Tag: book marketing tips

When It Comes to Books — First Impressions Count — Big Time

catherSo you’ve written the next Great American Novel and you’re ready to publish. Now you’re down to the silly details that try your patience. You have to choose your categories and then come up with a short description, almost every writer’s bane. How do you distill 600 pages down to six sentences? How do you convey all the passion and wisdom and inspiration of your story into one or two paragraphs?

Careful. It’s tempting to throw down a few sentences and call it good.

Don’t do it. Continue reading “When It Comes to Books — First Impressions Count — Big Time”

Know Where You’re Going … Before You Get There

Know where you're going with a marketing planThere’s a story from years ago, the truth of which may or may not be factual, that goes like this. Albert Einstein boarded a train and flopped into a seat, his wild hair unmistakable to the other passengers. A conductor worked his way down the aisle, collecting tickets while Einstein fidgeted in his seat checking pocket after pocket. He seemed a bit frantic as the conductor neared, but the ticket taker put a hand on his shoulder, leaned down and said quietly, “That’s okay. I know who you are.” Continue reading “Know Where You’re Going … Before You Get There”

Goodreads for Beginners

goodreads logoMention Goodreads to an author and you’re likely to get a response like, “Oh, I don’t know. I’ve heard people are mean over there. I think I’ll pass.”

As a longtime user of Goodreads, both as a reader and an author, I’ve seen my share of skirmishes, but the problem, in my humble opinion, lies with misusing Goodreads. For those thinking of braving the waters, here are some basic Dos and Don’ts: Continue reading “Goodreads for Beginners”

Cover Reveals – Should We Bother?

True Colors Melissa PearlIt’s easy to wonder if cover reveals are worth the time and effort. Some authors do them well in advance; some do them the week before release and others don’t bother with them at all. Being a fan of cover reveals, I thought I’d throw in my two cents worth and see what you guys thought.

I read a great post by Jonathan Gunson a couple of years ago. Basically what he said was that the sooner we start promoting a book before release, the better. My publicist (Mark My Words Publicity) recommends a 9-week build up. Most consumers need to see a product multiple times before purchasing. (See Lynne Cantwell’s article on Effective Frequency.) Readers need to be teased and enticed. You want them to be so aware of your book’s release date that they will have the date circled on their calendars and be looking you up on Amazon the moment that day arrives. Continue reading “Cover Reveals – Should We Bother?”