As some of you know, I twitter. The micro-blogging site is a great favorite of mine. To find me go to www.twitter.com/joannaslan
I use the site to share announcements about blog postings for the many blogs I participate in: Killer Hobbies (http://killerhobbies.blogspot.com), this blog and my character's blog (http://KikiLowenstein.blogspot.com)
I use it to post appearances, special events, and contests I'm running. I find it very successful for getting the word out, and the number of folks following me grows with each passing day.
I also find it a goldmine of valuable information. The best tweeters can condense their offerings into 140 characters. Makes it a snap to skim through and pick out items of interest.
I also rely on Twitter to share journaling prompts, which are writing tools to get scrapbookers (and authors!) to blast out of writer's block.
I came across this directory of authors who tweet:
http://www.highspotinc.com/blog/2009/02/a-directory-of-authors-on-twitter-guidelines/#comment-5124
Right now, it's limited to non-fiction authors. I hope they'll do the same for those of us who lie for a living!
Author
Showing posts with label marketing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marketing. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
What Type Is Your Blog?
Have you ever taken a "personality" test? Was it accurate? The Myers-Briggs tests and the Personal Styles quiz were developed after WWII when people all over the world, reeling from the horror of the Nazi regime, wondered, "What kind of person can do such things?" Various scientists and sociologists scrambled for answers.
Now Myers-Briggs offers a new twist--they are analyzing blogs at http://www.typealyzer.com/
As I understand it, this is a project dedicated to the research about how the language reflects our psychological type, and thus our motivations and interests. The fundamental idea is that everyone of us use different personas or social roles at different moments. The major research aim of this project is to find and describe patterns in what interests different personas in terms of opinions, brands, media content etc.
So I decided to run the various blogs I'm part of through the gaunlet. Here's what I found:
**
Joanna Campbell Slan http://JoannaSlan.blogspot.com (My "personal" blog which is geared to writing, marketing and promotion tips.)
ISTP - The Mechanics
The independent and problem-solving type. They are especially attuned to the demands of the moment and are highly skilled at seeing and fixing what needs to be fixed. They generally prefer to think things out for themselves and often avoid inter-personal conflicts. The Mechanics enjoy working together with other independent and highly skilled people and often like seek fun and action both in their work and personal life. They enjoy adventure and risk such as in driving race cars or working as policemen and firefighters.
**
Killer Hobbies Blog http://killerhobbies.blogspot.com (The blog I started with Deb Baker and now share with five other mystery writers--Camille Minichino/Margaret Grace, Monica Ferris, Linda O. Johnston, Terri Thayer, and Betty Hechtman--who focus on hobbies and pastimes.)
ESFP - The Performers
The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves. The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.
**
Inkspot http://midnightwriters.blogspot.com (The blog shared by Midnight Ink authors.)
ESTP - The Doers
The active and playful type. They are especially attuned to people and things around them and often full of energy, talking, joking and engaging in physical out-door activities. The Doers are happiest with action-filled work which craves their full attention and focus. They might be very impulsive and more keen on starting something new than following it through. They might have a problem with sitting still or remaining inactive for any period of time.
window.
** Okay, don't be shy! Run your blog through the analyzer and tell me--what's your Type? Does your online persona or blog truly reflect who you are? If you comment and include your blog address, I'll list you in my blog links at http://joannaslan.blogspot.com
Now Myers-Briggs offers a new twist--they are analyzing blogs at http://www.typealyzer.com/
As I understand it, this is a project dedicated to the research about how the language reflects our psychological type, and thus our motivations and interests. The fundamental idea is that everyone of us use different personas or social roles at different moments. The major research aim of this project is to find and describe patterns in what interests different personas in terms of opinions, brands, media content etc.
So I decided to run the various blogs I'm part of through the gaunlet. Here's what I found:
**
Joanna Campbell Slan http://JoannaSlan.blogspot.com (My "personal" blog which is geared to writing, marketing and promotion tips.)
ISTP - The Mechanics
The independent and problem-solving type. They are especially attuned to the demands of the moment and are highly skilled at seeing and fixing what needs to be fixed. They generally prefer to think things out for themselves and often avoid inter-personal conflicts. The Mechanics enjoy working together with other independent and highly skilled people and often like seek fun and action both in their work and personal life. They enjoy adventure and risk such as in driving race cars or working as policemen and firefighters.
**
Killer Hobbies Blog http://killerhobbies.blogspot.com (The blog I started with Deb Baker and now share with five other mystery writers--Camille Minichino/Margaret Grace, Monica Ferris, Linda O. Johnston, Terri Thayer, and Betty Hechtman--who focus on hobbies and pastimes.)
ESFP - The Performers
The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves. The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.
**
Inkspot http://midnightwriters.blogspot.com (The blog shared by Midnight Ink authors.)
ESTP - The Doers
The active and playful type. They are especially attuned to people and things around them and often full of energy, talking, joking and engaging in physical out-door activities. The Doers are happiest with action-filled work which craves their full attention and focus. They might be very impulsive and more keen on starting something new than following it through. They might have a problem with sitting still or remaining inactive for any period of time.
window.
** Okay, don't be shy! Run your blog through the analyzer and tell me--what's your Type? Does your online persona or blog truly reflect who you are? If you comment and include your blog address, I'll list you in my blog links at http://joannaslan.blogspot.com
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
The Teacher is Always the Student
We had a totally excellent "Getting Published" class last night at Lewis & Clark Community College. First of all, I love their Edwardsville campus at 700 Troy. It's the conclave of brick buildings that I've been told was a former factory site. The classrooms are spacious, light and well-appointed.
But what made the class really cool was the students. We had folks who wanted to write novels, those who wanted to write children's books, and a gentleman who wanted to write non-fiction. Their questions were thoughtful and stimulating. We talked about self-publishing, POD (Publishing On Demand), marketing, publicists, agents, editors, conferences, royalties, and rights. Obviously, these were people who were willing to do their research before embarking on this great adventure called publishing.
At the end of the class, one of my students walked with me to our cars. We stood outside and brainstormed the plot of her novel. Oh, wow, that was so much fun. I love working over ideas with other authors. I felt so stimulated and ready to tackle my work with new vigor.
Here's the secret: Every class reminds me of how far I've come over the years. Sometimes we can't see where we are on the learning curve until someone asks us a question. Publishing is an incredibly subjective business. Authors spend so much time alone. My agent says we're all incredibly needy. Well, yeah, because we put ourselves into our work and that's daunting.
Was I teaching a class? Nah, not really. I was a participant. I was a student, because I had to re-think and review my experiences. I told them "the world according to Joanna." (That's a paraphrase of what my pal Vicki Sullivan always used to say with "the world according to Vicki.") I warned them that I'd share the truth as I've experienced it--and the truth as other authors have shared with me.
Wow. What a great shot in the arm. I'm feeling energized this morning!
But what made the class really cool was the students. We had folks who wanted to write novels, those who wanted to write children's books, and a gentleman who wanted to write non-fiction. Their questions were thoughtful and stimulating. We talked about self-publishing, POD (Publishing On Demand), marketing, publicists, agents, editors, conferences, royalties, and rights. Obviously, these were people who were willing to do their research before embarking on this great adventure called publishing.
At the end of the class, one of my students walked with me to our cars. We stood outside and brainstormed the plot of her novel. Oh, wow, that was so much fun. I love working over ideas with other authors. I felt so stimulated and ready to tackle my work with new vigor.
Here's the secret: Every class reminds me of how far I've come over the years. Sometimes we can't see where we are on the learning curve until someone asks us a question. Publishing is an incredibly subjective business. Authors spend so much time alone. My agent says we're all incredibly needy. Well, yeah, because we put ourselves into our work and that's daunting.
Was I teaching a class? Nah, not really. I was a participant. I was a student, because I had to re-think and review my experiences. I told them "the world according to Joanna." (That's a paraphrase of what my pal Vicki Sullivan always used to say with "the world according to Vicki.") I warned them that I'd share the truth as I've experienced it--and the truth as other authors have shared with me.
Wow. What a great shot in the arm. I'm feeling energized this morning!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Desire Paths--Why Authors Must Create Them to Sell Books
Ever notice those footpaths between bushes, those stomped down walkways that go from a parking lot to the sidewalk, the ones clearly NOT planned by the landscaper where folks have made their own trail to get from Point A to Point B?
Those are called Desire Paths. That's a term architects use to desire "non-authorized" walkways. Ones that occur spontaneously rather than through top-down planning.
You and I must establish Desire Paths to our books if we hope to be successful. An excellent presentation by Mike Arauz explains this concept:
http://www.mikearauz.com/2009/03/desire-paths-branding-for-digital-lives.html
So how can we do this as authors? There are two parts:
PART I. We must develop a product (book) that acts as a magnet to readers--encouraging them to create desire paths to book purchases/rentals.
PART II. We must develop promotional activities which attract those readers who would love/enjoy/need/want our books--helping readers create desire paths to the booksellers.
Here how we accomplish PART I:
1. Write about characters whose qualities are enjoyable for the reader. Ever read a totally annoying book? Not for long. I remember purchasing a hardback of a bestselling author I've enjoyed over the years. I had to work hard to finish it. When I handed it to my husband, he read a couple of chapters and said, "That's enough for me. None of these people are likeable and none of them like each other." What makes an enjoyable character? Humor, humility, talent, being treated unfairly, flaws, authenticity, and most of all your character has to LOVE something or someone other than herself. Call it Slan's rule, okay?
2. Create characters who learn and grow. I got soooo tired of the victims (read: protagonists) in the Oprah bookclub picks that I wanted to reach through the pages and dope-slap them. My Kiki Lowenstein does victim-esque things, but she also makes some stunningly brilliant choices and refuses to be run-over. She grows as a person through the series. There has to be a balance--if our characters were never "victims" there would never be any conflict--and it has to tip toward growth. (Okay, I'm using "victims" loosely. Think Superman and Kryptonite and Lois Lane. If he was all-powerful, there'd never be any question of whether he could succeed, right?)
3. Add twists and turns. (In other words, be unexpected.) To stay within a genre we must meet reader expectations and adhere to unwritten rules. (For example, a cozy can't have gruesome violence or its not a cozy, and your readers will be upset because, by golly, they wanted a cozy. They didn't want to get grossed-out. Didn't sign up for that!) But just as there's all sorts of creativity within the strict format of a sonnet, you can also put in all sorts of surprises along the way. And on paper, in books, people love surprises. In real life, not so much.
4. Set your hook. I'm not a good fisherwoman because I never learned the art of setting my hook. But, as a writer, I've figured it out. See, you have to tease and tantalize the reader with an unrealized expectation at the end of each chapter. Each book must both satisfy and promise there's more to come. Those of you who have read Paper, Scissors, Death know exactly what I mean. (I won't spoil it for the rest of you, but it's a dilly.) It's not enough to give people an enjoyable read. You have to leave them panting for Act II.
Which in this case is...
How do we authors translate the concept of Desire Paths into our marketing efforts?
I'll tackle that next week.
Meanwhile...What are you thinking, people? How do you create Desire Paths within your book?
Those are called Desire Paths. That's a term architects use to desire "non-authorized" walkways. Ones that occur spontaneously rather than through top-down planning.
You and I must establish Desire Paths to our books if we hope to be successful. An excellent presentation by Mike Arauz explains this concept:
http://www.mikearauz.com/2009/03/desire-paths-branding-for-digital-lives.html
So how can we do this as authors? There are two parts:
PART I. We must develop a product (book) that acts as a magnet to readers--encouraging them to create desire paths to book purchases/rentals.
PART II. We must develop promotional activities which attract those readers who would love/enjoy/need/want our books--helping readers create desire paths to the booksellers.
Here how we accomplish PART I:
1. Write about characters whose qualities are enjoyable for the reader. Ever read a totally annoying book? Not for long. I remember purchasing a hardback of a bestselling author I've enjoyed over the years. I had to work hard to finish it. When I handed it to my husband, he read a couple of chapters and said, "That's enough for me. None of these people are likeable and none of them like each other." What makes an enjoyable character? Humor, humility, talent, being treated unfairly, flaws, authenticity, and most of all your character has to LOVE something or someone other than herself. Call it Slan's rule, okay?
2. Create characters who learn and grow. I got soooo tired of the victims (read: protagonists) in the Oprah bookclub picks that I wanted to reach through the pages and dope-slap them. My Kiki Lowenstein does victim-esque things, but she also makes some stunningly brilliant choices and refuses to be run-over. She grows as a person through the series. There has to be a balance--if our characters were never "victims" there would never be any conflict--and it has to tip toward growth. (Okay, I'm using "victims" loosely. Think Superman and Kryptonite and Lois Lane. If he was all-powerful, there'd never be any question of whether he could succeed, right?)
3. Add twists and turns. (In other words, be unexpected.) To stay within a genre we must meet reader expectations and adhere to unwritten rules. (For example, a cozy can't have gruesome violence or its not a cozy, and your readers will be upset because, by golly, they wanted a cozy. They didn't want to get grossed-out. Didn't sign up for that!) But just as there's all sorts of creativity within the strict format of a sonnet, you can also put in all sorts of surprises along the way. And on paper, in books, people love surprises. In real life, not so much.
4. Set your hook. I'm not a good fisherwoman because I never learned the art of setting my hook. But, as a writer, I've figured it out. See, you have to tease and tantalize the reader with an unrealized expectation at the end of each chapter. Each book must both satisfy and promise there's more to come. Those of you who have read Paper, Scissors, Death know exactly what I mean. (I won't spoil it for the rest of you, but it's a dilly.) It's not enough to give people an enjoyable read. You have to leave them panting for Act II.
Which in this case is...
How do we authors translate the concept of Desire Paths into our marketing efforts?
I'll tackle that next week.
Meanwhile...What are you thinking, people? How do you create Desire Paths within your book?
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Prepping for Marketing Panel at Love Is Murder
Note: I haven't forgotten to discuss other considerations about self-publishing...I'm just making a short detour here.
I spent the day today getting ready to go up to Chicago for Love Is Murder, and I noticed something curious. I'm appearing on a marketing panel, and Morgan Mandel asked what sorts of marketing materials and activities we'd done. (I'm on the panel with Jenny Spallone and Rosemary Harris.)
Gee.
I started by making a list of things I could show our audience, and nearly fell over. Here 'tis:
1. Business cards
2. Bookmarks
3. Bookplates
4. Excerpt booklets--real and online at www.youpublish.com/joannaslan (which has had 1,300 some views!)
5. Album kits (Courtesy of AW Crestwood)
6. Coupon code in the back of the book from Snapfish
7. Best of British Scrapbooking contest (Okay, it's not physical, but the mentions in ScrapBook inspirations sure are!)
8. You Tube video about Paper, Scissors, Death
9. A new You Tube video taped by the folks at Ball State University
10. Signs (I make them here on my color printer, post them on foam core board, and the folks at Barnes & Noble love them!)
11. Customized bookplates for the Great Dane rescue people
12. Recipe cards
13. Cookies
14. A notebook full of reviews and interviews
15. Handouts (I'm a big believer in these!)
16. The World Aquarium invitation I did, and then they auctioned off the original art
17. Character naming privileges
18. "Autographed by" stickers
19. Slam albums that I teach people to make in classes
20. A tablecloth with the book cover on it
21. Art I give away through my ezine
22. Packets sent to all the Independent Mystery Booksellers with a folder to give to a mystery bookclub and an introductory letter.
23. Podcasts--You can get to them through my website.
Okay, I can't possibly drag all that up to Chicago. But I did manage to pack a lot of it into my suitcase.
Pretty amazing. That list above doesn't even include the various things I do when I teach classes, or the classes and presentations I make. Or my philosophy about promotion with its three pillars: excellence, value-added and memorable.
Very interesting.
And what works best? What sells the most books? What advances my career?
The most important single marketing thing I've done is....
Drumroll....
I have written the best book I could write. And I've followed it up with two more in the series--which aren't out yet--that are equally as good. (I'm deferring to my copy editor at Midnight Ink who really loves Book #2, Cut, Crop & Die and my agent who is pleased with Book #3.)
Other than that, who knows? I think it's all part of the job. I try to make it easy for people to remember me. I use my bookmarks a lot as business cards, and pass them out whenever I meet anyone who might read mysteries. I try to support all my appearances with small tangibles like the handouts. I try to offer "value-added" by teaching a skill like making slam albums or doodling. I give away a lot of books to others who give them away on their websites and blogs--and I've given copies away to charities.
Of course, I blog in three places regularly (here, http://www.midnightwriters.blogspot.com and http://www.killerhobbies.blogspot.com), and I now have nearly 40 people who follow me on Twitter. (Go to http://twitter.com/joannaslan I post "journaling prompts" on Twitter to encourage folks to write more about their lives.) I do Facebook. I teach classes. I try to participate in list-serves. I write columns and articles. I respond to any and all requests such as the one from Scrap Scene.
And whenever possible, I try to "double up." This weekend, I'll not only be in Chicago, but I'll also be "appearing" virtually in England. They have more than 1,100 scrapbookers signed up to participate in a Scrapbooking Mystery Weekend built, in part, around Paper, Scissors, Death. So they'll do all sorts of fun activities, virtual and real. And I'll stop by via the magic of the Internet. (Sadly, the people in the UK won't get to taste my Fudgy Peanut Butter Oatmeal cookies, but the people in Chicago will!)
When I travel, I drop in to local independent booksellers and chain stores and sign a copy of my book for their staff. When I was in New York City, the folks at the Barnes & Noble off of Times Square immediately ordered six copies of the book. The nice people at The Mysterious Bookstore promised to give my book a read and see if it would work for them. (What a thrill it was just to be considered by them! They're legendary!)
Life is good. I'm awfully lucky to be doing what I love. And people have been so kind to me.
I spent the day today getting ready to go up to Chicago for Love Is Murder, and I noticed something curious. I'm appearing on a marketing panel, and Morgan Mandel asked what sorts of marketing materials and activities we'd done. (I'm on the panel with Jenny Spallone and Rosemary Harris.)
Gee.
I started by making a list of things I could show our audience, and nearly fell over. Here 'tis:
1. Business cards
2. Bookmarks
3. Bookplates
4. Excerpt booklets--real and online at www.youpublish.com/joannaslan (which has had 1,300 some views!)
5. Album kits (Courtesy of AW Crestwood)
6. Coupon code in the back of the book from Snapfish
7. Best of British Scrapbooking contest (Okay, it's not physical, but the mentions in ScrapBook inspirations sure are!)
8. You Tube video about Paper, Scissors, Death
9. A new You Tube video taped by the folks at Ball State University
10. Signs (I make them here on my color printer, post them on foam core board, and the folks at Barnes & Noble love them!)
11. Customized bookplates for the Great Dane rescue people
12. Recipe cards
13. Cookies
14. A notebook full of reviews and interviews
15. Handouts (I'm a big believer in these!)
16. The World Aquarium invitation I did, and then they auctioned off the original art
17. Character naming privileges
18. "Autographed by" stickers
19. Slam albums that I teach people to make in classes
20. A tablecloth with the book cover on it
21. Art I give away through my ezine
22. Packets sent to all the Independent Mystery Booksellers with a folder to give to a mystery bookclub and an introductory letter.
23. Podcasts--You can get to them through my website.
Okay, I can't possibly drag all that up to Chicago. But I did manage to pack a lot of it into my suitcase.
Pretty amazing. That list above doesn't even include the various things I do when I teach classes, or the classes and presentations I make. Or my philosophy about promotion with its three pillars: excellence, value-added and memorable.
Very interesting.
And what works best? What sells the most books? What advances my career?
The most important single marketing thing I've done is....
Drumroll....
I have written the best book I could write. And I've followed it up with two more in the series--which aren't out yet--that are equally as good. (I'm deferring to my copy editor at Midnight Ink who really loves Book #2, Cut, Crop & Die and my agent who is pleased with Book #3.)
Other than that, who knows? I think it's all part of the job. I try to make it easy for people to remember me. I use my bookmarks a lot as business cards, and pass them out whenever I meet anyone who might read mysteries. I try to support all my appearances with small tangibles like the handouts. I try to offer "value-added" by teaching a skill like making slam albums or doodling. I give away a lot of books to others who give them away on their websites and blogs--and I've given copies away to charities.
Of course, I blog in three places regularly (here, http://www.midnightwriters.blogspot.com and http://www.killerhobbies.blogspot.com), and I now have nearly 40 people who follow me on Twitter. (Go to http://twitter.com/joannaslan I post "journaling prompts" on Twitter to encourage folks to write more about their lives.) I do Facebook. I teach classes. I try to participate in list-serves. I write columns and articles. I respond to any and all requests such as the one from Scrap Scene.
And whenever possible, I try to "double up." This weekend, I'll not only be in Chicago, but I'll also be "appearing" virtually in England. They have more than 1,100 scrapbookers signed up to participate in a Scrapbooking Mystery Weekend built, in part, around Paper, Scissors, Death. So they'll do all sorts of fun activities, virtual and real. And I'll stop by via the magic of the Internet. (Sadly, the people in the UK won't get to taste my Fudgy Peanut Butter Oatmeal cookies, but the people in Chicago will!)
When I travel, I drop in to local independent booksellers and chain stores and sign a copy of my book for their staff. When I was in New York City, the folks at the Barnes & Noble off of Times Square immediately ordered six copies of the book. The nice people at The Mysterious Bookstore promised to give my book a read and see if it would work for them. (What a thrill it was just to be considered by them! They're legendary!)
Life is good. I'm awfully lucky to be doing what I love. And people have been so kind to me.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Should You Self-Publish?
Should you self-publish?
That's a tough question, and you're the only one who can answer it. I can't tell you what to do...but I since I've been both self-published and traditionally published, I can share some insights.
The biggest question you need to ask yourself is: What's my goal? And as you ponder that question, mull over these four considerations:
1. If your goal is to make money...
Unless you can snag a big advance, you might be able to make more money fast self-publishing. Of course, it depends on whether you can buy your books at a reasonable price and if you have a way to sell them. But let's say you do. Let's say you're a motivational speaker, a job I did full-time for years. Since I was already in front of audiences, selling books was a way to add income to my speaker's fee. So, yes, it's possible that self-publishing will quickly put more money in your pocket. By contrast, with traditional publishing, you have to first repay your advance, and then wait for the publisher to calculate your royalties. (And know that publishing houses hold out a portion of those royalties until they see what your returns are.)
2. If your goal is to minimalize your risk...
You won't want to self-publish. At the very least, you won't want to act like a traditional publisher, a job which includes book design, cover design, getting the ISBN, setting the price, paying for the printing, shipping and warehousing books, and getting distribution. But, you might want to self-publish through a POD (print on demand) publisher or through an ebook publisher.
3. If your goal is to be known as an author...
This one is tricky. Yes, if you self-publish you can call yourself an author. You will be able to point to a book with your name on the cover. However, in the hierarchy of author-dom, and yes, there is definitely a food-chain, you probably won't get a lot of respect. So if you want to be accepted in almost every venue--such as author's conferences and at booksignings--you probably won't want to self-publish. (By the way, to the best of my understanding, the food chain starts with literary authors at the top of the pyramid, then thriller and suspense writers, then hard-and medium boiled mysteries, and finally cozies. Yeah, I'm probably wrong. This is pretty much on the basis of my observations. And yeah, I have NO idea why it seems to be like this...but even Stephen King admits that his commercial success hasn't always brought him respect as an author. It's a weird, weird world.)
4. If your goal is to have a career...
Um, self-publishing will not ruin your career. I know, I know. You've heard it said it will. But if your self-publish a great book--one that's well-written, well-edited, and professionally produced--you aren't going to deep six your career. That said, if you self-publish a product which is shoddy, you take your chances. And if you only feel you have one GREAT book in you, then self-publishing it is risky because once your book is out there, you might (and I emphasize MIGHT) have issues with copyright. (But I'm not a lawyer, so don't take this as legal advice.) Do realize that ebooks are much trickier when it comes to protecting your rights. Anything on the Internet is harder to monitor and control. The biggest fear you should have is how your final product witll reflect on you as an author. On your professionalism. Frankly, this is incredibly important. (At least to me!)
So now I've given you four considerations. There are more, and I'll cover them in another post.
That's a tough question, and you're the only one who can answer it. I can't tell you what to do...but I since I've been both self-published and traditionally published, I can share some insights.
The biggest question you need to ask yourself is: What's my goal? And as you ponder that question, mull over these four considerations:
1. If your goal is to make money...
Unless you can snag a big advance, you might be able to make more money fast self-publishing. Of course, it depends on whether you can buy your books at a reasonable price and if you have a way to sell them. But let's say you do. Let's say you're a motivational speaker, a job I did full-time for years. Since I was already in front of audiences, selling books was a way to add income to my speaker's fee. So, yes, it's possible that self-publishing will quickly put more money in your pocket. By contrast, with traditional publishing, you have to first repay your advance, and then wait for the publisher to calculate your royalties. (And know that publishing houses hold out a portion of those royalties until they see what your returns are.)
2. If your goal is to minimalize your risk...
You won't want to self-publish. At the very least, you won't want to act like a traditional publisher, a job which includes book design, cover design, getting the ISBN, setting the price, paying for the printing, shipping and warehousing books, and getting distribution. But, you might want to self-publish through a POD (print on demand) publisher or through an ebook publisher.
3. If your goal is to be known as an author...
This one is tricky. Yes, if you self-publish you can call yourself an author. You will be able to point to a book with your name on the cover. However, in the hierarchy of author-dom, and yes, there is definitely a food-chain, you probably won't get a lot of respect. So if you want to be accepted in almost every venue--such as author's conferences and at booksignings--you probably won't want to self-publish. (By the way, to the best of my understanding, the food chain starts with literary authors at the top of the pyramid, then thriller and suspense writers, then hard-and medium boiled mysteries, and finally cozies. Yeah, I'm probably wrong. This is pretty much on the basis of my observations. And yeah, I have NO idea why it seems to be like this...but even Stephen King admits that his commercial success hasn't always brought him respect as an author. It's a weird, weird world.)
4. If your goal is to have a career...
Um, self-publishing will not ruin your career. I know, I know. You've heard it said it will. But if your self-publish a great book--one that's well-written, well-edited, and professionally produced--you aren't going to deep six your career. That said, if you self-publish a product which is shoddy, you take your chances. And if you only feel you have one GREAT book in you, then self-publishing it is risky because once your book is out there, you might (and I emphasize MIGHT) have issues with copyright. (But I'm not a lawyer, so don't take this as legal advice.) Do realize that ebooks are much trickier when it comes to protecting your rights. Anything on the Internet is harder to monitor and control. The biggest fear you should have is how your final product witll reflect on you as an author. On your professionalism. Frankly, this is incredibly important. (At least to me!)
So now I've given you four considerations. There are more, and I'll cover them in another post.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Marketing Lessons from Girl Scouting
Remember Girl Scouts? Thinking back on it, I believe that Juliette Gordon Lowe was actually creating a marketing organization, designed to promote the idea of good self-esteem to young women. She was a remarkable woman, and obviously a smart (Girl Scout) cookie.
Let's rethink some of the precepts:
1. Make new friends but keep the old. Okay, you never know what you'll learn from a pal. I just received an email from Jess Lourey telling me that my pre-release book Paper, Scissors, Death is beating out some releases on Amazon. I didn't know that! I don't know how to surface that info, but Jess does. That's just one tiny example of how friends can help us with this gnarled world of promotion. Secondly, she noted I didn't have my book tour on my website. Gosh, I hadn't thought of that! Now I'll hop right on it! (The tour info is on the Midnight Ink site and on http://www.booktour.com/ But that's not enough.)
2. Do a good turn daily. Each day when my google alerts pull up scrapbooking posts, I try to email at least one of the blogs and pass along an honest compliment. Will that help me? Who knows? I just know I feel good afterwards, and maybe I'm spreading a little goodwill. Of course, I sign the posts with "Joanna Campbell Slan, author of Paper, Scissors, Death: A Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-and-Craft Mystery."
3. Be prepared. I try to bring bookmarks and business cards (with my book cover) with me wherever I go. In fact, I had this great idea: I'm going to ask my local branch of the public library if I can slip a bookmark inside other craft cozies. I bet they'll say "yes," because they want to keep books pristine and recommend them. This will do both. Slipping them inside is smarter than putting them on the counter.
4. Help other people every day, especially those at home. Well, that's an easy one to overlook, isn't it? My sisters Jane and Margaret would both willingly help me, if they knew how. So it came as a surprise to all of us when I started asking questions: Do you know any mystery readers? Have any friends in book clubs? Turns out that Margaret's school has a book club. I gave her an excerpt booklet and bookmarks to give the to organizer. Jane is an online whiz, so I've asked her to help me when I get my Facebook site going.
5. Don't be afraid to ask for help. I remember something I learned years ago when I was getting my minor in psychology. When you ask a person to do a favor for you, if they didn't like you before, they will after they are asked. You see, we can't hold two competing ideas comfortably. So, the "favor granter "will decide to like the "favor asker " or feel unsettled. I'm telling myself to buck up. To ask people for help when I think they can. A "no" never hurt anyone. I can take it! Especially when the "yes" answers feel so good.
And I plan to wear a lot of green, highlighted by a great big Brownie smile.
PS Like these? I'll be posting the first in a list of ideas I've used to promote Paper, Scissors, Death on the Midnight Ink blog http://midnightwriters.blogspot.com/ on August 21.
Let's rethink some of the precepts:
1. Make new friends but keep the old. Okay, you never know what you'll learn from a pal. I just received an email from Jess Lourey telling me that my pre-release book Paper, Scissors, Death is beating out some releases on Amazon. I didn't know that! I don't know how to surface that info, but Jess does. That's just one tiny example of how friends can help us with this gnarled world of promotion. Secondly, she noted I didn't have my book tour on my website. Gosh, I hadn't thought of that! Now I'll hop right on it! (The tour info is on the Midnight Ink site and on http://www.booktour.com/ But that's not enough.)
2. Do a good turn daily. Each day when my google alerts pull up scrapbooking posts, I try to email at least one of the blogs and pass along an honest compliment. Will that help me? Who knows? I just know I feel good afterwards, and maybe I'm spreading a little goodwill. Of course, I sign the posts with "Joanna Campbell Slan, author of Paper, Scissors, Death: A Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-and-Craft Mystery."
3. Be prepared. I try to bring bookmarks and business cards (with my book cover) with me wherever I go. In fact, I had this great idea: I'm going to ask my local branch of the public library if I can slip a bookmark inside other craft cozies. I bet they'll say "yes," because they want to keep books pristine and recommend them. This will do both. Slipping them inside is smarter than putting them on the counter.
4. Help other people every day, especially those at home. Well, that's an easy one to overlook, isn't it? My sisters Jane and Margaret would both willingly help me, if they knew how. So it came as a surprise to all of us when I started asking questions: Do you know any mystery readers? Have any friends in book clubs? Turns out that Margaret's school has a book club. I gave her an excerpt booklet and bookmarks to give the to organizer. Jane is an online whiz, so I've asked her to help me when I get my Facebook site going.
5. Don't be afraid to ask for help. I remember something I learned years ago when I was getting my minor in psychology. When you ask a person to do a favor for you, if they didn't like you before, they will after they are asked. You see, we can't hold two competing ideas comfortably. So, the "favor granter "will decide to like the "favor asker " or feel unsettled. I'm telling myself to buck up. To ask people for help when I think they can. A "no" never hurt anyone. I can take it! Especially when the "yes" answers feel so good.
And I plan to wear a lot of green, highlighted by a great big Brownie smile.
PS Like these? I'll be posting the first in a list of ideas I've used to promote Paper, Scissors, Death on the Midnight Ink blog http://midnightwriters.blogspot.com/ on August 21.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
101 Ways to Market Your Books
101 Ways to Market Your Books by Joanna Campbell Slan, author of Paper, Scissors, Death (Available September 13, from Midnight Ink. ISBN: 0738712507 Pre-orders now accepted.)
This article was prompted by a challenge by John Kremer, author of 1001 Ways to Market Your Book.
1. As I write it, I think of the discreet audiences within and build in opportunities.
2. Get the best cover possible.
3. Ask for help refining my back cover matter.
4. Request over-runs of the cover.
5. Print marketing information on the inside of that over-run cover and use it like postcards, especially to market to booksellers who want to see the cover before placing an order.
6. Make interesting bookmarks. (I customized them and added flowers.)
7. Get blurbs from people with recognizable names.
8. Get reviews and permission to use those reviews in anyway I dream up.
9. Run a contest associated with the book. (Mine is The Best of British Scrapbooking administered now by ScrapBook inspirations Magazine in the UK.)
10. Send information about that contest through a variety of channels—online, websites, magazine, the magazine’s blog.
11. Offer a prize for the contest.
12. Put out birth announcements through an online invitation site when my book launches.
13. Have stickers made of the book’s cover.
14. Use cover stickers on name badges when I attend conferences.
15. Attend conferences.16. Ask to be on panels.
17. Ask to host tables at banquets.
18. Create super handouts that are “keepers” for any panel or appearance. Include marketing information.
19. At table (that I host) give away “goody bags” with items related to the book.
20. Invite booksellers or reviews or well-known fans to join me at that table.
21. Carry around a faux subpoena, fill it in to invite people to share my table on the spot.
22. Contact people through the business cards I collected last year and ask them to sit at my table.
23. Contact people from last year and tell them I’m looking forward to seeing them at the conference.
24. Offer my book as a prize for charity auctions. (Go to the social section of the daily paper and find these events.)
25. Give a portion of sales to a charity.
26. Ask to be a party of the charity’s annual event.
27. Ask to have my book publicized in the charity’s program.
28. If the charity has an auction, and if my item fetches a nice price, immediately tell the auctioneer that I will also offer a duplicate item for the runner-up. (This gives the charity twice the money, and me twice the exposure.)
29. Make a “jacket” for my three-legged dog and feature a photo of my book on it.
30. Have a tote bag made with the cover of my book on it. (Use the tote bag.)
31. Distribute bookmarks to the local library.
32. Go to the bookstore at the local airport and offer to help them put together a display of books by local authors.
33. Create shelf-talkers.
34. Send shelf-talkers with media kits to local libraries.
35. Ask friends to call their local library and ask them to order my book.
36. Offer to do a program at my child’s school.
37. Create handouts for the program with links to booksellers and my ISBN.
38. Staple a copy of my book to a cheap package of seeds. Add a card saying, “It’s spring and good books are blooming.” Leave in gardening centers.
39. Offer to do a program for retirement homes.
40. Create a handout for attendees from retirement homes—make it large enough to add the attendee’s photo and suggest they post it in their rooms so that their family can see my book when they visit.
41. Carry my book with me and read it while I’m waiting in public transportation.
42. Leave bookmarks on seats in public transportation.
43. Offer to do a lunchtime program for local companies.
44. Work with other authors to create a speakers’ bureau.
45. Come up with an idea for Chase’s Calendar of Events and CelebrateToday.com and have a holiday that relates to my book.
46. Offer free support materials online for my holiday.
47. Have a website.
48. Have a MySpace page.
49. Have a FaceBook page.
50. Enter myself on as many social authors’ groups as possible.
51. Come up with a list of blogs where it would be ideal for me to blog.
52. Ask them if I can guest blog.
53. Give them a copy of my book to give away.
54. Ask the blogs that allow me to guest blog if they’d suggest a friend who blogs.
55. Get my book into company libraries.
56. Get my book into hospital bookstores—don’t forget the shelf talkers.
57. Contribute to social marketing sites and add my book in my signature line.
58. Add my book in my signature line of all email.
59. Drop a business card into all our outgoing mail.
60. Have an open house in my neighborhood to launch my book.
61. Ask a local real estate agent if she’d like to host a book launch party for me and invite her clients.
62. Make my book available to my son’s school, and ask the librarian to send out a notice in the parent correspondence about my book.
63. Tell my doctor and dentist that I’d be happy to personalize a copy of my book for each of their employees.
64. Hold a book signing in a local grocery store near the holidays.
65. Package several of my books together with a ribbon around them and sell them as a package.
66. Offer to email people a free report or goody to anyone who shares an Amazon order number with me after purchasing my book.
67. Run contests through my blog that reward people for bringing in new readers. (They must identify the name of the new sign up so I know this happened.) Give away an excerpt booklet or a bookmark
.68. Create my own fan club—and have someone else run it.
69. Swap with an author friend: I put up her info on Wikipedia and she does the same for me. We both mention our books.
70. Work with other authors, create a program and offer it to libraries.
71. Offer to speak to book clubs at libraries and in schools.
72. Ask my spouse to keep my business cards with his and to hand out as appropriate.
73. Wear a pin made of my book cover to social events.
74. Made a donation to public radio and have four announcements about my book made in one day.
75. Contact all my local media with a story idea.
76. Apply to write a column for my local media.
77. Write articles for my trade publication.
78. Create a group of interested bloggers who will receive review copies of my book to start the buzz.
79. Attend local Chamber of Commerce activities and offer a program about my book.
80. Post information about my book on bulletin boards where I shop and exercise.
81. Promote my upcoming book signings with a flier for booksellers to drop in their outgoing purchase bags.
82. Put a contest in the back of my book—use it to collect more names/details about readers.
83. Offer character naming rights in a contest.
84. Offer character naming rights to a charity to be auctioned off.
85. Offer character naming rights to anyone who pre-orders my book through a local bookstore.
86. Have book club questions on my blog, and offer to be available by phone or online to clubs.
87. Take classes that are relevant to the topic of my book. Offer bookmarks and business cards to other students.
88. Have a large poster made representing something of interest in my book. (In my case, a harlequin Great Dane) Take it along to book signings to spark conversation.
89. Offer to take other authors (from out of town) around to do signings. This helps me build professional relationships with both the author and booksellers.
90. Find a society or association that would be interested in some aspect of my book (Great Dane Rescue Society), and ask them to run an article about me.
91. Designate a day when a portion of all sales are donated to that society or association.
92. Teach Adult Ed classes that relate to my books.
93. Teach something online that relates to my books (I teach online scrapbook journaling.)
94. Send a mailing to your high school alumni list.
95. Send a mailing to your college alumni list.
96. Send postcards (over-run of your covers) to stores that should stock your books. (In my case that’s scrapbookers.)
97. Offer to sign books in local coffee shops or Starbucks.
98. Check out your state’s arts programs, especially the visiting author programs.99. Offer to be the “author in residence” at a local high school.
100. If your family lives in another area of the country, ask them to help you set up a book signing there.
101. Ask people who read your blog to come up with 101 ideas for promoting their books. Tell them you’ll post them online.Check out John's site for 101 More Ways . . .
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Marketing Resources You Need to Check Out
I casually mentioned on Murder Must Advertise that I thought all of us would benefit by reading how self-published authors promote their work. After all, if you are self-published, you KNOW you have to make it on your own, often with limited resources.
Here's a list of sites and blogs I compiled. There's a lot of great of information here. I suggest you choose one each day and spend a little time going through the articles or posts.
http://www.pma-online.org/articles/search.aspx (This is great…a wealth of articles on marketing)
http://www.pma-online.org/articles/shownews.aspx?id=1421 (The most interesting and useful article I’ve read on marketing fiction…PERIOD. Opens your eyes to new ways of seeing how to promote your books.)
http://mjroseblog.typepad.com/buzz_balls_hype/ (Okay, this isn’t self-publishing, but she’s written about self-publishing)
http://www.parapublishing.com/sites/para/resources/index.cfm (The guru/granddaddy of self-publishing.)
http://www.selfpublishingresources.com/Articles.htm (The godparents of self-publishing.)
ftp://ftp.fripp.com/One-PageTemplates.pdf (Since marketing yourself as a speaker is a great way to sell your book, this is a super resource. You can adapt it for your book.)
http://podwriting.wordpress.com/2007/08/20/how-to-promote-a-self-published-book/ (These might seem obvious…but how many of us do them?)
http://www.elderstribune.com/writing/how-market-your-self-published-book-online-free (Some interesting and new ideas.)
http://www.kk.org/thetechnium/archives/2008/03/1000_true_fans.php (Fascinating article--that all anyone needs is 1,000 True Fans.)
http://www.bob-baker.com/self-publish-book/blog/2007/12/beyond-myspace-and-facebook-meet.html (On becoming an octopus or a squid, and why you’d want to.)
http://www.bookmarket.com/tipsindex.htm (I hate all the sales-BSP stuff at the beginning of his newsletters, but I love the info and opportunities.)
http://www.authorsandspeakersnetwork.com/articles.html (Terrific articles.)
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/bookbiz/advice/blogmarket.htm (Great articles...especially this on finding top blogs.)
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/bookbiz/pub_mkt.htm (A treasure-trove of links.)
http://www.publishingbasics.com/category/sales-and-marketing/ (Ignore the self-publishing references. It’ll work for traditionally published authors, too.)
Here's a list of sites and blogs I compiled. There's a lot of great of information here. I suggest you choose one each day and spend a little time going through the articles or posts.
http://www.pma-online.org/articles/search.aspx (This is great…a wealth of articles on marketing)
http://www.pma-online.org/articles/shownews.aspx?id=1421 (The most interesting and useful article I’ve read on marketing fiction…PERIOD. Opens your eyes to new ways of seeing how to promote your books.)
http://mjroseblog.typepad.com/buzz_balls_hype/ (Okay, this isn’t self-publishing, but she’s written about self-publishing)
http://www.parapublishing.com/sites/para/resources/index.cfm (The guru/granddaddy of self-publishing.)
http://www.selfpublishingresources.com/Articles.htm (The godparents of self-publishing.)
ftp://ftp.fripp.com/One-PageTemplates.pdf (Since marketing yourself as a speaker is a great way to sell your book, this is a super resource. You can adapt it for your book.)
http://podwriting.wordpress.com/2007/08/20/how-to-promote-a-self-published-book/ (These might seem obvious…but how many of us do them?)
http://www.elderstribune.com/writing/how-market-your-self-published-book-online-free (Some interesting and new ideas.)
http://www.kk.org/thetechnium/archives/2008/03/1000_true_fans.php (Fascinating article--that all anyone needs is 1,000 True Fans.)
http://www.bob-baker.com/self-publish-book/blog/2007/12/beyond-myspace-and-facebook-meet.html (On becoming an octopus or a squid, and why you’d want to.)
http://www.bookmarket.com/tipsindex.htm (I hate all the sales-BSP stuff at the beginning of his newsletters, but I love the info and opportunities.)
http://www.authorsandspeakersnetwork.com/articles.html (Terrific articles.)
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/bookbiz/advice/blogmarket.htm (Great articles...especially this on finding top blogs.)
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/bookbiz/pub_mkt.htm (A treasure-trove of links.)
http://www.publishingbasics.com/category/sales-and-marketing/ (Ignore the self-publishing references. It’ll work for traditionally published authors, too.)
Thursday, February 21, 2008
How to Promote Your Book
Since some of you asked...it was easier to write this up than to keep sending emails.
The best time to think about promoting your book is before you write it. Yes, I know a lot of you might disagree, but I’m the author of 12 books and I’ve sold more than 175,000 copies so I think I’m qualified to suggest this approach. By thinking before you write—or even as you write—you can build in natural audiences.
Venn Diagram Marketing Approach
You do this by finding that intersection between your reader and your characters. Think of this as a Venn Diagram. One circle would be all that comes to mind when you imagine your reader’s life and interests. Another circle is your character (or characters, but do this one at a time) and her/his unique interests and lifestyle. Where these two circles overlap, you have an arena of marketing potential. You need to keep this arena of marketing potential in your mind as you write. It’s a delicate balance. If you pander to that arena of marketing potential, your book will be a shill for products and organizations. If you ignore that arena of marketing potential, you’ll be without hooks for your manuscript.
Steps to Promotion
But let’s say you’ve already done that. Here are the promotional steps in nearly chronological order:
1. Start by getting a website. Today, a website tells people who you are and why they should buy your book. It tells folks you are for real, serious and in this for the long haul. You need to get one up and going before people can buy your book, because a lot of people will check out your website before deciding whether your work will be of interest to them. Some agents and editors will even look at your website to decide if you are going to do “what it takes” to create sell-through in the marketplace.
2. If you can’t get a website up and running (and trust me, this makes remodeling your house seem a snap), create a blog. You can do this very easily at blogspot.com At least you’ll have a presence on the web.
3. Join writers’ organizations. You can’t go it alone. If you don’t have time to go to meetings, join organizations with strong online communities. These communities will help you by offering you opportunities such as signings and contests and by answering your questions.
Work hard to meet people in your genre and to make contacts. Be a giver, not a taker. These people will help guide you, offer you opportunities, and perhaps blurb your book. But don’t count on any of that. Go with an open heart and an open mind. Years ago, I read a supermodel’s secret to success: “I steal with my eyes.” Great advice. Keep your eyes and ears open. You’ll learn a lot and save yourself a lot of heartache. (Believe me, I have. This is the best advice I ever read, bar none!)
4. Create a basic “kit” to promote your book: business card with your book and ISBN; bookmarks, and a media pack. Make it a goal to pass out tons of business cards. They don’t do you any good in your desk. Keep a copy of your media pack ready to mail out at all times. Yes, your media pack or kit can be files in your computer, but a hard copy is also a good idea.
5. Figure out what organizations might benefit from learning about your book. Let’s call these Allied Interest Groups or AIGs. This is where that Venn Diagram comes in handy. What special themes do you cover? Who is your main character? What is he/she involved in? What are your hobbies or your protagonist’s hobbies? Where is your book set geographically?
Think of these as links…as side roads that can lead a reader to your work. For example, my protagonist rescues a Great Dane. This provides the following organizational “links”:
Great Dane groups
Great Dane rescue organizations
Any dog rescue organization
Any dog lovers’ group
Once you figure out your AIG, think about creating a win-win situation. How can you help them? What can they offer you? (Notice the order of these questions.) Think of a win-win proposal you can offer. Here’s a chance to use your creativity.
6. Create your own media list. This would include:
AIGs
Your local media
Any alumni publications
Any other affiliations you have—churchs and synagogues, clubs, associations, professional groups, neighborhood alliances, businesses you patronize, where you work, organizations your children are part of
7. Make connections with local booksellers. Don’t press yourself on them. You might even volunteer your time. Learn about their customer base. Your goal is to be an ambassador for your book, not to be a pest or to demand that your book be front and center. And never, ever demand a book signing or demand that they carry your book. Both are privileges.
If your book would be a fit, ask (do NOT demand) to do a signing or special event at the store. But you need to realize it will be up to you to market the event, so think this through.
You can also do stock signings.
Some booksellers will let you talk to their employees or post a message in their coffee-break room.
8. Read every book you can get your hands on about marketing, promoting and publicizing your book. Sign up for Murder Must Advertise (MurderMustAdvertise@yahoogroups.com), a wonderful service by Jeff Marks. You never know when you’ll stumble over a great idea.
The best time to think about promoting your book is before you write it. Yes, I know a lot of you might disagree, but I’m the author of 12 books and I’ve sold more than 175,000 copies so I think I’m qualified to suggest this approach. By thinking before you write—or even as you write—you can build in natural audiences.
Venn Diagram Marketing Approach
You do this by finding that intersection between your reader and your characters. Think of this as a Venn Diagram. One circle would be all that comes to mind when you imagine your reader’s life and interests. Another circle is your character (or characters, but do this one at a time) and her/his unique interests and lifestyle. Where these two circles overlap, you have an arena of marketing potential. You need to keep this arena of marketing potential in your mind as you write. It’s a delicate balance. If you pander to that arena of marketing potential, your book will be a shill for products and organizations. If you ignore that arena of marketing potential, you’ll be without hooks for your manuscript.
Steps to Promotion
But let’s say you’ve already done that. Here are the promotional steps in nearly chronological order:
1. Start by getting a website. Today, a website tells people who you are and why they should buy your book. It tells folks you are for real, serious and in this for the long haul. You need to get one up and going before people can buy your book, because a lot of people will check out your website before deciding whether your work will be of interest to them. Some agents and editors will even look at your website to decide if you are going to do “what it takes” to create sell-through in the marketplace.
2. If you can’t get a website up and running (and trust me, this makes remodeling your house seem a snap), create a blog. You can do this very easily at blogspot.com At least you’ll have a presence on the web.
3. Join writers’ organizations. You can’t go it alone. If you don’t have time to go to meetings, join organizations with strong online communities. These communities will help you by offering you opportunities such as signings and contests and by answering your questions.
Work hard to meet people in your genre and to make contacts. Be a giver, not a taker. These people will help guide you, offer you opportunities, and perhaps blurb your book. But don’t count on any of that. Go with an open heart and an open mind. Years ago, I read a supermodel’s secret to success: “I steal with my eyes.” Great advice. Keep your eyes and ears open. You’ll learn a lot and save yourself a lot of heartache. (Believe me, I have. This is the best advice I ever read, bar none!)
4. Create a basic “kit” to promote your book: business card with your book and ISBN; bookmarks, and a media pack. Make it a goal to pass out tons of business cards. They don’t do you any good in your desk. Keep a copy of your media pack ready to mail out at all times. Yes, your media pack or kit can be files in your computer, but a hard copy is also a good idea.
5. Figure out what organizations might benefit from learning about your book. Let’s call these Allied Interest Groups or AIGs. This is where that Venn Diagram comes in handy. What special themes do you cover? Who is your main character? What is he/she involved in? What are your hobbies or your protagonist’s hobbies? Where is your book set geographically?
Think of these as links…as side roads that can lead a reader to your work. For example, my protagonist rescues a Great Dane. This provides the following organizational “links”:
Great Dane groups
Great Dane rescue organizations
Any dog rescue organization
Any dog lovers’ group
Once you figure out your AIG, think about creating a win-win situation. How can you help them? What can they offer you? (Notice the order of these questions.) Think of a win-win proposal you can offer. Here’s a chance to use your creativity.
6. Create your own media list. This would include:
AIGs
Your local media
Any alumni publications
Any other affiliations you have—churchs and synagogues, clubs, associations, professional groups, neighborhood alliances, businesses you patronize, where you work, organizations your children are part of
7. Make connections with local booksellers. Don’t press yourself on them. You might even volunteer your time. Learn about their customer base. Your goal is to be an ambassador for your book, not to be a pest or to demand that your book be front and center. And never, ever demand a book signing or demand that they carry your book. Both are privileges.
If your book would be a fit, ask (do NOT demand) to do a signing or special event at the store. But you need to realize it will be up to you to market the event, so think this through.
You can also do stock signings.
Some booksellers will let you talk to their employees or post a message in their coffee-break room.
8. Read every book you can get your hands on about marketing, promoting and publicizing your book. Sign up for Murder Must Advertise (MurderMustAdvertise@yahoogroups.com), a wonderful service by Jeff Marks. You never know when you’ll stumble over a great idea.
Ideas will fall into two categories:
- Low-hanging fruit—It’s a business term, but one that’s perfect for the visual. These are easy opportunities that come your way. Like the parents’ book club at your child’s school. Or dropping a copy of your business card in the mail with all your bills or holiday cards.
- Top of the tree fruit—These take longer and include more risk. These are a stretch. You might have to work on these ideas for months before they pay off. They might include giving a workshop or being covered in the media.
Books to Help You Promote Your Book
1001 Ways to Market Your Books by John Kremer
Guerilla Marketing for Writers by Jay Conrad Levinson, Rick Frishman & Michael Larsen
Buzz Your Book by MJ Rose and Douglas Clegg
Take the Mystery Out of Promoting Your Book by p.m.terrell
Publicize Your Book by Jacqueline Deval
Bestselling Book Publicity by Rick Frishman and Robyn Freedman Spizman
Plug Your Book by Steve Weber
The Frugal Book Promoter by Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Intent to Sell by Jeffrey Marks
The Savvy Author’s Guide to Book Publicity by Lissa Warren
Websites and Blogs to Help You Promote Your Book
By the way, don’t worry that some of these seem to be for self-published authors if you aren’t. Remember: Self-published authors HAVE to do all their own promotion. So this is really good stuff.
http://joannaslan.blogspot.com/
http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/
http://mjroseblog.typepad.com/buzz_balls_hype/
http://www.mysterypromotion.com/
http://authorsaccess.com/archives/category/marketing
http://www.gmarketing.com/articles/
http://www.rickfrishman.com/blog/index.php
http://www.author101.com/
http://www.selfpublishingresources.com/Articles.htm#PR
http://www.bookmarket.com/tipsindex.htm
http://www.larsen-pomada.com/pages.cfm?ID=18
http://www.writing-world.com/promotion/buzz.shtml
http://www.sitepronews.com/
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