I know authors who sit in front of their computers all day, except for when they’re checking the mail, just waiting to receive reviews for their latest books.
When someone reads a review for one of my books, they will often say, “Wow, that’s great. I’ll bet you were surprised to see this review.â€
Getting book reviews is not a chance happenstance. You get book reviews by going out after them—not by waiting for your book to be discovered.
When The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book debuted, I sent out dozens of letters inviting reviewers to read this book. And I’ve shipped around 30 books so far. Of course, I continue to contact book reviewers and send review copies. And I am beginning to reap the benefits.
So far, my book has been reviewed, showcased or introduced in nearly two dozen venues. Dehanna Bailee was the first to review The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book and she posted the review at her Web site—dehanna.com. She has also posted this review at amazon.com and several other sites. Thank you, Dehanna.
A reviewer for Midwest Book Review wrote a fantastic review and posted it at their Web site as well as my book page on amazon.com.
Amazon.com finally got the book image up at their site. No one knows why it took them eight weeks to post it. But we kept persisting and sending fresh images, in case there was something wrong with the original. It’s up! Check it out at the book page on amazon.com. Type in the book title or my name, Patricia L. Fry. If you use my name, you’ll find it on the second page of books listed. If you type in just Patricia Fry, you’ll have to flip through four pages before you find The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. My book, Over 75 Good Ideas for Promoting Your Book is listed number one and that might be because that’s the most popular of my books as far as amazon.com is concerned.
Francine Silverman at Book Promotion Newsletter, was among the first to acknowledge and recommend The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. It has also been showcased and/or recommended through WritersBreak.com, Simon Tea Kettle, Writing-World Authors’ Bookshelf, Book Views (it is a pick of the month), Writing Road Newsletter, DabblingMum.com, Writers Services (in England), Worldwide Freelance Writer, Freelance Writers’ Report and Boomer Women Speak.
I did a fun radio interview with Catherine Franz who does a show called, Let’s Talk Marketing, on a public radio station in Virginia. Catherine also posted information about my book at her Web site, AbundanceCenter.com.
I’ve had a lot of activity related to this book in a rather short period, but there is much to be done. Now that I’ve finished my two most recent editing jobs (two full-sized book manuscripts), I need to follow up on the other review books I’ve sent out and locate additional potential reviewers and venues for this book. I’ll also be activity promoting in person.
This month starts a busy promotional season for me. I’m flying to Hawaii next week and will do a little book promotion while vacationing. I’ll be signing my luau book: Entertaining Hawaiian Style (Island Heritage Publishing) at Native Books in Honolulu. I’ve also been invited to come into Barnes and Noble and sign the copies they have on their shelves. I plan to bring along copies of The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book to show bookstore managers. My book is already in the Barnes and Noble system through their Distribution Center Extended Title Base Program.
When I return from Hawaii, I must prepare for my first Focus on the Masters Workshop which begins on the following Saturday. I will teach three classes based on, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. On March 11, I will take a break from the Focus on the Masters series and wo/man the SPAWN booth at the first ever book festival to be held in Ventura, California. I’m also scheduled to do a workshop on book promotion. April 1, I’m flying back to Hawaii to do two workshops for the Pen Women Writers’ Conference at the Tokai University in Honolulu. My subject: Book Proposals. And April 6, I’m speaking on how to work a book festival so it works for you for the Book Publicists of Southern California.
The next stop, of course, is the Los Angeles Festival of Books. SPAWN will have a booth there and I will be there talking about SPAWN and my writing/publishing-related books to some of the 100,000+ book lovers who happen by our booth.
Just when you think you might have a little time to yourself, another project comes along. I have a group of homeschooled kids who are hungry for a writing workshop. And SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) is ready to sponsor one. So I have tentatively scheduled one for June.
Are you still waiting for someone to discover your wonderful book? Stop waiting and start putting yourself and your book out there. But first, read The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. Order through amazon.com or from my Web site:
http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html