Writing and Publishing News

There’s so much authors need to know and most of it has to do with perspective—understanding the industry, your readers, how to get their attention, what moves or motivates someone to make a book purchase and so forth. Without the insight—a grasp of the concept—what good is marketing strategy?

That’s why I take time and space in each of my books for authors to help them understand the concepts before I begin the nuts and bolts education. Those who skip this opportunity and fast-forward to marketing activities, miss a huge piece of the book promotion puzzle.

I preach and teach my clients on the fine points of book marketing, yet many of them never sell more than a token handful of books. They manage to write a book and they pass the course on producing it—I mean, there are so many services that make this a no-brainer, right? But they fail when it came to writing the right book for the right audience, identifying their audience, and comprehending the concepts around book promotion. They don’t consider, for example:

• What does it actually take to sell copies of a book?
• How does an author identify and reach her audience?
• How do you entice your particular audience to buy your book?

Authors often don’t connect the dots in this area. They see books for sale in bookstores and on the Internet. They know people read books. What they don’t consider is the huge number of books for purchase now and the shifts in the way we buy and read books. They neglect to crawl into the mind of readers. They don’t think about making it easy for someone to purchase their book. They simply put their books out there with all the others and hope for the best.

They take for granted that if a book is offered—available—it will be purchased. Simple as that. So not true. A book needs exposure. If no one knows about it, certainly, they won’t buy it. To take a step back, authors should also realize that building sales for a book begins at the drawing board. Think about it, you wouldn’t create an item for sale that has no purpose or point, thus has no potential customers—cigars for babies, saddles for cats, do-it-yourself dentistry tools… So why do so many authors write books that will appeal to so few? Basically, it’s because they don’t understand who their audience is and what these potential readers actually want.

But there are some good books for which there is an audience and they’re still failing. Why? In many cases, it’s because the author hasn’t yet discovered his or her role and the serious necessity for promoting the books—getting exposure, presenting it to the right audience and doing so over and over and over again.

Those who don’t get it, might solicit a few reviews for their book, then stop. They will build a website and neglect to promote it. They send emails to their list, do a book signing locally, then move on to something else, hoping readers will find their book.

It doesn’t work that way, folks. Producing a book is similar to having a baby. You don’t abandon it as soon as it comes off the production line. You must nourish, nurture, and guide it into the realm of success you desire. It’s a responsibility—a large one. Neglect your responsibility and your book, like most books today, will fail.

For a first-class education in writing, publishing, and marketing your book, read the following:

“Publish Your Book,” “Propose Your Book,” “Promote Your Book,” and “Talk Up Your Book.” All by Patricia Fry. Learn more here: http://www.matilijapress.com or at Amazon.com

I get more questions from authors about book promotion than any other topic. And most of the questions come after the book is published. If these authors had read my book, Publish Your Book, before writing their book, they’d be much better prepared for the book promotion process.

They’d know how important it is to write the right book for the right audience. They’d know who their audience is, where they are, and how to approach them. They’d already have some marketing activities in mind and, perhaps, in the works. And if they’d followed up by reading Promote Your Book, they’d be way ahead of the game.

It’s true that most authors write the book first. I guess it seems logical to create the product before thinking about marketing it. Until you get to the place where you have a book and no idea what to do next. That’s when authors realize that maybe they put the cart before the horse. They feel absolutely lost. Some realize they’ve written a book that doesn’t have an audience or for which the audience is much smaller than they had hoped. Or they never even thought about readers while writing the book—they just wanted to get that book out of them and onto paper. I sometimes tell hopeful authors to go ahead and write the book they have in mind and throw it away, THEN write a book that is actually wanted or needed in the marketplace. But not before studying the publishing industry so they understand the challenges they’re facing and how to overcome them.

Book Marketing Tip

Here’s a book marketing tip that some of you are going to ignore. Unfortunately, we miss a great deal that could be of value to us because we don’t want to be bothered. This weekend, I bothered to open a promotional piece from another author. Woo-la, it was an invitation to follow her on her blog tour.

First, let me say that authors should take the time to support other authors at book signings, buy purchasing their books and leaving an Amazon review, by following their blog tours, by reading their blogs and commenting. It’s good business.

In this case, the author has a book similar to mine. The instinct of some authors would be to trash that promotional email. If I had, I would have missed out on some amazing promotional opportunities for myself. This author listed the blog sites she would visit during her tour. And guess what? These blog sites were mostly new to me AND they were blog sites related to my own series of books. So that one click I made to read this author’s promo material gave me a list of nearly a dozen potential resources I can use in promoting my own book.

I’ve met hundreds of authors over the years—some of them come to me for advice. And often the author has grandiose ideas about world-wide exposure for their children’s book, novel, memoir, or informational book through national TV, the NYT bestseller list, and so forth.

There’s nothing wrong with this. In fact, authors should set lofty goals for the projects they’ve worked so hard on. But it is an extremely rare author who experiences this sort of success. Those who do have seven things in common. Does this describe you?

• You’re a celebrity in your own right.
• Your book features a major celebrity or an event that has garnered world-wide attention.
• You’ve taken the time to understand the publishing industry and what it takes to promote a book in this highly competitive field.
• You’ve devised an extensive and workable marketing plan.
• You have the time and some funding with which to implement your plan.
• You have important connections in the marketing field (you’re friends with Ellen Degeneres, Oprah, or the president) or in the topic of their book.
• You have the personality and make-up to create and execute the promotions that will reach and attract your particular audience.

Most new authors can relate to only a few of these points. To you, I advise taking one step at a time in order to reach your goal. Here’s a checklist to get you started:

• Study the publishing industry—in particular what it takes to promote a book.
• Once you have a better understanding of the marketing aspects of publishing, devise a realistic plan.
• For most new authors, I suggest starting locally to learn what works and what doesn’t.
• Use the Internet to locate organizations and individuals who can help you reach your primary audience.
• Open your imagination to the max in order to discover and create marketing opportunities both online and in person.
• Never stop studying about book promotion–subscribe to newsletters, follow blogs, read books…

Perhaps you can see now that book promotion is not an afterthought of publishing. It’s easy to get published. Opportunities are everywhere. But it takes a specific awareness, comprehension, knowledge, and a great deal of energy to successfully promote a book. And it starts with knowing who your audience is—not who you think should read your book, but who will benefit from reading it—who wants to read it—who will be excited and pleased to find your book. Keep this in mind while writing your book and while marketing it.

For a greater understanding of book promotion and for tons of ideas, case histories, etc., read, Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven, Low-cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author. http://www.matilijapress.com/PromoteYourBook.html

Well, it’s a crap shoot, for sure. You never know when these opportunities will arise and from where. But you can be sure that if you hole up in your home, never reaching out, it probably won’t happen for you.

How did my Klepto Cat Mysteries get a mention on the front page of the Wall Street Journal? Happenstance, for sure. But I worked hard to get a chance at happenstance. How? By blogging, entering, joining, attending, participating, contacting, sharing, chatting, and having a web presence. When the reporter contacted me, I replied immediately, then I made sure to comply with everything asked of me and MORE. Always give more, if you can. And this might mean recommending other authors or experts to interview, which I did.

This opportunity came about because I belong to the Cat Writers Association and participate and because I entered one of my Klepto Cat books in the annual contest. Check out the article here: http://on.wsj.com/21y3ZpS

Publisher’s Weekly announced this week that sixty new independent bookstores were opened in 2015 and they’re scattered all across the US. There are several new bookstores along the west coast and the Eastern Seaboard and all throughout the middle states. I glanced at the list and saw that several have sprouted up across Ohio and Missouri. There are interesting new bookstores now in Utah, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Georgia, Florida and New York. See the complete list here: http://www.bookweb.org/news/60-aba-member-stores-open-2015-16-sold-new-owners

If you’re an author, you might want to find the indie bookstores closest to where you live and introduce the proprietors to your amazing book. Sweeten the pot by offering to bring in three or six other authors for a signing. But go in with a promotional plan—coverage in local newspapers, local facebook pages, and an email blast, for example. Put up posters in the library, community bulletin boards, and the bookstore. Provide a program of interest to bookstore customers and, of course, give something away. Make it lively and fun. Make it interactive. Do whatever it takes to get people into the store and in a book-buying mood.

If your book relates to animals, involve the local humane society or other animal shelter. Throw a pet parade in a local park sponsored by the bookstore and encourage kids to bring their pet puppies, frogs, llamas, and lizards. If it’s a scientific book for kids, create a hands-on project for children. Devise a contest for young writers and honor them the day of the signing.

Give a demonstration. This would be perfect for a book on animal training, a cookbook, one featuring organization techniques, relaxation techniques, and so many others.

This event might spur you on to set up workshops of your own based on your how-to or informational book on fishing, shopping, packing for a trip, travel safety, publishing/book promotion, healthy eating, elderly care, quilting, etiquette, dating and so many other topics.

All you have to do is create a lesson plan for your workshop. Then secure a suitable place and start spreading the word. You can charge for the workshop (which you’ll want to do if there’s a fee for the space) or you can make the purchase of your book a requirement instead.

These are just a few book promotion activities you can pursue outside of the Internet either through a local bookstore or at another venue. There are hundreds more. Find over 250 ideas for your fiction or nonfiction book in my book, Promote Your Book, Over 250 Proven. Low-Cost Tips and Techniques for the Enterprising Author. It’s available at my website, here: http://www.matilijapress.com/PromoteYourBook.html and at Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Promote-Your-Book-Techniques-Enterprising/dp/1581158572/ref=pd_sim_sbs_14_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=51uiPEeTYIL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR107%2C160_&refRID=0SD2DHVS7F0

If you’ve been to a writers conference or club meeting, if you’ve read any books or newsletters on the topic of publishing, even if you’ve only spoken to an author or two while on your writing/publishing journey, you’ve heard the term book promotion. Unless you’ve done your writing in a cave without Internet service a million miles from civilization, you know book sales rely on exposure and that exposure relies on some sort of promotional efforts. The more studying you’ve done—the more publishing information you’ve perused or listened to—the greater depth of understanding you have about the necessity to promote your book. Yet, some of you still refuse to accept this fact.

You go merrily about your writing business—forgetting that, if you plan to publish, writing actually IS a business. When you do publish, you wonder why your book isn’t selling, why it isn’t getting reviews, why you haven’t been invited to do interviews, why no one is blogging about your book, why you feel like a failure. I can tell you why. It’s because no one knows about your book.

If yours is a viable product—a well-written book with an audience—there’s no reason why it should fail in the marketplace unless…and this is a big “unless”…unless you are not promoting the book.

Some authors do a few promotional activities when their book comes out. They build a website; email their friends; carry the book with them to show off at organized and chance meetings; show up at the next writers club meeting; and maybe even set up a book signing at a local bookstore. Whew! That was a busy few weeks and maybe even strenuous. The author feels he has satisfied his obligation to promote his book and he goes back to his life. Several weeks, months, years, down the road, he wonders why his book isn’t selling. What went wrong? Is it too late to repair the damage? In a word, “NO!”

I plan to write more about book promotion in coming weeks—so stay tuned to this blog. In the meantime, here are links to a few articles you might find interesting.

http://www.matilijapress.com/articles/BookPromotionPlan.htm

http://www.matilijapress.com/articles/BookPromotionoOpportunitiesMissed.htm

By the way, the bio at the end of the articles is old—let me catch you up: Patricia Fry has been writing for publication for over 40 years. She has 57 books to her credit, including several books for authors and 15 books in her Klepto Cat Mystery series. She is the past Director of SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writer’s Network) and a member of several writing/publishing organizations. She continues to coach and guide her editing clients through the choppy waters of publishing and book promotion. PLFry620@yahoo.com