So as I sit here, a safe seven months from my release date, I'm watching various friends and acquaintances as they madly dance through the steps required to promote and advertise a new book. It's important, especially for newer authors, to do something beyond just saying 'I have written a book and my mommy says it's awesome' when they have something hitting the shelves. (Although 'I have written a book and Seanan's mommy says it's awesome' seems to carry a surprising amount of weight for everyone but me. Does anybody else out there have a tattooed, foul-mouthed mother who'd be willing to fill that particular role for me?)
So the question becomes, what works? Book giveaways are obviously good things, but also somewhat self-limiting, as I sort of want people to buy things. (Oddly enough, I don't feel like earning back my advance all by myself.) Competitions are also good, providing the prizes are interesting -- and heck, prizes are just lovely things to offer. So what do you think would be a good idea? What kinds of promotion would you like to see? We have seven months to put even the strangest of plans into motion, so sing out!
There's going to be a sample chapter in the DAW Books Summer Sampler, which will be coming out at or around the San Diego Comic Convention. I should also be able to post a chapter or two on my website, once we get closer to publication (I'd say probably around the time they allow me to post my cover art).
Cassandra Clare is tormenting her followers with outtakes: the stuff that might have happened but didn't, and thus will appear nowhere in the book but is fascinating to read anyway.
I'm planning to take a page from Kelley Armstrong's book and do online tie-in fiction for the book(s) where it makes sense. Definitely InCryptid, probably Toby.
Honestly? You've got a popular blog (two, actually), and you'll have a functioning web site. You're active and visible at conventions.
I don't think you *have* to do more than you're already doing. Heck, some authors don't even do that much, and they seem to do just fine.
The promotional things I've had the most success with were the ones where I was having the most fun. Go figure. Whether that's the princess contest we did for the book launch of Stepsister Scheme, or the Photoshopping contest a while back, those were the things that people really seemed to get into.
Don't kill yourself trying to be SuperPromoting Author Extraordinaire.
Though if you wanted to do some sort of joint contest with an author who has a mermaid book coming out in October, that could be fun ;-)
Talk with your editor, get four "teaser" scenes that can each be fit into roughly a 4" by 5" space, and have them put on a .pdf. If printed double-sided, one side would have the four scenes, and the other side would have
Rosemary and Rue
Coming September 2009
From DAW Books
printed four times. (I think that's your publisher. Edit as necessary to get right what I get wrong, in any case.) Throw in a few appropriate URLs to fill out the space.
Make the .pdf freely available. People who want to be crazy about this can print it out on light cardstock, cut it apart, and leave book scenes lying about like religious tracts. Try to convince people to restrain the crazy.
Work some of the cons (okay, go to the same ones you were attending anyway, maybe ask some acolytes to attend theirs) and pass out bookmarks with your name, the title, and a good quote from the book. Then you're advertising at them even while they're reading something else. :)
I think seding copies to these girls: http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php would be a great step. Also any Sci-fi book blogs. Build word of mouth through the mouths that matter to the intarwebs. I bought the Stepsister Scheme based on your rec because I love your writing, and your opinion adds value. Give your books to people who will do the saame for you.
I've been trying to help shadow-market my bf's book for the last couple of months. Unlike your multi-talented self, Dave doesn't have a widely popular blog or a recording career or a faithful legion of the undead at his beck and call, so clearly you've got several aces up your sleeve already.
However: I'm recovering academic and my area of study was viral marketing. I was more on the analytical end than the practical, unfortunately, but I've been trying to give Dave some suggestions and we've worked up a series of web sites that hopefully make people go "huh" -- here's the central one, if you're curious. All of which was by way of saying: I think viral is a good way to go if you're looking for visibility with groups who might not know you yet.
You're an artist, an author, and a musician. There are a lot of opportunities there.
I like the YouTube video idea. There are a lot of zombie fans out there and with a little promotion you could get a lot of hits. Look for other fan videos (Jonathan Coultan Re: Your Brains come to mind) and see about cross linking your video.
Special music for con and above video. I've no doubt in your skill to come up with something along those lines.
Draw a poster or something similar that can be printed out in Black and White or Color so that people who are already fans can promote for you. Lots of people know people who run or frequent book stores, comic shops, conventions, etc.
Art contests. Why draw your own art - find others to draw it for you. Including but not limited to: Icon contests, poster contests, dress up as your favorite zombie and take amusing picture contests, etc. Post the winners on your web site for bragging rights.
I know you're sending out ARCs to all the usual channels, but there's a lot of low-volume sources you could also hit.
Maybe take a couple of your ARCs and send them on a world tour, with the understanding that everyone who gets it (A) must pass it on in a week, and (B) must write and post/publish a review. Use this trick to hit the bloggers and the local distribution 'zines (Connotations in Phoenix, for example). Resist the urge to include grandma's family newsletter (or anyplace else where everybody is already planning to buy your book anyway).
Give away stuff to reviewers. Yes, it's bribery. It also works.
Someone mentioned excerpts. You can post a lengthy version on your website, but make up something smaller, and easily copied (one sheet, single-sided, medium-large font - small artwork & a screaming headline would be a bonus). Beg, plead, and if you have to, pay people to run off a hundred or two copies and put on the freebee table at every convention possible the month before, during, and after the book release.
One of my author friends who just released her incredibly awesome YA book, LAMENT, (homicidal fairies, FTW!) did some online chats where people could ask her questions and I know she also gave away some autographed, personalized bookplates to people who participated in the chats, so there's a give away idea that isn't, you know, your whole book. Some of your ATC's would translate nicely to bookplates.
Having people post reviews and then link them back to your journal/ website is a great way to get the word out on LJ, and the web in general. Word of mouth is your best friend for your first book, I think.
If you do make pdfs, as suggested before, I'll print some out and put them on the freebie tables at both of the Oklahoma conventions this year Conestoga in April (literary convention) and SoonerCon in June (literary and SciFi convention).
Like the pdf idea. Briggs does sample chapters and sucked me in that way. Anythimg to make people go "what then??"
LOVE the book plates idea too.
Create a blurb or handout of any sirt and grant permission and I'll print them and try to get them to Powell's and libraries here to tempt the patrons thereof.
In connection with the filk cons you are going to be at, maybe announce a song contest based on the book. The song you select as the best one you might then cover on your next album, and maybe have the person who wrote it as one of your singers or performers on the track.
...Oh, that's clever. Though it does run the risk of the author's head going asplody from the "bad fanfic" effect, depending on the quality of doggerel that comes in. On the other hand, talk about viral marketing -- it'd be all over the place, anywhere there was filking, yes?
Direct people to your blog. Because you're so damned fun, even the people who don't normally read the crazy urban fantasy will at least consider reading yourcrazy urban fantasy.
A working website? A working website with a cover and a decent blurb? (A couple of authors' websites I've seen don't have book blurbs or just have links to Amazon, both of which drive me nuts of the 'I'm here, why won't you tell me what your book is about so I can figure out if I'd like it?' variety) I think posting the first chapter if you're allowed to would be an excellent idea as well, as well as posting links to other peices of your writing that may be floating about on the internet-thingy- it will give people more idea about whether your work is 'I could buy that', 'not my thing' or 'OMG I must buy that the second it comes out!'
So don't give away books. Give away book-related things.
People mentioned bookmarks. Always a good plan. People love bookmarks, they're easy to take because they're small. With a nice graphic, they get read.
You're already doing art cards... so do more as promo. They only cost you time, really. The same time you were going to spend drawing anyways :)
If you're sending out ARCs to people who don't necessarily know you, include a Toby related art card with it. Even if they go "Oh, another book", the art will stand out and catch their attention. Then they are FAR more likely to actually look at the book.
thoughtful
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February 13 2009, 15:07:07 UTC 8 years ago
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Re: You're already halfway there.
February 10 2009, 19:12:14 UTC 8 years ago
Re: You're already halfway there.
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Re: I figure it will take them less than a month.
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Re: You're already halfway there.
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Re: You're already halfway there.
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February 10 2009, 19:08:24 UTC 8 years ago
(Icon? "Seanan's Mom says... / It's AWESOME! / [cover of book] / [title of book in big letters over the cover 'cause icons are teeny]"
Will they be putting up any sample chapters? (Can you sucker them into doing so?)
I'd suggest making a one-act operetta of the first few chapters and posting it to YouTube, but someone might take me seriously. >_>
Send the Foglios (www.girlgeniusonline.com) a copy and hope they stick a shout-out to it somewhere? *grin*
February 13 2009, 15:10:12 UTC 8 years ago
Good suggestions!
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February 10 2009, 19:15:45 UTC 8 years ago
I don't think you *have* to do more than you're already doing. Heck, some authors don't even do that much, and they seem to do just fine.
The promotional things I've had the most success with were the ones where I was having the most fun. Go figure. Whether that's the princess contest we did for the book launch of Stepsister Scheme, or the Photoshopping contest a while back, those were the things that people really seemed to get into.
Don't kill yourself trying to be SuperPromoting Author Extraordinaire.
Though if you wanted to do some sort of joint contest with an author who has a mermaid book coming out in October, that could be fun ;-)
February 10 2009, 19:20:33 UTC 8 years ago
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From the Department of Stupid Ideas:
February 10 2009, 19:24:34 UTC 8 years ago
Talk with your editor, get four "teaser" scenes that can each be fit into roughly a 4" by 5" space, and have them put on a .pdf. If printed double-sided, one side would have the four scenes, and the other side would have
Coming September 2009
From DAW Books
printed four times. (I think that's your publisher. Edit as necessary to get right what I get wrong, in any case.) Throw in a few appropriate URLs to fill out the space.
Make the .pdf freely available. People who want to be crazy about this can print it out on light cardstock, cut it apart, and leave book scenes lying about like religious tracts. Try to convince people to restrain the crazy.
Re: From the Department of Stupid Ideas:
February 10 2009, 20:02:36 UTC 8 years ago
Re: From the Department of Stupid Ideas:
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Re: From the Department of Stupid Ideas:
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February 10 2009, 19:35:33 UTC 8 years ago
February 10 2009, 19:44:39 UTC 8 years ago
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February 10 2009, 19:50:20 UTC 8 years ago
http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.c
would be a great step.
Also any Sci-fi book blogs.
Build word of mouth through the mouths that matter to the intarwebs.
I bought the Stepsister Scheme based on your rec because I love your writing, and your opinion adds value.
Give your books to people who will do the saame for you.
February 14 2009, 02:10:17 UTC 8 years ago
February 10 2009, 20:58:23 UTC 8 years ago Edited: February 10 2009, 20:59:07 UTC
However: I'm recovering academic and my area of study was viral marketing. I was more on the analytical end than the practical, unfortunately, but I've been trying to give Dave some suggestions and we've worked up a series of web sites that hopefully make people go "huh" -- here's the central one, if you're curious. All of which was by way of saying: I think viral is a good way to go if you're looking for visibility with groups who might not know you yet.
February 14 2009, 02:10:55 UTC 8 years ago
February 10 2009, 21:22:33 UTC 8 years ago
I like the YouTube video idea. There are a lot of zombie fans out there and with a little promotion you could get a lot of hits. Look for other fan videos (Jonathan Coultan Re: Your Brains come to mind) and see about cross linking your video.
Special music for con and above video. I've no doubt in your skill to come up with something along those lines.
Draw a poster or something similar that can be printed out in Black and White or Color so that people who are already fans can promote for you. Lots of people know people who run or frequent book stores, comic shops, conventions, etc.
Art contests. Why draw your own art - find others to draw it for you. Including but not limited to: Icon contests, poster contests, dress up as your favorite zombie and take amusing picture contests, etc. Post the winners on your web site for bragging rights.
That's all I've got at the moment.
February 14 2009, 02:12:45 UTC 8 years ago
February 10 2009, 23:02:14 UTC 8 years ago
February 14 2009, 02:13:14 UTC 8 years ago
8 years ago
8 years ago
February 10 2009, 23:08:05 UTC 8 years ago
I know you're sending out ARCs to all the usual channels, but there's a lot of low-volume sources you could also hit.
Maybe take a couple of your ARCs and send them on a world tour, with the understanding that everyone who gets it (A) must pass it on in a week, and (B) must write and post/publish a review. Use this trick to hit the bloggers and the local distribution 'zines (Connotations in Phoenix, for example). Resist the urge to include grandma's family newsletter (or anyplace else where everybody is already planning to buy your book anyway).
Give away stuff to reviewers. Yes, it's bribery. It also works.
Someone mentioned excerpts. You can post a lengthy version on your website, but make up something smaller, and easily copied (one sheet, single-sided, medium-large font - small artwork & a screaming headline would be a bonus). Beg, plead, and if you have to, pay people to run off a hundred or two copies and put on the freebee table at every convention possible the month before, during, and after the book release.
Alex
February 14 2009, 02:13:40 UTC 8 years ago
February 11 2009, 00:03:13 UTC 8 years ago
Having people post reviews and then link them back to your journal/ website is a great way to get the word out on LJ, and the web in general. Word of mouth is your best friend for your first book, I think.
If you do make pdfs, as suggested before, I'll print some out and put them on the freebie tables at both of the Oklahoma conventions this year Conestoga in April (literary convention) and SoonerCon in June (literary and SciFi convention).
February 14 2009, 02:14:00 UTC 8 years ago
February 11 2009, 02:19:58 UTC 8 years ago
LOVE the book plates idea too.
Create a blurb or handout of any sirt and grant permission and I'll print them and try to get them to Powell's and libraries here to tempt the patrons thereof.
February 11 2009, 02:21:14 UTC 8 years ago
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February 11 2009, 02:29:52 UTC 8 years ago
February 13 2009, 19:37:36 UTC 8 years ago
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February 11 2009, 09:38:29 UTC 8 years ago
the crazyurban fantasy will at least consider reading yourcrazyurban fantasy.A working website? A working website with a cover and a decent blurb? (A couple of authors' websites I've seen don't have book blurbs or just have links to Amazon, both of which drive me nuts of the 'I'm here, why won't you tell me what your book is about so I can figure out if I'd like it?' variety) I think posting the first chapter if you're allowed to would be an excellent idea as well, as well as posting links to other peices of your writing that may be floating about on the internet-thingy- it will give people more idea about whether your work is 'I could buy that', 'not my thing' or 'OMG I must buy that the second it comes out!'
February 14 2009, 02:15:29 UTC 8 years ago
February 11 2009, 10:52:54 UTC 8 years ago
People mentioned bookmarks. Always a good plan. People love bookmarks, they're easy to take because they're small. With a nice graphic, they get read.
You're already doing art cards... so do more as promo. They only cost you time, really. The same time you were going to spend drawing anyways :)
If you're sending out ARCs to people who don't necessarily know you, include a Toby related art card with it. Even if they go "Oh, another book", the art will stand out and catch their attention. Then they are FAR more likely to actually look at the book.
February 14 2009, 02:15:45 UTC 8 years ago