Writers’ roles in book promotion have changed a lot in the last twenty years. Instead of being expected merely to write and edit, they’re looked at as partners in the publicity process.
If you’re not promoting your book in some way (signings, interviews, blog tours, website giveaways), then you’re really not doing your fair share. This doesn’t come as a surprise to any writers who are plugged into the writing community. After all, with Yahoo Groups like Murder Must Advertise (which is a fantastic group, even if you don’t write mysteries) and writing forums that share tips on promoting, writers would have to have their heads under rocks to not realize the current climate for book marketing.
But when are you too committed to promoting a book instead of writing the next one? Is there an alarm bell that goes off when you’ve spent too much time away from your manuscript?
In an interview with Galley Cat, Sue Grafton confessed that it used to take her nine months to complete a book. “It used to take me nine months to write a book, then ten, then thirteen, and so on,” she explained. “Over the years, the publicity has begun to encroach on the writing process. Around the time of K Is for Killer, I began to realize that every time I had to do a phone interview, I was getting annoyed—’leave me alone, I’ve got work to do!” She said that she went to her publisher to ask for more time to write and less time for interviews, and was able to work out an arrangement with them.
Here’s what I’ve learned so far.
Write First—Your writing is the reason you’ve got something to promote. Make sure you satisfy your writing goal for the day first.
Get Ahead With Your Blogging—Feeling pinched for time? Try penning several blogs in a row. That way, if you have a day when you’re pressed, you’ll have something thoughtful to post on your blog.
Multitask—Okay, I know this is a difficult one. But it can be done (this is coming from a mom who frequently writes at stoplights.) But you can read and post comments on blogs while a pot of water is coming to a boil. You can write your answers to a blog interview while monitoring your kids as they do their homework.
Know When to Say No—Are you getting too stressed out? Is your stress level pouring out into your interactions with family and friends? Consider taking a week off (letting your readers know a date you’ll be posting again.)
Guest bloggers: Are there friends looking for extra exposure or a promo opportunity? Now’s the time to check in with them.
What do you do when you’ve gotten temporarily over your head?
Wow, I just posted on my own blog about the priorities of online schmoozing as promotion – and how you have to keep that in check too.
You’ve got to do it, but it’s the sand in the old Zen Koan about how if you fill your bucket with stones, you can pour sand in around it, but if you fill the bucket with sand, you can’t fit anything else in.
I agree with the blogging and that you have to stay in tuned with your writing. For some reason I have a really big problem with keeping focus. I thought of giving up my blog, but I do realize that it is all about keeping things in perspective. God first, then writing, etc. I think that all of the different ways that have come about to self promote do make things a bit harder and can be a bit distracting, but it is all about balance. I also agree with the multitasking too. Great post! :o)
Great tips! I already do the multi-tasking pretty well. My kids laugh at how many things I can do with my laptop in tow! :)
Good suggestions. I found that when I was doing book tour, I couldn’t concentrate on writing. So it’s important to put writing first.
Really Angelic
Elizabeth – You put your finger on exactly something I’m struggling with right now. That balancing act between promoting and writing is such a delicate one! And it’s even more tricky when one has a full-time job and has to write in one’s “off-the-clock” time. Not easy. But I really like your ideas for promotion. In fact, I’ve been thinking about a blog tour, anyway… Thanks for this reminder of what we need to do…
Opens your eyes to see there’s a lot more to writing than just writing.
One of the things mentioned frequently at the Pikes Peak Writers Conference was how much more ‘non-writing’ stuff authors are expected to do. Right now I’m juggling moving with writing, and I have to confess I’m glad my editor hasn’t sent the edits yet. Although I have some guilt about not moving forward with another book, I don’t have a deadline. Although I’d probably welcome one because it would mean a new contract.
These are all great suggestions for managing time. Setting priorities and sticking to them helps me when I feel overwhelmed. Asking myself, do I really have to do this or can it wait? Saying no, over and over again. Knowing that no is a complete sentence.
Karen
I’m not in over my head yet, but I can see how it can happen. Thanks for the warning.
I’ve got the multi-tasking one down. Now I need to work toward accomplishing the others. Thanks.
Wonderful time management tips, Elizabeth – but this really isn’t a surprise coming from you! These come at the perfect time for me, when I’m starting to feel somewhat overwhelmed and realizing my actual writing is getting slowly but surely pushed lower and lower down the list.
Knowing when to say “no” is the key. Sometimes you can get so caught up in the promoting that you lose perspective. And it is so hard to say no. I like your advice of putting writing first.
Helen
Straight From Hel
I’ve started unplugging from internet on the weekends to have more family time and more time to unwind, though I do sometimes cheat a little bit. During the week, however, I still need to start enforcing that very important rule you mentioned – write first.
Great advice, as always. And sometimes, you just need to give yourself a break, and step away from the computer and the to do lists and the blogs and spend a few hours doing something that recharges your batteries.
As far as blogging goes, I like to have at least three or four posts ready and queued up – I may not always run them right away, but at least I have something ready for those days when I just don’t find the time to come up with new content.
This is fantastic! I feel like some of us need permission to take a break, but it’s true–writing is first priority, and the promoting can be a bottomless pit, so figuring out the limits is really critical.
I do that too, write several posts at` a time when inspired and have the time, then store them for more “pressing” times.
Multitasking, baby. Don’t tell anyone (well, other than the people who read my blog, whom I’ve already told…I probably told you this already too), but I write while driving sometimes. Give me a nice, straight road, and some knucklehead doing exactly the speed limit, and I’ll camp out behind them and scribble in my notebook. I’ve mastered the art of scrawling while not looking at the page.
Okay, my handwriting’s not so good, but at least I can get a nice 500 words out of a two hour drive during which I’d otherwise just be listening to music or cursing at traffic. :)
Brother, did I need this. Yes, I’m feeling stressed with promotion of my book that is coming out in August and trying to write the next novel. Thanks for the great tips on how to get a handle on everything. :0)
Girl in My Own World–No, I wouldn’t give up the blog (of course, that’s what I *would* say!) But you’re right–you have to constantly remind yourself of what your priorities are each day. Self-promo is just a fact of life, but there’s so much else that’s important that we need to focus on, too.
The Daring Novelist–I like that saying! And you’re right…we *have* to do it. But we have to write, too. It’s just a constant struggle for some balance.
Enid–Isn’t it? Because if we start falling behind on the writing, that adds just *another* level of stress.
Charmaine–Very true.
Alex–It’s sort of insiduous, I think…it sneaks up on you.
Jemi–I think it comes naturally to moms. :)
Margot–You have a *really* challenging schedule. Good luck keeping everything in perspective! And let me know about a spot on your blog tour. :)
Helen–I’m *working* on saying no. I’m good at saying no in my emails and pretty good at saying no on the phone. It’s just the in-person thing that I need to work hard on.
Terry–That’s something else…I think every book is a leap of faith that we’re doing something that will be rewarding to us, in some way, in the end.
Karen–I LOVE that! “No” is a complete sentence…what a great reminder.
Carol–I know what you mean!
Elspeth–I think it happens to all of us. There are just so MANY demands on all of us that sometimes we just have to take a time out and assess where we are.
Jane–The kids can *always* tell if I’m not really listening. And my husband will start talking about hiding my laptop. :) Those are always signs that I need to lay off the computer for a few hours.
Hart–If we’re not writing, there’s definitely no need for the blog…as much as I love it!
Marvin–And you’re smart to do it, too!
Simon—Oh, wow. I thought I was the only person who did that! I’m a stoplight/traffic jam girl, myself. I was talking on a panel once about how I write that way…and then realized that one of the other mystery writers on the panel was also a sheriff. Whups…
Ingrid–I think you’re always so sensible, Ingrid, that you wouldn’t have a problem with this all! You’re smart to connect with your spirit the way you do.
Kathi–Congratulations on your upcoming release! And you’re right–it’s stressful. I try to remind myself that it’s exciting, too…and if I step back away from the promotion a little then it’s easier for me to remember that.
I’m saving these tips for the day when I have to juggle promotion and writing. :) Lucky for me I only have to juggle writing and blogging right now, lol!
Laura–And that’s enough, isn’t it?! It really can keep us busy…
You make some excellent points here, especially the one about writing first. As simple as it sounds, that can be the one rule we ignore that gets us in trouble. I love that you pointed out penning several blog entries ahead of time. I’ve started doing that this year and it has made a huge difference
Oh, now I feel guilty again, because I am on a blog round instead of revising my WIP.
Five more blogs ….