Writing and Publishing News from

August 22, 2011

Be Careful What You Write and How You Write it

Filed under: Editing — Patricia @ 5:24 am

Are you an astute self-editor? Do you thoroughly check every submission, blog post and email before sending them out? Are you careful to always make a good impression with anything you write?

Sure, we all make mistakes. We miss errors and fail to notice problem areas in our manuscripts and email. But I believe it is the job of a writer who wants to be thought of and perceived as a writer to always ALWAYS make the best written presentation possible.

I get emails personally and through SPAWN with all sorts of problems—no capitalization, minimal punctuation, misspelled words, etc. When this person is asking how to get published or how to submit stories to magazines, my instinct is to first suggest he or she go back to school or hire an English tutor. What are they thinking?

It is easy to overlook errors in your writing, especially if you write a lot and you can compose letters and stories/articles rather quickly. That’s why I always reread what I write, even when it is a simple email to a friend.

I can’t tell you how many times, in my haste, I type the wrong word—“our” instead of “out,” “her” instead of “here,” “of” instead of “or,” “thee” instead of “there” or “were” instead of “where” for example. It is easy to do when you write a lot and when you write lickity split.

If you want to be respected as a writer, pay close attention to the material you are putting out there. And this is important whether you are typing a quick email to a friend (or an editor) or you are creating a promotional piece for your newly published book or you are working on your novel. Your presentation really DOES make a difference.

It’s easy to overlook errors. We all do it. And mistakes are especially common in work that has been revised over and over again. Not too long ago someone let me know that I’d misused an apostrophe in the title of one of my blog posts. Sure enough, there was my mistake for all to see. I so appreciate the kind blog visitor for pointing this out to me.

I think it is a nice gesture to let someone know when they’ve committed an editorial blunder. But not everyone will thank you. I once sent a note to a well-known newsletter editor letting her know that two-spaces between sentences was no longer an accepted practice. It is now one-space after all punctuation. She snapped back that she knows that, but she prefers not to try to change an old habit.

So what is my message for today? If you want to enter into the world of writing as a respected freelance writer or author, you really must present yourself in the best light possible in everything you write. One way to do this is by checking and double/triple checking every piece of writing you produce before sending it out.

Learn more about me and my work here:
http://www.patriciafry.com
http://www.matiljapress.com

Order my new book, Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author. http://amzn.to/oe56Ia

Read what others are saying about this book—on the book page. Last time I checked, this book had 14 five-star reviews.

August 21, 2011

How to Get Book Reviews

Filed under: Book Promotion — Patricia @ 5:37 am

Two new reviews appeared at my new book’s Amazon page this weekend—both 5-star reviews. Excellent.

The book is, “Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author.”

One reviewer says: “If you’re looking for a combination road map, recipe and shopping list for developing a marketing plan for your book, this is it. Be prepared to take notes. The information will be coming at you rapid-fire like popping corn in an open skillet.”

She also says: “If you don’t emerge from reading Promote Your Book with at least a couple dozen new ideas on how to market your book, you haven’t been paying close enough attention.”

Another author wrote: “This is a ‘must have’ book for all authors in today’s publishing world.”

So how do you get reviews for your book posted at Amazon and other places? Ask for them.

• Keep track of your customers and ask them if they would write a review of your book—or at least give you a brief one-liner you can use in promoting it. For example, “Apple Betty says: “I couldn’t put it down.” Or Sam Strong calls this book, “Absolutely delightful and really funny.”

• Ask friends, neighbors, co-workers and others who are avid readers or who can relate to the theme or genre of your book to read it and comment.

• Invite experts and professionals within the genre/topic of your book for a written or verbal review after they have read it.

• Send your book to reviewers in your genre/topic as well as to some general reviewers. Many of them today will accept the e-file.

Sure, you’re taking a huge chance when you start asking for reviews, that’s why you want to present the best book possible. So good reviews start way before your book is a book. How can you ensure good reviews?

• Write a book that is wanted/needed.
• Keep your audience in mind throughout the writing process.
• Write with clarity and a good sense of organization.
• Edit, edit, edit.
• Hire a good book editor for the final edit.
• Work with a professional on the cover design and page layout.

Once you’ve produced the best book that you can, following advice from the professionals in your field/genre, it is pretty much up to the reader/reviewer after that. Some will love your book, others will be mildly interested in it and still others may have strong issues with it for some valid or even unfounded reason. Authors have no control over sour grapes or unreasonable prejudices, for example.

If you have a book in the works or in the marketplace, do yourself and your project a huge favor and purchase my book today: Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author. http://amzn.to/oe56Ia

Check out all of the 14 five-star reviews.

http://www.patriciafry.com
http://www.matilijapress.com

August 20, 2011

How to Make Money as an Author

Filed under: Authorship,Book Promotion — Patricia @ 5:04 am

The early stages of book promotion can be exhilarating. How, you might ask? Because, if you’re doing your homework—if you’re spreading the word far and wide about your book—you receive nice little (and big) gifts throughout your days. You get a review here, a mention there, invitations to speak and all sorts of recognition. Friends, colleagues and even strangers will comment about your book at their blog sites and other social media. You’re invited to post at appropriate blog sites and submit articles to newsletters. And if there is an article in your hometown newspaper featuring you and your book, you’ll receive attention from locals. And book sales may soar… at first.

It’s fun and exciting. But this, too, will pass. What does that mean? It means that your book will sell and the attention last only for as long as you are making it happen. Stop promoting and go back to your writing desk and everything positive surrounding your new book will cease to exist. You will become another working writer and your book will begin to stagnate.

So how can you keep your new book alive? What can you do to encourage sales now and in the future? Treat your book as if it is always just a week old. Promote with the kind of enthusiasm you had in the beginning. And treat your potential audience as if they have never heard of your book before, because many of them haven’t—or they’ve forgotten about the book until they see it a second, third or tenth time.

Just as you must continue writing until the book is completed, you must continue promoting your book until you have sold the number of books you hope to sell. For most authors there is no ending number. You want your novel to forever entertain readers. You hope that your children’s book will live among the classics for generations. And you dream of your business, informational or how-to book helping people for years to come. If your book is evergreen and if you are clear on who your audience is and if you promote, promote, promote, this certainly can happen.

If you need some promotional ideas and guidance in how to promote your book and keep the interest going, read my latest book, Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for Enterprising Authors (Allworth Press, 2011). Order your copy at Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/oe56Ia

Here are comments from readers:

“It’s got a little something for everyone, from the nouveau author to the seasoned professional.”

“This book is a must have for anyone with a book or about to have a book.”

“It doesn’t matter if you write fiction or nonfiction as the tips listed within can be adapted for virtually any genre.”

“You will find a treasure trove of tips in Promote Your Book that will help you market your own book on a shoestring budget.”

“I predict that this book will become the bible for authors advancing their books into the marketplace.”

“I found myself making notes while reading so that I could fully utilize these ideas for my recently released mystery novel.”

“Best I have seen and I have read dozens.”

Learn more about Patricia Fry and her books here:
http://www.patriciafry.com
http://www.matilijapress.com

August 19, 2011

Is Book Promotion For You?

Filed under: Book Promotion — Patricia @ 6:33 am

Why is it so important to promote your book? Why is it necessary to reach out in so many different ways in an attempt to bring attention to yourself and to your book? Why can’t authors just trust that the wonderful, amazing book they have just produced will be noticed? You already put tons of time and energy into the writing of it. Isn’t that enough? Won’t your efforts be recognized?

Yes, they will—but only after you do appropriate promotion to make it happen. In this highly competitive publishing climate, the books that are noticed are those that are being constantly pointed to, referred to, showcased, mentioned, written about and spoken of.

May I remind you that in 2008 (I believe it was), it was noted that over 76 percent of books failed in the marketplace. That is, they sold fewer than 100 copies during that year. Why do books fail? For two reasons:

• Authors don’t understand their role in the promotion of their books.
• Authors become discouraged and quit promoting.

The thing is, your book will sell for as long as you are willing to promote it. And it’s never too late to promote your book.

Some of you are actually promoting to the wrong audience. You may have written a bulldozer book—a book designed to change minds or hearts. You may have an audience for that book, but, perhaps, not the one you are aiming for. I wrote my little ebook, The Author’s Repair Kit, with you in mind. This book is designed to help you heal your publishing mistakes and breathe new life into your book. Check it out here: http://www.matilijapress.com/author_repairkit.html

As many of you know, I’ve been promoting a new book for authors. This is a must-have book for every future, new and struggling author. Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author is packed with information and guidance about book promotion as well as hundreds of ideas for authors in every genre, category and ability.

Book promotion is a reality for authors. Prepare yourself NOW. Order this five-star book and keep it at your elbow throughout the promotion process. http://amzn.to/oe56Ia

Read what others are saying about this book at the book page at Amazon. Also read an interview with me, Patricia Fry at Brian Feinblum’s BookMarketingBuzzBlog August 18, 2011. And read what Khalid at Jumbo Publishing Blog says about the book.

http://www.matilijapress.com
http://www.patriciafry.com

August 18, 2011

The Author’s Comfort Zone: Will you Settle or Grow?

Filed under: Authorship,Book Promotion — Patricia @ 5:34 am

Are you a silent author? Do you have a published book that isn’t selling very well? Maybe it’s because you aren’t talking about it. If you are timid about jumping into the limelight—you would rather not have to actively promote your book—then you really can’t expect to make many sales. It’s as simple and as complicated as that.

I’ve been involved in the publishing industry for a long time. And I’ve met many different types of authors. While some of you are amazingly creative and energetic marketers, others simply despise the idea of promotion. That’s why, when I wrote my book, “Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author,” I included a section telling how to promote your book without changing your lifestyle too much. I’ve outlined book promotion ideas you can pursue without stepping too far outside your comfort zone.

Here are a few that might appeal to you:
• Create amazing promotional material from home and send it out via regular mail and email to everyone you know. I know one author who slips her promo material in with her bills when she pays them. She even uses those paid return envelopes to promote her books. Does it pay off? She says the definitely gets an order from time to time using this method.

• Get your book into catalogs. You can create your own catalog of books, enter your book into catalogs produced by your publisher and/or your authors’ organizations and seek out catalogs related to the theme of your book. Here are a couple of mail order catalog directory sites. http://www.catalogs.com and http://www.catalogcentral.com

• Engage in piggyback marketing. Find an author with a book that compliments yours. When you send out a book order, include their promotional material and ask them to include yours with their shipments.

• Bundle your book. Arrange with another author to purchase a carton of their books at a discounted rate to sell along with your book at a special purchase price. Advertise the “book bundle” opportunity at your website. You might offer compatible books that would normally sell at $39.95 total for $32.00, for example.

• Locate appropriate blogsites and volunteer to be a guest blogger or to participate in an online interview. Your blog or your interview would appear at the blog site along with information about your book.

While I strongly urge authors to become assertively proactive when it comes to promoting their books, I realize that there are people who just don’t have it in them to do so. To those of you who can’t mentally or physically promote your books in any sort of big way, I suggest that you lower your expectations. You probably won’t experience anything but the pleasure of authorship and only mild success. If you want more, you will have to grow enormously and expand on your skills and abilities.

If you fear the very thought of speaking in public or even talking to a coworker about your book, you really ought to take steps to overcome this obstacle. Join a Toastmasters Club near you, for example. http://www.toastmasters.org and then practice, practice, practice. You’ll achieve much more in authorship as well as in life if you are willing to step outside your comfort zone.

If you have a book in the works or you are struggling to promote one, be sure to order my latest book. It has 12 five-star reviews at Amazon.com. “Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author.” http://amzn.to/oe56Ia

August 17, 2011

It Takes a Village to Build a Good Book

Filed under: Authorship,Writing — Patricia @ 5:02 am

As most of you know, I work with clients on their book projects. I edit and do some consulting work. I teach several online courses: on writing a book proposal, book promotion, self-publishing, establishing your platform and others. I also field questions throughout my work week from hopeful, struggling and some pretty savvy authors as the executive director of SPAWN and as an experienced professional.

Earlier this week, after I responded to a couple of questions with regard to a client’s book in progress, she wrote back saying how much she appreciated my advice and guidance. She said she just couldn’t have accomplished as much as she has without my help. That’s when I responded by saying that it takes a village to build a good book.

I thought about this statement and realized how very true it is. An astute, aware author can learn so much, gain incredible insight and benefit from the experiences and wisdom of others if only he or she will reach out.

This morning, again, I suggested to a new author that she join a writers club and start attending their critique group in order to learn how to strengthen her writing and appropriately focus her book. A good critique group can do wonders for a writer who doesn’t yet have a handle on how to adequately (or eloquently) communicate through the written word. For some, eloquence comes naturally. For others, simple communication is a struggle.

But who should you listen to? How do you locate a suitable critique group? How do you know when they are pointing you in the right direction?

Sure everyone has an opinion and not all of them are useful. That’s where intuition (that gut feeling) comes in. If the critique makes sense to you—if your writing is better when you apply certain techniques or rules—then probably you are on the right track with this suggestion. If you’re still confused after someone helps you with a paragraph or a chapter, if members of the group do not agree with the advice, if it just doesn’t feel right, perhaps the suggestion isn’t valid.

And it depends on who the guidance comes from. I’m working with a client as we speak—trying to get him to change the title and cover of his pending book. From my point of view, which is enforced by years of publishing and book marketing experience, his title and his cover design are all wrong. Yet he has been attached to the title and the concept since even before he began writing the book. I’ve tried to persuade him to give up his cover idea a couple of times before. Now that I see the reality of his vision, I am even more adamant that he reconsider. It’s a case where the book cover and the content are at odds with one another. The cover, in my opinion, speaks to a different audience than the book, itself, does. Not a good marketing move.

The author is still thinking about my advice.

This author has accepted my suggestions on many points. He has also solicited feedback from other members of the “village” by sending sections of his book to appropriate medical professionals. And he is listening to them with an open mind and incorporating their expertise into this book in order to benefit his readers.

A lot of authors bring others into their books before making any solid publishing decisions. What do I suggest to authors? What sort of feedback do I recommend?

For Nonfiction:
• Ask key people in your industry or field to fact-check your text.
• Request additional resources.
• Brainstorm your title/subtitle with colleagues/friends.
• Show your cover design around and listen to the feedback.

For Fiction:
• Ask members of your audience to test read your book.
• Ask a few experts to fact-check your historical data, etc.
• Discuss your cover design with artists, authors and publishers.

For a Children’s Book:
• Invite children’s librarians and educators to examine your book for age appropriateness.
• Ask an expert within the subject matter to review it—animal behavior, dental health, ecology, child psychology, etc.
• Read it to children and observe their reactions.

As an author, you have many things to think about. Take the extra step before you publish or even before you write your book and get some peer and experienced feedback. Use what you learn to make your book the best that it can be.

http://www.patriciafry.com
http://www.matilijapress.com

August 16, 2011

Make More Money Writing for Magazines

Filed under: Article-Writing — Patricia @ 5:30 am

I have been in book promotion mode—giving interviews, responding to questions for blogs, sending out notices about my new book, stopping in at downtown bookstores, sending out review copies, setting up speaking engagements and so forth. And I have been offering a lot of information and perspective for authors through this blog. Today, I thought I’d blog for my freelance writer friends.

I’m sort of in freelance writing mode these days for two reasons. I’ve been submitting articles to a lot of writers’/authors’ publications in order to promote my new book on book promotion. And I’ve also been compiling the SPAWN Market Update and it is heavy with material, suggestions, ideas, leads and resources for the freelance writer. In fact, I always provide quite a bit of material for article and story writers. This month I am focusing on magazines—both consumer and trade—that use the profile/interview piece. Last month, I featured magazines that use how-tos. In July, I wrote about placing the essay. In June I covered some of the less-likely magazines that carry travel articles. I’ve also featured trade publications and high paying magazines that you may not know about.

The thing is, most of us, when we decide to write for magazines, zero in on those that are well-known and high-paying. When I was earning my living writing for magazines for all of those years, few people had ever heard of most magazines I wrote for. And some of them paid quite well. Some of them were only mediocre when it came to their pay scale, but they were reliable and they liked my work. I earned thousands over the years writing for some obscure magazines fairly regularly such as The Toastmaster Magazine, Business Start-Ups, The World and I, Signs of the Times, Communication Briefing, St. Anthony Messenger and so forth.

I also wrote for the trades on occasion. Even though I am not enmeshed in any of these industries, I was able to sell a few pieces to trade magazines related to the hairstyling business, farming, management, commercial art, massage, church administration, education, engineering, public services and others.

How can you break into a magazine on a topic you are not familiar with? Bring in a topic that you are familiar with. For example, most businesses have a management element and there are numerous issues that you could cover within the management realm that don’t necessarily have to do with designing financial portfolios, manufacturing widgets, etc. Workers within many industries might be interested in reading about how to get along with your passive aggressive manager, dealing with the irate customer, using intuition in the workplace, tips for having a more productive afternoon at work, how to make the most of your weekend off, etc.

Many trade and consumer magazines use profile or interview pieces. Just locate someone related to the industry or topic (growing, aviation, hobbies/crafts, fashion, art, public speaking, etc) and interview them for the appropriate publication. I interviewed a former Miss America for an issue of The Toastmaster Magazine once. I interviewed a customer service manager in a large firm years ago and wrote several articles for a variety of magazines on how to handle the irate customer. I interviewed well-known artists, heads of humane organizations for animals and so forth.

You can do the same. If you want to write articles for magazines, consider joining SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) where you have access to the monthly SPAWN Market Update. I always include a meaty section filled with Opportunities for Freelance Writers, often including job boards. Of course, the archives are always available to members, as well. It’s $65/year. http://www.spawn.org

As a SPAWN member, you also have access to other freelance writers through our discussion group, SPAWNDiscuss. Sign up for our FREE enewsletter, SPAWNews and receive a FREE ebooklet for writers, authors and artists who have something to market.

I also offer an online course for freelance writers who need a nudge: http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm

Learn more about me and my work: http://www.patriciafry.com

August 15, 2011

Book Promotion By Design

Filed under: Book Promotion — Patricia @ 6:31 am

We’ve talked before about the importance of your audience. Most authors, however, don’t even consider their audiences until they have a published book. The author writes in solitude, chooses a cover design that resonates with him and then a publisher. When he finally has a book in his hands, THEN he goes in search of readers.

Doesn’t this seem like the wrong way to approach a business as competitive and tough as publishing?

One thing that makes this such a difficult business for most authors is the fact that they don’t approach it as a business. They think that publishing is an extension of their writing and that they can enter into the world of publishing using the same mindset and skills they used in their writing room for all of those months/years. You have people without a business head crashing through professional barriers with, sometimes, inferior books and no intentions of following any sort of business protocol. All they want is for people to read their books and they have no idea how to get from point A (they have a published book) to point B (getting people to buy and read that book). In fact, before they published, many of them didn’t even know that it would be up to them to deal with marketing and sales. The last thing they remember thinking was, “I want to write a book.”

A lot can happen and a whole lot needs to be considered between that first thought, “I want to write a book,” and the actuality of being a published author. Many of you reading this right now know exactly what I’m saying. You remember your first publishing experience and all of the things you learned after making tons of mistakes. Right? Some of you walked away from publishing extremely disappointed. And many others used what they learned toward their next publishing projects.

Folks, you absolutely must begin considering your audience at the very moment that you decide to write for publication. And never lose sight of them throughout the process. Write for your audience. Design and organize your book for your audience. Create a cover that will resonate with your audience—speak to them—rather than to please or thrill yourself. And, when it comes time to present your book to your audience, you will know who they are, what they want/need, where they are and how to approach them with your marvelous book.

Your Book Cover
I mentioned your book cover in passing. But I’m here to tell you that it is highly important to the success of your book. While there is no one right cover for your novel or nonfiction book, there certainly are right and wrong ways to approach your book cover.

Again, if you sincerely and accurately keep your particular audience in mind when you design (or okay the design) of your cover, you probably can’t go wrong. Here are some things to consider:

• Is your cover eye-catching—appealing?
• Does your cover accurately identify the nature of your book?
• Is the title meaningful to your audience—especially for a nonfiction book?
• Is the lettering sharp and easy-to-read?
• Does the graphic relate well to the theme of the book?

Some authors choose their title long before they write the book because it has meaning to them. It might also have an obscure implication that only a few members of the public understands. But if it is not clear to the majority of your audience, they won’t be picking up your book when they see it in stores. Nor will they click to order it when they see it online or in a catalog. You could probably sell it in the back of the room when you give presentations because you’ve explained what the book is about.

But an author should not have to explain his or her book at all. That is the job of the cover—front and back. The front cover identifies the nature or theme of the book—self-help for recovering addicts, military memoir, handbook for caregivers or a historical novel, for example. The back cover gives more detail about what to expect from the reading experience.

Learn more about how to build promotion into your book as well as how to promote your published book by reading my NEW book, Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author. http://amzn.to/oe56Ia

http://www.patriciafry.com
http://www.matilijapress.com

August 14, 2011

Why Author’s Must Say “Yes”

Filed under: Book Promotion — Patricia @ 5:37 am

I have a new book out—it’s a little over a week old now. And, in the midst of all of the promotion I’m doing, I’m also getting a lot of invitations, requests and propositions. So how should a busy author respond? By saying, “Yes.”

The requests for interviews and review copies; the invitations to speak, to sign books, to be a guest blogger, etc. need to be acknowledged now. You must say yes and you need to follow through.

It’s never too late to promote your book. In fact, book promotion is ongoing for as long as you hope to sell copies of your book. But it’s during those first weeks and months, when the book is new, that you should focus on promotion almost exclusively.

If you cannot spend hours every day promoting your newly published book for several months, then you should probably table the book until you do have the time. Those authors I know who could only give their books a smidgen of attention for a week or ten days, are not selling books. I know one author who got nice write-ups in two newspapers and that was it. She is sitting on boxes and boxes of books because she just doesn’t have the time to spend promoting it.

Not every potential customer will purchase your book the first time they hear about it or see it. People do not remember. We have to be reminded over and over again about your wonderful book. You don’t reach every potential customer with one or two attempts. Your customers are all over the place and they each respond to different messages, presented different ways, in different venues. Some may be very interested in your book, but not today. If they never see or hear about your book again, they may never consider purchasing it again.

However, if this individual sees your book on growing medicinal herbs in your kitchen, at the pharmacy and again in a write-up in the newspaper and from you when you speak at her garden club meeting and then again in the nursery she frequents and at the local farmers market, she’s bound to eventually buy a copy. If she likes it and she continues to hear about it and see it, she might purchase copies for gifts throughout the year.

What happens if she doesn’t see the book around town or hear about it? She will forget about it, right?

Some authors are afraid of or they resist spending money. Hey, if you go into any other business, you will expect to spend money on advertising, advice/counsel, supplies and so forth. Don’t lose sight of the fact that publishing is a business and, if you want to succeed, you must probably spend a little money. On what, you might ask? I’m sending out a lot of review copies right now. The publisher sent quite a number of them, but I am responsible for the review copies that go out from now on and each book that goes out costs me money. Is it worth the cost? Sure, if you’re sending books to the right reviewers.

Consider, where will the review appear: In a magazine or newsletter, at a blog or website, at amazon.com? Is this publication or other venue read or visited by your specific audience? How many people will likely see the review? It might help if you would follow-up on the posted or published review by offering to be a guest blogger, by submitting articles to the publication, by participating in or launching a contest at an appropriate website where they featured your book.

If you need additional help, suggestions, ideas, tips and resources to guide you in creating your marketing plan, read my book, Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for Enterprising Authors. Order your copy at amazon.com now. http://amzn.to/oe56Ia

http://www.patriciafry.com
http://www.matilijapress.com

August 13, 2011

Can Cupcakes Sell Books?

Filed under: Book Promotion — Patricia @ 6:01 am

I am pretty excited this morning so I’m not sure I can write a meaningful blog post for you. What is so exciting? The one photo that I entered in the county fair WON the People’s Choice Award. This means that, even while the judges didn’t give it a ribbon, the people visiting the photography exhibit voted it best of show.

This is a photo of my mom’s cat, Smokey, leaping, quite unexpectedly, out of some bushes and flowers in pursuit of a bee. I was trying to get a sweet shot of him peering out from behind some flowers. At the moment I pressed the shutter release button, I heard Smokey crashing through the bushes and thought—“darn it, I missed the shot.” When I looked at my digital camera screen, however, I saw the most marvelous action shot I’ve ever taken. And this is the photo I entered in the local fair.

People’s Choice Award. Wow!

If you want to see the photo visit my Catscapades blog at http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades

In the meantime, I am attending a friend’s book signing today. Do you support your friends, authors from your writers’ group and other local authors by attending their book signings? You should. We should all help and support each other by attending library events featuring authors, book signings wherever they are being held, public presentations by authors, etc. Not only is it a nice thing to do, you could learn volumes—that is, if you pay attention.

Observe what makes this event successful or unsuccessful. What would you do differently as far as the program or your approach? Did the author advertise—how, through what channels? Is this author able to engage attendees or is she/he stand-offish? What sort of book display does the author have? Is it attractive? What gimmick does the author use to entice interaction with attendees?

The signing I’m attending today is at a cupcake bakery. Strange place, you say? Well, not really. The book, “I Murdered the PTA,” has a cupcake on the cover. The main character refers to the women in PTA as “cupcakes.” Here’s an example of a novelist using a nonfiction hook to promote her book. Can’t wait to get my mouth around one of those yummy cupcakes today. What a treat!

http://www.matilijapress.com
http://www.patriciafry.com

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