Tag: changes

Remember to Back Up Your Content!

Photo by Anna Pou

I logged into my WordPress dashboard this morning, and my last 5-6 posts were gone, including paid book reviews.

Can you hear my heart breaking?

Thankfully, after about thirty minutes, they showed up!

My face after deleting my tweets cause I thought the links were dead.
Photo by MART PRODUCTION

Too bad I had already deleted the tweets to what I thought were now dead links. Way to go, Yecheilyah.

A glitch, maybe, but the scare was real!

Chile, I almost cried.

Then I put my big girl panties on and understood today’s message.

ALWAYS back up your content!

Make sure your photographs, graphics, videos, and articles are stored in a folder on your computer or on a USB drive. Before composing your posts in WordPress, it’s simpler to write them in a Word document (or whichever program you prefer) and save them to your computer.

Never depend on ONE social platform to reach your audience

I have never been a fan of putting all my eggs in one basket, and this experience reemphasized the importance. I am all for monogamy, but cheating on your other social media profiles with a backup plan is okay, lol.

It is not a smart idea to rely only on one platform, whether we’re talking about Instagram bugs or if US companies and content creators will no longer be able to use TiKTok. (Are you following the case with them? Back those videos up!)

Keep your options open and stay as informed of all the developments as you can. Even if we disagree with AI, for instance, it would be a bad idea to ignore how it is affecting the book publishing industry and how authors and publishers create and distribute their works.

Email is still useful

If these social media apps change their policies, having an email list can let you stay in touch with your customers, business partners, and author friends. Twitter and Instagram have already started using paid verified badges. Even further, Twitter claims that those who earned their blue checks will soon have to pay to keep them.

Wait, what??
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk

It is not farfetched to say that we might one day have to pay to use these apps. If that’s not your flavor, you will want to maintain contact with your people somehow.

Blogs are great alternatives to email lists since subscribing to someone’s blog mean you get an email for every update anyway.

If you simply use your blog, however, always refer back to point one and backup your blog content.

After all, we don’t own WordPress either.

Interested in joining my email list for updates you won’t get here or anywhere else?

Click Here!

If you only want updates on poetry contests, be sure to check poetry contest updates only when you get to the form!

Hang in there guys! Chat soon.

It’s Okay to Begin Again

I have not been as active on this blog as I need to, but know if you see me less, that’s because I’m doing more!

Although I have not published much, I have a bit I am working on, including a new potential author client preparing to release her book (throws invisible confetti), part two to #TWWBE (Yep. Surprise), the anthology for Black History Fun Fact Friday, and tons of articles sitting in my drafts, waiting to be picked to go next.

Poor babies. Mommy has not forgotten you. I hope to get part two of Signs You Are Not Ready to Self-Publish out this week, time permitting.

Today, I want to give you an update remixed with a lesson I’ve learned in the process.

I am starting over with my email list, and I am deleting my Business Facebook page at the close of this year.

I have had the same author email list since 2015, and hard as it was for me to accept, I don’t have the same audience. Much has changed between then and now.

I received good email opens but very little engagement. It started to feel like people were watching me, although they were no longer interested in what I had to offer. I got little feedback which made drafting and sending emails less fun. I was also getting a lot of spam sign-ups. That’s when I knew it was time for a change.

This morning, I deleted everyone from the old list* except for the two people who emailed me a reply to say they are interested in being on the new list.

*This is not my poetry list, but my general author list. If you are subscribed to the poetry list, you are good!

I started to backtrack, though. Building an author email list isn’t easy, and neither was deleting over four hundred emails I’ve worked hard to accumulate over the years. I started to send one final email asking people to reply if they are interested in being added to the new list.

Then, I realized this was an excuse to hold on a bit longer.

The truth is the interested people had already told me as such, and I had to accept that.

It is also true quality will always be better than quantity.

In the end, it didn’t matter how many people were signed up. What mattered was who was engaging. How is it only two people replied to me? I decided this was unacceptable.

I also decided to change my strategy. It is not lost on me my part in this. I’ve struggled with my list for some time, and I hope to become better at it.

And instead of deleting my email list altogether, I am starting over. I still believe in the value of the author’s email list, especially in light of how many people have their social media pages deleted.

The lesson can be summed up in the following quote:

“You get to change your mind about things that are no longer aligned with or supportive of your growth.”

– Alex Elle

Simply put, it’s okay to begin again.

How You Can Help!

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CreateSpace Merges With KDP | Nicholas C. Rossis

It’s been the talk of the Indie Author community for some time and today it has been confirmed. Createspace has officially merged with KDP as many had expected. CreateSpace has officially announced that CreateSpace (CSP) and Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) will become one service. Click on the link below to Nicholas C. Rossis’s blog to learn more about actions you may or may not need to take with this new change.

 

CLICK HERE

IMPORTANT: Possible Changes Coming to Createspace

CreateSpace DVD / CD production is shutting down and it is possible that Createspace is being faded out, moving from CreateSpace to Amazon Media on Demand.

“Bit by bit, Amazon has been shutting down different parts of Createspace. First they launch KDP Print, a competing/replacement POD service, then they shut down Createspace’s publishing services unit, and now they have shifted the DVD and CD production to another part of Amazon. As a result, there isn’t much left in Createspace besides the book POD service.” https://the-digital-reader.com/2018/07/25/createspace-dvd-cd-production-is-shutting-down-with-accounts-moving-to-amazon-media-on-demand/

This is important if you use Createspace for paperback copies of your book. It is possible CreateSpace POD is going next. I am still reading into it but it is advised that if you have paperback books published through Createspace that you move them over to KDP Print before CreateSpace is officially out and you have to rush to move. Below are some articles you may want to read (in addition to the article link above.)

(1) It Looks Like The End of the Line for Createspace

 

And here’s an article on how to move your titles:

 

(2) Moving From Createspace To Amazon KDP Paperback Publishing

Updates: If We Were Having Coffee Right Now

Hey guys! Miss me? You know you do! Lol.

bitmoji-1248719217

Here’s what I’d tell you if we were having coffee right now.

  • If we were having coffee right now, I’d tell you that the domain name for this blog has changed and is now www.thepbsblog.com. It feels great! Though everything is the same aesthetically (I have not changed the theme or anything), I feel better not having the WordPress part in my blog name. Briefly, I should tell you why I didn’t start out this way. I wasn’t sure what would become of this blog, if I would be blogging for an extended period or if it would even be of value to those reading it. I was OK with not paying for something I wasn’t sure about. There was even a time where I seriously considered doing away with this blog. It wasn’t until I started seeing real potential here that I decided to make it official.

 

  • If we were having coffee right now I would tell you that I am releasing two new books this year (yaass!) and I am also working on an exciting new project that will remain on the low for now. While I can’t say much, I will say that I am venturing into a new stage of book publishing and I am excited to see what becomes of it. I’ll keep you posted.

Concerning the two books, they are the two books in The Nora White series:

Renaissance: The Nora White Story – Book One

(July, 2017)

Revelation: The Nora White Story – Book Two

(Winter, 2017)

(Learn more about Renaissance Here)

  • If we were having coffee right now I will tell you that I am putting together an Advanced Review Team to help me to promote Renaissance. Even the messiah needed brothers to help him to spread the word and I am hoping to get all the help I can. Those who are interested in reading a free book (along with other treats!) you can email me Here. I have a special surprise gift for those who help me. Review copies go out in March so if you’re interested email me before then.

I should also mention that I am releasing Book One in paperback at The Indie Author Book Convention in Tampa FL so if you’re around stop by and see me! I’m nice, I promise  ; ).

  • Speaking of projects, if we were having coffee right now, I’d tell you that I plan to launch my workshop this year (exact date coming soon), an online resource center and Indie Author community where serious writers can ban together and help one another to grow. You can learn more HERE.

I think it’s a mistake for Self-Publishers to try and do everything themselves. Everyone needs help and what better way to grow than to do so together. “I come here as one, but I stand as ten thousand.” (Maya Angelou) Do you know what this means? It means that when you see me I may be alone physically, but I represent an entire community of people. Every single person who has inspired me, every teacher who has taught me, every mother who has instilled wisdom in me, every father who has led me, every sister, brother, and every person who has given me what I needed to stand where I stand today is standing with me and I carry their strength on my back.

  • I’m also excited to implement new ideas into this blog so if we were having coffee right now, I would tell you about No Whining Wednesdays. For those of you familiar with Iyanla Vanzant, then you’re familiar with No Whining Wednesdays because I’m copying her pretty much. The idea is not to: whine, complain, or criticize on Wednesday. Every time that you do, you have to put a quarter in a jar. So, on No Whining Wednesdays I will be posting inspirational quotes and notes to help motivate us not to whine or complain. I’ll also share with you how it’s going for me and I think this is going to be a lot of fun. You can participate too but I’ll go into the who, what, when, and how tomorrow so stick around, tomorrow’s our first day!

Finally, if we were having coffee right now, I’d tell you that I am no longer on Facebook.

I have been wanting to withdraw from Facebook for a long time and I’ve finally made the decision to leave it. You will see me pop in every now and again but for the most part I am done with it. You can find me on the following platforms (which now includes Kyle Perkins Indie Author Network). Click HERE to discover where you can find me instead.

Yecheilyah Ysrayl is the YA, Historical Fiction author of eight books most notably, The Stella Trilogy, Blogger, and Poet. She is currently working on her next book series “The Nora White Story” about a young black woman writer who dreams of taking part in The Harlem Renaissance movement and her parents struggle to accept their traumatic past in the Jim Crow south. “Renaissance: The Nora White Story (Book One)” is due for release July, 2017. For updates on this project, sneak peeks of other projects, nuggets and tidbits, video tutorials, writing inspiration, and more, be sure to follow this blog and to subscribe to Yecheilyah’s email list HERE.

Blog Changes

Blog Changes Ahead

As we come to the close of 2016, there will be some changes made to this blog.

The major change is that I will be transitioning from http://www.thepbsblog.wordpress.com to www.thepbsblog.com. I want to give everyone an opportunity to prepare for the transition (please save the new web domain) so I will not be making any moves probably until the end of this month or the beginning of next month. (Special thanks to the commentary that led me to edit this part of the post. I just want to clarify that I am not moving the site. I am simply purchasing the domain for The PBS Blog so its .com instead of .wordpress.com. That is the only change to this site. I am not moving. I would also add that I am not doing anything yet so if there’s anyone with insight into switching over I’d love to hear your thoughts before I make the move. What are your thoughts? Is social media sharing still available? Any technicalities I should know about? Did you switch? Are you liking it so far? Thanks!)

I didn’t want to acquire a domain in the beginning because I already have an author website I’m paying for and I did not always know that I would continue with this blog. There was a time where I did consider hanging it up or just doing it temporarily. As I’ve continued however and have started to put some real hours into nourishing this community and providing value, I have decided to stay for a while longer and for that will finally make that transition to a more professional look, starting with a domain name. (I will probably add a donation widget as well to the slide-side bar once the domain goes up for those who enjoy this blog and would like to see it continue to run).

Other changes are minor, such as updating all the pages and sticking to a more permanent theme. Once I settle on a layout that I feel is right for this blog (I do like this one, but who knows), I’ll be sticking with it.

I am also looking to add more author services to accompany the Book Reviews. I have tried once before to open for Guest Blogging but that did not work out. Instead, I am working on something I can add as a permanent feature for authors. I have not decided what that is yet (Author Interviews, Q&A, Author Promo or what) but I will let you know when I’ve decided. I will say I am leaning toward Author Promo since I already promote books through my email list and book reviews. I will consider adding structure to it as something for 2017. What do you think?

In the meantime, thank you all for your continued support of The PBS Blog! If there is anything you’d like to see more of I would appreciate your feedback. Please do not hesitate to let me know what it is you want. It is truly my pleasure to serve you. I mean that sincerely.