In This Edition:
on inspiring and promoting art pg 4
Managing Social Media With HootSuite How I Got Into That Band: Black Lab You Rock Foundation: overcoming depression through music
JUNE 2014
targetaudiencemagazine.com facebook/targetaudiencemag @targetaudience2
Staff Ellen Eldridge...........................................................Editor in Chief Danielle Boise............................................................. Music Editor Victor Schwartzman................................................ Poetry Editor Leah Bishop....................................................... Chief Copy Editor Kayla Rowe.....................................................................Copy Editor David Feltman...............................Asst. Editor, Film Columnist Michael Bradley...................Graphic Designer, Photographer
In This Issue FEATURES Aunia Kahn on inspiring and promoting artists
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Using HootSuite for social media
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How I got into THAT Band: Black Lab.
Contributors to this issue Leah Bishop, Sara Crawford, Russell Eldridge, Ellen Eldridge, Brandon Lee-Giancana, Jenna Hughes, Victor Scwartzman
FIND US ONLINE!
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Nonprofit foundation dedicated to strength through music and overcoming mental illness 12 Self-publishing for authors with books written....
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How music videos can promote your band
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One pure flavor of poetry
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CD REVIEWS Black Lab: A Raven Has My Heart
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Want to contribute or advertise? Email ellen@targetaudiencemagazine.com
On The Cover Cover art _________________ provided by Aunia Kahn
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Ellen Eldridge Editor in Chief
Call for submissions: How I Got into THAT band You know THAT band--the one that defined you as an angsty teenager. The band that you listened to on repeat after your first--and second--major breakup. The band that was on the radio the day you took the car out ON YOUR OWN after securing your license. There’s a band that each of us can tell a story about. The story of how we got into THAT band that meant everything even if just for a few fleeting moments of our lives. I wrote about Nine Inch Nails and the mud that still covers a journal from Woodstock 1994, which was the first time I saw NIN live. In this issue right here, Jenna Hughes tells the story of how she found Black Lab. Might I add that my same story of finding Black Lab comes from knowing Jenna. A truly inspiring band that will inspire legions of heart-aching and happily fulfilled people. That’s the thing about great music. It commiserates with you when you’re sad and it reminds you of the tough times that you made it through when you’re happy. No single relationship will last as long as that of the soundtrack that got your through your darkest hour.
Sure, sometimes the stories aren’t dire. The band playing during your 8th grade prom might mean something that you want to share—maybe that’s when you met the girl you married. Maybe your sharing love for the same band strengthened your friendship with someone. Whatever the stories, whatever the genres of music, please share. I’m looking for essays of about 500 words in a literary journalism format. “True stories, well told” like Creative Nonfiction publishes, but my hope is that the bands and artists who read Target Audience Magazine will take from these stories tips on marketing. See, when I tell you why Nine Inch Nails meant the world to me and you understand the circumstances under which I first heard the band, you can translate that information into a way of identifying and relating to your fans. When you connect your love of music to the stories of finding the band, other bands will understand more about the power of engagement. So, submit your stories of how you found that band that meant and possibly still means the world to you. Email no more than 600 words to ellen@ targetaudiencemagazine.com with the subject “How I got into THAT band.”
Ellen
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An Interview With:
By Ellen Eldridge
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Overcoming truly terrifying events like child abuse and severe illness allowed an artist to understand the frailty of life, and the importance of making it count.
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unia Kahn and Russell J. Moon opened Alexi Era Gallery in late 2013, with a vision to bring cutting edge art to the conservative Midwest. As if being a fine artist and opening her own gallery wasn’t enough, Kahn started hosting the Create and Inspire Podcast in April 2014. She describes her vision as a weekly art-focused podcast sharing inspirational tips, tricks, advice and featuring interviews with successful artists and art focused businesses to help you manifest your dreams. Kahn has the talent to back up her art career and now she has the authority to speak to budding entrepreneurs about taking the plunge and making our art our business. “Fear is the hardest part of being an entrepreneur,” Kahn says, and she describes the nagging voice of doubt as asking, “how are you going to back up this amazing idea?” She says she works 14-18 hours a day, but that, “This is the hardest job I’ve ever had,” she says. “It’s scary, but it’s exciting.” Part of the reason Kahn is so willing to obsessively pursue her dreams comes from battling illness. “I’m obsessive with what I do, partly because of being sick,” Kahn says, describing a feeling of having lost time due to her illness, and being homebound. “I overcommit myself,” she says, which instantly hits home with all the artists struggling to balance commitments. But in Kahn’s case, she says she feels like she has a lot of catching up to do.
Though Kahn continued to curate shows from home while ill, she couldn’t travel. “When you’re at death’s door and you start to feel better again, everything’s a miracle,” she says. The idea that she might never have gotten better coupled with the inability to get out and even experience her hometown led Kahn to fully appreciate what life offers. “Sometimes, I’m brought to tears at the simple realization that I can drive myself,” she says. “It’s no joke: I believe everything happens for a reason,” she says of the letdowns as much as the successes she’s experienced in her life, in her career as an artist and entrepreneur. When Kahn started the Alexi Gallery, which opened in November 2013, she had only just sold an original piece of art that allowed her to pay the first month’s rent on the space. Kahn called the buyer to tell him that his purchase provided what she needed to open her gallery, and he told her that he wanted a second piece so he went ahead and bought it, providing more room for the Alexi Gallery to thrive. “I didn’t have anything else, but I didn’t have to put money on a credit card,” Kahn says. “I just believed in myself and I just did it.”
Aunia Kahn’s list of Podcasts
Kahn describes her time ill at home from 2002 on as an experience that kept a social creature bound; she says she longed for interaction and missed people. “I’m a social creature who was homebound for so long,” she says describing the importance of the World Trade Center to her in 2010. “In April 2012 I almost died,” Kahn says. “By April 2013, I started to feel better and I could walk again. I was 114 pounds at 5’9 at my worst.”
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Kahn says that when someone has a passion for something, other people will want to be a part of it. After surviving years of child abuse, followed by years of illness, and coming out healthy, gives Kahn a feeling of faith in whatever she wants to do. Facing death has a way of making anything seem possible, she says. “I don’t give up very easily and I work very hard,” she says. In trying to find a balance between acting as a business owner and an artist, “It’s all about making time and setting a schedule,” Kahn says. She decides how much time to spend on the marketing and working in the gallery, but allots hours for creating art as well. “When you love what you do it’s hard to stop,” she says. “I don’t really know when to stop.” Perfectionism is something Kahn says borders on psychological illness. While she says she thinks she absolutely is a perfectionist, she understands that the fine line to draw comes at the price of moving forward. “I think it [perfectionism] can harbor people’s ability to better themselves,” she says. “When people are really focused on making something perfect, I think it’s a psychological problem.” Artists and makers have to be able to let go to continue creating and improving, she says. Kahn admits she looks back on work she created years ago and feels like she should try to improve it, but she says she knows she has to let it go and learn from the mistakes. “I have to let go and take what I learned and apply it to the next thing,” she says, adding that perfection is something neither she nor any artist will achieve, and striving for perfectionism only leads to a constant lack of satisfaction. Though fine artists and illustrators often have a reputation for introversion, Kahn is highly involved in public speaking. “The number one fear statistically is public speaking,” she says. “I was trying to get out and do something, so I took a class.”
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She became involved with public speaking after a professor invited her to return to speak in front of a college class at Southwestern Illinois College. “I’m not the typical artist. I know that, which is why I reach out to other artists and advocate for them,” Kahn says. “Artists create. They visually represent their feelings; they don’t verbally represent their feelings.” Kahn laughs as she admits that she never would have imagined her career in public speaking from her perspective of a high school girl who panicked during speech class, running out to never return. Kahn says she failed that class, yet she learned from her mistakes and moved on toward self-improvement and success. “I speak at classes and I adapt my story,” she says. “I talk about bullying, mental disorders and overcoming adversity.” One of Kahn’s favorite quotes, she says, is “Leap and your wings will appear.” She says she wanted to do a podcast for two or three years, because while sick she listened to and was inspired by John Dumas’ podcast, www.entrepreneuronfire.com. She started the “Create and Inspire” podcast in April 2014, after her hope was renewed from Dumas himself, Kahn says. When he invited her to be a guest speaker on “Entrepreneur On Fire,” he told her she was ‘a natural’ afterward, Kahn says. “It changed my life and pushed me into finally doing my own podcast.” Faith in herself led Kahn to pursue her passion. For a long time she couldn’t do the simple things people take for granted, like walk around her town or breath well. Artists as well as artistic entrepreneurs should take the time to listen to the “Create and Inspire” podcast Thursday nights. Take notes on working together, and learn from other artists and entrepreneurs because that, Kahn says, is the fastest way to success.
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FEATURE
Quick tips on using HootSuite to organize and schedule social media By Leah Bishop
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s an independent artist, establishing yourself as a brand is tough. What is even harder is knowing how to navigate social media when it gets chaotic and messy. This is the very reason social media management systems were created and why they are used in both big and small businesses alike. Social media management tools provide a flexible and effective way to keep up with all the social media outlets that a freelancer might use, and allows a person to bring their Facebook accounts and pages, Google + page, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Twitter accounts. However, most management tools require a monthly fee for services while HootSuite provides them free of charge. If you are not familiar with HootSuite, it is a social media platform dedicated to help its users communicate more effectively with their audience. The free HootSuite dashboard allows a person to organize up to five social networks, while the Pro account can have up to 50 social networks and share organizations with other HootSuite Pro users. The Pro account is perfect for bands or small businesses that have three people using the same social network account.
HootSuite also has a university that allows its users to understand the different social networks and how they can use the dashboard effectively. Users can become certified in HootSuite, too. However, to take advantage of the university, they have to pay a fee each month. But enough about that. Below are some of the best features HootSuite has to offer its users and probably the best uses for the dashboard.
Scheduling and drafting posts Scheduling posts is an extremely helpful tool for the independent artists out there. Got a show but do not have the time to remind followers about it because you have to unload equipment? Schedule the posts ahead of time! This feature is perfect when you have some down time and want to get some general posts together for the social networks you are on. Don’t know the best time to post? HootSuite offers an auto-scheduling feature that will determine the best time to post for you. The auto-scheduling setting also lets you set the times you want to post between and what days you want the posts to go out. This is a great feature for the person that does not have a lot of free time. HootSuite also has a draft section that allows the user to save general posts that can be edited easily. This is a great feature to have when you are promoting a book, show or new album. It is easy to run out of ways to promote a product and HootSuite templates provide a general post you later modify for your followers.
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A look at the Hootsuite Dashboard
Organizing streams
HootLet Chrome extension
Twitter is a crazy mess and if you are a busy person, you do not have the time to mess with it. HootSuite provides the ability to break down into your feed, your tweets, your lists and any hashtags or users you want to monitor into the streams on the dashboards. This is extremely helpful if you want to track a hashtag exclusive to a campaign or how another user phrases their posts. HootSuite even provides examples on what a user can search and monitor in their streams. Here is an example not shown – type in an URL you want to monitor and watch what people are saying. However, you have to be specific and cannot use the domain URL.
The HootLet Chrome extension is probably the best hidden gem from HootSuite. If you do not have the Google Chrome browser, however, you will not be able to use the extension. Say you are searching the web and find an article you want to share with your followers. HootLet allows you to share via HootSuite from that very page. This is a great tool for posting new products without having to copy and paste links, and it allows you to get the word out about it even sooner. If you have Chrome and you are an avid poster, get this extension. Faster posting equals more noise, and as an independent artist, that is what you want, right?
Users can also organize streams for other major marketing services inside different tabs. Facebook profiles, Facebook pages and Google + pages can be linked to the dashboard from the main profile page. Services like Instagram, YouTube and Reddit can be added on as an app for free; however, if you want to get statistics on Instagram and YouTube posts, it will cost extra.
HootSuite, like all new things, is a little confusing at first. However, after taking the time to connect your profiles and structuring the streams to your liking, the dashboard provides great organization to a messy situation. True, there are other social networking management tools out there, but HootSuite has all of them beaten because of what the dashboard offers its users. Staying organized in the messy world of marketing yourself is important and it is something everyone should take into consideration when establishing a brand.
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HOW I G O T I NT O T HAT BAN D :
by Jenna Hughes 10
For m e , d i s c o v e ri n g B l a c k L a b w as a h a pp y ac c i d e n t .
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was actually looking for a song by a different band back in 2000 when I stumbled on “Wash It Away.” I knew that I had heard that song somewhere before so I kept digging and discovered that it had indeed been a hit for the band back in 1997. I picked up the album with that song, Your Body Above Me, and could not stop listening. Paul Durham’s voice is truly something to behold; it’s raw and emotional, yet somehow sexy and seductive at the same time. He has a way of conveying emotion in his songs that is like no other. Black Lab is a band that I’ve relied on during some rough times in my life to get me through, just by listening to lyrics that are honest and real, uplifting and sorrowful and most importantly, relatable. When I listen to Black Lab, there’s an artist/listener connection that comes through that is so profound, it almost feels as if Durham is in the room singing only to me. Black Lab also has one of the broadest ranges I’ve ever heard, from the ‘90s alternative sound of Your Body Above Me to the darker, moodier sound of Passion Leaves a Trace. The band even put out a techno album in 2007 called Technologie, and pulled it off effortlessly, proving that they can do anything they set their minds to and it will be amazing. My favorite Black Lab album thus far is Unplugged, in which many of my favorite songs are stripped bare, leaving little more than Durham’s flawless voice. However, it may have some competition with the newest release, A Raven Has My Heart, which continues to blow me away every time I listen to it. Raven was completely funded by Black Lab fans through Kickstarter and I am proud to be one of them. I’m also proud that one of my favorite bands in the world is finally getting more exposure, because they deserve it. Black Lab is usually the first band I recommend to friends and I like to tell them it is truly the best music they have never heard.
Black Lab A Raven Has My Heart Review by Jenna Hughes
Black Lab is a band that has done its share of genre-swapping, from the ‘90s alternative sound of 1997’s Your Body Above Me—the album that spawned the hit “Wash It Away”—to an album of nothing but techno called, appropriately, Technologie and nearly everything in between. The band is not only musically versatile, but possesses a rare gift in that no matter which genre it chooses, it sounds like the right one. With the new album A Raven Has My Heart, Black Lab has embraced a dark, lush electronic sound, first hinted at with 2007’s Passion Leaves a Trace. Raven, which was fully funded by fans through Kickstarter, starts off like a quiet storm with “Unfamiliar Sky,” setting the tone for the entire album with soft, almost ethereal synths and Paul Durham’s flawless vocals shining through. “Gravity” is probably the best track here, with an expansive electronic sound that fills every sense, commanding that you stop and listen. Durham’s lyrics are heart-wrenching (“The pain just goes on and on…chained to your love”), and his raw, emotional delivery is breathtaking. This is the song that, upon first listen, literally made me stop in my tracks and think, “Wow, this is incredible.” Another standout song is “Part of Me,” a swelling outpour of emotion from Durham that speaks to the emotional depths of heartbreak and longing. “Further” is an anthem about staying strong and never giving up (“There ain’t nothing that can keep you from getting back up”), while “Radio Tonight” is the opposite end of the spectrum with a fun, borderline dance vibe. With Raven, Durham and co-founder Andy Ellis have ventured into a new territory for Black Lab and they wear it extremely well, proving that, at least for this listener, everything they touch will turn to gold.
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By Ellen Eldridge
You matter, you’re needed, you rock.
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usic saves lives. All people who made it through the teenage years by the skin on their teeth and a solid soundtrack can testify to the effects of music. It grounds us; music reminds us who we are, where we came from and where we want to go. We wallow with siren voices and we rejoice in rising rhythms with an ability to inspire hope. Finally, a nonprofit organization is rising from these ideas. The You Rock Foundation started as founder Joseph Penola’s examined the commonalities in his life, and as part of a self-improvement project, he said. “Early on, you’re asked to examine the commonalities in your life, and for me that included tattoo artists, yoga instructors, dog lovers and, of course, musicians and depressed people,” Penola said. In deciding “What communities do I want to have an effect on?,” Penola said he chose the communities of depressed people and musicians, many of he works with in his job, Director of Artist Relations for a musical equipment distributor. “Wouldn’t it be amazing if these rock stars used their celebrity to make a change in the world,” Penola said, describing the idea of moving from endorsements on gear and other products to speaking directly to fans outside of the arena of recorded music and lyrics. “Sad or angry music got me through some tough times,”
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Penola said, adding that the power in Trent Reznor’s lyrics and music moved him as a younger man. Penola said he thought,
“What if artists talked publicly about the demons they’ve faced and how they got through it?”
Neon Trees singer Tyler Glenn spoke candidly about issues he faced when he was young. When you lock eyes with a high-quality video, showing the leader of a respected band opening up, you can’t help but feel connected and understood. This power may be even greater than the music and lyrics, because here are these icons speaking directly to you. “We put these rock stars on a pedestal and think their lives are great, but it’s beautiful to see them drop whatever façade they might have in interviews and connect,” Penola said. “It’s not a façade like they’re fake; more of society’s training that we have to act like we have it together even when we might hurt inside.” Penola said a dramatic difference exists between
Fulfilling Our Mission
Why You Rock?
There are millions of people affected by depression in this country alone, some turning to suicide as their only recourse. In America alone, it’s estimated that almost 20 million people live with depression, with untreated depression is the leading cause of suicide, and suicide as the third-leading cause of death amongst 15-24 year-olds.
“You Rock is a personal commitment I made to use my painful experiences to help others. When I was 16 years old, my father passed away and for 7 years of my life I told myself, my family, my friends, and my doctors that despite cutting myself, I was not suicidal. Although the cuts grew deeper, I convinced myself that I did not want to die - yet I obviously did.
The You Rock Foundation was created to serve as a safe haven for those who have suffered or are currently suffering. Using music, You Rock strives to pull them out of that dark place and show them the possibilities of moving forward with life.
The You Rock Platform The You Rock Foundation utilizes an online platform showcasing video interviews of iconic members of the music industry including Neon Trees, Killswitch Engage and Slipknot. These artists share personal stories about their own demons and how they have fought them and won, encouraging anyone who is watching to do the same. The Foundation seeks to empower those who feel powerless, spread awareness, and educate family and friends on how to help by working with preexisting organizations like the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and You Matter.
It is now 2013 and it has taken this long to admit to myself and particularly, my family that I did not want to die. Being the eldest of three boys, I wanted to protect my mom and my brothers from the pain of knowing how hopeless I truly was. Over time, I began to realize the impact my death would have on my family and loved ones after all they had been through with my father’s death. I now understand the power in vulnerability and becoming committed to being strong, rather than pretending to be. I have healed and now want to help others replace their own emotional struggle with a fulfilling life that rocks.” --Joseph Penola, founder of You Rock Foundation
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watching a performer on stage and then seeing him or her in an interview. “I’m replaying those emotional events in my head and I don’t think the words do it justice,” Penola said. Corey Taylor, frontman of Slipknot and Stone Sour, talked a lot about his teenage years and how tough it was, Penola said.
What Others Are Saying:
The question, “What would you say to 16-year-old Corey, if he was watching right now?” led to a straightfaced and serious Taylor staring down the camera, using body language unconsciously by nodding his head in synch with his words. “Listen to me,” Taylor said, locking eyes with the camera, which makes the viewer feel like Taylor is directing all his attention on him or her. “Nothing on this planet is worth ending your life for.” Country musician Brad Paisely has a popular song, “Letter To Me,” where the song takes a softer approach to speaking to his 17-year-old self, starting by “proving it’s really him” in the future by disclosing the location of his Playboy magazines. “We’ve all had these times; the artists can help,” Penola said. The message and the ideas that the music community and the depressed community can collaborate and inspire each other sits at the surface of schools like School of Rock, in Waldwick, N.J., where Director of Operations Static said the You Rock Foundation comes once a month. Static said School of Rock seeks to provide students with a sense of peace and joy. While You Rock Foundation focuses on awareness and getting a conversation going, as Penola said, School of Rock encourages people to perform music, Static said. “It doesn’t matter if they become professional musicians,” Static said. “We are giving them a gift that they will carry with them for life. We also create a sense of unity by teaching them how to be a real band.” Keep an eye out for more from You Rock Foundation at http://yourockfoundation.org/
“...it’s a hard road to overcome...but it does get easier and it does get better and I think I attribute a lot of my progress to the discovery and outlet of music.” Tyler Glenn, Neon Trees
“I started writing lyrics at eleven or twelve years old...and it changed me. ” Heidi Sheppard, Butcher Babies
“I was very depressed as a kid, and the one thing that I found that I truly believe saved my life was music.” Carla Harvey Coates, Butcher Babies
“The beauty of help from a stranger is life changing, on many levels.” Jesse Leach, Killswitch Engage
“Nothing on this planet is worth ending your life for, because everything after this is amazing.” Corey Taylor, Slipknot
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FEATURE
Self Publishing For Authors: How To Get Started by Sara Crawford
I am a fan of self-publishing. It gives authors an opportunity to get their books out there, and it offers avid readers like me many more options. While I am going the traditional publishing route with my young adult novel, “The Muses,” selfpublishing is a great outlet for me with other projects. For example, I recently published a creative writing instructional book called The 30-Day Writing Challenge: Begin or Enhance Your Daily Writing Habit. I also have published a romance novella under a pen name. In both of these cases, I have had great experiences.
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f you have written a book and you are thinking about self-publishing, you may feel overwhelmed. It may seem like there are too many things to think about. Here are a few things to consider when you are ready to embark upon the self-publishing journey.
Edit Your Book The biggest criticism I have about self-published authors is that I have seen a number of them publish unedited work. Editing and revision are essential parts of the writing process, and books that have not been edited properly feel unpolished. Luckily, there are tons of websites where you can reach out to freelance editors like Thumbtack, Elance, Editorial Freelancers Association, and Writers and Editors, to name a few.
Choose a Retailer There are many outlets you can pursue when you are ready to publish your book. Personally, I am a huge fan of Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing. It’s 60-70% of the U.S. Market Share of e-book retailers, it’s very easy to use, and it gives you the ability to reach a very large audience. Kindle Direct Publishing also offers you the option to enroll in KDP Select. This means that your book is exclusively available on Amazon. However, it also means that you get to participate in free book promotions and Kindle Countdown Deals, which can lead to major exposure for your book. You should read about the other retailers, though, such as Barnes & Noble Nook, Smashwords, Kobo, iTunes,
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etc. Here is a comprehensive overview on all of the different retailers from eBook Architects: http:// ebookarchitects.com/learn-about-ebooks/retailers/
Have a Professional and Engaging Cover Made
and the amount of royalties you will earn. You can earn 70% on books that are $2.99 and more, and you will earn 35% on books that are under $2.99. Once you have completed this process, it can take up to 24 hours for them to approve your book. And then congratulations! You are a published author!
The cover image needs to be eye-catching and professional. When it comes Other retailers have different to e-books, because there are processes, but they are all fairly so many options, a lot of these easy to follow. You usually have The main thing you books get judged by their to create an account, upload your covers. I will admit that even want to remember is book, upload your cover, etc. Once when I am scrolling through that you need to spread you get into it, it will be relatively websites that offer free book simple. the word about your deals for the week, I will usually choose books with interesting book. It’s not going to covers. You could have an magically market itself. amazing well-written story, but if it has a horrible cover, it may not receive the Marketing Your Book attention it deserves. Now you have entered into an entirely different chapter of self-publishing. This is a subject for a There are many e-book cover design websites like different blog post, but the main thing you want to Self-Pub Book Covers and Go On Write. I love this remember is that you need to spread the word about website – Ebook Indie Covers – and would highly your book. It’s not going to magically market itself. If recommend it. You can also hire independent or you want to sell copies, people need to be aware that freelance graphic designers. You can find these on it is out there! Here are a few references if you want to websites like Elance and Thumbtack. You want to read more about this process: make sure you get a high-resolution, high-quality image to use as your book cover.
Marketing Your Book
Submit Your Book The process is different for all retailers. With Amazon, it’s very easy. You will go to Kindle Direct Publishing and you will need to create an account if you don’t have one. Then you simply start a new project, upload your cover, and upload your book. You can upload it in a Microsoft Word document, and it will convert it into a Kindle book for you. It will give you a place to preview your book so you can make sure it converted correctly. Then, you get to select the price you want to charge for your book
DIY: How to Market Your Self-Published Book 10 Winning Marketing Strategies for Your SelfPublished Book 76+ Places to Submit Your Free KDP Select Promotion for Your Kindle eBook Don’t get overwhelmed by this process. There are a lot of steps to take, but with hard work and dedication, you can be a successful self-published author. Sara Crawford is a freelance writer and editor from Marietta, Georgia. She is the author of The 30-Day Writing Challenge: Begin or Enhance Your Daily Writing Habit.
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Masses Beware: How one band leveraged its network and created a music video that was placed in a motion picture
By Brandon Lee-Giancana, drummer for Masses Beware
We in Masses Beware meet up with a company called ParadeStormer that does music videos for artists, from budget videos all the way to big motion pictures like “King Maker,” produced in Nashville. ParadeStormer created our first two music videos in 2012 and 2013, and this company continues to do our new music videos. They asked us, “Have you considered writing a song for a movie in March 2013?” They told us about the plot of the film “King Maker,” and that king makers are the big business of everything: making presidents, big corporations. King makers make kings out of ordinary people, but there is a price to pay—just like the MOB. You don’t cross them, and you are basically the king makers’ puppet on a string. Scott Burnett wrote the script for the movie, and he is also directing, but release date is unknown. “King Maker” is coming soon, and I think in spring 2015 because they were going to pitch it to The Sundance Film Fest. According to the Facebook Page for “King Maker” the movie, the plot revolves around the history of chess, which spans some 1500 years, with the earliest predecessors of the game originated in India, before the 6th Century. So, we in Masses Beware got together and came up with what would be a few riffs first, then started to add measurements, like what should the verse be and what
should the chorus be. The best thing that could have come out of the song “Kingmaker” is that creating the song and the video brought Masses Beware together as a band. We all put lyrics together, and everyone added their point of view of what a kingmaker is. Really, to get that kind of exposure that a band with the title track to a motion picture gets is huge. Michael Giancana, who produced and directed the music video, gave us an incredible opportunity by helping place the music with this film.
“The networking is what it all comes down to, in creating a music video”
In creating a music video for your band, your music video director might have a connection to another source, like a reality TV show, a movie or even a small film. It is a great thing for Masses Beware to be involved with “King Maker” and we have heard there are now some bigger name actors in the film, because the producers got a bigger budget. So, we might get some extra attention off the actors’ fans, who will watch the movie and hear the song as well. Kingmaker Live at The Rutledge in Nashville TN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0d1DK7eXIA
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FEATURE
One Pure Flavor
By Victor Schwartzman, poetry editor
K
elley Montgomery, like so many poets writing today, is someone whose work you have never read. You have never even heard of him. You can find a few Kelley Montgomerys using Google but none of them are him. Your poetry editor knows him and has a copy of his chapbook, but otherwise your poetry editor say Kelley who? Montgomery writes poetry that is raw. It rhymes. It is blunt. It is its own voice. Likely the only time you will come across this voice is in this review. And that ain’t right. His twenty poem chapbook, One Pure Flavor, was selfpublished. It is hard to find. Self-promotion is not one of the author’s strong suits (nor is it a strong suit of most authors). As with any good writing, you do not need to know anything about Montgomery to appreciate his poems. His poetry has themes of struggling with self-worth, with a sense of place, with loss, sometimes with the question of why get out of bed in the morning. Most of us have been there. Some never return. On the back of One Pure Flavor is a dedication: For all brave soldiers
That itself is a short poem. Within a few vivid words, he describes a life of high and low energy. He hopes to connect with people and help them. The use of images, and which images he chooses, is part of what brings his writing to life. Here he writes about how he sees the process: Poetry is deconstruction A private revolution Of a heavenly function
A catching of butterflies The words they do hold A purple and a green one From a sun that is bold
A mind through it dances Rolled up in lust An angel’s scene I try as I must
who have almost disappeared
So when the words calm
but chose to come back
And have sung with a might In dips the moon
to help and lend a hand.
Giving sight in the night
On the back of the chap is also I bring myself to reason Kelley Montgomery tries to keep a tidy space. Some of the time he can be caught trying to conjure fire and other times he can be caught limping with beer and cigarette. All in all, he hopes that some day, some year, he will bask in the solace of a life spent in charity. 20
And gather category Press myself to see The worth in every story
Keep a little back A room where you can go Four thick walls and wooden door A candle marked to glow
Your hands in your pockets At first glance, the poem seems to ramble. It begins, in fact, with the notion of deconstructing a poem, breaking it down into its elements, and then proceeds in a straightforward way to do just that. It grabs words, butterflies in the sunlight, to describe the opposite of what the poet feels (he feels lust but writes of angels). And in writing and living, he wants to see the worth in every person.
When you settle with the streets Their fingers are so many And into you they’ll reach
Distill a colored garden Is that not a solid summary of the poet’s view: of what s/he does and of the writing process? Poetry breaks down what the poet sees, and that doing so is a wonderful and intimate act. Unfortunately, writing the stuff and living the life described are plenty different. It can be difficult being around people, for various reasons, not the least of which is that you cannot write (about people, ironically) while they are there. And poets can carry some traditional heavy baggage and need a greater distance.
To which you disappear And drink upon the daisy Till footsteps are not near
Give a tidy soul Harness the wind as needed And bring to the funeral Where no-contest is pleaded
The poem describes a need to be with and away from people. You start off with your bare little room, four walls and a candle. And, oh yes, a door for those times you really have to go out. Because you want to go out, there’s good stuff out there, probably. And when you venture outside, hands in your pockets, you worry about all those other people. They all have their own needs. How can you help them while struggling to help yourself?
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The very best thing for some writers (from your editor’s own experience) is to write. You are doing something, you are in complete control of the page and the environment. Everything vanishes into the creative act, words appearing on the page or computer screen. And if you keep writing and working, depression stays away. Lurking footsteps do not bother you because you are doing what you are supposed to be doing—writing. Everything else is housework. (Not that there is anything wrong with housework.) And when it’s all over you croak, perhaps with a weary acceptance. Finally. It’s over. Life is great but enough is enough. The next poem continues the theme of life being a difficult and at times dangerous journey. Starting with the people around him being dark, shifting shapes, the poet feels isolated: The road is treacherous Dark shapes shift sides Could anyone see me? More dead than alive
To do it all again The thought scares me But have I not turned to stone? Rough salt of the sea
So now I write Guilty in leading I look out through the fence My eyes are they bleeding?
Oh, have I forgotten? Have I ever known? That love stood near Though its lips they be sewn 22
Life can really suck. When one ponders living it all over again, the question can be: why? Harshness has coarsened our narrator, toughened him up, and that is not necessarily helpful. Given those realizations, the poet does not feel like there is much in his life to enlighten others. This poet is on one side of the fence and everyone else, presumably living their happy lives, is on the other. And it hurts to look. You think you know the story, but there is a kicker. The poet once had a connection with another person. He had love. It is near but unreachable, its lips sewn shut. He looks back with sarcasm—did he forget he once had an actual love, or was it only a great idea? So what do you do? Life can be depressing at times, sometimes most of the time. Do you let it roll over you? Or do you suck it up? These are questions every one of us deals with, some more often than others. And keep in mind,
Because you exist doesn’t make you right When the days are inclinations You have to have imagination So look where you step There is always some flirtation
So go the stairs I mean go up and down And wear shoes way too small And don’t show a frown
I hope there’s a window That may be deep in paint I’ll keep you a stone To practice restraint
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