Writing and Publishing News

I’m still catching up with my contacts made from the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. I had to manually make a few credit card charges. My new Intuit card reader quit working and the backup I brought with me would not work, either. Bummer. I have had a merchant account system connected to my [...]

I’m back from the Los Angeles Festival of Books (LATFB). And I have stories to tell. If you’ve never sat in a booth at a major book festival with your book, I recommend it. But I have to tell you that it will not be a relaxing way to spend an afternoon or an entire [...]

I promised I would talk about exposure today. Exposure is one of the most valuable benefits you take away from nearly any of your promotional efforts. The exposure benefits are especially prevalent and important to authors who get out and speak to their audiences. Whether you are speaking to a group, talking casually with people [...]

SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) is offering some major book-promotion opportunities right now. Join SPAWN ($65/year) and you can sign up to sell your books at the gigantic Los Angeles Times Festival of Books in the SPAWN booth. $203 per day instead of the $1,000 (or so) you would pay for a booth [...]

Are you signed up to sell books at a book festival this spring? This is what I call book festival season. Writers’ groups, libraries and others generally start organizing book festivals—small and large—to start in March. I’ll be a part of the large book festival in Tucson the week of March 9/10, 2013. The Los [...]

Have you had a disappointing book signing? Here are some ideas that will result in a more successful event: • Arrange for a signing at an interesting venue related to the theme of your book—plant nursery, small airport, charming gift shop, real estate office, winery, grand opening of a craft shop, beauty shop or car [...]

Let’s discuss the difference between features and benefits this morning. “What?” you say, “that’s for salespeople. I’m a writer, after all!” Well, if you have written or are writing a book that you hope to offer for sale, guess what? You are a salesperson with a product to sell, and there are a couple of [...]

What is the primary enticement that causes you to purchase a book? Think about that as you write and design your book, and as you start promoting it. Is it word of mouth—a recommendation? Is it the amazing cover? Is it the fact that you know and like (or trust) the author? Do book reviews [...]

What’s your favorite book promotion activity? What book promotion activity seems to be most effective for your particular book? If your answers to these two questions match, you’re probably enjoying the process of book promotion. If not, it would behoove you to find a way to make it more pleasant and lucrative. Some authors go [...]

The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books is over for another year. It has been held at UCLA campus for 15 or 16 years. This year, we went to USC. The most common small talk topic throughout the two-day event was with regard to the new venue. “How do you like it?” “Are you selling [...]