Author of The Shell Seeker
Whenever I’m invited on a blog for an Author Q & A, one question invariably pops up: “Where do the ideas for your novels come from?” The simple answer is, “they come from within.”
For me, within is the quiet, contemplative place of my mind. It is when I am silent—not engaging in conversation, listening to the ambient noises around me, or plugged into from technology. Neuroscientists and cognitive psychologists call this “mind wandering.”
If your relationship with the blogging community consists of a mass email dump to Dear Blogger every time you release a new book, you’re missing the point.
The closer the relationship between you and bloggers, the more rewards you will reap.
Book blogs don’t just add to the string of 5-star reviews you’re hoping to wrap around your new release. Book bloggers also host authors, participate in book hops, and provide content related to reading and the writing life.
As an author, don’t simply seek review. Make an effort to build a relationship that is sure to augment your publishing career for many years to come. So, how do you do that?
Tell the truth: After indie publishing your book, did you rush to Goodreads and attempt to “friend” dozens of authors and attract hundreds of new followers in a misguided belief the effort would ignite book sales? No doubt many of those authors who ignored your friend request wish you nothing but good fortune—they’re simply too busy writing, marketing and cultivating a readership to chum around with the new kid on the block. If you are going to use Goodreads to create exposure for you and your works, it’s important to understand the difference between a friend and a follower.
In the early 1980s, I attended a benefit at the Palm Springs Art museum alongside a host of movie stars and business tycoons. The goody bags handed out at the door to the women swishing their way inside the marble palace brimmed with expensive perfumes and silk scarves from Saks; the sculpture gardens glittered with diamonds and rubies strung around regal throats as couples took their places at linen-draped tables scattered with orchids. This was heady stuff for a girl from Cleveland, Ohio who’d stumbled into marriage to a millionaire.
In preparing my most recent release, The Road She Left Behind, I set out to find ARC reviewers as well as rounding up contact lists for book blogs in those countries where I know I have a following. This is part of my approach to launching a new book. However, this time I wanted to expand my reach since The Road was a more literary book than my prior releases.
Nothing strikes fear in an author’s heart like the prospect of self-promotion. Most of us are introverted bookaholics content to spend our days blissfully writing. Yet, creating a sellable book is just the beginning. Without promotion and a lot of buzz, readers will never know your book exists.
And as an Indie Author, it’s hard to cut through all the book marketing that exists.
There are some tried and true strategies that can help your book get noticed by current and new fans.
I was a year into indie publishing and preparing for my third release before I got serious about developing my first Review Team. Review Teams have many benefits including gaining reviews pre-release and creating buzz in reader-focused social sites. They can also help with word-of-mouth marketing (leading to preorders of your book) months before your release date.
How should you begin building a Review Team? Finding first readers for an upcoming novel is as easy as sending a private Facebook or Goodreads message, or an email to a passionate reader of your particular brand of fiction.
Many authors consider writing a series. Some writers shy away from the idea because the task can seem daunting—which is true. When I began writing the Liberty Series I had to think about how to approach the series. How would I continue the story in book after book? Should I have a cast of characters that would re-emerge in various situations at different times? Or should each book feature entirely new characters?
As I pondered the task ahead, I knew the hard work would be worth it. There are many benefits to writing a series including higher book sales, the chance to establish a loyal fan base, and being viewed as “established” in the industry.
Now, don’t be shy: Did you begin indie publishing with the sole objective of releasing your heart’s work to the world?
Many indie authors, including many earning an impressive income, begin the journey with one book in mind. It isn’t until the second or third release that they begin pondering questions critical to long-term success. What genre (or mixed bag of genres) do I write? Where do readers of my genre typically hang out? How will I distinguish my unique voice in a crowded market?
Your PR plan will include many features.
The completion of your first novel is a reason for celebration. Many people talk of writing a novel but few possess the drive to spend day after day—and perhaps year after year—perfecting hundreds of pages of prose.
After you reach the accomplishment of completed work, the challenge of promoting the book—and yourself—begins. The following are public relations tips you need to undertake to position yourself as a serious author.