Writing and Publishing News

I promised I would talk about exposure today. Exposure is one of the most valuable benefits you take away from nearly any of your promotional efforts. The exposure benefits are especially prevalent and important to authors who get out and speak to their audiences. Whether you are speaking to a group, talking casually with people at a signing, book festival, flea market or conference or you’re just chatting it up with potential readers, you are getting exposure. One or 1001 people now have the opportunity to learn about your book. This may be the first or twenty-first time they’ve become aware of you and your book. It doesn’t matter. If it is a book they can use or would be interested in reading, they will eventually do so, but only if they know about it.

Stay hidden behind your computer reaching only those people who happen across your website, stop in once in a while to read your blog, subscribe to the newsletters you write for, communicate with you via FaceBook, etc., and you will miss out on a lot of valuable exposure.

The fact is:
• People are more apt to buy books from an author they meet and like.

• The power of persuasion is more effective in person.

• When someone bothers to hold a book in their hands, they are more apt to buy it.

• The memory of a real-time experience is greater/stronger than that of one occurring online.

While some people purchase books they’re interested in on the spot without much contemplation, others need time to consider the book. The more times they see, hear, read about or are otherwise aware of you—the author of the book they’re considering—the more apt they are to eventually purchase it.

Exposure has other positive side-effects, as well. I’ve known many authors who have attended book festivals, signed books and spoke to groups, for example, and were disappointed because they didn’t sell many books. Some of them have vowed never to do that activity again because they sold so few books. What these authors didn’t consider, however, were the benefits outside of making that on-the-spot sale. For example,

• Awareness of you and your book expands every time you speak to new groups and individuals.

• You are reaching even more people when you publicize these activities and events.

• While out talking to people, you may meet someone or your publicity might reach someone who wants to purchase your book in bulk for an event, who invites you to speak to a large group of your potential readers, who has a radio show and wants you to appear, etc. It happens. I’ve seen it happen more times than I can count.

The next time you speak before a group, are interviewed on the radio, do a signing at a small bookstore, reserve a booth at a book festival, etc., don’t view this so much as a bookselling opportunity as one for exposure. Look at the bigger picture—how widespread can you direct the publicity? What opportunities might present themselves beyond just making those immediate sales? But you have to do your part.
You must get out of the office and mingle with your readers. You have to direct the publicity far and wide. You need to keep an attitude of gratitude which will help to open you up to whatever comes your way. And stop thinking so much about sales that you miss those opportunities that can lead to greater success.

Do you rely so much on technology to promote your book that you’re neglecting the personal touch? Do you spend so much time posting on your facebook page, tweating several times a day, setting up sophisticated sales gimmicks at your site and so forth that you don’t go out and speak face-to-face in real time with potential readers?

Sure, we have many customers we have never met, which is the beauty of today’s technology. But I maintain that your strongest promotional asset is your personality. While we can maintain relationships with some customers using technology, we should also get out and meet our potential readers personally.

This summer:
• Do a reading at a local library.

• Sign books at a couple of busy bookstores in your community.

• Sign up for a book festival.

• Reserve a booth (or share a booth) at a flea market.

• Participate in open mic night at a neighborhood coffee house.

• Arrange to greet patrons at a specialty store related to the theme of your book.

• Mingle with other writers at appropriate events.

• Ask a neighbor to invite friends in for an evening of fun around the theme of your novel.

• Arrange for signings and other activities when traveling.

• Locate or create speaking opportunities within the community.

As you have probably learned by now, book promotion isn’t a one-time activity. It isn’t a matter of either marketing online or doing signings or getting book reviews or speaking at appropriate conferences. It’s the whole enchilada. We must pursue many avenues of promotion, even those that might be outside of our comfort zone.

For help understanding the concept of book promotion and guidance in establishing your marketing plan, be sure to order your copy of Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author. It’s available in print and on Kindle at amazon.com as well as other online and downtown bookstores. Also available at my website: http://www.matilijapress.com

Tomorrow I’d like to discuss those real-time activities you’ve attempted and perceive as having failed.

Yesterday we talked about getting your book reviewed in newspaper columns. If you missed that blog post, and you have a book to promote, you really ought to go back and read it.

Today, I want to remind you that you are considered an expert on the topic of your nonfiction book and you should be taking advantage of that fact. How?

Contact some of those newspaper columnists we talked about yesterday and suggest they interview you on a topic related to your book. If your book isn’t out yet, you can still do some interviews on the subject of your writing to help get your name out there as an expert and to let people know your book is coming.

Use the links in my August 12, 2012 post to locate newspapers with columns related to your topic. Perhaps you are putting together a book on quilting, many newspapers have home decorating or crafts columns. If your book features hood ornaments for vintage cars, contact writers for automotive or history columns. Are you writing about local history, the dog show circuit, how to sell your home, business start-ups in tough times, a true crime, the craft of writing, innovative aircraft designers, the art of making jewelry, the grieving process or traveling, there is probably a column for that.

Email the columnist an overview of your expertise and give him/her some examples of interview questions they could ask you. Mention other interviews you’ve done and where they were posted.

What will you do with these columns once they are published? Post them at your website on your media page. Mention them in your blog, on your facebook page and in your promo material. Use them to land speaking invitations once your book is finished.

If you are featured in newspaper columns in Wichita, Portland and Bar Harbor, be sure to do some pointed promotion in those cities. Local bookstores might even carry your book if they know you have piqued the interest of their customers.

Once you produce a nonfiction book, you could be considered an expert on that topic. Use this to your advantage in promoting your book.

For more about publishing and book promotion, read my two latest books, Publish Your Book and Promote Your Book. Both are available at amazon.com and most other online and downtown bookstores.

If you’re wondering which of the many books on publishing and book promotion to read, consider that I developed a career as a writer and publisher over 3 decades ago. I’ve been working in this industry for much of my life. I’m not a newcomer like so many people out there now jumping on the bandwagon.

Learn more about me and my work here: http://www.matilijapress.com and http://www.patriciafry.com

Did you know that you can get your book reviewed in newspapers nation- and maybe world-wide? Yes, I know that many newspapers are scratching their book review sections. Some of them still review only books coming from major publishers. But newspaper columnists pretty much have carte blanche when it comes to what they write. And many of them will review books related to the theme of their columns.

Here’s what I suggest, if you have a nonfiction book, surely you can find newspaper columns focusing or touching on the topic of your book. There are columns related to cars, parenting, education, pets, health, fitness, food and cooking, finance, history, travel, business, art, entertainment and more. You might find columns focusing on fashion, spirituality/religion, technology and/or photography, for example. If you have a book on the subject, you’ll probably find a newspaper column to match.

Below, I’ve listed links for newspapers worldwide. Check out the newspapers in these directories and discover which ones have sections or columns related to your book’s topic.

You may have to get creative to land a review. For example, come up with a good hook that will entice the writer for a summer fun and recreation column to review your book on how to help your kids get the most out of summer school. Perhaps you can convince a columnist for a business column or a finance column to review your book on family budgeting. Your book of animal stories might be a good fit for many newspaper pet columns. And if your memoir features recovery from a brain injury, for example, you might get it reviewed in a health column.

Most novels have nonfiction hooks that can be used to land book reviews in newspaper columns. I know an author whose novel is set within the world of agriculture. It’s possible that she could get reviews in farming or business columns across the states. A novel with a chef as a main character or one that mentions a certain dessert throughout might be a good candidate for a review in a foods and cooking column. A young adult fantasy series might interest those writing columns for teens in doing a review. I’m sure that the Cat Who mysteries were reviewed in a few (or many) pet columns.

Your assignment for this Sunday—a very hot one here in Southern California—is to locate newspaper columns suited to the theme or topic of your book and making a plan to contact the columnists.

Wait, some of you are thinking this might be more trouble than it’s worth. You’re still waiting for your book to be noticed on the bookstore shelves, at your website, at Amazon… How’s that workin’ for ya? Come on, think about it—who’s your audience? Where are they? Would your audience possibly read a column related to the theme of your book? Sure they would. Is there any other way you can think of that you can approach this particular audience—folks who read the hometown newspaper in Santa Barbara, CA; Canton, OH; Fallon, NV; Emmett, ID; Jackson Hole, WY; Wenatchee, WA; Hammond, IN or Sandy Springs, GA, for example? Or even New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago… Give it a try and let us know the results. I love hearing about the results.

If you’re having a problem finding the right column or you’re not sure how to decipher your book’s hook, let us know—we’ll help.

http://newspapers.com
http://www.onlinenewspapers.com
http://www.thepaperboy.com
http://www.50states.com/news

Please don’t put the cart before the horse. By this I mean, don’t produce a book and then start trying to figure out how to promote it. Sure, this works for someone who is savvy, flexible and willing to work hard in order to sell copies of their book. Where it doesn’t work is when the author is clueless about what it takes to promote a book and basically reluctant to go out of his way to do what it takes.

If you can write, you can write a book. Some authors can even write a worthwhile book. Anyone can publish a book, as well. There are many companies that make it super easy—just give them money and they will hand you a few copies of your bound book. Whether the book is professionally edited, has a decent cover and a look of quality might be questionable. Authors should know what they are doing when they begin to consider publishing their books. This is the area where many of them make their second batch of mistakes.

Among those authors who make it through the writing, editing and publishing of a book—no matter the quality book they now hold in their hands—there are way too many who are ill-prepared for the next crucial step on their journey. Marketing the book.

I hear from newly published authors every week who are confused, overwhelmed and/or even disheartened when they realize that they are responsible for promoting their books. They are astounded to discover that their work, up until now, was easy compared to the effort they currently face. They don’t know where to start and where they will get the time to pursue this activity. Some have a strong distaste for blatant self-promotion. And for many, their books never get a chance in the marketplace because the author just can’t do the work that is necessary.

Although the task of book promotion comes after the writing, editing and publishing of a book, it should be one of the first things an author thinks about, explores, studies, researches and even begins to pursue. You should have a very good idea about what successful book promotion for your particular book entails way before bringing it out. And you should start setting the scene for your book promotion efforts before you ever publish a book.

You’ve heard of platform, haven’t you? Your platform is made up of the things you need in order to successfully promote your book. This would include marketing ideas, connections, skills and abilities related to the successful promotion of your particular book. You need an audience. You need to know who and where this audience is. You need to become known to your audience. You must understand how to reach this audience and what will entice them to buy your book. It sounds easy, but bookselling in this fiercely competitive bookselling climate is extremely intense work that takes a lot of creativity, time and energy.

The more understanding you have about book promotion before you ever begin to write that novel, children’s book, how-to book or memoir, the better chance you will have of a successful outcome.

A good place to start your journey toward successful authorship—no matter where you are in the process—is to study my book, Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author. It’s available at Amazon.com in print and Kindle as well as most other online and downtown bookstores. Or purchase your copy here: http://www.matilijapress.com