Every author has thought it, said it, and heard it: promotion is the roll-up-your-sleeves and dig-in part of writing. It’s the much more difficult and time consuming aspect of writing that every author needs to become involved with . . . if she wants to sell her books. To actually sell a book, you need…
Category: book marketing
Traditional Publishing and the Author Platform – Be Realistic
Best sellers happen to unknown authors. Getting on the New York Times Best Seller list happens. Breakout books happen to new authors. But . . . Yes, of course, there’s a ‘but.’ Statistically speaking, about 80% or more of all books don’t succeed. Every new author needs to enter the publishing arena with open eyes….
The Author Platform – It Should Have Been Started Yesterday
Did you ever hear the expression, “a stitch in time saves nine?” Whether you’re an author or freelance writer, that’s how you need to think of your writing platform. Get it started first, as the foundation of your business. It’s much more effective than trying to play catch-up. If you’re an author, your platform needs…
Submitting Queries – Be Specific and Professional
All writers face the dreaded query. Did I put enough information? Did I put too much? Did I have a great hook? Am I submitting to the right publisher or agent? These are just a few questions that run through a writer’s mind when mailing or clicking the send button for the query. So, how…
The Author Website – Keep it Simple and to the Point
As an instructor of online classes that teach how to create and build an author online presence, of all the lessons, the most popular one, and the one that sparks the most questions, is how to create an effective author website. While some marketers still lean toward the effectiveness of long copy, especially for sales…
Book Marketing – Do Not Be Taken to the Website Design Cleaners
5 Tips on Creating an Author Website as the First Step in Your Online Marketing Strategy There is an abundance of website design and hosting services on the internet. You can get services that handle both the design and the hosting, or services that provide one or the other. Whatever your needs, there is a…
Book Marketing – You’ve Gotta Have a Blog
The time and effort you put into writing your book paid off – you got a publishing contract. And, now you’re book will be out in a few months. Or, maybe you self-published your book . . . or are just about to. Whichever route you’ve taken, it’s time to get your visibility and platform…
The One Sentence Pitch for Your Manuscript
Your one sentence pitch is a very condensed, super-tight yet concise description of your story, specifically the plot of your story. Think of it as a one sentence calling card – you’re unique selling proposal or proposition. A beginning step on your book marketing journey. You might ask why does it have to be only…
The Book Summary – Five Must-Know Components
After your book query, the book summary or description is the most important marketing element. You can think of it as number 2 on the book marketing ladder. Once your book query gets the reader to actually read it, the summary is what will entice the editor or agent to ask for more. If you’re…
Book Marketing and the Query Letter
If you are contemplating writing a book or you’ve already written one and intend on going the traditional publishing path, you’ll need a query letter and a cover letter. This is true whether you’re an author, a writer, or a business owner who wants to build his authority with a book. Wondering what a query…