Has the FCC Lost Its Mind?

By L.J. Sellers, author of provocative mysteries & thrillers

Net neutrality is a simple concept—we all have equal access to the internet. Yet the underlying structure is complex, and recent FCC proposals could negatively affect us all. Particularly authors who depend on internet exposure to make a living.

The latest proposal: The FCC wants to allow networks and carriers (Comcast!) to create fast lanes, in which certain content providers who pay for the privilege are given preferential treatment. Internet service providers (ISPs) have wanted this for a long time because it gives them the ability to speed up or slow down traffic to certain websites and increase their profit.

Essentially, those who can pay (Google, YouTube, Amazon) will get faster service and more internet visibility, and those who can’t (individuals, startups, artists) will be left with crumbs. Even without digging into specific examples, this seems inherently wrong. According to an article in the Huffington Post, “the net effect will be to tie creators to a small number of large platforms, reduce the choice and leverage of independent artists relative to corporate media, and make it harder for new or marginalized voices to be heard.”

And when you consider that Comcast is about to merge with Time Warner to become a major ISP and is the only ISP available in certain areas, the idea of giving Comcast even more control of the internet seems like a really bad idea. Concentrating power in the hands of a few is always dangerous.

This isn't just about myself as an author/entrepreneur, but as a consumer with a curious intellect who wants to be able to access a vast array of ideas on the internet—with equal speed.

The FCC seems to have lost its mind on both decisions. My personal opinion it that it should block the merger and drop the fast-lane idea. Consumers, who depend on the internet for information, social networking, and many purchases (books!), need a choice of providers and a level playing field.

Trailers: Trophies or Trash?

by Peg Brantley, author of RED TIDE

For those of you who do not want to watch trailers, even hate the things, today's post is not for you.

Several people have asked me about my process and what I think the results have been. The big and most important question is this: Did my sales increase because of a trailer?

First, here's the trailer:

The pieces: 

• Music was chosen from Free Music Archive. This site allows you to search for music by category and keywords: a fast and easy way to find the right music for the mood you're trying to reflect.
• Photos were selected from both iStockphoto and Shutterstock. I used the least expensive versions available for all of the images.

The glue:

• I have a Mac and through trial and error (a lot of both) I figured out iMovie. Of course I'll probably forget everything by the time I make another trailer. (Hint: I will be making another trailer.)
• For PC users, Windows Movie Maker has produced some stunning trailers.

The cost:

• If you have the time the equipment and the talent you can create your own trailer for free. 
• A professionally produced trailer can cost $2,000 or more. 
• I don't happen to own a way to create video and I didn't want only static photos. I also wanted it done as quickly as possible. I also didn't want to have to sell a gazillion books to pay for the trailer. Mine ended up costing less than $200 and it took me about two days.

I have made my trailer available in all of the obvious places:

• My blog, Suspense Novelist.
• My author page at Amazon.
• My author profile at Goodreads.
• YouTube.
• Facebook.

L.J. Sellers provided me with this link that has a list of other places to consider posting your video:

• Book Marketing and Book Promotion.

Now to answer the big and most important question: Did my sales increase because of a trailer? Given that there's not a box readers check to indicate why they've purchased your book, it's a little bit of a guess and comparison of numbers and timing kind of thing. But I believe my sales have increased because of the trailer. I'll make another one for Book #2.

What has been your experience with trailers? What worked for you and what will you do differently next time? Feel free to post a link to your video in your comments.