Seven Things I’ve Learned Promoting My Book
My first book, Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students, was released in October 2010. Since that time I have had three print runs. Now, before you brain gets too busy trying to do the math on that, let me say that this is an educational title for a small niche. Or at least, that is what it was originally intended to be. Distribution was planned to be predominately through the publisher’s catalogs and conventions. And while I have sold many copies that way, I’ve also managed to sell a lot – much more than was planned – through more traditional online retailers including Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
In March 2011, my second book, 101 Success Secrets for Gifted Kids was released. Marketing this one was a little different, as the audience was now kids. Between both books I’ve learned a lot about book promotion and helps with not only the nonfiction titles, but also fiction. In fact, the things I’ve learned has even helped me with writing.
- Know Your Market.
.jpeg?picon=2058)
By: Shelli,
on 5/10/2011
Blog: Faeriality (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: gifted children, christine fonseca, 101 success secrets for gifted children, Add a tag
Thanks, Shelli, for hosting this leg of the tour. Shelli asked me to talk about marketing my books. In particular, she asked what the differences were between marketing nonfiction books for a small niche and the type of marketing needed for fiction.
Whew! What a great question.
For me, the principals of marketing are the same, whether you are marketing a small educational title to a specific niche, a children’s nonfiction advice book, or even a mainstream trade novel. These principles include:
· Know Your Market: Regardless of whether you are marketing a novel for teens of a nonfiction book for educators, you MUST know your market. Not only who may read your book, but the specifics about what your particular audience may be looking for from your book. Wonder the bookstores, picture exactly where your book fits on the shelf. Ask your specific audience what they are hungry for – what kinds of things are possibly missing from the market right now.
In addition to knowing your primary market, know your secondary and tertiary markets as well. While these are certainly easier to identify in nonfiction, they exist in fiction as well. With YA for example, your primary market may be Teens, with a secondary market of adults interested in YA novels, and a tertiary market of both teachers who teach stories like yours, and writers who write similar genres.
·
By: Shelli,
on 2/23/2011
Blog: Faeriality (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: gifted children, christine fonseca, 101 success secrets for gifted children, emotional intensity, Add a tag
Last month, my daughter got into the Discovery gifted program at her school. And, I must say she seems to be doing better. She is such an awesome kid - so smart - smarter than me. But she is so intense. her feelings are all over the place.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/33821110-
</p>
<div style="clear: right;"></div>
<div class="post-comments">
13 Comments on <em>Christine Fonseca knows her kids!</em>, last added: 2/25/2011</div> <!-- end post-comments -->
<a class = "displaycomment" href="javascript:toggleLayer( "View comments for this post"){kind=small}
Display Comments
Posted on 2/18/2011
Blog: An Englishman in New Jersey (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: christine fonseca, james van pelt, jenny gordon, jodie renner, krystalyn drown, jim c. hines, fiction, elizabeth spann craig, writing, chuck sambuchino, jackson pearce, useful links, Add a tag
Here’s my selection of interesting (and sometimes amusing) posts about writing from the last week:
Drafty First Drafts (Jenny Gordon aka ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=1){kind=small}
jennygordon)
How bookstores choose what to carry (Jackson Pearce aka watchmebe)
Synopsis Example: A History of Violence (Thriller) Chuck Sambuchino
Character Clues (Elizabeth Spann Craig)
The Care and Feeding of a Writer (Perseverance) (Christine Fonseca)
The Anti-NY Playbook (Bashing Commercial Publishing) (Jim C. Hines aka jimhines)
How to get (free) or cheap books (Krystalyn Drown aka krysteybelle)
(Read more ...)
These are all such great tips Christine. It's good to know we don't have to do what we hate to do. What type of author chats do you do?
Thanks for the tips - I love #2 (know your comfort zone) b/c it seems like it would be very easy to want to say "yes" to every request.
Ditto'ing Natalie about these all being great tips. And your books sound fabulous. I know two people each book would be perfect for!
Christine is so smart! It boggles the mind.
Excellent tips. And congrats on your success!
Fabulous tips! Thanks for sharing info about your books, too!
Christine, glad to see your hard work has paid off and you've learned some things on your journey. Thanks for sharing!
I'm jotting down notes... This is an excellent interview. Thanks for all the information Christine.
Thanks so much for these tips. Great advice for authors and parents who read your books!
Thanks, Christine, for this great article! Good stuff to ponder and think about NOW, before I get to the promotion part of my author journey. Good advice not to do things you hate as a writer, too--I have my personal limits! ;o)