Writing
Howdunit Book of Police Procedure and Investigation: A Guide for Writers by Lee Lofland
14/03/10 15:28
400 pages, Writers Digest Books. $19.99
Reviewed by Mike Attebery
Did you know you can tell how long a body has been dead by, among other things, where the blood has pooled and hardened in the body, and what type of pooped blood accumulations flies have left splattered around the scene of the crime? It’s true! Did you further know that cops learn to test and watch for drunk drivers by spending two days in class playing both the part of an arresting officer, and that of an honest to God, blasted-out-of-their-minds rummy? Complete with actuall intake of massive amounts of hard liquor!! Did you further know that many in the field believe this is where some law enforcement officer’s first begin abusing alcohol as a means to handling the stress of the job? All of this information and more (the fatter you get, the more your extraneous body fat gets pinched between the top of your holster belt and the bottom of your bullet proof vest) can be found in this guide that not only makes for fascinating reading, but helps add much needed realism and true to life observations to any crime writer’s utility belt. I’m currently trying my hand at a little police mystery and drama by spinning off a character from my second novel and going back to his roots, and just in a short period of time, this book has already proved invaluable.
Interested in writing about police investigation? Curious to know how evidence is collected, stored, and examined? Ever wondered what’s required to enter the police academy? It’s all here and more, and it’s well worth a peek. Get your copy today!
POD PEOPLE - Beating the Print-on-Demand Stigma by Jeremy Robinson
14/07/09 12:00
142 pages, Lulu. $14.99
Reviewed By Mike Attebery
Jeremy Robinson penned the previously reviewed “Didymus Contingency,” which remains the bestselling fiction book published through Lulu. Therefore, his book detailing the nuts and bolts of self-publishing and marketing your book to overcome the naysayers, is the perfect first non-fiction title to review for Digital Dust Jacket.
At 142 pages, the book is thin, but it fits in quite a lot. Broken down according to the print on demand process, it starts with a common sense reality check. Namely: don’t self-publish if you expect to strike it rich overnight. The first section “Why POD?” discusses money, gaining publishing experience, and the possible exposure to be gained in having a book out in the marketplace. The second section, “Are you ready?” delves into a more traditional writing and publishing discussion, including developing your craft and some advice on writing development and writing groups. The third section, “What comes next?” can really apply to all writers, whether self-published or not, and breaks down many of the necessary steps in spreading the word about a book, whether it be a title published through Lulu or one put out by Scribner, Random House, or any of the major publishing houses. This section will likely be eye-opening for publishing newcomers, but may seem all too familiar to those who have already spent time out in the publishing world trenches hunting down blurbs and trying to get their work reviewed in the media.
The Fourth section is where this book becomes more useful for POD writers who wish to market their books as best they can. With discussions of word of mouth marketing, book signings, tactics for creating an online presence, the use of blogs, email, mailing lists, press releases, awards and contests, Robinson shows some of the easiest and most effective ways to help your title make some waves. Again, much of this can be found in other titles, but his success in the POD realm certainly lends his comments and advice added credibility. The next section is really the other half of the book marketing process in today’s writing world: How to market you stuff on Amazon. In a quick discussion of tags, lists, guides, reviewing other works, category listings, and all the other Amazon sales tools, Robinson shows what tactics he found effective,and which ones might not be worth your time. He also emphasizes a point I think it quite important. Many are blinded by the idea of getting a title on Amazon, but really, it’s not all that exclusive a club, and you’re still gonna have to work to make your book stand out and actually sell. Oh, and actually ripping some of your money out of Jeff Bezos’ hands can be a lot tougher than you would expect. One point I’d really like to add (and one which Robinson doesn’t even touch upon): If you have a website setup that links to your books on Amazon, and you do not have an Amazon Associates account set up for referral payments, you are literally giving money away to that corporate monolith in Seattle. This is where I think Robinson’s book may show a few weaknesses, as well as signs that it’s due for an update.
The final sections offer tips on design, making your book look as professional as possible, “cover no-nos,” and thoughts on making the interior layout look like a traditionally published book. Other topics include scams and a list of POD publishers (one which really needs to be updated).
Overall, this is an interesting tome for newbies. As a self-published author, I certainly found some of his advice helpful, and many of his Amazon tricks were news to me at the time I originally read this book. Like I said, I do feel that POD PEOPLE is due for an update. Aside from failing to mention Amazon Associates referrals, Robinson could also stand to mention CreateSpace as a publishing option, and one that makes a great deal of sense for authors who wish to offer their readers the convenience of buying a book through Amazon, while still making a little more money on each sale. In short, if you’re publishing you book via Lulu, you should really consider publishing it through the Amazon-owned CreateSpace as well. The CreateSpace listing will supersede the Lulu listing on the online retailer's site, and if you go for the Pro option (which you should!) you will make substantially more money as Lulu’s cut of the retail price is lopped out of the mix and mostly handed over to you. Also, having ordered many of my own titles through Amazon already, and noticing the difference in the printed products, particularly the covers (which I feel actually look more professional than those printed on Lulu -- it’s the texture!), I already suspect that the editions Amazon mails out for Lulu listings, and the ones they send out for CreateSpace listings, are all but identical, so you really should take advantage of any opportunity to keep more of the money for yourself.
Robinson writes in a candid and straightforward manner. He admits his own mistakes in creating and marketing previous books as well as POD PEOPLE itself. Copyediting and layout are vital, vital if you want readers to take you seriously. My overall feeling is that he has a lot of experience to share, but much of this advice can now be found online for free via other authors and sites. Robinson should update this, give it a newer, more professional looking cover (honestly, the current cover is AWFUL!) and there are a lot of new outlets, namely Facebook, Twitter, Google/Facebook ads, and youtube promotional videos, that he himself utilizes heavily in promoting his more recent fiction releases, and their mention would really serve to beef up the content of this book, while make it a much more valuable source of information for authors interested in entering the POD realm. In summary, the book does a great job detailing much of what brings about the Stigma of POD publishing, but unfortunately, a few of this book’s design qualities and deficiencies, namely the previously mentioned cover art, the lack of a barcode, and the thin, somewhat overpriced nature of the book itself, highlight some of the problems Robinson points out in the book itself. This one is due for an update, but you can buy your copy here.