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.
Lots of great advice. Thanks.
Wonderful resources – thank you!
Hmm. Great advice. I haven’t had much success getting results from Twitter, but I’m keeping on keeping on. Facebooks is mostly people I know. Maybe I’m missing something. Glad all these things are working for you,though.
Karen
I like Facebook, but haven’t yet been able to cross the Twitter threshold. I agree about blogging being a great writing exercise (and I’ll plug my blog guest author today, who’s blogging about jump starting your writing).
But I’d rather write than promote. I was taught not to be ‘pushy’ and not to speak until spoken to, etc. It’s a tough habit to break. I see authors who have no problems shouting their book titles in emails and in comments on blogs and asking people to buy/read them. I find it tacky, and that reinforces my ‘don’t call attention to yourself’ bias.
Great tips, Elizabeth! We’ve all got a lot of work to do to keep up with you.
Thanks! Here’s to the “most days”! :0)
I do a 3-hour seminar on book promotion and I KNOW it scares off many writers! There is so much to do, and it starts before the book is even created.
Book signings aren’t as productive as they used to be, but for me, I find the physical appearances generate more book sales.
Hun, you’re doing it all. Just keep on keepin on and you’re going to be a success.
Marvin D Wilson
Very good advice, Elizabeth!
I have found the discipline of writing a daily weekday blog very helpful. I have gotten onto Twitter and find it useful for links – it’s also a great way to communicate with other authors.
Facebook-wise, I’ve been there for about 2 years. To begin with it was really to get back in touch with people, but I’ve met some amazing writers through a discussion board. Many are from North and South Carolina – what’s with that? Is it something in your diet?
Elspeth
Great advice. I didn’t do well in face book but you seem to be getting a lot of publicity from there. I wonder what I did wrong.
This is great! Thank you for this nice list. You should give a permalink over to the side so when i am closer to the time I can come take advantage of your experience without having to rely on my bad memory as to when you posted it!
Great advice. I agree with L. Diane Wolf that promotion starts before the book even hits the printer. Happy promoting. :]
Elizabeth–Good luck with it.
Ingrid–You’re welcome.
Diane–I think you’re right. I really despise signings (workshops are better), but I do sell during them.
Marvin–You make me feel better about this nuttiness!
Enid–Okay, here’s my Facebook strategy (how I started out, anyway.) I found writers who wrote cozies and who had active friendships on FB. I became their friend. Then I targeted many of their friends and became THEIR friends (after all, they got a message with my friend request, saying that we had a mutual friend–whoever the original author was.) Then I became THEIR friends’ friends. It worked out pretty well.
Karen–I think I’d take other memoir writers’ friends. And their Twitter friends. Galen Kindley and I call this Facebook Piracy. :)
Terry–Oh, tackiness abounds! I see all kinds of tacky tweets. But there’s BSP everywhere (blatant self-promotion, y’all.) Twitter was a 4 or 5 day learning curve for me, but it stays easily under control…not a time suck for me.
Alan–I have a feeling you’ll be really good with Diamonds for the Dead. You started so early!
Kristen–Thanks! Let’s hope…
Hart–Oh…lordy, I forgot about the permalink stuff and haven’t updated it for ages. Okay, good idea–I’ll make it sticky.
Elspeth–We’re a chatty bunch down here! It’s exhausting sometimes. :)
As someone who is also overwhelmed by marketing, I found this post and the links very helpful. Thanks.
Good advice, Elizabeth. As a reader, I like going to hear a panel where several authors are speaking, but I can attest to your comment that it’s intimidating for the reader to go up to a group of authors and only buy one author’s book.
Helen
Straight From Hel
Promotion is tough for me, but I’ve been trying to do a lot of the things you mention. Good tips, by the way!
Awesome post! I haven’t ventured into Facebook yet. I started Twittering/Tweeting/Twitting (???) and blogging a couple of months ago. I’ve found them both fun and helpful. Even if they are a little time-consuming. Hey, who needs sleep :)
Very interesting, and very sound advice. I’ve just got into Facebook, which is dangerously addictive, but have yet to Twitter…
In addition to a gifted writer, you’re also an ace at promotion…oh, come on, you are. Don’t even try to deny it. I’m going to hire you as my publicist. Failing that, I’m gonna steal your ideas. And, a couple readers if I can manage that!
Best Regards, Galen
Imagineering Fiction Blog
Jane–Hope they help.
Helen–I’ve even heard readers say apologetically that they’d only budgeted to buy one book. I completely understand but hate to put a reader in the position of saying something like that. I think having a person as a greeter (who’s not one of the authors) can help a little.
Tara–To you, too! Yes, Diane is tops at promoting…and not in a pushy way, either. Very nice.
Martin–Twitter, for me, is NOT addictive. Facebook, on the other hand, can be. If I let it. But I’ve been very stern with myself lately. I could kill a day there if I had nothing else to do.
Galen–I think it’s purely by accident! Feel free to steal my ideas…and then tell me why they work because I’m not sure. :) But they do seem to…
Jack–Me too. But it’s funny…the more promoting I do, the better a writer I become. I think it’s my exposure to so many blogs, so many points of view on writing, so many interesting articles that I come across while I’m working.
Jemi–Facebook is a lot more fun than Twitter, I think. It’s easy to get sucked into it, but I try to resist. :)