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We’ve been talking about book promotion—in particular, promoting fiction. Today, I’ll discuss a specific promotional activity for novelists—the one that probably scares you the most.

I believe in going out and speaking personally to your audience. Readers like to meet the authors they read. When I said that to a new author recently, he laughed and said, “Why? I’m not a celebrity.” That’s right. Most authors today are not widely known. And maybe that’s why your book isn’t selling well.

Think about how you handle a book when you first discover it. You see it online, at a book festival or in a bookstore. Maybe a friend hands it to you as recommended reading. First, you look at the front cover. What’s the second thing you do? You turn it over (or click) and look at the back. If there’s a photo of the author, you take a closer look at it. While you’re reading the book, you might turn to the back cover or the back pages again in order to study the author’s photograph. You want to know who wrote the lovely prose, the crazy or dynamic story, the fascinating dialog or the hogwash you’re reading.

But meeting the author has an even greater influence on whether or not you will purchase the book. If you like the author, you are more apt to want to read what he wrote. And if you never heard about this book nor met the author, you would not be buying the book at all. Now turn this around so it relates to you—the author or your marvelous book.

Part of your mission is, of course, to get word out about your book. Another part of it is to somehow convince or entice folks to buy it. And you can do this with your personality.

Go out and speak to your readers.
What do you talk about? How do you entertain them? Here are a few ideas:
• Tell just enough of the story in your book to entice readers to buy it. You may have to work on a presentation that makes your story absolutely compelling—riveting.

• To create added interest, dress to reflect the period or theme of your book—the Colonial days, the wild West, the 1950s or aviation, horse racing, the Olympics or a character in your fantasy, for example.

• Talk about the writing life and how this book came into being.

• Entertain with a humorous edge if appropriate. You could read from your book while someone acts out the scenes in an exaggerated way.

• Share what you learned about the process of writing—making sure these are lessons that your audience can relate to.

• Create scripts and ask people from the audience to help you act out a scene from your story.

• Give backstory related to your story. What inspired you to write on this topic—in this genre? Sometimes the backstory is as interesting as the story you wrote.
While the nonfiction author generally teaches or informs his audiences, the novelist is expected to entertain. Keep this in mind. If you can write a good story—one that holds the interest of your readers—you should be able to aptly entertain them with your live presentations.

If you’re a little or a lot shy about standing in front of a group, rush immediately to your nearest Toastmasters club or college speaking class and begin training. This aspect of book promotion is too important to ignore. http://www.toastmasters.org

For a whole lot more about public speaking, landing gigs at some of the many conferences held throughout the world, communicating with your potential readers and much more, order your copy of my book, “Talk Up Your Book” today. It’s at amazon.com in print, Kindle and audio as well as at most other online and downtown bookstores. Or order it here: http://www.matilijapress.com

If you write novels, you are probably not the most assertive marketer for your books. And you probably agree with the majority of novelists that books, blog posts and lectures on book promotion are prepared strictly for nonfiction writers. So untrue!

Exactly like your nonfiction author counterparts, you need to know who your audience is, where they are and how to approach them. And you must approach them in order to let them know that your book exists. Your book won’t sell itself. So how do you approach your audience? Pretty much the same ways as nonfiction authors do.

Go out and speak to them, get your book reviewed many times over, send press releases, engage in social media, join appropriate organizations, build an interesting and useful website, blog and create amazing promotional material, for example.

Your speaking venues might be different, your reviewer list may have different names on it, your press releases might read differently, your presentations will have a different flavor, you might join different organizations, your blog and Facebook entries will read a bit differently, you’ll seek out different media to approach with your promotional material, but you’ll follow the same basic path as anyone who is promoting a book.

Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, you will reserve space at book festivals where you can promote your book. You’ll talk about your book everywhere you go. You’ll send notices about your book to your massive mailing and emailing list. You’ll seek out appropriate websites, specialty stores, etc. through which to sell your fiction or nonfiction book. You’ll add to your line of books—for fiction, a sequel, a play, an audio book: for nonfiction, a spin-off booklet or a related item, for example. Whether your book is a romance novel, fantasy, thriller, adventure, mystery, how to, self-help or spiritual book you might enter it in contests, run contests, do book signings, do seasonal marketing, employ sales representatives, have your book available on Amazon, tweet and submit articles/stories as a way to increase sales.

Now tell me, if you can, how is the task and the concept of book promotion different for those of you who write novels?

For over 250 book promotion ideas, including over 150 specific tips and suggestions for novelists as well as many examples, order your copy of Promote Your Book by Patricia Fry (that’s me). It’s available at amazon.com as well as most other online and downtown bookstores. In print, Kindle and audio.

This week, we’ve talked a little about marketing different types of books. I think we’ve established that, while authors can use similar activities to promote their dissimilar books, the venue is often different.

Public speaking is a great way to introduce yourself and your book to a group of people who gather because of a common interest. I write books for authors, so I go out and speak at writers group meetings, authors associations and writers conferences. We spoke earlier this week about promoting recovery and self-help books related to an affliction, illness or disease. Authors of these books might speak where support groups related to this illness meet, at wellness and health conferences and so forth.

Yesterday, I gave some resources for children’s book authors. Where do you go to promote books for children? Many of these authors read to children in schools, libraries, Sunday school classes and other places where children congregate. Book festivals often have a children’s element where authors entertain youngsters by reading from their books.

Whether you have a book on quilting, genealogy, finances/budgeting, photography, cat care, woodworking or aviation, you should be able to find groups who meet to discuss this subject and even conferences devoted to this subject throughout the US. I was at a conference once and walked into a room where another conference was going on. That one was all about sound system speakers. They had every kind of speaker on display and many people interested in them. I tell you this to emphasize the wide variety and range of interests people have. It seems that even your book on miniatures, making useful items out of grass, Halloween masks, knife sharpening, dip stick art or any number of other off-the-wall subjects may, indeed, have an audience. It is up to you to find them.

Rather than marketing to the general public, however, you’ll need to seek out those individuals and groups who share your interest and go where they are.

So many authors make the mistake of producing a book and then trying to market it to the masses. Their focus should be the individual who shares their fascination with yarn pompoms, cork art, cat behavior, etc. or have a need to learn how to repair a hem, cut up a chicken, trim a dog’s nails or prepare items for the compost heap.

Your job as the author of a book is not to develop an interest as much as it is to locate those who already have the interest.

For over 250 tips and techniques for promoting all sorts of books, including fiction (which we’ll discuss tomorrow), order your copy of Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author. Order it at http://www.matilijapress.com or at amazon.com or any other online or downtown bookstore.

This week, I’ve been working with a children’s book writer and I came up with some resources that I thought I’d share with you.

If you are looking for library lists, here are some directories of libraries:
http://travelinlibrarian.info/libdir>
http://www.publiclibraries.com
http://www.americanlibrarydirectory.com

How are you going to use these links? To get lists of librarians and libraries you can contact with information about your book.

Make sure your book is suited to library inclusion:
• Hardback books are most desired, but well constructed paperbacks are also accepted. The book should have a spine. Saddle stitched and spiral bound books are not recommended.
• Librarians like reference books and informational books. They should have an index.
• Librarians also like children’s books—again hard covers last longer under library use.
• Librarians like getting discounts on books and gift books. Give local librarians copies of your latest book and other librarians in other areas may order it from your publisher, your distributor or you.

Here are a few directories of children’s book reviewers:
http://dir.yahoo.com/arts/humanities/literature/genres/children_s/reviews
http://www.bookreviewblogs.com (blogs that post reviews children’s and others)
http://www.eleanorsbooks.com/directories.htm (includes children’s book reviewers)
http://www.eleanorsbooks.combookreviews.htm (similar to the one above—but may have additional resources)

Do a search using keywords, “book reviewer directories children.”
Let me know what type of book you are promoting and I will try to provide some ideas for you in this blog.
In the meantime, be sure to order your print, Kindle or audio version of “Promote Your Book,” and/or “Talk Up Your Book,” for oodles and gobs of promotional ideas, tips, techniques and examples. Available at Amazon.com and most other online and downtown bookstores.

Do you have a recovery memoir with a helping feature or a self-help book for someone struggling through an illness, disease or the results of a serious accident, for example? Many people do, these days. And these books are not easy to market.

The problem is that most authors of such books attempt to promote to the mainstream reader and the percentage of people in the mainstream who are actually their audience is small. Here’s what I suggest:

1: Build a fabulous website where your book and your story are center stage. Promote that website through your promotional material, business cards, bio at the end of the articles you submit to magazines/newsletters, etc. and by linking to related websites.

2: Find books in the same category as yours and see if you can find out how they are selling and what promotional tactics the authors are using. Check out their media pages, their blog (where they might mention where they’ve been promoting their books and how). Do a search for books like yours and see where they’re showing up. Consider using some of the same methods and venues.

3: While book fairs and flea markets might be a good venue for children’s books and some intriguing novels and so forth, they often don’t attract enough of your particular readers. Instead have booths at health fairs and health and wellness trade shows.

4: Watch for local health-related activities occurring throughout the year and get involved.

5: Arrange to speak at health and wellness as well as medical conferences. You’ll find large and small health fairs all over the US and, I would imagine, health and wellness trade shows and conferences, not to mention medical conferences. Locate some of the activities/events. Start close to home if you want. (Directories of conferences below.) Start way before the event—like a year or 7 or 8 months. Study the conference website and see if you might have something to offer conference attendees. Would it be appropriate for you to speak to a group about your experience and the contents or an aspect of your books? If you can get a speaking slot at a conference, you will also have the opportunity to sell your books. Just the fact that you are speaking will result in added publicity, so even more people will learn about you and your books. Exposure, exposure, exposure.

Here are some conference directories:
http://shawguides.com
http://www.allconferences.com
http://www.bvents.com

Also do an Internet search to locate more using appropriate keywords.

If you need help with public speaking or any aspect of locating venues, preparing for a presentation, etc., order my latest book, “Talk Up Your Book, How to Sell Your Book Through Public Speaking, Signings, Festivals, Conferences and More.”

And for additional ideas and how-tos with regard to book promotion, “Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author.” Available at amazon.com in print, kindle and audio as well as most other online and downtown bookstores.

This week, I’m finally organizing my email list. I’ve been unable to figure out how to use folders to manage groups of emails in order to send automatic blasts of emails to my lists, so I hand type them. Big waste of time. I realize I’m a bit behind with technology. Not my strong suit.

But now I’m hooking up with a program that I can use to send to groups. I hope I am typing these email addresses for the last time.

I’ve typed 924 email addresses so far to insert into the new program and I have at least twice or three-times that many more to go. Where do I get these email addresses?

I collect business cards and promotional brochures from my audience—authors and hopeful authors. I offer freebies at my website and collect email addresses from those who download the freebie, I have sign-up sheets at my booths at book festivals and at my presentations. I ask for email addresses on my order forms for books and services. And I have collected email addresses from numerous clients and others who contact me with questions.

Here are some suggestions for your sign-up sheets. Generally, someone will sign up if they know they’re going to get something in return—an article or a report on their subject of interest, for example. I might offer my article on how to promote your ebook or 50 reasons why you should publish your book. You could have a sign-up sheet for your free enewsletter on the subject of your book.

Avoid problems with your sign-up sheet by creating large enough spaces to write in. As I go through my lists, I notice that where I’ve tried to get more names on a sheet—using narrower line spaces—I have more difficulty reading the addresses. Much easier where I’ve allowed plenty of line space.

Ask for the person’s name, too. Sometimes their name is reflected in their email address and one that is difficult to read will become more clear once you see the name. You might not know whether it is “robertsmillerton” or “robertamillerton” until you take a look at the name. Ah, “Roberta.” You may mistake “GloverNan” for CloverMan.” If you spent any time trying to decipher handwritten materials, you know the problems that can arise.

When you present a sign-up sheet, be sure to type at the top what it is for—“Free Resource List for Quilters” or “Free Chapter of New Novel,” etc.

Ask, in order to get the name and address. If you are in a booth, point out your sign-up sheet to those who walk up. If you are in front of a group giving a presentation, send a sign-up sheet around the room. Put the program chairperson or something else you trust in charge of the sheet. This works well for workshop-type or informational/educational presentations. For a more somber program or where you are entertaining rather than educating, you might have the sign-up sheet at your book signing table. Have someone sit at the table and catch folks as they come in and before they leave the event. An unmanned sign-up sheet often goes unnoticed.

The next time you go out to speak or to sell books at a signing or book festival, get more for your time and money by always providing a sign-up sheet. And then do as I am finally doing, manage those email addresses so it is relatively easy to make contact when you have something to share—a new book announcement, the launching of a newsletter directed at your audience, a workshop or contest you are sponsoring and so forth.

Are you planning to have a booth at a book festival, flea market or other festival or marketplace this year? Do you have a plan? Even a gimmick? Or do you believe that your book is so good that people will buy it as soon as they see it? It could happen. I’ve seen books attract the immediate attention of visitors and fly out of the booth. But that is a rare occasion.

I’ve been doing book festivals for nearly 20 years—maybe 50 or 60 of them total all over California as well as St. Louis, Tucson, New York, Atlanta and Arlington, TX. And I’ve seen all types of books and many different selling styles. Basically, those who sell books are personable, friendly and they know how to reach out and communicate with others without being pushy or obnoxious. These authors know how to connect with other people. They generally have books with a genuinely interesting story or premise and these books usually have a cover that is pleasing to the eye or, perhaps, intriguing.

Authors who can interest visitors in their books know how to describe their books. They may even ask the visitor a few questions before giving their spiel, so they are addressing the particular potential customer’s needs, desires in this topic or theme, for example.

These authors note benefits rather than features when describing their books. And some of them use gimmicks to attract people and sell books.

What are some of the gimmicks you can use? Here are a few:
• Give something away with the book. I know a lot of authors who place a CD in a pocket in the back of the book. But there are numerous items you can offer to those who purchase your book.

• Attract visitors to your booth by handing out candy, pencils, fans, tote bags, small water bottles, etc.

• Come up with a community project. This might be a giant crossword puzzle, a paint by number project, a writing challenge or a contest—how many pennies in the jar, book give-away activity…

• Ask booth visitors to help you come up with a title for your next book or to choose which cover they like best. Show them the trailer for your upcoming book to give them an idea of the content.

• Have a sign-up sheet so you can stay in touch with those who bought your book and those who did not. Email them periodically with news about your book, announcement of a new book, your appearances, etc.

I know a couple of authors who set up a small table outside of farmers’ markets and they sell a glass of lemonade for $10 each and give away a copy of their bathroom humor book with each glass. Others dress in costume to reflect the theme or their books.

There are many ways to use your personality and your imagination to make a bigger impression when you reserve a booth at a book festival. You’ll find additional ideas in my latest book, “Talk UP Your Book, How to Sell Books Through Public Speaking, Interviews, Signings, Festivals, Conferences and More.” Available at Amazon.com in print, Kindle and audio. Can also be purchased at my website and at many book festivals throughout California. http://www.matilijapress.com/TalkUpYourBook.html