When publishing goes wrong…Starring Undead Press.
This is a cautionary tale that should be seen by all. No publisher is perfect, but this goes beyond the lack of human decency.
Category Archives: Writing
Scattergun Promotions (Guest Blog with Bev. Cooke)
…Not the best choice
Everybody tells you to promote – you have to get your name out there, make sure the entire world knows who you are, that you’ve got zillions of followers on Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook and a Klout number in the high 80s.
If you’re not careful, you can spend all your time promoting and have nothing to show for it, including new and better writing. What most experts propose is a “scattergun” approach: throw a lot of stuff around all over the place and you’re bound to hit something. But is that the best way to get your name out there? Probably not, especially when you’re writing for kids.
You have to be careful about how and where and what you promote. Targeting carefully, planning ahead and looking to the long term are probably better strategies than simply putting yourself all over the place.
Ask yourself why you write, and why you write for kids. Lots of money and fame? Your books in print for generations? Awards and recognition for your quality? Movie and TV deals? All of those are legitimate goals, but each of them needs a specific marketing strategy. Take some time and define what success means to you. Once you know that, you’re in a much better position to adjust your promotion to fit your writing goals.
For whom do you write? There’s a big difference between writing board books for toddlers, picture books for kindergarteners and novels for young adults. Your readers are the people you promote to. If you write young adults, why aren’t you on teen sites, teen forums and teen places on the net? Do you do volunteer work with teens? Why not? If you’re writing picture books and books for younger kids, then why aren’t you on parenting sites, writing for parenting and grandparenting magazines, hooking up with parenting groups and grandparenting groups? And why aren’t you, whichever group you write for, hooking up with librarians, schools and bookstore owners? Promoting to other writers can help you broaden your audience reach, as they promote you to their readers, but promoting only to other writers is a bad mistake.
A lot of marketing strategies are designed for and by extroverts – people who love people and can talk easily and well with strangers about just about anything. Their twitter posts are always funny, pointed and brilliant. Status updates are layered, elegant and erudite. They stand in front of a room full of kids wearing silly costumes, make a fool out of themselves and love every minute of it. Introverts can’t do that.
One thing that comes through clearly whether you’re in person or on the web is how relaxed and genuine you are when you’re talking to strangers, acting a role you may not be used to or taking risks with your personality type. If you’re not the kind of person who can wear a lamp shade and do the fandango on the dining room table while sober, chances are you’re not going to be able to don a costume, act silly and make a fool out of yourself to promote your book. So don’t try. Find ways that let you be you when you promote your book and yourself. It’s the same on the web. If you have a knack for coming up with pithy phrases, great puns or plays on words and fantastic one liners, then twitter is probably a good venue. If not, don’t go there.
If all you’re doing is following the advice of experts without thinking about who you are, what you want to accomplish with promotion and how long it’s going to take you to reach your writing goals, then you’re not doing yourself any favours, and you may even be doing yourself harm. In all the frenzy of getting your name and your books out there, you’re forgetting why you’re promoting. As a writer friend of mine pointed out: we are writers. If we don’t deliver the content after all the hype, no amount of promotion or marketing is going to sustain us for the long term.
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Meet our guest:
Bev. Cooke is a young adult writer and writing coach whose books appeal to both teens and adults. Her marketing strategies are tailored for her audiences – writers, teens and adults. She’s published “Feral” from Orca Book Publishers, about street life seen through a cat’s eyes, “Royal Monastic” the first book length biography of Princess Ileana of Romania, and Keeper of the Light, an historical fiction for midgrade and young adults about an early Christian saint, both published by Conciliar Press. Bev and her family converted to the Eastern Orthodox Christian faith in 2003, and she’s been active in that writing and religious world ever since. She blogs at Bevnal Abbey Scriptorium http://bevnalabbeyscriptorium.wordpress.com/ and is on Facebook at Bev. Cooke, writer.
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When Life Gives You Lemons
You’ve heard the old saying, but reactions come in all shapes and sizes. Lately, my reaction has been…
When life gives you lemons, find the guy who planted the tree and kick his ass.
Many years ago I decided I wanted to be an author. I’ve been a writer for as long as I can remember knowing how to form words. I love words and stories. I love the way they make me feel. I love the way other people’s words can make me feel. I have written many books and stories, and for the most part, I feel good about them. Sometimes writing is difficult, but I can’t imagine not doing it.
Several years ago, I became a bookstore owner. It was the most glorious day in my life. I remember always wanting to own a bookstore. I love books. I adore books. I think they are among the most blessed things in existence. I loved my bookstore and I loved each and every book in its tiny little space. I did not like the day to day business of it. But I was good at it, for the most part.
Then I became a publisher. The idea of going out and being able to pick the stories that other people got to read, without the stress of having to write them, or sell them enchanted me. Seeing a pattern here? I have been running Echelon Press for more than a decade. Now, like the above activities, being a publisher is quite difficult. The days are long, the stress level is high, and the payoff is very low. But in this case, I cannot imagine not doing it.
Being a publisher is much like being on a roller coaster that dips and curves and rolls upside down, only you don’t get to wear a safety harness. You do get a rope with a loop on the end to hold onto so you can climb back into your seat when the car goes right side up again.
There are those people out there who are asking themselves, “What the hell can be so hard about being a publisher? You get to read books all day.”
Yeah, that”s it. We just read all day. ::snort:: There are so many things involved in being a publisher.
My top five favorite things about being a publisher are:
- IRS Audits.
- Authors who accuse you of cheating them out of royalties.
- Large numbers of bookstores going out of business.
- Authors who think their only job is to write, and the rest is up to the publisher.
- Retailers who don’t pay for the books they order and sell.
Okay, hopefully you got the sarcasm at the beginning of the list. There are so many other reasons I love publishing. The above list brings to mind the saying I started this post with. But I would be lying if I left it at that. Another saying comes to mind.
Thank God for:
- Authors who never stop trying to learn about the industry.
- Readers who aren’t afraid to try new authors.
- Bookstores that support ALL authors and publishers.
- Authors who write the stories from their hearts.
- Every person who ever took a chance on something unfamiliar to them.
I meant what I said about the guy who planted the lemon tree, but after you are done kicking his ass, try the lemonade, it’s almost perfect!
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Facing the Facts of Social Networking
Hello again. Let’s revisit what we were talking about earlier. I’ve given you my thoughts on GoodReads and Pinterest. You don’t have to agree with everything I say; I do hope that you are at least giving some consideration to my points.
Today I want to talk about Facebook. This is one of those networks that seem to offend the most people with regard to social networking time sucks. Let me start again by saying that it is only a time suck if you allow it to control you. We all make choices and that goes for online activities as well.
As a person, I enjoy the hell out of Facebook. I get up every morning and look forward to turning on my computer. I go straight to Facebook. Have I lost my mind? No, I am just anxious for a few smiles and a friendly word or two. I have a lot of friends on Facebook, and not just people who friend me randomly. I mean real friends. Friends who, despite having never met them face to face, have helped me through some very bad times in my life. I have some others who just make me laugh on a daily basis. The best part of my Facebook account is that I have reconnected with members of my family I had lost touch with, and found others I did not know. It is extraordinary fun.
Now, let’s talk about Facebook for authors. Facebook has one of the largest groups of viewers and a good portion of them are readers. They also have a wonderful advertising venue that isn’t horribly expensive. Just like in any other situation, there are certain rules, unwritten, but important, that should be followed by authors when marketing their books to their Facebook friends.
First and foremost, you must know how important common courtesy is on any social networking site. I encourage you to pay careful attention to the “do unto others” rule. Don’t say or do anything that you don’t want to be remembered for forever.
Pay careful attention to what you post. The Internet is overflowing with religious and political opinions. We all have them, but make certain that if you decide to voice yours on your page that you are prepared for the responses. As an author, you must also carefully consider how your opinions will affect your potential readers. It is not unreasonable to think that you might lose conservative readers when you express liberal views.
This can also work to your advantage. If you take the time to know the people you are friends with (just like in real life), you can use that knowledge to share information with them that they will find useful or amusing. You can use your newfound knowledge to engage fellow knitters, quilters, beaders, singers, hockey fans, dog lovers, etc. Even if these things have nothing to do with your book, it is common ground. It is a way for you to get to know people and make them want to support you. It’s not about manipulating, it is about genuinely communicating with like-minded people.
Facebook is a great place to share the news of your books, your reviews, your Blog tours, etc. The good news is that a lot of people will want to know what you have to say. But be careful how you say it and how often you say it. There are some things you simply do not do.
Do NOT post your promo notes and reviews on other people’s pages or sites. This is kinda like parking your truck in someone else’s front yard.
Do NOT send auto responders with your buy links and web page links to people who ask to be your friend.
And for the love of Pete and Mike, if you set up a Facebook group. Do NOT, I repeat do NOT add people to your group without asking them first. When you set up a group, you will get a link for that group. You can copy that link into a public invite in your feed that will tell people what you want them to know and then let them make their own choice.
One of the most important things to understand about Facebook as it differs from other networking sites is the amount of information that can be shared on it. Twitter has 140 characters, Good Reads is all books, and Pinterest is an image with a link. Facebook can combine all of those things together and so much more. You have more character to use, images, links, and videos. If you abuse these things it will turn around and bit you in the butt.
Social networking is a wonderful thing, and it can be an exceptional marketing tool. Just don’t let it control you and your time. A social networking schedule is not a bad thing.
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The True Beauty of Me and Ashley Judd
Recently, acclaimed actress, author, and all around cool human being, Ashley Judd responded to accusations about her physical condition. Her op-ed piece (you can read it here) has sparked a bit of outrage, but more than anything it may well have started a revolution. IF you haven’t already done so, you will want to read The Conversation. With everything going on in politics these days regarding women and our bodies, the last thing we need is to worry about what others think when we look a little different.
I will admit that I was furious when I read her piece. What right does anyone have to make public speculation about Ashley Judd or anyone? These people spouting lies and starting rumors call themselves journalists, but let’s be real. They are people who have a knack for spinning the ordinary into something outrageous, hurtful, and generally untrue.
The op-ed piece got me to thinking about my role in all this as an author and a publisher. Do I aggravate the situation by writing/publishing books with perfectly formed and wonderfully beautiful characters? Well, I may publish some, but I certainly don’t write them. I make a point to develop each of my characters as real people. You know the type, people with bad hair days, zits, a little bit of extra junk in their trunks, that kind of thing.
Books, especially fiction, have a tendency to paint pictures of things that are way better than real life. That is awesome, fiction is meant to be an adventure, an escape, if you will. But I think it is time we start looking at the entertainment and media venues with a little more responsibility. We cannot blame anyone’s actions on what they read, watch or listen to, but we can, and should recognize that those things do have a significant influence on the decisions we make.
When I opened my mail program this morning, I found my usual lists of Blogs that I subscribe to and read fairly regularly. At the top of the list was the Red, White, and Grew Blog with Pamela Price (who has an awesome Pinterest site.) Pamela has taken the next step in making her voice heard with regard to this issue. Check out her Blog to see what she has to say.
Now, that you’ve read my Blog, Ashley’s Blog, and Pamela’s Blog, I’d love to know how you feel, and what you might have to say about it on YOUR Blog. Now is your chance to be heard. Post your thoughts and comments on your Blog and then pop back over here and leave us a link so we can all read it. And this isn’t just about the women. How far can we spread this? It really does matter.
Independent Book Blogger Awards – Vote for me, Please
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The rules: The polls allow one vote per person in each of the four categories, and voters must be Goodreads members so that we can accurately tally the results. When polls close, the top 15 blogs in each category will become finalists.
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Winners will be selected from among the finalists by a panel of industry judges. Each of the four category winners will receive a pass to BookExpo America (June 5-7, 2012) with airfare and hotel accommodation in New York City. For more details on rules and background on the judging process, please see the Contest Terms. Key Dates:
The awards are organized by the Association of American Publishers Trade Division members and Goodreads. Let the voting begin! |
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It’s All Good!
I said I would work my way through, what I consider to be, the most popular of social networking sites. Today I am going to focus on Good Reads.
Because I know there are so many authors out there who abuse social networking sites for book promotion, I am going to remind you all that these are first, and foremost SOCIAL NETWORKING sites. They were designed to get like-minded people together and socializing–see the connection? In this instance, the topic of conversation is books. Woohoo!
So, with that in mind, Good Reads is the perfect place for us to talk about our books. Notice I did not say promote our books. So what the hell is the point? I know that’s most of you are thinking. The point is to promote our books. Whoa baby, confused? Your head spinning? Promote your books; don’t promote your books. ACK!
This is where you get to show how creative you are. Like any social networking site you should be developing those ever-popular relationships with readers on Good Reads. Don’t just sign up and blast all your new friends with snippets and excerpts on your books.
Here are a few suggestions on how to let readers know about your books.
- Talk to them.
- See what they are reading and discuss those books
- Find readers who read in your genre.
- Find readers who share your interest in topics.
- Set up a discussion group for yourself and your books.
- Set up an author page.
All of these things are quite simple, but totally useless if you don’t follow through on them. Do NOT ask a public question and then never respond to those who answer it. You need to converse with them. Interact. I promise it won’t kill you, despite what the media says to the contrary.
Before I go into the direct options for authors, please note how IMPORTANT the interaction with readers is. Don’t just blast people with your books. Let the programs do the work for you while you talk about books with the other readers.
- Post the books you are reading.
- Post your reviews when you finish a book.
- Add books you’d like to read.
- Randomly look at other peoples pages and comment on their reviews.
The key to interacting is to communicate with others. I know, we are often solitary creatures, but we alone will not make our books best sellers. We need readers to buy our books.
Good Reads Author Program http://www.goodreads.com/author/program
The first thing you should do if you plan to promote your book is to set up your Good Reads Author page. After you have done that, then you can look into all these other things.
Good Reads eBooks http://www.goodreads.com/ebooks
For those of you who only have eBooks, there is a section where you can upload books for giveaway (use your freebies). You can also use this section to put up excerpts for people to read and get a taste of your style.
Good Reads Giveaways http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway
You can also do giveaways on Good Reads. You decide for how many copies and for how long people can sign up. I don’t suggest giving away large quantities, but it is a GREAT way to get attention.
Good Reads Events http://www.goodreads.com/event
This is a good one. I am a HUGE fan of events and I think more authors should find ways and places to do them. We don’t need no steenking bookstores to do events. The more unique, the better. But my point here is that Good Reads has a section specifically for posting your events. How cool is that?
Good Reads Self-Serve Advertising http://www.goodreads.com/advertisers/ad_home
Advertising a book has never been so easy, or inexpensive. I am on my second ad and while it was a not a huge success, I know of four books I sold because of the ad and I spent less than $10.00.
MOST IMPORTANT TIP!
Don’t be an asshat on the social networking sites. Don’t go blasting in with your book promotion and expect everyone to give a hoot. They won’t. Subtly goes a long way and since Good Reads gives us so many opportunities to promote our work, the only thing we really need to do is to get to know the readers so they know to go look for our stuff.
You can set up your account to post an update when you post a article on your Blog. You can also make sure that when you post a review it goes up on Facebook and/or Twitter. This gives you a little extra exposure without having to actually go to Facebook and get sucked into the cute kitty pictures.
Promoting through social networking doesn’t have to be hard and certainly doesn’t need to be a time suck. But like anything in life, you will only get back what you put in. Of this you can be sure.
