Category Archives: Writing

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The Truth about Marketing your Book: YOU have to do it

Blog writing (books arrive)One has to do the work. Absolutely. But one also has to know what that work entails. Two things are critical to the process: A stellar book and a marketing plan.

There is a formula for everything. Writing is no exception. Selling a book is no exception. I wrote a book and self-published through a reputable independent  publisher. I gave them my money and they completed the process. I purchased a plan and then added on line-by-line editing. After approving the final galley proof, I ended up finding more and more errors that I couldn’t live with. These were costly to fix. Next time I will know better. In addition, I paid a good amount for a press release, advertising, and a WP website. I was pleased with the book. Happily so. The advertising generated few sales. My first book. Right? Not too surprising. The website had its problems, I couldn’t manipulate it to my satisfaction, some of the plugins refused to work for me. It soon languished, later to be abandoned out of pure frustration. I returned to my blogger site as my focus. All of this wasn’t the publisher’s fault, but due to my lack of knowledge. I hadn’t done my homework. (I knew nothing, nothing, nothing) To keep in the know to see if my book was selling (and it wasn’t, except on rare occasions when it got a little buzz), I tracked my book’s progress via Amazon’s Author Central. I saw spikes in sales when my book was mentioned two times in my alma mater’s magazine (I made the contact), and when the book first came out and family and friends were taking notice. I sold much of my first shipment of inventory (in the picture). The next shipment, equally large, sits in my closet except for the forty or so that I’ve given away. That’s the problem when you don’t know what you’re doing.

Who buys my book? Mostly my friends, family, college friends, people who know me—my contacts. That is about it from what I can tell. A few more are buying my book as my contact list expands. What now? I asked myself a year after the book was published. Giving away a lot of books, even a few books to solicit reviews for my Amazon site, hasn’t worked well for me. Even people who said they would review don’t always come through. Things happen, sometimes circumstances prevent it. I find that people like my book. I receive wonderful comments in person and in emails. One man said it even did more for him than reading Oswald Chambers. High praise. I am glad it is well received, which is validation that helps me keep moving forward with my writing. 

It is discouraging, though, to put it lightly. Most readers don’t post reviews and far too many books sit on the shelf (or ‘print on demand’ virtual shelf at the publisher) waiting to find their readers. A few months ago, I figured it out that more people would buy my book if they had a way of knowing about it. (not rocket science here!) When you’re an unknown and unproven author self-publishing in a flooded market, people must have a way to find out about you and what you have to offer them. From the book reviews, the buyer decides if it is worth the time and effort (and money) to read your book (few reviews or only old reviews risk communicating a negative message to the buyer). I believed in my book’s message. In fact, I believed it was one of hope and help for the despairing, one that could be helpful. I decided to take personal stock of my situation, to decide on the best possible direction for myself. (Remember, I couldn’t spend bunches and bunches, a limiting factor)

Blog -writing pic( )What to do? I realized it was up to me. I decided to learn more about book marketing before finishing my second book. I put myself on hold in that department. I didn’t want to put good money after bad and have the same thing happen to my second book. In my research, I found out that it’s not just about having a blog and twitter (which I had been faithfully using), google plus or linked-in (I am also a part of) or facebook and goodreads. These, in themselves, are not enough for an unknown author to get a bounce which will propel them into the buyers’ arena, if it is a random hit-and-miss effort. It matters how these are used, in what way, if they are planned and purposed endeavors. It matters if they are a streamlined approach with a consistent message, one that creates fidelity to its brand. It matters very much in getting a book noticed and in improving an author presence on the web, that is, if one wants to be taken as serious in the book writing business, and if an author wants their writings to be noticed in the big business of books. Intentional contact with online communities and people in the field is essential. Connecting with others is critical for establishing an on-line presence.

I have learned that there are many formulas. After finishing a couple of online marketing classes and working on a book launch team. I wrote in my journal a list that grouped what I was learning. I have to confess, I was feeling some burnout as I wrote it, a bit sarcastic in tone. Sort of smiling and venting at the same time. I chronicled my awareness of formulas that are necessary for book writing and marketing success.  For me, it had been like coming out of the dark ages into the Renaissance. My marketing and book launching endeavors had consumed copious hours of my time. Both very helpful and challenging to me as a novice in the field. So much to learn. Amazing. My mind was swimming, I couldn’t keep up with everything.

What kind of formulas? There are literally . . .

  • Formulas for titles, that is, if you want search engines to pick them up. You will want to use words that emotionally connect with the reader to entice them into wanting that particular book, titles that say, Buy Me!
  • Formulas for book covers, that is, if you want that instant eye appeal. Use that professional font which works according to the specific venue, book covers that show skill, visual appeal, expertise, (non-indie looking!), high-quality, like amazing!
  • Formulas for marketing, that is, if you want to get noticed in a high-octane world. This is essential—to sell your brand, to make a noise, to find your niche, to create a following that will open up a way for you to stake a claim in the overcrowded market of recently published books.
  • Formulas for networking, that is, creating a platform that gets noticed in a busy world, a place for people to find you, to recognize your product, to pay attention to your voice, and, did I say, to get your point of view across that will make you stand out in the crowded marketplace.
  • Formulas for a successful author enterprise, that is, that pays your way, this includes selling on the side, re-purposing content from tele-seminars, publishing sets of e-books, virtual blog tours to increase traffic to your site, audio conferencing in your field, pod-casting and radio blogging for the audio listener, and video trailers for visual learners, Google-plus interviews and expanding of author circles for the name association and contact base, and, the all important, making money through the links and contacts from your blogging site or other, and writing more books to sell your already published books, a worthy endeavor. Keep them coming and we’ll keep buying them….at least that’s the theory. I’ll let you know if it works for me!
  •  Formulas for indies, that is, for the independent writer who self-publishes their work. You must do the work, become someone who finds a way to develop your craft, publish the work on a shoe-string, all to have a chance at the global market place. It helps to know what an “indie” is, I didn’t know at first. Crazy!
  • Formulas for the actual book writing, that will help sell the book, that is, include the necessaries. Get the services and formats you need to propel a good book forward: book editing, book shepherds, Amazon book search words, book reviews, book launch team, book promotion agenda, and don’t forget those ratings! Get those ratings to work for you so you can hit those coveted Best Seller rankings. And, did I say, sell lots of books. Do this. You may even have to give free ebooks away. It’s one more formula for success, to get your name out there. Besides, people like free things.

That list is not exhaustive. It includes many other possibilities: Author Central, Facebook author pages, and on-line book clubs exist. There are many ways to create a subscription list.  All to help the author and the reader find each other. A good thing, too. It all takes time and know-how. Keep on trekking, or should I say, keep on learning and applying. Look at me, this WordPress site is one that I am building on my own, learning as I go. I look for people who know their business, and then I apply the knowledge or products. Since I don’t have money to burn, I take care in my selections. I notice the trends, gurus, and mentors. It’s like a community, a nice community at that.

If I have learned one thing in the last few months of gathering information about this author enterprise, it is this: In today’s world you can’t assume your book will sell on its own merit. A few get lucky, I know. But not most of us. You must do much much more. The author must wear another hat. Best seller rankings, number crunching in the Amazon categories, and a whole craft is devoted to this second side of authorship. Selling the book. The sales are up to you as the author. The newly published or soon-to-be published author must become savvy. No keeping the head buried in the sand will do. Life will pass you by. In your closet will sit stacks of books unsold, unread, unknown—a book unread by unknown readers who don’t even know your unsold book exists. They don’t know you have a public offering that will increase awareness in your area of expertise, your brand.

If I sound jaded, I’m not. Overwhelmed is more accurate. However, I am learning. One doesn’t try to do it all. You take one thing, and learn it well. At the same time, you begin learning the second step. Eventually, you determine what are the right areas for you. No one can do it all. Rather than do many things poorly, do a few things well. Books will begin to sell, at least, it’s my understanding that they will. I will continue to learn as I go and increase my visibility in the process. One of the best side-benefits is this, I am gaining some new friends on this book publishing journey.

The Down and Dirty business? Well, one has to do the hard work, put in the effort, become efficient and productive, get your feet wet. Keep at it. Do it! 

 I wish you well in your authoring venture. By reading this blog you are a big jump ahead of where I was when I published my first book. Go for it!

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Learn the Craft then Begin the Book (you’ll be glad you did)

Book Writing Know-How:

I wrote it wrong before getting it right.

As we all know, it is essential to know the requirements, skill, and basics, before initiating action and implementation for any enterprise. Writing for publication is no exception. I made the mistake of assuming I could write an acceptable book by relying on my ability to write well. In the end this didn’t work for me. There was a reason it fell flat.

Although I purchased recommended writing manuals and publishing books, my basic know-how in book writing was only rudimentary. These were not enough to do the job with skill or finesse. It was a sad day, the day I learned that my unfinished manuscript fell short in a number of areas. The manuscript errors could easily have been avoided if I had solicited advice during an earlier stage in the writing process, or better yet, before beginning. Today, with the advent of numerous internet resources and growth in the self-publishing market, there is much less cause for naïveté in the writing field. For wannabe writers, the door is wide open. However, some serious preparation is in order.

Writers have ideas just itching to get out. Communicating through the written word is a stimulating, almost heady experience. It is fun! Writing is like a stimulant, it can get the creative juices flowing. Those who love the craft are able to formulate clever sentences with a certain amount of ease. The editing process and the perfecting of the manuscript are the  time-consumers, often requiring mental gymnastics in search of the best way to express a thought in a way which speaks life into its pages. Effective book writing takes all this and then some.

My prior experiences in writing were in the genres of essays, poems, and plays.  Despite their success and positive responses from my audience,  these writing experiences were not enough. My knowledge base did not deliver the goods on my first attempt at book writing. Their most glaring deficit was that I wrote in a passive rather than active voice. Instead of  showing the reader what I was feeling, I was telling the story and also telling the reader what to think (a real no-no). Telling is rather boring, uninteresting, with all the appeal of a textbook. Showing is intriguing, exciting, pulling the reader into the thought and action. In addition to this error, telling rather than showing, my manuscript had other writing errors common to beginning, unproven authors: inappropriate verb tenses, overuse of adjectives, unnecessary adverbs, over-use of clauses and so forth.  A writing coach set me straight.

The craft of writing.

A Smooth Approach to Writing a Better Book

Write well and you will find yourself heading in the right direction. What was passed on to me I pass on to you. Basic formats with specific language structures are the basis for the craft of writing. The more I write the more I realize that these are common sense guidelines. 

Once a person becomes aware of them it is easier to spot these writing structures.  Ever since I became serious about my writing, I make mental evaluations while reading literary text. The author’s use of  writing style and language is assessed more acutely than before becoming aware of what good writing looks like. This comes with the territory. I share a few guidelines with you as a first consideration while undertaking a writing project. The following tips have been useful in my writing ventures.

Make the first sentence count—
         The most important sentence in a book is its opening sentence.
           -The first sentence must be an attention-grabbing sentence. Makes you want “more.”
            -Gripping enough to capture the interest after the book is pulled off the shelf.
            -Interesting enough to keep the person perusing through a few of its pages.
 
Make the message speak—
        Every book has a predominate message.
            -A book’s content is related to its central message.
            -Prepare in advance by stating the book’s message in concise language.
            -Then keep to it. 
            -Don’t let the inside matter get side-tracked by side-eddies.
  
Make an organizational web—
        A “chapter web” will help organize the main points.
            -Arrange ideas in thought-bubbles forming a star-burst surrounding the main idea, or use an outline.
            -Jot key content in bubbles, use this content for potential chapter guides.
 
Make it worth while—
        Each page should be interesting enough to hold the reader’s attention.
            -Tempt the reader to be willing to plunk down $25 to buy your book.
             -Give the book-browser a reason to purchase your book.
             -Whet the appetite. Make each page speak on its own.
 
Make the reader join up—
        Show the emotion, details, and physical sensations. 
            -Refrain from telling about the story.
            -Place the reader into the scene by using descriptive words. 
            -Avoid over-explaining the content.
           -Show what the character is expressing, feeling, or experiencing.
 
Make the narrative active not passive—
        Write in an active voice.
            -Choose active, present tense verbs when applicable i.e. “is” versus “was.”
            -Avoid words that may bog down the narrative and risk boring the reader.
            -Be careful to not flip tenses or first/third person in the inside matter. 
            -Train yourself to spot these by oral proofreading the text.
 
Make the use of adjectives and adverbs a rare occurrence—
        The writing stands alone without the clutter of adjectives and adverbs.
            -Infrequent use of adjective and adverbs is preferred. 
            -Write clean. Write sharp. Write clear sentences.
 
Make the writing intrigue the reader by being slow to show—
        The reader wants to figure it out; skip telling them what or how to think.
            -Don’t tell too much too fast or hint at the book’s conclusion.
            -Allow the reader to find their own way, to figure it out.
 
Make the book reach its intended point without over-doing it—
        The reader will be insulted if you explain the obvious.
            -Don’t tell the reader how to process the clues.
            -Trust the reader to interact with your message.
 
Make the book free of clichés, jargon, and words to impress—
       Certain genres are prone to “in-house” vernacular.
            -Political, spiritual, historical writings etc. may assume background knowledge.
            -Refrain from the use of terms not familiar to a general audience (or explain them).
            -Language must be pure, direct, and understood.
            -Complicated words should be toned down if they impede the reader.

So, there you have it. A few tips that should help with writing clean and get you started.  Book-style writing is not writing the same way we speak, unlike many of us were taught during our formal education. Book writing has its own format. It requires the developing of a necessary skill, a craft that will be shape and morph until its hidden beauty speaks. The avid mind will soak up print as a tunnel to a world of delight.