Author: Elizabeth Spann Craig

My notes on promoting seem really scattered. That might be because promoting can be overwhelming to me. There’s this huge ocean of books and my own recent release is just a bitty drop in it.

But I do have some method to my marketing madness.

Online:

I blog daily, which gives me an opportunity to stretch my writing muscles—and also gives my name and book name and genre more prominence on Google.

Twitter: I use Twitter primarily to keep up with industry news, read interesting posts and articles on writing, and to bring people to my blog.

Facebook: Facebook is a fun way for me to interact with other writers (I have a hard time interacting on Twitter for some reason. I lose conversation threads there.) Facebook has also become a way for me to connect with readers and interviewers. Apparently, if you Google me, Facebook is one of the top ways listed to contact me. I’ve gotten emailed interview requests there for print and online interviews, and have interacted with readers who’ve asked me about my first book (which is currently backlisted.)

Website: I try to keep the website updated, too. A lot of people have shot me emails through my “contact me” page. I need to update my appearances section (to get more people at my signings…and to let my publishers know what I’m doing.

Press:

Midnight Ink’s publicity department took care of the big stuff (reviews in Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus, etc.) Whenever a print reviewer is interested in reading and reviewing my book, they usually contact me and I contact MI’s publicity department (and they send out the book copy.)

I did send out press releases (that Midnight Ink provided me) to some local news outlets.

I’ve had more fun—and felt I had more exposure to readers—through blog touring and appearances and reviews on book review blogs.

Appearances:

I’ll admit I’m not a huge fan of appearances. But I’ve done both signings (and, now I suppose, readings) and workshops.

Signings:

I’ve done them solo and with other writers. I enjoy the ones with other writers best. The only problem is that if you have a table full of writers, it can be a little intimidating for readers (who might only want to purchase one book) to approach. If you’ve got a friend or a family member who can pass out flyers or bookmarks to passing readers, that might help pull them in.

Workshops: I like doing workshops the best (although it took me a while to warm up to them.) The writers who attend are very attentive and usually I sell some books. Plus, I like talking about writing. I’m probably more comfortable talking about writing than I am talking about my book.

Helpful Tools, Sites, and Recommendations:

This literary agency’s site details the pre-pub publicity process—mostly what your publicist is doing behind the scenes and how you should work with him or her.

This site covers “Your Book Promotion Countdown Checklist” (and might also scare the pants off you if you have a release coming up and haven’t done any of these things.) I wasn’t that organized.

Bookmarks (freebies for people to have during your signings), postcards (for marketing your book to libraries and bookstores), and business cards (for anyone who asks about your book in person) are must-haves.

Get a Facebook and Twitter account. They’re free.

Start a blog or comment on other blogs. Become part of the writing and reading community.

Enjoy! Most days it’s fun.

I had a signing yesterday at Barnes & Noble in Charlotte, NC. It ended up going well, although my plans for the event were completely hijacked. (Yes, that’s me in the corner of the picture, listening to the talented Joyce Lavene read from her latest book.)

We were seated in the mystery section and were planning on doing a regular signing. Then a lady came in (a customer) and asked for us to speak instead. There were no chairs set up at the time (because it was to be a regular signing). So the CRM at the bookstore kindly brought over some chairs and we started talking about our books.

The customer also asked us to read. I’ve never read from my books. That’s just not usually part of my dog and pony show. I don’t ordinarily enjoy hearing other people read their books, either. “I don’t read,” I whispered to her. She raised her eyebrows. “I mean, aloud.” Again with the eyebrows. “Except to my children.” She looked stern. So I ended up reading my prologue.

On the upside, I sold a good number of books. Some of the customers didn’t have time to sit and listen to speakers, but they came up to me on the side and I signed books for them during our impromptu program.

The delightful Customer Relations Manager (CRM) at the store offered to put me on her list of authors they could call up to speak at different local high schools. This will probably also pan out into more sales.

Someone else asked how much time we spent promoting and Joyce answered that 90% of our working time was in promoting (and she and her husband Jim have written over 50 books). It’s so true. I spend a lot more time promoting my book (online promotions with blog interviews, Tweeting, Facebooking—and in-person promoting) than I do with my writing. But the writing is woven into my day.

It’s funny. Promotion is a huge part of what writers do…but we’re all basically introverts who don’t like to leave home. Or read aloud. I think most of us are good sports—I had to be pulled out of my comfort zone, but it resulted in book sales.

While I was writing in Mexico (Epcot’s Mexico, let me hasten to add), a very pleasant Hispanic Disney staffer came over to talk to me. He was curious about what I was doing. This was fair enough, since I looked curious—I wrote for 1 1/2 hours in a notebook and occasionally took pictures of unusual-looking people.

I explained what I was doing and he was very interested. Was I planning to write in a Latino or Latina character?

I started out with a quick “no,” but then stopped short. Well, why not? The Hispanic population is probably the fastest-growing segment in the South. Wouldn’t it be odd if I didn’t include a Latino?

I included several African-American blues musicians in the Memphis Barbeque book. They’re a vital part of the culture and talent base of Memphis and it doesn’t make sense, culturally, not to make them part of my book.

But I’ll admit to some discomfort. I always want to do a Good Job. I’m no expert on different ethnic and racial groups and I don’t want to write anything to accidentally upset anyone. Besides, the South doesn’t exactly have the best reputation for its sensitivity. I don’t need to make matters worse by sticking my foot in my mouth (hand in my mouth?)

So I’m curious. How many of you have ventured into writing about other ethnic groups? Did you feel you were successful? Were you especially careful to avoid stereotypes? How did you handle it?

At first glance (and second and third glances, too) my writing process is chaotic. I pick up and put down the laptop, I write at stoplights, I grab my moments. All summer I wrote wherever my kids–and their friends–wanted to go.

My sister called me out of the blue (she lives here in town, but 45 minutes away from me) and said she had a conference for her work that was going to be held at Disney World. Did I want to go? I could stay with her in her hotel room, and write all day long until her conference got out at 5:00.

Of course I jumped at the chance. :) It was the perfect opportunity to freeload.

On Monday morning, my sister went to her conference and I opened my laptop. I had nothing to do but write! No laundry, no cleaning, no cooking, no watching of children. I only needed to write.

It was too quiet.

I kept trying to write in the quiet. The last time I was at Disney, I was there with my children. We stayed at Pop Century at the resort and it was a noisy, buzzing place.

The Hilton? VERY QUIET. Very serious people are at the Hilton, doing very serious things. Very quietly.

I went to the pool. This worked well for a while because there were two noisy preschoolers there. But when they left, I was faced with the Very Quiet hotel room to write in.

So I went to Epcot. I sat at Mexico, had some food, and wrote. Perfect!

Now I’m thinking that I don’t need to mess with success. Right now, I don’t know how to write on command. I don’t know how to do it when it’s very quiet and still and there’s no visual stimulation at the same time I’m writing. I don’t know how to force it.

I’m sure I can adapt to peace and quiet…someday. Right now, I’m just going to stick to what works. However crazy it might be.

I’m going to take a walk on the wild side this Friday morning. Here we go: what role does luck have in getting published?

This is something of a controversial topic. I’ve heard it said that mentioning the role that luck plays in getting a publishing contract is discouraging to writers who are working their fingers to the bone honing their skills and making the perfect queries to the perfect agents and editors. After all, if it’s just a matter of luck, it’s out of our hands. (My missionary brother in law would question even the existence of ‘luck.’ But I don’t want to go even farther into the wild side and delve into religion this morning!)

There are many talented writers who research the industry. They’re miles ahead of the people who slop together a poorly-crafted, rambling, error-ridden manuscript and snail-mail it to a YA publisher (when they needed a Sci-Fi publisher).

But what about all the gifted writers out there who are doing everything right?

I think luck plays a part. I think my unrequested manuscript landed on Midnight Ink’s desk at exactly the right time…accidentally.

Talent is important. Self-editing is important. Researching the industry’s expectations on submissions is important. Targeting the right agents and editors is important.

Timing is important. And that’s out of our hands.

To me, that means perseverance is key. If writers keep sending out well-written, well-targeted submissions, they increase the chances their work gets into the right hands at the right time.

I got a ton of rejections from agents and editors. But I kept submitting, sometimes to the same people—after I’d done more touching up on the manuscript and if they’d given me even an inkling of encouragement. Actually, I don’t think I even needed encouragement. I resubmitted anyway, after a decent interval, some significant changes in the manuscript, and a reworked submission.

What do you think? How important is luck? How can writers increase their chances at getting lucky?