This is day four of being a novelist. Are we having fun yet? Actually, the fun part, as most of you know, was writing it. Now I\u2019m learning new programs, I\u2019m exploring new ways of doing things and I\u2019m outside my comfort zone. I\u2019ve been promoting nonfiction for a long time. And here I am trying to get my footing within the realm of fiction. Who is my audience and where are they hiding? <\/p>\n
Actually, they aren\u2019t hiding. They\u2019re out there in plain sight providing all kinds of clues as to their locations, how to discover them and how to reach them. So I\u2019ll be following their trails.<\/p>\n
So far I have done a big mailing. My first mass emailing through a program. What an experience. I have a lot to learn about that program. I can tell you, though, that the results were phenomenal. My book, Catnapped<\/strong><\/em>, went from a ranking of over 600,000 to 350,000 and then to 62,000. Today it is hovering right around the 50,000 mark. For those of you who don\u2019t know, lower is better. You want to be number 1. <\/p>\n Now I often talk to you about the importance of making contacts and having connections way before you ever publish your novel, children\u2019s book or nonfiction book. And I have experienced the validity of that advice already this week. Editors of newsletters and enewsletters, leaders of organizations, authors with followings and others, when they learned of my latest project, have offered to spread the word. I have supported them in the past by showing up at their book signings, providing publicity for them through my blog, recommending their books in my books, joining their organizations, and so forth. So some of them are stepping up and offering to give my new novel a shout out to their readers\/members\/colleagues\/friends\/subscribers. Way cool.<\/p>\n I\u2019m telling you this to reinforce the advice I provide\u2014to make connections with the right people and to offer a helping hand when and where you can. If you promote someone else\u2019s book at your blogsite, perhaps they\u2019ll reciprocate when the time comes. If you inspire people to join an organization, the leaders may be willing to promote your book to their members. If you belong to clubs and organizations, you can most likely spread the news about your book through their newsletters, discussion groups, etc. If you\u2019ve been a loyal subscriber and\/or submitter to a particular newsletter or magazine, the editors will surely honor your request for a review. If you volunteer to work with an organizer of an event related to the topic or theme of your nonfiction book or novel, that organizer will most likely find a way to help you in your promotional efforts\u2014give you a break on a booth at a book festival, offer you a speaking slot, etc.<\/p>\n It is heartening to have colleagues offer their help and influence when you are faced with the daunting task of promoting a new book\u2014especially if it is your first book ever or your first in that genre. Please believe me and take steps now to prepare for your book\u2019s debut.<\/p>\n In the meantime, please check out my latest book\u2014 Catnapped, A Klepto Cat Mystery<\/strong><\/em>. It\u2019s at: http:\/\/amzn.to\/14OCk0W<\/a> It\u2019s on Kindle only at present for $2.99. If you don\u2019t have a Kindle, you can download the Kindle program on your Android, iPad or iPhone. And if you like this book, there are more to come\u2014I have 2 more Klepto Cat Mysteries in the pipeline. Both will most likely launch sometime this year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This is day four of being a novelist. Are we having fun yet? Actually, the fun part, as most of you know, was writing it. Now I\u2019m learning new programs, I\u2019m exploring new ways of doing things and I\u2019m outside my comfort zone. I\u2019ve been promoting nonfiction for a long time. And here I am […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5,21],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t