Category Archives: Marketing

Used E-Books

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Amazon announced that it’s poised to start reselling used e-books in this article by Publisher’s Weekly. This is a tricky thing…e-books don’t have a physical presence so it’s difficult to ensure that the copies aren’t pirated.

And of course it’s problematic because it means authors get cut out of yet another revenue stream.

On the up side, of course, every sale means another reader who might become loyal enough to buy your latest the moment it comes out…as a freshly pressed e-book, not a used copy.

What do you think of this trend?

Travel into a Novel

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In recent years, several books set in beautiful or popular places have had “book tours” build up around them. Not book tours where authors show up but tours where readers travel to the places mentioned in their favorite novels.

Now a start-up business is working to make that process easier to implement. Click here for the article.

Link

Remember that post about how the closings of B&N could create new opportunities for indie bookstores? I said in a comment that the bookstores should remember to keep focused on creating a gathering space by offering community events that are based around different kinds of books.

Here’s an article from The Atlantic about libraries doing exactly that. They’re even redesigning their interiors to provide more meeting space.

Books bring people together. They always have. The faster indies focus on connecting people in their communities, the faster their sales will grow and the happier authors will be because they’re appreciated in a real, meaningful manner.

Query Letters

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I work on query letters for a variety of fiction and nonfiction book authors. Every query has to have the following:
1. A great tagline. This is a single sentence that sums up the conflict and the protagonist’s journey. It’s one of the toughest things to get right…but it’s the grabber that keeps agents and publishers reading your query.

2. A short description of the book. This is 2 or 3 paragraphs long. Although it contains some plot highlights, it’s really about the character’s journey. The conflict and any antagonist come into play enough to enhance the protagonist’s journey…and you have to give an idea of how it ends.

3. A paragraph about you. This of course includes your credentials like other publication credits (even if unpaid) and editorial work at a newspaper or magazine. It should also include any awards your work has won. Also tell them why you wrote the book. The human connection is important!

4. Information on the current market trends that support your book, the manuscript’s length, it’s category and/or genre, and the fact that it’s finished. If you have a sequel or are already working on the next unrelated novel, they need to know that, too. They want to sign career authors, not flashes in the pan!

Let me know if I can help with your query letter.

Set Your Novel in a Famous Place

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Here’s another article from Writer’s Digest. Author Josh Pahigian shares the reasons why.

All are valid for different reasons. One of the best is the fact that your marketing machinery will be built in. Tourist boards, local shop owners, and travel advertisements all help to keep your book in people’s minds…or to spark that important first interest in your story.

5 for the Writer’s Bucket List

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Here’s a list from Writer’s Digest listing 5 things for your bucket list.

When I posted this to Facebook (find Writer’s Resource under CreationToContract), I noted that I liked the “Do something bizarre” tip best.

Also of interest is the “Self-publish something” tip. They’re not necessarily talking about a book, either. Blog posts, ezine submissions, and other short bits can be great for the author’s soul. And enhance your platform. And provide potential readers of your books with another way to find out about you.

An unbeatable combination!

B&N Closings Mean New Opportunities

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B&N announced that it plans to close about 10 stores every year for the next ten years. Publisher’s Weekly provides a little more detail on the announcement.

Now, before everyone panics and thinks that bookstores are going to disappear entirely, think. Whenever there’s a gap in the market for something people want, others swoop in to fill it. In this case, small, locally owned bookstores are poised to profit from every closure of the megastore in their area.

This could mark a new Renaissance in reading. Some of my associates are already looking at buildings they can buy and convert into bookstores. I, for one, am glad to see this happening. Readers everywhere will reap the results!

Ebook vs. Print Trends

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In this article from Publisher’s Weekly, the growth of ebook sales is compared to print versions.

Ebook growth continues to be enormous just like it has in past years. But don’t let one important statistic slip away in the comparison. The 5% growth quoted for print exceeds the industry wide growth rate seen in recent years.

Also remember that these are Amazon’s statistics only. Be aware of what’s going on in the larger arena to get a real picture of what these numbers mean.

Marketing: Talk Radio

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Talk radio is a perfect medium for connecting with readers. The shows have loyal fans, hosts talk in-depth about topics related to your books (even fiction), and you don’t have the expenses involved in physically attending signings.

Consider these stats from the 2013 Talk Radio Research Project and compare them to your target readership:

    • 72 percent of listeners are ages 35 to 64.
    • 70 percent are college graduates or have attended college or graduate school.
    • Men comprise 58 percent; women 42 percent.
    • Almost three-fourths of listeners earn $30,000 to $79,000 a year.
    • 79 percent of those eligible to vote do.

Query Letter/Book Giveaway

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Very detailed post about one author’s journey. Click through the link in the post to leave a comment about her book and enter a giveaway for a free copy.

Two things to note in her entry:

1. She learned through failure how important the query letter is and what it should contain.

2. She was aware of publishing industry movements and decided not to submit for a time until things began to recover.

Take these lessons to heart and apply them to your own journey. You’ll find yourself further along that road to publication than ever.

Book Sales/Giveaway

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Here’s a blog post that offers a free book. It lists 11 ways to help other authors increase sales. This is a very important activity for all writers.

Years ago, I was a member of a very active writer’s group. Monthly meetings often packed 25 to 35 people into a very small home. There were perhaps 150 people in the group, and at least half a dozen critique groups run by different members.

One very talented poet had released a chapbook and asked everyone to attend the book launch. When I arrived, I and my boyfriend counted for two in the crowd of four.

I was embarrassed for the poet professionally. I was more embarrassed for the other members of that writer’s group.

Yes, it’s tough to make time in our schedules to attend book signings. And yes, it’s important to our community that we take the time to do it.

Make a commitment right now to attend one signing for a local artist every quarter. That’s once every three months. You might be surprised by who you meet, what you hear, and how it affects your own writing. At the very least, you’ll feel good about having supported a fellow author.

Book Reviews

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Just to prove that no reviews are bad reviews and bad reviews can be good, check out this article. 

I can’t tell you how many of my clients have called right after reading a bad review of their books. Some are mildly bad while others rip through every word as if the reviewer was bullied too much in high school. In every case, I say:
–Take a deep breath.

–Cut out the review.

–Add it to your file.

–Forget about it…or think only about how ANY coverage is good coverage.

If people never see the title of your book, they won’t remember it. Marketing studies tell us that people have to see something 15 times before they pay attention to it. They do NOT remember a bad review here or there…they only remember the book title or your name.

And that’s GREAT news!

Trend: Self-publishing

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Great advice, thoughts and comments on self-publishing.

The best is the new trend toward artisanal publishing: controlling every aspect from creation to publication for the highest quality.

I did this with my sole nonfiction book Seven Sisters: Spiritual Messages from Aboriginal Australia. The interior has full color on every page with graphics designed to reflect Aboriginal symbols, themes and meanings.

More of my clients, even those who are in the stables of traditional publishing houses, are taking the same steps with single titles. The end results are about the love of books…and that is its own reward.

Ebook Trends

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Here’s a literary magazine that has become a publisher of ebooks.

In the past few years, I’ve noticed several kinds of organizations entering the ebook arena. Most notable are the handful of book agents who have opened publishing companies.

This is one of those indicators of how large the shift is in traditional publishing these days. When agents, and some of the nation’s top agents at that, are shifting where they spend their time, nearly anything can happen.

Keep this in mind as you consider whether to approach traditional publishers, self-publish through print and/or ebooks, or do both at once. These days, it pays to play your cards across a wide spectrum.

Trend: Self-publishing

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More on how self-publishing is no longer relegated to the bitter, desperate or unskilled.