Banyon Member Info - Read Online


	- MEMBERSHIP TO THE BANYON NETWORK – by: Jay Johnson, Publisher (ALL interested authors kindly read...) FIRST, thank you for your interest! I will attempt to make clear, by way of Q & A’s, just what is required for membership – it will save us all time – I believe I’ve covered everything. > WHO IS ELIGIBLE? Any published author/writer (self-published, small press or traditional) of novels; or certain short story collections (i.e., there must be a collection in the making, destined for a book of short stories, albeit the book need not be published yet; with short stories, we require that at least one is offered free to Banyon website visitors). > WHO DETERMINES ACCEPTANCE? I do…as Banyon’s publisher, with an occasional referral to guide me. > WHAT DOES IT COST? $0.00 There isn’t a fee to be a member of the Banyon Network. > ARE THERE ANY HIDDEN COSTS? NONE. > WHAT DO YOU GET FOR FREE? 1. I provide a Banyon Network individual webpage to “introduce” the author and link to their website (whether an existing or one is provided by Banyon). 2. I provide a “basic/starter” website, sufficient to sell your book(s) – it will include a PayPal link to your existing or new FREE PayPal account (if you’re not a corporation, I suggest that you get the Premier account when you sign up, or convert to it if you’re already a PayPal member). I’ve provided a link to PayPal at: www.banyonpublishing.com/publisherspage.html An example of the “basic website” can be seen at: www.DorisBibbsJohnson.com (she’s not related to the publisher, Jay Johnson). If you require anything fancier, I can direct you to an able designer or you can build your own (there are some good do-it-yourself locations I’d recommend, e.g., design a website at: www.adrdomainsplus.com or www.adrwebbiz.biz can provide a do-it-yourself website like the one we use at Banyon). My advice – take the FREE one until you’re making money on your book(s). 3. I provide TWO listings in our “Great Links” directory under the categories of “Authors/Writers” and “Books”. See: www.banyonpublishing.com/AuthorsWriters.html and www.banyonpublishing.com/Books.html 4. I provide all members with the benefit of the advertising I do and the many links to Banyon Publishing I’ve arranged (and can offer discounts/advice for those wishing to do some individual advertising). 5. Through the “Author’s Collective” I provide a very tasteful approach to “group emailing” (www.banyonpublishing.com/AuthorsCollective.html) to benefit all members. Read the information in this section. This service will not be activated until there are at least 12 author members with websites ready to accept orders. The above are the main FREE benefits, while the others are more fluid, e.g., in some cases, with POD publishers, I can buy quantities of an author’s book and pass the savings along to the author, while the author still receives their royalty; or I offer authors free space in our Newsletter (www.TheBanyonBuzz.biz) to publish a brief article; or access to free eBooks and Internet Educational materials, etc. WILL YOU BE REQUIRED TO PAY BANYON ANYTHING? NO, however, we do require that ALL websites have at least one useful [URL] name (e.g., www.yourname.com) rather than the long meaningless names often provided by free or group membership sites (i.e., with your name at the end of a long URL, either in initials or last name or numbers or not at all). We suggest that you get your “domain name” through a source that financially (one of my only paid advertisers – I only have two – is my 16yo’s web biz) supports all of the FREE work Banyon does for authors (www.adrdomainsplus.com). I can do it for you if you’d prefer not to try buying it and pointing it yourself (go to: www.adrpayments.biz it’s the first page you’ll see); it’s only $10 per year to register a [.com] domain name. Can you get it cheaper? Sure, as low as $8.95, but then it would suggest that you don’t play well with others. J Obviously, if you already have one, great, you can use it. THAT’S the extent of your capital outlay! WHAT WILL BANYON NEED FROM ME TO GET STARTED? First, I work in a very organized and structured manner, thus I will not accept piecemeal submissions. Time is money and since I am NOT charging you, I ask that you respect my time. I will ONLY start once I’ve received everything I need. You must do your own editing of whatever you send, thus saving me from constant revisits and corrections after you see it online. I will need the following from you: 1. An Author’s Bio (brief, a paragraph or two). 2. A .jpg (pronounced: jaypeg) copy of your book cover (or my second choice, exactly where I can locate it if it is already online). 3. A .jpg copy of your photo (preferably the one used on your book). 4. The ISBN(s) for your book(s). 5. The email address you will use for website visitor contacts. 6. Mention any verifiable awards you or your book(s) have won. 7. Provide any LINK info (full URL, i.e., http://www.name.com) to interviews or reviews you’d like known. 8. Your URL/Domain Name (if I do not already have it). 9. A Microsoft-Word copy of (make sure it has .doc on the end of the document; I’m on a Mac, it’s required): (a) The description of your book from the back cover (soft cover or dust-jacket flaps). (b) A copy of the 1st chapter (which will be provided for free reading by visitors). If there’s a reason why this would be inappropriate (e.g., it would give away the plot or tell too much about the prequel) then please provide a Prologue or another chapter you think appropriate. I’d prefer you NOT paste any of this info into an email, especially if I have to wonder where the paragraph breaks are and other grammatical notations important to context and accuracy. 10. The email address on your PayPal account, if I am required to create the “book purchase” link and attach it to your website, also I will need your password. Once I am finished you MUST change that password to protect us both from further concern. WHO’S RESPONSIBLE FOR SELLING MY BOOK(S)? YOU are! Banyon provides a place for you to be seen, but does not guarantee that you will sell any of your books. The world’s dwindling readership may or may not wish to read “your” book, regardless how great a read it might actually be. Banyon is just one more place to be seen, and it’s FREE. OKAY, WHAT ABOUT SHIPPING MY BOOK(S)? How much for shipping? I suggest that you ship via USPS Priority Mail ($3.85) since it covers any weight, as long as it fits in the envelope, and the labels can be made online at (paste all of this address): http://www.governmentguide.com/govsite.adp?bread=Main&url=http%3A//www .governmentguide.com/ams/clickThruRedirect.adp%3F55076483%2C16920155% 2Chttp%3A//www.usps.gov/ Also, it can be traced for delivery verification. IF you elect to use a different method I will need this information submitted with the info used for your PayPal link to be created. Weigh your book and check the various rates before dismissing Priority, since the traceable feature is vital to selling a product. Media Mail may suffice with the lower priced books (under $14.95) WHAT IS YOUR PERCENTAGE OF EACH OF MY BOOK SALES?* $ 0.00 (This “no-fee” provision will not change, however, at some point after I have 50+ Authors/Banyon Network members I will start assessing a fee of no more than $5.00 per month to those with sales sites created by Banyon – it’ll be fair). WHAT ABOUT LINKS, ARE THEY MANDATORY? Yes, I require that ALL member websites have a link to Banyon Publishing (www.banyonpublishing.com), as Banyon will be linking to your website as well, at least 3 times. Then I will submit your site names (the websites I create) to the search engines. DO WE SIGN ANY CONTRACTS? NO. Your email request to be a member, your submissions and Banyon’s acceptance of you is sufficient to form a “meeting of minds” for this venture (i.e., I’m not charging you). Besides, my older son is a local attorney, so I won’t worry myself about a frivolous claim from a party to whom I am providing a number of benefits at NO charge. CAN I BE DROPPED AS A BANYON NETWORK MEMBER? YES. If there are any violations of Banyon’s good faith standards of doing business; or if you add anything to your private website with which we’d rather not be associated; or if you fail to be a responsible member of the network; or fail to provide what is requested for the launching of your listing. WHO OWNS THE WEBSITES YOU CREATE? Banyon Publishing owns, but grants you the use of any website/pages created by Banyon Publishing parties. The use of said website/pages is for the sole purpose of promoting and selling books authored by the Banyon Network member authorized by Banyon Publishing. The “member” will relinquish said website/pages upon demand by Banyon Publishing and not protest the cancellation of said website once given reasonable notice by Banyon Publishing (max. of 7 days, unless the violation causing cancellation is so detrimental to Banyon that it must be halted immediately). WHAT IF I HAVE A WEBSITE? For those with an existing website, we will feature you on Banyon at the Banyon Network location (FREE), then link to your site (we’ll expect a link back to Banyon). If you are not set up to sell directly (which we advise all members to do, since there’s no profit in referring your readers/customers to Amazon, etc.) I can guide you in doing so and even provide an alternative “selling only page” if you wish to use PayPal and your existing selling method on your website (i.e., I’ll link you from the member directory to your feature page (provide a BUY NOW button on this page), then link to your website(s). WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW…PLACE A LINK TO YOUR WEBSITE IN YOUR EMAILS…MAKE BUSINESS CARDS TO ADVERTISE HOW YOUR BOOK CAN BE BOUGHT…CHECK OUT HOW WE CREATED A “PATRON’S ALLIANCE” FOR ONE OF OUR AUTHORS (she has sold hundreds of books through this method, just since January). I’ve got a great .PDF format booklet named “10 Ways to Promote Your Book” – ask for it and it’s yours. I can’t think of anything else right now, so good luck and if there are any changes I’ll post them as an addendum to this information. Thank you. Jay Johnson, Publisher Banyon Publishing, Inc. Book Titles Available \| \| The BANYON NETWORK \| Betty Byers \| Whitlow Synopsis \| INNER-VIEWS WITH CELEBRITIES \| ECLECTIC REVIEWS \| BOOK REVIEWER'S CORNER \| The NEWS \| SHORT STORIES CORNER \| \| Return Home \| GREAT LINKS \| WHAT'S NEW? \| CONTACT US \|