Why You Need a Writing Hero

Lately I've been reading a lot of guides on business success. One thing I've noticed every good marketing, sales, or business success book includes is this key piece of advice:

Find a mentor, someone who already does what you want to do. Model your actions and attitude on that successful example.

In other words, have a hero.

I have several heroes for various aspects of my life, but today I'll stick with writing. I admire many, but my hero would be:

 Ray Bradbury

... because he gets it done.

This blog hop is hosted by Joy Campbell and celebrates the release of Saving Sam. Check it out on Amazon today!

Who is your hero?

Read More

Google+ - Why can't I love thee?

Conceptually, Google+ is my favoured platform for writers. It's easy to accumulate followers and has many bonuses, such as grouping those you follow into 'circles', links to your YouTube channel and the ability to 'hang out'.

So why can't I fall in love Google+? 

In social media I look for useful advice/information and personal interactions (please, no more random pics of LOL cats). Twitter often shares useful links, but with so many people scheduling their tweets, I often wonder how many are actually reading them.

Facebook killed MySpace, and it seemed for a while there Google+ would repay the favour. It was all the talk, it was the new wave (pun intended). There's a lot to lure me in, I have 5,000+ followers on Google+ compared to my Twitter's 1,500+ and Facebooks 500+. I've also started up a community for writers with blogs: Writer's Blogs

And yet, I only visit my Google+ page about once per week. Most of my close friends are on Facebook, and lately I've been having some whimsical fun on Twitter. So why not Google+? Perhaps it's the layout? 

I'm going have another try, for the next week I'll focus interacting with members on the Google+ platform (this plan conveniently overrides my need to finish editing my current manuscript). How about you? Are you on Google+? Like it, hate it, indifferent?

Speaking of distractions, the family and I headed out this weekend to see Doctor Who on the big screen! We watched Angels take Manhatten and Asylum of the Daleks, and it was a blast. There were loads of great costumes.

KINDLE FIRE GIVEAWAY

To celebrate the release of my new mystery novel for girls, I'm giving away a Kindle Fire and a $25 Amazon gift voucher! Simply download Dognapped? A Dog Show Detective Mystery or blog about the book to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read More

Writers for Writers

Yet more proof of what a supportive bunch we writers are.

Stephen Tremp from Breakthrough Blogs is hosting a Writers for Writers blog hop. This group aims to help promote members' books via twitter. It's quite simple, each month (the third Monday) a few writers will be highlighted. By visiting their blog you can pick up the promotional tweet to be retweeted. The tweet will promote the book, include a link to Amazon and ask others to retweet for you. This should help create a buzz about the book, increase sales/downloads and lift the book in Amazon's ratings. Then, when it's your turn, you'll write a tweet about your book and members will retweet it for you.

It's worth noting that this at times will require tweeting about a book you haven't read. I will in no way mislead followers to believe I'm endorsing the book, but am happy to simply send out a link and description. If a tweet sounds like a review, I'd probably reword it. For example, I wouldn't send out a tweet that read: Best mystery fiction ever! You must read DETECTIVE ZOMBIE GETS HIS MAN link.com if I hadn't read the book. I will still send out a link with a description of genre. I might add 'sounds like a fun read', or 'I'm keen to check this out'.

So if you're keen, sign up here:

Read More

A Writer's Best (Imaginary) Friend

Kyra Lennon and Annalisa Crawford have co-hosted a blog hop on imaginary friends (find out more here).

I was a late bloomer and by time I picked an imaginary friend, all the good ones were gone. While other girls had giggling buddies to share stories with, I had Ray. Dr Ray, to be exact.

I'd like to think news programs were to blame (and not my own freakishness), when I developed a fascination with murderers. Don't worry, Dr Ray wasn't a psychopath--he was a psychiatrist. Together we would sit and Mull over the puzzle of the mind of a murderer. What makes a person act that way? Back then, I figured I would become a psychiatrist one day, but I also had artist, author, vet and an array of other vocations in my to-do list. Dr Ray never completely disappeared, although he remained wisely silent during my teen years. 

Later though, my kids would catch me musing observations to the air and ask 'who are you talking to?'

'Nobody.' I would answer, but quickly look about the crowded shopping centre to make sure no one else caught me mid-conversation with Dr Ray. 

Sometimes we'd argue--he's so darn opinionated and quite frankly, a little narrow-minded. I'd like to say he's lingered this long because of his hunky looks, but Dr Ray was created in the mid-seventies and has remained unchanged since. I'm sure he'd love to become a character in one of my stories, but I just don't want to give him that much exposure, it'd go right to his head.

So, tell the truth, did you have an imaginary friend? Dorky, or cool like Dr Ray?

Dr Ray never smiled this much for me, he must like you!

*if you never return to my blog after reading this post... I understand.

Read More

Indie Publishing - what you need to know

Make sure you have a critical eye review your work before you self-publish

The Queensland Writers Centre (QWC) put on a lot of great workshops and seminars, and today I attended 'Going Indie' hosted by a panel of experienced authors on the industry of self-pubblishing.

This was a great talk and there were a lot of tips, opportunities and concerns about the indie publishing industry raised. The speaker panel was made up with Sally Collings, author/editor/publisher, Graham Nunn, poet & blogger and Alan Baxter, author & karate instructor. There was a lot covered, but here's a short overview of the main points I picked up:

• Indie publishing, generally means independent of big business.
• The term self-publishing is not representative of the output professional writers produce. There is nothing 'self' about this process, the title suggests going it solo. I have to agree here. I fumbled through producing my own e-book, when I published the Australian edition of the paperback of My Zombie Dog, I utilised professional editors, graphic artists and printers. I consider Book Cover Cafe to be my go to team for the production of my books.
• Indie publishing can offer a faster turn around time from manuscript to printed book. This does not mean the author should rush the process. It's tempting to get your work out there quickly, but quality is more important than speed.
• Quality also costs. Think of your book as a start up business, you'll need capital. This is why some authors will persist with the traditional route, it is a relief to have someone else fund your idea, but then they will own a big chunk of your asset. The alternative is paying a professional team to assist you putting together your product and you pay for the printing. This does mean your share of the return will be higher.
• Choose an editor you can trust and believe in. 
• You are your own gatekeeper now. Just because you don't have a publishing house rejecting your work, doesn't mean you shouldn't reject it if it's not quite ready. Put out the best quality you can.
• Becoming an indie author does not mean turning your back on traditional publishing, different projects may call for different avenues, you might self-publish one project and accept a contract on another. Readers care about the product and the author, not the publisher.
• Having specific goals is important. Do you want to share samples of your poetry for free? Then maybe ebooks or photocopied pamphlets are the easiest, cheapest ways to do that. Set yourself goals to achieve, whether it's to produce a certain number of finished manuscripts in a year, or to build your connections in the industry or to learn more about publishing.
• Don't be shy. Writing communities are extremely welcoming and supportive. Start connecting with other bloggers and writers, you'll learn a lot about the industry. Join a writers group or start one up yourself, and attend industry seminars and workshops at your local writers centre.
• Contribute to the community you want to belong to. Buy and read in your genre, support other indie authors, read the publications that host the competitions you want to enter.
• Devote time to your craft every day.
• Get plenty of critical feedback.
• Build a visible presence online. You need a good solid website as a landing place for readers to find you.
• Once online, don't hard sell. If all you do is shout 'buy my book', you'll soon turn away your online buddies. Have something to offer back, even if it's just support for other authors.
• Don't limit your format. Graham Nunn has had his Haikus published on cans of lemonade in Japan and on Chinese fortune cookie inserts.

The main problem raised for Australian indie authors was distribution. It's extremely difficult to get your book into book stores. But as the industry of indie publishing grows, so may the reception from retailers. Exciting times.

Read More

Creating a Writer's Website

The wonderful Linda Jackson from Writers Do Laundry, Too has interviewed me! Head on over, and you might pick up a free copy of My Zombie Dog.

Most writers understand the need to have a strong presence online (or 'build a platform'). As a writer, where should you be online?

I believe this comes down to choice and market. There are so many social media sites now, you can settle into the ones that feel right for you. But, you also want to consider your readers, where do they hangout online?

A website is a good start. This is a page where your readers can find you if they search. It can also host all your contact information, so readers can then connect with you on Twitter or Facebook, or wherever you provide links.

I have a dear friend who is very talented with Graphic Arts and Design. Rhonda from Mercieca Designs, created a special website for me. You can find Rhonda at her blog Toxic Designz:

Your website can contain blurbs for your books, or even sample pages, as well as links to make it easy for readers to purchase your products.

I've had this blog for a few years and so there's not much chance I'd relocate or walk away from it. However, if I was doing my time again, I'd have my blog hosted within my website. This way you could have yourname.com/blog rather than yourname.blogspot.com. My blog would also be easier to find, the way I have this blog set up, it's called Wagging Tales, the web address is clancytales and the name I promote is charmaineclancy. It's a wonder any of you turn up here at all! (I'm very glad you did).

Before you rush off to hire a graphic designer, or attempt to put your own site up, make a list of all the information you want to have included. Then group that information into logical 'pages'. Also shop about, look at other author's websites. Try seeing what writers in your genre use. Mystery and thriller writers often use blacks or reds in their design, whereas children's writers use cheery colours like yellow, blue or pink.

Make it professional. Your site represents you as a writer. Whether you want readers or potential publishers to view it, you want them to see that you are serious about your craft and work, even if your site has a fun or comical theme.

Read More

Bookmarks as Promotional Tools

Designing bookmarks for the book - will have rounded corners when I'm done.

What a busy time it's been! My Zombie Dog ebook has been selling well on Amazon, and I'm now producing a paperback for the Australian market with help from The Book Cover Cafe. Exciting times. So, I've started thinking of different ways to promote the physical book. One popular idea is bookmarks.

Like most booky people, we love bookmarks in our house. Instead of giving birthday cards to their friends, my girls create bookmarks on the computer, print and laminate and usually finish off with a bit of ribbon through a hole in the top. These are usually treasured by the receiver. So, how do you do up bookmarks for your novel?

I had to play around with design. At first I tried putting the book cover at the top of the bookmark. I've seen this done before, but it didn't work well for me, the book looks too small. So instead, I put the title of the book on the front of the bookmark, and you don't have to stick to the traditional portrait direction (vertical), I went with a landscape (horizontal) look. I stuck with the same font as my ebook, because that's what will appear on the paperback book cover, plus I just love it. You can find out more about using fonts in this post: How to Font your Cover. I went with a bright purple background because it makes the font colour pop and... well, purple is magic.

You can design your bookmark in Photoshop, Word, almost any design program. I like to use InDesign and Photoshop. Before you start, you'll need to know what size your bookmark is. I've been a long time fan of Vistaprint, but sadly they don't do bookmarks (but if we all keep tweeting them about it, they might give in). I found this printer: Overnight Printing they print bookmarks and even provide a template for you to download.

If you go through a regular printer, you can choose your size. If you have a business that gets a lot of things printed up, you might be able to get them printed cheaply at the same time, because they are long and thin, they can be printed in the 'off cut' area.

If you only need a few to start with, you could always design them on your computer, print them yourself (you should be able to fit 4-5 to a page) cut them out and laminate. Home laminating machines are easy to get and quite cheap now, ours was under $20.

Back to the design; I also found too much text cluttered my bookmark. Now my novel is aimed at kids 8-13yrs (even though my readership seems to include a lot of grandparents), so that's another reason for me to keep it short and snappy. You want to make sure the design suits your genre. Mine is humour/horror, so I wanted a funny tagline. 

Some authors prefer to keep the back of their bookmark plain, so it gives them something to sign. It's a good idea, but I've decided to put the important details on the back. Here's some things you could include:

• Very short blurb, what's the book about?
• Testimonial from happy reader, or another author if you can get it.
• Who would like your book?
• Where can they buy your book? This is the most important.
• Where to find out more about the author and other books they may have, so a link to your website or blog. I chose my website, because my blog is aimed at writers, not really kids. I also have a QR code for my website, so if the kids scan it with a smart phone, it goes straight there.

Have fun with the design, something quirky is more likely to peak the interest of potential readers. You could play with shape, or try folded bookmarks with magnets... the only limit is your imagination! These will be great to hand out when you have book launches, or host a stall at a market/expo, or just when you meet people. And if you want to generate a QR code for your site, try: QR Stuff, it's easy, here' mine:

Do you have any other bookmark suggestions?

And it's that time again! Insecure Writer's Support Group - hope this post was supportive for you! You can find a lot more great posts by clicking on the picture and heading to Alex J Cavanaugh's site.

Read More

Marketing your ebook and links

Today you'll find a post by me over at Romantic Friday Writers. The post is all about marketing your novel once you've published, and has some helpful tips for self-publishers. Please head over and say hello!

So that my blog is not completely empty this week, here are some fantastic links on story structure and finding a formula for your plot:

1. The Lester Dent Pulp Paper Master Fiction Plot
2. Structure by Screenplay Mastery
3. Get a Little Conflict in Your Scene
4. Writing Novels - Formulas and Structures
5. How to Write Your Novel Using a Formula
6. Story Structure and Plot - Novel Writing Tips
7. Plot and Pacing Part One, Plot and Pacing Part Two and Plot and Pacing Part Three
8. Story Elements Checklist for Brainstorming Index Cards
9. Writing Lessons by Richard Setlowe
10. Novel Endings 

Read More

Are you blogging too much?

Is blogging and visiting blogs taking up all your time?

When I started blogging I was hooked straight away. There are so many awesome blogs on writing, I'm sure I gained more information and help from the online world than I did from my studies at school. I was starting at scratch learning the art of writing and I wanted to share that with other peeps. I guess the focus of my blog is - if I can fumble through this, think how easy it will be for you.

I blogged my butt off. Some weeks I'd blog up to four times. My opinion now is that's just not necessary. I know you can reach out to other writers and build a platform for your writing. That's the marketing side, you'll also make great blogging friends, I know I have. BUT. Now I blog about once a week, twice if something special comes up. This gives me more time to visit other blogs, improve my writing skills and work on my books. Less blogging means each post is live longer and has more chance to actually be viewed by readers.

So rather than update you every time my dog does something cute or I have a weird dream, I think about what will be helpful to my reader. The tip I'm suggesting today? Social media is a tool, a great tool, but if your goal is to publish a novel or write flash fiction or poetry, then make your craft your priority. Spend time on your art and balance that time wisely with your platform building. Let social media feed and propel your productivity, not steal from it.

Are you making time for your writing?

Read More

K is for KDP Select

KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) is growing in popularity as a promotional tool for Indie authors. But is it the right tool for you? There are some benefits and drawbacks to this program, your book will boost in popularity, the free days will flow on to create more paid sales and your book will show up underneath other popular books, but, the more popular this program becomes, the less effective it will be for individual books. Also this program requires you to only have your book listed on Amazon, cutting out many other ebook sales sites like Smashwords or iBooks.  With the popularity of iPads growing, I'm not sure it's wise to keep your book off iBooks.

My experience? MY ZOMBIE DOG was downloaded over a thousand times on the one free day I held. The flow on sales were more in one day than the first month. My next promotion will last for two days to see if that works even better. I haven't decided yet if I will stay with KDP or list my book on some of the other sites as well.

If you want to try this program, read up on these helpful posts:

Why Amaon's KDP Select is God's Gift to Authors - The Creative Penn

Best Days to Promote Your Book - The Writing Bomb

The Writers Nook - How to Have the Very Best Promotion

K is also for Kev. Kev is a character who has a small role in MY ZOMBIE DOG, but turned out to be so popular the next book features his story. I'm working on Chapter One of UNDEAD KEV to add to the back of the paperback edition of MY ZOMBIE DOG. CreateSpace are putting the novel together for me and doing a great job, here's a sneak of the cover:

Read More

F is for Free

F is for Fossil, the inspiration for the MY ZOMBIE DOG

If you've been following my blog, twitter or wireless telegraphs, you'll probably know I've release My Zombie Dog and have tried a few different promotions with this book. One of those promotions was the KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) FREE day. For the three months that you sign your book solely to Kindle, you can elect up to five days to have your ebook available for FREE on Amazon. 

I have no concerns about trying different marketing/promotions with this book. It's my first release and I'm happy to learn from the experience for the next books coming out this year. I do have concerns sometimes about the bigger picture. I need to make sure the decisions I make are not positive for this one book but detrimental to the Indie ebook industry as a whole. 

My concern with free is an old philosophy I have, 'don't think you're doing your client/employer a favour by decreasing the cost of your service, in the end that is what they will think it is worth and will resent paying normal price'. I came across this article that made me worry that free, 99c, $1.99 ebooks are devaluing the book as a concept.

So what if my book is downloaded thousands of times, if it's free is that helping sales? Turns out it does. 

• Each time someone downloads my book it lifts in the rankings, bringing it to more people's attention. MY ZOMBIE DOG reached number 2 in children's free 'Spine-chilling Horror'.
• People download multiple books, so in future when someone is browsing a book, underneath it says Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought... and you increase the chance of your book showing up there.
• My book received a lot of tweets and sales at regular price spiked the next day. This was my second best day of sales since release.

As a customer, for me the novelty of free books is wearing off, I don't mind paying for books, in fact I prefer to. But obviously free is still popular with a lot of readers. Perhaps it will also result in more reviews which may help sales as well. 

I'm still investigating the affect of free on the Indie book industry, but here are two articles with varying opinions:

Are eBooks Too Cheap?

Using free ebooks as a marketing tool

Read More

Why You Need Your Head Shot

MY ZOMBIE DOG has officially launched for the Kindle version and the paperback version will be along soon! To celebrate, you still have about 10 days to win a KINDLE! This is open international, so get your entry in! It's very easy, you can buy the book (love you!) or blog about the book or blog about this competition. You also get an extra entry for tweeting.

Go HERE to find the entry form. HURRY, ends 31st March (Aussie time).

Now about author head shots. Do you have one? Is it professional looking or some family pic that gets blurry if you try and make it any bigger than 5cent coin? It doesn't matter if you're published or not, you need to create an image that you want people to associate with you. 

If you can go and get a professional head shot, then good for you, but if you can get a professional look nowadays even with your iPhone.

Don't want a double chin? check out this professional photographer's advice on how to look your best in that head shot:

It's all about the Jaw from Peter Hurley on Vimeo.

Lighting is also important, outside is good, or use a floodlight shone up and towards you to light up your face. Most indoor lights hang from the ceiling so it tends to leave shadows under your nose and chin.

The smile? There's lots of different opinions, some people swear you need to show teeth and others prefer a more demure smile - you know which looks best on you. If you do go for the closed mouth smile, just part your lips ever-so-slightly so you can blow out a breath while smiling, this stops your lips from looking tense and your smile from looking fake.

My biggest weakness is getting bored with my pic. It's best to keep something familiar because it becomes branding. Here's a pic I had taken last year, now to get those books in the background I had to casually lean my arm on the fireplace shelf, which required squatting to be the right height!

But this is what I usually look like in photos (Zoe is a lap dog wannabe):

Read More

WIN A KINDLE FIRE

March 1st is the big release date for MY ZOMBIE DOG and I'm promoting the book by giving away a free Kindle! (If the winner is a lucky US resident, they will win the Kindle Fire, for everywhere else the prize changes to a Kindle Keyboard 3G - due to Amazon shipping rules).

There's two ways to enter:

Buy MY ZOMBIE BOOK by clicking here and then fill in the entry form below. You will be asked for your receipt number from Amazon (it will be on the receipt Amazon email you - keep a copy of your receipt as proof of purchase if you win). Also, Tweet this competition with a link to this page and you get a second entry! You'll be asked for your tweet link, but if you're not sure how to do that, just use the hashtag #zombiedog in your tweet so it's easy to find.

or

Blog about this competition or about MY ZOMBIE DOG (you can review, talk about or interview) and then fill in the entry form below. You will be asked for your blog post link in the entry form. If you'd like an interview for your post, you can email me at charmaineclancy@gmail.com. Also, Tweet this competition with a link to this page and you get a second entry! You'll be asked for your tweet link, but if you're not sure how to do that, just use the hashtag #zombiedog in your tweet so it's easy to find.

Too easy! This competition runs from now until 31st March 2012.

You can only have one entry for blogging but if you blog and buy the book, you'll get two entries (plus another if you tweet about it!). Each entrant has the possibility of earning up to 3 entries.

Already own the Kindle Fire (I'm jealous!), it'd make a fantastic present to someone you love!

Why I'm doing this:

I love you guys and it's the blogasphere that has helped me to get serious about writing and learning the importance of a professional approach.

Also because of this book:

MY ZOMBIE DOG

On Zane’s 14th birthday he had to bury a dog. The next morning it’s in his room, tail wagging.

This is not the dog he wanted. No, Zane longed for a cool Collie or Shepard. Now he’s stuck with this scraggy, smelly undersized mutt. As if the dog wasn’t embarrassing enough, his mum wants to name it ‘Fluffy’. No way. Zane figures it dug itself out of the ground, so its name is Fossil. 

Fossil's a mean dog and will snap and bite at people... but why are those people bitten turning sluggish and craving strange food items like brains? Can Zane rid himself of this mutt and save his town from a zombie outbreak?

Now... Enter, and GOOD LUCK!

Read More

Platform Building for Writers

Part of my business plan includes promotion, for writers today one of the most effective ways to promote is to build a platform. Quite simply, this is just the space where you market yourself. If your platform is effective it can help guide readers to your books and generate sales.

If you've read any writers' blogs you'll already know that there is a huge supportive community out there. Other writers will not only cheer you on, give you great tips and ideas, but sometimes they'll even buy a copy of your book (I know I LOVE buying a book that I find on a blogger-friend's site). 

Let writers help you with building your author platform - a good start? Check out Rach Writes. Rachel runs the Writers' Platform Building Campaign and you can sign up! It's a great way to meet new followers for your blog. I've joined up - will you?

Want more on building your platform? Try my previous posts:

Writers Platform - is it worth the hassle?

Build your author marketing plan

Read More

The Writing Business - My Plan

In my last post I spoke about the need for a writer to have a plan. This could be as elaborate as a detailed business plan or as simple as a list of steps you need to take to become published (and then don't forget the steps to market what you publish).

Today I thought I'd share with you my list - this is not complete, there are previous steps I've already completed (write an author bio, get a blog or website, get a good author pic... oh yeah, write a novel...). Maybe you'll find some helpful ideas on there, or maybe you can suggest some things I've forgotten! As I tick off each step I'll share my experience and you can learn by my (hopefully rare) mistakes. I'll be sharing my experiences organising book covers next.

From Manuscript to Book:

Edit book

• Check out professional editing organisations
• Circulate amongst Beta readers

Cover design

• Search contacts for artists, graphic artists and professionals at book cover design.
• Check Shutterstock or other photo sites for good stock photos.
• Check online resources.

Format e-book and Print On Demand book

• Check with State writers groups for contacts for digital publishers.
• Look at CreateSpace
• Kindle
• iBooks
• All others: Smashwords, Dymocks, Fishpond etc.

Advertising material:

• Bookmarks
• Postcards 
• Book Trailer - speak to Luke or Rhonda
• Slogans ('cause I have too much time on my hands):
• Zombie Dog hates your guts... loves your brains.
• Tell Zombie Dog to heel, and it’ll bring you a nice fresh one.
• Zombie Dog’s best trick: ‘play dead’ (Zombie Dog is not playing).
• Zombie Dog thinks you look nom nom.
• Zombie Dog, nom nom nomming her way into your heart (cross out, replace with brain).
• Brrrraaaains means I love you.
• (picture of two mafia guys tossing a body rolled in a rug to the doghouse) Sometimes Zombie Dog comes in handy.

Read Amazon guidelines

Decide on release date - promote book leading up to release

PROMOTE

• Check out books on promoting your novel.
• Read the John Locke guide
• Check out guides to ebook publishing
• Giveaway - Kindle?
• Organise blog hop
• Look up other promotional ideas
• T-shirts (overkill???)
• Talk to contacts in programming about creating a game app to pair with the ebook.

Read More

Dusty Manuscripts

While I'm working on the production, placement and promotion of MY ZOMBIE DOG (I promise to share the steps and any insightful tips I pick up along the way), I'm making some time for more writing. I've a couple of manuscripts that need editing but a few more that are only partially done. I've decided to revisit THE PIRATE GIRL, it's been years since I wrote anything towards that novel. Emily, my 13 year old writer and critic, suggested I spend some time reading through my notes and what I have so far.

"Nah, I remember it," I informed her, "that's the one about that girl... what's-her-name and it had that guy too, you know... the guy."

Okay, maybe I'll invest in a little reading time first.

Do you have any under-the-bed half-finished manuscripts you'd like to rework one day? Or maybe something you'll never let see the light of day?

Zombie Dog will be nom nom nomming her way into your hearts (or brains) soon.

Read More

Marketing DIY for Authors

I've been a workshop glutton. My latest was on Marketing Your Book run by author Aleesah Darlison. Okay, so technically I don't have an actual book that I can hold in my hand, but I do have MY ZOMBIE DOG and DOG SHOW DETECTIVE out there pitching.

The great thing about this workshop is that we covered marketing yourself as an author and your unpublished manuscript to editors and agents. Some of the things we were asked to consider were:

• What do you want from your writing career? Do you want to be known for your ability to raise controversial subjects, or for your wit and sense of fun? Knowing this will help understand the image or persona you want to put forward. I'd like my books to show that sense of humour and fun within the Aussie culture. I'd like to celebrate the oddity that is people.


• What is unique about your writing? For me it is that teaching gives me an insight to children's interests in literature and theme topics. Plus I write a really good dog.

I've come away from this workshop with a to-do list:

1. Build a Facebook Fan page. Okie-dokie, you can help me keep that page by clicking on the like button in the FB box to the right, or just going to this link: CHARMAINE CLANCY 


2. Build a Youtube Channel page. Sort of done. I've set it up now, you can visit here: CHARMAINE CLANCY YOUTUBE I need to find some more relevant videos that I can store there, and this is where I will keep my book trailers (when I have book trailers).


3. Have a one sentence answer ready for when I am asked 'what do you do?' Mine is: I write mystery, fantasy and adventure fiction for children.


4. Do up my Writing CV. Okay, haven't started that one yet.


5. Write my synopsis for all my manuscripts, even those that are not yet finished or even written. You should have a synopsis ready at a pitch incase the editor/agent would like to discuss your other works.


6. Practice my pitch for this weekend's CYA Conference!

What's on your Marketing DIY to-do list?

Read More

Surviving a Pitch Session

I have pitch-fear!

Next week I pitch. Not the safe kind of online, or written pitches I've tried thus far... no... I pitch in person. I really didn't think it would be a big deal. After all, I've sent my first ten pages in, they'll either like it or they won't. So what's 15minutes chatting with a publisher?

Gulp.

Now that it's fast approaching I am in panic mode. Eeek! What if I just make a fool of myself - and not in the good way I usually intend to make a fool of myself? So, in preparation for the CYA Conference in Brisbane, I am searching for advice on pitching in person. Here's what I've come up with so far:

Don't:

• Act like they are providing a service to you. You are not doing them a favour, treat them like you have a product to sell to them. (Fabianspace)


• Assume they will make allowances for you because your work is just so special, play by the rules. (Fabianspace)


• Spend the whole time talking about your manuscript and going over what they've already read. Make a personal connection. (Nathan Bransford)

Do:

• Welcome feedback. You don't have to implement every change suggested to your manuscript but take it all in for serious consideration - this person knows what they're talking about and the feedback is generously provided to help you. (Nathan Bransford)


• Know the summary or synopsis of your story by heart. You might be asked to refresh their memory. (Redlines and Deadlines)


• Have a synopsis handy for any other manuscripts you have ready or nearly finished. You might have time to discuss those. 


• Do your homework. Know a little about the publishing house you are pitching to. I'm pitching to Black Dog Books and know that they have novels aimed the same age group as my manuscript and in the same genre. I can specifically point to some of their current books and say my novel is like a cross between this novel and this one. At the very least, know that they publish the sort of genre you produce. (Writing World)

That's all I got - any suggestions????

Read More

Phooey to the End of Books

I don't think so!

Many conversations about the future of books, publishing and reading seem to be gloomy these days. I read blogs, hear radio conversations and even meet authors that think authors will suffer great income loss over:

A. the introduction of ebooks

B. cheap ebooks (99c)

C. competing with tv, movies, internet and gaming for children's attention.

I say phooey to all that. I think the future of books is brighter than it's ever been. Here's how I validate my excitement for this industry:

1. The introduction of ebooks has enabled MORE people to access fiction in a variety of mediums.


2. By having a novel available online, you have opened your readership up globally. You don't have to rely on only reaching a national market. If an Australian publisher prints one of my novels, I will still have to try to secure an agent/publisher for each other international market such as the UK or US.


3. Cheap ebooks have excited readers and tweaked an interest in otherwise cautious customers. This in turn develops a fad of reading, the more you read the more you want to read. 99c will gain initial interest, but readers will evolve to be more aware of their own taste and more discerning towards the quality of fiction they read. I now scrutinize my purchases and do not base my choice on price. I trust other readers to do the same.


4. Hooray for technological distractions. The iPads, laptops and iPhones might be popular with teens for the games they supply but the wonderful phenomenon I'm noticing is kids that wouldn't usually want to buy books now want to, all because they can download them onto their iPod etc. I had a yr7 media class (12-13yr olds) and introduced them to online books via Amazon. I showed them how you can get Kindle for your iPod. They were all so excited about this and most downloaded the app. A lot of these kids would have scrunched their noses up at me suggesting they borrow a book from a library.


5. Ebooks are making reading a very popular trend. This in turn makes people want to own books and buy books for their shelves as well as their iPads. It has almost become a fashion statement for our living rooms. Don't believe books are trendy? Department store catalogues are expensive to produce and distribute, this makes space on them prime real estate. As you can imagine, front page is pretty special. In the past. I've only noticed books get a small corner of a page in the middle somewhere. Yesterday I was so surprised and pleased to see a Big W catalogue feature the first TEN pages all for books and that they now sell the Amazon Kindle here in Australia!

So, aren't you excited?!

Read More

Online Marketing for Offline Readers

How do you manage online marketing to those unlikely to be online?

I've been turning the cogs over in mind this week (they're a bit rusty and need a crank every now and then) about finding your customers when you self-publish. It occurred to me some markets are easier to find than others.

The first step is to work out who your average reader is. I don't mean vaguely like 'romance readers', but specifically have a stereotype in mind (in this example perhaps your particular romance appeals to women 30-40 with children). Do you know? You really need to work this out if your novel is finished and ready to go. Try visiting sites like Goodreads and Amazon for similar style novels to see who their market is.

I know not every reader will be the same, but you want to work out who your majority of readers are. For instance violent thrillers written by men are most likely to have a male readership. The more I think about this market, the more I think it's the hardest to reach if you are not a previously published author.

Some men do circulate online, but many for this market don't. They don't browse Amazon for unknown writers and don't spend a lot of time 'browsing' in bookstores. They buy a book because it won an award, because it was recommended on a reliable source, like their favourite newspaper or ABC radio-programme. Problem is, if you are a new writer, it's unlikely you'll be mentioned in these sources. But I thought long and hard. There is a way to get your book in this reluctant hand. Through a more reliable market. Women. 

Many times books my dad has loved have been novels I've purchased for him, or gifts from his female friends or my sister. He would never have gone looking for this novel, but once given it, he reads it. This market doesn't like to waste a gift. A couple of times he's enjoyed a book so much he's asked me where he can find more in the series.

My dad will never visit a blog, spend time on Facebook or even know that Goodreads exists, but people who buy books for him do. So if you have a difficult market to reach online, try reaching them through their networks instead. Market your book to those people as the perfect gift idea.

Although not talking about novels, this marketing blog, LEADSexplorers, refers to this sales approach as targeting your customer's 'trusted parties'.

I'll blog more on this topic soon, about ways to find those buyers who do circulate online. Together we might be able to find a plan :)

But first I'll be going offline. Just for a couple of days. I'm taking on a challenge to write 30,000 words in  only 3 days. I'm doubtful, but I hope to at least finish the first draft of MY ZOMBIE DOG. Wish me luck!

Read More