Who Needs Crystal Balls When You’ve Got Frog?

 

 by Barbara Poelle

In yoga yesterday we were in this position that was so painful I think I may have time-traveled for a second. No really, I think that when your calf muscle actually separates from your shin bone, it opens a space/time continuum and I slipped right through it like I was lathered in bacon grease.  I could hear my yoga instructor from very far away saying, “Now, if you are feeling discomfort, go ahead and use this two word mantra and breathe through it...”and I was like, “I got two words for YOU, Gandhi….” But I didn’t think she would appreciate me chanting those , so I just acquiesced to the time travel.

Now I was only in the future for a short while, but let me tell you aside from learning that the avocado was declared the National Fruit of the United States, ( I mean who knew, right? Who knew on so many levels?!?!) apparently, in the future,  there is this universal knowledge that authors are the driving force behind their own publicity. I know, the future is WIIIIILD, isn’t it? Who’s looking at monkeys driving cabs when this is floating around? So, as much as I wish I had the Preakness winners or the lotto jackpot numbers , all I was able to grab is the information regarding platform and publicity for authors and bring it back here, to all of you, in order to fulfill our destiny as a human race.

Oh, no, no need to thank me. I do this out of a crushing sense of altruism. I can’t help it. I’m a giver.  

Okay, so what is a platform? It’s basically anything that tells a publisher how famous you already are. In other words, it is all of the ground work you establish in order to sell your book to a waiting audience. And how does one go about establishing? Well, I happen to have these 10 helpful hints from your very own future:

1. Establish who your audience is. Get specific.
2. CREATE A WEBSITE and build it shamelessly. Collect business cards wherever you go. Your web site is your calling card and your brand, make your book proud

3.       Create an enewsletter. Establish a mailing list and encourage people to sign up for it.  Set a goal to get it to 500 people, than  2000, than 3500. Blog, tweet, chat, grog, get traffic moving towards your site and signed on for your newsletter.

4.       Get on list serves, and be a part of online communities

5.       Create an on-line presence by volunteering to review books for other sites, or to guest blog on someone’s site.

6.        Read BUZZ YOUR BOOK by M.J. Rose and Doug Clegg, or Get Known Before the Book Deal by Christina Katz and/or any other reference guides you can get your hands on. Pick and choose the styles of promotion that work for you.  

7.       Befriend local booksellers and build from there.

8.        Join things, serve on boards, volunteer in organizations that reflect your content. Look for ways to create contacts that are outside of the box.

9.       Go to local conferences and, if you can afford it, national ones too. Meet and greet and grin and win.

10.   Know someone who knows someone? Get a blurb/foreword/introduction confirmed with a celebrity or expert on your subject. Ask if you can link to their site or if they will guest blog on yours.

Remember, agents and publishers look at proposals every day, don’t make us work too hard to see why this is a slam dunk, because, if there is one thing we hate more than puppies and Christmas, it’s hard work. 

I know, I know, I get all whiny and petulant when I think about how tight the industry is getting, too. It’s enough to make a girl drink before noon. (Okay, I mean nine). But there are ways to be proactive. I would loooove to get some comments on this blog entry and hear some other ways authors have promoted their works, so please do jump in here and give a shout out to something that has or has NOT worked for you. I look forward to reading.

In the meantime, though, I need to call my broker and have him buy MAAAAJOR stock in…uh, ahem, heh-heh…’cause there was…see I….heh.

Uh, nevermind.

 

Comments

[Jersey Jack]

Some authors think I'm nuts, but librarians can be as helpful as booksellers, especially for us newbies. Thanks for the list.

[Roy Innes]

"Book trailers" are the latest fad around here. I've seen a few and wonder how effective they might be. What do you think of them?

[Barbara Poelle]

I like them, but only if the company also places the trailers, not just hands you a disc and bids you good luck. Of course there is no true data to support the idea that trailers as a single entity sell books, but personally, I like Circle of Seven.

[Pammy D]

Barbara:

Frog pose is impossible and should only be attempted with drugs or alcohol or both.

Tx for all the good ideas. I've been a chiropractor/bodyworker for 25 years and am putting together a non-fiction book proposal for self-help anti-aging tips you can do for little to no dough. I've started the Facebook thing, twittering the tips (the dos) and rips (the don'ts). I've been contemplating the blog thing. And I have celebrity connections which will most likely come in handy pitching the project.

With my novel, I'm a little confused about the platform thing, but I'm working my way through it.

And then there's the actual writing, as well as paying the mortgage by working.

Thanks for the list.

Doc Pam, DC

[Daryl a.k.a. Avery]

Barbara,

One of the ways I'm going to start boosting my readership is to podcast one of my novels in serial form. Starting in 1 month. Look for it at www.darylwoodgerber.com Something new for people to listen to on an ipod! We'll see.
Best,