Once again, with the upcoming release of a new book, I am attempting to integrate additional lessons into my author knowledge base.
You're a writer. You have a novel published or are waiting to hear back from an agent/editor/critique partner. You click around on Facebook or Twitter and find that someone you know has a bright shiny new book deal!
As authors, you know there are a lot of marketing options for promoting your book these days. There's publicity, advertising and of course social media, but before you invest your money and time, it is important to know the benefits and challenges of the three types of marketing options.
I have several friends who are brilliant, dedicated academics. They write excellent books, teach at colleges and universities, and are standouts in their fields. You might want to know where they are speaking next and what they are currently researching, but you'd be hard-pressed to find them on the web.
If you want to write books, publish them and sell them, you need to make an investment in your career and brand, and today that investment means having a digital marketing strategy all year round.
Direct email marketing allows you to do three things at once: remind people of your work, promote your work and boost book sales.
My goal is to get my book in front of as many readers' eyes in as many ways as possible. It seemed simplistic when I said it, but really -- other than that which exists to serve ones ego, what else is there for a writer?
People will ask me all the time, "Why do I need a publicist?" If you have to ask the question, chances are you probably need one. Being a publicist is more than just knowing how to craft a snazzy email, it's a process and an ongoing effort.
In the past few years, there have been so many changes in the book industry, and in technology, that sometimes my only guide has been my intuition. Fortunately, our missteps can often teach us more than flawless execution.
Stay curious and alert at all times because all it takes is one story or "hook" and you could get the exposure that will help increase the visibility of you and your work.
Publicity is like planting a seed. You have to nurture it, give it plenty of time and attention and it will grow.
Most authors know that a public relations effort for their book is essential for their success. But, how do you choose the right PR firm for your book
Last week, Joya Banerjee published a distressing account at Slate of an anti-circumcision fringe group's efforts to bury a book about the AIDS epidemic under a pile of blistering customer reviews. It seems the tactic worked.
We saw that while there were tons of great books on publicity, marketing, 'how to's' on everything from getting an agent to publishing without one, there was a missing piece: what to do when you actually catch the gold ring of a publishing contract?
The pathway to success in book publishing is not found in the snake oil of fake reviews. Just because something can be done online, does not mean it should be.
Here are 12 ways to be more strategic about your time on Twitter.
I recently saw my book, Broken Piano climb, shockingly, to the sixth bestseller on Amazon. Like most good surprises in life, it had nothing to do with my hard work and foresight. Like most surprises, it stemmed from a potential lawsuit.
Wannabe authors imagine that once they get published, life will be glorious. That's because they haven't thought much about bad reviews. Every author gets them, and sometimes they're crushing.
A book promotion might pay off in increased book sales. But you have to be lucky. That said, book promotion campaigns are excellent opportunities for authors.
I love my job. I know it's important. I find joy in doing it well... but unless I am risking my life or the lives of others, my job cannot be that stressful.
There are some differences in how traditional and indie books are publicized, but those differences are shrinking by the nanosecond.
As weird as this may sound coming from a book publicist, I've always looked to politics as the ultimate model for what I do.
Who am I to think that my novel is good enough to be published? Am I now as pathetic as those street poets I used to see in Berkeley, peddling their sappy, mistake-laden chapbooks for a dollar a copy? And how the hell does a writer act as her own publicist?
The covers we choose for our books are much more significant than many authors think. There's nothing wrong with designing your own cover -- if you're actually a cover designer. Otherwise, you should leave it to the pros.
Your pitches do matter, and media decision-makers take them seriously. That's why you want to avoid sending pitches that could sabotage your chances as you conduct your book promotion campaign.
