7 Powerful Book Promotion Ideas for Self-Published Authors

A passion for writing doesn’t always go hand in hand with a desire to monetize your work. However, if you’d like to share your writing gift with the world and still make money, it’s imperative to learn about the best ways to promote your book. It’s important to identify your goals beforehand because successful book promotion requires deliberate planning and execution. 

Promoting your book may seem like a daunting task at first but it doesn’t have to be. It involves communicating with your target audience in ways that make them want to buy your book. In this article, we’re going to cover 7 book promotion ideas that will help you reach your target audience and sell more books. 

1. Create a Blog or Website 

Nowadays, it's impossible to think about marketing without talking about content marketing. It's one of the most effective ways of gaining organic SEO and works for the long term. The same case applies to promoting your book. 

Having a blog that’s tailored to your target audience is a good way to attract readers that would have otherwise not heard about your book had you opted to market it using other methods. You should blog regularly on interesting topics and incorporate insights from your book. 

A blog also avails the opportunity to create a buzz about an upcoming book publishing launch. You can use the opportunity to give away free books or post a few excerpts which will leave the reader yearning for more. If all goes well, they’ll end up buying the book to read more. 

If you don’t know how to go about writing your blog, hire a writer who has specialized in your niche. 

2. Increase your Online Digital Footprint 

There are a few ways to increase your online presence. The first one involves creating accounts on different social media accounts. Social media marketing is one of the most effective methods to reach your target audience and one which won’t cost you any money. 

It's however important to identify which medium resonates with your target audience based on their demography. For example, Instagram is popular among young people while a more mature audience prefers Twitter. 

If you prefer to use over one social media platform, put out unique content instead of copy and paste. 

The second one involves guest posting on high-traffic websites. When guest posting, it's important to include a link that redirects readers to your website. One such site is wow-womenonwriting.com. 

3. Learn From Those Who Have Gone Before you 

"A fool learns from their mistakes while a wise person learns from other peoples’ mistakes” is a common saying but one that carries a lot of weight. Learning from successful publishers who have gone before you will help you avoid making the same mistakes they did. You can benefit from identifying what they are doing right and help you sell more books. 

Reading books from authors in your niche will help you identify the tone and phrases that resonate with readers and by doing so, it will help you sharpen your writing craft. Other things you should look out for is how they are doing their covers and designs and hopefully, this will help you when designing your books. 

4. The Power of Reviews 

Some marketers have termed reviews as the best form of marketing. One advantage of reviews is that they don’t cost you any money. One of the most effective ways to get quality reviews is by using former reviews and sending them a copy of your book. If you’re a new publisher, you can use Amazon’s top reviewers who are in your niche. 

When requesting reviews, patience is key. Sometimes, you'll have to request a referral more than once from the same individual. However, keep your tone friendly to avoid appearing being pushy. 

5. Write an Enticing Book Blurb 

Blurbs are short promotional pieces ranging from 100 to 150 words that go on the back cover of a book. You should use strong words to write the introduction to capture the attention of the reader right away. Follow it up with the core of the book without giving everything away or the readers might end up losing interest in the book. 

Last, the introduction should entice the reader to grab their copy to read more. You can achieve this by addressing who the target audience is and why they should get their copy. 

6. Invest in a Good Cover Designer 

When thinking about how to get a book published, don't forget about the cover! We have only one chance to make a good first impression. It doesn’t matter how good your book is if it’s not attractive to the eye. Investing in a good cover designer is one of the most effective ways to attract readers to buy and read your book. 

7. Maximize your Distribution Channels 

Amazon is one of the most popular distributors of books from traditional book publishing companies. They have also had 2 self-publishing subsidiaries. If you combine Amazon with iBooks, Barnes & Noble’s Nook, and Kobo, you’re bound to benefit from increased book sales. If you identify one is doing better than the other, it’s best to concentrate your effort there. 

If you opt for a traditional book publisher, they will not only publish your book but also promote it. All that’s required of you as the writer is to put out good content. If you’re self-publishing a book, you’ll require targeted promotion methods to capture your target audience. If you read this article and still don’t know where to begin when promoting your book, don’t be afraid to ask for help from someone who has gone before you.

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Leave a Comment book promotion ideas, book promotion tips, self-publishing, social media platform, writing a book blurb

Friday Speak Out!: Meta-Notes on my COVID Book Launch

by Heather Siegel

I finally launched my book last month, which took 3 years to write and 2 years to see through to publication. Once I got over the bummer of not having my event at Barnes & Noble and embraced my backyard as the only viable venue, I invited a few neighbors to bring lawn chairs and masks, made individual plates of cheese and crackers, and dug out my daughter’s karaoke mic (4 minutes before going live on Facebook... turns out it was in the vacuum closet). Trucks rambled by in the background, people commented they couldn’t hear me, and one guy complimented my speaking, noting I also say “um” too much. He’s right, and one day I will get media training. For now, um is my crux when I throw a social distancing gathering and act as the entertainment.

Overall, however, the launch was successful-- which is why I’m offering this meta-reflection for those who may have COVID launches. My reading elicited over 1,600 views, which is a decent number in my indie world of writing. My last launch, held at a bookstore, drew in 75 people- and that was via emails, personal invites, texts, and good old-fashioned begging.

I also received over 200 positive comments through Facebook Live, which I believe helped increase viewership. Had I done the reading at the store, I may only have posted still pictures of the event, knowing how much I despise seeing myself read. If the bookstore manager had insisted upon a video, it likely would have been through Zoom or CrowdCast, which while great, would have limited my invites to my contact list, and not allowed for people to casually drop in, as the Facebook Live event did.

I also learned a few things. Besides that I need to put the karaoke mic back in the same place, and wear pants and not a short skirt, to minimize underwear-obsessing, working with what you have and doing what you can in this strange time, as well as having a sense of humor about this whole business of writing and presenting books, is healthy for the ego.

Of course, looking back—and speaking to fellow writers—there were ways I could have improved this impromptu launch. This would have included sound checks and better equipment. While I had originally purchased a podcast mic, I didn’t realize until minutes before I went live that I would not be able to present my book and simultaneously read and respond to audience comments, and so the mic became useless as I handed off my phone to a friend who acted as a liaison between me and the Facebook audience. Now, I think I could have filmed a Facebook Live with my computer, and handed my phone to that friend to read off comments, resulting in the same interactive dynamic, only with better video and sound.

I could have also planned my content better- preparing talking points, and passages to read. Since my memoir includes letters I write to “the universe,” asking for help with life issues, I chose to ask this same universe for help in choosing passages, which was, of course, silly. As one writer-friend later told me, “YOU are in charge of your book reading.” Also, remembering to slow down might have helped combat my umms, or perhaps, as fellow-professionals have suggested, preparing beforehand via something like Toastmaster.

Still, even with the glitches, I am happy I jumped in carefree, as the reading felt organic and authentic, and might even be part of the charm of why people have been watching it.

Then again, who knows, maybe the universe did assist.

* * *

Heather Siegel is the author of THE KING & THE QUIRKY: A Memoir of Love, Marriage, Domesticity, Feminism & Self (Regal House Publishing, 2020) and OUT FROM THE UNDERWORLD (Greenpoint Press, 2015). Her work has appeared on Salon.com, in literary magazines, and popular websites and blogs. She teaches academic and creative writing, and runs private workshops and a book incubator Visit her at www.heathersiegel.net
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!

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7 comments author tips, Book Launch, book promotion tips, Friday Speak Out, Heather Siegel

Friday Speak Out: You've Finished your Book- What's Next?

by Teresa Peipins

First the good news! My first novel was published in August and what a wonderful experience that has been! There’s nothing compared to the pleasure of holding an actual copy of the book you’ve been working on for ages. Ever since I got the news my novel would be published I’ve been on a sharp learning curve.

The writer’s world no longer resembles what one imagined- the writer sitting at the computer and churning out page after page of prose. That is the most pleasurable part of the long process. Then the next step is editing. Of course, every writer knows editing and rewriting are essential and the finished novel may bear little resemblance to what you started with. Finishing the novel, as monumental a task as that may be, is only the beginning.

Always make sure another person has read your manuscript. You’ve looked at it so many times that you won’t see the mistakes and believe me, they can be glaring to a reader. My advice if you can afford it, is to have a professional editor go over the manuscript. It’s well worth it. Typos and mistakes turn off many readers. If you can’t manage hiring a professional editor and you’re on your own, at least spend some time reading your manuscript out loud. It really helps detect the inconsistencies and gives you some practice for the book readings you’ll be doing.

After my novel came out, something new entered my life. Marketing. Even large publishing houses leave a big part of that up to the writer. Don’t forget the usual advice of using social media to promote your work. You need your webpage, Facebook writer’s page, blog, twitter, and anything else you can use to connect with potential readers. Don’t forget the copies you’ll need to give away. Hold contests on your page related to the contact of your book or just a simple contest like the 100th person who clicks like will get at free copy.

That can help but what I found most helpful is the personal contacts I’ve made. The best marketing comes from your audience connecting with you. Try to organize readings in public venues that are connected to your work, independent bookstores, or even a private home. If you don’t have contacts in the literary world, find the local writer’s organization in your community or any writers groups you can share your work with. Get the local newspaper to publish an interview with you. Start locally! That is the best bet for your audience. The move from a local to larger audience often happens by word of mouth or recommendations!

Regardless of how much work you put into your book, getting your work published is always well worth it!

* * *

The poetry, fiction, and essays of Teresa Peipins have appeared in publications both in the United States and abroad including Anak Sastra, Barcelona Ink, The Barcelona Review, The Buffalo News, Conte, Creeping Bent, Hawai’ Pacific Review, The Kentucky Review, Melusine, and Pedestal, among many others. She is the author of three chapbooks of poetry. Her novel, The Shadow of Silver Birch, is published by Black Rose Writing.
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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1 comment becoming a published author, book marketing, book promotion tips, debut novel, Friday Speak Out, Teresa Peipin

Ten (More) Things I’ve Learned Four Months After Publishing My First Novel

In my last post I wrote about promoting your debut novel from my experience with King of the Class. Today I want to list some don'ts.

1. Don’t forget to make a post-novel plan. What do you want to do now that your novel’s been out for a while? Write a new novel? Go on a book tour? Go back to your day job? Try a new genre? This is especially important if you are anything like me i.e., flounders without specific goals.

2. Don’t respond to criticism. It’s an absurd expectation to think you will write a book that appeals to everyone. Thank them for reading your work and move on. Some comments might be indecipherable. One reader told me that I was admired and talented and then went on to write that the best thing for me would be to write a novel that had no Jews, no Israel and nothing to do with any religion whatsoever. That would be a book to read, if I’d only write it! Umm. Thanks. I think.

3. Don’t check Amazon’s author central more than once a week. Your writer life won’t change by the minute. Is it worth becoming obsessed with that graph?

4. Don’t use an amateur author photo or one that makes you cringe. Almost every publication and site that prints even the smallest mention of King of the Class requests a photo. After that your photo pops up on the internet everywhere.

5. Don’t confuse yourself with your work (see #2). You want people ultimately to like and care about you, not your writing. If someone lets you know they didn’t enjoy your novel, that’s not a criticism of you. Ditto for the opposite. When you receive a rave review from a critic or friend, let a smile go to your face (a big one!), but keep your feet on the ground.

6. Don’t turn down publicity in the smallest publication or blog. You never know who reads what and whether or not a larger publication might repost information about your work or ask for an interview. Readership is valuable. Period.

7. Don’t forget to follow-up. If you or your publisher mailed out courtesy copies, keep a list that includes dates and follow up 6-8 weeks later. This is not rude, it’s smart. Out of 100 courtesy copies around 15% of my follow-up emails read: Sorry, Gila your copy never arrived. You can resend or offer an electronic version if your mail budget is depleted. This is someone who has agreed to a copy. Don’t waste a potential review by not following-up. It’s also preferable to making assumptions about certain editors and possibly bad mouthing them.

8. Don’t send courtesy copies to editors who don’t review your genre. Unless you have an unlimited budget for courtesy copies, make sure your copies are going to reviewers of your genre. There are people who will say yes to a courtesy copy of a novel without mentioning what they review. Even if you ask them to pass it on to someone who does review your genre, that person never agreed to a courtesy copy.

9. Don’t assume anyone cares as much about your work as you do. I’ve read this before, but it’s worth repeating. Not your publisher, spouse, sibling, child, best friend, editor or publisher cares as much about your work as you do. Translation: the hard promotional work is yours.

10. Don’t be afraid to talk to strangers. There’s no need to overdo this, but I wrote a few writers I’ve never met if I thought they published a similar genre or with a similar-sized press and asked for advice. Most are happy to help and expanding your writers’ community is a good thing.

***

Join one of Gila Green's upcoming WOW! classes:

~Learn how how to craft story ideas into flash fiction in her
Flash Fiction Workshop. You'll focus on carving your work down to its essence, while still conveying meaning through the successful interplay between character, conflict and theme.

~Learn how to layer your writing with literary devices in her Literary Devices Workshop. Through short readings and in-class assignments, you'll learn how to create suspense, tension, change the pace, deepen and control your writing through the use of devices from repetition to personification. This class is suitable for anyone working on a novel, short story, memoir, essay or life story.

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The New Year is almost here! Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!" in 2014? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!

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4 comments book promotion, book promotion tips, Friday Speak Out, Gila Green, novel, publishing your first novel, WOW Classes, WOW instructor

How To Get Your Book Reviewed by Dana Lynn Smith (Review and Giveaway)

I know I'm a lucky person--I'm a writer, a mommy, a wife, a dog owner!--but when the opportunity came to review Dana Lynn Smith's book, How To Get Your Book Reviewed, I thought about buying a lottery ticket, too. This is such a timely book for me--since my historical fiction, middle-grade book, Finding My Place, just came out. So, what did I think of Dana's book, why should you care about getting your book reviewed, and how will this Savvy Book Marketer's guide help you to get your book reviewed? Read on to find out!

Dana begins her guide by explaining why you should care about getting book reviews (which, nowadays, are also recommendations or endorsements from readers on social networking sites and online book stores). This quote sums it up perfectly: "There's no guarantee that reviews will translate into sales, but they certainly increase the odds. With the huge amount of competition facing your book, reviews are one of the very best ways to get your book noticed and to influence purchasing decisions of potential customers."

Okay, so now that you are convinced you need reviews, Dana shows you how to get them. This is a very thorough book with live links in the e-book version. She has three sections basically--by the way, she's thought of everything!--the book review process: how it works and how to submit, different places where you can get your book reviewed (you will read about places you never thought of), and what to do with the reviews once you have them to create sales. She also goes into the pitfalls of book reviews, so you will be aware of what can happen if things don't go exactly as you hoped. 

Dana Lynn Smith

One of the coolest parts of this book are the "case studies." Case studies are real-world examples of the points that Dana makes in her book. For example, she suggests going for the gold and getting high-profile endorsements. Then she presents a case study of Rabbi Ed Weinsberg who wrote a book about prostrate cancer and got endorsements from people like John Gray (Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus)  and Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People. Another one of her case studies is about getting reviews on Amazon--a self-published author shares his experiences. She shares some important and vital information for all authors--self-published or traditional. Whether you like Amazon or not, this site has great influence on readers. So, you must learn to work with Amazon, and the case studies help you do this.

I also liked the "Savvy Tip" highlighted boxes in How to Get Your Book Reviewed. If you just have a few minutes to skim through the book when you first get it, then read all the highlighted boxes, and you will be well on your way to understanding what you need to do get book reviews and use them to drive sales. Her tips include information on where to concentrate reviews, book promo materials, linking to reviews online and your media kit, and more.

The section of the book that I found the most helpful, full of new information that I didn't know and active links so I can easily explore, is the list of online resources, including reading communities like LibraryThing and Author's Den, and how to work with book bloggers. Authors cannot underestimate the power of social media and blogs--if you can get these readers behind you and supporting you, you are well on your way to success. Some of these bloggers have quite a following and passionately endorse and promote authors they like.

If you have a book coming out in the future, Dana's book is a must! If you already have a book out, How to Get Your Book Reviewed is going to help you--although it may make you panic a bit (like it did me!) because many places want to review your book right when it comes out or even before. But never fear, there are still plenty of resources and information to help you market your book in Dana's guide. I can't wait to get started getting reviews and then check out what other resources Dana has to offer on her website!

Even better news, we have a copy of How to Get Your Book Reviewed to giveaway!

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

We're giving away a copy of How to Get Your Book Reviewed by Dana Lynn Smith. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Good luck!

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21 comments book giveaway contest, book marketing, book promotion tips, book review opportunities

Friday Speak Out!: 4 Things Authors Need to Know About Amazon, guest post by Aggie Villanueva

4 Things Authors Need to Know About Amazon

by Aggie Villanueva

Many of us have had books for sale for years at Amazon.com. Many excitedly await their first book going live. Whichever your situation, there are just as many of us who unfortunately use Amazon as simply the world’s largest bookstore listing. What’s wrong with that, you may wonder? After all, Amazon is the world’s largest bookstore.

Vikram Narayan, CEO of BookBuzzr.com, said of my book which teaches the principles presented in this article, “…Aggie Villanueva’s how-to changes your perspective of Amazon from that of an online book store to that of an author publicity machine."

In that spirit, here is my list of three things authors need to understand before selling their books at Amazon.com, and to change our “perspective of Amazon.”

 1. Amazon.com is Much More Than the World’s Largest Bookseller

If treated as a simple bookstore you’ll never garner the vast benefits of selling books there. They have created an ingenious marketing engine that drills through several layers of free and automated publicity, each layer completely unique and reaching millions of readers.

And like them or not, Amazon makes bestsellers out of more writers than anywhere. So why not make use of them? If you don’t utilize their system then they are indeed just the world’s largest bookseller. What a waste if all they do for your book is list it. Let me show you the basics of how Amazon can use categories to sell more of your books.

It all starts with YOU choosing your book categories wisely.

2. Nearly Every Publicity Function at Amazon is Based on Categories

The importance of wisely choosing Amazon categories goes far beyond gaining and keeping your category bestseller or overall bestseller. This nearly all-inclusive purpose for book categories creates a foundation point. Like an inverted pyramid, most of your rankings depend on categories. Most everything throughout Amazon’s ingenious multi-layered publicity machine starts with and builds upon categories.

Don’t underestimate their importance. You need the RIGHT categories attached to your books (not the smallest) in order to reach your precise audience. Only this tight targeting will kick start Amazon to begin publicizing your books globally on multiple levels. Which brings us to the next point.

3. Tight Targeting: The Force That Moves Amazon’s Mega-Publicity Machine

Targeting is the key to all successful marketing, and Amazon knows that. Booksellers all claim to know that, but Amazon.com is the only site I’m familiar with that actually implements it into their automated system in ways which go far beyond tallying categories. Tight targeting is the force pounding that publicity drill through each layer of their various promotion opportunities. And the first opportunity is always is to wisely choose your book categories.

What makes it all work is that every level of their marketing machine forces us to target our audience ever more tightly. That’s because this is exactly how Amazon markets. From categories to Tags to Customers Who Viewed This Also Viewed, to their numerous direct mailings, many top-100 lists… Nearly all promotions choose what to include from within categories. What if you’re in the wrong one?

Getting a picture here? Everything starts with and depends on categories, But is it YOU who must initially grease those category gears. The right categories trigger a targeting mechanism that shoots your book straight towards stardom.

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 Published at Thomas Nelson before age 30, award-winning author Aggie Villanueva is now a self-published fiction & nonfiction author at Amazon/Kindle with The Rewritten Word, Rightfully Mine and Amazon Categories Create Best Sellers, all of which reached bestseller in multiple categories shortly after release. She founded an author publicity company, Promotion a la Carte. For those interested, you may find more than you could possibly ever want to know about Aggie by clicking here, including how to follow me at my social media faves.

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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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2 comments Aggie Villanueva, Amazon, book marketing, book promotion tips, Friday Speak Out

What I'm Learning About the "M" Word ~ Marketing

I realized something very important this week. Just because I have a few books out there doesn't mean readers are finding them. Why? Because I haven't been doing my job at letting them know they're out there.

I mean, sure. I post about my works on my Facebook page or Twitter but I guess that doesn't really count as full-out marketing. And I didn't realize the importance of understanding it until I started promoting my new fiction title, DARK WATER (officially released tomorrow on Kindle). When I shared some information about the book, one of my strong supporters of my nonfiction work said, "I didn't know you write fiction!"

I was seriously taken aback at first. This is my third fiction book and this wonderful girl, who has read and helped spread the word about my two memoirs, had no idea I'd even published the first two books. Then I realized that, perhaps, I may not have been doing a good enough job making sure people found them. No wonder sales for those books haven't been great. ::slap forehead::

Of course, it shouldn't be so surprising. Yes, my books are all listed on my author blog. Yes, if readers clicked on my name on Amazon they'd be taken to the other books I've written but that doesn't always happen, right? So, here are a few things I figured out:

~ Connect with other authors out there who are making it with marketing. Watch what they're doing. Learn from them. Take notes.

~ Do for others and they will do for you. You know all of those writing groups you've joined? Don't just go visit them when you have a project to promote. Go in a few times a week to connect with your fellow writers. Help them spread the word on what they're doing. Give kudos and support. Interacting is a big part of marketing because what goes around comes around.

~ Remember that marketing isn't bombarding or spamming. It's giving information about you and your work and knowing when, where and how to give it.

~ Create a buzz and keep it going. My marketing mentor, Cheryl Tardif, told me that you generate excitement for your projects by being excited about it yourself. Share in bits and pieces to get some initial interest, then keep sharing to maintain it.

~ Teasing is a good thing. Another awesome tip from Cheryl. This is how you maintain that buzz. When you share a tidbit, invite people to come back for more and make it even more interesting.

~ Use a new work to create new buzz for your older projects. There are several ways to do this. You could arrange a virtual book tour for the new book, using the other books as prizes. Talk about the other works in interviews. Do character interviews and have the new characters talk about characters from your older books. Use your imagination!

~ It's not a sprint, it's a marathon. This is a direct quote from Cheryl, and I just love it. What she means is that you don't just go full out for the pre-promotion then fizzle out. It means that marketing is a long-haul thing and you should be putting time in each day to keep your work out there. Put the same effort in after release day as you did before.

~ Don't be afraid to take risks. Try new things others are trying that work. If you discover something doesn't work, it's okay. It's all a learning curve. What works for other authors may not work for you but you have to be brave enough to try.

~ Treasure each tiny effort of help. Value those readers who connect with you after reading your books/articles. Shine the spotlight on the reviews. Reach out to those people who retweet or share your news. People really appreciate you taking the time to acknowledge their efforts and it encourages them to keep going. I always thank people for their reviews (if possible), email back to those who have reached out to me and thank folks for retweets, etc. That is so important.

These are just a few things I've learned this week while promoting DARK WATER, and I know I still have alot to learn. Now that I've gotten on the marketing train, I'm going to do my best to stay on there. Watch, listen, learn. That's what it's all about!

Happy writing.

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2 comments author marketing, book marketing, book promotion tips, Cheryl Tardif, Chynna Laird's books, Chynna Laird's YA books

Lessons On How To Tease...Your Readers

Last weekend, I learned something about myself. I'm a tease. A big tease. And, I guess, a pretty good one too.

Okay! Put the stripper music away, that's not what I meant. I'm talking about enticing readers about your book projects even before its published. This is a huge part of marketing and promotion because you're building a readership early on by increasing an interest in the story.

You don't have to do that much, really. For example, when I signed the contract for my adult thriller/suspense novella Out Of Sync (coming out next week), I told my followers on Twitter and Facebook. As the book went through its editing process, I shared how things were going, answered questions about the storyline, shared edited snippets, shared the synopsis and even talked about the cover when I first saw it: "Oh my goodness! It is amazing!" Then, of course, I shared the final cover when it was finished. I didn't realize it as I was going along but I was delving into the promotion tool of teasing, and it was working to increase future readers/buyers of my book! Doing little things like that all the way up to the day the book is published increases your followers, peaks readers' interest and, most importantly, leads to better sales.

Cheryl Tardif shares a wealth of tips on how to tease your readers on her marketing blog. As an author, publisher and expert book marketer, she knows a thing or two about selling books. I highly suggest checking out her post on teasing and take some notes.

Well, that's it for me for today. I'm off to work on the edits for my young adult suspense/paranormal, Dark Water, coming out in late summer. Be prepared to be teased.

Keep writing!

Chynna

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Leave a Comment book marketing, book promotion, book promotion tips, building a readership, Chynna Laird

Your Book Tour: Seize the Opportunity to be Memorable

Somewhere in between the fun-yet-exhaustive work of writing your book and the dreams of it being on the bestsellers list lays the land of marketing. In our dreams we tend to gloss over that part…unless it’s a fantasy of signing a stack of books at Barnes and Noble. That is definitely a fantasy that will never come true…without some marketing. This being a broad subject, today I’d like to focus on just one aspect--the blog tour, and how to make the most of it.

Your blog tour is a big opportunity to connect with a willing audience and make such an impression that they are compelled to share your book with all of their friends. Create a buzz—that is the purpose of a blog tour. Yes, you ultimately want sales to increase but for that to happen there needs to be buzz. With so many book tours out there how do you stand out? Simply saying, “here I am, please read my book” won’t spread very far. You need to engage with your audience. You are meeting a few hundred new friends and you want to develop a relationship with them so they will introduce you to all of their friends…and remember you when your next book comes out!

Write engaging posts and give warm, chatty interviews to draw in the reader:
Consider each stop on your tour as a first date—if you want there to be a second date you need to open up. Your readers want to learn about you and gain a feel for your personality. They want to read about your view points and experiences and will be looking for a common ground. Invite comments and respond back.

Have an enticing website with additional information about yourself and your book:
Create a space that invites readers to stay awhile and makes them want to return. A pleasing template, a personal blog page, behind-the-scenes information on your characters and sneak-peaks of your upcoming work will keep your audience interested.

Use your social media:
Whichever social media accounts you enjoy using, make them part of your tour. Announce your tour dates, thank your hosts, and congratulate the people who win your giveaways. Connect with the new friends you meet on your tour while you are touring to get the relationships rolling.

Offer creative and memorable giveaways:
When Kristina McMorris toured with her book Letters from Home she created a special “prize box” for one of the giveaways during her tour. In keeping with the theme of her book she purchased a storage box that looked like a travel trunk. Inside were a signed copy of her book, some “victory garden” seeds, a chocolate bar wrapped in a vintage wrapper, and a CD of music from the WWII era. This might seem extravagant but it actually paid off.

The reader who won the prize was so impressed that she recreated the entire package as a gift for her mother. Then, she turned around and bought two additional copies of the book for her sisters. She also brought the entire box to work with her to show the other ladies in the office. Kristina may have spent twenty or thirty dollars on that prize but the winner purchased a total of three additional books and shared the experience with an office full of women who undoubtedly ran to their computers to check out Kristina’s website. Then the mother shared with her friends and the sisters’s with theirs. Talk about a ripple effect!

Do you have to be that extravagant? No. Even small touches will make you memorable:

• Include a bookmark (with your web address of course) when sending a signed copy of your book.
• If your story is prominently set in a city, include postcards or tourist maps of the area; you can usually purchase these from the local chamber of tourism.
• Even if you are touring with an eBook you can make a memorable impression by including a personal note to the winner. Invite them to let you know how they like the book. You might even include an additional electronic file of deleted scenes, questions for reading-groups or background info on your characters.

This is your red carpet walk so smile, shake hands, and put your best foot forward!

By Robyn Chausse

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1 comment blog tours, book marketing, book promotion tips, Robyn Chausse

Climbing Over The Bars: Can Free-License Free Your Project?

Let’s play a word-association game. I say “Creative Commons” or “Free License” and your first thought is...

Was it copyright-free photographs for your blog or royalty-free images for your book trailer? If so, you are not alone. We have become accustomed to searching for license-free artwork, but when was the last time you searched the public domain for quotes, song lyrics, or other tidbits for your work in progress? More appropriately, when was the last time you offered your own writing free to the public to copy or use?

Did I hear someone in the audience just gasp?
Audacious...
Unheard-of...

Okay, then when was the last time you ran a search on your own name to find the other websites your writing is posted. Come-on, you know you do this... Is it just so you can rant about copyright infringement or do you, perhaps secretly, want to see if anyone out there enjoys your work enough to mention it again? Ah!

We know that copying is a form of flattery, yet most of us bar ourselves from this form of flattery by hiding behind our copyrights. After all, we need to protect ourselves—protect our revenue. But is there a point where this protective fortress can actually hinder the expansion of our readership or pocketbook?

I came across the above cartoon the other day strictly by accident. I wasn’t feeling well and just wanted to “veg” in front of a movie for a few minutes. I was on YouTube checking out the free movies and ran across one that I enjoyed so much I began looking up how to get a copy of the movie or soundtrack. The movie was available for free download. That got my attention--who does that?

This unscheduled chase spurred me to read up on free license. Did you know there are several forms of free-license you can add on top of your copyright? I’ve paraphrased them below.

CC-BY-SA: Others may share or adapt the original work with attribution and under a similar license.

CC-BY: Others may share or adapt the original work with attribution, but don’t imply that the original creator endorses your new version.

CC-0: Public Domain. This work is set free to become whatever others will make with it.

In what instances would a writer attach a free license? I can think of a few:

--The writer is just starting out in an area and wants to gather a following.

--The writer feels that her message may help others and her main goal is to get the information out to them.

--The writer has books to sell and is using the free information to drive the sales.

Whether or not this model works to the writer’s best interest is fodder for a long debate, but while you are forming your opinion take into consideration the evidence just placed before you.

I tripped over public domain information.
I enjoyed the material enough to follow up on the artist.
I supported that artist by purchasing a CD.
I am sharing information I learned with you, in my altered context.
And I am linking specific portions of this new altered material back to the original, not because I have to, but because I want to.

By Robyn Chausse
with a nod to Nina Paley and Question Copyright .Org

Do you use free-license material? Would you or Do you offer your own work under free-license? Why or Why Not? In what ways do copyright laws protect us? Share your thoughts here...

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4 comments advice for writers, book promotion tips, copyrights, creative commons, free license, Robyn Chausse