7 Tips to Make Blog Tours Work for You

We do a lot of blog tours at WOW!, and I know a lot of my author friends do them, too. Here are 7 tips to help you get the most out of the tours.

1. When you schedule blogs, make sure that you find blogs from different groups of writers. For example, if you only do blogs where all the writers are friends, in the same critique group, or with the same publisher, then you won't be reaching a new audience.

2. Try to find blogs that aren’t just WRITERS talking about books and writing. Some of these type are great, but you want to have different types of blogs. For example, if your book has a main character who is a foodie, see if you can get on a couple foodie blogs, too.

3. Don't offer a giveaway of your book on every stop--do a couple of giveaways of your book. But you can offer other giveaways like journals, editing, swag with your book cover, etc. This drives people to the blog, but encourages them to buy your book instead of waiting to see if they win it.

4. Do different types of posts: write a guest post directed to that blog audience, do an interview, ask for a review.

5. Schedule the blog tour soon after your book is OUT (or the release month – some say before the book is out, if it can be ordered ahead of time)! That way, people can go buy the book right away.

6. Try to schedule 3 or 4 stops a week--the weekends are the worst because people are TOO busy. You could tour for one month or two. You should start scheduling well before you want to appear--bloggers fill up.

7. Follow up with everyone who left a comment on a post you did. Not only should you respond to comments on the blog where you appeared, but you can also visit readers’ blogs or websites if they leave a link in their comment.

Some of these will take a little bit of time and effort, but so does a blog tour. And you want it to be as profitable as possible. Happy touring!

Margo L. Dill, children's author

WOW! editor, instructor, columnist, and social media manager http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MargoDill.author.editor

photo above by enokson on Flickr.com

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5 Landing Page Mistakes You Absolutely Need to Avoid

By Karen Cioffi

Just about everyone knows the importance of having a website. And, the landing page is the first thing a visitor will see on your website. So, it’s essential to have it reader and search engine optimized.

As a website owner there are certain mistakes you need to look out for - below are five of them:

1. Overwhelming content

Your website landing page shouldn’t have too much information. Keep it simple and to the point. The visitor needs to very quickly ascertain what your site is about and the benefit it has for her.

In addition, search engines don't like long landing pages.

Read your content carefully and get rid of extraneous content.

2. Too many call-to-actions (CTAs)

Everything on your website should be short and sweet, especially your landing page. Give the visitor only ONE option (CTA) at a time. Too many choices creates ‘visitor anxiety’ - this is always a no-no.

Anxiety or confusion always leads to a ‘NO’ response on the part of the visitor.

You want to make the process as easy as possible.

Note: A call-to-action is the action you want the visitor to take. It may be to sign up for your mailing list, to sign up for a special event, to buy your product or service, or some other desired action.

3. Your landing page heading doesn't reflect the website's theme/niche/industry

Suppose you came across a website titled Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained.

Now, quickly, what do you think the site is about?

Investment? Real Estate? Health? Sports?

Get the idea? The title is non-specific. It's confusing.

Your domain URL, website name, page titles, and so on, should all reflect the topic of the site.

This matters for two major reasons: (1) lack of clarity or focus makes the search engine's job more difficult to define and categorize your website and (2) it's confusing for the visitor.

4. Your sidebar is jam-packed

It’s not wise to distract or confuse your visitor by having too many sidebar tidbits or ads. Again, keep it simple. Keep only essential sidebar content. Eliminate ads.

You might also consider getting a one-column theme – it has no sidebars. Heavy-hitter marketing sites are now using this type of theme.

5. Your color design has a dark background.

The best color scheme for your website is a light background with dark text. It's much easier to read, which makes it more reader friendly.

Use these five tips to make your website landing page reader and search engine optimized.

***

Karen Cioffi is a former accountant who is now a multi-award-winning author, ghostwriter, freelance writer, editor, and author-writer online platform marketing instructor. She founded and manages Writers on the Move (a marketing group), and presents online writing and marketing workshops and webinars.

Karen has published 12 writing and marketing eBooks, the most recent, Article Marketing: Increase Website Traffic with Properly Formatted and Search Engine Optimized Content.

In addition to this, Karen’s website, Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing, was named Writer’s Digest Website of the Week, June 25, 2012.

Join Karen Cioffi's upcoming online class, Get Traffic to Your Website with Inbound Marketing! Visit our classroom page for details and enrollment.

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8 comments author website, Karen Cioffi, landing page, marketing tips, online class, WOW instructor

4 Book Marketing Strategies That Are Guaranteed to Keep Your Online Platform Moving Forward

Your author or writer online platform is all about numbers and reach. It’s about how many people are aware of you within your niche and how many of those people think you have authority within that niche.

In other words, it’s about how many connections you have. You might equate it to a popularity contest.

Unfortunately, there are millions of contestants in the online platform arena trying, as you are, to get the golden subscriber email address and get the emails they send opened.

Because of the sheer number of marketers, people are bombarded with marketing emails on a daily basis. This in turn has caused a drop in email opt-ins and a drop in marketing email open rates.

So, what can you do to fight the odds and keep moving forward to reach your goals?

There are four strategies you can use to keep you connected to people and keep you on the visibility radar.

1. Connection frequency

You need to connect with your subscribers and target market on a regular basis.

This doesn’t mean adding to the email inbox bombardment, it means to be visible in multiple places. How many times a week are you connecting with your subscribers and your target market?

This matters.

Are you taking advantage of the different venues you can reach people? Are you being active in groups? How about social media, such as Facebook, Linkedin, GooglePlus, Twitter, and Pinterest? Are you offering valuable information on a regular basis?

Each of these connection venues is another layer of visibility and familiarity. This frequency helps establish a relationship and helps it grow.

2. Consistency

Everyone when first starting a platform is determined and motivated. You diligently keep on top of social networks, blogging, article marketing, sending out a newsletter on a regular basis, and so on. But, then, when results aren’t what was expected or don’t come quick enough, the motivation and effort slows down.

Well, being consistent is what will help you reach your goals. In fact, without being consistent you most likely will never reach your goals.

Coleman Cox says it best: "Even the woodpecker owes his success to the fact that he uses his head and keeps pecking away until he finishes the job he starts."

Create a plan of action steps and stick to them. Be consistent.

3. Authority and Usefulness

According to pro-marketer Travis Greenlee, statistics show that published authors have a 300% higher credibility rating than non-published authors.

That’s quite a difference and gives the published author a big advantage in authority. If you’re not published yet, a quick remedy is to create an ebook and get it out there. With that said, your ebook needs to be a quality product.

But, having an ebook isn’t the cure-all. In addition to this, you need to deliver quality (useful) information to your target market on a regular basis.

The point here is that you need to be perceived as a person of value to your target market. Your actions and offerings need to demonstrate that you can help them with their problem, need, or want.

If you are perceived as having high authority (knowledge and experience) and value (capability and usefulness), people will want to be connected with you.

4. Visibility

Visibility and frequency go hand-in-hand. While you need to make frequent connections, you need to know where and how to make those connections. That’s where visibility comes in.

How many different formats are you using to be visible to your connections and make new connections?

There are a number of marketing formats you can use to generate visibility, including:

• Blog posting
• Using article directories
• Creating podcasts
• Creating videos
• Creating e/books, reports, etc.
• Sending out newsletters or ezines
• Offering webinars, teleseminars, or workshops
• Staying current on social networks, such as Facebook, Linkedin, GooglePlus, and Pinterest

You get the idea. Keep it fresh. Don’t use the same formats to bring information to your subscribers, readers, and visitors.

With email marketing wavering, you need to use all four of these strategies to keep your author-writer online platform moving forward.

---

Karen Cioffi  is a multi-award-winning author, ghostwriter, freelance writer, editor, and author-writer online platform marketing instructor. She founded and manages Writers on the Move (a marketing group), and presents online writing and marketing workshops and webinars.

Karen has published 12 writing and marketing eBooks, the most recent, Article Marketing: Increase Website Traffic with Properly Formatted and Search Engine Optimized Content.

*** Join Karen's class, CREATE AND BUILD YOUR AUTHOR-WRITER ONLINE PLATFORM: Website Creation to Beyond Book/Product Sales, next starting on Monday, March 3, 2014. For information and registration, visit our classroom page. ***

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4 comments book marketing, Karen Cioffi, marketing tips, online class, WOW class, WOW instructor

The Author Website – Keep it Simple and to the Point

by Karen Cioffi

As an instructor of online classes that teach how to create and build an author and writer online presence, the most popular lesson, and the one that sparks the most questions, is how to create an effective author website.

While some marketers still lean toward the effectiveness of long copy, especially for sales pages, some heavy hitters like Mike Volpe of Hubspot.com say, simple works best. And, as time passes, this "simple" strategy is gaining more and more ground.

Why is this so?

The answer is time.

Have you landed on pages, especially sales pages that go on, and on, and on? I have and it actually kind of annoys me. If it’s a product I’m interested in I’ll scroll down, skimming, looking for highlights and the price in particular.

Have you scrolled down these pages and not been able to find the price? As crazy as it sounds, there are landing pages out there that you have to click on the BUY button to find out how much the product you’re interested in costs. This takes additional time.

You and everyone else are strapped for time today. We live in a faster and faster and faster world, a world that never sleeps, and this causes us to work more and more and at a faster and faster pace. According to the latest statistics, you have around FIVE seconds to grab a visitor, to convince or motivate him to pause long enough to move past the title and read your first and, hopefully, your second paragraph.

Time matters. Give the reader what she wants up front. And, what does she want?

The visitor to your site wants to know who you are and what you have to offer. Again, give the reader what she wants.

Keep your site simple, easy to read, and with a clear and simple call-to-action. And, if you have a product or service for sale, make the cost visible. Don’t make your landing page a Hide and Seek game. The visitor won’t appreciate it.

Okay, now that that you have the reasons for keeping your site simple and your call-to-action simple, here is one reason marketers may use the Hide and Seek strategy.

There is a marketing philosophy that uses a succession of Yeses to trigger the mind of the potential client or customer, or motivate him, to say YES to the offer. According to pro marketer Clay Collins, this is considered "micro commitments" or the YES ladder. Each time the visitor responds to the request, the conversion possibility increases.

While this might be a useful strategy for high-end products, for lower-end products, like your books or products under $50, this strategy could backfire, especially with time factored in the equation. It’s not a good thing to make visitors jump through hoops to get the information they need.

So, bottom-line, keep your author website simple and to the point.

***

For guidance on setting up your author web site and so much more, join Karen Cioffi's class for writers. CREATING AND BUILDING YOUR AUTHOR-WRITER ONLINE PRESENCE: Website Creation to Beyond Book/Product Sales starts Monday, May 6, 2013. For details and enrollment, visit our classroom page.

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6 comments author website, Karen Cioffi, marketing tips, WOW Classes, WOW instructor

Stop the Slump: Marketing Tips for Freelancers

Okay, okay, I'll admit it.

The marketing aspect of freelancing drives me bonkers.

There, I said it. Happy? Well, I'm not. Trust me, I know it's a necessary evil, it's how I make bank, and it needs to become a daily habit, especially if I want to keep developing relationships with editors.

But, it's marketing. Ugh. And let's face it, I would rather be writing.

If you're a freelancer and you don't always make time to market, you may want to rethink that strategy. Try these tips to conquer marketing and keep assignments rolling in.

1. Write it down. If I don't schedule marketing time, it's not going to happen. Trust me, penciling in a 15-minute period on my daily planner reminds me that I need to connect with editors. Try to establish a daily schedule and make marketing a priority at the same time every day. Eventually, it will become routine!
2. Surf with a purpose. How many times have you gone to a website to check out writer's guidelines, and an hour later, you still haven't reached the original destination on the info superhighway? When I'm developing a pitch, I allot a set amount of time to check out contact information and writer's guidelines online. Checking Facebook or Twitter can wait til another time - neither social media market pays my bills. 
3. Find a friend. Writing can be a lonely profession. That's why I found a writing buddy, and when we have ideas, we share them and help each other fine tune our critiques. Maybe it's just the dialogue with another writer, maybe it's both of us pushing each other, but my writing partner always has fresh ideas for marketing a piece when I'm at a standstill.
4. Push the "SEND" button. You can dissect each word in your query, but unless you send it, you'll never have a chance to market yourself and your ideas to a potential editor. Write the pitch, proofread it, and hit send. 

Taking advantage of basic marketing skills and ideas will decrease downtime while increasing the bottom line.

Okay, okay, I"ll admit it.

The cashing-the-paycheck aspect of freelancing makes me happy. . . and ready to write.

by LuAnn Schindler

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6 comments LuAnn Schindler, make marketing a habit, marketing tips, marketing tips for freelancers, writing schedule

Self-Publishing and Marketing Workshop in Newport Beach

Today, we welcome Randy Davila. He is the president of Hierophant Publishing and Hampton Roads Publishing. Randy is hosting an event on July 28 and 29 at the Marriott Hotel and Spa in Newport Beach, California for writers who are interested in self-publishing or have self-published already and need help with marketing. The self-publishing and book marketing workshop features two speakers who have much experience with both of these topics. Muffin readers, help me welcome Randy.

WOW: Hi Randy, thank you for taking the time out to tell us about your event today. What does the self-publishing and book marketing workshop entail?

Randy: On the first day, the focus will be for those who are writing a book and want to understand HOW the book publishing industry works and the steps required to self-publish your book SUCCESSFULLY! So many authors “dive in” to self-publishing unprepared without understanding the specific steps necessary to make a book successful. The result is poorly edited and poorly packaged books--ones that look, read, and scream out, “I’m self-published!” In almost every case, these books don’t achieve the success the author intended; and often it’s not because the writing and ideas presented aren’t good, but rather that the author missed the BASIC, but CRITICAL, elements of the publishing process.

On the second day, we will cover book marketing. Now that you have a book that READS and LOOKS great, it’s time to learn how to market it effectively! Randy and Jan will share with you steps--the necessary steps that every author should take in order to spread the word about a book--as well as share specific sales, marketing, and public relations ideas for self-published authors, including the specific marketing steps for some of their most successful titles!

WOW: That's a jam packed two-day workshop! Who should attend this event?

Randy: Have you written a book or are you planning to write one in the near future? Are you considering self-publishing? Do you want to learn the steps necessary to turn your manuscript into a successful book? Have you ALREADY self- published a book and want to learn how to market it more effectively? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this event is for you!

WOW: Give us some details. How long does the workshop run, where is it held, and how much does it cost? Plus, how do you register?

Randy: The workshop is on July 28 & 29 at the Marriott Hotel & Spa in beautiful Newport Beach, CA (next to Fashion Island). Registration before July 16th is $395 for both days (or $225/day); registration after July 16th or until the event is sold out is $445 for both days (or $250/day). Dinner with the publishers is a special private dinner on Saturday night from 7-9pm with Randy and Jan. This is limited seating for $195. Register at www.InsightEventsUSA.com. The Marriott Hotel & Spa has made a special rate available of $189/night to those that register for the workshop and wish to stay at the hotel.(Booking a room is not a requirement for attending the workshop; this is a courtesy rate only if booked by July 16.)

WOW: Thank you for sharing all of those details with us. Tell us a bit about yourself and your other workshop leader. What experience do you all have in the self-publishing business?


Randy: I'm Randy Davila, the author of The Gnostic Mystery and the president of Hierophant Publishing and Hampton Roads Publishing Company. Between the two publishing houses, I have overseen the publication of books by authors such as Eckhart Tolle, Byron Katie, Neale Donald Walsch, Richard Bach, Jack Canfield, and many, many more. Turning Stone Press is the self-publishing arm of our business.

Jan Johnson is the publisher of Conari Press and Weiser Books at Red Wheel Weiser, LLC. For more than thirty years, Jan has worked with authors to publish books in self-help/improvement, wellness and recovery, women’s issues, and inspiration. She has worked with Anne Wilson Schaef, Julia Cameron, Riane Eisler, Mark Nepo, and other bestselling authors. Jan is also an expert in direct marketing and selling. She loves working with authors, helping them find their best voices, and positioning their books to help them get their message out into the world.

There will also be some special surprise guests on Sunday!

WOW: Oh, now that's a teaser. Everyone loves special surprise guests. It sounds like you and Jan alone have tons of experience and will have wonderful tips and strategies to share about the ever-growing self-publishing business. What are a few things workshop attendees will learn at the workshop?

Randy: Day 1 - Saturday, July 28th - From Manuscript to Book, The Creation Process

We will cover:
1) Writing and Editing - Understanding what READERS look for in a great book! Focus, category, voice, and more. Writing tips and common first-time author mistakes to avoid.
2) Book Packaging 101- The importance of a descriptive title, an eye-catching cover, and engaging back cover copy, plus tips for how to choose and create the best of each for your book.
3) The Book Creation Process- Understand the production steps in taking your work from manuscript to finished book, including ISBNs, copyright, LOC, permissions, etc., as well as understanding the business side of how the book trade works.
4) Steps to Self-Publishing-an overview of Turing Stone Press, the self-publishing imprint of Hampton Roads, Red Wheel/Weiser Books, Conari Press, and Hierophant, as well as a comparison of other self-publishers, and the three most important financial considerations when choosing a self-publisher.
5) Know your Hook (book pitch exercise)- present your title and book idea to Randy and Jan and receive feedback; put what they have taught you to the test. This is the most fun and educational portion of the day!

Day 2 - Sunday, July 29, From Press to Success! How to Market Your Book Effectively in Today's Publishing World.
1) Author Platform- We will share with you the definition and metrics of a successful author platform and provide specific steps on how you can build yours! This is by far the most important step you can take in making your book successful.
2) Getting Your Book Noticed- How to get radio interviews, book signings, and other media outlets to cover your book. Also, we will share steps you can take to get your book into book stores and other ways that will increase the awareness of you and your message.
3) Press Release and Online Marketing- The basics of a good press release and how to write one, plus ideas for how to promote your book online and launch a “bestseller” campaign.
4) Master Your Spoken Word- How to talk about your book effectively in two minutes or less (it's surprising how many first time authors aren’t able to do this). This is SO important when it comes to doing radio and press interviews, speaking engagements, and other personal encounters, where the goal is to move people to buy your book immediately!
5) The Author Business Model- specific strategies and examples on how you can increase revenues in addition to selling books (workshops, online courses, related products, etc.), and how doing these things will in turn increase the sales of your book.

WOW: Holy cow! That sounds awesome. What great topics that are so important in today's publishing world. What else would you like to tell us about the workshop or your organization? Where can interested writers find more information?

Randy: We receive over three thousand book submissions a year. I have a passion for helping new authors learn about the publishing and book marketing business, so they have the greatest opportunity for a successful book or series of books. We offer workshops like this so authors can learn from us and learn from each other, instead of trying to do it alone. We hope you will join us in Newport Beach!

WOW: Thank you, Randy, for taking the time to discuss the self-publishing and marketing workshop with us today. Muffin readers, remember if you are interested, check out this website now: www.InsightEventsUSA.com and register before July 16th for early registration prices--before registration fills up or you miss the early bird discount. Also, check out their Facebook page.

Interview conducted by Margo L. Dill

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Thinking Outside the Box Marketing

by lunarpersuasion (flickr.com)

Earlier this month, Jodi wrote a great post titled, "Promotion Is More Than Just Bookmarks." If you missed it and the wonderful comments after it, you can view it here. I've noticed authors doing a couple of what I like to call "thinking outside the box" marketing ideas lately, and so I thought I would share these with you. I don't know, maybe we should make March WOW! Women On Writing Share Your Marketing Ideas Month. With two books coming out sometime this year, I am always on the look out for what works. So, here's what I've noticed:

• Our very own WOW! blogger and columnist, Darcy Pattison, gave away a free e-copy of her new picture book, Wisdom: The Midway Albatross, for 48 hours in honor of the anniversary of the Japanese tsunami. Wisdom, one tough bird, survived that tsunami, and so Darcy tied a marketing promotion with the anniversary. Why give away e-copies of your book? Well, it's smart for picture book writers like Darcy because parents, teachers, and librarians can view the book on their e-readers and then purchase the hard copy for their kids, classes, students, etc. I blogged about Wisdom after reading it because I liked it so much. Sometimes, you have to give stuff away. . .And I found out about this free book because Darcy used the Events feature on Facebook to invite me (and all her contacts) to this book giveaway event. Another lesson learned here--use social networking!
• Currently, WOW! has a blog tour for  The Smiley Book of Colors by Ruth Kaiser. Besides doing a blog tour, Ruth is also collecting photos of smiles readers find in nature. She gives money to Operation Smile for each photo, and one photographer (from WOW!) will win a book. (For more details, go here.) How does this help her market her book? She has people EXCITED about finding smiles. She is helping children, which everyone wants to do. She has people going to her website. She has kids and adults talking about her book. "Hey, I see a smile in your tree. Can I take a photo to upload to this author's website?" And imagine the conversation that will follow after that question. So, learn from Ruth. Do you have some way that fans can interact with you or your book on a website or blog or even Facebook page?
• Shhh--don't tell anyone, but this next great idea is from a male author! (smiles) Mike Pemberton wrote a novel about basketball and mental illness titled, Transcendental Basketball Blues . So, what did he do that was a great marketing idea? He sent his book to different coaches around where he lives. The women's basketball coach from a nearby university liked his book so much that he is going to recommend that all his players read it AND he will use it as a textbook in his coaching basketball class! Time to put on your thinking cap: Who could you send your book to that can get behind it 100 percent? A few free copies sent out strategically while thinking outside the box may create tons of sales later. 

Okay, there are three ideas. Do you have any to share?

Post by Margo L. Dill; Check out Margo's Advanced Social Networking Class beginning on April 13 and see how she can help you use social networking to market yourself and your work! Sign up here.

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8 comments author marketing, book marketing, Margo L. Dill, marketing tips

How To Host A Blog Tour Successfully

To all of us that have blogs or have a book and visit blogs, we're very familiar with the term "blog tour." It used to be authors went on a book tour, visiting bookstores or coffee shops across the country or in their region, meeting readers, signing books, and hopefully gathering fans. But as we all know the days of the brick and mortar bookstores are limited, and many authors don't even have a print book. So they've embraced the change and go on blog tours.

Again, you're probably wondering, why is she telling us this? We already know this. Yes, but does your mother? How about your neighbor or high school classmate? What about your spouse? I bet you might be shocked to find out that some of these people have no idea what a blog tour is, have never left a comment on a blog, and only land on one accidentally when doing a Google search for something like, "Tips for putting your baby to sleep."

So, if you're a blogger and you're hosting blog tours, it is your responsibility to educate the people in your lives and your network about what a blog tour is and how they can help make it successful for the author.

One time I had this conversation with a fellow, elderly critique group member.

Me: You should visit my blog tomorrow. I'm having a book giveaway.
Him: I don't blog.

Me: You don't have to blog to win the book. You just have to leave a comment.
Him: I don't know how to leave a comment.

And so on--you can see how this went. And this is so typical--and not just of people over 65. My point--you can't just say, "Yes, I'll host this author on a blog tour,"and then put up the post, and hope people find it and leave a comment. Part of the responsibility lies on the author to promote her blog tour. But I believe part also lies on you, the blogger, to educate your readers, loved ones, and extended network that you are having a contest, that they can leave a comment, and even go as far as help them to leave comments if they are interested in the book.

So, how can you drum up more business on your blog for the blog tour you're hosting?

1. Get your post up first thing in the morning so that it makes it to readers who are subscribed by RSS Feed and e-mail.

2. Use social networking to write about the tour--especially if you are hosting a giveaway with the tour. When you put the link to your post on Twitter and Facebook, make it exciting. Talk up the book. Think of your tweet or your status as a headline. For example: Here's a middle-grade novel with a sweet Christmas story PERFECT for your young reader (and a chance to win a copy): LINK. I see so many tweets and Facebook messages that simply say, "Go to my blog and leave a comment for a chance to win TITLE." There's no explanation as to what the book is or what the reader can get out of it.

3. Send an e-mail out to your list and explain what is going on on your blog. This is the way I get most of my comments. I gather e-mail addresses of friends, relatives, former comment leavers, and other writers. Whenever I have a blog tour and giveaway, I always send an e-mail to this list. Again, I write why the person should take time out of her busy life to go to my blog and leave a comment for the author.

Bloggers are changing the way things are done with book promotion. If you have a blog and you accept blog tours, then just go one step further and do a little promotion of your own. You will be paid back when it comes time to do your blog tour!

post by Margo L. Dill;

If you are interested in giving your blog an uplift in the New Year OR starting a blog, then consider taking Margo's blogging course through the WOW! classroom. It starts on February 10 and runs for 5 weeks for $125. To see the syllabus and register, go here.

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8 comments blog advice, blog tour, Margo L. Dill, marketing tips

Do You Need an Author Photo?

Are you one of those people? You're in a book store, randomly grabbing hard covers and paperbacks off a shelf, based on the book cover, and then you either flip to the back cover or crack open the back of the book to sneak a peek at the author's photo?

Truth is, if you answered yes, you're probably not alone.

In today's publishing world, the author photo can be one of the most important pieces of the marketing equation. A 2009 NPR report claims a distinct relationship exists between an author and an author's photograph.

Or maybe not. In a Christian Science Monitor piece from the same year, book blogger Jessa Crispin says it's jarring to meet an author and realize they look nothing like their author photo.

Whether you plan to use a photo on your book's cover, with a freelance piece, or as promotional material, writers have plenty to consider:

1. Dress for success: Think about the type of material you write. If you're reading a book about investing in today's market, would you trust a photo of a woman in business attire or will the blue-jeans-and-T-shirt gal draw your attention. A photo tells a story in one frame. What story are you attempting to tell?
2. Black and white vs. Color: Which is most effective? I pulled books off one bookshelf, and came to a split decision. Thirty books showed black and white photos; the other thirty displayed author's in full color.
3. Professional photo session: More than likely, an author will end of covering the cost of author photos. Do you need a professional photo session? Can a friend or significant other point and shoot your digital camera? Most computers come with digital photo editing
   software, which makes creating, cropping, and perfecting an author photo a click!

Let's dissect an author photo, pointing out the good - and bad - elements. Meet LuAnn. (That's me.)

Two positive elements of this photo exist. I chose to stand next to a noiseless background. It's an accentuating color and offers minimal distraction. Also, I selected to wear a solid color, which again, keeps the photo's noise level to a minimum.

Any negatives? If I could reselect a shirt, I'd choose something besides cream, especially since I'm fair-skinned and blonde. I'd also double check the room's lighting to make sure the shadow doesn't cause problems with the photo.

This was not a professional shoot. A friend snapped the picture with my digital camera and I sent the file to my editor, who worked her magic!

Once you've had your photos taken, ask for digital files in both low-res (72 DPI) and high-res (300 DPI). Low-res works best for online; high-res is used in printed formats.

Also think about updating your photo every few years. It will cut down on those awkward moments Crispin described. This photo is four years old and I've changed - just a bit - since then.

Do you use an author's photo? What tips can you offer?

by LuAnn Schindler

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Break Through "The Skids"

As economic times worsen, writers struggle to stay afloat between assignments or book deals.

Competition for assignments is fierce, especially in this age where anyone can think he or she is a writer. One thread of a LinkedIn group I belong to talks about giving up freelancing after three decades in the business because so many newbies (and wannabes) agree to write an article for pennies on the dollar.

Those of us who have been in the business for years - and who expect to fairly compensated for our skills and time - understand the ebb and flow of the publishing industry.

Sometimes, we simply hit the skids.

But it doesn't mean we like it.

How can a writer protect herself when the phone doesn't ring and your email inbox is as desolate as a lonely stretch of highway?

Let's look at five ways to straighten out your career when it hits the brakes.

1. Query: You won't make a sale if you fail to pitch ideas. I'm lucky to have developed an ongoing relationship with a regional newspaper so I usually have a steady stream of sales, but I still take the time to submit queries to other newspapers and magazines. And I still receive the occasional rejection letter or email. One of the best pieces of advice I've heard came from Hope Clark from Funds for Writers. She talked about the rule of 13 and having 13 queries in play. I took her advice. It works. I like to have 13 queries out at a time, and if I receive a rejection, I fine tune the pitch and find a new market. It's common sense. Each query ups your odds of a sale.
2. Observe: Keep your eyes and ears open. You never know when you'll hear a snippet of conversation that sparks an idea. Take note of what's going on around you, too. You may hit on the latest trend, and that can lead to a possible sale.
3. Recycle: In the land of home staging, this may also be called repurposing. If I find that I don't a lot of new assignments coming in, and especially if the ideas just aren't flowing, I go through my previous articles and see if I can reslant it for a new market. Reprints require a minimal time investment but can lead to load of extra cash.
4. Chill: At some point, you will hit a dry spell. It's the law of averages. Although you may find it difficult to relax, you really need to take a chill pill. Find new scenery. Do something just for you. Embrace these moments from the writing world. Your creative muse will thank you.
5. Stay positive: Easier said than done, right? A positive attitude will make life - and writing - easier. When assignments come in, tackle them immediately. It's a boost to your creative mind. I've noticed that the quicker I turn in assignments, the faster I get new assignments. At least it seems that way. Plus, not procrastinating helps me keep a positive mantra.

Writing, like the economy, make hit the skids. But by taking a proactive attitude, you can help yourself break through the tough times.

Blog and photo by LuAnn Schindler. Read more of LuAnn's work at her website.

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1 comment dealing with rejection, dry spell, LuAnn Schindler, marketing tips, querying, recycle articles, reprints, staying positive, tough economic times for writers