Branding/Promotion/Marketing

Dear Barbara,

My first book was published last year and since receiving The Call, I've gone on to sell four more stories to my publisher. I'm planning to attend the National conference in Atlanta this year and have started net-working with various writing groups and RWA Chapters. Several requests have come in, asking me to give talks or workshops on specific topics in the writing field. Unfortunately, public speaking makes me very apprehensive and I also have no idea how to plan for workshops.

If you find yourself approaching the idea of self-promotion with dread, you’ve come to the right place. One of my goals for this workshop is to show you ways to promote yourself and your work within your comfort level.

Let's begin with an assumption: Unless touted as the new megaseller, whose first novel sold at auction for an astronomical, news-making advance, the average new author probably is not rolling in bucks. Agreed? We would all like bigger advances and lots of publisher perks (like an unlimited publicity budget), but the reality in the publishing world generally mirrors that in the business arena--you start at the bottom and work your way up. That in mind, getting the most for our PR dollars is of utmost importance. Determining how much you can spend without breaking the bank should be foremost in your mind.

There are thousands of e-mail list out there on every subject you can imagine, and
probably on a few you can’t and wouldn’t want to imagine. No matter what kind of
writing you do, you can bet there are a number of lists just for that genre, or even
sub genre. These on-line communities help you stay in close contact with other
writers, and sometimes readers. That can mean even more to writers like myself, who
live in small towns were they are no local writing groups. Many lists allow members to
pass on market news, take part in weekly writing or discussion prompts, ask
questions, do brain storming on stories, or even share the sadness of a rejection or
the thrill of seeing your work in print.

So you've written a book, had it published and you are now facing the dreaded book signing or book launch. Your palms sweat at the thought of facing droves of people and actually having to talk to them. You are a writer, not a salesperson, right? Wrong! If you do not have the guts and determination to sell your own work, then why should anyone else do it for you?

Book signings are your lifeline, your best friends.

Article posted by Nina Davies with the permission of Cheryl Kaye Tardif.

October to December is usually the busiest season for anyone wishing to promote their books. This is the time to schedule book signings at bookstores, readings at libraries and cafes, and it's also the time to fork out advertising dollars. Books don't sell themselves! Well, not unless you're Michael Crichton, Stephen King or J.K. Rowling. For the rest of us, we have to rely on smooth selling styles, setting up tables in our local bookstores, and finding unique and cost effective ways to advertise our books.

Affordable advertising can be difficult to come by for a self-published author. But there are ways around it. There is one thing you can do that will help to bring attention to you and your books. And that is to create an "internet identity".

Article posted by Nina Davies with the permission of Cheryl Kaye Tardif.

Looking for new places to send promotion information on your latest release? An outlet to publicize placement in a contest? Here is a list of spots you might not have considered for your publicity kit, advance reading copies, press releases or other promotional materials.

Welcome to Tools of Publicity for the Romance Writer. Allow me to arm you with the essentials you need to persuade journalists to write stories about you, editors to publish them, and radio and television personalities to invite you on their shows.

Okay, I've sold my books (yay!), and now it's month two. What's the worry du jour? Promotion. How much is enough? How much is too much? You can spend TON$ of money on promotion and it may not be worth it. The great fear of mine (and probably others) is, if I do nothing, will my book just wither away on the shelves, collecting dust, or getting the notorious ripped-cover. So, this month, I decided to pick six of the finest writing and PR minds in the business, Stephanie Bond, Suzanne Brockmann, Susan Grant, Holly Jacobs, Maudeen Wachsmith, and Jo-Ann Power. I asked a few questions, nothing ground-breaking at all. Different people have different approaches. There is no silver bullet or no "you must do this," however, I hope you get some new (and cheap!) ideas that help you out.

As a writer, you are a brand. This concept is just as important for the unpublished or newly published writer as it is for the career veteran. Why? Because you're going to be one name in a sea of competitors, whether it's on the editors desk or on a bookstore shelf. You need to have a definite sense of what makes you special in order to stand out.