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Market Sense

February 24, 2013

Marketing your own work is often compared to trying to sail in thick fog. It’s hard to know where you’re going. / AP photo

How Do You Market a Book by Yourself?
I went to the monthly meeting of The Freelance Marketplace Writers’ Group last Tuesday.

It’s a local group that meets the third Tuesday of every month (except December) to discuss the business of writing.

I look forward to it, because I learn something about the business every time I go … even if it’s something eye-opening about myself.

This month we talked quite a bit about self-publishing, and I mentioned the difficulty of marketing your own work.

I truly believe the best marketing is still word-of-mouth … but how do you get people started talking? It often feels like sailing around in a dense fog.

When I had finished my novel, Reichold Street, I thought it was good, but then, why wouldn’t I? It was my creation, after all. Sort of like having a literary child.

And, although it’s not really her kind of book, my wife thought it was pretty good, too. While that did wonders for my ego, it doesn’t sell books.

The Traditional or Indie Way?
I knew most traditional publishers today won’t accept unsolicited manuscripts, so an agent is a requirement for entry; but I think most new writers have heard the tales about finding a reputable agent. It’s a chore unto itself.

It can take months or years and, even if you’re fortunate enough to find one willing to take a chance on you, there’s no guarantee of finding a publisher equally willing.

I’m not a total newbie. I’ve written articles for a major international company (although I’m not sure a literary agent would care). I even had a few fiction credits over the years. But the bylines for my fiction were dated and few … and not exactly awe-inspiring.

Then there’s my age. I’m no spring chicken. Not even a late summer one. I’m fast becoming a gristled old rooster. I had retired from the nine-to-five routine and was writing because … well, because I had to.

I’ve been writing since I was a kid because there’s something in me that demands it. I sent my first story off to collect a rejection letter when I was a teenager and I still have stories in my head that I need to write.

Need to.

So, I took the indie leap.

Ernest Hemingway’s famous quote about writing a book tells it pretty much like it is: There’s nothing to it. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.

But I discovered going indie is a mini MBA program unto itself. You’ll never learn more about the publishing business than doing it yourself.

Writing can be difficult, but being your own editor is chore I don’t recommend to the faint of heart. Neither is converting it to the proper electronic formats. It’s boring and tedious … and you miss a lot when you try to polish your own work.

It took me several iterations to get it right.

The Really Hard Part
But as hard as all of that seemed, it (pardon the cliche) pales in comparison to trying to market your own book.

I had very little social media experience before publishing my own novel. I had built a web site for collecting old cameras, and started a little-used blog about photography that has morphed into the one you’re reading now.

I’ve discovered trying to build a presence on Facebook, Twitter (you can follow me there @ronherron) and Goodreads has a steep learning curve. I often feel like a hamster on a wheel, running to keep up with things that don’t always seem to be taking me anywhere.

I put a couple of books … my short-story collections Zebulon and Tinker … into Kindle Select the other day. They’re exclusive to Amazon for 90 days. I also used the Amazon free promotion program for each of them.

Zebulon had 125 free downloads in three days, and I’m waiting to find out if the Select program helps with sales (I’ll let you know what happens).

One of the new visitors to the writing group suggested I try to schedule school and library visits; perhaps even do a reading. It makes sense. I’d have to do it even if I wasn’t an indie author.

It will take some effort on my part to get the word out. I already know I can’t depend on social media to do it for me, but I need something to stimulate sales or I’ll be turning out more blogs than books.

So I’ve decided to get off my duff and do the legwork (although I may wait for Spring, when there isn’t so much snow).

I’d welcome any comments you have.

Oh, I did manage to write six-thousand more words on my next novel since my last post. That’s why I feel OK about blogging again so soon. I’m an indie author … and proud of it.

All things considered, it’s a great time to be a writer.

The Official Book Trailer for the Award-Winning “Reichold Street” –

Tags:award-winning writing, Freelance Marketplace Writers' Group, indie writers, self-publishing
Posted in Award-Winning Fiction, Awards, Book Promotion, Book Trailer, Freelance Marketplace Writers' Group, Market Your Book | 11 Comments »

The One Best Storytelling Tip

February 7, 2013

“Encourage Everyone You Know to Read”

The very best tip I’ve ever seen for good storytelling is something I wholeheartedly believe to be true. If you want to be a good writer and storyteller … read.

I saw that admonition again most recently in my fourth time through “On Writing” by Stephen King.

Read.

Such a simple, profound thing. Don’t limit yourself. Open up your world. Read everything you can lay your hands on. Whether you want to write thrillers, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, romance or action/adventure; before you do anything else … read.

I believe in that advice. I’ve always been an avid reader. I encouraged my sons with it and, now that they’re grown, I’m delighted to see it passed on to my grandchildren. Read.

When they’re too young to read for themselves, read stories to them. The small effort it takes will pay enormous dividends.

Write Like You Read
When it comes to writing, we’ve all seen structural articles galore where professors, “experts” and pundits tell you to outline your plot. Introduce your main characters and themes in the first third of the story. Develop those themes and characters in the second; then resolve it all in the rest.

Really? Those writers had to get advanced degrees to tell us to write a story that people would actually want to read?

Michael Moorcock is one of the more dazzling science fiction writers of our time, having written dozens of novels and short stories since the very early 1960s.

He claims to have followed such a scripted approach and, as I said, he’s a phenomenal story teller. I’ve enjoyed his work immensely.

But when I read his idea of how to go about writing is very like that rigid structure mentioned above, it was a letdown (sorry, Michael).

As his wide audience of fans will attest (and I am one), the man knows how to tell a good story.

That approach to writing, however, if you will pardon me for a moment of brutally honest opinion … is academic bullshit.

I’m much more a follower of Stephen King’s method (see my earlier post). I start with an intriguing what-if? question, then try to visualize what happens. I let the story come to me, then translate what I see and hear in my mind into words on the page.

I suppose, by doing that, I’m ignoring all the proferred rules, regulations, templates and I-told-you-so guidelines and creating my own, suitable for what I want to say.

I’d encourage you to try it, too. At least once.

Of course, if you’re more comfortable with notes and outlines and rigid structure; go for it. It seemed to work for Michael Moorcock, and my own Mrs. Bliss, bless her, if she were still around, would give you bonus points on your report card.

Perhaps the real method is to read good stories, absorb … and repeat. Create your own storytelling process, and judge by the rapt attention of your readers and listeners how it’s working.

Like I mentioned before, it’s the final story that counts … not how you got there.

If you have a moment, please watch the book trailer for REICHOLD STREET.

Tags:award-winning writing, indie writers, self-publishing, storytelling
Posted in Awards, Book Promotion, Book Trailer, Market Your Book, Storytelling | 9 Comments »

Self-Publishers: Concentrate on Content

January 19, 2013

“Reichold Street” on the Kindle © R.L. Herron

A Good Time for Publishing
According to Jon Fine, the Director of Author and Publisher Relations at Amazon, the sky is not falling for traditional print books. Yes, sales of e-Books are going up … but so are sales of printed books. The digital revolution is causing everyone to read more – and that’s good news for everyone involved in publishing.

But little has changed, regardless of format, when it comes to getting your self-published book discovered.

There are many more ways now to accomplish self-publishing a book, but it still means you, as both the author and publisher, need to answer the reader’s ultimate question: “What’s in it for me?”

If you fail to answer that question you probably miss making a sale and, worse, you’ll have lost even the potential for word-of-mouth conversations about it … at least any good ones. There’s just too much good competition out there.

Why is That Important?
A recent Bowker.com survey of book buyers found that most readers discover new books in this order:

B. A Retail Store Display

C. A Visit to an Author Web Site or Blog

D. A Review of Bestseller Lists

The statistics tell the story. All things considered, word-of-mouth is the number one book-discovery source.

Let’s face it. the chances of getting your local bookseller to put up a retail display for your self-published book are pretty small.

It took a lot of convincing (and a signed copy of my book) to get the manager of a local bookstore just to agree to put some of my rack cards on his customer service counter.

A personal web site or a well-written blog may ultimately be the best ways for people to find you. But, you still need to get more than just your friends, neighbors, siblings and a few friendly cousins to visit.

And even if you do, once they’ve been there, you need to give them a reason to come back.

Of course, if you should make the best-seller lists that issue becomes moot. But in order to break into that list both you and your book need to be discovered.

Nuts. Back to ground zero.

How Do I Assure MY Book Gets Discovered?
Ah, that’s the real question, isn’t it?

Obviously, you need to make it easy for people to want to tell their friends about you. That’s the ticket.

And how do you do that? By writing something informative, or funny, or just plain interesting. Just as in writing your book in the first place, content is the king in this discussion. You have to be interesting to convince people your book might be.

I thought about offering a video-chat as a way to speak directly to potential readers and get their ideas, like Stephen King did to promote his book “Full Dark No Stars.”

If you’re woefully behind, like me, on how to actually do something like that, it becomes a problem. Of course, as you might imagine, if you’re not already famous the problem multiplies.

You still need to have something interesting to say once you’re “live.”

Then there’s the publicity effort it must take to interest thousands of people on the idea of vying for the opportunity to participate in the first place. Stephen King probably had no problem. Me? … it just ain’t gonna happen.

That’s despite all you wonderful folks who already follow this blog.

Getting Known
So, there’s still the problem of getting enough people to know and care enough about what you have to say to visit regularly … and then spread the word.

I recently read “experts” from other self-publishing blogs suggest that if you have a WordPress blog, like this one, you should go to places like Yoast.com and get the plug-ins they provide for enhanced search engine optimization to make yourself a known commodity.

That may be a good thing. In fact, I’m sure it is. Search engines do find what you search for. Sort of.

But something tells me the best search engines are only going to find you and your book, if both you and your book are worth finding.

Your metadata may be optimized … but every one of those “experts” I read failed to mention that people will only bookmark and return to sites that inform or entertain them.

Remember: Content
I recently had a decision to make. The growth of followers for my blog has leveled off. So have sales of my books.

I could figure out what was wrong, or continue doing what one of my sons accused me of doing with some of my earlier social media efforts: Stand on the corner and shout “Buy my book!”

I’ve already discovered that kind of marketing doesn’t work. Thank you, son. Message received. You were right on. Content is everything.

People don’t buy what you do. They buy why you do it.

So the best option is to write a good book and then have something sincere and interesting to say.

I wrote an award-winning book. Now I have to prove I have something to say that’s worth reading, and it really doesn’t have to be about my books. In fact, it shouldn’t be.

It has to be about me, and who I am.

I’m working on it.

If you have one more minute, please check out my “Reichold Street” book trailer: