Marketing You and Your Writing 101—the book I wish someone would’ve written before I
published my first novel…
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| CLICK HERE |
Wow! It’s the first Wednesday
of the month and time to talk about the business of writing. The first
Wednesday in January I shared the release of the first book in the Writing to
Publish series. The book is doing well and I’m getting great feedback from writers
wanting to launch a career. Designing a Business Plan for Your Writing is intended to help people get to the point
of publication.
I reached that point a few
years ago. I thought I had “arrived.” My publisher was about to release Breathing on Her Own. My work was done,
right? Wrong.
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| CLICK HERE |
My work was only beginning. I
envisioned people at my publishing house sitting around reading my book and
brainstorming ideas about how they would put it in front of millions of
readers. When they asked for my input on potential book covers, I was surprised
to see a young couple on the front with autumn leaves floating down. Another
option showed the same young couple in the springtime. The covers they proposed
had nothing to do with my book. So much for everyone reading it.
I also discovered that
publishers have insight on how to market books in general. Their marketing is
not (nor could it be, realistically) customized and finely tuned for each book
they publish. Any customizing came by way of me sending them quotes from the
book or posts I wrote.
I am not complaining.
Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas has been wonderful. No, I’m not
complaining. I just didn’t know. I didn’t know what I needed by way of a
headshot. I didn’t know how to set up a book launch or the different types of
launches. Basically, I didn’t know my role in the marketing process.
My husband reminded me,
“Getting published is not an event. It’s a process.”
He was right. I’ve shared
those words with new writers reading my blog and with those who come to me for
advice. That experience fueled the second book in the Writing to Publish series, Marketing You and Your Writing 101.
Writers can do much before
they’re published. Doing so saves the author stress and money. This little
handbook is divided into two parts: Gearing Up and Launching. Gearing Up
outlines everything writers can do before even completing the first draft of
the book. A few of the topics in this section include getting a professional
headshot, writing a bio, and setting up as well as managing relevant social
media accounts. The second part, Launching, helps writers prepare a book proposal,
an elevator pitch, create a media kit, and plan a book launch. Among other
things.
Is this book the definitive
word on marketing? By no means. In this ever-changing landscape of technology,
there will always be new resources for writers to use for marketing. But the
tools offered in this book are the basic tools every writer should have in
their marketing toolbox.
This is the book I wish someone had written before I
published my first work.
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| CLICK HERE |
Book 2, featured today is called Marketing You and Your Writing 101. It's about marketing your work...and yes, you have to do it!
And watch for Book 3. Writing with E's takes a close look at those five habits you can develop to become the writer you've always dreamed of being.
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