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"Thanks for Following this Turkey" contest!

Thanks to everyone who played in last week's contest. The winner is TESS!!!!

Tess, please email me offline to schedule your free consultation and choose your book. :) Congrads!

Marvelous Marketer!


Today we have Hayley Gonnason, a publicist from Tricycle Press.

Hi Hayley! Thanks for joining us today. I am sure everyone is excited to hear from a publishing publicist. But first, tell me a little about yourself, your background/experience, and your role as a publicist.

I got my start as a publicity and sales associate at a small publishing house called Northland Publishing/Rising Moon/Luna Rising, which has since closed. I’ve been a publicist for Tricycle Press, the children’s book imprint of Ten Speed Press, for just over three years.


First let me ask, do you see a difference in publicity vs marketing in the publishing industry?

That’s a pretty difficult question to answer because marketing and publicity often go hand in hand here at Tricycle. A simple way of looking at it is that with marketing we’re spending direct money to promote a book and with publicity we aren’t. My job as publicist is to promote Tricycle Press books to the media to create buzz and make people want to buy our books.


As a publicist with Tricycle Press, can you give us some insight as to what happens in your typical day?

One of the nice things about my job is, there is no “typical” day. I always have to be ready to shift gears. We recently had a book launch party and there was a miscommunication and books were never ordered for the event. When I found out, I had to drop everything to make sure the books were there in time for the event. In the end the launch went off without (as far as people attending knew) a hitch but little things like that come up all the time. When I’m not dealing with stuff like that, I’m working on creating publicity plans for upcoming books, establishing and obtaining relationships with media contacts, and arranging events for authors and illustrators.


What types of publicity do you do for your authors (ARCs, blurbs, signings, materials, collateral)? And, does your role vary by author or is there a set standard of publicity that all authors get?

At Tricycle,the marketing and publicity dept. covers everything you mention above. We create sales materials, arrange events, create collateral to promote the events, solicit blurbs and early reviews, and attend trade shows—and that’s just to start. As publicist I pitch books to the media and if authors/illustrators have a platform that makes for an interesting/newsworthy interview, I pit

Hi Michael! Thanks so much for taking time away from your new agency to visit us. First, tell me a little about yourself.

I sort of talked my way into my first publishing job when I was just out of college. An assistant in the children’s books division at Harcourt in San Diego went off on maternity leave, and they needed someone for six weeks. I had no editorial experience—I was a film school graduate who had, at the time, been painting houses for under-the-table money with a crew of illegals. I figured, “Children’s books? Easy!” and wrote a cocky letter that assumed I would be hired. To my eternal surprise, I was hired, despite the letter. I learned very quickly how difficult it can be to publish good children’s books. They kept me around, and eventually I worked my way up and into various director positions there and at Harper Collins before going into the agenting side of things about eighteen months ago. And ten weeks ago, I launched my own agency, Upstart Crow Literary, and we (myself, Chris Richman, Danielle Chiotti, and Ted Malawer) are off to a grand start.


Does your agency have a website/blog?

We have a website and embedded within it, a blog, and both launched at the same time—roughly the end of the first week in August. I do the small work of editing the site when necessary (rewriting copy, such as the landing page letter and the copy in the ticker box), and for bigger overhauls, I have a crackerjack designer I work with, Symon Chow, who has a real genius for creating beautiful things. Right now he is overhauling our author page, because with the addition of Ted and Danielle’s clients, our author list has more than doubled.

My intention is for us to post something to the blog every day—sometimes silly, other times heady, but usually book-and-writing-oriented—because I feel it’s important to be part of an ongoing dialogue with people in the field. Not just would-be clients, but our clients and other writer friends who share a passion for good books and writing. It’s fun.


In your opinion , what are the top 3 things every author should and must do to promote their book?

Having a website is pretty much standard and the least you can do. If someone is interested in you or your work, they will go to the web, and better if you can control the story of what they read there. Building a site isn’t hard at all, but if that isn’t your bag, you can probably find someone to do it for you. As for blogs, they are a fine idea if you remain true to the blog. It can be hard to post everyday, but if your content is not to grow stale, daily posting is pretty necessary, else the blog becomes a bit of a graveyard, something people find in a search and blow the dust off of before moving off and never coming back. Probably the best thing I’ve seen in recent years are the ways groups of debut authors have banded together to promote together the publications of their books. One new author is only of passing interest, but a clutch of them together? Well, that is the sort of thing that might fill a bookstore for a signing. Or be attractive to groups who are looking for speakers.


What things do Publishers expect in terms of Marketing?What does the average author receive or is it different, depending on the book?

The marketing provided by the publisher varies depending upon many factors—the perceived “size” of the book; the response of accounts to the book (many “big” books became less so when booksellers hated the finished product); the author’s track record; the possibility that a book may hook into some zeitgeisty movement or moment or holiday season or what-have-you. There’s a bitterly funny piece in this week’s New Yorker mocking how very feeble some publishing marketing campaigns are, but really, it’s not nearly that bad.

There is a base of support that every book gets. Review copies sent to all the major journals and magazines and television and radio stations who care about books. This is done pro forma, boxes loaded up and sent away. I can only imagine what the offices of these places look like during high season. For some books that inspire special passions, the publicist will call and pitch the title specifically. But getting that kind of dedicated publicity push is rare, because it is time-consuming and expensive. When a book seems to be gaining momentum (starred reviews, impassioned pitches from readers, whatever), publishers often will chase that book with more promotion, to try and get something bigger to happen.

We saw that happen this spring and summer with Rebecca Stead’s amazing When You Reach Me, which is the definition of a grassroots campaign. That book hit the bestseller lists, and it did it because people loved it. Not because there were commercials or subway ads or previews at movie theaters or book trailers or any such folderol. It was about love. The editor and many people in the house sent out galleys with personal letters, or pushed them on readers personally, and readers really responded. And word of mouth carried it up the lists.

Anymore these days, that’s the surest way to market effectively: Do what you can to create positive word-of-mouth. Can you get galleys to big-mouth reviewers and bloggers? Can you get people to talk about your book? What can you do to get people to read and discuss your book?


What things do you expect an author to do on their own?

A website, but more importantly, to be available, and to have extra content available, and to make yourself a presence on the web and thereby in the world. Michael Grant reads and responds to every review a kid posts of GONE on Goodreads, even if just to click that he read and liked it. That matters. Those readers feel connected—even a tiny bit—to the author, and that will help future books in the series and in generating that word-of-mouth.

I also like authors who have “extras” on their sites, like the director’s supplements on special edition DVDs. I love seeing those scenes that got cut or revised for whatever reason. Yes, it may destroy the fictive dream of the book. But if it is something that someone somewhere may link to, it helps keep your book in a possible reader’s mind.

Corey Doctorow gave away Little Brother online for those who were interested in reading it for free. That is kind of awesome. He wrote something to the effect that his worry isn’t internet piracy of his books, his worry is not being noticed at all. It’s a noisy world out there, and having your audience hear of your book and become interested in reading it is the big challenge.


When evaluating whether to take on an author or book, do you ever google them to see if they already have a web presence or platform?

Do I Google new authors? Sure. Am I looking for the oft-bandied-about-but-never-adequately-defined-buzzword “platform”? God, no. I wouldn’t know a platform if I saw it. Unless you have some renown in another field that will get you coverage and attention “off the book page”—you are a famous chef, say, or a star of The Hills, or the President’s go-to person on education, or whatever)—I am skeptical of self-created platforms. People ask me about this at conferences—”Should I have my platform finished?” “Would you like to know my platform?” But most days, the only platforms that concern me are the ones I can dance on.

Seriously, in web searches I look to see what I can learn about the author—crazy as a soup sandwich? (as Harlan Ellison might say); secret author of porn?; star of her own reality television series? It’s all part of the research to see who I am dealing with. As for “platforms,” If the core audience for your platform is 500 people who read your blog, that’s great but hardly something that will sell a books. If your core audience is, however, five million, then that’s something else entirely.

Be engaged, certainly. But don’t mistake the cart for the horse.

I’m interested in books first and foremost.

Thanks for joining us today!

Thanks Shelli!

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Hi Holly, thanks for stopping by. Before I pick your brain about marketing, tell us a little about yourself.

Sure, Shelli. Thanks for having me. I started out in publishing in my hometown of Nashville, TN. I worked for a Christian publisher in the children's division before moving to NY and hopping the fence to the world of agenting. My first job in New York was as an agent trainee at the William Morris Agency, and then I moved to Trident Media Group. I came to Waxman Agency in the spring of 2007 where I am currently representing authors of both fiction (young adult/middle grade, commercial women's fiction, romance and mystery) and nonfiction (self-help/relationships, lifestyle, soft business, and narrative).

At Waxman, we have both an agency site and an agency blog. I do a lot of the blog management--but if you have a question for any of Team Waxman to tackle, please do pass it on! I also twitter and really enjoy connecting with authors there (I don't auto-follow back but I do check out my @repliers. And if none of that made a lick of sense to you, I promise Twitter does get easier!).


I think I'm following you in every sphere possible :) In your opinion , what are the top 3 things every author should and must do to promote their book?

In general, I think you have to be human and remember others are too. 2. Work your connections. 3. Have an author web site that is clean, professional, and updated regularly.

1. Social networking and the internet have opened up a huge opportunity for authors to spread the word about their work. But they've also introduced new and exciting ways to shoot yourself in the foot. Approach all interactions with thoughtful humility and remember that the people on the other end are not just book-buying-bots. Making a real connection on a human level will make your friends or followers or readers that much more excited to see your book soar. Don't we all love it when nice guys finish first?

2. Along those lines your connections are your base. If you're asking people to go out on a limb with you (whether it's an event, a promotion, or just plonking down cash for your book), they're much more likely to do that if they already feel some sort of vaguely positive emotion toward you. I'd rather you focus on relationship-building with your local booksellers or doing a self-funded friends & family "tour" than spend your time composing a package to send to Oprah. An extreme example, but in many cases those "big" efforts result in authors trying to do things a publisher is better set up to do, or that aren't useful expenditures of time. Think about the markets of people you know would love your book (hopefully because you yourself are part of that group), but that are perhaps too niche for a publisher to focus on. You can reach those people. All the social networking sites are tools you can use to get to your people. And people want to be part of your success--if you give back and remember connections aren't just one-way.

3. No dancing kitten .gifs would be my preference, much though I love kittens. Err on the side of simple and readable when in doubt. Have some humanizing details (it's all about connection) and make sure it's easy to click-to-buy your book! I don't think this site has to be up before your book sells to a publisher, either, though it's fine if it is.


Oh good, I don't have any dancing kittens! How important is technology to an author’s marketing plan?

It's fabulous if you have a tech aspect to your platform. But if it's not proven, it just won't be very persuasive to a publisher, and if you present it like it's impressive and it isn't, then you risk looking small-time. If you tout your blog with its audience of 150 readers...those numbers won't be compelling to a publisher--they're more of a nice start. Saying "I will get 1500 Twitter followers" is nice but how do we know that 1) you can do it and 2) it sells books? I'd focus more on conveying that you are part of a community that will support a work like yours, whether it's YA authors who have offered to let you do a blog tour (a promo idea I love) or the Jane Austen websociety you co-chair with its 30,000 subscribers. Also focus on existing things, rather than hypotheticals: ie, you write for the Huffington Post and they'll link your books next to your columns, rather than you will start a blog and get lots of hits somehow.

Most of all you want to demonstrate that you are reasonably tech-savvy and willing to work on it. I'd rather you show me that (say, by joining in the conversation on Twitter or by having a blog, even if it's basic and not yet about your published-ness) than tell it to me. I definitely swing by to see what people's online presence is like; it's often a good cue as to whether we're likely to be a fit. I know editors who do the same.


Do you feel it is beneficial for authors to team up and promote books as a group? Why?

I am a big fan of this, although you do have to choose the team wisely. The best case scenario is, you've got a group of authors who are enough alike that readers of one would probably like the others, but different enough that you get a range of points of view. It shares the time commitment of promotional work and I think, with multiple voices in the conversation, it's less likely to turn into a me-fest. Two of my clients blog together with four other debut authors at The Novel Girls and I love their Topics of the Week, and the different takes each one has on the subject at hand.

I think you can also do things in a group setting that are less about promotion, per se--for instance, Living Your Five is run by four YA authors, but it's about something so much bigger than "buy our books"--they're out to make a difference, and bringing together their readers & fans to do so. The power of the group at its best!


What things do Publishers expect in terms of Marketing? What does the average author receive or is it different, depending on the book?

Publicists are the busiest people in the business, and the least appreciated to boot. So having an author who's out there spreading the word, especially an author who expresses gratitude for the efforts of the house, is a recipe for happy publisher. (I would advise against any dispatches that start "You aren't doing jack for my book so I'm doing it myself." Strongly advise against.)

I don't think publishers "expect" anything from authors, per se. But they also know that an author who is smart about promotion and publicity can make a big difference between a book that does just OK and a book that quietly outperforms expectations. Publishers necessarily have to focus on the wide angle, whether that's just flat-out getting the book in stores, or securing co-op, or a special push for libraries. A savvy author can go for the close-up, the local and affinity based efforts, and I find houses generally very supportive of those sorts of efforts.

But when you're preparing for your own plans and figuring out what you need from your house, be thoughtful about how much work that "tiny favor" or six you're asking for creates on the other end of things for your editor or publicist. Your agent should be able to give you a sense of whether what you've got in mind is something the house might want to share in, or best handled on your own.


Finally, as an agent, what (if any) things do you expect an author to do in terms of marketing?

I want my authors to be out there connecting with readers and potential readers, whether via blog or twitter or even in real life, or best yet, all three. Different approaches are right for different kinds of personalities and books. I expect authors to ask questions if they're unsure of what to do next, and to conduct themselves professionally even when frustrated. Beyond that, I want authors to play to their strengths, because you can always tell when someone has a blog only because someone told them that to move copies you have to have a blog (exchange "blog" for whatever other promo tool suits). No two authors' promotional efforts will look exactly the same, and that's a good thing.


Thanks Holly for the great advice!

Thanks Shelli!

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Christina, Thank you so much for joining us today. I know you have some great advice on marketing. First, can you tell us a little about yourself?

Christina Katz is the author of Get Known Before the Book Deal (Writer’s Digest Books). She started her platform “for fun” seven years ago and ended up on “Good Morning America.” Christina teaches e-courses on platform development and writing nonfiction for publication. Her students are published in national magazines and land agents and book deals. Christina has been encouraging reluctant platform builders via her e-zines for five years, has written hundreds of articles for national, regional, and online publications, and is a monthly columnist for the Willamette Writer. A popular speaker at writing conferences, writing programs, libraries, and bookstores, she hosts the Northwest Author Series in Wilsonville, Oregon. She is also the author of Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids (Writer’s Digest Books).

I know you talk about this in your book, but can you explain in simple terms, what exactly is a platform?

Sure. Long story short: Your platform communicates your expertise to others, and it works all the time so you don’t have to. Your platform includes your Web presence, any public speaking you do, the classes you teach, the media contacts you’ve established, the articles you’ve published, and any other means you currently have for making your name and your future books known to a viable readership. If others already recognize your expertise on a given topic or for a specific audience or both, then that is your platform.

A platform-strong writer is a writer with influence. Get Known explains in plain English, without buzzwords, how any writer can stand out from the crowd of other writers and get the book deal. The book clears an easy-to-follow path through a formerly confusing forest of ideas so any writer can do the necessary platform development they need to do.

Why do you think platform development is so important for writers today?

Learning about and working on a solid platform plan gives writers an edge. Agents and editors have known this for years and have been looking for platform-strong writers and getting them book deals. But from the writer’s point-of-view, there has not been enough information on platform development to help unprepared writers put their best platform forward.

Now suddenly, there is a flood of information on platform, not all necessarily comprehensive, useful or well organized for folks who don’t have a platform yet. Writers can promote themselves in a gradual, grounded manner without feeling like they are selling out. I do it, I teach other writers to do it, I write about it on an ongoing basis, and I encourage all writers to heed the trend. And hopefully, I communicate how in a practical, step-by-step manner that can serve any writer. Because ultimately, before you actively begin promoting yourself, platform development is an inside job requiring concentration, thoughtfulness and a consideration of personal values.

Why do you think a book on platform development is needed?

Writers often underestimate how important platform is and they often don’t leverage the platform they already have enough. At every conference I presented, I took polls and found that about 50 percent of attendees expressed a desire for a clearer understanding of platform. Some were completely in the dark about it, even though they were attending a conference in hopes of landing a book deal. Since book deals are granted based largely on the impressiveness of a writer’s platform, I noticed a communication gap that needed to be addressed.

My intention was that Get Known would be the book every writer would want to read before attending a writer’s conference, and that it would increase any writer’s chances of landing a book deal whether they pitched in-person or by query. As I wrote the book, I saw online how this type of information was being offered as “insider secrets” at outrageous prices. No one should have to pay thousands of dollars for the information they can find in my book for the price of a paperback! Seriously. You can even ask your library to order it and read it for free.

What is the key idea behind Get Known Before the Book Deal?

Getting known doesn’t take a lot of money, but it does take an in-depth understanding of platform, and then the investment of time, skills and consistent effort to build one. Marketing experience and technological expertise are also not necessary. I show how to avoid the biggest time and money-waster, which is not understanding who your platform is for and why – and hopefully save writers from the confusion and inertia that can result from either information overload or not taking the big picture into account before they jump into writing for traditional publication.

Often writers with weak platforms are over-confident that they can impress agents and editors, while others with decent platforms are under-confident or aren’t stressing their platform-strength enough. Writers have to wear so many hats these days, we can use all the help we can get. Platform development is a muscle, and the more you use it, the stronger it gets. Anyone can do it, but most don’t or won’t because they either don’t understand what is being asked for, or they haven’t overcome their own resistance to the idea. Get Known offers a concrete plan that can help any writer make gains in the rapidly changing and increasingly competitive publishing landscape.

Can you explain more about the structure of the book?

Writer Mama was written in small, easy-to-digest chunks so busy moms could stick it in a diaper bag and read it in the nooks and crannies of the day. To make platform evolution easy to comprehend, I had to dial the concepts back to the beginning and talk about what it’s like to try and find your place in the world as an author way before you’ve signed a contract, even before you’ve written a book proposal. No one had done that before in a book for writers. I felt writers needed a context in which to chart a course towards platform development that would not be completely overwhelming.

Introducing platform concepts to writers gives them the key information they need to succeed at pitching an agent either via query or in-person, making this a good book for a writer to read before writing a book proposal.

Get Known has three sections: section one is mostly stories and cautionary tales, section two has a lot of to-do lists any writer should be able to use, and section three is how to articulate your platform clearly and concisely so you won’t waste a single minute wondering if you are on the right track.

I have the book and it is definitely easy to read and really starts writers at the beginning of the process. At the front of Get Known, you discuss four phases of the authoring process. What are they?

First comes the platform development and building phase. Second comes the book proposal development phase (or if you are writing fiction, the book-writing phase). Third, comes the actual writing of the book (for fiction writers this is likely the re-writing of the book). And finally, once the book is published, comes the book marketing and promoting phase.

Many first-time authors scramble once they get a book deal if they haven’t done a thorough job on the platform development phase. Writers who already have a platform have influence with a fan base, and they can leverage that influence no matter what kind of book they write. Writing a book is a lot easier if you are not struggling to find readers for the book at the same time. Again, agents and editors have known this for a long time.

What are some common platform mistakes writers seem to make?

Here are a few:

• They don’t spend time clarifying who they are to others.
• They don’t zoom in specifically on what they offer.
• They confuse socializing with platform development.
• They think about themselves too much and their audience not enough.
• They don’t precisely articulate all they offer so others get it immediately.
• They don’t create a plan before they jump online.
• They undervalue the platform they already have.
• They are overconfident and think they have a solid platform when they have only made a beginning.
• They become exhausted from trying to figure out platform as they go.
• They pay for “insider secrets” instead of trusting their own instincts.
• They blog like crazy for six months and then look at their bank accounts and abandon the process as going nowhere.

I’ll stop there. Suffice it to say that many writers promise publishers they have the ability to make readers seek out and purchase their book. But when it comes time to demonstrate this ability, they can’t deliver.

My mission is to empower writers to be 100 percent responsible for their writing career success and stop looking to others to do their promotional work for them. Get Known shows writers of every stripe how to become the writer who can not only land a book deal, but also influence future readers to plunk down ten or twenty bucks to purchase their book. It all starts with a little preparation and planning. The rest unfolds from there.

What three things can writers do today to stare building their platforms?

Don't start building your platform until you have clarity and focus. Otherwise you will likely just waste your precious time spinning your wheels. Or worse, fritter away your time with online distractions (and trust me, there are plenty!).

But once you know what your expertise is and what you are doing with it and for whom, then consider these three steps:

1. Start an e-mail list: Who are the people who like to hear about your writing success? Why not start a list in your address book with them and keep adding to it as time goes by. You can start by sending out simple regular announcements of good things that happen—just be sure to get permission. One way to get permission is to send an announcement about your work out to everyone you know and tell them that they can unsubscribe if they don’t want to be receive future messages from you on the topic. I strongly recommend that all writers read Permission Marketing by Seth Godin.

2. Create a simple website: Although social networking is fun, a proper writer’s website is not a Facebook or a Myspace page; it’s not even a blog. So save the detailed descriptions of your quirks and faves for the social networking you will do after you’ve built yourself a solid website to publicize your genuine writing credentials (creds) across the ethers while you are sleeping. And if you don’t have any genuine writing creds yet, getting some is an important first step. The step-by-step instructions are in Get Known.

3. Blog when it makes sense: Blogging can be great for writers assuming three things: 1) You have ample material to draw on and time to blog regularly. 2) You take the time to determine your appropriate audience, topic and your specific slant (or take) on your topic for your specific audience. 3) You don’t plan on starting a blog, blogging like mad for six weeks, and then disappearing from the face of the blogosphere without a trace. Preparation can prevent this common pitfall from happening to you.Don’t forget that platform development and building takes time. Once you are ready to get started, just do a little every day and you’ll be amazed what you can accomplish over time.

Thanks Christina for joining us!

Thanks Shelli!

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Hi Jill, Thanks for joining us today.

Can you tell me a little about yourself?

I'm a newly-minted executive editor at Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group. Before I came to Penguin, I worked at HarperCollins for seven years, starting as an editorial assistant at Laura Geringer Books and working my way up to a senior editor there. I held the same position for a year at Balzer + Bray after Laura Geringer left the company.

I'm also a writer and a writing teacher. My books The Nina, The Pinta and the Vanishing Treasure and The Ransom Note Blues were published by Scholastic, and I teach a children's novel writing class twice a year through Mediabistro. I have an undergraduate degree in English Lit from Columbia and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. I also have a certificate in Intellectual Property Law from NYU, but only really use the info I learned there when I'm talking to in-house lawyers about contracts.


As an author and editor, what do you think are the top 3 things every author should and must do to promote their book?

1. I think all authors should have a website that they update as often as they can with new content to keep readers invested (I'm not particularly good at this, but I try).

2. I think all authors should try to coordinate appearances where they get to meet their readers face-to-face. I think middle grade writers especially should try to book as many school visits as possible.

3. I think all authors should do something special for the launch of each book they write--a big launch party in their home town, a contest online, a blog tour--basically anything that drums up excitement for the publication of the title.


How important is technology to an author’s marketing plan?

I think technology is especially important for authors writing for teens. It's a good way to get the word out to teachers and librarians about books for younger kids, but with books for teens, it's a way to get your book in front of the eyes of your target audience and allow them to connect with other fans to form a community around a certain book or a certain author.


As an author, did you think about marketing before your book was published? Did you start prior to getting an agent or selling your book? If so, when and what did you do?

I didn't start thinking about marketing prior to getting an agent or selling my book, but I did start prior to publication. I made a website, organized a publication party at a local independent bookstore along with my publisher, and organized an online blog tour/contest (also along with my publisher). I created tote bags with my book jacket on it to give out at the book launch and as part of the blog tour/contest, and I used my contacts in the educational world to arrange for school visits. I probably should have done more with stock signings at book stores, but I dropped the ball a bit on that one.


How do you feel about group promotion? Is it effective?

I do think it's beneficial for authors to team up and promote as a group. First, I think it's always good to pool brain power. One person may come up with an idea that another person would never have thought of and vice versa. With more people working together there will likely be more out-of-the-box, interesting ways to promote titles. Also, if a reader likes one particular author, he or she may show up for an event to see that person and then will be able to learn about other authors and other books and enjoy reading them too. I see group promotion as a way to merge fan bases and merge ideas so that all authors benefit and can expand their readership.


When evaluating whether to take on an author or book, do you ever google them to see if they already have a web presence or platform?

I usually don't Google an author unless the agent makes a mention in a pitch that the author is part of such-and-such blog or so-and-so website--or if the agent says that the author is already published. In both those cases I check out the blog or website mentioned or look to see what the author has done online for previously published books. I probably should Google everyone, though. I bet it would give me insight into authors' brains a bit.


What other advice do you have for authors/writers regarding marketing?

My biggest piece of advice is that as the author, you will be your book's biggest champion. Your agent and your editor and your publishing house will do the best they can because they want your book to succeed too, but the more you can do the better. One caveat: make sure to run everything by the publicist your publishing house assigns to your book, because you don't want to step on anyone's toes or make any enemies. But once you have a good relationship going, and you know what it's okay to do on your own, go for it! Your book is your baby, so do what you can to get the word out.

And finally, everyone wants to know, what are you looking for? What are you interested in?

I'm looking for good books for middle grade girl readers. I'd love a contemporary, realistic, commercial series or two that focus on a core group of friends--something that would be today's equivalent of The Babysitters Club. I love well-plotted mysteries and kick-butt female protagonists. I'm also looking for standalone literary novels with a strong concept and strong character. But mostly all middle grade and all for girls.

Thank you for taking time out to answer these questions for us!


Thanks Shellli!

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Hi Tammi. Thanks for stopping by today! We appreciate you taking time out of your Chicken Dancing. :) Before we dive into your marketing advice, can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m the author of the picture books Cowboy Camp and Chicken Dance as well as the forthcoming titles Mostly Monsterly, Mr. Duck Means Business, Princess-in-Training, and Oh, Nuts! There are two additional titles I’d love to add to the list, but I’m still waiting to sign The Official Paperwork.

Although I thoroughly enjoy what I do, I never planned on being a children’s book writer. I had always assumed I’d grow up to be a third grade teacher, but two sentences from my favorite college professor at Kansas State University—Dr. Marjorie Hancock--changed my life: “Tammi, you have a gift with words. You should pursue publication.” Knowing she believed in me made me believe in myself. Marge, one of the chickens in Chicken Dance, is named in her honor.


I this it's amazing how some of us writers never actually set out to be a writer. We just followed a whim and a passion. How have you gotten yourself out into the writing world?

Online presence has been important. I have two websites and a blog.

The first website is my author site. This site is managed by me which consequently means it’s very basic.

The second website is a site devoted to Chicken Dance. Dan Santat, the book’s illustrator, did a remarkable job putting it together. I sometimes come up with content for that site, but Dan holds the well-deserved title Webmaster. He merits a crown. And maybe a cape.

I also maintain a blog pretty regularly.


I can see you think having an online presence is a good thing :). Given that, what three marketing channels - would you say - are most important to an author or illustrator?

1. A web presence is crucial. At the very minimum authors should have a website. It’s an easy way to let people know who you are, what you write, and how to contact you.

2. The idea of promotions shouldn’t make people want to curl up under their desks with a Dr. Pepper and some frozen Milky Ways. Even the most introverted authors can find ways to promote that fit within their comfort zone. Shrinking Violets offers a goldmine of suggestions that can help the shyest of authors navigate their way into well-maybe-I-can-do-that promotion.

3. Don’t evolve into such a shameless self-promoter that you turn people off. Yes, it’s great to get the word out. Yes, it’s exciting to share your news/joy/every-written-word with the world. But do it in doses people can swallow.


How do you feel about social networking as part of a marketing plan?

I'm on Facebook, LiveJournal, Twitter, Kidlit Book Trailers, and the Verla Kay Blueboards and greatly value these social networks. I’m involved in these networks not because I feel I need to be a Super Serious Promoter but because I enjoy connecting with other readers and writers. Being a children’s book writer can, at times, get a little lonely. It’s wonderful to have these online water coolers. Have I sold copies of my books because of social networking? Yes--and I am grateful for it!--but that is icing. Interacting with others who 'get it'? That’s the cake.


Besides being online as well as involved in social networking, what other advice do you have for authors/writers regarding marketing?

Strive to do something unique. Put a new spin on what others are doing. Make yourself stand out.

Keep your online content fresh. Give your readers a reason to go back to your website, Facebook Fan Page, etc. An easy-to-do example: add a What’s New? section to your website and regularly update it.


What creative things have you done to promote Chicken Dance?

Let’s see…I’ve been known to wear a chicken hat on occasion.

The Chicken Dance website offers freebies, dance lessons, and much, much more. The dance lessons portion is one of my favorites. Dan came up with the idea to post brief videos of us teaching new moves. Currently, Dan’s move “The Bellyache” is available. Every so often, we’ll be adding a new move to keep our readers (and dancers!) coming back for more.

Dan and I have a Chicken Dance Video Contest that offers faaaaabulous prizes. The link to the page and the commercial.

We also have a Chicken Dance Fan Page on Facebook that offers occasional contests, fun videos, and an "On the Road with Elvis Poultry" photo album.

In addition to my own Twitter account, I twitter from the perspective of Elvis Poultry. Always wanted to know about the life and times of a rock and roll rooster? What does he read? What does he eat? What goes on behind the scenes of the Final Doodle Doo Tour? Then follow Elvis Poultry. It’ll have you all shook up.


Did you market yourself to agents/editors before you got published?

I didn’t market myself to agents/editors before I got published. I was so new, it never occurred to me to try. Instead, I studied the craft. I readreadreadreadread. I wrote a really awful manuscript about a grandma and banana bread. But I pushed myself to get better. And better.

I joined SCBWI and attended conferences. I researched publishing houses. I researched agents. And I tried to find the perfect matches for me and for my work. Eventually, those efforts paid off. Not only am I working with some wonderful houses--Sterling, Simon & Schuster, Houghton Mifflin/Harcourt, and Bloomsbury--but I have the amazing Laura Rennert for an agent.


Thanks for sharing your marketing advice with us today!

Thanks for having me, Shelli. Thanks, too, for this wonderful site. I've learned so much from my pit stops at Market My Words!

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Note: I will announce the FOLLOWER winner of the marketing consulting session this week.


Hi Realm, I'm so excited you have joined us today. I LOVE your work and we haven't had an illustrator in a while.

Before we get started, tell me a little about yourself.

I grew up in the snowy mountains of Nagano, Japan, before moving to the state of Washington. My father is a Japanese ex-monk and my mother an English teacher from Rhode Island. The influence of both Eastern and Western culture was a big inspiration in my art style. (Being bilingual didn't hurt, either.)

I'm a full-time 3D and 2D artist over at Valve for video games and I am also a writer and an illustrator on the side.

Currently, I am illustrating my own novel, titled CLAN, which is currently out on publisher submission. CLAN begins on an abandoned planet, where a single survivor refuses to live alone. Fifty years later, the Clan has emerged: an all-male society of the survivor's clones, who live harmoniously with an ideal of no personal identity and label each other with numbers. Three teenage clones meet.Apart from having the same body, they have nothing in common. CLAN will be an illustrated novel for young adults (ages 16+).

Can you tell us about your creative process? How you come up with your illustrations?

I first write down my illustration goals and constraints for the piece I'm about to work on. I usually have a good idea about the style, palette, and composition at this stage. Then I research real-life things relevant to my project to learn more--could be an environment, time period, prop, anatomy, texture, and such. I sketch out some rough ideas, pick one I like, and start working on the illustration. Once I have the outline and line weight done, I start painting or shading, depending on the art style. Once that's all set, I crop it, adjust contrast, soften edges, and do all the other presentation tweaks until I'm happy with it.


Your heritage sounds so interesting and I'm sure it is where you got your cool name. I know you have a beautiful web site and blog. I assume you maintain those yourself?

Yes. My website launched last April and Little Willow helped put my design together. I also have a blog full of interviews, drawings, news, and other things. I maintain it regularly to connect with book industry people and readers.


I know you are on Twitter a lot. In your opinion, how important is social networking today?

VERY important. Almost every opportunity in my life came from networking, reaching out, being open, and letting others know about my goals. (For instance, I'm doing this interview thanks to Shelli contacting me through my blog.)


I know the answer to this question, but I want you to explain the unique and creative way you do interviews on your blog? IT is such an interesting way to promote your work and yourself as an illustrator?

Right now I am running a series of five-question interview for authors, editors, agents, and illustrators. The unique part about the interview is that I am providing the author with an illustration of his or her character drawn by me. (Other industry people like agents get a picture of him/herself.)

I wanted to share the ability to visually manifest a character with the authors. It's been incredibly rewarding reading emails from happy authors about the illustrations and a great way for me to connect with them. Readers also get an idea about the author's story with one look at the picture, so it really enhances the whole interview experience for everyone. In the process of supporting others, everyone gets to know me better as an artist as well.


I love your interviews and always look forward to seeing your interpretation of the author's characters. How how this helped you in landing your agent?

I am agented by the fabulous Joanna Stampfel-Volpe at Nancy Coffey Literary. When I went on my agent hunt, I got lots of rejections and I assumed it may be because of CLAN's topic: clones.

I felt like I was fighting a stereotype - the emotionless image of what the word "clone" conjures up for most people. I knew I needed to get beyond the stigma and instead, show the complex and drama-riffic characters in CLAN and how distinct they were from one another.

I couldn't really do that depth justice in a one-page letter, so I made a whole bunch of self-addressed, stamped postcards with paintings of my characters on the back to show my vision. (A picture says a thousand words, right?)

I included this with the query instead of the SASE. Ever since, I got more detailed replies and requests for the manuscript. Soon, Joanna offered representation and she was interested in having CLAN be an illustrated novel.


I really like Joanna! I had a great experience/interaction with her during my agent submission process :) What other advice do you have for illustrators regarding marketing?

Focus on what sets you apart and use it to be memorable. Also, reach out! You have to make friends. Don't go into what I call a promo-bot-mode and talk only about your book everywhere you go. That kind of promotion is forgettable. The authors that stick out in my mind are ones that are friendly, conversational, enthusiastic, and supportive. Think of networking as way of keeping the door open to others.


Thanks Realm for stopping by today!

Thanks Shelli!

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Hi Kate!
Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer a few marketing questions. Before we dive into marketing, give us some facts about yourself.

I started kt literary over a year and a half ago now, after moving to Denver from NYC. My main areas of interest are YA and middle grade fiction, although I also look for great, funny women's fiction, and pop culture nonfiction.

I'm a one-woman shop, so I do it all -- review queries, read submissions, keep up with editors and authors, review contracts, track payments, etc. I have a contracts manager to lend a hand occasionally, and an intern this summer, but what I love about being on my own is the autonomy and sense of control.

If I love a project and want to sign the author, I'm the only one who needs to say yes.

And I love saying yes!


I know you are big into social networking and marketing so tell us more about your web site/blog.

Absolutely! The first incarnation of the kt literary website went live even before we were officially open for business. But since then, we've expanded and revised the entire site. My "web monkey" (AKA Husband), helps with some of the behind the scenes technical details, while I do all the writing and minor updates.

I've also committed to blogging at (Ask Daphne!) every day -- well, every business day -- with posts that range from writing advice, query reviews, news about my authors, or interesting links about the biz.

I honestly don't believe I could do my job, as it's evolved, without the web. My website is my face on the Internet, and without it, I wouldn't have found some of the brilliant authors I've signed in the last few years. Using Twitter and Facebook, as well as my blog, allows me to maintain contact with editors in NY, my authors, and other writers.


I follow you on each of those and am always interested in your interesting advice and honest perspective. Since we're already discussing your online presence, in your opinion, what are the top 3 things every author should do/must do to promote their book?

First of all, write the best book you can. But once you have that, I think the most important things you can do to promote your book are as follows:

1. Have a website that can be easily found. Use your own name, if possible. If that's not available, add "books" or "author" to the URL and see if that's free for you. You can also use your book's title, but that may mean moving things around if you want more than a one-book career. I don't advise trying to get overly creative with your website's name or address -- you want people to find it with the most basic of web searches -- your name and or your book's title.

2. Closely tied with the above, I'm a huge proponent of Seth Godin's advice that your web site must be "Unique, Useful, and Updated." Now, that may mean a blog that you update regularly, but it shouldn't be just a single page that you put up a year ago and then forget about. Keep it alive, not static. As for unique -- well, it's all about you and your books, so that's not something you would find elsewhere. To keep it useful, consider if you can have deleted scenes or extras, like a DVD, that add value to your site, and would tell the readers who find you something they don't get just from your book. Again, it could be an author's blog --consider it behind-the-scenes commentary, if that helps! If you're on Twitter or Facebook, make sure your site has links, and consider a feed that shows your tweets on your own site.

3. Finally, I think you need an open mind. You need to be able to do anything, to be WILLING to do anything to promote your book. I'm not talking about going crazy, dressing up like the characters in your fantasy novel, and shoving to the front of the crowd at the Today show, but be open to any possibilities your publisher and their marketing or publicity team come up with. Take advice from other successfully published authors, and find a way to make their ideas work for you. Talk to professionals, if you can afford it. And know that, ultimately, not everything will work, but you need to be willing to try everything to find the thing that does work for you and for your book. Blogs are not beneath you. Ditto to blog tours. Have you considered being available for Skype readings? Are you putting together a package to offer for school visits? Do it all!


Obviously, you enjoy the social networking aspect because you seem to do it all (Twitter, Facebook, and BLog). But, how important do you feel social networking is to authors?

Vitally important, I think. Gone are the days when an author could write a brilliant book, send it to a publisher, have it published to great acclaim, and then write another while remaining a virtual recluse. OK, fine, not completely gone -- it still works for Thomas Pynchon. But are YOU Thomas Pynchon? Probably not.

Besides using Twitter and Facebook, etc. to add updated content to your website, social networking is fantastic for building a community. It's all right there in the name, really. Social = community. Find other authors in your genre or age range, add your thoughts to their conversations, comment regularly, and you'll find people who want to do the same to you. Not as a tit-for-tat thing, but because you're adding to the community naturally. And authors are fantastic about promoting their fellow writers' projects. I see that on Twitter everyday.

Once you're established, social networks are also the ideal way to keep in touch with your fans. You may not be able to respond to every email or fan letter you receive, but you can tweet daily, and provide some of that back-and-forth with your fans that creates a lasting relationship.


So if you like the idea of social networks, do you feel it is beneficial for authors to team up and promote books as a group?

I think this is a great way to build community. Groups like the Class of 2k7 and subsequent classes or The Enchanted Inkpot, which gathers a group of authors in a single genre, are brilliant ways of drawing attention to the members. You may not be the bestseller among the group, but if you have a bestseller (or a widely acclaimed novel that hasn't yet hit the lists) among you, that increases the number of eyes coming to your site. The more views, the more your star may rise. And it's not just about sales -- one author on a group blog may have a devoted following of blog readers, and will bring that audience to a group blog.

A group of authors can also be a bigger draw for a bookstore for a signing -- or for a panel at a conference. There's a give and take in a group dynamic, a more lively presentation, most times, that can make for a better event. Talk to your publisher about group events, even if you're not on a group blog. Is your book one of three in a publishing season or month that retells a traditional fairy tale in a new way? Contact your fellow authors, and ask about a group event on fairy tales.

I even saw a group signing the other day at Books of Wonder in NYC with multiple authors named Sarah


I had not heard of The Enchanted Inkpot. I'll have to check it out. Since you feel online marketing and social networking are so important, do you ever Google writers to see if they already have a web presence or platform before you take them on as clients?

For me, the first thing is the book. If that doesn't work for me, the greatest website in the world isn't going to make a difference. Now, you very well may get a very different answer from an agent that deals more in nonfiction, where a fantastic platform can be paired with a ghost writer to improve the quality of the work. But in fiction, it needs to be about the text, first and foremost.

I do look for a web presence, or at least an interest in building a presence. An author who's not interested in being online probably isn't going to make a good match with me. If the author already has a blog, and I know I already like their writing, I may go back a few weeks and see what they're blogging about -- making sure they're not over sharing, that their goal for their website is to remain professional.

Some writers think they should post the details of their query process -- I can't advise against this enough. You don't want a prospective agent to come to your site and find the gritty details of your many rejections, or your preference for another agent. Don't post anything you wouldn't be able to show to a prospective employer or business partner -- which is what an agent is, after all.


Sounds like you think being online is critical as long as you do it the right way. So before you leave us, I have to ask (or my readers would kill me :), what are you currently looking to represent?

Within YA and middle grade fiction, I'm pretty open. I love contemporary voices, humor, romance. I would love to find a teen mystery that echoes Veronica Mars, or an urban fantasy that builds a unique world, and doesn't feel derivative. I would love to find a book about gymnasts or figure skaters -- I'm a little addicted to ABC Family's new series "Make It or Break It," and I can't help but think there needs to be a book about those hard core teen gymnasts. I have two superhero novels, so I'm full up there, and I think the trend for vampires and werewolves is nearing its end -- I want the next thing in paranormal, not the already done.

In women's fiction, as I mentioned on my blog the other day, I love novels that get me (in all honesty) hot, horny, and laughing. That’s the trifecta. I feel like Jennifer Crusie is an almost perfect example, but so is a lot of Nora Roberts (without the woman-in-jeopardy storylines). I don't want category romance, and as much as I might read and enjoy historical romance in my free time, I'm not looking to represent it -- unless you're talking about the next Philippa Gregory!

My tastes for pop culture nonfiction are a little harder to define. I enjoy travel essays and snarky entertainment criticism, but I want them to be about more than just travel or snark. I'm not looking for traditional memoirs.

Basically, in all genres, I want a voice that makes me stand up and take notice. Does your book have it? Submit to me and let me know!

Thanks for the insight Kate!

Thanks Shelli!

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