I'm a writer...I write, right? :) True, but once I have that book written, it's time to market! Marketing is new to me and I'm admittedly learning. I'm trying anything and everything I can think of in order to get these books off the ground so that I can make a career out of this whole author thing. If you have absolutely any marketing suggestions for me, please don't be shy! I'd love to hear ideas for anyone and everyone. I'm willing to give it a shot! In the meantime, here are some things I've been working on for specific books and all books in general.
For "Someone Always Loved You" my main goal is to spread the word on the book right now. Somehow, it has caught on a bit and it sells anywhere from 1-4 copies a day online through the kindle version. I have no earthly idea how that has happened, but based on the reviews it's getting, people are enjoying it as much as I enjoyed writing it. So now I'm just trying to spread it around even more. I'm doing this in a number of ways.
First, I've organized a blog tour for the book August 1-15. I am looking forward to visiting a number of blogs and talking about the book, hoping to connect with new possible readers.
Second, I continue to seek reviews from others so that word will also spread through the reviews and blogs that post them.
Third, as often as I am invited and able I attend Facebook parties for other author's book releases etc and talk about the book, give away copies and so on.
Fourth, I list it with free promotional websites or those that cost little amounts like the Fussy Librarian, Book Bub, and anything else I can find to get the word spread.
The book has been out for years but this is the first time I've ever really done any marketing and pushing of it. I'm anxious to see that at work!
First, I've organized a blog tour for the book August 1-15. I am looking forward to visiting a number of blogs and talking about the book, hoping to connect with new possible readers.
Second, I continue to seek reviews from others so that word will also spread through the reviews and blogs that post them.
Third, as often as I am invited and able I attend Facebook parties for other author's book releases etc and talk about the book, give away copies and so on.
Fourth, I list it with free promotional websites or those that cost little amounts like the Fussy Librarian, Book Bub, and anything else I can find to get the word spread.
The book has been out for years but this is the first time I've ever really done any marketing and pushing of it. I'm anxious to see that at work!
Now that "Someone Always Loved You" has taken off a bit, I would like to repeat that process with "Beyond the Bars." Problem is, I don't know what happened with the first one. :)
My main goal with this book, again, is just to get it out there for people to enjoy. I have no illusions of making a living from it. I currently have it priced at just .99 of which I get .30. So goodness, I'd have to sell quite a few even to get to $10. :)
What I'm trying to do on "Beyond the Bars" right now is to reach that magical threshold of 10 reviews on Amazon. I'm new to the game and I don't understand it all, but apparently something magical happens on amazon when a book has 10 reviews. I think, in part, amazon sometimes sends emails to customers saying, hey you might be interested in this. And a book, if it has enough reviews, might be included.
Also, once a book has 10 reviews, it is eligible to be listed with some of the promotional websites I mentioned above, the Fussy Librarian and so forth. If it does not have those reviews, it will not be considered. Until I get the reviews, I feel like my hands are tied.
So how am I going about getting reviews? I belong to a number of Facebook writing groups and I've offered many authors a trade. You read and review my book and I'll read and review yours. Honestly. If they don't like it, I want them to review it that way!
I'm also giving away free copies to people with the stipulation that they review it honestly once they finish reading it. I just attended a facebook party for a book release last week and gave away a good 20 copies.
Of all the trading and giving, I'm hoping I can garner 10 reviews somewhat soon so I can do more promotions with this book.
My main goal with this book, again, is just to get it out there for people to enjoy. I have no illusions of making a living from it. I currently have it priced at just .99 of which I get .30. So goodness, I'd have to sell quite a few even to get to $10. :)
What I'm trying to do on "Beyond the Bars" right now is to reach that magical threshold of 10 reviews on Amazon. I'm new to the game and I don't understand it all, but apparently something magical happens on amazon when a book has 10 reviews. I think, in part, amazon sometimes sends emails to customers saying, hey you might be interested in this. And a book, if it has enough reviews, might be included.
Also, once a book has 10 reviews, it is eligible to be listed with some of the promotional websites I mentioned above, the Fussy Librarian and so forth. If it does not have those reviews, it will not be considered. Until I get the reviews, I feel like my hands are tied.
So how am I going about getting reviews? I belong to a number of Facebook writing groups and I've offered many authors a trade. You read and review my book and I'll read and review yours. Honestly. If they don't like it, I want them to review it that way!
I'm also giving away free copies to people with the stipulation that they review it honestly once they finish reading it. I just attended a facebook party for a book release last week and gave away a good 20 copies.
Of all the trading and giving, I'm hoping I can garner 10 reviews somewhat soon so I can do more promotions with this book.
For my December release of "Wrong Place, Right Time" (the cover is complete, but I can't reveal it yet!) I'm doing a number of things as well.
I'm making as many connections with other authors who have blogs as possible. I do author interviews for them on my blog and review their books. I'm hoping when the time comes, they will do the same for me. In the meantime, I enjoy it anyway!
I'm contacting a lot of local groups around the area in anticipation for the release. I have emails in to specific people at three TV news stations asking about the possibility of an interview (the book's main character is a TV traffic reporter, as was I for a whole 5 months several years ago!) I have emailed area libraries about signings or speaking events as well as many different mom's groups.
I just completed my portion of the work on the book's trailer and am anxious to see it all put together. I am using the two above books to experiment with what works and what doesn't so that I can hopefully put those things into action with this one.
I'm making as many connections with other authors who have blogs as possible. I do author interviews for them on my blog and review their books. I'm hoping when the time comes, they will do the same for me. In the meantime, I enjoy it anyway!
I'm contacting a lot of local groups around the area in anticipation for the release. I have emails in to specific people at three TV news stations asking about the possibility of an interview (the book's main character is a TV traffic reporter, as was I for a whole 5 months several years ago!) I have emailed area libraries about signings or speaking events as well as many different mom's groups.
I just completed my portion of the work on the book's trailer and am anxious to see it all put together. I am using the two above books to experiment with what works and what doesn't so that I can hopefully put those things into action with this one.
For my February release of "Accept this Dandelion" I have contacted (and am waiting to hear from) a couple of local businesses about the possibility of having a release party. I want to do something that allows the profits from the book at the event to go to a local charity. I'm waiting on return emails from a few different people on that one.
I've also been working on an angle to somehow connect this book to the TV show, "The Bachelor" as it is about a local Bachelor type show. I have not yet figured out how to go about getting that connection, but I'm thinking on it and putting out feelers.
I am also doing many of the above things, like contacting local libraries and bookstores etc about signings or speaking events.
I've also been working on an angle to somehow connect this book to the TV show, "The Bachelor" as it is about a local Bachelor type show. I have not yet figured out how to go about getting that connection, but I'm thinking on it and putting out feelers.
I am also doing many of the above things, like contacting local libraries and bookstores etc about signings or speaking events.
I also have "Mamarazzi" (August 2015) and "Baby Sheep Gets a Haircut (February 2016) to consider, but those are far enough off that I'm not worrying about specifics just yet.
Once the book is written, it's like you have to switch gears and become a marketing genius. A genius I am not, but I do have some out of the box ideas I'm testing out. If you have any, please please let me know! I want these books to do well enough that the publishers will want to keep working with me. It's the only way I can justify sitting around in the 1-2 hours a day I get to myself making things up and calling it my job. :)
I've probably left some of my ideas out, but those are many of the things I'm working on. In addition to keeping up with my paying clients and working on a new book. Geez, when I read all that, I'm not sure how I'm doing it! And now I'm tired just thinking about it! Ha
Once the book is written, it's like you have to switch gears and become a marketing genius. A genius I am not, but I do have some out of the box ideas I'm testing out. If you have any, please please let me know! I want these books to do well enough that the publishers will want to keep working with me. It's the only way I can justify sitting around in the 1-2 hours a day I get to myself making things up and calling it my job. :)
I've probably left some of my ideas out, but those are many of the things I'm working on. In addition to keeping up with my paying clients and working on a new book. Geez, when I read all that, I'm not sure how I'm doing it! And now I'm tired just thinking about it! Ha
RSS Feed