One thing I've noticed about book promotion. There's a lot of talking going on.
New book. Buy. See. Sign up, etc.
Everywhere you turn - Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs... it's authors-- promoting to others, yes, but doesn't it seem sometimes like you are promoting to other authors, or talking to yourself?
Authors with backlists have endless promos, some good, some funny, some just never-ending.
Sometimes you stop simply since you feel like you're talking too much. You know, me, me, me.
So, what do you find to be the best promos?
What promos do you like - and admit it, hate?
What turns you off as a reader, or author?
Yes, you can talk. Please speak your mind!
Once you get over the initial euphoria of finishing a book and getting it published, then comes the necessary part - the promotion. And that means buying stuff: bookmarks, business cards, biz card holders, picture frames, book stands, on and on it seems.
Then somewhere along the way that "other" side kicks in - the need for all kinds of other "junk," er, promotional stuff. That urge kicks in to get your book noticed, anywhere and everywhere. Oh, look, you can get personalized stamps from the post office! Wow, how about personalized playing cards. (You have to look around at pricing on these.)
Add in personalized pencils and pens, notes, notepads, (see Vista Print promo deals), and the list (and costs) never end.
Does it work? Well... who's bought a book because of a pencil or pen they got? Save your money (unless you like the gimmick for signings, etc.)
Granted, bookmarks, postcards, and biz cards are a necessity. But does it mean you have to go into hock to promote?
Some writers find unique ways to promote that can be cost-effective. If you have several books, brochures can be printed at home, as needed. You can print your own business cards in a pinch.
Sometimes you can find some neat things online, too, which can be useful in spreading your name and title around. Plus these can be kind of fun.
How about a crossword puzzle using words from your book and book titles? Or make a simple, easy slideshow using photos related to your book? If you have a video camera and the program to do it, make a book video to put on YouTube.
Another idea using your book cover - make a puzzle from your photo.
Or - hey! - write about your hobby or something you enjoy as a promotional link. (I wrote about my miniatures and the work of others in my book In Miniature Style II. And you can check out my miniatures on my website, too!) The fun part is at shows or signings, I usually bring along a display of miniature items made from the book's patterns.
Some of these ideas, of course, aren't new to most writers, some may be. There are probably other ideas that I haven't found yet, so feel free to share.
Have fun promoting!
* What are your favorite promotional items? What do you like to use in promoting your book/s? Have any unique promotional displays?
Imagine you are a ePublished author, whether with a small press or an Indie author, and someone offers you free publicity online, press release opportunities, online PR and it is all FREE and up to you as to how much you wish to indulge? What is your response? First comes the initial warning MOM always told you about -- "If it sounds too good to be true...it surely is too good to be true." But what if I told you that I know the gentle soul behind this utopia for ePub authors and Kindle book authors haven, and that is motives--while not entirely pure or wanting of success for himself--is as pure as it gets since he wants you to succeed as well; in fact, Patrick wants every worthy ePub author to be successful as he believes there is room for us all to be successful. More importantly, he wants to create a special place where ePub authors have their own community. In fact, he named it ePub Community.
I understand skepticism but trust me, here you can put it aside. There are some functions at the site that are confusing simply because of their simplicity but anticipated complexity. The reviews is one such area.
You can place a review, vote, etc., just like posting in a forum. You can copy other reviews on your books and paste them into the submission form.
The trick for me was getting into the habit of checking the menu and seeing what options changed depending on which module I selected. Keep in mind that each menu item is a different module, they were programmed independently on purpose so their systematic promotions would be unique as well.
Don't be intimidated by the scope and hope of this site, that is the ambitiousness posited here. That's just Patrick at work -- a challenge. Just look at it as another site to explore and use to your advantage when it makes sense to do so. Currently, it is a grass-roots effort to create a home for us all. I hope you will accept my highest recommendation for this site. Here is where our ePublishingConsortium can be found and some information on the ePub author behind it, Patrick:
http://ePublishingConsortium.comThe Legacy Inheritance
http://www.amazon.com/The-Legacy-Inheritance-ebook/dp/B004OA6EAM/The Lady of the Lake
http://www.amazon.com/Lady-Lake-ebook/dp/B004OYTT28/ PLEASE leave a comment and take advantage of the above --
Robert W. Walker (Rob)
author, Children of Salem, Titanic 2012 (limited time sale thru July)
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=Robert+W.+Walker&x=17&y=27
Putting your best props forward can get some readers interested in your story, as in letting it be known that your main character smokes a certain brand, or is addicted to marinated Omaha steaks on the grill, or drinks Miller Bock, etc., and so it goes. Putting it out there can draw attention to your story. So never back off use of such brand names in your story, even if the bad guy is the one who likes to chug Pabst Blue Ribbon.
Even more attention-getting for your novel or story are the thematic issues, the threads you pull from beginning to end of tale, and your platform or platforms if you wish to call them as such. To be honest, there is typically a major theme or platform *issue of some sort that is your chief thread, but more often than not in a novel, you will have sub-categories of theme. Some novels can have manay threads being pulled at once.
Each such thematic issue, be it as simple as a love interest for your lead character or as complex as the human condtion...what the flesh is heir to, is of interest to readers. When we set out to describe our books on to synopsize the action, we typically concentrate on WHAT happens rather than the deeper questons. In most descripts we get the WHEN, that crucial bit about the time period. One way or another it is made clear. We're always treated to the WHO of the story--whose story is it anyway. This is elemental for a book description that goes forth to entice readers into the setting, that other elemental: WHERE. So yes, all of these are crucial when discussing your book for the purpose of gaining readership. Let's recap: Who, Where, When, What happens (plot in brief). But there remains the other two journalistic questions: Why? and yes, How?
The why and the how of your story is going to deal with these threads, these themes your characters wrestle with. Why should we care about the story? Why should fictional characers care? Why is it important? Beyond why lies the How? How could it be? How could it happen? How could we sit idlely by and allow it to happen? How is it in our control, and how is it out of our control?
If karma plays a part in your story, can you use the term and the concept to entice people into reading? Fate? The inevitabilty of human interaction that leads to tragedy? Tragedy and tragic failure and tragic characters - these bigger picture issues? Perhaps we can't hope to cram them into the single paragraph or two required of a back flap on a book cover, but are there ways to utilize them in talking about our books to maximize reader curiosity that might lead to more purchases and thus more readers?
I have certainly not restrained myself from talking about the How and the Why in discussing my novels online whenever I find the opportunity to do so. I believe most readers are fascinated by the larger issues underpinning the dramatic and episodic elements of your novel.
It is for this reason that in discussing my Childen of Salem, for instance, on Twitter, Facebook, even Youtube, I am often asking the reader about their interest in a layered tale of human triumph as well as tragedy. In my Titanic 2012, I speak of the curse on the ship, the plague, the tragic end which was planned at some point and no accident when men have their backs to the wall. I have no qualms about calling my Inpsector Alastair Ransom a tragic hero as he is precisely that, and his own powerful, strong character traits for which we ambivalently love him and hate him will be his undoing.
Of human bondage - loved it as a title but what about as a theme or platform? Heir to flesh, heir to failure and ultimately death. When is death not with us? The heroic facing death heroically, stoically, or less than firmly? Loss of a loved one? Reactions of characters to tragic loss... all part and parcel of the bundled package
Marketing Online Guru That You Are…No Problem
by Robert W. Walker
Online marketing is an entirely different animal than “real world” marketing. Doing blogs, blog tours, some his and her blog tours with my writer wife, Miranda, and am ever online at all the “usual” places building relationships. And even online, you are seldom successful in selling your book so much as selling a laugh or a philosophical point you wish to make, and engaging in give and take, so in effect you’re selling your self—or rather getting folks to care about you or your point of view or that of your dog, Pongo, in the photo with me, or that photo of me with Will Smith or Captain Jack Sparrow—even if they are cardboard cutouts…. Sad truth is that Pongo sells far more books than I ever could. However, if people like you and what you have to say, they eventually will go find a copy of your book.
Recently, a dear friend I met online named Ann Charles said this to me: “There are some questions I’d love to hear the answer to if we were kicking back at the bar at a writers’ conference and these are: What do you mean that you don’t sell your book so much as sell yourself? I thought that after you have an actual book to promote—something besides just air and a name (which is what I have to try to promote)—that you could focus on selling that book and not worry so much about selling yourself.”
The book jobbers who sell to the bookstores say it best; if they like me, they will buy my stock. If students like and respect their teacher, they will buy what the teacher is selling. Online be as likeable as you can be; use humor, exaggeration, have fun with it and know it takes time to create online relationships.
“But what precisely are you doing to sell yourself online? Are you just trying to be entertaining with fun stories to get the blog readers to like you? Are you throwing cover quotes and details about your books at them? Are you telling how you came up with the idea and talking about what you are currently working on? And what is the impression about Rob W. Walker that you are hoping/trying to leave in your wake online?”
Excellent questions. Short answer is YES to all of the above. Spread it around, have cover art and photos do double and triple duty. Blog on humorous events in your life, childhood moments, any behind the book stories you can safely share. Mix it up and do not always post about your books. Let signature lines do that for you. Give advice, give help, give of yourself and be gracious with your knowledge and humor. Lots of humor. Leave ‘em laughing. Spend time answering the tweets and facebook comments of others. It requires time and commitment but what relationship doesn’t?
Below is a list of exciting links that all writers should be aware of and visit often, so I will slip it across the bar to you.
A Newbie’s Guide To Publishing/ JA Konrath: http://jakonrath.blogspot.com A free download 250,000 words worth of tips, hints, tricks, and advice. Over 750 pages long. And it's free
Book Promotion
http://www.authorsden.com
http://crimespace.ning.com
http://www.redroom.com
http://www.publicityhound.com
http://www.burryman.com
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/internet_marketing_for_novel_writers.php
http://www.bauuinstitute.com/Marketing/PressRelease1.html
http://www.author-promotion.com/promotionalresources.html
Facebook
MySpace
Safest Way To Search For An Agent:
http://www.sff.net/people/victoriastrauss/agentsearch.html
LitMatch: http://www.litmatch.net/#
Other Cool Helpful Websites:
Crime Scene Investigation: http://www.crime-scene-investigator.net
DNA Forensics: www.ornl.gov/hgmis/elsi/forensics.shtml
Cops and Crime: http://www.terryburns.net/COPS_CRIME.htm
Links
We walk a thin line. I've heard don't obviously promote your book, yet I've also found out that when I put the link on my Facebook page or Twitter, I sometimes get takers.
Not a good idea to do it zillions of times a day, but I think one link to one of my books a day is a nice balance. Even better if other people also do it.
Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
Great post