Hello there and welcome to The Turndog Review: the books I read, reviewed.

I aren’t a professional critic, instead all I offer is my honest opinion into everything I read. However, I do this with a difference, as I don’t only offer my personal views on the Writing, Plot, and Story, but also the Book Cover, Book Marketing, and Author Website.

We live in a modern world where being a writer is different to years gone by, and I feel the whole experience of the book matters. This covers everything from the initial find, the actual read, and everything that follows. Therefore I hope this review not only offers a great insight into the book and author, but also into my own mind and what makes me tick.

So without further ado let’s begin, and today I focus on The Indie Author Revolution by Dara Beevas

 

Published: 2012

Read: October 2012

Discovered: Dara sent me a review copy

 

Overview:

I’m a big fan of the Wise Ink Blog, and when Dara asked if I would read her new book, the Indie Author Revolution, well, I just couldn’t say no. I’ve read a lot of books and content on self-publishing recently, so I didn’t expect to learn too much.

I was wrong.

The Indie Author Revolution made me look at certain things in a new light. It’s a fantastic overview of the industry and looks at every single aspect. It doesn’t put great focus on any one area, but instead offers a vital overview of the whole process.

In other words, this is perfect for a writer thinking about publishing for the first time. Sorry for doubting you, Dara J

 

The Good:

It’s a fantastic overview of the publishing process. If you want to know everything there is to know about Twitter or Facebook or Amazon, there are better books you can buy. BUT, if you want a book that gives a great overview on EVERYTHING, look no further.

I also love the flow. It’s very practical and pulls on experiences from other authors who have been there and done it. I love reading about other people’s experiences, so this is a great feature.

 

The Bad:

There’s not much to complain about, but if I could ask for one thing, it would be more examples from other authors. I loved the stories from other writers and would have loved to read more.

This may have slowed the pace down a little, but I feel a good balance could have been reached. It’s a minor thing, though.

 

Book Cover:

I really like this cover. It’s fun, the colours are nice, and the text stands out. I love how, from afar, it stands out, but when you zoom in, it’s full of tiny little cartoon characters. This is a very cool feature and fun as hell!

The one thing that lets it down is Dara’s name. It’s so fricking small! It gets lost on the page, and as the Wise Ink Blog grows, her name could become a big selling point.

 

 

Book Marketing:

Unfortunately there isn’t as much as I would have liked. As I’ve already said, the Wise Ink Blog is a great one, so it would have been good to drive the reader there and continue the experience.

There is some nice info about the author though, and the appendices are great. It provides some amazing info on other books, blogs, and people to follow, which is a must for a book like this.

 

Author Website & Engagement:

Like I say, the Wise Ink Blog is great and Dara is a superb user on both Facebook and Twitter. As someone who coaches and advises other writers, it isn’t surprising that she is good at engaging.

I recently spoke to her and she told me how the Wise Ink Blog has helped her reach a whole new audience.  Her online presence is excellent, but she doesn’t rely on it solely. Much to be learned my friends…

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Overall, The Indie Author Revolution is a book aspiring writers should read. It offers a great insight into the process, and as someone who thought he’d read everything, it opened my eyes to a few new aspects.

Simply put, it will help your book go the extra mile.

It’s a quick, enjoyable little read, and because of this I give it…

4 Turndogs out of 5

 

Thanks for reading this version of The Turndog Review. I review every book I read, not only for the writing, but the marketing, website, and general communication from the author.

Turndog Millionaire – @turndog_million