June, 2012 - Writing and Publishing News

Archive for June, 2012

How to Promote Your Book of Fiction

Sunday, June 10th, 2012

When is someone going to write a book showing how to promote fiction? That caught your interest, didn’t it? Some of you novelists are saying, “Yes, when? It’s about time these book promotion experts think about us and our needs.”

The truth is, folks, most book promotion books and articles related to book promotion are brimming with ideas and tips for promoting fiction as well as nonfiction. The writer of fiction just views this material differently.

Over the years, I’ve had novelists tell me that my books and articles on book promotion and have nothing (or little) in them for the fiction author. I continually argued that these books are meant for all authors—that fiction authors must also solicit book reviews, go out and speak to their audiences, seek out specialty booksellers, request endorsements, build promotion into their books, promote their books by submitting articles/stories to appropriate publications, send press release, build a website and so forth.

So I wondered why even savvy fiction authors would say that the promotional ideas I presented were designed specifically for the nonfiction author. I wondered, what is missing in my books and articles that fiction authors need?

After many discussions with fiction authors—especially those who produce and market both fiction and nonfiction—the answer was revealed to me. It all boils down to perception. Those who successfully promote fiction actually use the same tactics as nonfiction authors do, only they use them in different ways. When they read a book on book promotion, they need explicit examples for authors of fiction and a little hand-holding to go along with it. Most fiction authors live so deeply in right brain mode that they can’t see the promotional possibilities unless they are spelled out.

If you are writing or already promoting a novel or a children’s book, it would behoove you to practice shifting to left brain thinking. Seriously consider viable book promotion ideas. Rather than discounting them, explore ways to use them in your promotional efforts. If you believe that these ideas work for nonfiction authors, figure out ways that they could work for you, too.

• Find the nonfiction hooks in your story and locate related avenues to pursue.
• Give entertaining live presentations.
• Build an interactive website.
• Design a book trailer.
• Post a podcast on your website.
• Contact influential people in your genre or related to the nonfiction hooks in your book and ask them to help with promotion.
• Solicit numbers of book reviews on the book page at Amazon and elsewhere.
• Submit stories and articles to appropriate magazines, newsletters and ezines to spark an interest in your writing style and stories.

I know one novelist who got a speaking gig on a cruise ship simply by asking if she could present a program on board.

I know authors of fiction and poetry who have sold quite a few books at book festivals.

I met an author once who had taken his novel door-to-door and sold copies to his neighbors.

I am aware of several fiction writers who successfully present programs to segments of their audiences.

Most authors of fiction, these days, have their own websites, do book signings, donate copies of their books to be auctioned off, place their books in appropriate specialty stores, blog, get numerous book reviews and so forth, just like their nonfiction counterparts do.

So tell me, what part of these promotional activities isn’t meant for fiction?

While each author must devise a marketing plan that works with his or her particular book, keep in mind that authors of both fiction and nonfiction can and should choose their promotional activities from the same pool. Never, never discount a book, article or presentation featuring book promotion ideas because you think they do not relate to your book. Most likely they absolutely do. You’re just peering at them through a narrow slit in your mind.

Here’s what I advise, study books on book promotion. Consider how you could manipulate or massage the activities to work well on behalf of your book. Use your amazing sense of creativity to design your own unique promotional activities. Open your mind to the possibilities and you will experience greater success.

In the meantime, read my book, Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author. http://www.matilijapress.com or http://amzn.to/oe561a

This book, by the way, has numerous tips, ideas and instructions specifically for authors of fiction, children’s books and poetry.

Posted in Book Promotion | 2 Comments »

Personality and Creativity Sell Books

Saturday, June 9th, 2012

Yesterday we talked about establishing and building on your author’s platform. For some of you, this was a reminder to get out there and make yourself known to a larger audience. Others still don’t understand the concept. You have told family, friends and a few acquaintances, coworkers and other random people about your planned book and they all seem interested. Their feedback has encouraged you to continue writing. From all indications, this book will be easy to sell.

But I have to tell you, only a percentage of those people you talked to will actually buy the book. You will need to reach a whole lot of people in order to sell even 100 copies of your book. If you want to sell more than 100 copies, you and your book must become known to an even larger number of potential customers.

Do you have an agent who typically works with big name publishers? Do you expect to land a publisher who will heavily advertise your book on radio and major magazines, get your book in Publisher’s Weekly, place it in all bookstores nationwide, get you gigs on TV, arrange for your book to be in the gift bags for the Oscars and so forth? Then, you can probably count on sales in the millions—or at least high thousands.

But if you plan to go with a pay-to-publish company, self-publish or even sign with a small or medium royalty publisher, it will be up to you to locate and pitch to your audience. Unless you have money to burn, there will be no advertising with the majors. Your book probably won’t be featured in Publisher’s Weekly. Nor will it be placed in bookstores or tucked into celebrity gift bags. In fact, any publicity your book gets is up to you. And with so many books being promoted, it’s really difficult to have yours noticed.

That’s why you need to make yourself and your book known to a wide audience. I mean thousands! You need to identify your specific audience and put your book in front of them as often as possible. And, because personality sells books, it is important that you become known to your audience. You might also come up with some interesting sales gimmicks

Margaret Brownley is a colleague of mine. She is the author of several novels, some of them hit bestseller status. I’ve known Margaret for a couple of years. And I’ve been curious about her books. I thought, “Someday I’d like to read one.”

Recently, I received a notice from her (because I’m on her emailing list). She was offering one of her novels FREE for Kindle. I didn’t have a Kindle, but I know someone who does and I asked him to order the book for me so I could read it. Not only did I enjoy reading her free book, I really liked using the Kindle. Now I have my own Kindle AND I’ve ordered more of Margaret’s ebooks.

Some authors run contests to attract new readers for their books. Some bundle their books. Amazon does a lot of bundling of late. In fact, we can learn from Amazon. They are amazing marketers. Do you notice how, when you go to their site to learn more about a particular book or to find a book on a certain topic or in a specific genre, you get suggestions for other books, as well. Amazon says to customers, “If you liked that book, you’re probably going to love this one.” They are always selling.

And one of their sales ploys is the book review. They know that the opinion of other readers counts.

We could all take lessons from Amazon. They are high profile, indeed. They try to make their authors high profile. And this is also something you need to do for yourself.

If you don’t want to put yourself in the limelight—if you would rather stay in the shadows—don’t expect to sell the number of books you would sell if you were out meeting and greeting your public in numbers of ways—even through your writing.

It’s your choice, of course. I just want you to be aware that, in this horrifically competitive publishing climate, if you don’t establish and continue building on your platform—if you don’t use your sense of creativity when it comes to promotion—you will be disappointed in the number of book sales.

Learn more about how the publishing industry works and your responsibilities as a published author by reading my latest book, Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author. If you’re ready to start thinking about or pursuing book promotion, you really need my book, Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author. Amazon is bundling these two books as we speak.

Posted in Authorship, Book Promotion | 1 Comment »

Your Fiction and Nonfiction Platform

Friday, June 8th, 2012

Have you thought about your platform, lately? If you are writing a book or even thinking about writing one, your platform should be primary in your mind. Well, your audience is of vital importance, too. Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, you need to write for your audience. And you’d better start establishing your platform.

For nonfiction, become known in your topic/field. How?
• Write and submit articles to appropriate magazines, ezines and newsletters.

• Conduct workshops on the topic of your book.

• Establish a website related to your subject and provide resources for your audience.

• Start blogging at your own blog site and also comment at others.

• Join organizations focused on your book’s topic and participate.

• Find ways to network with others in your field or area of interest.

• Start producing booklets or pamphlets of interest to your readership and distribute them in a variety of interesting ways—through your website, to workshop attendees, at trade shows/conferences related to your subject and book festivals.

In other words, find ways to be visible to your audience as an expert in your field.

Here are some ideas for developing a following for your fiction book.
• For name recognition as a fiction writer, submit stories in your genre to magazines and ezines—lots of them.

• Enter your short stories in contests.

• Establish a website and keep adding interesting things that make potential readers coming back.

• Blog about your characters, plot, etc. Get readers interested in your story before publication.

• Comment on some of the most popular blogs related to your genre.

• Get involved in appropriate writers groups and organizations.

• Teach a class or course on some aspect of fiction writing.

Don’t wait until you are published to begin establishing your platform. If you want to come out of the gate selling books to eager readers, you’ll have to prime the pump. This means become known as a writer in your topic or genre before your book is a book.

For additional help establishing your platform, understanding your publishing options, choosing the right publisher for your project, writing a book proposal, devising a marketing plan and so much more, order your copy of Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author. It’s at Amazon.com and most other online and downtown bookstores. It’s also on Kindle and Nook. Amazon is currently bundling Publish Your Book with Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author. Order both and get a deeper discount.

Posted in Book Promotion | No Comments »

Are You a Writer?

Thursday, June 7th, 2012

According to Ray Bradbury, who passed away this week, “You must not talk about writing, you must do it.”

Are any of you still just talking about writing your memoir, a children’s story, a business or reference book or a novel? Or is everyone who reads this blog writing?

Who are you writing for? Yourself, an editor or a particular audience?

Do you know why you are writing? To make a point, to share something from inside you, to gain more credibility in your field or because you can’t not write? If you aren’t writing, do you know why? Is it that you haven’t discovered a strong enough motivation to write? What would it take to motivate you to finally start writing?

Do you have trouble finding time to write? What would you have to give up in order to start writing or to spend more time writing?

What are your writing goals? Have you set some? If you don’t have a goal and you haven’t found your motivation, you are probably still in the talking stages—you’re talking about writing, but you aren’t doing it.

This week, let’s examine our attitude, aptitude and potential with regard to writing. Are you a writer or are you just giving lip service to a dream that you’ll never experience?

Posted in Writing | No Comments »

The Newsletters Writers Should Be Reading

Wednesday, June 6th, 2012

Check out my article in latest edition of Book Promotion Newsletter on “7 Secrets for Getting Book Reviews.”

Do you subscribe to this newsletter? Do you subscribe and READ this and other publications related to writing, publishing and/or book promotion? If you are a freelance writer, you’re writing a book or promoting a book, there are newsletters and enewsletters that can definitely support and help you along the sometimes difficult path.

Read my entry for April 14, 2012 featuring the best magazines and ezines for freelance writers and authors for my recommendations. http://www.matilijapress.com/publishingblog

Join SPAWN and you’ll have access to one of the best enewsletters around. The SPAWN Market Update provides opportunities and resources for freelance writers, authors, hopeful authors, screenwriters, artists and photographers. I write this meaty newsletter and I can tell you that it is heavy with news, information, resources and opportunities/ideas for authors and freelance writers. You’ve never read a publication quite like this before.

And, of course, we provide the archives of all back issues. It is an absolute treasure-trove of exactly what you need to know in order to better understand the publishing industry and navigate it, publish more successfully, sell more freelance articles/stories and sell more books.

SPAWN is Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network. http://www.spawn.org It’s $65/year to join. Subscribe to the FREE enewsletter SPAWNews to learn more about the organization and your craft—your industry.

In the meantime, why don’t you share with us the newsletters you like to read. Which newsletters and magazines are most valuable or useful to you? Which do you recommend to other freelance writers or authors?

Posted in Resources | No Comments »

Stop Promoting and Watch Your Book Die

Tuesday, June 5th, 2012

Did you hear? Oprah’s Book Club is back. Here is a link to the book club information: http://www.oprah.com/packages/oprahs-book-club-2.html

Perhaps you can leave a comment here and have your book noticed: http://www.oprah.com/oprahdotcom/Oprahcom-Community-Conversations-Books

Are you an author who is actively seeking book reviews for your book? Have you used some of the resources I’ve offered in this blog? Have you checked out some of the book review directories I’ve told you about? Have you asked key people to leave a review at Amazon.com?

Or are you taking the summer off to read some of the books Oprah recommends rather than promoting your own books?

Have you noticed that you sell books when you are promoting—to the degree that you are promoting them? And when you slack off, book sales tend to dip. Book promotion takes our full attention. People ask me, “How long must I promote this book?” The answer is simple, “For as long as you want the book to sell.”

So what are you doing to sell books this season? Have you made note of the various resources I’ve offered you over time—seasonal prompts, book festival and conference directories, book review leads, tips for landing live presentations and other ideas for book promotion, for example?

Let me hear about your summer book promotion plans. As for me, I continue to blog daily. I spoke to a group in Sacramento last month and have plans to speak at a local conference in a few weeks. I continue to submit articles on my topic to appropriate newsletters (those that my audience reads), I still contact people for reviews and I continually research new ideas and opportunities for promoting my books. In between these tasks, I am proofing my upcoming book, Talk Up Your Book, How to Sell Your Book Through Public Speaking, Interviews, Signings, Festivals, Conferences and More.

To learn more about book promotion, order my book, Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author. Study the many articles I have posted on book promotion here: http://matilijapress.com/articlespublishing.htm Sign up for my FREE ebooklet, 50 Reasons Why You Should Write That Book http://www.patriciafry.com

Posted in Book Promotion | No Comments »

The Author’s Bounty

Monday, June 4th, 2012

I love both publishing and gardening. But it wasn’t until recently that I realized how similar these two activities are. How? Well, you never know whether your efforts will be rewarded.

No matter how much you study and how much effort you put into your book or your veggie plants, the outcome could go either way. You might be fabulously successful, you could fail miserably or experience many scenarios in between.

You certainly have a much better chance of a successful garden if you follow known protocol—prepare your garden bed with amendments during the right time of year, plant fresh plants or seeds, care properly for the seedlings, etc. And your success potential in publishing is maximized if you study the industry, produce a good product and take your responsibility as a published author seriously during the promotional phase. But still things can happen to thwart all of your good intentions.

There are sometimes things outside of yourself that can interfere with your success. Your garden might suffer due to varmints, insects, disease or severe weather situations, for example. And the success of your book could take a nose dive in a poor economy, due to an upsurge in competition or a shift in reader interests or the loss of your best bookselling outlet.

You can’t predict the weather and you can’t predict the publishing climate, especially in light of so many changes taking place so quickly within this industry.

So what will you do? Will you give up on planting a vegetable garden this year in case things go south and it fails? Or will you do some additional research and put in more effort to give it the best chance for success?

Will you stop production on your book or stop promoting it in case it isn’t well accepted? Or will you educate yourself to a greater degree and step up your game a notch?

Farming is hard work. There are many things to consider before you ever begin to harvest. Publishing is equally difficult and should be taken every bit as seriously as any gardening attempt or any other business. For an introduction into the reality of publishing—covering every aspect and every option—study my latest book, Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author. It’s at Amazon.com and most other online and downtown bookstores.

Posted in Publishing | No Comments »

Milestone for Writers and Authors

Sunday, June 3rd, 2012

I’ve been so busy with this facebook hacker problem that I didn’t even notice my blog milestone. A couple of days ago, I hit blog number 1,500.

I’ve been blogging here since November of 2005—nearly 7 years. While I started out posting every two or three days, I’ve been posting daily for most of that time.

People ask me how I can come up with something to write about every day. For me it is mostly easy. There are times when I sit looking at a blank screen for a while. But that is rare.

My intentions with this blog are to inform and educate authors, hopeful authors and freelance writers who are interested in publishing their works. Occasionally, I write on an unrelated topic, such as my current problem with facebook. Or I’ll offer you a peek into my writing life and/or try to give perspective on an issue. I also like to provide resources I think you can use.

So how do I manage to write a blog-a-day? Maybe you’ll find this interesting. I get up around 4 or 4:30 a.m.—a habit I developed many years ago when I had a job and desired extra time in which to write. I grab a tall glass of water, feed the cats, start the coffee and enter my office. I check my email and respond while hydrating myself. Then I squeeze (or pour) a glass of orange juice and, generally, with a cat curled up on my lap, I write my daily blog post.

Admittedly, 1,500 posts represent a lot of ideas. Where do the ideas come from? Sometimes, I become aware of an interesting writers’ resource or something in the news on publishing. I may jot it down and consider including it in my blog post. I note comments from writers—questions they ask and concerns they express. I circle things I read that, when expanded upon, might make a good blog topic. And I write down thoughts that occur to me and that, when fleshed out, might make for an interesting post. Sometimes I just sort of ramble about what’s happening in the Patricia Fry offices.

This week, with construction going on in my kitchen, I’m proofing the galley for my upcoming book, Talk Up Your Book, How to Sell Your Book Through Public Speaking, Interviews, Signings, Festivals, Conferences and More. I think this book will be of great help and comfort to the millions of authors out there who want to or who know they should be speaking to their audiences or who are struggling in this capacity.

In the meantime, you can order my two latest books in a bundle through Amazon. Did you know that? For $30.36, you can buy both Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author and Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author.

Do you need both books? I sure wish I’d had both of these books with the enormous amount of support, information, resources, ideas, perspective and guidance when I was starting out in publishing. They are an absolute goldmine to new and struggling authors.

Just go to Amazon.com and read the reviews.

If you think you can enter into the world of publishing on your own, with just a writer’s knowledge, you are sorely mistaken. Publishing is a serious, fiercely competitive business and the best way to prepare is to educate yourself. That is the purpose of these two books.

Posted in Announcements, Publishing | No Comments »

Facing Off With a Facebook Hacker

Saturday, June 2nd, 2012

Help! My reputation and my friends’ financial security are at stake.

On May 27, my Facebook account was cloned. I thought someone was just using my Facebook account to impersonate me and I closed it. I thought that would protect me and my friends. But no, this creep cloned my account. While I am no longer on Facebook, he continues to operate as me, using my profile, photo, etc. And now he is starting to ask for money, using poor grammar, from what I understand.

If I’d known that closing my account wouldn’t stop this, I would have alerted all of my “friends” as to what was happening. But when I killed my Facebook account, I also eliminated my friend list. So I am trying various other methods of reaching those people who had agreed in good faith to be my Facebook friends and warning them about this imposter.

If you get anything from me through Facebook, it is not from me. Do NOT respond to any pleas for money from anyone using my name or Facebook persona.

Yes, we have contacted the “Facebook team.” I think they are on vacation or taking an extended martini lunch because they have not responded in any way. We left a message on their phone. We have gone through all of the things they suggest online to alert them to this scam. We have heard nothing and nothing seems to have been done.

A few friends have reported this scammer. We are trying to reach others to warn them and to ask them to report him. If you are a friend of mine on Facebook, please, if you receive something from this creep, do NOT send him money or even give him the time of day. And DO report him to the “Facebook team.” Perhaps they will eventually wake up from their afternoon naps and take action to protect their members.

Reach me here: PLFry620@yahoo.com

Posted in Announcements | No Comments »

The Wonderful, Wretched Internet

Friday, June 1st, 2012

First a high note: We talked about freelance writing a while back. Here’s an article you might want to read. It’s in the print edition of the Freelance Writer’s Report. It tells you how to ask for more money for your writing work by Devyani Borade in the UK. This author gives you 14 tips for getting more money for your writing. Subscribe to this useful print newsletter here http://www.writers-editors.com

Still no satisfaction from the Facebook team with regard to the fact that my account has been hacked or cloned or something sinister. I am no longer on Facebook. But there is an imposter using my Facebook photo and bio and pretending to be me. He (or she) is using my identity to spread his word—whatever it is. Aggravating. And I guess this is not an isolated case. I’m hearing from others who have had their Facebook identities stolen. Some of them also closed their accounts. Well, what other choice do you have when there is virtually no team support. And a recent article in the LA Times indicates that this problem is growing. Check it out here:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-facebook-scams-20120531,0,7188241.story

The article mentions the Grandparent Scheme. Have any of you had the call from the Grandparent Schemers? I did—but I had heard about it and knew what it was—so I played with the criminal on the other end of the phone for a while—before telling him what I think of him and hanging up!

My mother was the first to get the Grandparent call. She couldn’t understand how her 14-year-old, well-supervised grandson ended up in some foreign country without his parents knowing his dilemma and needing quick money. She halfway believed the young man on the phone—but not quite. Finally, she asked for proof that the caller was, indeed, her grandson. She asked, “What is your middle name?” He hung up. Yay Mama!

The most common scheme I’ve been subjected to is when I receive an email from someone I barely know—a client or colleague, perhaps—asking for large sums of money to get them out of a jam in another country. They’ve lost their luggage, been mugged, or??? Of course, it is someone impersonating them.

I still get a lot of those “Dearest One,” emails from someone in a part of the world I didn’t even know existed (maybe it doesn’t) saying they are the wealthy ruler and need to get a large sum of money out of the country or some such nonsense. I am the only one in the world they can trust, don’t you know?

I guess people do fall for some of these schemes, which is why the criminals keep working them.

My message today is beware. Be smart. You truly don’t know who is at the other end of an email or a social media account. I mean, look at how many unsuspecting young people are harmed or nearly harmed by “nice” people at the other end of emails who turn out to be lecherous, dangerous predators.