for Women’s History Month either.

 

I knew Ida B. Wells would be upset with me.

 

The kit was my atonement.

 

I listed what was in the kit ending with information about

 

The Culinary Art Portfolio of Josephine E. Jones

with photographs by John Turner, my next book.

 

I am offering a link to the kit here not just as an example, but because I think you’ll find the information worthwhile.

 

Click on African American Literature Book Club’s s link on my website and you’ll come right back here.

 

 

Here, along with my wish for everyone’s good health,

was what I sent to my email list:  

 

 

STAY AT HOME RESOURCE KIT:

 

4 - Inspiring Quotes

 

2- African American Biographies 

 

Black History Month

 

Baptist preacher and civil rights advocate

(Not the one you think.)

 

Women's History Month

 

Protested segregated transportation system

(Also not the one you think.)

 

2- Links and descriptions of two incredible  websites: Internet Archive and African American Literature Book Club - access history, literature, film, discussion groups, book clubs and more.

 

At the Internet Archive I saw a 1905 silent short, read part of Henry "Box" Bibbs' 1849 enslavement narrative (he shipped himself to freedom in a box), looked at several Oscar Micheaux (the first African American feature movie director, producer, author - 44 films) film posters (couldn't find the movies here, but Youtube has a few), and watched Trevor Noah's March 24, 2020, Covid-19 Program (interviews guests only on video). All that on my first visit to the site.

 

Thanks to my life partner for discovering this nonprofit site.

 

I have highlighted African American Literature Club before, but they have new features, such as the online book club, so it's worth taking a look again.

 

Information about my next book

 

Consider it like a box of chocolates,

a plate of oysters,

or a basket of strawberries:

take what you want and leave the rest.

 

Feel free to pass it on. This is safe to spread around.

 

Please scroll down below Pauli Murray's picture--which jumped from further up the page where it belongs, but it does make the

STAY AT HOME RESOURCE KIT easier to find.

 

If you click on the links for the missing pictures you'll leave the website.

 

You will need to click on the link below to come back.

 

Here's the link to my website: https://idabellpublishing.com/thoughts-updates/

 

 

Fellow writers, I hope this has been helpful.

 

 

    

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 3/31/2020 at 11:45 PM, Wendy Jones said:

....all sorts of people are looking for all kinds of books right now.

 

True, I have not observed any difference in the types of books people are buying (based upon my sales) they are just buying more.

 

The concept of doing more with ones iwn website is great. Did IBPA talk about how authirs could get people to visit their websites?

 

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  • 4 months later...

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply. It appears that most of the writers are on the big "A" and don't have their own websites, 

but we did have a webinar about how to set one up and what to put on it.

 

More people are going to be getting off of "A" if they can. A fellow writer tells me that the method of payment for the e-books has changed.

 

Writers used to get paid their percentage when the book was sold. Now the writers are paid as the reader is reading the book.

In other words, if the reader reads three pages, the writer receives that percentage of the total book payment.

 

So now, like Spotify, people are being paid in pennies instead of dollars. The writers are screaming.

 

I was interviewed for a fellow writer's blog two years ago talking about how to sell one's book without "A". Over 1,000 people have read the article and people are still reading it today. My writer friend is posting an update from me in a few days. I will send the link when

she posts it, a link to aalbc.com is also included in the article.

 

My digression puts this squarely in the "A" section now, but I trust you will put it where it belongs.

 

 

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