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A Way to Get Word-of-Mouth Publicity?

July 30, 2013

Word-of-Mouth Publicity: The Best Kind

Libraries Are Excellent Publicity Resources
I don’t imagine I’m much different from other indie authors … always on the lookout for publicity opportunities. If we hope to sell our books, we have to be.

There’s so much media competition out there for a readers time these days an independent author really needs to be vigilant in the search for ideas that will generate a lot of good word-of-mouth comments.

We do it constantly. At least I do. Just ask my long-suffering bride.

That’s why indie authors shouldn’t overlook that book-publicity heaven in their own neighborhood: the local library.

It may seem counter-intuitive to think about lending your book when what you’re really trying to do is sell it, but in the beginning it’s the publicity you’re after. Your book needs to be noticed and talked about before people will want to buy it.

Unless, of course, you’re Stephen King, who could probably sell his grocery list to tens of thousands just by putting his name on it.

How To Get Your Story Into That Book Nirvana
If you’re not Mr. King and you’ve finally published your work, call or email your library to let them know you’re a local independent author and want to donate your book to their lending library (offer at least two copies).

They might not salivate at the offer as if you were Stephen, which could be a blow to fragile egos, but I guarantee they’ll listen.

Better yet … show up in person. You can’t say too much about the power of personal contact. Be sure to ask for the person in charge of acquisitions or circulation (the contact person’s title may vary from one library to another).

Any book they accept will typically remain on a shelf as long as they have available space and the book remains in good condition.

Offer your library contact a signed copy with a request for them to review it, either on one of the local online book retailers where it’s sold (don’t be afraid to ask them to), or on the library’s own web page.

Some libraries actually post a list of what the librarians themselves are reading, which is often a key resource for patrons looking for new book recommendations.

Wait, there’s more!

Tags:award-winning writing, book marketing, self-publishing
Posted in Award-Winning Fiction, Book Promotion, Free Stuff, Market Your Book, Storytelling | 13 Comments »

What’s the Best Kind of Book Publicity?

July 12, 2013

How Do You Spell Book Publicity Success?

One of my new favorite bloggers, Guy Bergstrom, has some witty insights about generating publicity for film, music or books — and one of his blogs speaks directly about some of the things I’ve talked about here before — the supposed “secrets” of getting your self-published book noticed.

Actually, many of Guy’s blogs do that, so do yourself a favor and head over there, using the link I provided above, and just browse a while. You won’t be disappointed.

Of course, I naturally recommend you visit after you’re done reading and commenting here. (Guy follows this blog, and I hope he’ll forgive me for asking you to wait but, hey, I’ve got things to say, too).

If you’re an indie author, I’m sure you’ve discovered marketing is the hardest part of your literary creation’s World Conquest.

Once you’ve covered all your siblings, cousins, friends and neighbors with “The Word” about your new book, how do you reach the other 7,164,485,136 people on this shiny blue pebble?

In truth, you don’t have to. You’d probably be deliriously happy with only two percent of those. I know I would. That’s still almost 150 million people … and if just one percent of those actually bought a book it wouldn’t cause J.K. Rowling to lose any sleep, but you’d be very comfortable.

The Best Publicity
Which brings me back to The Big Question. How do you reach that interested one percent of two percent audience, meaning an audience willing to part with a couple of nickels to buy your book?

“The Twitter” as Guy calls it, doesn’t sell any books. It isn’t meant to.

It’s a site for meeting people and you’re bound to find a lot of other friendly creative writer types who’ll be nice to you … as they Tweet to sell you their own book.

But the best way to use Twitter — or any other “social media” for that matter — is, as I’ve said before, to create and share meaningful dialogue with those friendlies, not to harangue people with a “BUY!” message. That only gets you “unfollowed” in a hurry.

Earned Media
The best route to publicity, short of marrying whatever star / starlet is prominently undressed in the latest apocalypse movie, rescuing the Pope from terrorists, curing cancer, or crossing the Grand Canyon on a tightrope — which wouldn’t work anymore anyway since Nik Wallenda already did it — is with earned media.

Earned media is media you don’t buy, but earn the hard way.

PR is an example of earned media. Word of mouth is another. The good thing about it, other than it works … it’s free.

I followed some of Guy’s advice and got a mention for my award-winning novel REICHOLD STREET in Publishers Weekly. I’ve also been interviewed for an article in the local paper. I was prepared, because I’d already completed something else I mentioned that you, as an indie writer, need to have … a dedicated media page.

I know, I know, it’s not the NY Times Review of Books … but it’s a start. And — except for a little bit of my time — it’s free.

A FREE Guide
Speaking of free — you might want to visit the link on the right-hand column of this page, and subscribe for your FREE copy of my booklet “Creating Believable Characters.” I created it specifically to aid other indie writers … and at least the price is right.

Now — after you leave a comment — it’s OK to visit Guy’s page. Just let him know I sent you.

Tags:award-winning writing, book marketing, earned media, indie writers, publicity success, using social media
Posted in Award-Winning Fiction, Book Promotion, Free Stuff, Market Your Book, Storytelling | 2 Comments »

Feeling Good Enough to Write

June 24, 2013

Sailboat Moored on Lake Michigan

What a Month
I’ve had better days. Better weeks, actually.

Recently, my characters were quite active and my daily fiction writing seemed to flow with little effort. Ideas, situations and actions for my characters were coming out almost as fast as I could type. Then things suddenly slowed down … considerably.

It wasn’t writers block. It was pain.

For the past month I’ve had a pinched nerve in my upper back that’s been driving me crazy. There’s no comfortable position I can find; standing, sitting or lying down.

Sleep has become one of those words that I don’t bother to use … because lately I don’t do much of it. It doesn’t matter how many pain meds I take. They don’t help.

It hurts constantly.

It’s kind of like having an ice pick jammed into my back, just to the left of my right shoulder blade. I’ve blogged with it hurting, but my fiction writing slowed from the frenetic pace that saw me add 20,000 words to my Reichold Street sequel, to a crawl of less than a hundred words a day.

It finally stopped (the writing output, not the pain).

I went to my internist two weeks ago and he confirmed the pinched nerve diagnosis, but his remedies didn’t make a dent. I was going to make an appointment with a chiropractor last week, but couldn’t. Last week was a special gathering of old friends.

The Gathering
Seventeen gentlemen (I use the ‘gentlemen’ term loosely … but we’re all good friends and I’m sure they’d agree with me and forgive the slight) met in northern lower Michigan to celebrate an event that started way back in college, and continued for almost thirty years.

Most of the get-togethers were “ski” trips (we weren’t all skiers; we only called them that because they took place in winter). The fact this trip was in June didn’t change it much.

A little warmer. No snow.

We haven’t met now for more than 15 years (gosh, am I really that old?) but seventeen of the nineteen invitees made it to this one. I understand why.

This is a great group. Once in a lifetime friends. A little constant pain wasn’t going to stop me from being there.

I put off the chiropractor and dozed in a chair for a only a few hours the whole four days of the trip (it hurt so much I couldn’t lie down). But I’d do it all again and endure it for these guys. I wouldn’t have missed this trip for anything.

Someday I may even write a story about it.

I finally saw the chiropractor this morning (and made additional appointments for later in the week), and the relief is palpable. No, it hasn’t eliminated the pain, but I can at least raise my head again, and that’s a start.

I was beginning to feel like one of those really old men who always have their head down, as if they were looking for pennies or shiny little stones.

They’re not. Now I know why.

Today, I actually felt like writing again … and that’s a special thing. I’m not going to, since I spent the good “no pain” feeling of this afternoon writing this blog and I’m about ready for pain meds again, but it was nice to sit down in front of this lousy keyboard again.

One More Thing
I’m still trying to figure out how to use MailChimp to make my “Creating Believable Characters” pamphlet giveaway live, and I’m sure I’ll have it solved soon, or I’ll find another host (I’m having so much trouble with MailChimp I’m looking now at AWeber).

But … all that aside … the most important thing, as every writer (indie or not) surely knows, is feeling good enough to write again.

Thanks, Doc.