August 2023 - Joyana Peters

Ebook Publishing Platforms- What You Need To Know!

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You’ve published your book, but how do you get it out for public consumption? This is where ebook publishing platforms or more importantly- self publishing aggregators and self publishing distribution platforms come into play. If you’re scratching your head and going huh, don’t worry. I’m going to break it down and walk you through step-by-step, including how to weigh your options.

Learning the Lingo: Self Publishing Aggregators

First off, let’s start with definitions. Self publishing aggregators work to bridge the gap between authors and online retailers. Basically, they act as intermediaries between authors, libraries and all the different self-publishing distribution platforms.

What’s also nice about self publishing aggregators is they serve as a one-stop shop for you. Instead of you attempting to load your book individually to all of the ebook publishing and vendor platforms, you can load it once to your aggregator. Many will even offer you a full dashboard to see all of the stores and places your book is available. They also display monthly sales reports, promotional options and more.

So who are some of these self publishing aggregators? You may recognize some of the biggest names like IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, and PublishDrive. I’ll get into some more detail below about the differences between them.

Learning the Lingo: Self Publishing Distribution Platforms

Now for self publishing distribution platforms. These are the actual stores or vendors who are getting your book into the hands of readers. Some of the names you will probably recognize are Amazon KDP, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iBooks, etc.

It might feel obvious to try and get your book into as many places as possible. But before you choose an aggregator, make sure you strategize depending on your individual goals and target audience.

For instance, if you write children’s books your priority is going to be getting into school libraries and places where parents shop. You also might focus less on ebook distribution and more on print distribution.

Romance authors however, might be okay skipping this step entirely and putting their books exclusively in Kindle Unlimited where voracious readers will devour them and go from one romance book to the next and the authors get paid by the page read.

Genres are different. Target age and readership are different. These factors should all play into your decisions and distribution needs.

Aggregators and Self Publishing Distribution Platforms Strategy

So, how do you find and determine these factors? Research. Look for data and statistics. For instance, Pew Research shows that the average American reads five books a year. This number increases as adults grow older. Good to know for authors targeting older adult readers. Cozy mysteries, romances, spy novels, etc.

However, it would also be important to note that older readers are NOT the ones buying ebooks. The same Pew Research shows that as of 2023- 75% of ebooks were bought by readers ages 18-45. This is the same age group that is buying audiobooks. So if you’re writing for the 18-45 year old demographic you definitely want to make sure you’re getting your book into ebook and audiobook distribution. But if you’re targeting those older adult readers, focus on print distribution and libraries.

Comparing Your Options

With this information in mind, it’s time to look at these aggregators and determine their strengths and how to best use them. Ingramspark, for instance, is best for print distribution. But they’re not the best resource for ebook or audiobook distribution. Draft2Digital is an excellent ebook and audiobook distributor, but they’re just getting started and have limited print distribution. That’s where it might be best to use a combo of aggregators. I, for instance, use both Ingramspark and Draft2Digital to fulfill my needs.

If you’re targeting a demographic that might have voracious ebook or audiobook readers, you may want to look into an aggregator that distributes to subscription platforms. For instance, StreetLib and PublishDrive distribute to Bookmate and Scribd. If you’re not familiar with these platforms, see my blog post discussing ebook subscription services from last week.

All in all, there is some research to be done to best strategize your needs, but the tools are out there to help set you up for success. And luckily, once you decide, all that is necessary is uploading and pressing a button and you book can hit all the ebook publishing platforms!

If you have further questions about any of this, or just want to discuss the best strategy for you, feel free to reach out or ask questions below in the comments. Happy Publishing!

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Ebook Subscriptions that you will LOVE

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The “right” subscription service feels like a a trove of gifts curated just for you. With so many options how do you pick the “BEST” ebook subscription?

Ebook Subscriptions – What are the best options?

Voracious readers celebrate! Everybody knows about Kindle Unlimited, but it comes with limitations. Authors having to commit to exclusivity cause many to turn away from participating, leaving fewer options for readers. But what if there were other ebook subscriptions? Ones where authors didn’t have to pledge exclusivity and readers could find an unlimited supply of ebook and audiobook options? Join me to explore these other ebook subscriptions that very much rival the beast!

Libby Subscription

This first one isn’t a subscription exactly. But it is one every voracious reader should be using! Did you know you could get almost any ebook or audiobook directly from your library? If you’re ok with waiting or perhaps not reading the newest release then Libby is most definitely for you. And did I mention it’s free? All you need to do is log in with your library card number and you’re set to go.Cost: Free

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Scribd Subscription

Scribd is probably one of the best ebook subscriptions currently on the market. It provides unlimited access to ebooks, audiobooks, podcasts, magazines, news articles and more! It also has one of the most flexible platforms for access to the app. You can use it on any web browser, Android or iOS device. They also have apps available for download on Apple, Google Play and Kindle Fire so you can still read on your Kindle if you have one!Cost: 30 day free trial, then $12 a month

cHECK OUT sCRIBD

Bookmate Subscription

It is fast becoming one of the most popular ebook subscriptions. Its platform mixes social media with book shopping. Think Goodreads and Amazon mixed directly. Users can create friend lists and curated bookshelves to shop from. Imagine the next time you’re talking books with a friend, you can immediately share a book rec for them to purchase right there! They also offer both ebooks and audiobooks and have a HUGE free reads section! Again, they have extremely flexible ways to access the platform. You can log in from any web browser, Android or iOS device. And they also have apps for download on Apple and Google Play. Cost: $10 a month

cHECK OUT BOOKMATE

Kobo Plus Subscription

Kobo and Kobo Plus have been super popular in other countries for years already and have finally made their way to the US market. Many would argue they are Kindle Unlimited’s direct competition. They also rely heavily on their own e-reader devices where they directly load ebook purchases. But you can also read from their Kobo app on other devices. They offer a mix of ebook or audiobook only plans or a shared one for users of both. They also have a VIP program with rewards for dollars spent throughout the year.Cost: Free 30 day trial, then Kobo Plus Read- $7.99 a month, Kobo Plus Read & Listen- $9.99 a month, Kobo Plus Listen- $7.99 a month.

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EPIC Subscription

Why should adults get all the fun? Epic is finally an ebook subscription just for kids. And it’s FREE for educators! Finally take the guesswork out, books are divided by reading ability and grade level for parents and educators to find the perfect book for their child. Epic also has Read to Me audiobooks, easy readers with highlighted glossary words for kids to click and learn new vocabulary, and interactive reading games. Available for download in the Apple Store and Google Play.
Cost: Free for schools and educators, For everyone else, Free for 7 days, then $11.99 a month.

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I hope this provides some fun reading exploration for you!

Happy Reading! If you enjoyed this blog post, here are a few more you may enjoy!

Why You Need This Bookish Travel Essentials Checklist!

What Do Great Books & Road Trips Have in Common?

Find more ways to spoil your inner bookworm!

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Best Beach Reads!

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These beach reads were worth their beach bag weight and made a splash this summer!

Summer is sadly coming to an end here. We just returned from the last of our summer travels and my kids return to school next week. How fast it all flew by! But I was fortunate enough to enjoy some fantastic beach reads this summer. I read a lot this summer, so trust me when I say I had plenty to hold these up against. These were my true favorites- all five star ratings! So join me below to see my best beach reads!

Don’t Forget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino

I technically got this early as part of my Amazon First Reads program. But, it’s available for Pre-Order and comes out Sept 1st.

What a fantastic read! I absolutely loved this book. Don’t Forget to Write, takes place in 1960. Marilyn is a young twenty-something. She makes out with a boy during synagogue, but is discovered. She refuses to marry him. Her parents send her to stay with her strict, great-aunt Ada for the summer. However, Ada is far from the punishment she expects and instead Marilyn ends up learning lessons about love and what she wants for herself that she’ll carry for a lifetime.

See the full description below:

In 1960, a young woman discovers a freedom she never knew existed in this exhilarating, funny, and emotional novel by the bestselling author of She’s Up to No Good. When Marilyn Kleinman is caught making out with the rabbi’s son in front of the whole congregation, her parents ship her off to her great-aunt Ada for the summer. If anyone can save their daughter’s reputation, it’s Philadelphia’s strict premier matchmaker. Either that or Marilyn can kiss college goodbye.To Marilyn’s surprise, Ada’s not the humorless septuagenarian her mother described. Not with that platinum-blonde hair, Hermès scarf, and Cadillac convertible. She’s sharp, straight-talking, takes her job very seriously, and abides by her own rules….mostly. As the summer unfolds, Ada and Marilyn head for the Jersey shore, where Marilyn helps Ada scope out eligible matches―for anyone but Marilyn, that is.Because if there’s one thing Marilyn’s learned from Ada, it’s that she doesn’t have to settle. With the school year quickly approaching and her father threatening to disinherit her, Marilyn must make her choice for her future: return to the comfortable life she knows or embrace a risky, unknown path on her own.

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Homecoming by Kate Morton

This is not a “light” read. I’m also going to lay out the trigger warning- there are child deaths in this book. There is also suspected filicide (mother killing self and children). I thought that would be a deal breaker for me, but Kate Morton’s writing is so magical and thoughtful, I needed to keep reading to discover what really happened. I’m so glad I did, because I loved, loved this book!

See below for full description.

Adelaide Hills, Christmas Eve, 1959: At the end of a scorching hot day, beside a creek on the grounds of a grand country house, a local man makes a terrible discovery. The police are called. And the small town of Tambilla becomes embroiled in one of the most baffling murder investigations in the history of South Australia.Many years later and thousands of miles away, Jess is a journalist in search of a story. Having lived and worked in London for two decades, she now finds herself unemployed and struggling to make ends meet. A phone call out of nowhere summons her back to Sydney, where her beloved grandmother Nora, who raised Jess when her mother could not, has suffered a fall and is seriously ill in the hospital.At Nora’s house, Jess discovers a true crime book chronicling a long-buried police case: the Turner Family Tragedy of 1959. As Jess skims through its pages, she finds a shocking connection between her own family and this notorious event. – A mystery never satisfactorily resolved. An epic story that spans generations, Homecoming asks what we would do for those we love, how we protect the lies we tell, and what it means to come home. Above all, it is an intricate and spellbinding novel from one of the finest writers working today.

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The Spectacular by Fiona Davis

If you’ve seen me in person this summer, I’ve most likely already recommended this book to you. Because I really have been recommending it to everyone I see. I love, love Fiona Davis. She’s on my auto-buy list and I had pre-ordered this book long before it came out. I’m so glad I did, because it truly was- Spectacular!

See below for what makes this book so awesome!

New York City, 1956: Nineteen-year-old Marion is over the moon to have been selected to be one of the Rockettes, Radio City Music Hall’s glamorous precision-dancing troupe. It’s an honor to perform in the world’s most spectacular theater, an art deco masterpiece. But with four shows a day as well as grueling rehearsals, not to mention exacting standards of perfection to live up to, Marion quickly realizes that the life of a Rockette has both extraordinary highs and devastating lows.Then one night a bomb explodes in the theater. It’s only the latest in a string of explosions around the city orchestrated by a person the press has nicknamed the “Big Apple Bomber.” They have been terrorizing the citizens of New York for sixteen years by planting bombs in popular, crowded spaces. With the public in an uproar over the lack of any real leads after a years long manhunt, the police, at Marion’s urging, turn in desperation to a radical new technique: psychological profiling.As Marion finds herself pulled deeper into the investigation, she realizes that as much as she’s been training herself to blend in—performing in perfect unison with all the other identical Rockettes—if she hopes to catch the bomber, she’ll need to stand out and take a terrifying risk. But she may be forced to sacrifice everything she’s worked for, as well as the people she loves the most.

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I hope you enjoyed and feel inspired to pick up one of these great reads for yourself. Happy Reading!
If you enjoyed this book list, make sure you check out Joyana’s other Book Lists HERE!

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Writers Strike 2023 : What Do Writers REALLY Want?

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The Writers Strike 2023 came up in conversation the other day as bbq conversation. This is not the first time and as things continue in their stalemate fashion, I’m sure it will not be the last. But what really struck me during this particular conversation is the misunderstanding people have about why the writers are striking.

I’m appreciative that Hollywood actors joined the picket line in solidarity. I think this was imperative for the writers to make any headway. But unfortunately, I do believe their joining contributed to the confusion about the issues at hand. They say they’re fighting for the same thing, but that’s not exactly true. All I heard from multiple people during this conversation was there was no way the writers could win, AI was here to stay. I finally asked, what do you think the writers strike is about?

Every single person answered that the issue was AI and the writers’ fear of replacement. My stomach plummeted at this response and it honestly proved my worst fears about the way the media has been covering the strike. While yes, AI is a concern that’s been brought to the table, it most definitely is NOT the chief reason the writers went on strike. And it most definitely is not why they walked away from recent negotiations and are still at a stalemate.

Working conditions for many across America have worsened. I’ve written about the abuses of mislabeling “independent contractors” in the past and how we’re being forced further and further into a gig economy that does not benefit the worker. The true heart of the Writers Strike 2023 lies in this same issue.

Your Hired! Job Title: Independent Contractor

In the past, writers were picked up to be employees on set for a show. They were employed for the full season of a show, creating sixteen to twenty something episodes. Writers were paid a living wage for all of those episodes, they also received contributions to their WGA pension fund and health insurance plan. They also received residual payments for TV reruns and movie showings.

Streaming has changed all of that. With shorter seasons with fewer episodes and content coming out constantly, all the protections of previous writer contracts have gone out the window. To avoid paying for more than the studios believe they need, they’ve opted instead to fall into the corporate abuses of the gig economy.

Instead of writers being hired as employees for a full season run, they’re now being hired as independent contractors for short gigs. Those gigs are paid with minimum hourly paid contracts. They’re pushed into writing pools, think tank rooms, where they’re forced to write an entire season’s worth of episodes over the course of a few days and then they’re dismissed. There are no contributions made to their pension or health insurance and there are no residual payments.

So, what are the Hollywood writers fighting for in the Writers Strike 2023?

They are fighting for the right to be employees. This a penultimate moment in American working history. Workers across the country are losing their employee protections by being forced to “independent contractor” status. Data from 2021 showed that an astonishing 1 in 3 workers are now classified as gig workers. This number rose to a record 51 million in one year alone. A 34% jump compared to 2020. Some of this was by choice, but many were not.

Most gig work does not pay enough to cover parental leave or health insurance. This puts gig workers at a major disadvantage to other regular employees. These numbers speak for themselves, it’s time to pay attention. If we don’t want this to be the future for American workers, we need to speak up and do something about it. The Hollywood writers are taking a stand. And man, I hope it’s enough.

What are your thoughts on this issue?

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What Do Great Books & Road Trips Have in Common?

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They both take you on incredible adventures, have unexpected twists and hopefully leave you wanting more!

It’s that time of summer where everyone’s cleared out of the DC area. Swim team’s over. School begins in a few weeks. Everyone is squeezing in their family vacations. We’re hitting the road ourselves for a NY beach trip and “glamping” with family. So, to get in the mood, I’ve put together a fun Road Trip Themed Book List. Enjoy!

In the Face of the Sun by Denny S. Bryce

This is an inspiring dual narrative, journey themed tale. Bryce weaves together two powerful stories as they unfold decades apart. See full description below.

1928, Los Angeles: The newly-built Hotel Somerville is the hotspot for the city’s glittering African-American elite. It embodies prosperity and dreams of equality for all—especially Daisy Washington. An up-and-coming journalist, Daisy anonymously chronicles fierce activism and behind-the-scenes Hollywood scandals in order to save her family from poverty. But power in the City of Angels is also fueled by racism, greed, and betrayal. And even the most determined young woman can play too many secrets too far . . .

1968, Chicago: For Frankie Saunders, fleeing across America is her only escape from an abusive husband. But her rescuer is her reckless, profane Aunt Daisy, still reeling from her own shattered past. Frankie doesn’t want to know what her aunt is up to so long as Daisy can get her to LA—and safety. But Frankie finds there’s no hiding from long-held secrets—or her own surprising strength.

Daisy will do whatever it takes to settle old scores and resolve the past—no matter the damage. And Frankie will come up against hard choices in the face of unexpected passion. Both must come to grips with what they need, what they’ve left behind—and all that lies ahead . .

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On the Road by Jack Kerouac

What road trip book list would be complete without including Jack Kerouac’s classic? On the Road has become a symbol of America’s beetnik culture and was one of the first adventure books about road trips and searching for meaning on the open road. If you haven’t yet read it, it’s definitely worth checking out! See full description below.
The classic novel of freedom and the search for authenticity that defined a generation.

On the Road chronicles Jack Kerouac’s years traveling the North American continent with his friend Neal Cassady, “a sideburned hero of the snowy West.” As “Sal Paradise” and “Dean Moriarty,” the two roam the country in a quest for self-knowledge and experience. Kerouac’s love of America, his compassion for humanity, and his sense of language as jazz combine to make On the Road an inspirational work of lasting importance. Kerouac’s classic novel of freedom and longing defined what it meant to be “Beat” and has inspired every generation since its initial publication more than fifty years ago.

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Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck

Steinbeck, his dog and the open roads of America in the 1960s. This is another road trip classic that has inspired generations. This is an intimate look at Steinbeck himself as he takes off to explore America. What follows is a 10,000 mile trip where he shares his experiences and the good and bad he finds along the way. If you haven’t yet read it, it’s another one that’s definitely worth checking out! See full description below.

An intimate journey across America, as told by one of its most beloved writers. To hear the speech of the real America, to smell the grass and the trees, to see the colors and the light—these were John Steinbeck’s goals as he set out, at the age of fifty-eight, to rediscover the country he had been writing about for so many years.

With Charley, his French poodle, Steinbeck drives the interstates and the country roads, dines with truckers, encounters bears at Yellowstone and old friends in San Francisco. Along the way he reflects on the American character, racial hostility, the particular form of American loneliness he finds almost everywhere, and the unexpected kindness of strangers.

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Don’t Make Me Pull Over by Richard Ratay

A book for parents everywhere! What parent has not uttered these words at some point? This is a fun and unique read about both the history of American road trips and our interstate system while also offering intimate family narratives of road trip experiences. See full description below.

“A lighthearted, entertaining trip down Memory Lane” (Kirkus Reviews), Don’t Make Me Pull Over! offers a nostalgic look at the golden age of family road trips—before portable DVD players, smartphones, and Google Maps.

The birth of America’s first interstate highways in the 1950s hit the gas pedal on the road trip phenomenon and families were soon streaming—sans seatbelts!—to a range of sometimes stirring, sometimes wacky locations. In the days before cheap air travel, families didn’t so much take vacations as survive them. Between home and destination lay thousands of miles and dozens of annoyances, and with his family Richard Ratay experienced all of them—from being crowded into the backseat with noogie-happy older brothers, to picking out a souvenir only to find that a better one might have been had at the next attraction, to dealing with a dad who didn’t believe in bathroom breaks.

Now, decades later, Ratay offers “an amiable guide…fun and informative” (New York Newsday) that “goes down like a cold lemonade on a hot summer’s day” (The Wall Street Journal). In hundreds of amusing ways, he reminds us of what once made the Great American Family Road Trip so great, including twenty-foot “land yachts,” oasis-like Holiday Inn “Holidomes,” “Smokey”-spotting Fuzzbusters, twenty-eight glorious flavors of Howard Johnson’s ice cream, and the thrill of finding a “good buddy” on the CB radio.

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Jupiter’s Travels by Ted Simon

This last one is not US based. Based in the 1970s, Ted Simon set off from London and traveled the world by motorcycle for four years. See full description below.

Simon rode a motorcycle around the world in the seventies, when such a thing was unheard of. In four years he covered 78,000 miles through 45 countries, living with peasants and presidents, in prisons and palaces, through wars and revolutions.

An incredible journey in the days before cell phones and the internet, and all done solo with no support team or social media updates.

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I hope you enjoyed and feel inspired to explore the road yourself, whether it be physically or through a book’s pages. Happy travels!

If you enjoyed this book list, make sure you check out Joyana’s other Book Lists: