INDIE AUTHOR FRINGE 2016

Over the weekend I checked out the INDIE AUTHOR FRINGE 2016
and loved it. Mostly because it was free, online and full to bursting with advice.

Here are my favorite posts:

Five Steps To Writing Diversity Right: Yen Ooi 

Publishers are looking for more diversity, and I live in a small town full of Russian and Anglo-European (fourth generation) descendants. I had all but given up trying to figure out how include characters with varied heritages.

Then I read this:

Broaden your horizon to include more diverse literature in your reading, whether it’s within your genre or outside.

If I had any sense, I would have thought of this myself.

Just like doing research for historical fiction, reading diaries or other data written from a specific time, I could read diaries and other historical information about any heritage I choose. Finally, my door is open.

The Future of Publishing 7 things an Author MUST Know: Jane Friedman

I found Jane’s video presentation insightful. She spoke mainly on social media and measuring marketing results. I don’t know about you but I’m not a natural with any of this and need all the help I can get.

Designing Book Covers that sell – the 7 Must-Haves: Derek Murphy 

I really enjoyed this video presentation. Derek offered some suggestions on how to create a great cover. I won’t give you any spoilers, but he does show excellent comparisons from amateurish to professional which I found insightful.

The writers conference was posted over a twenty-four hour period. It included a wide range of topics, giveaways and will return several times a year. I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to them.

Have you ever been to something like this online? Tell us about it. 🙂

Building Cred: Deeper Dive into Marketing

Well, the blog tour ended and although it was a lot of work it was also a lot of fun. Met new people, and I did goofy things. A special thanks to all my hosts. I hope you’ll come to me when you need my help, so I can return the favor.

The Rafflecopter Giveaway Winners are: Mai, Stormi, and Peggy.

The next stage of my marketing plan is to seek reviews. Stop. Come back here. I’ll be asking the mystery book bloggers I found online.

Once, I suggested to a fellow writer that book bloggers are the people to approach and he shook his head. “Sounds like too much work.”

He’s not wrong. It will take a lot of time and effort to submit White Light for consideration and only after an acceptance will they post review.

I don’t mind hard work or the submission process because when I get an acceptance I’ll reach an established audience. Some people, more writer friends, think I’m putting too much effort into this.

But here’s the thing. I’m too new to be credible and I know it.

If I don’t promote or don’t believe in what I’m doing, then who will? I like my final product. I know not everyone will and understand this. Heck, if we all liked the same thing there would be one ice cream, one style of unisex clothes, and the one popular book would be memorized by all of us.

So I’m diving in.

As always your feedback is welcome. If you trust a mystery book blogger, small or big, list them I’ll do the rest.

Putting Emaginette Back In My Blog Title

A while back I changed my blogs name from Shout With Emaginette to Elements of Writing. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I was posting more and more posts about what I learned as a writer and I was doing less and less shouting out.

Big mistake. Friggin huge mistake.

I don’t know about you but I Google myself once in a while. In the world, there are several Anna Simpson’s–two different actresses, an editor, a UK farmer, a computer genius, a beauty queen, and a lawyer. I was lost in a pretty big crowd.

That was why I chose the handle of emaginette. To stand out from the crowd. To become a one-and-only in a world of billions.

Well, I sabotaged my branding, by getting rid of my one-and-only handle.

So learning from my mistake and rolling with the punch, my blog’s new name is elements of emaginette. It turns out it is closer to what this blog is about–my bits and pieces.

So what do you think is it finally me?

 

 

My blog stops this week are:

Lidy | Sherry | Nick | Shell | Mark | Juneta | Katherine

Drop by if you have a moment. 🙂

Marketing Plans + Book Bloggers

What is a marketing plan?

Most publishing houses either have a marketing plan or expect the author to come up with a plan, so what is it?

If you check out book bloggers then you’ve already read some of the things authors do to promote sales: excerpts, giveaways, cover reveals, blog tours, book trailers, interviews, guest posts, and reviews.

A few other things you can do online are: virtual Facebook parties, thunderclaps, building newsletter subscribers + rallying a street team.

In bookstores or libraries you can also do a book signing, and book readings.

In schools you can participate in career day.

That’s it. A marketing plan is a scheduled promotion of your work, before, during and after the book release.

Finding your audience?

If you read the genre that you write then you already are tapped in to a very important means to reach out. Where do you go for your next read?

Book Bloggers/Reviewers

Each book blogger has a following, a fan base. Trust exists between them and their readers because they are in sync. If the blogger has a review policy posted on their site, take advantage of it and submit your work.

In the policy you will find a guideline for your submission (much like an agent or publisher). Roll with it and remember first impressions are lasting. Meet the guidelines with a smile, be respectful and personalize your query.

You are not submitting because you’re guaranteed a rave. You are submitting to them because they understand and love the genre. They’ll let their audience know if you hit it out of the park. Word of mouth is the best advertising.

Anyone out there have any other tips for a marketing plan or reaching out to book bloggers? I’m dying to hear them. 🙂

Gleaned from:

• http://socialmouths.com/blog/2012/09/25/killer-marketing-plan-for-your-book-launch
  
• http://www.mywritingblog.com/2012/11/top-five-book-marketing-strategies-for.html
  
• http://www.trainingauthors.com/21-book-marketing-tips
  

Marketing: Where to Begin?

Before marketing anything there are things that need to be addressed.

First build a reputation that I’m able to write a component and entertaining book. Best sellers are an eleven on the one-to-ten reputation scale. Because I have some credits and free reads available, I’m on the scale somewhere. Fingers crossed where that might be. With my book coming out in November I’m hoping that will be enough to encourage some readers to take a chance.

Secondly, recognize my target audience. I know them well. They are the people I thought of when writing and submitting White Light. I pictured mystery lovers that prefer underdog heroes and puzzle pieces offered up in a challenge to beat them to the solution. They were fun loving adults with a sense of humor, looking for escape.

I’m looking for people I value, and hopefully value me–or maybe my writing.

Thirdly, find my readership?

I know that people gather in groups. Go to the mall, or a boat show and I’ll be in a crowd. What I need to do is find my target audience, and step into the spotlight holding my book. My face burns at the thought.

Ready or not, here I go.

• Approach the bookish sites I follow to keep in the loop.
• Shout out down the social media avenues I enjoy.
• Approach bookish blogs I go to for the latest reviews and ask the big question.
• Join a book club or two? I’ll have to work on that one. 🙂

I’m not sure I afford it, but I’m looking at advertising with a local magazine, newspaper, or the one and only local radio station. I’ve offered to do a book signing or reading at my favorite bookstore–way out of town–and the local library. I plan to offer to speak on career day at the school.

It will take time, so I don’t plan to throw out a few hundred dollars, expecting massive sales. Instead, I’ll offer my time, hoping as the world gets to know me, word will spread in a positive way.

Gleaned from:

• http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/there-are-no-rules/3-steps-to-successful-book-marketing-part-3