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Just Give Me a Hammer

August 3, 2014

I’ve been writing about the world of independent “indie” publishing for many months. The past few weeks I’ve also had time to review some of those posts, thanks to surgery to repair a massive tear (my doc’s words) in the rotator cuff in my left shoulder.

I have to sleep sitting up (or at least I try to) and I’m up-and-about frequently at night because of the pain and discomfort.

I have to admit, it’s starting to get better … or, perhaps I’m just getting used to it. It still hurts a ton when I move my arm, even slightly, in the wrong direction.

Worse, I’m restricted to an abominable restraint that immobilizes my shoulder, supposedly to keep me from tearing out the anchors they drilled through reconstructed ligaments into the head of my humerus (the big upper arm bone).

I have to wear it for at least another three-to-four weeks and it’s dismally uncomfortable, even without the shoulder pain.

Therefore, I don’t sleep a lot.

Hence, I often find myself re-reading my own posts for something to do as the sun comes up again.

But enough with the blatant sympathy grab …

Like a plethora (I’ve always wanted to be able to work that word into a sentence) of other indie authors, I follow most posts or comments on this marvelous series-of-tubes, inter-webby thing, trying to figure out how to increase sales of my books.

Everything I discover, I pass along to you.

I’ve told you about building yourself a web site, a media page, and about being active on the Book of Face and The Twitter, and the other online social hangouts people use these days to avoid actually having to talk to someone.

Sometimes it all feels like useless effort. I mean, here I’ve got the “Swiss Army Knife” of interactive media going for me and some gangbuster book reviews, and I still can’t break into that space every indie author dreams about … the “Best Seller” list.

Worse, like wearing this shoulder restraint, I feel restricted.

I miss good ol’ conversation … about my books and the books of others. Or just about this whole crazy publishing business. It’s why I enjoy my monthly writers’ group meetings so much.

Another Eureka Moment
I decided I’d better follow the advice of a couple of my own posts for a while. I need to be out there, face-to-face with readers, and talk to them about books and writing … to get them talking to others about my books.

The old “earned media” method … the real hammer of publicity.

So, I just finished contacting my local library about speaking to their reading group patrons (I’m also going to donate some of my books). I’m going to follow-up with additional area libraries and local bookstores, and contact some private area reading groups.

Before schools start getting ready to open again for the fall in about a month, I also intend to be knocking on their doors, asking to present to their senior-level creative writing classes.

Speaking in front of a crowd doesn’t intimidate me (once I get started), and I have a nice Kirkus Review for my “Reichold Street” novel, along with a Readers Favorite Gold Medal and other endorsements as evidence I might have something to say.

As soon as this arm finally heals, I ought to be able to talk to people about writing with enough enthusiasm to create some real interest. I should have a good chance to create some word-of-mouth publicity (the best kind). Enough of this going nowhere with my “Swiss Army Knife” of social media.

Just give me a hammer.

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You can find my books as eBooks or paperback on Amazon, or at Barnes & Noble. You’re also invited to visit my web site, BROKEN GLASS, or like my Book of Face page. You can also follow my shorter ramblings on The Twitter.

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Comments posted below will be greatly appreciated.

Tags:award-winning writing, book marketing, indie writers
Posted in Award-Winning Fiction, Branding, Market Your Book | 2 Comments »

What’s In Your Media Kit?

July 29, 2014

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For All Indie Authors
I thought I’d mention again the need for an indie author to have a media kit to properly position their writing. It works equally well for fiction or non-fiction … and these days it’s virtually a necessity, if you really want to do justice to your promotion efforts.

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A media kit helps establish the brand of an indie author … and, like any brand identity, it’s biggest benefit comes in helping others promote you and your book(s) the way you want them to. I talked about it last year in a blog entitled I Need A What?

The obvious items to include are your author bio, a book synopsis, contact information, any reviews you’ve received and a link to places to order your book(s).

You can also include extras like interview questions, or little known personal facts. There are even some indie authors who include short bios of their fictional characters.

Keep in mind the important audiences you want to reach. Your media kit should include something for all of them.

1. Journalists
Reporters, particularly those from community publications, are fabulous resources to help promote your work. You can do an online search to find the right contact at your local papers.

They will want high-resolution photos (300 dots per inch) that reproduce well. You can post and link to high resolution images on photo-sharing sites like flickr.

Since most journalists are usually working on a deadline, they will also want copy they can cut-and-paste into an article. That’s why your press information should be written like a news story, with the most important information first.

And, if you’re hoping to land an interview from a radio host, it’s almost a given they won’t have time to read your book. They’ll welcome … and even expect … a list of interview questions.

2. Bloggers
Even assuming they know about you or your books, bloggers might be on the fence about whether to write anything about you at all.

That’s where a page that includes an image of your book cover(s), pertinent information like pricing and ISBN numbers, and snippets from the best reviews you’ve received so far comes in handy.

Bloggers might also appreciate a quirky little feature within your author bio called “Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About Me.”

For instance, here are some of mine:

1. I have walked on the Great Wall of China.
2. My ancestry includes a full-blooded Cherokee Indian.
3. There are 200+ old film cameras in my camera collection.
4. I have traveled in sixteen different countries.
5. My earliest known ancestor arrived in Virginia in 1635.

3. Reviewers
Most reviewers don’t look at a book unless they’re asked. So, write letters to indie-reviewers asking that they review your book.

Keep in mind reviewers are generally busy people, especially the Amazon top reviewers. They’ll want easy-to-find information like links to places where readers can buy your books.

4. Retailers
Some big retailers will tell you that they don’t carry self-published books. But there are books from indie authors (the preferred term) at my local Costco, so there’s an exception to every rule.

You’ll certainly need a “sell sheet” for the decision-makers who will ultimately decide if your book deserves a spot on their shelves. One of the most important items is a (preferably) already long list of what you’re already doing to market your book.

Before they take a chance on you, a retailer needs to know you’re already working hard to sell your own books. You can list things like book signings, blog tours, media campaigns, outreach to librarians, and even videos you’re uploading to your YouTube channel.

5. Event Planners
These include the people who plan writer’s conferences, hire speakers for conventions, and recruit experts to sit on panels and lead workshops. These are all opportunities in your publicity efforts, and you’ll want to have a “speaker introduction” inside your media kit, ready to go, to give them exactly what they need to introduce you to their audience.

Individual Buyers?
This is probably the one group with the least need for a Media Kit. But you never know when one of them might host a Google Hangouts page and want to invite you to do an interview seen by hundreds of people, and all word-of-mouth publicity is good.

Well, that’s it for today. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have pain meds to take so I can type a few more words on my next novel. See you again soon.

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Tags:award-winning author, book marketing, indie writers
Posted in Award-Winning Fiction, Independent Publishing, Market Your Book | Leave a Comment »

Who Says It’s A Success Story?

May 19, 2014

Sometimes You Get Lucky

Yoo hoo! It’s finished!
That novel I’ve been talking about for the last year is done!

I can hear you now … there he goes again, tooting his own horn. However, I sincerely hope you’ll forgive me a couple of paragraphs on my latest effort … there doesn’t seem to be anyone else around who’s going to do it.

Such is the life of an indie author. Even when you have a modest amount of success, it seems you can’t rest on just writing a book.

Not even one the reviewers say is worthwhile:

“5-STARS! A mesmerizing thriller that can haunt you long after you put the book down!”
~ Maria Beltran, Readers Favorite (“One Way Street”)

“…a memorable book … ranks with some of the best war-related literature I’ve read … it will stay vibrant in most readers’ minds for some time after they finish the last page.”
~ Jack Magnus, Readers Favorite (“One Way Street”)

“Be prepared to ooh, ahh, curse and sigh … you can’t read these stories quietly!”
~ Siobhan McKinney, Writer & Editor, Northern Ireland (“Zebulon”)

“Herron writes of a traumatic time with a sure hand … his characters speak from the pages with strong, defined voices.”
~ Compulsion Reads (“Reichold Street”)

I’ve been fortunate to get such good reviews, but if you’re an indie like me, then despite what the reviewers may say, you’re the one who’s got to blog about it … write about it on your web site … build a media page … and go out promoting it.

In other words, you must establish your own platform.

You Must Have a Platform
As an indie, it’s not really a surprise there’s not going to be a big promotional program behind your work.

However, what a lot of indies (or readers) don’t realize, even if you’re fortunate enough to land an agent, who can then secure a publisher, there’s still no guarantee of a big marketing budget.

Since most published books never sell more than 1,000 copies, many publishers manage to stay afloat only by shifting marketing responsibility to the authors. So most book marketing today is actually done by authors, not publishers.

Book proposals, even those from experienced authors, today need an extensive section outlining the marketing platform the author already has in place to publicize them.

Publishers fulfill important roles in making books available in sales channels but, other than the dozen or so blockbusters, whether books move in those channels depends primarily on the authors.

With That In Mind, Here Comes The Pitch
Oh, No! Here it comes! He’s going to say “Buy My Books!”

Actually, I’m not. That’s one of the things even I have blogged about. Blatant selling turns people off, and I’d hate to lose you as one of my Gentle Readers.

Do I care if I sell them? Of course I do. But they need to stand or fall on their own merit. What I would ask you for is information.

If you’ve read one of my books, have you posted a review? If you haven’t read one, what do you think of the things you’ve read about them? What would it take to entice you to read one?

Leave a comment. I’d really like to know. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have another book to write.