Monday's Helpful Hints - Marketing

Okay, today is about hints about what I've learned.

First, I learned, years ago, when my books where being published by NY, that unless you were one of the BIG authors, your publishing company was not going to spend any bucks on you, to tell the world you have a book available. You had to do it yourself. Of course, I didn't know that. At the time, I was teaching in a conservative, rural high school, and didn't feel comfortable advertising the fact that I was writing steamy (well at the time it was considered steamy) romances. I could just hear some of the parents having fits. So, I selected a pen name and kept my mouth shut. Only my family knew.

Mistake! My sister and the wife of our principal were good friends. So, right after my first book was published, when we are at a teachers' meeting after school, my principal announces to the assembled teachers - he wanted me to autograph my first book. The 'cat' was out of the bag.  So, here I was with a book, not knowing a thing about how to sell, market, advertise, or even defend myself if there was a need - nothing.

So hint # one, if you don't want anyone to know you are writing a book - don't tell anyone. However, know that no one, except maybe your aunt Tellie, or uncle Joe (depending on what you write) will only ever read your book, because that's what they read. If you want others to read your book, you are going to have to market it - yourself!!! You need a plan. I had no idea where to start, and I've learned, it's different for every author, depending on time, money, genre, commitments,  a hundred and one things. 

My next hint is probably the hardest one to achieve. Learn to control you time. Life has a habit of getting in the way, so you have to be committed. Okay, you've written a book, but are you going to be a one book wonder? You need writing time and time to learn, as well as life in general. Most people who write also work - somewhere, at a go-to job, at home, whatever, so you must make time to write, and promote. There's that word again. So you need to start with a written plan and try to stay with it. As I said, that's the hardest part.

My next hint is be realist. Little goals, once achieved, can multiply into larger goals. You decide what you can reasonably do and if you've planned too much, pare down your goals a bit. And, remember, don't break the bank. If you can't afford to pay for advertising, don't sweat it. Lot's of us don't pay for much. I can't afford a big promo budget. Most mid list authors can't.

So with all of that in mind, take a peak at the Internet, and start reading about marketing plans. I'm not giving you a detailed plan, because what works for me will not necessarily work for you.  Go to google or Bing and look for marketing plans for authors. Check them out, read a bunch, then decide what you can do. And pick those things you are comfortable with. If you don't like speaking in front of people, don't plan to do readings or talk to groups about writing. You'll make yourself sick and won't achieve a thing, other than making yourself sick.

Last hint for today. First and foremost - You must decide who you are writing for and why.  I think the why is probably the most important. I write because I must. I have always written - something. Now, I write love stories. I do want others to read my books, so I have two goals. One for me - write, and one - to get others to read my books. How I'm going about that is my marketing plan.

Next Monday - There are some of things you really should do and I'll details those. Then I'll name some things that didn't work - for me! Remember, they just might for you. In the meantime, spend some time searching for marketing plans for authors!

Allison
www.AllisonKnight.com
Heart-warming Romance with a Sensual Touch
"Betrayed Bride" available now from Champagne Books
"Lynbrook's Lady" coming in August from Champagne Books

Rejections

If last week's topic was frustrating, this week's topic is downright discouraging.

Rejections are also part of this business, one I had to learn to handle. When my very first book was returned with that nice letter I mentioned originally, I was devastated. My year's work - rejected. They didn't want it. I had a hard time not shedding a few tears.

I never stopped to ask why, nor think it could possibly be my fault. Nay! They didn't see talent when it hit them in the face.

After I calmed down, I took another look at what I've done. Could there have been a reason they didn't want my book? Slowly, I realized I didn't know enought about what I was analyzing to make a proper judgement. So, I tramped over to the local book store and started buying how-to books. It didn't take long to figure out I had an awful lot to learn. More books, magazines, classes, by mail and at a local college, were part of my new writing routine. In the two years that followed, I learned, I wrote, I submitted and I kept getting rejected.

Finally, the call came. They wanted not one, but the three books I had written so far. Devastation turned to elation.

Since then, oh, yes, I've been rejected. Time and time again. Wrong timing, wrong story line, the line I was submitting to was being dropped, the editor was having a a bad day.

However, I've learned a couple of important points in analyzing rejections.

Read them carefully. If two or more editors find fault with the same problem/s i.e. point of view, story line, grammer mistakes, inconsistent motivation, maybe you should take a look at your manuscript.

If it's a form letter (and that's usually what you'll get) don't send a scathing letter off to the editor. It will mark you forever in the business. Don't rewrite the manuscript - yet. Take another look. Ask someone you know (not a close friend or relative) to read your story. I asked my lawyer, who I knew read romances, if she'd read my second book. She was going on vacation and took it with her. Her comments were invaluable.

And study the business. I failed to do that. If I had taken the time to see what was selling and what was in a downward spiral I would have noticed the gothics I'd started to write were no longer being published. I missed the boat there.

One other important point. Write what you are comfortable writing. The genre may be hot today, cold tomorrow and hot again next week, or in a month or a year. Historical romance and various time periods and locations come and go so you must know the business. But it's your book, your genre, your work. So write what you want to write and keep writing.

I guess the best advice I can give is rejection happens, it hurts, but it's part of the business. As one of my kids would say - "suck it up" and start in on another project.

Next week - what I don't know about contracts.


Allison
www.AllisonKnight.com
Heart-warming Romance with a Sensual Touch
"BETRAYED BRIDE" coming in May from Champagne Books
And in August - "Lynbrook's Lady" - a Regency Period Historical Romance

Monday's Helpful Hints

We've covered the basics, kinda, so today we look at what goes into a submission, what you mail (or e-mail).

First, I'll say it again, read the guidelines. Legitimate publishers, the big six and indies, will tell you what they want.

Here's the standard rule of thumb - in case they don't.

First the perfect cover letter. (We covered that)

Then a synopsis (Okay, many of us hate that word - me among them, but I've learned few tricks, if like me you do not like them)

Then the manuscript. It might be the first three chapters, over the first fifty pages, or the whole book. Don't send them bits and pieces. I don't care if you've written the world's greatest love scene. If it's not in the pages they want don't send it. Nothing marks you an amateur like that.

Guidelines will usually spell out what font they want and about how many words to a page, (we've covered fonts and we'll cover how to estimate the number of words if you don't use a computer with a word counter on it)

Again, as clean as you can make the copy. If it's on paper, print out a new copy and if "e" they will probably tell you how they want you to send. Follow their guidelines.

Don't forget to include you name (especially if you are writing under a pen name), and if you are sending a print copy to a publisher, be sure to include return postage. (That's another thing I didn't do, first time around. I don't remember what it cost Pocket to return it, but they did.)

And, whatever you do - don't send your only copy. I print out copies of my "e" submissions, and also save them on disk and flash drives.

In some cases, the publisher might want a marketing plan but if they do, don't worry, we'll take a look at marketing plans later, probably in May.

Send and WAIT.  We'll get into that soon.

Next Monday I'll tackle that horrible thing the synopsis (Can you tell I don't like them?)

Allison
www.AllisonKnight.com
Heart-warming Romance with a Sensual Touch
Betrayed Bride coming in May from Champagne Books

Free books

Books, books,and more books! December first, all day, the authors of Champagne Imprints- That's romance, erotica, scfi, fantasy, (you name it we have it,) are chatting at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bethwylde/ Many of the authors attending will be giving away thier books, either trade paperbacks or digital books. My contribution is a pdf of BATTLESONG.

So mark your calendars and come visit. However, you must join the group to participate.