Beem Weeks's Blog - Posts Tagged "publicity"
Selling The Dream
I always imagined writing a novel would be the most difficult step to becoming an author--published or not. That isn't the case, though. Selling the finished product to a reading public is proving to be even harder than the arduous task of creating it.
Getting published is simple in this era of online publishers. But making a book-buying public aware of your work is such an odyssey--a thankless one at that. It's out there, among the millions of other novels clamoring for attention. Having a PR person chasing down reviews and interviews would be a wonderful blessing--which a starving artist can scarcely afford.
The dream of being a full-time writer has all but collapsed. I've seen those slick ads for this method of sales or that shiny new idea, each touting promised customers--in theory. But in reality, these are designed to separate the author from his/her hard-earned money--with little or no return on the investment.
Frustrating as it is at times, I'm still a published author. If it doesn't pan out, well, at least I can pull out my book and say, "I made it this far." I want more, though. I want an audience who reads my work and lets me know that they enjoy it or they despise it. It's here, this story called Jazz Baby. It's available worldwide at tinyurl.com/bbj4my7 among other sites.
But if my voice isn't getting heard, well, I'm just talking to myself. I'm extremely grateful for places like Goodreads, Koobug.com, and Twitter. These have helped me move a few more copies than I would have otherwise.
I know I'm ranting. But sometimes we all need to do that. Now, I'll reset myself and try again in this new year. Here's to writing! Cheers!
Getting published is simple in this era of online publishers. But making a book-buying public aware of your work is such an odyssey--a thankless one at that. It's out there, among the millions of other novels clamoring for attention. Having a PR person chasing down reviews and interviews would be a wonderful blessing--which a starving artist can scarcely afford.
The dream of being a full-time writer has all but collapsed. I've seen those slick ads for this method of sales or that shiny new idea, each touting promised customers--in theory. But in reality, these are designed to separate the author from his/her hard-earned money--with little or no return on the investment.
Frustrating as it is at times, I'm still a published author. If it doesn't pan out, well, at least I can pull out my book and say, "I made it this far." I want more, though. I want an audience who reads my work and lets me know that they enjoy it or they despise it. It's here, this story called Jazz Baby. It's available worldwide at tinyurl.com/bbj4my7 among other sites.
But if my voice isn't getting heard, well, I'm just talking to myself. I'm extremely grateful for places like Goodreads, Koobug.com, and Twitter. These have helped me move a few more copies than I would have otherwise.
I know I'm ranting. But sometimes we all need to do that. Now, I'll reset myself and try again in this new year. Here's to writing! Cheers!
Publicity For Our Work
Greetings, all. I hope everybody is enjoying this day--or evening, morning, or night, depending on your location.
If you're on this site, chances are you've written something of which you're extremely proud. It might be poetry, short stories, essays, or even a book or two. Maybe you just love to read. But if you've written something you're trying to share with the world, well then, this is the place to be.
I've said in previous postings that the difficult part isn't in writing the story, it's in getting word out about this labor of love that is our creation. Check out all that minute-by-minute tweeting, telling anybody who's following you on Twitter to BUY THIS BOOK! It works, sure, to an extent. I've moved a few copies through the use of the Twitterverse. And it's really raised my profile as a writer. One tweet can send a dozen new readers to my homepage for a quick read of a short story I've just posted. We see the increase in traffic at the site. But what about the bigger picture? How do we expand on this notion of moving even more copies of our work? How can we make our name stand out beyond those 140 characters we're limited to on Twitter? Facebook is fine--if you have the friends.
What every good writer needs, though, is reviews. That's what I'm getting at. REVIEWS! Having a site like Goodreads is fantastic for scoring reviews. We writers often trade them like kids trading baseball cards on a hot summer day. These reviews are vital. They give potential readers an educated opinion on whether the book at hand is worth the money or not--if the review is truthful. But what about reviews that aren't bartered? How do we score those?
Sometimes reviewers come looking for us, as has happened to me twice in the previous few weeks. (A couple of reviews and interviews can be found at http://www.tinyurl.com/cd7ptt4 and http://www.prideseries.com/blog.html )
However, as indie authors, we can't sit around waiting for the emails to fill our in-boxes. I can't afford a publicist to do the footwork for me, so I have to solicit these reviews myself. And this is the tough part, tracking down reviewers that possess a strong following and a good reputation. There aren't any trades involved this way, which means the review will certainly be honest, maybe even negative. But don't be afraid of a bad review--those WILL come, no doubt about it. Nobody has written that perfect novel, a work that's enjoyed by every soul who's read it. Even the greats get bad ink from time to time.
What we must do is take those reviews and pay attention to what's been pointed out as a fault in the story. If the reviewer found the lead character lacking credibility, make the protagonist in your next story more human. Add flaws and irritations. Learn from these criticisms. Don't just scan for the superlatives and disregard the rest. How will you ever become a better writer? Be proud of the good reviews, though. Post those links on Twitter, your blogs, Facebook, and your website. Let the world know what other people are saying about your work.
So, then, where do we find these reviewers? How do we convince them to give our work a chance? We could beg, I suppose. If that worked, I'd be a begging fool. But there's an easier way. My publisher sent me a link to a site that lists dozens of review blogs. I've only just started using this list so I can't give a progress report yet. I'm not a professional at this publicity stuff, either. I'm learning as I go along. What have I learned so far? If you're self-published or working with a small publisher, don't waste the time, money, or effort on getting your work to mainstream newspapers. I sent 35 copies to newspapers around the United States and have yet to hear a word back--not even a rejection. Besides, the internet is where the real action is these days.
I've also learned patience. If the work being promoted is good, a few readers is all it takes to get the publicity ball rolling. Word of mouth these days utilizes the internet, reaches worldwide, and remains out there long after it's been posted.
One last thing on the idea of trading reviews: This is a GREAT way to get your work in front of potential readers. I highly recommend this route. You'll discover some really amazing writers who'll quickly become favorites. However, if you agree to trade reviews with a fellow author, hold up your end of the deal. There's nothing as rude and inconsiderate as one writer stiffing another. I speak from experience. I took the time to BUY a writer's novel, read it, posted reviews on a couple of sites, and I haven't heard a peep from the other guy in over a month. (He promised to have my book finished and reviews posted by the end of February.) I won't remove those reviews; he earned them. But I won't buy his work again, either. So now I give to you a link. Use it to it's fullest potential. Chase those reviewers down and ask for some recognition. Have fun with the process, because if it's not fun, it's not worth doing!
http://www.stepbystepselfpublishing.net/
If you're on this site, chances are you've written something of which you're extremely proud. It might be poetry, short stories, essays, or even a book or two. Maybe you just love to read. But if you've written something you're trying to share with the world, well then, this is the place to be.
I've said in previous postings that the difficult part isn't in writing the story, it's in getting word out about this labor of love that is our creation. Check out all that minute-by-minute tweeting, telling anybody who's following you on Twitter to BUY THIS BOOK! It works, sure, to an extent. I've moved a few copies through the use of the Twitterverse. And it's really raised my profile as a writer. One tweet can send a dozen new readers to my homepage for a quick read of a short story I've just posted. We see the increase in traffic at the site. But what about the bigger picture? How do we expand on this notion of moving even more copies of our work? How can we make our name stand out beyond those 140 characters we're limited to on Twitter? Facebook is fine--if you have the friends.
What every good writer needs, though, is reviews. That's what I'm getting at. REVIEWS! Having a site like Goodreads is fantastic for scoring reviews. We writers often trade them like kids trading baseball cards on a hot summer day. These reviews are vital. They give potential readers an educated opinion on whether the book at hand is worth the money or not--if the review is truthful. But what about reviews that aren't bartered? How do we score those?
Sometimes reviewers come looking for us, as has happened to me twice in the previous few weeks. (A couple of reviews and interviews can be found at http://www.tinyurl.com/cd7ptt4 and http://www.prideseries.com/blog.html )
However, as indie authors, we can't sit around waiting for the emails to fill our in-boxes. I can't afford a publicist to do the footwork for me, so I have to solicit these reviews myself. And this is the tough part, tracking down reviewers that possess a strong following and a good reputation. There aren't any trades involved this way, which means the review will certainly be honest, maybe even negative. But don't be afraid of a bad review--those WILL come, no doubt about it. Nobody has written that perfect novel, a work that's enjoyed by every soul who's read it. Even the greats get bad ink from time to time.
What we must do is take those reviews and pay attention to what's been pointed out as a fault in the story. If the reviewer found the lead character lacking credibility, make the protagonist in your next story more human. Add flaws and irritations. Learn from these criticisms. Don't just scan for the superlatives and disregard the rest. How will you ever become a better writer? Be proud of the good reviews, though. Post those links on Twitter, your blogs, Facebook, and your website. Let the world know what other people are saying about your work.
So, then, where do we find these reviewers? How do we convince them to give our work a chance? We could beg, I suppose. If that worked, I'd be a begging fool. But there's an easier way. My publisher sent me a link to a site that lists dozens of review blogs. I've only just started using this list so I can't give a progress report yet. I'm not a professional at this publicity stuff, either. I'm learning as I go along. What have I learned so far? If you're self-published or working with a small publisher, don't waste the time, money, or effort on getting your work to mainstream newspapers. I sent 35 copies to newspapers around the United States and have yet to hear a word back--not even a rejection. Besides, the internet is where the real action is these days.
I've also learned patience. If the work being promoted is good, a few readers is all it takes to get the publicity ball rolling. Word of mouth these days utilizes the internet, reaches worldwide, and remains out there long after it's been posted.
One last thing on the idea of trading reviews: This is a GREAT way to get your work in front of potential readers. I highly recommend this route. You'll discover some really amazing writers who'll quickly become favorites. However, if you agree to trade reviews with a fellow author, hold up your end of the deal. There's nothing as rude and inconsiderate as one writer stiffing another. I speak from experience. I took the time to BUY a writer's novel, read it, posted reviews on a couple of sites, and I haven't heard a peep from the other guy in over a month. (He promised to have my book finished and reviews posted by the end of February.) I won't remove those reviews; he earned them. But I won't buy his work again, either. So now I give to you a link. Use it to it's fullest potential. Chase those reviewers down and ask for some recognition. Have fun with the process, because if it's not fun, it's not worth doing!
http://www.stepbystepselfpublishing.net/
Tag, you're it!
Okay, so here's a fun little game that hopefully will spread the indie word. Being “IT” means that you share information about your “work in progress” also known as “WIP” The Rules 1.) Give credit (including a link) to the Author who tagged you. 2.)Play by the rules, therefore you must post the rules! 3.)You MUST answer all 10 questions (below) some are quite hard but do your best. 4.)List five other Authors with links at the end that you have “tagged” so that the game can continue.
Link Back
The indie writer who tagged me is Dawn Husted. She is the author of a WIP called Safe, as well as published works like Nicova, Silently Screaming, and Windor Series. Her blog address is http://dawnhusted.weebly.com/1/post/2...
Q1.) What is the title or working title of your WIP?
The Secret Collector.
Q2.) What genres does your novel fall under?
Historical fiction/coming-of-age (Same as my first novel, Jazz Baby, though a decade earlier.)
Q3.) What actors (Dream Cast) would you choose to play the characters in a film version?
I haven't really given that angle any thought. I could see a cast of up-and-comers, the ones who would make their names on a piece like this, the way so many eighties actors became names after filming The Outsiders. If I had to choose one, Chloe Grace Moretz as lead character Violet Glass.
Q4.) What is the main outline for your book?
15-year-old Violet collects secrets of those family and friends around her. Some are benign secrets, little things that are more embarrassing than serious. But then there are those secrets that could destroy friendships and family ties. And she has her own secrets to protect, as well. It's 1910 and slavery only ended a generation earlier. Emotions are still quite raw on both sides of the issue. Woman are a full ten years from the right to vote. These things mold and shape Violet, who she is, who she'll become.
Q5.) Will your book be Indie published/self published, or represented by an agency and sold to a traditional publisher?
It's going to be the indie route again. I'll go with The Fresh Ink Group for this book, same as I did for my first novel Jazz Baby. They do phenomenal work. Yeah, I'd love to have that big publisher budget for publicity, but that's not likely to happen anytime soon. Besides, indie is the wave of the future. We'll have to wait and see how far this format can go.
Q6.) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
The first draft isn't even completed yet. I'm just at five chapters in. That's taken about two months to write. I'm notoriously slow when it comes to writing. Jazz Baby took nearly a decade from start to publication. But that's due to many re-writes (I believe strongly in the re-write process) and my giving up on the story a time or two. I had to be talked into finishing the story by a good friend.
Q7.) What other books in this genre would you compare your book to?
I guess I haven't thought about that. There's one novel I read about ten years ago, The Midwife's Advice by Gay Courter. That story isn't so much an inspiration as it is a thought. Same era, different region of the United States. Maybe there are elements from a film like, say, Paris Trout, starring Dennis Hopper.
Q8.) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
The era inspired me. Early 1900s America is an interesting time. And the idea of a girl, a young woman, who is able to keep secrets that could destroy lives is very intresting to me.
Q9.) What else about the book might pique readers attention?
Sexuality. Betrayal. Dark voodoo overtones. Zombie-vampires who fall in love with werewolves--JUST KIDDING!
Q10.) Five other Indie Authors you have tagged
Sienna Rose http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Richard Van Holst http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Christoph Fischer http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Liam Perrin http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Carol Traulsen http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/18...
Link Back
The indie writer who tagged me is Dawn Husted. She is the author of a WIP called Safe, as well as published works like Nicova, Silently Screaming, and Windor Series. Her blog address is http://dawnhusted.weebly.com/1/post/2...
Q1.) What is the title or working title of your WIP?
The Secret Collector.
Q2.) What genres does your novel fall under?
Historical fiction/coming-of-age (Same as my first novel, Jazz Baby, though a decade earlier.)
Q3.) What actors (Dream Cast) would you choose to play the characters in a film version?
I haven't really given that angle any thought. I could see a cast of up-and-comers, the ones who would make their names on a piece like this, the way so many eighties actors became names after filming The Outsiders. If I had to choose one, Chloe Grace Moretz as lead character Violet Glass.
Q4.) What is the main outline for your book?
15-year-old Violet collects secrets of those family and friends around her. Some are benign secrets, little things that are more embarrassing than serious. But then there are those secrets that could destroy friendships and family ties. And she has her own secrets to protect, as well. It's 1910 and slavery only ended a generation earlier. Emotions are still quite raw on both sides of the issue. Woman are a full ten years from the right to vote. These things mold and shape Violet, who she is, who she'll become.
Q5.) Will your book be Indie published/self published, or represented by an agency and sold to a traditional publisher?
It's going to be the indie route again. I'll go with The Fresh Ink Group for this book, same as I did for my first novel Jazz Baby. They do phenomenal work. Yeah, I'd love to have that big publisher budget for publicity, but that's not likely to happen anytime soon. Besides, indie is the wave of the future. We'll have to wait and see how far this format can go.
Q6.) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
The first draft isn't even completed yet. I'm just at five chapters in. That's taken about two months to write. I'm notoriously slow when it comes to writing. Jazz Baby took nearly a decade from start to publication. But that's due to many re-writes (I believe strongly in the re-write process) and my giving up on the story a time or two. I had to be talked into finishing the story by a good friend.
Q7.) What other books in this genre would you compare your book to?
I guess I haven't thought about that. There's one novel I read about ten years ago, The Midwife's Advice by Gay Courter. That story isn't so much an inspiration as it is a thought. Same era, different region of the United States. Maybe there are elements from a film like, say, Paris Trout, starring Dennis Hopper.
Q8.) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
The era inspired me. Early 1900s America is an interesting time. And the idea of a girl, a young woman, who is able to keep secrets that could destroy lives is very intresting to me.
Q9.) What else about the book might pique readers attention?
Sexuality. Betrayal. Dark voodoo overtones. Zombie-vampires who fall in love with werewolves--JUST KIDDING!
Q10.) Five other Indie Authors you have tagged
Sienna Rose http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Richard Van Holst http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Christoph Fischer http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Liam Perrin http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Carol Traulsen http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/18...
