I just found out that Carolyn Howard-Johnson's book, The Frugal Book Promoter ![]()
is out in an updated and revised edition! Now it's got even more cutting edge tools, techniques and information to help you promote your books without breaking the bank! She's just releasing it and when you buy it, you'll also get more than a dozen great bonuses! http://frugalbookpromoter.homestead.com/ ![]()
Here's what one reviewer said, "Today's technology, social networking and marketing techniques are covered. Updated web resources abound. Advice in sync with today's Internet are incorporated:
* Blogging tips and pitfalls
* Obtaining reviews and avoiding scams
* Finding places to pitch your book
* Using the eBook explosion to promote sales
* Using Google alerts to full advantage
* Staying on top of current trends in the publishing industry
* Writing quality query, media release letters and scripts for telephone pitches
* Putting together power point and author talk presentations
Don't have deep pockets to pay a pricey publicist? Do you want your book to get maximum exposure? This book is a game-changer and the best investment in your book's future you can make. Carolyn Howard Johnson is an author who understands authors and generously shares her savvy about marketing. Highly recommended."
Carolyn is an instructor for UCLA Extension Writers' Program. Her award winning stories and poems have appeared in anthologies like: Pass/Fail, and in journals like Pear Noir, Front Range, The Pedestal Magazine and many more. She was given the Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment Award by California Legislature members and she has published numerous award-winning, highly-acclaimed books.
If you're like most authors, short on money but desperately wanting to get the word on on your book, don't miss The Frugal Book Promoter ![]()
, the newest release in the long list of Carolyn Howard-Johnson how-to books on publishing.
In case you don't know Carolyn Howard-Johnson ![]()
, be assured that she's been around the block a few times and keeps up with the best of the rest. Carolyn is a university-level teacher, conference presenter, coach and consultant. She's published poetry and fiction, how-tos for writer and retailers. She's won awards for all of the above to include her websites. She's been in this writing business twice as long as I have, and has the accolades to prove it.
From Carolyn: "The Frugal Book Promoter ![]()
is for authors who want their books to soar and do not want their careers to languish. It is structured so authors can select chapters that address aspects of their marketing plan most needed at any given time."
GIVEAWAY:
As a thanks for considering The Frugal Book Promoter ![]()
, Carolyn is offering two of her previous bestsellers, The Great First Impression Book Proposal ![]()
and Great Little Last Minute Edits ![]()
, as e-books to a lucky commenter to this post. In addition to that giveaway, I'll be offering a copy of The Frugal Book Promoter ![]()
to a second lucky commenter.
To enter, leave a note about what scares you most about marketing. OR Leave a comment about a marketing trick you've learned. You have two chances to win this week! Deadline Thursday, October 20, at 5:00 PM Eastern. The two winners will be announced in Friday's blog post.
WINNER UPDATE: The winners are: Janet Hartman (ebooks The Great First Impression Book Proposal and Great Little Last Minute Edits) and Lisa McManus Lange (paperback The Frugal Book Promoter).
20 comments:
This book sounds great.
Great giveaway.
What I'm concerned about is working in promotion off the computer with my kids (they're around 24/7)
I'm worried about not sounding desperate/pleading when I approach a bookstore, a prospective reviewer, etc.
Thanks for this! My fear relates to life balance: with writing (revisions for my agent, planning a sequel) demanding all of my spare time outside my job, how will I market on top of that? Thanks.
I live in a small, very rural community. No bookstores, not many venues to appear in. How do I sell my book here?
I'm worried about having time to do it all, especially as my 2yo's nap time seems to be headed the way of the dodo bird. It's hard enough to do it all now, let alone learn more skills that take time!
I learned some great marketing tips from Ariel Gore, but the best one of all is to embrace what makes you you --then run with it. Think you can't speak in public because you're too much of a frumpy housewife? Make that your schtick. Frumpy housewife should be your platform. You're that frumpy housewife who writes potboilers --or what-have-you. She actually makes me EXCITED to get out and hustle.
This may sound obvious as a marketing trick, but if you're writing a book, have people sign up for your mailing list in exchange for a free sample of the book! You can use MailChimp to set up a free mailing list for up to 500 people, and send them a PDF of the first chapter when they provide you with their name and email address. Then, when the time comes to sell your book, you'll have a ready-made list of people who are already interested. Simple, and free!
What scares me most about marketing is...the fear of the unknown! Educating and planning are the first step, however. Will be searching for these books for sure! Lisa McManus Lange
email: lisa.lange@shaw.ca
www.lisamcmanuslange.blogspot.com
I am a bit shy, so while I have no problems interacting using social media, I do feel odd about promoting my work. I need to build up some confidence!
The balance between promoting and being a "Buy My Book!" person — this scares me the most.
What worries me most is having to talk to people in person. I'm a great communicator in writing, but I'm not great at public speaking or talking to people I don't know.
A related fear: Sounding like a dork when talking to published authors who I respect. :)
avoiding scams and learning how to promote something when you believe what you have to say can help people is important to me.
Also - learning how to do effective powerpoint presentations for both watching and teaching from in groups or for individuals is another area I want to develop.
Marketing - always a plus and I guess I'm feeling more ready than I did before
I've found that people love visuals. When I talk about my picture book, Purple Mountain Majesties, I bring my parrot puppet and collectibles from Pikes Peak. Just started writing about menopause. Not sure what I'll bring when I start to speak on that topic!
What scares me most about marketing? Selling myself AND my book. I think it's one thing to say you're writing a book, or that you're a writer. Image: sitting at a desk, scribbling away with fingerless gloves, sipping tea.
Marketing image: slimey car salesman, tacky ads, being pushy, pushy, pushy.
What scares me most? Being scared!
Thanks for all you do.
I think that once I write the book (which is a stress in and of itself), I would probably worry about the logistics of marketing--how to fit it all into my schedule, how to budget it, how to properly leverage social media to market, and simply how to really connect with readers and/or fellow writers to promote the book. I've also taken to heart (and mind) what you've written in a recent newsletter, Hope--that a writer's marketing herself as much as she's marketing the book. You have to sell yourself and be a passionate personality, and I'd have to say that this aspect is more than a bit daunting (I won't say terrifying, though I'm tilting toward that)!
A marketing dilemma for me, though not necessarily a scary one, is figuring out how to pull all my writing activities under one umbrella.
I'm a generalist and the topics I cover seem to have little in common - except that they interest me and I'm the one writing about them.
Establishing focus is especially important now that I've had a YA book accepted and need to begin generating exposure for it.
I'm worried about coming across as desperate or untalented. I'm usually personable and I can market the heck out of a friends project, but feel unqualified to market myself. I'm still working on my self-confidence and shyness. These sound like great books that could help me do both.
I, like Sylvia Ney, have no problem promoting the great work of someone else. It's easy. What's hard for me is promoting myself, because I'm not always sure about what to say, which points to emphasize, or how to be clear. Mostly, I guess, it's that, since I have spent so much time and effort on my project, and I think that it's finished and good, or clever, or useful, I have a hard time coming up with those points that will convince other people that it's good or clever or useful. It's all so obvious to me, and I can't always understand why it's not so obvious to other people!
I think what concerns me the most is the fear that I'm not doing enough to reach potential readers or that I'm doing it all wrong.
Margay1122ATaolDOTcom
Because I live in a rural area, I dread the thought of driving great distances alone and incurring a lot of expense to promote a book. I know there are ways to market online, but how can I get people to notice me amid all the competition?
Janet Hartman
www.JanetHartman.net
Post a Comment