[stylist] After You Publish: Anyone Have Promo Advice?

Mon Apr 29 20:40:29 UTC 2013

Actually, it is already out. But that info is still helpful because my contract is non-exclusive and I can send to other publishers. 

Thanks for all your advice. It is very helpful!

Rebekah Felix
Author of In the Family
Print: http://booklocker.com/books/6812.html
E-Book: 
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/304358

On Apr 29, 2013, at 1:08 PM, "Donna Hill" <penatwork at epix.net> wrote:

> I must have missed something. I thought Bekah's book was already out and
> beyond the publisher conversation.
> Donna 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lynda Lambert
> Sent: Monday, April 29, 2013 2:30 PM
> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [stylist] After You Publish: Anyone Have Promo Advice?
> 
> Yes, I agree with Donna. You do have to ask all these questions and be abel
> to answer them.
> But the big question, right in the front, is to be able to answer these 3
> questions:
> "Who cares?  "So What?"
> "Why should I care about this book?"
> That is exactly what a publisher wants to hear about in the initial
> discussion.
> You also need to be able to articulate what exactly your market is - that
> means, spending time at the big book stores and finding the area where YOUR
> BOOK will be placed. HOW does YOUR book look in comparison to those already
> there? You need to be able to discuss the other notable books in your chosen
> genre and relate exactly why someone needs or wants YOUR book and how does
> it compare to XXX book that is already there on the store shelves?
> 
> If it is a book that Christians would be interested in, an excellent
> publisher is Tate Publishing Company.  Not only do they publish your book
> they create the cover, all the inside of the book, and they promote your
> book through their presence at Christian Bookseller Conventions. My son's
> book (Beginning a Prayer Life, by R. Andrew Lambert) was published by Tate
> and he gets royalty checks from them every time his book is sold.  they
> schedule him for book signings in major stores, they do all the legwork on
> promotion, and it is his role to show up and be congeniel and discuss his
> book with interested people during the book signings. It is very exciting.
> 
> When my book was in the process of being created by the publisher, I had
> already scheduled the first venue to introduce the book and do a book
> singing/reading to go with a major art exhibition I was having - people who
> came to my opening reception, were the first people to see and hear my book
> and purchase it. I liked that up a year in advance of the release of the
> book.
> 
> All ofDonna's suggestions are great and you have to know that YOU are a
> MARKETER of YOUR BOOK - and you have to do a ton of very hard work to make
> it all come together as you have planned.  This is in no way to discourage
> you, but to give you the information I have to help you get it going - you
> have to really do your research, all along as you go.
> 
> GOOD LUCK and I hope you have a very successful book release - Lynda
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Donna Hill" <penatwork at epix.net>
> To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, April 29, 2013 1:45 PM
> Subject: Re: [stylist] After You Publish: Anyone Have Promo Advice?
> 
> 
>> Bekah,
>> The website is very important, as is Twitter, which is even more important
>> than Facebook, since the feed is public and you can reach strangers and 
>> they
>> can follow you without risking the site's wrath.
>> 
>> What are your plans for marketing your novel to a niche group like 
>> Christian
>> middle and upper schools? Is there anything in the book that you could 
>> point
>> to as an area of experteese, such as a blind character? Or, is there some
>> other popular social justice or awareness raising issue such as
>> anti-bullying that you can use to market the book?
>> 
>> Do you have a  degree in literature or creative writing? Some writers
>> promote their books and make a little money by applying to give
>> presentations at writers' workshops.
>> 
>> Have you spoken to your local schools/libraries about doing a presentation
>> for them at which you could sell your book? Have you been collecting 
>> e-mail
>> addresses for people who review books and websites that feature book 
>> reviews
>> from indie authors? There are also contests nowadays for self-published
>> authors like the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. That one's free to 
>> enter,
>> but there are others that have fees.
>> 
>> Have you sifted through your connections, family and friends for anyone 
>> who
>> is either in a position to help you or who can approach someone on your
>> behalf?
>> 
>> What kinds of experiences have you had in terms of public speaking? Have 
>> you
>> done any internet radio shows?
>> 
>> One thing that I use as a source for finding media types who might be
>> interested in using me as a source for articles, book reviews, internet
>> radio, etc is a free service called HARO (Help a Reporter Out). They send
>> out e-mails normally 3 times a day on weekdays in which journalists post
>> queries about what they're looking for. "Sources" which are often 
>> publicists
>> answer the ones that look like a fit with their "pitches," and hope for 
>> the
>> best. As in sales in general, you need to get used to dealing with very 
>> long
>> odds. I hardly ever find anything that fits and most of the pitches I send
>> go unanswered. Nevertheless, I've lost count of the number of radio
>> appearances and guest blogs I've done, and I've had my material included 
>> in
>> at least 3 books that I can remember. I have also been quoted as a source 
>> in
>> some articles.
>> 
>> Maybe you're way ahead of me here, and if so, I hope this will help 
>> someone
>> else. The best tool we have, and this is true whether we are blind or
>> sighted, is Google and the internet. I'd advise anyone who is trying to
>> promote anything, whether it's a book or NFB issues, to get comfortable 
>> with
>> using the internet and ploughing through with all of the accessibility
>> issues. You'll find lots of resources, and you'll spend some time getting
>> nowhere, but that's sales.
>> Donna
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bekah Felix
>> Sent: Sunday, April 28, 2013 11:28 PM
>> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] After You Publish: Anyone Have Promo Advice?
>> 
>> My book is a fictional novel directed towards teens and young adults. 
>> Though
>> it could be considered Christian fiction, it could appeal to anyone. I am 
>> on
>> Facebook, and I am working on creating my own website.
>> 
>> Rebekah Felix
>> Author of In the Family
>> Print: http://booklocker.com/books/6812.html
>> E-Book:
>> https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/304358
>> 
>> On Apr 28, 2013, at 8:38 PM, "Donna Hill" <penatwork at epix.net> wrote:
>> 
>>> Hi Rebeka,
>>> I think that we need a little more info here to truly help you. Is
>>> your book fiction or nonfiction? Have you thought about a niche market
>>> that it might appeal to? Do you have an online presence -- website,
>> Twitter, etc.?
>>> 
>>> I'm just publishing my first novel, but I had a nonfiction booklet
>>> decades ago and three recordings and have always done my own PR.
>>> Donna
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bekah
>>> Felix
>>> Sent: Sunday, April 28, 2013 5:40 PM
>>> To: stylist at nfbnet.org
>>> Subject: [stylist] After You Publish: Anyone Have Promo Advice?
>>> 
>>> Hi all,
>>> 
>>> I have just recently published my first book, and I'm looking for
>>> promotional tools. I was wondering if anyone had any advice for book
>>> promoting as a blind person. Any help or advice would be greatly
>>> appreciated.
>>> 
>>> Thanks!
>>> 
>>> Rebekah Felix
>>> Author of In the Family
>>> Print: http://booklocker.com/books/6812.html
>>> E-Book:
>>> https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/304358
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