My first book, Farm Girl, was also the first book for WiDo Publishing. The book had been put together beforehand, with my son Billy as the editor and my son Don doing layout and design. My plan was to print up a few copies for my mom and for our family members.
After the investor chose it as a first release of WiDo Publishing, he did a large print run of 5000 copies. About half of those have sold. The investor was willing to try many things to get sales-- hiring a publicist, sending out copies for contests, paying someone to call bookstores and get orders. The idea was to try a lot of different approaches and eventually something would pay off.
It's been an interesting learning experience, because the entire publishing culture changed from when WiDo first began until now. Most of the things that we tried at first are no longer viable.
Calling bookstores? A waste of valuable time. Farm Girl sells more books on Kindle now than print.
Hiring a publicist? A waste of good money. More book sales happen through online blog reviews and the calculated use of KDP Select free promotions than through an expensive publicist getting a feature on TV, radio or in the newspaper.
Giving away free copies to teachers in hopes they'd buy more for the classroom? Ha! Teachers, like everyone else, are strapped for cash and will gladly take a free book, no questions asked, no commitment made. Period.
From the way books were printed in 2007 to the way they are sold in 2012, Farm Girl has led the way in change for WiDo. The lessons learned and experience gained from making and selling this first book have been invaluable. I believe that is Farm Girl's real worth as WiDo's first release.
Showing posts with label selling books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label selling books. Show all posts
Friday, April 6, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Made My Peace with Marketing
If anyone wants a quick education in how writers should market themselves online, go to this post. But it's not the post, it's the comments. When I posed the questions, my awesome, amazing and incredibly good-looking followers gave over fifty intelligent, well-thought out opinions on the conundrum of online promotion.
Seriously, whatever marketing answers you need are in these comments. I've pondered them at length and have finally made my peace with marketing.
It's my blog and if I want to talk about my books, my writing, my editor, my publisher, my pet projects like Celery Tree or the maple trees I planted last summer, then I can and I will. However, I like to consider your feelings. After two and a half years, I've got a pretty good idea of what you like and what you don't, so I try to respect that.
My author website contains plenty of information about my books, so I don't need to use my blog for that purpose. It simplifies things, and I like the arrangement--having my website for my book information and my blog for random whatever. I maintain the Celery Tree blog but this one gets the most traffic, so I'll occasionally write a post here featuring Celery Tree. Why should anyone care if I do that?
I'm involved with day to day operations with WiDo Publishing, and from time to time I post about publishing/editing/submitting information. I think writers enjoy those kinds of posts. Not that I'm promoting WiDo. A publishing company doesn't really need to be promoted. Submissions pour in just by the fact of its existence.
I no longer believe that blogging sells books. WiDo has authors who blog endlessly and others who don't at all. People buy what they want to read whether the author is blogging or not. It's more the cover, title, genre, quality, themes and story that sell a particular book, not the writer's online presence. I'm not saying blogging hurts, unless the blogger comes across as a big jerk, and it MAY help, but it certainly is no guarantee! It may not even be necessary.
This relieves a huge amount of pressure. I can now blog for fun and enjoyment and camaraderie rather than for promotional purposes. I've worked hard to develop an online presence and have benefited in countless ways, but selling books isn't top on the list.
Really, the way to sell books is to write the absolute best books you can write. And then write some more and more. I believe this with all my heart. One of these days, I'll write a novel that shoots to the bestseller lists and stays there for a really really long time. And it won't have anything to do with my online presence. It will be simply because I happened to write something that resonated with a whole bunch of readers and the word spreads and the rest is history. Or rather the future. Because it hasn't happened yet. But when it does, it will be about the writing not about the marketing.
Have you made your peace with marketing?
Seriously, whatever marketing answers you need are in these comments. I've pondered them at length and have finally made my peace with marketing.
It's my blog and if I want to talk about my books, my writing, my editor, my publisher, my pet projects like Celery Tree or the maple trees I planted last summer, then I can and I will. However, I like to consider your feelings. After two and a half years, I've got a pretty good idea of what you like and what you don't, so I try to respect that.
My author website contains plenty of information about my books, so I don't need to use my blog for that purpose. It simplifies things, and I like the arrangement--having my website for my book information and my blog for random whatever. I maintain the Celery Tree blog but this one gets the most traffic, so I'll occasionally write a post here featuring Celery Tree. Why should anyone care if I do that?
I'm involved with day to day operations with WiDo Publishing, and from time to time I post about publishing/editing/submitting information. I think writers enjoy those kinds of posts. Not that I'm promoting WiDo. A publishing company doesn't really need to be promoted. Submissions pour in just by the fact of its existence.
I no longer believe that blogging sells books. WiDo has authors who blog endlessly and others who don't at all. People buy what they want to read whether the author is blogging or not. It's more the cover, title, genre, quality, themes and story that sell a particular book, not the writer's online presence. I'm not saying blogging hurts, unless the blogger comes across as a big jerk, and it MAY help, but it certainly is no guarantee! It may not even be necessary.
This relieves a huge amount of pressure. I can now blog for fun and enjoyment and camaraderie rather than for promotional purposes. I've worked hard to develop an online presence and have benefited in countless ways, but selling books isn't top on the list.
Really, the way to sell books is to write the absolute best books you can write. And then write some more and more. I believe this with all my heart. One of these days, I'll write a novel that shoots to the bestseller lists and stays there for a really really long time. And it won't have anything to do with my online presence. It will be simply because I happened to write something that resonated with a whole bunch of readers and the word spreads and the rest is history. Or rather the future. Because it hasn't happened yet. But when it does, it will be about the writing not about the marketing.
Have you made your peace with marketing?
Friday, February 17, 2012
"Free on Amazon" Should you or shouldn't you?
Is Free the new .99? .99 ebooks don't get the attention they did a year ago since so many are listed at that price. With zillions of ebooks flooding the internet, how does one little book get noticed?
Recently WiDo Publishing did free promotions on their titles that are in the KDP Select program, which allows a book to be offered free for five days during its 90-day cycle on the program. In WiDo's experimentation with price adjustments and free promotions, it's the Free that makes the most money, while .99 is the throw-away.
How can "free" make money? Free for five days in a row, which is how WiDo did it, can be quite profitable. Once the free promo ends, the exposure brings downloads well beyond the book's previous sales levels.
For instance, my book Farm Girl, which wasn't selling well on Kindle, had 18,588 downloads during its five free days. It got ten new reader reviews, all positive (yay!) and then continued on to 500 sales in the two weeks following the promotion.
It may continue selling well, it may not; but at least the little farm girl got some exposure and sales that she wouldn't have gotten otherwise. Since she was lucky to get five downloads a week before, we're talking 100 times the traffic. For an e- book that's not doing much, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by doing a give-away. Print sales of Farm Girl also increased, as did ebook sales of Uncut Diamonds.
WiDo found similar numbers with its other free promotions, although not as extreme. Sales and rankings increased with the end of every free cycle. While some continued to climb, others returned to their pre-promotional ranking numbers. Price didn't seem to matter. Two books that were given the .99 price tag didn't sell any more after the promotion than those priced at $3.99.
Should you or shouldn't you take advantage of KDP Select's five day free option? I would say "Most definitely." Because Free can make money for a book that isn't making any, and it can make even more money for one that is.
Has anyone else taken advantage of Free on Kindle? I'd love to hear your experiences.
Recently WiDo Publishing did free promotions on their titles that are in the KDP Select program, which allows a book to be offered free for five days during its 90-day cycle on the program. In WiDo's experimentation with price adjustments and free promotions, it's the Free that makes the most money, while .99 is the throw-away.
How can "free" make money? Free for five days in a row, which is how WiDo did it, can be quite profitable. Once the free promo ends, the exposure brings downloads well beyond the book's previous sales levels.
For instance, my book Farm Girl, which wasn't selling well on Kindle, had 18,588 downloads during its five free days. It got ten new reader reviews, all positive (yay!) and then continued on to 500 sales in the two weeks following the promotion.
It may continue selling well, it may not; but at least the little farm girl got some exposure and sales that she wouldn't have gotten otherwise. Since she was lucky to get five downloads a week before, we're talking 100 times the traffic. For an e- book that's not doing much, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by doing a give-away. Print sales of Farm Girl also increased, as did ebook sales of Uncut Diamonds.
WiDo found similar numbers with its other free promotions, although not as extreme. Sales and rankings increased with the end of every free cycle. While some continued to climb, others returned to their pre-promotional ranking numbers. Price didn't seem to matter. Two books that were given the .99 price tag didn't sell any more after the promotion than those priced at $3.99.
Should you or shouldn't you take advantage of KDP Select's five day free option? I would say "Most definitely." Because Free can make money for a book that isn't making any, and it can make even more money for one that is.
Has anyone else taken advantage of Free on Kindle? I'd love to hear your experiences.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Pricing Ebooks
WiDo Publishing began in 2007 as a print publisher, later releasing titles as ebooks as well. They price new releases at $3.99, and $2.99 for older titles to stimulate interest and attract new buyers. Recently they experimented to find that magic number for bringing in the greatest number of ebook sales
As I mentioned in my previous post, $2.99 is the lowest Kindle price to get the 70% royalty rate from Amazon. WiDo tried .99 for two books: Ghost Waves by W. Everett Prusso and my novel Uncut Diamonds, both released 2009 in print, 2010 as ebooks. Results were interesting.
The drop in price made very little difference in sales. Both authors had only one book on Kindle. Neither of the books had significant sales, although mine were higher probably because I had developed an online presence and the other author had not.
My sales went up a bit with the .99 change but then held steady. They weren't enough to make a difference in profit so WiDo put it back to 2.99 and sales continued at the pre-.99 rate. It may go back to .99 for a time with the release of House of Diamonds, as a promotional price.
The cut didn't affect Ghost Waves sales. Although the hardcover print book did alright for $19.95, it hasn't done well as an ebook regardless of price.
WiDo's top selling ebook is In the Mirror: A Memoir of Shattered Secrets by Ann Carbine Best. It came out in May and there are no plans to drop the price to $2.99 as it continues to sell steadily at $3.99. Not by huge numbers, but consistently, and more every month.
Another new release is Cloak by James Gough, a YA fantasy to be released in hardcover November 15 as a special gift edition for $25.95. It is currently available as an ebook for $4.99, the highest WiDo has priced a new ebook release. The somewhat higher price hasn't seemed to affect ebook sales for Cloak, at least not its first month. People who wanted it bought it.
I'm using WiDo's examples because as a publisher, they're dealing with a variety of authors, titles and genres. So price variations can show interesting trends. And what it has shown in WiDo's case is that if people want a book, the price of a few dollars isn't going to matter. And if they don't want it, the .99 tag won't convince them to buy it. Maybe a few, but not in high enough numbers to overcome that price's weak profit margins.
It comes down to that age-old question forever baffling writers and publishers. What does the public want to read? What inspires people to pay for a book? Simple answer: If it's what they want, they'll make the effort. They'll look for it in a library or bookstore or on their ereader. Book sales come from writing and publishing what people want to read. Give customers what they want and sales will come, whether the book goes for .99 or 9.99.
Are there any ebooks that should be priced at .99? Books that would sell significantly better at the rock bottom price? Consider this. When paperback novels first came out they were cheap, they were exciting and their enticing covers and fast plots appealed to pulp fiction readers. The .99 ebook is like the new old-time paperback pulp fiction novel.
There's a large population of ebook buyers looking for the .99 fast read. It has to have an enticing cover and a fast-moving, action-oriented plot, preferably with a healthy dose of sex. Very much like the hugely popular paperback novels of the 1940s. If this is what you write, and you can do it well, and you churn them out pretty fast, then you could sell a lot of .99 ebooks. Because you will be giving this audience exactly what they want at the price they're looking for.
As I mentioned in my previous post, $2.99 is the lowest Kindle price to get the 70% royalty rate from Amazon. WiDo tried .99 for two books: Ghost Waves by W. Everett Prusso and my novel Uncut Diamonds, both released 2009 in print, 2010 as ebooks. Results were interesting.
The drop in price made very little difference in sales. Both authors had only one book on Kindle. Neither of the books had significant sales, although mine were higher probably because I had developed an online presence and the other author had not.
My sales went up a bit with the .99 change but then held steady. They weren't enough to make a difference in profit so WiDo put it back to 2.99 and sales continued at the pre-.99 rate. It may go back to .99 for a time with the release of House of Diamonds, as a promotional price.
The cut didn't affect Ghost Waves sales. Although the hardcover print book did alright for $19.95, it hasn't done well as an ebook regardless of price.
WiDo's top selling ebook is In the Mirror: A Memoir of Shattered Secrets by Ann Carbine Best. It came out in May and there are no plans to drop the price to $2.99 as it continues to sell steadily at $3.99. Not by huge numbers, but consistently, and more every month.
Another new release is Cloak by James Gough, a YA fantasy to be released in hardcover November 15 as a special gift edition for $25.95. It is currently available as an ebook for $4.99, the highest WiDo has priced a new ebook release. The somewhat higher price hasn't seemed to affect ebook sales for Cloak, at least not its first month. People who wanted it bought it.
I'm using WiDo's examples because as a publisher, they're dealing with a variety of authors, titles and genres. So price variations can show interesting trends. And what it has shown in WiDo's case is that if people want a book, the price of a few dollars isn't going to matter. And if they don't want it, the .99 tag won't convince them to buy it. Maybe a few, but not in high enough numbers to overcome that price's weak profit margins.
It comes down to that age-old question forever baffling writers and publishers. What does the public want to read? What inspires people to pay for a book? Simple answer: If it's what they want, they'll make the effort. They'll look for it in a library or bookstore or on their ereader. Book sales come from writing and publishing what people want to read. Give customers what they want and sales will come, whether the book goes for .99 or 9.99.
Are there any ebooks that should be priced at .99? Books that would sell significantly better at the rock bottom price? Consider this. When paperback novels first came out they were cheap, they were exciting and their enticing covers and fast plots appealed to pulp fiction readers. The .99 ebook is like the new old-time paperback pulp fiction novel.
There's a large population of ebook buyers looking for the .99 fast read. It has to have an enticing cover and a fast-moving, action-oriented plot, preferably with a healthy dose of sex. Very much like the hugely popular paperback novels of the 1940s. If this is what you write, and you can do it well, and you churn them out pretty fast, then you could sell a lot of .99 ebooks. Because you will be giving this audience exactly what they want at the price they're looking for.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Why I'm Not a Fan of the .99 eBook
How to price an ebook? I've read many posts on this topic and considered the variety of opinions. After all the research, it finally hit me why I disagree with pricing ebooks at .99. It occurred to me one day while gazing lovingly at my cookies.
Convenience stores buy my cookies for $1 apiece to resell at $1.59 or $1.79. I make 24 dozen each week, using extra ovens for baking and other techniques to speed up the process without sacrificing quality.
Imagine that each of these cookies represents one book selling on the Kindle for .99. Compare production time of cookies to that of creating a book good enough for people to pay even .99. Scary thought, isn't it?
Don't forget that Amazon gets 65% of each cookie--er--book, netting you 35 cents per sale. If you went through a publisher they take their cut. Is the solution to self-publish so you get the entire 35 cents? That's what many are saying, but it's still just a pittance for an awful lot of effort and expense.
I wouldn't sell my cookies for .35. If that's all I got, I wouldn't bother. Remember, I sell to the stores for $1 and they add the extra .59 or .79. I, who created the recipe and made the cookies, get the larger cut of the product. I'd be a fool to give the stores over half my profit.
When an ebook is priced for .99, Amazon gets the largest cut because royalty is only 35%. Priced at 2.99 or higher, royalty rate goes to 70%. A Kindle ebook priced for 3.99 earns $2.76 on royalties. Big difference between getting $2.76 for each book sold compared to 35 cents.
Now if I could write 24 dozen quality books a week hahahahahahahaha, I might consider pricing them for .99. But probably not even then, because that's not really .99 it's .35, which is split 50/50 with my publisher.
* So for each .99 book sale on the Kindle, Amazon gets 65 cents, my publisher gets 17 cents and I get 17 cents.
* For each 3.99 book sale on the Kindle, Amazon gets $1.19, my publisher gets $1.40 and I get $1.40.
* $2.99 is the lowest price available to get 70% royalty rate. At that price, Amazon gets 89 cents, my publisher gets $1.05 and I get $1.05.
* I'd have to sell six .99 books to get the same amount of money I get from one sale at $2.99. I'd have to sell eight .99 books to get the same money I'd get from a $3.99 sale.
A .99 promotional price has merit but as a permanent price on one's books? No. I would not do this for 17 cents, not even for 35 cents. At that price, I'm better off making cookies.
On Friday, I'll post about one publisher's experience with pricing ebooks and how price has affected sales.
Convenience stores buy my cookies for $1 apiece to resell at $1.59 or $1.79. I make 24 dozen each week, using extra ovens for baking and other techniques to speed up the process without sacrificing quality.Imagine that each of these cookies represents one book selling on the Kindle for .99. Compare production time of cookies to that of creating a book good enough for people to pay even .99. Scary thought, isn't it?
Don't forget that Amazon gets 65% of each cookie--er--book, netting you 35 cents per sale. If you went through a publisher they take their cut. Is the solution to self-publish so you get the entire 35 cents? That's what many are saying, but it's still just a pittance for an awful lot of effort and expense.
I wouldn't sell my cookies for .35. If that's all I got, I wouldn't bother. Remember, I sell to the stores for $1 and they add the extra .59 or .79. I, who created the recipe and made the cookies, get the larger cut of the product. I'd be a fool to give the stores over half my profit.
When an ebook is priced for .99, Amazon gets the largest cut because royalty is only 35%. Priced at 2.99 or higher, royalty rate goes to 70%. A Kindle ebook priced for 3.99 earns $2.76 on royalties. Big difference between getting $2.76 for each book sold compared to 35 cents.
Now if I could write 24 dozen quality books a week hahahahahahahaha, I might consider pricing them for .99. But probably not even then, because that's not really .99 it's .35, which is split 50/50 with my publisher.
* So for each .99 book sale on the Kindle, Amazon gets 65 cents, my publisher gets 17 cents and I get 17 cents.
* For each 3.99 book sale on the Kindle, Amazon gets $1.19, my publisher gets $1.40 and I get $1.40.
* $2.99 is the lowest price available to get 70% royalty rate. At that price, Amazon gets 89 cents, my publisher gets $1.05 and I get $1.05.
* I'd have to sell six .99 books to get the same amount of money I get from one sale at $2.99. I'd have to sell eight .99 books to get the same money I'd get from a $3.99 sale.
A .99 promotional price has merit but as a permanent price on one's books? No. I would not do this for 17 cents, not even for 35 cents. At that price, I'm better off making cookies.
On Friday, I'll post about one publisher's experience with pricing ebooks and how price has affected sales.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Six ways to Put the Blog to Work When You're Not There
A good blog is like a major home appliance that keeps working for you while you're busy elsewhere. We know how a dishwasher does this, but how can we be sure our blog is working well for us behind the scenes?
1. Comments. Your comments are like little signposts leading people back to you. So visit other blogs and leave comments. One who takes the time to leave thoughtful, clever, original comments will get followers and comments back.
2. Declutter. Make sure things are tidy and attractive for visitors. Sidebars can get really crowded! And viewing the blog daily, we get used to the mess. Declutter once a month and determine what needs to stay and what can go. Imagine how a new person viewing your site for the first time might see it.
3. Platform. Every blogger whether a career writer or not should have a platform, regardless of how informal it might be. Why are you here? What's your focus? What kinds of people do you want to attract? Once that's settled, make sure everything in your blog reflects you and the platform you've chosen, from your profile photo and bio to your design and even the arrangement of gadgets on the sidebar. That doesn't mean you can't branch out now and then and fly your freak flag, because a blog should reflect the personality of the owner. But someone stopping by should be able to tell fairly quickly who you are and what you're all about.
4. Posts. Once a post is written it stays in place until deleted. Long after the blogger has forgotten they even wrote it, someone can find it and decide if your blog is worth their time just by that one post. So take care with what you write, and if you have nothing to say, don't say it. Why stick to some arbitrary schedule if you have nothing? Or if you're on a roll, go ahead and publish daily. A good post will continue working for you as long as your blog exists, so the more excellent posts you have in your file, the harder they'll be working for you and your blog! But let me repeat: That doesn't mean you can't branch out now and then and fly your freak flag, because a blog should reflect the personality of the owner. So don't get paranoid and think everything you write has to be perfect and meaningful. Let loose now and then, nothing wrong with that!
5. Label and Index. When I first started blogging, I discovered a few publishing blogs that were full of such great information that I went in and read everything. On Blogger, there's a place for labels at the bottom of each post. You can then choose which labels you want displayed in the Index on your sidebar. Ideally, each post should carry labels according to subject matter. My labels are chosen with emphasis placed on the key words that relate to my platform. Like: bad reviews, blog tour, booksellers, editing, editors, selling books, rejection..... You get the idea. My labels reflect my platform. So that just in case someone wants to thoroughly research my blog and go through my old posts to get information, I organized it for them!
6. Selling Your Book. Your blog can help sell your book, but make sure it's easy for visitors to click on the links where they can buy it in various formats. I like these Kindle and Nook buttons. Suddenly one day I realized they needed to be near the top of my blog instead of buried down below somewhere, so I changed to a two-column format that makes more sense for me.
These are a few of the ways that a blog can keep working for you while you're off enjoying your vacation, or writing your book, or eating dinner, or down with the flu. There's no need to hover and be constantly present online. Set up your site carefully and thoughtfully and then let it hum along doing its job! Because the internet never sleeps.
1. Comments. Your comments are like little signposts leading people back to you. So visit other blogs and leave comments. One who takes the time to leave thoughtful, clever, original comments will get followers and comments back.
2. Declutter. Make sure things are tidy and attractive for visitors. Sidebars can get really crowded! And viewing the blog daily, we get used to the mess. Declutter once a month and determine what needs to stay and what can go. Imagine how a new person viewing your site for the first time might see it.
3. Platform. Every blogger whether a career writer or not should have a platform, regardless of how informal it might be. Why are you here? What's your focus? What kinds of people do you want to attract? Once that's settled, make sure everything in your blog reflects you and the platform you've chosen, from your profile photo and bio to your design and even the arrangement of gadgets on the sidebar. That doesn't mean you can't branch out now and then and fly your freak flag, because a blog should reflect the personality of the owner. But someone stopping by should be able to tell fairly quickly who you are and what you're all about.
4. Posts. Once a post is written it stays in place until deleted. Long after the blogger has forgotten they even wrote it, someone can find it and decide if your blog is worth their time just by that one post. So take care with what you write, and if you have nothing to say, don't say it. Why stick to some arbitrary schedule if you have nothing? Or if you're on a roll, go ahead and publish daily. A good post will continue working for you as long as your blog exists, so the more excellent posts you have in your file, the harder they'll be working for you and your blog! But let me repeat: That doesn't mean you can't branch out now and then and fly your freak flag, because a blog should reflect the personality of the owner. So don't get paranoid and think everything you write has to be perfect and meaningful. Let loose now and then, nothing wrong with that!
5. Label and Index. When I first started blogging, I discovered a few publishing blogs that were full of such great information that I went in and read everything. On Blogger, there's a place for labels at the bottom of each post. You can then choose which labels you want displayed in the Index on your sidebar. Ideally, each post should carry labels according to subject matter. My labels are chosen with emphasis placed on the key words that relate to my platform. Like: bad reviews, blog tour, booksellers, editing, editors, selling books, rejection..... You get the idea. My labels reflect my platform. So that just in case someone wants to thoroughly research my blog and go through my old posts to get information, I organized it for them!
6. Selling Your Book. Your blog can help sell your book, but make sure it's easy for visitors to click on the links where they can buy it in various formats. I like these Kindle and Nook buttons. Suddenly one day I realized they needed to be near the top of my blog instead of buried down below somewhere, so I changed to a two-column format that makes more sense for me.
These are a few of the ways that a blog can keep working for you while you're off enjoying your vacation, or writing your book, or eating dinner, or down with the flu. There's no need to hover and be constantly present online. Set up your site carefully and thoughtfully and then let it hum along doing its job! Because the internet never sleeps.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Marketing for Insecure Writers
Today we have Jim Bronyaur, author of thrillers The Devil's Weekend and In the Corner talking about MARKETING. Yes, like it or not, it's that thing we have do as authors.
But since this is the first Wednesday of the month, the theme is ANXIETY and INSECURE AUTHORS, right? We need tips to make us feel less insecure about the biggest task facing us after we publish our books-- MARKETING and PROMOTION.
Take it away, Jim.
Marketing. Okay, I’ll wait for everyone to run or yell or boo at me. *checks watch* Okay, we’re back.
Marketing. Online marketing. Social marketing.
These are all essential tools for yourself, your book, and your platform.
The first thing you need to do is understand that your book is a product. And you, as the person selling that product, are indeed a business owner. Your business is to sell your product, your book. This right off the bat is where some people fail. You need to see the big picture of the product and the business and find a plan that works for you.
So, you have your product, your book, and now you want to market it.
Good luck!
Traditional marketing holds its own ground, but not for books and authors. I dare you to tell me without looking what the last four sidebar ads you saw on Facebook were. I bet you can’t. Because we’ve grown accustomed to ads. They are on pages, newspapers, even on the glass of the rink on a NHL hockey game!
So to market your book, you must do so in a way that’s new, different, and effective.
Personally, and as I’ve said before, the best marketing plan is to have another book in the works, ready to sell. The more you have out there is the more you can sell. The law of numbers is actually on our side as authors. Embrace it.
Good marketing means you’re real. You’re human.
This is why Twitter is popular. You have 140 characters to share a message, and no, that doesn’t link up every ten seconds. Please don’t pester everyone with your links, over and over. I personally tell myself I’ll Tweet my book maybe once a day, maybe.
So, without linking your book, how does Twitter help?
Twitter is a giant network.
You can find people to talk to. People who you can network with, share ideas with, and find new avenues of selling books with. You can join in on conversations via hashtags such as #amwriting. For those not familiar with hashtags, these are search items on Twitter. For example, if I put in #amwriting and search it on Twitter, anyone who has tweeted that hashtag will show. This allows me to engage in conversations and find potential new people to follow and new followers.
Another trick with Twitter is to use hashtags around your book, without being pushy.
I may Tweet something like this… “Current review for my #horror #thriller #ebook available on #kindle…”
All those hashtags can help me.
Another place to be is KindleBoards. Here you will find a community of authors with open arms. They share ideas, thoughts, history, and numbers.
Yes, numbers.
On KB, every month people will share their sales for the previous month. They will go into detail, discuss why the books sold may have risen or lowered. And I’m talking some heavy hitters here… people who sell twenty thousand books a month! And they are willing to share their advice and what they’ve done to get to that point.
How does that help you market?
You’re networking. You’re talking to new people, finding new places. That’s what marketing is all about.
I’ve gotten several interviews and guest posts and traffic to my blog and books from KB. Authors will hold contests and events, looking for other authors to help.
A perfect example… coming in October, I have a month long blog tour going on with several other writers I met on KB. We are all promoting each other’s books on different dates, etc.
Now, here’s possibly the best marketing plan out there… don’t market yourself.
I’ll say it again.
Don’t market yourself.
That’s right, don’t market yourself.
What does that mean?
That means just be there.
Be in the moment, in the now of writing and publishing.
Establish a blog that provides something that people want. I struggled with this for years until I finally started one. I decided to use my financial background to help analyze things. One of my firsts posts was the explaination of why Borders closed. The post still gets dozens of hits a week. I went out and tracked down other writers and brought them to my blog to talk about selling books.
I gave people a reason to come to my blog.
And yes, on my blog are links to my books, but the blog is not about my books.
I’m also active on Twitter using the hashtags (like I said above). I talk about books, publishing, and basically give people a sense of who I am, why I write, and the fact that I know what I’m talking about.
That’s my marketing plan.
I want to talk to everyone about books. I want to learn, I want to teach, and I want to enjoy.
Face it, you all know I’m a writer. So instead of trying to shove my totally awesome kick butt horror novels on you, I’m going to share everything I know about publishing. I’m going to be personable, real. I’m going to be someone you trust, and hopefully someone you enjoy to read… so once you’re done with this guest post, and my other posts, you’ll be ready to head over to Amazon and buy my book.
And that is new marketing.
So, remember, if you want to market your book… don’t.
But no seriously, like I said, posting your book on ads doesn’t work. Not anymore. You have to be face of your book, your product. You have to be out there, talking, posting, and being a human.
This is publishing, and it’s a business.
Thank you, Jim, this post was packed full of helpful information. Just like your blog! Anyone who hasn't been there, definitely go check it out. And guess where I met Jim and invited him to be a guest on my blog? Yep, Twitter!
But since this is the first Wednesday of the month, the theme is ANXIETY and INSECURE AUTHORS, right? We need tips to make us feel less insecure about the biggest task facing us after we publish our books-- MARKETING and PROMOTION.
Take it away, Jim.
Marketing. Okay, I’ll wait for everyone to run or yell or boo at me. *checks watch* Okay, we’re back.
Marketing. Online marketing. Social marketing.
These are all essential tools for yourself, your book, and your platform.
The first thing you need to do is understand that your book is a product. And you, as the person selling that product, are indeed a business owner. Your business is to sell your product, your book. This right off the bat is where some people fail. You need to see the big picture of the product and the business and find a plan that works for you.
So, you have your product, your book, and now you want to market it.
Good luck!
Traditional marketing holds its own ground, but not for books and authors. I dare you to tell me without looking what the last four sidebar ads you saw on Facebook were. I bet you can’t. Because we’ve grown accustomed to ads. They are on pages, newspapers, even on the glass of the rink on a NHL hockey game!
So to market your book, you must do so in a way that’s new, different, and effective.
Personally, and as I’ve said before, the best marketing plan is to have another book in the works, ready to sell. The more you have out there is the more you can sell. The law of numbers is actually on our side as authors. Embrace it.
Good marketing means you’re real. You’re human.
This is why Twitter is popular. You have 140 characters to share a message, and no, that doesn’t link up every ten seconds. Please don’t pester everyone with your links, over and over. I personally tell myself I’ll Tweet my book maybe once a day, maybe.
So, without linking your book, how does Twitter help?
Twitter is a giant network.
You can find people to talk to. People who you can network with, share ideas with, and find new avenues of selling books with. You can join in on conversations via hashtags such as #amwriting. For those not familiar with hashtags, these are search items on Twitter. For example, if I put in #amwriting and search it on Twitter, anyone who has tweeted that hashtag will show. This allows me to engage in conversations and find potential new people to follow and new followers.
Another trick with Twitter is to use hashtags around your book, without being pushy.
I may Tweet something like this… “Current review for my #horror #thriller #ebook available on #kindle…”
All those hashtags can help me.
Another place to be is KindleBoards. Here you will find a community of authors with open arms. They share ideas, thoughts, history, and numbers.
Yes, numbers.
On KB, every month people will share their sales for the previous month. They will go into detail, discuss why the books sold may have risen or lowered. And I’m talking some heavy hitters here… people who sell twenty thousand books a month! And they are willing to share their advice and what they’ve done to get to that point.
How does that help you market?
You’re networking. You’re talking to new people, finding new places. That’s what marketing is all about.
I’ve gotten several interviews and guest posts and traffic to my blog and books from KB. Authors will hold contests and events, looking for other authors to help.
A perfect example… coming in October, I have a month long blog tour going on with several other writers I met on KB. We are all promoting each other’s books on different dates, etc.
Now, here’s possibly the best marketing plan out there… don’t market yourself.
I’ll say it again.
Don’t market yourself.
That’s right, don’t market yourself.
What does that mean?
That means just be there.
Be in the moment, in the now of writing and publishing.
Establish a blog that provides something that people want. I struggled with this for years until I finally started one. I decided to use my financial background to help analyze things. One of my firsts posts was the explaination of why Borders closed. The post still gets dozens of hits a week. I went out and tracked down other writers and brought them to my blog to talk about selling books.
I gave people a reason to come to my blog.
And yes, on my blog are links to my books, but the blog is not about my books.
I’m also active on Twitter using the hashtags (like I said above). I talk about books, publishing, and basically give people a sense of who I am, why I write, and the fact that I know what I’m talking about.
That’s my marketing plan.
I want to talk to everyone about books. I want to learn, I want to teach, and I want to enjoy.
Face it, you all know I’m a writer. So instead of trying to shove my totally awesome kick butt horror novels on you, I’m going to share everything I know about publishing. I’m going to be personable, real. I’m going to be someone you trust, and hopefully someone you enjoy to read… so once you’re done with this guest post, and my other posts, you’ll be ready to head over to Amazon and buy my book.
And that is new marketing.
So, remember, if you want to market your book… don’t.
But no seriously, like I said, posting your book on ads doesn’t work. Not anymore. You have to be face of your book, your product. You have to be out there, talking, posting, and being a human.
This is publishing, and it’s a business.
Thank you, Jim, this post was packed full of helpful information. Just like your blog! Anyone who hasn't been there, definitely go check it out. And guess where I met Jim and invited him to be a guest on my blog? Yep, Twitter!
Friday, September 30, 2011
The Future is Bright for Writers
Look to Amazon if you want to know the future for books and writers. See the new Kindles they're coming out with in time for Christmas. See how their ad shows it in a teen-age girl's back pocket. See how they make it affordable as stocking gifts for your kids. See how they realize the Kindle has a whole new market of readers to find-- children and teenagers.
As e-readers get cheaper and more diverse, people will have several. I have a Kindle, but I'd like an iPad too. Why not a Nook? And kids will have them.
More people than ever will be looking for books to read on their new readers. So, writers, get busy writing their books!
I've been kicking myself to write more. Soon I'll go from one book to three that are available as ebooks. I have another novel in the works that I hope can be ready for March release. I think I can get another one done and into editing for next October release.
My goal is to have five books with my name on them available by next Christmas. Right now I have one. Pathetic, I know, but I have goals.
It's time to buckle down and get writing. We determine our own futures. If we don't write the books, then life goes on without our names on the titles.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
How He Sold one Million ebooks in Five Months
John Locke is a super-salesman/businessman who regardless what he does figures out how to make money and be a success. Everything he touches turns to gold. If he ever writes a real memoir, I'll buy it.
I'm not one of his niche readers, will never buy one of his .99 books or even read a free one. Not because they aren't good, I have no idea if they are or not, but they're just not my kind of read. However, a book that gives guidelines and tips on being more successful especially when it has to do with my own rather unplanned, unorganized, write it and they will come approach to my career definitely has my attention.
And speaking of niche readers, that is a big part of his plan. An author must find their target audience, write to them, email them, love them. I totally agree with this! If only I could find my target audience, I'd do all of these things!
How can anyone not be impressed with Locke's accomplishments as a self-published author? In his book How I Sold 1 Million ebooks in 5 Months, he outlines how he did it. Some of his plan is applicable for about everyone, others are the kind of things a born salesman/successful rich guy will do and that would be really tough for a reserved, anxiety-ridden, overly stressed already woman (like me) to follow suit and have even 1/10 the same results.
Besides, I don't believe that everything works for everyone, but what I do believe in is making plans and setting goals. What Locke's book made me realize is that although I do this kind of planning and goal-setting in nearly every area of my life I have never done it for my own writing career. So he really opened my eyes to that.
As I read his business plan for marketing books, I was inspired to set up a professional author website. I finished it this weekend and am very proud of it! Anyone who wants to stop by and say hi, I'd appreciate it! Better get in there now before it's crowded with all those one million readers who will rush over just as soon as I publish House of Diamonds.
I'm not one of his niche readers, will never buy one of his .99 books or even read a free one. Not because they aren't good, I have no idea if they are or not, but they're just not my kind of read. However, a book that gives guidelines and tips on being more successful especially when it has to do with my own rather unplanned, unorganized, write it and they will come approach to my career definitely has my attention.
And speaking of niche readers, that is a big part of his plan. An author must find their target audience, write to them, email them, love them. I totally agree with this! If only I could find my target audience, I'd do all of these things!
How can anyone not be impressed with Locke's accomplishments as a self-published author? In his book How I Sold 1 Million ebooks in 5 Months, he outlines how he did it. Some of his plan is applicable for about everyone, others are the kind of things a born salesman/successful rich guy will do and that would be really tough for a reserved, anxiety-ridden, overly stressed already woman (like me) to follow suit and have even 1/10 the same results.
Besides, I don't believe that everything works for everyone, but what I do believe in is making plans and setting goals. What Locke's book made me realize is that although I do this kind of planning and goal-setting in nearly every area of my life I have never done it for my own writing career. So he really opened my eyes to that.
As I read his business plan for marketing books, I was inspired to set up a professional author website. I finished it this weekend and am very proud of it! Anyone who wants to stop by and say hi, I'd appreciate it! Better get in there now before it's crowded with all those one million readers who will rush over just as soon as I publish House of Diamonds.
Friday, July 8, 2011
The Answers You're All Waiting for about Kindle Sales
Sorry to make you wait til the end of the week for the results of my last post. But it was a tough week, bla bla bla. Nevertheless, here is the answer, which most of you already guessed in your comments. What really surprised me, however, is how your response to the GHOST WAVES cover wasn't that positive. Because I have always loved it, guess that's me showing my age and oh-so-out-of-it status.
So yes, the newly priced .99 ebook that is selling much better between the two titles, is ta-da! UNCUT DIAMONDS.
Now don't get me wrong, it's not like Uncut Diamonds is burning up the charts and headed for bestseller status. No way. It just isn't that kind of book. People seem to either love it or hate it, with very little in between responses. Regardless, my lovely bloggie friends, if you loved it or hated it, I am grateful for all the reviews and to-read statuses that you have posted on Goodreads and on Amazon. Reviews always help a book's sales, even if they are less than stellar.
So considering reviews, online presence where I have made many friends willing to give this novel a try, even if isn't really their usual genre, and (apparently) cover-- that puts Uncut Diamonds ahead of Ghost Waves in Kindle sales.
Now here is the other little secret I didn't tell you before: That when they were released in print, Ghost Waves outsold Uncut Diamonds by about the same percentage as UCD is now outselling GW on the Kindle. Bookstores just did not want to stock my novel, while they were willing to take a chance on GW. But now that everything has changed in the bookselling industry, it is what's happening with ebooks that matters more than what's happening with bookstores.
So How to get Kindle Sales?
Have an online presence and keep at it. But make friends online, don't spam people, constantly talking about "my book, my book, my book" Ugh. What a bore.
Make sure your cover is eye-catching, professional and up-to-date. A little mystery about what the book is about doesn't hurt either.
Encourage readers to post reviews about your book. The more the better, and don't get upset if you have a few stinkers in there. It helps make you look legitimate, like they aren't all from your friends and relatives.
And thanks for playing my game!
So yes, the newly priced .99 ebook that is selling much better between the two titles, is ta-da! UNCUT DIAMONDS.
Now don't get me wrong, it's not like Uncut Diamonds is burning up the charts and headed for bestseller status. No way. It just isn't that kind of book. People seem to either love it or hate it, with very little in between responses. Regardless, my lovely bloggie friends, if you loved it or hated it, I am grateful for all the reviews and to-read statuses that you have posted on Goodreads and on Amazon. Reviews always help a book's sales, even if they are less than stellar.
So considering reviews, online presence where I have made many friends willing to give this novel a try, even if isn't really their usual genre, and (apparently) cover-- that puts Uncut Diamonds ahead of Ghost Waves in Kindle sales.
Now here is the other little secret I didn't tell you before: That when they were released in print, Ghost Waves outsold Uncut Diamonds by about the same percentage as UCD is now outselling GW on the Kindle. Bookstores just did not want to stock my novel, while they were willing to take a chance on GW. But now that everything has changed in the bookselling industry, it is what's happening with ebooks that matters more than what's happening with bookstores.
So How to get Kindle Sales?
Have an online presence and keep at it. But make friends online, don't spam people, constantly talking about "my book, my book, my book" Ugh. What a bore.
Make sure your cover is eye-catching, professional and up-to-date. A little mystery about what the book is about doesn't hurt either.
Encourage readers to post reviews about your book. The more the better, and don't get upset if you have a few stinkers in there. It helps make you look legitimate, like they aren't all from your friends and relatives.
And thanks for playing my game!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
It's not about print vs. ebook or bookstore vs. online sales or small press vs. large
I came across this statistic the other day that shows where the real competition is in the publishing industry--
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows [English Language Edition], the seventh and mostly widely read book in the series, sold 44 million copies over three years.
- The video game Bad Company 2 sold over than 5 million units in one month, while Modern Warfare 2 sold an estimated 10 million in four months.
- With a US audience of 116 million, the average time spent on Facebook is over 7 hours each month and growing.
- And, of course, while watching videos (on the internet and TV) accounted for 9 hours per month, it was more than made up for by Americans watching TV 84 hours monthly.
These kinds of numbers tell why books keep shrinking in value (and sales). Because the reading public is shrinking. Especially kids, with all the other entertainment options out there, too many are no longer picking up books when they have free time.
Yet more books are being published than ever before. Books are everywhere, in every format. Is it any wonder that free and .99 has become standard for self-published ebooks? Look for publishers, especially the smaller ones with lower overheads, to start following suit on that trend.
Yet more books are being published than ever before. Books are everywhere, in every format. Is it any wonder that free and .99 has become standard for self-published ebooks? Look for publishers, especially the smaller ones with lower overheads, to start following suit on that trend.
It is sad when books become devalued in a society.
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Business and the Art: Or the Love/Hate Relationship Between Writers and Publishers
(Disclaimer: This post isn't to focus on any particular publisher and/or author. It's just how things often play out when creative types and business types work closely together.)
Writers want to have their manuscripts accepted for publication. Yesterday would be fine. Publishers are too busy to acknowledge an email submission, or to answer queries, or to make a decision anytime before next year.
Writers want to get the book out as soon as possible. Publishers want to make sure the timing is right, the editing is done, the cover works, the promotion plan makes sense.
Writers want creative control to realize their vision. Publishers know what sells.
Writers like to name characters according to their own personal reasons. Publishers don't want too many names beginning with the same letter or sounding alike. Publishers will change character names with a heartless stroke of the find and replace key. Writers will have heart failure when they see their beloved Anna turned into Justine.
Writers get attached to the particular name they gave theirbaby manuscript. Publishers say, "No, that title doesn't work. We are changing it."
Writers tend to fall in love with their own words. Publishers are more than happy to kill their darlings.
Writers know this book will be a bestseller, if only the publisher will get off his butt and promote. Publishers know this book will be a bestseller, if only the writer will get off his butt and promote.
Writers need publishers to edit, design, print and promote, while financing the entire process. Publishers need writers to create, rewrite, revise some more, refine, keep revising, and promote, while worrying that their investment in this project may never be recovered.
Publishers want to release something that people will pay money to read, then tell others about it so they can pay money to read it, too. Writers want to write something that people will pay money to read, then tell others about it so they can pay money to read it, too.
The artist head and the business head simply tend to approach goals from different directions. A bit of tolerance and understanding go a long way to create a positive, productive working relationship. And remember, when things get stressed and don't seem to be working out-- communication is the best policy. Communication with the party involved, that is, not with the rest of the world.
Writers want to have their manuscripts accepted for publication. Yesterday would be fine. Publishers are too busy to acknowledge an email submission, or to answer queries, or to make a decision anytime before next year.
Writers want to get the book out as soon as possible. Publishers want to make sure the timing is right, the editing is done, the cover works, the promotion plan makes sense.
Writers want creative control to realize their vision. Publishers know what sells.
Writers like to name characters according to their own personal reasons. Publishers don't want too many names beginning with the same letter or sounding alike. Publishers will change character names with a heartless stroke of the find and replace key. Writers will have heart failure when they see their beloved Anna turned into Justine.
Writers get attached to the particular name they gave their
Writers tend to fall in love with their own words. Publishers are more than happy to kill their darlings.
Writers know this book will be a bestseller, if only the publisher will get off his butt and promote. Publishers know this book will be a bestseller, if only the writer will get off his butt and promote.
Writers need publishers to edit, design, print and promote, while financing the entire process. Publishers need writers to create, rewrite, revise some more, refine, keep revising, and promote, while worrying that their investment in this project may never be recovered.
Publishers want to release something that people will pay money to read, then tell others about it so they can pay money to read it, too. Writers want to write something that people will pay money to read, then tell others about it so they can pay money to read it, too.
The artist head and the business head simply tend to approach goals from different directions. A bit of tolerance and understanding go a long way to create a positive, productive working relationship. And remember, when things get stressed and don't seem to be working out-- communication is the best policy. Communication with the party involved, that is, not with the rest of the world.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
More on Selling Books vs. Selling Cookies
So yes I made a comment on my last post about selling cookies, because I used to make killer chocolate chip cookies and sell them. (keep reading for a chance to win cookies!) When Uncut Diamonds came out, my one wish was that it would sell like my cookies LOL. Which of course is a silly notion, because my cookies sold just by existing, whereas a book needs much more behind it to sell. Like what?
Exposure
A wide demographic
Author Familiarity
Excellence in craft
An appealing cover
Marketing efforts
That certain something
Magic
Need I go on? There is so much behind any particular book or author's success, and when it's all said and done, even the experts will say that they don't really know. If they did, they would do it for every title and have constant bestsellers.
I would love nothing more than to sit and blog, write novels and edit other people's novels all day long. And I could if my husband still had the mortgage business that allowed me to pursue my hobbies and passions sans income. But when the real estate/mortgage crisis hit three years ago, everything changed. I considered spending my time in Vegas, writing in a hotel during the day, gambling at night to pay the bills, but somehow I don't think that plan would work.
So he and I resurrected the cookie business model of 20 years ago (chance to get cookies coming up!) which looks like it will be our livelihood, at least for now. I'm an idea junkie and he has an MBA, so between the two of us we come up with all kinds of plans. Currently, it looks like the cookie business will be the cash cow. Which is fun, because I love making cookies almost as much as I love writing.
I'm currently offering chocolate chip as well as white chocolate chunk with macadamia nuts. And don't ask for the recipes. You have to marry into the family for that.
HOWEVER, do not despair, because I'm going to send some lucky person a DOZEN of my COOKIES (you choose which kind) as a 500 FOLLOWER celebration giveaway. I am so close to 500 followers which is like a miracle to me, and I want to show my appreciation for all of you who have supported me and my giraffe this past year. I've given away my books before and this time it will be COOKIES! Unless you're outside of the U.S, then I unfortunately can't mail the cookies, but I will mail one of my books if you win the drawing. To enter:
Each task gets +1 -- Be a follower, leave a comment, tweet orfacebook , link on your blog-- with the potential of +4 points. And if you add it all up in your comment, you get an extra one-- total potential points +5.
Winner announced Wednesday, October 13, who will get their choice of either chocolate chip or white chocolate chunk with macadamia nuts-- a dozen fresh cookies-- mailed to them. Woo hoo! Hooray for cookies! And books! And followers!
Another very cool follower contest is on Quinn's blog, celebrating 100 followers. Go check it out for a chance to earn a $40 Amazon gift certificate. Also, Gabriella Lessa, Aspiring Writer's World is sponsoring a blogfest in honor of Women's Fiction month. Did you know it was women's fiction month? Me neither. But we do now, thanks to Gabriella. Join in to connect with awesome women's fiction writers. And here's one more: Amie Borst will be giving away a copy of The Iron Bodkin by Amy Allgeyer Cook. Great prize!
Exposure
A wide demographic
Author Familiarity
Excellence in craft
An appealing cover
Marketing efforts
That certain something
Magic
Need I go on? There is so much behind any particular book or author's success, and when it's all said and done, even the experts will say that they don't really know. If they did, they would do it for every title and have constant bestsellers.
I would love nothing more than to sit and blog, write novels and edit other people's novels all day long. And I could if my husband still had the mortgage business that allowed me to pursue my hobbies and passions sans income. But when the real estate/mortgage crisis hit three years ago, everything changed. I considered spending my time in Vegas, writing in a hotel during the day, gambling at night to pay the bills, but somehow I don't think that plan would work.
So he and I resurrected the cookie business model of 20 years ago (chance to get cookies coming up!) which looks like it will be our livelihood, at least for now. I'm an idea junkie and he has an MBA, so between the two of us we come up with all kinds of plans. Currently, it looks like the cookie business will be the cash cow. Which is fun, because I love making cookies almost as much as I love writing.
I'm currently offering chocolate chip as well as white chocolate chunk with macadamia nuts. And don't ask for the recipes. You have to marry into the family for that.
HOWEVER, do not despair, because I'm going to send some lucky person a DOZEN of my COOKIES (you choose which kind) as a 500 FOLLOWER celebration giveaway. I am so close to 500 followers which is like a miracle to me, and I want to show my appreciation for all of you who have supported me and my giraffe this past year. I've given away my books before and this time it will be COOKIES! Unless you're outside of the U.S, then I unfortunately can't mail the cookies, but I will mail one of my books if you win the drawing. To enter:
Each task gets +1 -- Be a follower, leave a comment, tweet or
Winner announced Wednesday, October 13, who will get their choice of either chocolate chip or white chocolate chunk with macadamia nuts-- a dozen fresh cookies-- mailed to them. Woo hoo! Hooray for cookies! And books! And followers!
Another very cool follower contest is on Quinn's blog, celebrating 100 followers. Go check it out for a chance to earn a $40 Amazon gift certificate. Also, Gabriella Lessa, Aspiring Writer's World is sponsoring a blogfest in honor of Women's Fiction month. Did you know it was women's fiction month? Me neither. But we do now, thanks to Gabriella. Join in to connect with awesome women's fiction writers. And here's one more: Amie Borst will be giving away a copy of The Iron Bodkin by Amy Allgeyer Cook. Great prize!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
We're Readers & Writers not Salesmen so Leave Us Alone
I like social media. As a writer, blogging & twittering are easy for me. I also like doing presentations-- speaking & meeting book-lovers and signing books. I do not like sitting at a table in a bookstore waiting for people to drop by. Unless you're a celebrity, customers avoid you and you feel like a shmuck.
But is all this enough to sell books? Clearly it isn't or I'd be on the bestseller list by now cuz I've done a lot of promotion. But only within my comfort zone.
I haven't gone out into the great big scary world with copies of my books in the back of my minivan and..... er....um.......whatever those people do. What John Grisham did with his first book,A Time to Kill . He and a friend went all over the South selling copies to bookstores. Yikes! Is that what I have to do?
Because no, I can't. I won't. Aaargh, I'm not a salesman. Leave me alone! Don't make me do that stuff!
So in honor of all us reclusive writers, whether we are published or not (yet), I have tossed a summer salad.
And here's what's in this salad:
LETTUCE WRITE
LETTUCE READ
LETTUCE BLOG
LETTUCE SHARE
LETTUCETWITTER
LETTUCE BUY BOOKS
LETTUCE REVIEW BOOKS
LETTUCE HOLD & ENTER CONTESTS
And to go along with this anti-salesman summer salad, I am having AN EVENT! Everyone of these lettuceleaves thingies whatever represents a different contest with a new prize!! Here's a sampling of the prizes:
Why am I doing this? Shouldn't I be spending my time and energy out there schmoozing booksellers into handselling copies of Farm Girl and Uncut Diamonds? Well, yes, probably so. But I am not that person. I'm the person who, when I'm not writing or editing, sits at home thinking of ways to promote literacy and support authors.
And besides, there is something BIG coming soon!! Something REALLY BIG and REALLY HELPFUL to authors with books to sell. Although I'm involved with it, I can't tell you yet. Yes, I know-- it's killing me!! But believe me, you're going to love it!!
So to kick off the "anti-salesman summer salad" event, I'm going to have a competition to name the event!! Because I'm the first to admit, this name is pretty lame and it's such an awesome, summer-long series of contests that it needs a name with some punch and whammy!
The winner will get three bonus points at each of the future contests and their blog linked here at every mention!!
The only rule to enter is you must be a follower here. To keep your entry private, just email your event name idea to me at karenjonesgowen at gmail.com. Cut off time for entries will 12:01 a.m., July 1. I'll announce the winner next Friday! (after I get home from vacation woo hoo) At that time I'll feature another lettuce leaf and post the first contest in the soon-to-be-awesomely-named event!
And so NAME THAT EVENT begins the summer of the endless contests!! Let the games begin, send me those great ideas!
But is all this enough to sell books? Clearly it isn't or I'd be on the bestseller list by now cuz I've done a lot of promotion. But only within my comfort zone.
I haven't gone out into the great big scary world with copies of my books in the back of my minivan and..... er....um.......whatever those people do. What John Grisham did with his first book,
Because no, I can't. I won't. Aaargh, I'm not a salesman. Leave me alone! Don't make me do that stuff!
So in honor of all us reclusive writers, whether we are published or not (yet), I have tossed a summer salad.
LETTUCE WRITE
LETTUCE READ
LETTUCE BLOG
LETTUCE SHARE
LETTUCE
LETTUCE BUY BOOKS
LETTUCE REVIEW BOOKS
LETTUCE HOLD & ENTER CONTESTS
BUT PLEASE DON'T MAKE US BE SALESMEN!!!
And to go along with this anti-salesman summer salad, I am having AN EVENT! Everyone of these lettuce
Free books!
Chapter critiques!
A full manuscript review!
Your book bought & reviewed here!
Your blog featured here!
And more!
Why am I doing this? Shouldn't I be spending my time and energy out there schmoozing booksellers into handselling copies of Farm Girl and Uncut Diamonds? Well, yes, probably so. But I am not that person. I'm the person who, when I'm not writing or editing, sits at home thinking of ways to promote literacy and support authors.
And besides, there is something BIG coming soon!! Something REALLY BIG and REALLY HELPFUL to authors with books to sell. Although I'm involved with it, I can't tell you yet. Yes, I know-- it's killing me!! But believe me, you're going to love it!!
So to kick off the "anti-salesman summer salad" event, I'm going to have a competition to name the event!! Because I'm the first to admit, this name is pretty lame and it's such an awesome, summer-long series of contests that it needs a name with some punch and whammy!
The only rule to enter is you must be a follower here. To keep your entry private, just email your event name idea to me at karenjonesgowen at gmail.com. Cut off time for entries will 12:01 a.m., July 1. I'll announce the winner next Friday! (after I get home from vacation woo hoo) At that time I'll feature another lettuce leaf and post the first contest in the soon-to-be-awesomely-named event!
And so NAME THAT EVENT begins the summer of the endless contests!! Let the games begin, send me those great ideas!
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