How to Prepare For a Book Launch

By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund

I always believed once I had couple books "out there" and as my readership increased, I'd gradually have to do less promoting at the release of a new book.

But as with most things about the writing life, I was mistaken. The modern writer really has no choice but to continue promoting his or her books, whether the first book or the fifteenth.

Laura Dawson with Bowker says this about the number of books being published: "It’s not a question of whether or not publication rates worldwide have experienced exponential growth; it’s merely a question of by what factor. We could be looking at nearly a billion books."

Wow. A billion books on the market. That's a staggering number.

With nearly a billion books competing for readers' attention, authors can't afford to sit back and wait to get discovered. As much as we'd like for success to happen naturally, I've learned that we have to do our part.

And while I've recently come to the conclusion that I don't think social media can lead to significant boost in sales, I do think it can help start book buzz, get people talking, and gradually increase our circles of influence.

Whether online blog tours or real-life book signings/events, writers are wise to do the best they can to participate in the promotion process.

My theory is that every little bit has the potential to help. We just have to learn where to focus our limited time and energy, because we obviously can't do it all.

Before each launch of a new book, I take some time to evaluate what I've done in the past, what seemed to generate interest and what didn't. Then I brainstorm a list of all the things I could possibly do for the new book. I include everything I can be responsible for as well as things I want to run by my publisher's marketing department.

Finally, I narrow down my list. I pick the ideas that are the most original as well as the most do-able for both myself and my Influencers.

I'm currently counting down the launch for Unending Devotion, which officially releases September 1 (on Saturday!). Here are just a few of the plans we have (or have already done):

1. An early Goodreads giveaway. In order to generate early interest in the book, my publisher posted a 15-book giveaway that ran from July 1 - August 1. Over 1400 readers signed up for the giveaway and the book saw a tremendous spike in people adding it to their to-be-read shelves.

2. "Fun Secrets About Author Jody Hedlund" mini-blog tour. I opted not to do the usual Q & A blog tour this year since I think most fans who've been following me for a while already know most of the typical stuff about me. This time, I asked for volunteers to host me for a guest post in which I share a "secret" or little known facts about myself. The tour starts next Monday (Sept. 3) and runs throughout the month of September. Each blog tour stop will also feature a signed book giveaway. To follow along, see my Events Page.

3. Creative Photo Contest on Pinterest. Since I've had a love-affair with Pinterest this year, I thought a photo contest would be a fun way to generate book buzz. Readers can pin a creative photo of the book (i.e. with a pet, of them reading it someplace interesting, etc.). Several staff at my publishing house will pick the three top creative photos as winners from the Contest Board. For details, see my Contest Page.

4. Litfuse blog tour, giveaway, and Facebook Party. Litfuse is a publicity group that serves writers needs in a variety of ways. My publisher approached me about using Litfuse for a bigger blog tour and social media campaign which will hopefully broaden the scope of my online reach to new bloggers and readers. Litfuse has also planned a big Nikon Photography Giveaway to go along with the theme of my book as well as a Facebook Party with additional giveaways. For more information and to enter see either my Contest Page or the Litfuse Page.

5. Author event at my local bookstore. While I don't think book signings typically generate a lot of interest, I am joining with two other authors, Beverly Lewis and Sharlene Maclaren, September 17 for a big author event. Since Beverly Lewis is a New York Times Best Seller, she'll draw attention to the signing, and I'm delighted to have the opportunity to join in. The hosting bookstore is going to enormous efforts to promote the event.

6. Book trailer. My publisher is in the process of creating a book trailer for Unending Devotion. They'll use the trailer in their promotional efforts, and I'll also utilize it in as many places as I can.

There you have it! Those are just a few of the top marketing efforts for Unending Devotion. I'm fortunate that my publisher's marketing department still takes an active role in promotion. They do a number of things that I have no control over, like getting the book out to key reviewers. In fact, I was thrilled that Publisher's Weekly gave it a glowing review (you can read it here).

What kinds of efforts do you think help the most during a book launch? What do YOU like the most? Or do an author's marketing efforts really make no difference to you? 

Are Your Efforts Unique? Or Do You Blend In?

Sometimes I get discouraged at how hard it is to stand out in today’s crowded book market. And finding innovative ways to stand out seems to be getting harder.

I recently read an article by Author Media called: Are You a Purple Cow? They described the purple cow principle this way: “In business, a purple cow is a product that is so revolutionary and different that people think of it as a novelty.” It’s unique and innovative and therefore grabs attention.

On the flip side, something can lose its ability to stand out when everyone begins to do the same thing. As everyone else reinvents himself or herself into a purple cow, the herd blends together into a mass of boringness. No one stands out anymore.

In the writing industry, with the millions of books hitting virtual shelves, it’s very difficult to be a purple cow. We work to build our brands and our online presences, but are we really doing the right things that can help us stand out? Are our efforts unique and innovative enough to help us grab attention?

Or are our efforts mimicking what everyone else is already doing? Are we jumping into the herd and doing the same old tried-and-true methods?

With thousands of writers on Twitter and Facebook clamoring to be heard, have we become a mass in which no one really stands out anymore? With so many bloggers, how can we hope to be unique from all the others tooting their horns?

What about those contests that we authors have in order to be a purple cow? At first, we were giving away gift cards. When that got boring, we had to make the giveaway more glamorous so we started giving away Kindles and iphones. But of course, that lasted until the ipad and Kindle Fire craze. What’s next?

And what about our books? How wild and crazy are we going with our stories in order to make them different? Are we willing to compromise our values or literary conscience to find that break-in book, and commercially viable, bestseller?

We’re always searching for the next best thing that can help us generate buzz and draw attention to ourselves and books. But where will we stop in our efforts to be a purple cow? How far is too far? And what really works to help us stand out anyway?

As I thought about the whole concept of trying to be a purple cow writer here are a few things I concluded:

1. Be willing to think outside-the-box. We don’t have to try to imitate or keep up with what everyone else is doing. Why not try something different? Why not use our creativity to think deeper for fresh ideas? (This is something I'm always trying to do, but I admit, it's hard to come up with new ideas!)

2. Don’t get stuck in old, comfortable ways of doing things. In these rapidly changing times, just when we finally get comfortable with something, there will likely be a new and more effective way of doing things. The modern writer has to remain flexible, adaptable, and willing to change. It’s easy to stagnate, grow stale, and keep on doing something just because.

3. Then again, know what’s working, and if it’s not broke don’t fix it. If something is working for us, then continue to give it time to grow. Sometimes we get impatient with our good efforts and think we should reinvent ourselves, when perhaps we need to persist and allow the organic growth that comes when we keep working hard.

4. Ultimately, pour our best energy into our stories. Even though it’s harder for our books to become purple cows in today’s industry, we can give our books a much bigger chance at standing out if we craft compelling stories that readers can fall in love with.

My final thoughts: In spite of the above ideas for becoming a purple cow, I can’t help wondering if it’s okay NOT to be a purple cow. If we’re doing what we love and finding joy in writing, then we’re far ahead of most people who have yet to find their passion.

And if our readers are deriving satisfaction in what we’re writing, perhaps that’s enough. If we’re reaching our audience and making them happy, why do we need to strive after the whole world?

Maybe we have to learn to be content where we’re at and be a good steward with what we’re given before we can take on more.

What do you think? Do you ever get discouraged about how hard it is to stand out? And do you ever think it’s okay to give ourselves permission not to have to be a purple cow?

Book Reviewers: Wrong & Right Ways to Solicit Reviews (Part 2)

Book reviewers are an author’s best friend. I’ve discovered over the past couple of years of marketing that book bloggers have an enormous influence over readers’ buying habits. As authors we can’t forget to include reviewers as part of our marketing strategy.

If you're looking for book bloggers, Deborah (from Books, Movies, and Chinese Food) recommended using Book Blogs Search Engine. (Thanks, Deborah!) Through the site, authors can search for specific book bloggers who might be willing to provide reviews.

But what is the best way to ask book reviewers if they’d read and review our books?

Well, first and foremost, we MUST write a praiseworthy book. Enough said.

Second, we’ll likely need to have the means of offering free books to reviewers. Some publishers will giveaway free books for authors (and have review programs). But many authors will need to budget money for the giveaways.

I invited Rel Mollet, a well-known book blogger in the CBA market, to share a few of her insights about soliciting book reviews—the wrong ways and then some right ways.

1. What are some of the ways authors annoy book reviewers? What is the wrong way to go about asking for a review or gaining attention?

Demanding requests, ignoring review policies, haranguing reviewers with how amazing your book is, unrealistic requests (eg. Please read and review my book this week!) and failure to acknowledge a review that has been personally requested. In other words, doing the opposite of the etiquette hints in the next question!

2. What are some ways authors can solicit reviews in a positive way? What is good etiquette in interacting with reviewers?

• Be smart about the bloggers you target.

Identify which bloggers/reviewers read and review the genre you write in. Investigate the blogs you are interested in. Are they a respected blogger? Don’t just find a blogger who only posts 5 star reviews or send books to those who only do pro-forma posts. Ask around ~ don't send your YA book to a mummy blogger just because she has kids! Find a blog with a YA focus. Book bloggers know other book bloggers – contact a respected book blogger and ask them to refer you to other well-respected reviewers.

• Look for a review policy.

Most serious book bloggers will have a review policy – read it and respect it! If the policy says the blogger doesn’t review speculative fiction, don’t ask them to read your book on time travel, no matter how amazing it might be! Reviewers will always be impressed that you have taken the time to read their policy. A blatant disregard for their policy is a sure fire way to ensure your request is ignored.

• Write a personal email addressed to the reviewer by name.

A personalized email is courteous and respectful and shows you have actually looked at the reviewer’s blog (as most bloggers will have their name easily accessible). “Dear Blogger” or “Dear Relz Reviewz” is less likely to garner a response. Provide a summary of your book, cover art and indicate a reasonable time frame in which you are hoping for the book to be reviewed. Also, request where you would like it reviewed, on a blog, at Amazon, Goodreads or another location.

• Respond graciously.

Unfortunately, I have had to decline numerous requests for reviews due to a full schedule but that doesn’t mean a writer should never ask that blogger again. Don’t burn future review opportunities by a testy response when a reviewer has had to decline your request.

• Do not send unsolicited copies of your books.

Bloggers have reading and reviewing schedules that are booked solid, often for months into the future. An unsolicited book, just like an unsolicited manuscript, is unlikely to ever be read, let alone reviewed. Don’t waste money on postage without an acknowledgment that the reviewer intends to read your book.

• Do send a gentle reminder.

If you and the reviewer have agreed to a time frame, do not feel bad in following the reviewer up with a gentle reminder. I’m embarrassed to say that there have been times when I have simply forgotten a commitment I’ve made to review a book. I would rather be reminded so I can rectify the situation rather than live in ignorance of my error.

• Consider other options to a review.

A blogger may have other opportunities to publicize you or your book, even if they don’t have time to read your book. Personally, I also do author interviews, character spotlights and character interviews on my blog and that can be a less time consuming way for a blogger to publicize your book. (Some inside information: more often than not, those posts receive more hits than actual book reviews ~ that is certainly true on my blog!)

• Acknowledge the review.

If you have personally requested a review, a thank you is always appreciated via email or DM on Twitter or Facebook, regardless of the reviewer’s opinion of the book. Leaving a comment on the reviewer’s blog, liking the review on Facebook or retweeting a positive review link is another way of showing your appreciation which takes no time at all.

Thank you, Rel, for taking the time to share your insights with us! Head over to Rel’s blog if you’d like to see how she does a Character Spotlight, Author Interview, or Book Review. I was fortunate enough to get all three from Rel for The Doctor’s Lady.

How about you? Other book bloggers, do you have anything to add to Rel's list? And writers, when you think about asking for reviews, what's the most daunting aspect of the process for you? (Asking for the reviews? Giving out free books? Wondering how people will like your book? Other?)

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BLOG TOUR STOPS & BOOK GIVEAWAYS!

Saturday 10/8: I'm visiting with Catherine Johnson on her blog and sharing how I come up with my plot ideas!

Book Reviewers: An Author’s Best Friend (Part 1)

One of the best resources for both readers and authors are online book reviewers—particularly book bloggers.

Readers often trust the honest reviews of book bloggers (especially because online bookstore reviews can often be stacked by friends and family).

Authors covet all the help we can get in spreading the excitement about our books. Book reviewers can play a huge role in word of mouth promotion, spreading the buzz about a book beyond the scope of our usual circles.

But with all of the books out there, how do reviewers decide which ones deserve a spotlight? What are some wrong ways to go about soliciting reviews? And what are some of the best ways to garner attention from reviewers.

To help answer some of my questions, I invited Rel Mollet of Relz Reviewz, a talented and prolific book reviewer (from Australia!), to share some of her thoughts. She’ll be answering a couple of questions today and Friday.

1. First, give us a behind the scenes look at what goes in to being a book reviewer.

Most serious book bloggers/reviewers, once they’ve gotten over the initial thrill of receiving free books, are only in it for the love of it. Reading, reviewing and blogging is extremely time consuming and something bloggers/reviewers take very seriously.

Here’s an overview of the process I (and many other reviewers) go through:

1. Select a book (surprisingly, not an easy process with so many great books available!).

2. Read the book.

3. Write my review, appreciating the writer has spent months if not years investing themselves in the story, so choosing my words with care and integrity.

4. Locate cover art.

5. Locate and link to the author’s website and blog.

6. Locate and link to Amazon and Koorong (Aussie bookstore).

7. Link to other blog posts I have posted previously for the author.

8. Post review with said cover art and links 5 – 7.

9. Publicize my review on Twitter and FB, linking to the author, publisher and/or publicist.

10. Publish my review on Amazon or CBD (if requested).

11. Email review link to author, publisher and/or publicist.

In exchange for a $12 book, I spend anywhere between 5 and 10 hours of my time, with the variation mostly dependent on how long it takes to read the book. Bear in mind I am a fast reader so for other bloggers the time frame is likely to be longer.

As I said, we are in it for the love of it! What that means, though, is that most bloggers review because they want to support the industry they love, the writers and their fellow readers.

2. With so many talented authors and books out there, how do you choose which books to review?

With great difficulty! I'm offered books to review from a number of sources including publishers, publicists, and authors. I can also request books from the same sources and blog tour programs.

As much as I would love to read and review every great book available, with a family and day job commitments, that's just not possible. I've chosen to limit my blog reviews to Christian fiction as a starting point. I know there are amazing general market and non-fiction books out there I’d enjoy reviewing, but I’ve chosen to draw a line in the sand and stick to it. From there I still need to be selective if I want my family to remember who I am! Here are just a few ways I decide:

1. Of course, there are authors I love to read so they are easy to choose.

2. I also try to accommodate publicists and publishing houses with whom I have built a rapport and relationship, especially if a particular request has been made.

3. I also love supporting new authors. So if I have the opportunity to do so and I’m interested in their novel, I’ll work them into my schedule.

4. I base some review decisions on what I believe the readers of my blog are interested in, even though a book may not be my usual cup of tea.

My (Jody's) closing thoughts: In the scheme of marketing and promotion, we as authors can’t overlook book reviewers! I’ve found them to be some of my biggest and most critical supporters in spreading the news about my book.

Come back on Friday for Part 2, when Rel will be sharing some things that annoy book reviewers as well as some positive ways authors can connect and cultivate relationships with reviewers.

Question for you: If you’re a book blogger, how do you decide what books to review? And if you’re an author, have you given enough importance to book reviewers in your marketing plans?

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BLOG TOUR STOPS AND GIVEAWAYS:

Thursday 10/6: I'm visiting with the adorable Casey Herringshaw on her blog and sharing one of the most enjoyable aspects of my writing career.

How to Avoid Over-Promoting & Under-Promoting Our Books

Most authors are coming to terms with the undeniable fact that in order to make our books stand out, we have to promote them.

With the millions of books competing for reader’s attention, authors (traditionally & self-published alike) must make concerted efforts to let readers know about their books. Otherwise, our books will just get lost in the shuffle.

But how much promotion is necessary? If we promote too much we risk being seen as obnoxious. And if we don’t promote enough, we risk getting lost in the crowd of other voices.

If you haven’t figured out by now, I’m in the middle of promoting my newest release, The Doctor’s Lady. Some days, I can’t help but wonder, am I promoting TOO much? TOO little? Or Just enough?

It’s not always easy to tell.

My critique partner, Keli Gwyn, will be going through the promoting experience in July 2012 when her debut novel, A Bride Opens Shop is El Dorado, California, is released by Barbour Publishing. Keli told me she's been watching my efforts with interest and asked if I'd share my tips for knowing how much/how often to promote my book and the giveaway I'm running.

In light of Keli’s question and my own struggle to learn to find a balance in the effort to promote my books, here are several things I’m learning:

1. We need to make it easy for our friends and followers to share the news about our books.

The bottom line is that promotion is always easier when our friends and followers join in the effort—especially willingly, without arm twisting. If we’ve already worked hard at building a team (or tribe), those friends will likely come to us and ask us how they can help, rather than us having to run around begging people for assistance.

Of course, it goes without saying (but I’m obviously saying it anyway!) that we have to give our friends the kind of book they can be proud to promote. We don’t want to put them in a position where they have to lie about the quality of our book and essentially put their reputations on the line.

We can take it a step further by giving them things they can actually share–like news about contests, giveaways, or relevant blog posts, fun interviews, etc. And nowadays, sharing buttons (like the ones that I have below) are a nice touch for making the sharing easier.

2. Yes, social media is about socializing. But we can’t sit back and do nothing at all.

I think most authors (including myself) are finally catching on to that concept that we need to use social media to socialize (rather than as a billboard).

However, I’ve seen authors with new releases do very little to almost nothing to share the news of their books. In some ways, it almost seems like we’ve become paranoid about using twitter, facebook, or our blogs for sharing any book news at all for fear of spamming our followers.

But I think we can (and should) be responsible for sharing important information in moderation. If we open our twitter page and see mostly tweets about our book, then we’re likely going overboard. But if we share such information interspersed with other genuine interactions, then we’re hopefully sharing in a way that won’t offend most followers.

3. Look for ways to promote others in the process of your self-promotion.

During my blog tour, I’ve taken the approach of wanting to promote the blogs who are hosting me. I really do want each person to be blessed as a result of participating in the tour. So, when I take the time to mention their posts on my blog and on twitter, and facebook, I’m hoping they can get a little extra traffic that day, perhaps gain a few new followers, or increase their name and web presence just a little.

When people send me pictures, I try to post them on facebook or twitter so that I can spotlight that person, publicly thank them, and draw attention to them.

My Summary: Ultimately, we have to promote our books and that means talking about them. But through it all we can be on the lookout for ways to move the focus off us and onto others. And if we start to get the internal feeling that we're over-promoting my book, we can move a step back and take a break from it for a short time.

What’s your opinion? In what ways do authors over-promote? And have you seen authors who haven’t done enough promotion? Is it possible to find a balance?

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No blog tour stops on Monday! But don't miss these two on Tuesday!

Tuesday 9/20: I'm visiting with Katie McCurdy on her blog and sharing my favorite scene from The Doctor's Lady and what was the hardest to write. (AND giving away a book!)

Tuesday 9/20: I'm delighted to have a spotlight on Mary Bailey's blog where she'll be reviewing and giving away a copy of The Doctor's Lady.

Don't forget to enter my BE A TRAILBLAZER CONTEST! Only 1 week left!

The Birds & the Bees of Marketing

No one ever sat me down and explained the birds and the bees of marketing. In fact, most of what I’ve learned has come from experience and from fellow classmates on the playground of the writing world.

However, in an effort to spare you some hard knocks and embarrassment, I thought I’d share the basics of what I’ve learned so far:

1. Focus most of your attention online.

Guess how many book signings I did for The Preacher's Bride? Two. Yep. Only two. Guess how many I have planned for The Doctor's Lady? One. Why? Why haven’t I focused more attention on traveling around, visiting libraries, book clubs, etc?

Because most people have gone virtual. Very few of even the biggest name authors get turnouts at book signings or other events. When we struggle to find time to write much less market, we have to maximize our energy, be as efficient as we can, and protect our scared writing time. That means I’ve chosen to focus most of my marketing efforts in cyberland.

But . . . we can’t hope to succeed with online marketing if we use traditional tactics. The days of billboards, ads, and spam are over. Those methods are old-fashioned and won’t work in the virtual world. That’s why it’s so important for writers to learn the birds and bees of how to make online marketing work.

2. The Birds: Nurture your nest.

The first and most important aspect of online marketing is to build a welcoming nest (a home base) where we can begin to connect with others. For many writers, the home base is our blog because we can have open dialog and build connections with others in a way that just can’t be accomplished through other social media (although I have seen some authors do a fantastic job interacting on Facebook).

Once we have a nest, we need to nurture those who come to it. Our focus needs to be on finding ways to lift our wings and provide shelter and encouragement to those who enter our folds. Build friendships and mutually care for one another. Enjoy being social, and generously love those around us. When we’re doing that, eventually our flock will grow into a large family.

If we build and nurture our nest, then when it’s time for a book release or some other writer milestone, our “family” will be there to naturally help us, the same way we will be there for them.

3. The Bees: Generate buzz.

Yes, we need our nest. But . . . we can’t stop there. We have to make an effort to start the buzz about our books. Buzz is the chatter, the excitement, the hype that surrounds our book. The more people hear about our books and see the name, the more “important” the book grows throughout cyberland.

We can generate buzz in numerous ways. Here are just a few ways I’m buzzing about The Doctor’s Lady, which releases in less than a month:

• I put a countdown widget in my sidebar.

• I had a video trailer contest last week (see below for the two winners!).

• I’m doing weekly book giveaways (starting next week).

• I’m hosting a blog tour with LOTS of book giveaways for the months of Sept. & Oct. (see the list on my Events page).

• I’m kicking off release day (Sept. 1) with a bang by having a HUGE social network sharing contest that will last several weeks. (You will not want to miss this!)

• I’ll ask readers to send me pictures of them with my book and post them on my blog, website, and facebook.

• I’ll be tweeting and posting to facebook about the various above events.

In other words, I need to start the buzz—I can’t sit back and do nothing. I can’t wait for someone else to do the work for me. Rather, I need to step out of my comfort zone and gently send out the first buzz. And yet, the sound throughout cyberland will be like a whisper through my efforts alone.

But then my friends and online family will pick up the buzz and make it louder. With all of their generous support, the buzz will keep vibrating, growing stronger and being heard much further than I could ever hope to accomplish on my own.

So there you have it. The birds and the bees of online marketing! Nurture your nest, start some buzz. And watch what happens!

What about you? Are you building and nurturing a nest? And if you’re at the place where you need to start the buzz, what are some ways you’ve done that?

P.S. The winners of The Doctor's Lady Trailer Contest are: Caroline @Keep_Tha_Faith and Lisa Groves! Congratulations!! Thank you EVERYONE for joining in! I really enjoyed reading all of your thoughts about the trailer!

Some Reasons Why I Have a Trailer For My New Book

Yes! I have a trailer for my newest release, The Doctor’s Lady.

I know, I know. There’s an intense debate among the industry as to whether trailers are really a worthwhile marketing device. I’ve seen as many posts for them as I have against them.

But, I couldn’t resist the pull to try a trailer at least once in my writing career. When I broached the subject with my publisher’s marketing department, of course they had their hesitancies too. In their experience, they’ve come to recognize that quality is important because every promotion is a reflection on the author. In other words, a well made trailer can help, but one that is poorly constructed has the potential to harm a book's promotion and author’s public image.

When I asked the head of marketing what went into making an effective trailer she said it should be short (1:30 maximum), it should engage the viewer emotionally, and it should leave the viewer hanging so that they want to go purchase the book to find out what happens.

Of course, my trailer isn’t in the same high budget category as some of the professionally produced trailers that are made for top sellers, but my publisher did use a professional designer, still photos from the cover model shoot, and they had the ability to do a video shoot with costumed actors.

Here are some of the benefits I hope to gain from having a trailer for my new book:

• Videos involve more senses (sight AND sound) which help solidify the product in the consumer's mind. It doesn’t really matter what the product is—toothpaste, pizza, and yes, even books—the multi-sensory facet of videos (commercials) can help facilitate interest.

• Video communication is growing in importance. Think about the increasing usage of videos through mediums such as YouTube, vlogs, Skype, etc. As more people begin to use videos, we as writers need to tap into that medium and not be left behind. PulsePoint Founder/Creative Director, Kelli Standish, listed some statistics in a 2008 post Book Videos & Online Trailers: Fad or Future? 

73% of U.S. Internet users viewed video online in February 2008.

Consumers are 47% more engaged in television commercials online than on television.

Over 70% of Internet users under the age of thirty actively visit video-sharing sites.

• Trailers are one more way to generate book buzz in cyberland. The more times readers hear about our books, the more likely they’ll be to purchase it. Trailers can provide an additional avenue for increasing the chatter around the internet.

• Online bookstores can utilize the trailers for their promotional efforts. My publisher will offer the trailer to most of their online bookstore distributors. This can help put a book into more of a spotlight position.

• Authors can use the trailers on their author pages on various reader sites. Goodreads, Shelfari, Librarything, and even an author’s Amazon page have spots for putting in videos. Getting the trailer into as many places as possible will only increase the chances of the book’s exposure.

• Trailers offer a quick, concise summary of the book in an emotionally enticing way. The sound of the music, the clear pictures, and the short blurb about the book can engage viewers’ emotions in a way that words alone often cannot do.

Kelli Standish of PulsePoint says this in her article, “Television viewers are migrating to the Internet for their entertainment. It means that more users than ever are sharing and watching online video. And it means that if you want to meet them when they arrive at your cyberdoor, a book video or trailer could be a solid addition to your book promotion arsenal.”

Like any marketing effort, however, promoting a trailer requires some work and savvy. Among all of the voices on the internet clamoring for attention, we can’t just throw a trailer onto our websites and expect people to flock to it. We have to look at creative ways we can draw interest to the trailer.

One way to promote a trailer is through a contest! Which is what I’m doing this week! Click here to check out the details and to enter! (And I'm giving away fantastic prizes!)

I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences with book trailers. Have you used one or considered the possibility? What do you think are the pros and cons of trailers?

P.S. Make sure you read the comments for more wisdom from Kelli Standish about book trailers!

Making Marketing More About Them & Less About Us

Most of the time authors—especially new ones—think the focus of marketing is “selling more books.” I know that’s what I believed—that marketing is about me and all of the various ways I could entice people to buy my book.

But over the past year, during the release of my debut book, I’ve realized I had everything backwards. The whole marketing and publicity campaign isn’t so much about how to make MYSELF more appealing. Rather it’s about putting the spotlight on the READER.

The needs of the READER should be at the heart of our marketing and publicity efforts.

One of the first times I realized I was being author-centric was during the development of my website. I had written up content for all of my web pages, spotlighting my books, my news and events, my biography, and my blog. Do you notice a pattern? Everything was about me.

My wonderful web design team gently encouraged me to think about having a couple of pages devoted to the people who visit my site—readers and other writers.

What I began to realize was that I needed a way to reach out and engage people who stopped by my website. I didn’t want them swinging by for a one-time visit, seeing a showcase to myself and my book, and then skipping away never to be seen again.

When a reader landed in my cyber home, I wanted them to feel welcome, to stick around, and to even come back for a future visit. But in order for that to happen, I needed to provide them with content that would meet their needs—whether that was encouragement, helpful information, or just fun things for them to do/learn.

So over time I developed a page devoted to readers where I post pictures of them, have a fun quiz, and other interesting historical tidbits that relate to my book. I also developed a page for writers that list links to helpful writing articles.

But I didn’t stop there. I began to look for other ways to make other marketing and publicity efforts more about the reader. I held a “Reader Appreciation Day” on my blog and gave away a Chocomize gift card. I began to send cards and bookmarks to readers who’d taken the time to write handwritten notes to me. And I worked hard at genuinely interacting with readers on both Facebook and Twitter.

Finally, when I was getting my first newsletter ready to email to those who’d signed up for it, I was reminded once again that I needed to think of the reader. The first version of my letter was—yep, you guessed it—all about ME and my books.

However, rather than focusing all the attention on myself, I realized I needed to find ways to refresh my readers through my newsletter. How could I encourage them? What could I give them to bring joy to their day? How could I show them my appreciation for their support?

With a little tweaking to my letter, I added a fun and easy family recipe, made a point of thanking them for helping my book be successful, and tried to find a quote that could uplift them.

I’m still in the process of learning how to move from being author-centric to reader-centric. I’m still looking for ways I can make my marketing and publicity less about me and more about them. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth the effort every time I hear from a reader who shares how they were touched by something I said or did.

What about you? Are you author-centric or reader-centric? Have you been putting the spotlight mostly on yourself? Or are you thinking about your reader and how to make marketing more about them?

Giving Away Free Copies of Your Book as a Promotional Tool

Over the past year, I’ve learned that one of the best ways to promote a book is to give away free copies. Yes, free.

That’s crazy! You might be thinking. If we give away free books, then we’re losing possible sales.

Initially, I thought that too. I didn’t want to give away free copies, especially to my closest friends and family because they were among the few I knew would actually go out and purchase my book without arm-twisting.

But over the past year, I’ve realized I was wrong. My sales didn’t go down through the distribution of free books. In fact, they went up. The people who received my book for free helped promote it through Amazon reviews, blog write-ups, interviews, and numerous other ways. Their promotion helped carry the news and excitement about my book beyond the scope of my personal reach.

When giving away free copies of our books, of course, we’ll want to employ discernment and strategy. We’ll need to evaluate how many copies to giveaway, to whom, and when.

How many?

Many traditional publishers devote a percentage of the marketing budget to giving away books (exactly how many will likely depend on the size of the publisher). Often they’ll send free books to key blog reviewers, magazines, book distributors, major reviewers (like Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times, etc.) to solicit early reviews. This is one of the benefits of having a traditional publisher—they can get your book in front of a wide variety of reviewers.

My publisher also gives each author a specific number of copies for Influencers—people who agree to help spread the news of the book. The author compiles a list of names and addresses of friends who want to help. My publisher sends the free book once it becomes available to those on my list. (See the end of this post if you’re interested in being an Influencer for The Doctor’s Lady.) Obviously, in self-publishing and some small publishers, the author would need to take on the full cost and responsibility.

On top of what my publisher does, I giveaway books on blogs that host me for interviews. Giveaways spark interest, attract more people to the interview, and spread additional buzz about the book. The winner may become a devoted fan who will hopefully talk about the book to others within their circle of influence.

To Whom?

We should ideally fill our Influencer list with people who are excited about and willing to help promote our book. They need to know that in exchange for a free book they’re agreeing to positively support us in some way—usually through a blog review or interview, but the promotion can be something simple too (see this post for more ideas: 10 Simple Ways to Support Authors You Love).

We should also let our Influencers know that if they read our book and can’t support it (for whatever reason), then they aren’t obligated to do anything. In fact, we’d prefer that they not damage our promotional efforts by saying something negative. If they didn’t like the book, we can inform our Influencers that they can still help us by donating the book to a local library or to someone they know would enjoy it.

When?

If possible, we should generate interest and pre-orders by getting free copies out before release date. My publisher starts sending out giveaway copies in the month preceding the book’s release, so those who sign up to be Influencers usually get a sneak peek ahead of the general public.

It’s also helpful to giveaway copies during the couple of months after the release. This helps to keep the momentum and excitement going.

I’m giving away free copies of The Doctor’s Lady!

The Doctor’s Lady releases in less than two months!

I’m currently compiling a list of Influencers to send to my publisher. If  you'd like to read my Christian historical romance AND host me for a blog interview during September or October, please send me an email at jodyhedlund (at) jodyhedlund (dot) com with your mailing address (or use my contact page). I’ll send you additional information about the blog tour and add you to my Influencer list. Then you’ll be eligible for a free promotional copy of my book in August.

As always, I’m incredibly grateful for anyone who's willing to help promote my book in anyway, big or small! Thank you to everyone for your generosity and kindness in supporting me and my books!

So, what do you think? Have you considered the idea of giving away free books as a promotional tool? Do you think it helps? Or do you have hesitations about giving away books?

Photo credit: Flickr

How Much Time Should Writers Devote to Social Media?

Most writers struggle to know how much time to give to marketing (including social media). We all know that marketing is part of the writer’s job description. But sometimes it starts to seem like a hungry monster with an insatiable appetite.

Elizabeth Loraine asked this in a recent comment: “When I started writing I had no idea the marketing would be so much work and take so much time. I have to really budget my time to get it in and I still feel I'm not doing enough. Can you tell me how much time is spent doing what?”

Yes, we do need to budget marketing time in to our work days. But “how much” time we spend on the various aspects of marketing are going to depend largely upon where we’re at in our writing careers.

I see writers falling into approximately 5 different levels:

Level A—Beginners: (Working on our first novel or two.) This is the time to dip our toes into social media waters, perhaps set up a Facebook or Twitter account. We can enjoy making friends, but we shouldn’t worry yet about what everyone in the deep-end of the pool is doing. We should spend the majority of our time writing.

Level B—Advanced Beginners: (Completed two novels and studying fiction-writing techniques.) At this point, we should start reading blogs that will help us grow. We’ll begin to interact more online. This is a good time to get comfortable with our own blogs, purposefully visit others, and gain new followers.

Level C—Intermediate: (Consistent feedback indicates we’re ready for querying/publication.) When we actively begin querying, we should have a professional-looking online office—a blog or website. Our contact information should be very clear for agents or editors who might want to track us down. We’ll want to begin more earnestly to establish an online presence and mingle with industry professionals and other writers.

Level D—Advanced: (Agented, contracted, or seriously considering self-Epublishing.) If we’ve been slowly building up our connections all along, then we’ll hopefully already have a good base of friends and followers. At this stage, we’ll need to vamp up our efforts and be more strategic about reaching out. This is the stage where I spent the majority of my marketing efforts. In fact, I put in a LOT of long hours (but never at the expense of my writing).

Level E—Published: (One or more published books.) By this point, we’re learning what works best and how to maximize our time. If we’ve done THE most important marketing factor (which is writing a book that resonates), then our readers/followers will begin to play a larger role in our promotional efforts, and all the earlier efforts will begin to pay off. Authors at this stage need to continue to maintain relationships between books rather than putting in effort at the release of a book and then disappearing until the next one.

In some ways, the above levels are similar to the levels my kids have gone through for swimming lessons. In the early stages, they stayed in the shallow end and did more playing and getting used to the water than actual learning. But as they graduated from one level to the next, they continually added more techniques and slowly moved into deeper water, until finally they were diving head first in the 12 foot end of the pool.

Too many beginning writers jump into the deep end before they’re ready. Instead of relaxing and focusing primarily on enjoying their writing in the shallow end, they’re drowning under the weight of too much social media pressure.

On the other hand, some authors wait until too late. They dive into social media right before publication and wonder why it isn’t working well for them. They haven’t taken the time to work their way through the levels, gradually building connections and broadening their web presence.

I can’t put a percentage of time that I think writers should spend on marketing at the different levels, just like I can’t tell others how much time they should write every day. It will vary from person to person and situation to situation.

However, I can say this: the time we give to our writing should be greater than the time we spend on marketing. When I’m in first draft mode or in the editing phase, I always devote the larger portion of my day to my actual writing. When I’m between projects, I can give social media a little additional effort, strategize more, and plan ahead.

But I continually remind myself that my STORIES matter the most. Without a well-told story that readers can enjoy, all the marketing efforts in the world won’t amount to much.

What about you? What level are you in? Are you putting too much pressure on yourself too early? Or are you waiting too long before starting your marketing efforts? Or do you think you're right where you need to be? 

Marketing 101: Loving & Taking Care of Our Readers

Marketing is part of the job description of the modern author. Whether we’ve gone with self-publishing, small indie press, or the traditional route, all authors must market to one degree or another.

Obviously, if we choose to self-pub or go with a smaller press, we’ll need to shoulder the bulk of marketing and publicity. With a larger traditional publisher, authors will have the publisher’s sales team working for them, getting their books into brick-and-mortar stores, advertising with distributors, and sending it out to major reviewers.

Whatever the route, we have to market. But often the thought of marketing sends us creative-writer-types into convulsions. We like crafting words and telling stories. But knocking on doors and selling books to complete strangers? We’d rather be stripped to the waist, have our head and hands shoved into a pillory, and endure a public whipping.

Well, maybe not. But I had to throw in a teaser for the pillory beating in The Preacher’s Bride (after all, this is a post about marketing!). *Wink*

There are a LOT of creative things writers can do to market their books: giveaways, contests, countdowns, book signings, etc. We should be responsible and seek out innovative strategies. Why wouldn’t we want to do all we can to help make our book stand out?

But there comes a point when marketing begins to feel like overkill, like we’re tooting our own horn. Again. And again. In fact, if you’re like me, when you see authors who keep talking about themselves and their books over and over and over, it gets annoying.

I don’t want to be one of those annoying authors. Do you?

How can we avoid turning our marketing and promotion efforts into a litany to ourselves? Here are three ways:

1. Connect With Readers: Pay attention to what they’re saying on our blogs, facebook, and twitter. Be available. Make sure do the best we can to answer personal emails and messages.

2. Engage Readers: Don’t stand on the sidelines. Instead jump into social media conversations. Ask questions on Facebook or Twitter. Discover what people think or how they feel about issues.

3. Care For Readers: Find ways to let them know we appreciate them. Offer encouragement. Be real and open so they feel comfortable sharing their concerns and problems with us.

In one word: LOVE. Yes, love your readers.

I was recently having a phone conversation with Founder/Senior Designer, Kelli Standish of PulsePoint Design. We were brainstorming website marketing ideas for The Doctor’s Lady (releasing Sept. 1). She gave me a number of fantastic ideas—strategies I plan to implement in the days leading up to my book’s release.

However, in the middle of all our planning she said something profound and very key: “If you love your readers, they’ll promote the heck out of you.”

I’m sure we can all think of an author we’ve met online (or in person), one we’ve grown to admire and respect because of how personable and kind they are. I know it makes a huge impact on me when an author is down-to-earth, chats with me, retweets something I say, leaves a comment on my blog, etc.

I may have already liked that particular author. But my admiration rises even higher when they take the extra effort to connect with me. In fact, I recently wanted to help James Scott Bell get the news out about his newest e-book, Writing Fiction For All Your Worth, simply because he’s connected with me online in such a genuine way.

On the reverse side, our admiration for authors diminishes when they act too busy for us, don’t respond to something we say, or only chat within a certain circle of author friends.

My point is that if we as writers grow to appreciate other writers/authors who connect with us, imagine how much that means to our readers when we make an effort to relate to them.

Marketing 101: Start by loving the readers we already have (including followers on social media sites). We may want more. But first we have learn to take care of those that are already sitting in our stadium. We need to figure out ways to bless and encourage the audience that’s before us.

When we’re loving and taking care of the readers and followers we have, they’ll WANT to support us. They may even go out of their way to help us and shout out the news about our books. They’ll be excited to promote for us, essentially taking a large part of “self” out of self-promotion.

We won’t need to toot our own horns so loudly because our readers will do the tooting for us.

What do you think? Have you supported authors because you’ve learned to like and appreciate them? Is “loving your readers” a good strategy? Or do you think it’s lame? If so, what do you think can work better?

Is Marketing Non-Stop & All-Consuming For All Authors?

How much marketing do authors REALLY have to do nowadays? Do authors have to bear most of the burden, no matter what type of publishing they pursue?

My agent, Rachelle Gardner, recently had a post about self-publishing, and she opened up the comments for people to share their experiences. I was fascinated to read the various opinions and experiences.

One thing that came up in a number of comments was the idea that there really isn’t much difference between the amount of marketing involved in traditional and self publication. Here are a few comments:

“I've been told by many beginning authors that even with a big name publishing company the author is required to do most of the marketing.”

“Marketing (for self-publishing) has been a non–stop, all-consuming undertaking but from what I’ve heard, that’s no different than if I had a traditional publisher.”

“I think the amount of publicity you have to do with your self-published e-book is exactly the same as you would have to with a traditionally published book.”

So, what’s the TRUTH? Do traditionally published authors have to put forth the same effort (or nearly the same) as self-published authors in order to market and sell their books?

According to Publisher’s Weekly, in 2009, 764,448 titles were self-published compared to 288,355 traditionally published books. I’m sure the numbers of self-pubbed have only increased significantly in the past year (although traditional has probably stayed the same or decreased).

With over 764,000 self-published books, it stands to reason that indie authors MUST put an incredible amount of time, effort, and even money into promoting their books in order to make them STAND OUT from the masses of other self-pubbed books.

I know a couple different self-published authors who spent weekend after weekend driving to book signings, craft fairs, and local events in order to promote their books. They put in endless hours of publicity, word of mouth campaign, approaching bookstores to carry their books, etc., and after about a year, they were each able to sell approximately 1000 books.

When I compare my marketing efforts with theirs, I come up short, by a long shot. That’s not to say I haven’t done anything over the past months since my debut book released. Those who follow me know I’ve done quite a bit (particularly online). But, when I look at the enormous efforts my self-published friends have gone to, I get tired just thinking about it.

Did they sell more books than me? After all, they did more marketing.

The truth is, self-publishing marketing is NOT equal to the marketing done by traditional publishers. For all the talk about how ALL authors everywhere have to bear ALL the burden of marketing, it’s just NOT true.

My publisher, because of their size and reputation, could collectively accomplish SO much more than I could as one individual. They were able to get my book in most major book stores, distributors, and retailer catalogs. They were able to send out ARCs and books to key book buyers, reviewers, influencers, bloggers, etc.

Those efforts alone have made the difference between selling tens of thousands versus a thousand or two (which is what most self-published authors do with their VERY BEST marketing efforts).

Of course not all traditional publishers are equal. Generally speaking, larger publishers will have bigger sales departments with connections to more distributors and more money to allocate on marketing and publicity. Mid-list and smaller traditional publishers or niche presses won’t have the same capabilities.

But overall, traditional publication still brings many benefits and securities that are just not available otherwise. Yes, all authors must participate in marketing (why wouldn’t we want to do whatever we can to help our book?).

However, when an author decides to self-publish they will bear ALL the work to sell every single book. Whereas an author who pursues traditional publication still gets the extra help, promotion, as well as reader trust that comes from working with a publisher.

What do you think? Do you agree with my assessment that not all marketing will be equal, particularly between traditional and self-published authors? Or do you think that the large majority of authors have to bear most of the marketing burden, no matter what type of publishing they pursue?

Making a Book Stand Out: What Helps the Most?

Among the millions of books out there, is there anything that can help a book stand out from all the others? A great cover? An incredible internet presence? A superb tag line? Stellar writing?

As I’ve considered all the things that are helping to sell my debut book, I’ve tried to narrow down what has been the most beneficial so far. Here are just a few things:

*ARC’s (Advanced Reading Copies): My publisher sent out numerous ARC’s to strategic industry personnel—particularly book chain buyers who decide which books to purchase and promote. The ARC’s were a way to introduce my book to the book-buying community and to elicit their interest. The buyer from LifeWay Bookstores read the ARC and liked my book enough to feature it on the cover of latest LifeWay flier and also spotlight it as a “Buyers Choice.”

*Influencers: My publisher also mailed out a limited number free books to those who were willing to read The Preacher’s Bride and help “influence” others to read it. Those influencers have been spreading buzz in many different ways including writing reviews, promoting the book to friends, tweeting about it, hosting me for interviews, etc.

*Publisher’s Sales Team: Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing, has an excellent sales force. They’ve worked hard over the years to establish connections with stores and are able to get Bethany House books into many different places, including most of the major book chains, as well as Walmart and Sam’s Club. The more shelf space our books get, the more recognition they can garner.

*Publisher’s Marketing Team: For all the negativity unleashed against publishers for their diminished marketing efforts for authors, I can honestly say the team at Bethany House has made incredible efforts to promote my book in too many ways to recount in this post. Perhaps the smaller the house, the smaller the marketing budget. Obviously the closer we get to the self-publishing side of the spectrum, the more marketing the author must shoulder.

*Strong web presence: I’m not convinced yet that my web presence has made much of a difference in selling more of my books. It’s made a difference to me personally and professionally, and perhaps there are those who bought my book because they met me online (and I appreciate it!). But has it helped me sell significantly more books than another author who may not have a web presence? I’m not sure. Time will tell.

*Appealing book cover: The design team at Bethany House did a fantastic job on my cover. It looks Amish (even though it’s not). And bonnet books are still really popular. Enough said.

Our publishers can market our books and so can we. We can use every gimmick known to man to draw attention to our books. We can giveaway ipads, books, and gift cards. As much as all of these things may initially generate interest, we need to have something that will keep the ongoing attention.

And the one thing that can consistently win over readers is a COMPELLING STORY. We need to give our readers something to fall in love with, something to genuinely get excited about, something they’ll WANT to share with others.

It’s like opening a new restaurant. We can advertise all over town, start a lot of buzz, and perhaps even throw a big opening party and invite everyone in town. But what’s really going to make the difference in the success of our restaurant? All the marketing? Or the food we’re serving? If what we dish up is mediocre, lukewarm, re-hashed, or unoriginal, then all the initial hoopla isn’t going to sustain our restaurant.

And the same is true of our books. It’s what’s between the pages, what we’re serving to the reader, that matters the most.

Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, said it well last week in his post, “Great Product is the New Marketing.” He said if writers want a shot at best seller then: “Start with a compelling topic or story. This will win over great writing every time. I am not saying it’s either/or. It should be both/and. But if you don’t have the right idea, no amount of polish will save it.”

So, maybe we’re not shooting for the best-seller list. But most of us DO want to have a successful publication experience in one form or another (and perhaps the definition of success will vary for each of us). Whatever the case, the longer I travel down the publication road, the more I realize the truth to Michael Hyatt’s statement. A compelling story is critical in today’s saturated market.

What do you think? Do you think a compelling story is the key to a book rising to the top? Or do you think it has more to do with marketing efforts? Or is it both?

7 Ways Authors Can Market Without the Internet

Marketing has been on my mind a lot lately. With the release of my book only weeks away, I can’t put off the fact that the time has finally come to make concerted efforts at promoting my book.

In previous posts, we’ve talked about online marketing and what that entails. On my News and Events Page I’ve listed the various online interviews, guest posts, and giveaways that I’m doing. Yes, an online presence is incredibly helpful and important for today’s authors.

But what about traditional marketing efforts? What—if anything—can writers do to market their books through other outlets besides the internet?

Some of you have asked me that question, so I thought I’d share a few of the other things I’ve been up to outside of cyberland. Just so everyone knows, I’m NOT fond of promoting my own book. I’d much rather give it away. In other words, I’m not the exemplary marketing role model. But hopefully you can draw ideas from what I’m doing, or at the very least, encouragement—if an inept salesperson like me can make efforts, anyone can.

1. Develop visuals for myself and my book. This includes professionally designed business cards (my web designer made mine to match my website) and bookmarks (my Bethany House publicist designed mine but there are other places that do this inexpensively). (See the slideshow in the sidebar if you'd like to take a look at an example of both.) In addition, my publicist also developed a recipe card for my book. It has an old recipe used in the book as well as a modern equivalent. It’s just one more thing I can hand out to people to help them visualize and get excited about my book.

2. Put together a packet of introductory material. My publicist suggested I make a packet that included: my business card, a letter of introduction, a bookmark or sheet with the picture of my book, and a little bit about the book. I even have extra covers of my book to use as folders for storing the information.

3. Make contact with local businesses. I made a list of places I’d like to go or people I want to call. Then, armed with business cards, bookmarks, or my packets of introductory material, I’ve begun the process of visiting places in my community and introducing myself—libraries, bookstores, churches, radio stations, etc.

4. Give away free books to key connections. My publisher sends out ARCs and Influencer copies. But as part of my contract, I also get author copies that I can use however I want. I’m reserving some copies to personally deliver to influential community members, but also to some of the friends I’ve made at the places I buy my clothes, get my hair styled, etc.

5. Advertise in local publications. Bethany House has already taken care of sending out blurbs about my book to many places—like schools, alumni magazines, newspapers in past cities I’ve lived in, etc. But I’m doing more local, smaller scale advertising. For example, I wrote up announcements for the local business group association and for my church newsletter.

6. Plan a Book Release Party. I contacted the locally owned bookstore that I’ve shopped at for years and the owner graciously agreed to let me have a party there. I’m sending invitations to friends as well as putting up posters around town. During the party, I’ll have food and drinks, and also drawings for gift baskets I’ve assembled. My hope with the party is two-fold: I want to celebrate with friends as well as start some hometown buzz about the book.

7. Arrange Book Signings. There are pros and cons of book signings. Many of us hear that book signings just don’t draw crowds the way they used to. Even big name authors struggle to get decent turn outs. Even so, I’m giving book signings a try, and so far have a couple on the calendar. I’ll make sure to blog about my experience!

Bonus: I'm renting billboards around the state like in the above picture. Isn't it just lovely?! (Hopefully you know I'm just kidding!)

So, there you have it. So far, the above list wraps up my non-internet marketing efforts. Fortunately my publishing house does an incredible job sending out ARCs for advance reviews, making sure my book is in major book catalogs, as well as in major bookstores, among many other things.

All that to say, my measly marketing attempts pale in comparison to what my publisher is doing. Their efforts will make all the world of difference in getting my book in the public eye in a way I could never hope to accomplish on my own.

What are some other ways authors can market their books without using the internet? What have you seen other authors do (or have you done)? I’d love more ideas! And if you don’t have any ideas, tell me what you think of book signings. Are they losing their effectiveness in today’s internet culture?

P.S. Make sure you answer this week’s Trivia Question #1 for a chance to win a free copy of The Preacher’s Bride!

The Difficulty of Debuting

The official countdown has begun! My debut book releases in exactly one month! To celebrate this dream come true, each Monday morning in September I’ll post a trivia question about The Preacher’s Bride in the sidebar. And then on Friday mornings, I’ll announce the weekly winner. So come back Monday to play for prizes!

Also, I’ll be posting “first sighting” pictures into a slide show in my sidebar. Throughout the month, as the book begins to show up in various places, I'd love to hear where you first see it. So send me a picture of you with your first sight of my book (whether it arrives in the mail at home or you see it on the shelf at the store!). I’ve posted my first sight! Last week my editor sent me a book HOT off the press, and I couldn’t resist giving it a big kiss!

For the past couple of months I’ve already started making efforts to market my book. I’ve been contacting bookstore owners and managers, librarians, local press, churches, etc. In the process, I’ve been learning just how difficult debuting is. Yes, it’s an exciting time, but it’s also a humbling process. Here are just a few of the lessons I’m learning:

Most non-writers don’t care who your publisher is.

Even though I have the privilege of being published with a large, traditional publishing house—Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing—I’m finding that the average non-writer doesn’t really care or know that much about publishing houses.

In other words, most people lump me together with all the other authors they know, including those who’ve self-published. They don’t realize the difference nor do they care by which method my book came into print. A book is a book. Especially when we’re new and unknown.

Most average non-writers don’t know author names.

The average non-writer doesn’t pay a whole lot of attention to author names, unless we’re a household name like Rowling. For example, I received a really sweet personal email from a best-selling Amish fiction writer, Beverly Lewis (she also writes for Bethany House). I was super excited to get the email from her—she told me she’d seen the cover of my book and thought it was stunning. When I mentioned the email to my family, two of my daughters’ friends were visiting, and they didn’t know who Beverly Lewis was.

Of course, I was shocked. I thought everyone knew Beverly Lewis. But I have to remember that I eat, sleep, and breathe the world of fiction. The average person doesn’t pay attention to author names.

The nameless factor can be a benefit to a debut author because that means people will pick up our book regardless of not knowing us. But it’s also humbling to realize that if popular authors have to struggle with anonymity, it’s even harder for new authors trying to break in.

Not everyone is enthusiastic about helping a debut author.

Let’s face it, the average person doesn't pay much attention to publishers and author names. But even those who do pay attention aren’t always enthusiastic either—especially about debut authors.

With the growth of self-publishing and subsidy press, I'm learning that bookstore owners, librarians, and the media are often bombarded with requests for help in promotion. When I first approached my local library to introduce myself, they were nice, but they didn’t make any promises about getting my book in their system. They told me that they get a lot of requests from self-published authors to carry their books and that it takes time, effort, and money to add books.

Same is true of the bookstores I visited. They get requests for book-signings mostly from local self-published authors, so they tend to have a cautious approach. Because I’m a debut author, I probably won’t draw an enormous crowd to their store and so there’s really not a huge benefit to them in hosting me. A signing could end up being more of an inconvenience to them than a help.

~Summary: Because literally anyone can type up words and get them published, the market is oversatured, especially with debut authors (including self-published) all needing to promote their books. With so many authors vying for the public eye, the uniqueness that once accompanied the title and role of being a published author is fading.

I believe it's more important than ever before for writers to belong to a community who can truly understand how difficult the journey is and subsequently how monumental publication is. The rest of the world may not "get it," but all of us who've written a book know how much sweat and blood go into each page, the sacrifices we make, and the hours and hours of laboring to reach the end.

Publication might become commonplace, but the act of writing a book will always be special.

So, what do you think? Have you come across non-writers who don't know or care much about publisher or author names? With the rise of self-publishing, is the specialness of publication fading for everyone, including traditionally published?

Can Writers Market Themselves Without Making Eyes Roll?

“Check it out! Another 5-Star review by one of my fabulous readers!” or “Publishers Weekly just called my book the best of the year!”

We’ve all seen authors leaving comments like that around cyberland and usually it evokes one primary response: eyeballs rolling into the back of our heads. We think, “Sheesh, they’re really tooting their own horns.”

Krista Phillips asked this question: The thing about marketing that scares me is this: I do NOT want to look prideful or egotistical. I have this fear that everyone will look at me and think I'm all snooty. . . How do you market yourself without making the eyes of those around you roll?

Krista’s question reflects an issue most of us struggle with: self-promotion. We know we’ll need to market our books. If we self-publish we’ll bear the brunt of the marketing. But even with traditional publication, authors are expected to participate in the marketing plan.

We tell ourselves that we’re only seeking the attention because we have to, because that’s the modern way of selling everything, because if we don’t, other authors are going to do a better job and draw people to their books. Then ours will be left sitting on the shelves.

But is there a way to engage in self-promotion without it coming across as sounding selfish, self-serving, and self-inflated? I’m at the beginning stages of promoting my debut book, which releases in about a month. So, I’m still learning a lot about what works and what doesn’t. But here’s what I’ve come up with so far:

Promotion often comes naturally out of the relationships we build.

Social media should be 90% (or more) about building relationships and 10% (or less) about mentioning our books. I’m more likely to buy a book from an author who uses social media to socialize, rather than from an author who uses social media to hit me over the head with the greatness of their books.

I’m not actively trying to sell my book. I haven’t had any contests to boost my pre-order sales. I rarely mention the book on Twitter or Facebook. And yet, people have expressed interest. Why? Because they’re getting to know me as an author.

When people like us as authors, they’re more willing and excited to give our books. In fact, Michelle Vasquez, a non-writer who reads my blog said this in a recent comment, “You already have a fan in me and I haven't even gotten a hold of your book yet!” (Thanks, Michelle!)

Maybe we can’t connect on a personal level with everyone in cyberland, but when we’re vulnerable and real, and when readers feel like they can relate to us, they’re much more willing to promote us.

Promotion works best when it comes from others.

When we take the time to develop genuine writer friendships, those friends will help promote us the most. They’ll be our biggest cheerleaders. I've found this to be an incredible blessing and benefit that's come out of using social media. We form a community that supports and promotes one another.

I’m also making use of interviews and guest posts. I’m not doing a traditional blog tour for my book release. Usually those kinds of tours end up being somewhat redundant, with everyone in the same circle of friends hosting the author and book and saying about the same thing. Instead, a large majority of my interviews and guest posts are in different places, hopefully reaching a new set of readers. It’s also another easy way I can let others showcase me, instead of having to shout out my own praises.

Promotion is received better when accompanied with genuine kindness.

In September I’ll be starting some more obvious hoopla for my debut book—countdown to the release date of Oct. 1. First of all, it’s an exciting time for me, and I want to share the wonderful memories with all my cyber friends. And secondly, I know it’s time to increase the buzz.

But in all the hoopla I don’t want to lose focus on the most important thing—friends, readers, and fellow writers. When we’re in the midst of promoting ourselves we can make sure we’re still looking out for the needs of others, promoting them, helping when appropriate, being a good listener, offering encouragement, etc.

“A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down.” When we give out a genuinely sweet flavor, then it’s easier for everyone to swallow the medicine of our marketing efforts.

How about you? Have you ever rolled your eyes at someone’s marketing efforts? How do you think writers can engage in self-promotion without it coming across as selfish?

*Thanks to my sweet daughter for posing for the above picture. She has perfected the art of eye-rolling!