Hey, There's A Dead Guy in the Living Room

Hail and Farewell

Jeff Cohen

So that was it. We hope you liked it.

This is the 3464th post on HEY THERE'S A DEAD GUY IN THE LIVING ROOM, and unless someone else parachutes in and decides to add some thoughts, it is the last. We've had quite a good run here but it's time to shut off the lights and lock the doors before we stop saying anything anyone wants to hear.

For me DEAD GUY has been any number of things. It started when Deni Dietz and I defected from Murderati a long, long time ago and thought we'd start our own blog, but we didn't want to examine crime fiction strictly from an author's point of view. So we recruited editors, publishers, readers, librarians, reviewers, agents and booksellers, among others, to provide perspective we as writers couldn't offer. 

I'll continue to post blogs every now and again (look next Tuesday for sure) and hope you'll look for those moments, but as for DEAD GUY, this is the end of the line, and that's because we have all agreed it's better to go out while we're still wanted and not overstay our welcome.

But it wasn't all about publishing. The rule among us at DEAD GUY was that there were no rules. If you wanted to post about your section of the crime fiction world, great. If not, go for it. I have personally posted about digitizing my vinyl record collection, interviewed my daughter, had my dog write a guest post, talked about my health issues (ad nauseam), ranted about having to master barre chords, introduced a pseudonym, shamelessly promoted my work, bragged about blurbs, discussed the importance of making attractive letters when filling in a crossword puzzle, mentioned comedians I especially admire and occasionally made dives into such popular subjects as religion and politics. I recall once explaining how to deal with the atheist on your Christmas card list.

This blog has been more than a simple repository for my random thoughts. I've made good friends here. I've managed to blow off steam or express emotional truths when I had to. It served as a steam valve when I needed it. And a couple of times it served to let me write silly song lyrics. 

The most gratifying part of the weekly post was to connect with those who decided to visit us here. Hearing from readers and other writers, among many others, was a great comfort and sometimes an ego stroke when it was most needed. Writers write because we want to communicate something. Knowing that people were taking notice was a very large help at times.

For me the schedule forced me to write whether I had a great idea in mind or not. Some of my favorite posts were those that came when I was backed against a deadline wall. 

Everyone who has ever posted here will tell you that coming up with a post every week could be a trial. It's not easy to keep going and not repeat oneself. There have been nights that I've sat here looking at a blank screen for an hour wondering what would appear on the blog page at 12:00 a.m. that Monday. The closest I've ever come to believing in "Writer's Block" has been related to these posts. But I still don't believe.

The people with whom I've been part of DEAD GUY are amazing, smart, funny, warm and dedicated. I am grateful and honored to have been associated with each and all of them. I won't mention all the names here because I'm certain to forget some and that would bother me deeply even if it wouldn't rankle those I failed to cite. But assume if you've read a post here and it wasn't one of mine that it was written by someone I admire greatly, someone who inspires awe in me. I thank each of them. 

For those who have chosen to check in here every day or every week or once a year, we can't possibly thank you enough. It has been wonderful being part of your lives. Don't mourn the DEAD GUY. We stopped because we didn't want to disappoint you. You deserve our best. We hope we've given it to you. Thanks for everything.

 

 

Oh. And pitchers and catchers report in 44 days.

Don't Be Sad... It's Just a Blog

First: Our most fervent hopes that everyone in the path of the recent terrible storms is okay and that life will return to normal soon.

But now a bittersweet announcement: Every day here at DEAD GUY we try to bring you something that can add to your day. Most often that something has to do with crime fiction publishing, as our lineup of bloggers has been constructed to know about that category. And over the past 10 we have done our best to provide every possible viewpoint on the subject.

But, as they say, whoever they are, all good things (and the rotten ones too, truth be known) must come to an end. 

As much as we've all loved being DEAD GUY bloggers, we've agreed it's time to close the proverbial doors around here. Coming up with useful, entertaining content every day has gotten to be a little too much after all this time and we want to go out while we're still at the top of our game. 

So the December 31 post will be the last one here at DEAD GUY. While it's a little sad to think this is coming to a close, we prefer to focus on the idea that we've done good work here, people have enjoyed it, and we've kept it going since January 2007, which ain't bad. 

The cast of characters has changed over the years, but never the mission: To provide perspective on writing, publishing, reading, editing, promoting and enjoying books, mostly in the crime fiction area. We're all still committed to that concept and we'll keep expressing our opinions when we feel they're relevant. Just not here at DEAD GUY after 2017 becomes 2018. 

In the ensuing months, please know we'll keep posting as we have before, so don't tune us out of your daily web scan just yet. And along the way, we'll be hearing from some DEAD GUY alums who have graciously agreed to come back for one more visit before the lights are put out and we group-hug our way to the end of the Mary Tyler Moore Show. 

Keep reading. That's what this has always been about.

From London, With Love

Each year, my husband and I flee the Florida summer for a few weeks, relocating to cooler climes. This year, we’re in London.

Last night, we wandered into a bookstore. I love bookstores. Especially ones that aren’t in the US, because I like seeing the different covers, and I find that wandering around is a good way to get a feel for a place.

As I was snapping photos of various books that looked interesting but I hadn’t heard of I wondered again whether publishing is ever going to build a viable (if virtual) bridge across the ocean. I’ve opined on this before, but really, there’s no longer any reason for a book published Over Here to not be available Over There.

I suspect publishing still thinks the differences between readers on different continents are too vast for this to make sound business sense, but Canada kinda puts the lie to that, doesn’t it? I go to events in both the US and UK, and while there are cultural differences for sure, the readers I meet are strikingly similar. I think the biggest thing that separates them is the assumptions that publishing makes about them.

If you’re an American reader, thankfully you have resources like The Book Depository or Goldsboro to get books. But if you prefer e-books, you are, as the saying goes, SOL. Which is hugely unfortunate.

I suspect that Amazon might one day get their proverbial head around this and grab up the publishing rights for all the fantastic authors who are, at the moment, only published on one side of the pond or the other. And loads of publishing professionals will freak out. And readers will rejoice.

 

Cheap? Fast? Good?

by Erin Mitchell

Back in the proverbial day, before there was social media and a correcting Selectric was the bomb, I used to hear this Business Rule a lot. I haven’t heard it lately, but it’s as true as ever, so I’m gonna try to reintroduce it to the vernacular, starting right here. Here is it:

Cheap. Fast. Good. You can have any two, but not all three.

It’s true, y’know, whether you’re talking about book marketing or plumbing or websites or bridges. But since I’m here to talk about book marketing...

People who provide marketing services are, ultimately, selling our time and expertise. It’s not a pre-packaged product. (And if you are being offered a pre-packaged product, run a mile! Each book, author, publisher, or series requires a custom set of activities.)

So how do you figure out which of the three you want?

Just like the House Hunters shows where they eliminate one of the three abodes right away, take Good out of the mix. It’s a must-have. Non-negotiable. So now you only have to pick between Cheap and Fast.

First question: What’s your budget? Knowing how much you can afford to spend will make the process much more efficient.

Second question: How much do the services you need cost? This is tricky because, like I said, each program is custom, so there’s no off-the-shelf price per se. For promoting a book/author, I’ve seen budgets everywhere from $400/month to $12,000/month. You should figure on a multi-month commitment; I ask my clients to stick with me for at least three months because any marketing/communications program needs at least that long.

And moving on to fast...

Few book-related marketing projects need an unreasonably short timeframe, so I find that this is usually the easiest element to forego. There are exceptions, of course. And remember, if you’re not working toward a strict deadline, cost is going to be easier to manage.

Also, never forget that a book’s release day is hugely important to authors and publishers, but to readers, a book is new the moment they open it for the first time, whether it was published this week or 100 years ago.

So if I was offering advice, I’d suggest focusing on Good and Cheap. Forget Fast. And remember that your idea of Cheap might be different from mine, which is different than her and his and theirs.

Promote Yourself

by Erin Mitchell

A couple of weeks ago, Jeff posted about his Chemo Promo Conundrum. The core situation he described—an author confronting the problem of having to promote their books—is a common problem, I think, made immeasurably harder for Jeff because he’s going through chemotherapy, which saps whatever excess strength one might have.

So what’s an author to do? When I read Jeff’s post, I started making a list...

Focus your Energy

Preorders help books. But we live in an immediate-gratification society, and even the most spectacular preorder promotions likely won’t generate a ton of sales. Or even a few pounds of sales. So I suggest saving most of your energy for after the book is released.

Spend on Social

A Facebook post and Tweet with some money behind it to boost visibility will help. And I’m not talking a lot of money. Even $50 can go a long way. The trick here is that the advertising platforms for both Facebook and Twitter are complex, and you might need help navigating them.

Ask for Reviews

Once your book has been out long enough for folks to read it (keeping in mind that many of us read slowly), ask people to post reviews on Amazon and/or Goodreads. There’s no need to convince them or offer one of those “10 ways to help an author” memes (I really hate those because they imply that a reader has an obligation to help authors). Just ask. Give them the links to make it as easy as possible.

Speaking of Goodreads...

Consider buying 5-10 copies of your book and giving them away on Goodreads. Goodreads giveaways are more powerful than many authors think and are easy to set up. Once your giveaway is live, be sure to post it on Facebook and Twitter and ask people to share it.

Consider Other Promotions (but reject most of them)

There are approximately eleventy billion websites and companies that do book promotions, ranging in price from free to expensive. This is a tricky area, because frankly, most of them don’t sell more than a handful of books, and a lot of them require a book to be on a special-offer price, which means you’ll need participation from your publisher. Also, investigating them takes a bunch of energy.

Update Your Pages

Amazon Author Page. Facebook Page. Website. Twitter Profile. Make sure they’re all updated. Wherever you can add links, do.

There’s a lot more that can be done to promote books, of course, but these are good places to start. And now that you’ve read this, you should go grab a copy of EDITED OUT by E.J. Copperman (aka Jeff) because it really is a fantastic read.

 

On Failure

by Erin Mitchell

Last weekend, I read this essay in The Guardian when it was shared by novelist Steve Mosby. 

Despite it being published on April 1, it does not appear to be an April Fool's joke. The Guardian's April Fool's story is here. 

The thing that jumped out at me most was this:

I still read, but stick to the classics. I have next to no interest in contemporary fiction and avoid literary debuts by British female writers, which all seem so safe and samey. 

So...you wrote a book (two of them, in fact), have had difficulty getting them published, and so you basically stopped reading contemporary fiction? That seems an odd choice to me.

I understand that getting published can be an exhausting, morally draining, and discouraging process. I haven't heard many stories about it being easy (this one by Catherine Ryan Howard about it being difficult is hilarious). It can be confusing and painful. The fact that publishing generally moves at the speed of molasses in Vermont in January doesn't help. 

But every single successful author I've heard address the subject shares one trait: they are, without exception, voracious readers. 

Anonymous also seems to have an aversion to understanding how the business of publishing works. 

Dear writer, The Publishers aren't out to get you. Nor are they too stupid to recognize your literary brilliance. They do, however, need to sell books. They are not nonprofit public service organizations. Of the books they publish, more will fall flat of the massive sales they aim for with each of them than will be bestsellers, but this doesn't mean they're evil or stupid. It is simply the nature of the publishing business. 

Publishers will be the first to tell you that they sometimes make mistakes. Remember Robert Galbraith? His first book was rejected by some publishers too. But both those who chose not to and the one who chose to publish that book had valid reasons for their choices. 

I also find it interesting that she talks about writers' groups, but never mentions working with an editor. When she was "bewildered" by publishers' rejections, perhaps she would have done well to hire an editor to work with her on her "masterpiece." Any published author--and I do mean all of them--will tell you how crucial it is to have an editor. And any editor will explain that sometimes they're able to help authors with their manuscripts and sometimes the author is unwilling or unable to use their feedback to hone their story. 

She also mentions her "reputable and confident" agent. Seems to me that these are both subjective. I've worked with a lot of different agents and even filled that role for some authors. There's no one single rule book for agenting. No Dummies Guide. Not every agent is suited to each author or books, and perhaps the one she found wasn't well-matched to her or her manuscripts. 

And finally, from a marketing perspective, I feel sorry for this woman, but I wouldn't want to try to market either of her masterpieces. She seems to know everything, and would therefore be unable to learn anything or to accept feedback in terms of how she presents herself publicly. I'm not saying being a jerk isn't an effective marketing strategy--it has worked for some, and will work for others in the future. But for it to be successful, you better have a book that's going to appeal to the masses, and how. 

Ultimately, I hope writers will never "shut up about" their writing or their reading. 

 

By the Numbers

by Erin Mitchell

 

I believe that there are two kinds of people in the world: words people and numbers people. 

 

Thankfully, being one doesn't preclude you using the other, but if you're more comfy with one or the other, stepping outside that comfort zone can require some nudging. Effective marketing, however, requires both. 

 

Sales figure, reader numbers, engagement, usage...they all matter. Word count, page count, dimensions...these are all figures I deal with daily. 

 

Most folks think one or the other is more important, and in some situations that's true, but generally I find that they work together. Brand awareness drives sales, but that's had to measure. Tactics that look effective by the metrics can result in sales, but they don't necessarily. A newsletter that reaches several hundred people doesn't always generate book sales. A promotion that results in a few hundred book sales can be the start of a snowball that rolls onto bestsellers lists. An ad on a site that has a relatively low CTR (clickthrough rate) can be moreeffective than one might expect because of the implied endorsement of appearing in conjunction with content people trust and engage with. 

 

And then there's the difficulty in finding reliable statistics.

 

I'm a words person, but over the years, I've learned to love numbers too (most of the time). Excel is the best thing to ever happen to me because I can use it to put numbers into a context that helps me make informed marketing decisions. 

 

These are some of the sources I use for stats:

• Facebook Page Insights (link is above the cover image on your Facebook page)
• Twitter Analytics (acessed via the ads interface)
• Facebook's Newsroom
• Goodreads book and giveaway stats (click Rating Details on the book detail page for the former; the latter is available in the giveaway interface)
• Pew Research Center
• Smart Insights
• NovelRank (this is squishy data--an estimate based on a formula--but it helpful for a sense of figures when looking at whether a marketing tactic is working) 

Of course, none of this tracks qualitative data, which I believe to be just as important for books. The two, however, go hand in hand. If you're not a numbers person, make sure your marketing/publicity person is. 

 

Cultural Differences

by Erin Mitchell

My father was writing his Master’s Thesis about WB Yeats when I was born, and this, combined with our Irish family history, led to my being named after Ireland. When I was growing up, Erin was an unusual name; I was well grown before I met another Erin.

I moved to Ireland in the mid-90s. I knew, going in, that despite my background, there would be cultural differences to which I’d need to adjust. The biggest of these was my American penchant to overshare...Americans are unique in our willingness to hang out our dirty laundry for anyone who wants to listen (or even those who don’t). There’s pretty much nothing we won’t talk about. It’s no accident that social media originated here.

In Ireland, friends and colleagues were sometimes surprised that I’d talk fairly openly about pretty much anything, anytime. Some of the most interesting conversations I’ve ever had were about this particular cultural difference.

Which leads me to today’s topic...

I’ve talked before about the differences between a Facebook Profile and a Page. In a nutshell, profiles are personal. Pages are professional. Lately, I’ve seen several instances where an author has posted something on their (personal) Profile, only to have folks comments with Blatant Self Promotion (BSP) comments.

Not cool, folks. Not cool.

For example, I saw a beautiful and poignant post from an author on the anniversary of her father’s death. The majority of the comments were lovely and supportive, but then there was that BSP comment. I mean...really? Talk about inappropriate.

I manage a lot of Facebook Pages, and every week, I sweep through with the express purpose of deleting BSP posts and comments. Again, someone else’s page is not an appropriate place for your BSP. Your own Profile and Page? Sure. Of course. Have at it. But trying to piggyback on the work another person has done to build an audience? Nope.

Over on Twitter, I’ve seen a lot of cases lately where an author has taken to posting links to/ads about their books with @ tags of lots and lots of people. This makes the tweets show up in the Mentions of everyone tagged...but I promise you, it does not engender goodwill, and it sells not a single book.

There are plenty of places to promote yourself. Marketing is both an art and a science, and finding the right places and using the most effective messages and creating compelling content and building an audience...well, it’s harder than it looks. There’s no quick-fix, and trying to hijack someone else’s platform certainly won’t help you.

*climbs off soapbox*

Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhaoibh!

 

Left Coast Crime Advice

by Erin Mitchell

In March, many of you are heading for Honolulu for Left Coast Crime. Since I grew up there, I wanted to share some “insider” tips...

Speaking of Tips...

Living in Hawaii is expensive. VERY expensive. When tipping, keep in mind that the people serving you are paying $6 for a dozen eggs and $7.50 for a gallon of milk (yes, really).

Say What?

Few people in Hawaii speak Hawaiian, and those who do speak English too. This is counterintuitive, but tourists trying to speak Hawaiian is generally annoying and disrespectful. 

Most people who live in Hawaii do, however, speak Pidgin English. It's considered a form of Creole, is a legit language (not just an accent), and is actually quite beautiful as languages go (click here for a fantastic sample of Pidgin). Some tourists feel the need to correct or look down their nose at people who speak Pidgin. Don't. 

Oh, and mahalo does not mean garbage can. It means thank you. And shoyu is what you know as soy sauce, only better.

From Here to There

Getting around in Hawaii is as much art as science.

If you are driving (and I don't recommend doing so; traffic is horrible and parking's a nightmare), know that people stop at the end of the freeway on ramp. They don't just merge. They come to a complete stop and wait for an opening. Also, nobody honks. Ever. And the left lane on freeways isn't the fast lane.

If you take The Bus and want to disembark from the back door, it might not automatically open. If it doesn’t, you need to yell, "door!"

If you do rent a car and park anywhere, take everything out of the car. Don’t leave anything, even in the trunk.

Go Grind

Grind (pronounced “grine”) is Pidgin for eat.

Food in Hawaii can be kind of weird. (Yes, that's Spam on the menu in McDonalds.) Think of it as an opportunity to try something new. Here are my absolutely-not-a-foodie suggestions...

Being a group of islands in the middle of the ocean means the locavore movement in Hawaii is both strong and delicious; make a point of trying Ono Pops. Foodland Ala Moana stocks them and is close to the Hilton Hawaiian Village. You'll also find them at Long's on Kalakaua, the Food Pantry on Kuhio, and the CoCo Cove convenience stores.

If you want to splurge breakfast (you’ll want to make a reservation, though), go to the Hau Tree Lanai. It’s at the other end of Waikiki from the Hilton Hawaiian Village, and both the food and venue are spectacular. You’ll also appreciate the serene break from the conference madness!

If you get out of Waikiki, you'll find wonderful restaurants like The Pig & The Lady, Grondin, The Nook, and Bevy.

You know how some food becomes legend in your memory? When I lived in Hawaii, Kua Aina was a small hamburger joint in Haleiwa on the North Shore that made the best hamburgers on the planet. Now they’re something of a small chain, including an Ala Moana location. I still recommend venturing out to the original (because Haleiwa is worth a visit) if you have time.

The Dole Plantation is a tourist trap, but a fun one as tourist traps go. And Dole Whip will change your life.

Outside Waikiki

If you venture outside of Waikiki (and I hope you do), my suggestions for some places to visit...

Bishop Museum: Hawaii has a fascinating and complicated history, and this is a great place to learn about it.

Honolulu Museum of Art (which will always be the Academy of Arts to me): This is a magical place, and one of the most beautiful and peaceful museums I’ve ever visited.

Police Department Museum: A different perspective on Hawaiian history.

Hawaii State Capitol:  I have a thing for state capitols, but even if you don’t, this is an interesting building, and another good view into Hawaii’s history.

Manoa Falls and the Lyon Arboretum: If nature is your thing (and even if it's not), visit Manoa Falls and the Lyon Arboretum. The walk (it's more of a walk than a hike) to the falls is 1.6 miles round trip. Trust me on this. It's well worth it, and the #5 bus goes there from Ala Moana Center. 

Have fun!

 

Don’t Copy and Paste This

by Erin Mitchell

Have you noticed (I know you have) a plethora of Facebook posts lately that have a line at the end asking you not to share the post, but to copy and paste it? Sometimes it includes an “explanation” that the audience will be larger if you copy-paste rather than share.

Um, not exactly. I mean, sometimes, but not always. Let me explain...

Every Facebook post has an audience. The most common ones are “Public” and “Friends Only.” You control this setting, and it can be adjusted globally or on an individual post.

If a post is public, everyone can see it (except people you have blocked, but there are ways around that, so assume everyone can see it). If a post is Friends Only logically enough, only your friends can see it.

When you share a post, it retains its original audience. So if I create a post that is public (either by default or by changing the audience for that specific post) and you share it, it remains public and everyone can see it. If I create a post that is Friends Only and you share it, only my friends will be able to see it (and, depending on your privacy settings, our mutual friends).

If you want a post to be seen and shared by as many people as possible, set it to Public and forego that “copy-and-paste, don’t share” line.

When your post is a share, remember that it (still) retains its original audience. So if I share a post from a page, keeping in mind that everything on a page is Public, and my post is Friends Only, when you go to share it, your post will include the post (and link, if applicable) that I shared, but not any commentary I added when I posted it. On the other hand, if my share of the original post is Public, then you share will include the original post/link and my commentary.

Confused? Don’t worry. It’s confusing. The net-net is this:

If you want a post to be shared and seen by as many people as possible, set it to Public. Click here for clear instructions on how to do that.

Ok, but what’s the harm in asking people to copy and paste?

Glad you asked. Two problems:

First, it’s kinda obnoxious. You’re asking people to take the long way around, so to speak, and fewer people will. Because clicking Share is simpler.

Also, you’re asking people to participate in the potential for likely unwanted tracking. When people share a post, only the person who created the original post can see how many people and who shared it. When they copy and paste, these posts can be easily found, and the people who copy-pasted can be targeted...not necessarily for anything nefarious, but still. This article does a good job of explaining how this works.

Oh! And 2.5: Let’s say you create a post, set it to public, and lots of people share it. After doing so, you find that there’s something wrong with it. If people have copy-pasted, there’s nothing you can do. If it’s been shared, though, and you correct it, the correction will be reflected in all the shares.

So in summary: Please don’t ask people to copy and paste posts. Make ‘em Public if you like, and let the social media collective do its thing.

Thank you.

 

To Authors

I’ve seen a lot of authors lately seeming to wonder whether their efforts are worth it. So let me tell you a little bit about yourself, from the perspective of a reader who is lucky enough to help connect books and readers...

You are an author.

A writer, a storyteller, a spinner of yarns.

You see the world through your own lens, noticing details many of us miss, and shift that perspective to different characters in your stories so we can see the world outside of ourselves.

You give us a view into worlds we wouldn't otherwise know, or ones we know all too well. You make us think.

You research details because you know they matter. You watch and listen and ask questions.

You entertain us. You give us a break when we need it, a respite from our everyday lives, to walk a beat, find a villain, uncover a secret, battle next to a magician, hide from a hoard of zombies, ride with a cowboy, laugh with a colleague.

You chose this profession, or it chose you. There's no rule book or play book or dummies' guide, so you find your tribe, assemble your team, and chase your dreams.

You are the engine of a cultural and economic ecosystem that supports thousands the world over.

You question yourself, wonder sometimes whether you're good enough. Whether the work is worth it.

I'm here to tell you, on behalf of readers, that it is.

 

Hate Has No Home Here

Click here for Hate Has No Home Here on Facebook, where you can download online banners and printable signs.

 

The Postcard Rule

by Erin Mitchell

 

Once upon a time, before email existed, we used to write letters, memos, and postcards. Letters and memos could be kept private in regular or inter-office envelopes, but postcards were different. They could be--and often were--read by anyone who happened on them. 

 

I was first introduced to electronic communication via a weird DEC intranet system that allowed us to send what we now know as email only to people in the one company. I hated it--much preferred my IBM Correcting Selectric. But not long after, I had my first AOL email account, which I fell in love with the first time I found and booked cheap airline tickets through Sabre, which had been previously available only to travel agents.

 

But I digress. 

 

As email became a "thing," we were in a weird situation. The people who knew all about it--the IT geeks--weren't, as a general rule, especially fond of communicating with people live. Training us to use the wonderous new technology we were being presented with wasn't their forté. So I read manuals. Lots and lots and lots of manuals. 

 

There weren't many guidelines for using electronic communication back then, but there was one simple rule we learned early on: The Postcard Rule. 

 

Simply put, this said: "Don't put anything in an electronic message that you wouldn't write on a postcard." That is, if it's private or secret, don't put it in an email. Because you don't know where it's going to end up or who's going to read it. 

 

These days, it seems like this rule has gotten lost. 

 

I get that sometimes it's not practical, but in terms of marketing, it applies more than ever. Are there (more) secure forms of electronic communication? Sure, of course. And some are more private than others. But for any public figure (Authors! I mean you!), it's worth assuming that anything you post, especially on Facebook, is going to be seen by everyone. And because the Internet never forgets, I mean anyone forever. 

 

I'm not saying you shouldn't share opinions, even controversial ones. But it's a good idea to understand the repercussions of doing so. And The Postcard Rule will serve you well in this, as will understanding privacy settings and how to use the telephone...and stamps. 

 

Bad Marketing

Happy New Year! If you’re reading this, chances are good that you survived 2016. For that, I think we all deserve a medal. Or chocolate. Or both.

When it comes to marketing, I’m all for getting attention. And I fully acknowledge that sometimes attention-getting tactics can be a bit shocking. Maybe even offensive to some. We all have different buttons and tolerances.

Attention-grabbing tactics can be a spectacular means of getting in front of new readers.

Sometimes, though, they can go terribly wrong.

For example:

What’s wrong with this? Plenty.

1. I haven’t read the book (and won’t, now), but I’ve read others in the series, and I’m willing to bet that this image has nothing whatsoever to do with the story. In case there’s any doubt, your marketing should have something to do with the product you’re trying to sell and nothing whatsoever to do with ones you’re not.
2. It’s a friends-only post, which one would think would be good in this case. But it’s not. It’s just childish.
3. There’s getting attention, and then there’s being desperate. The latter is kinda pathetic, and should be avoided.

I’ve spoken with many an author (not to mention CEO) over the years who doesn’t want to change who he or she is in order to market. That’s fine. You don’t need to. Just like people don’t need to buy your books. That’s your choice.

If your choice is to do things that are pointedly and deliberately offensive, you’re going to lose some readers. Will you gain others? Possibly. If the American President-Elect’s Twitter feed is to be believed, it’s a surefire route to...greatness.

But I like to think y’all are better than that.

 

2017

Wishing you a peaceful, happy, and safe 2017. 

 

It's Just My Opinion

Jeff Cohen

After reading Erin's Friday post I was... well, inspired is probably going too far. But I did take her point about the "unpopular opinions" fad going around Facebook. Yes, people were looking at that prompt and thinking they had to post things that were inherently negative: I hate this, I think this thing everybody likes is stupid, and so on. I have in fact contributed to the problem (saying that I can't stand The Wizard of Oz, an opinion I have expressed here).

And since I think we have rarely been in a situation that required positivity more than the present day, I'd like to be part of the solution. So here are 10--mostly unrelated to crime fiction publishing--positive opinions.

10 Positive But Unpopular Opinions

1. I actually like the Electric Light Orchestra. "Serious" listeners to pop music think Jeff Lynne's 70s band that mixed classical strings and occasionally horns into the arrangement is silly and a sign that one is easily misled. I disagree. Trying something different often resulted in some spurts of genius (There has never been an arrangement besides Lynne's of Roll Over Beethoven that included actual Beethoven) and even though the later years were fairly disposable as Lynne lost interest ("The music plays/so loud and clear/but somehow I can't make you hear/the dream is gone") much of what is there is still worth listening to.

2. I think baseball is infinitely more exciting than football. "Baseball is a slow sport." Sure. If you're not paying attention. You want to be a casual fan who only has to look up every once in a while when 22 men try to knock each other down? Enjoy American football. For a "fast sport," I've never seen an activity that has so much downtime. But hey, to each his own. For me, the fact that something can happen at any time in a baseball game, and the situations that develop around each pitch make it a nail biter from beginning to end.

3. I think there should be cursing in cozy mysteries. I get it--many readers want a clean, safe space to read about violence, death and avarice. That's fine. There should be such a thing without question. But when I write a character who stumbles over a murdered corpse and has to say, "Oh, drat!" I think there should be an alternative. Perhaps two versions of each book should be issued: One with "bad" language and one sanitized for your protection. I don't think people who want a "clean" version are wrong. I just don't think they're all the readers.

4. I'm all for saying "happy holidays." People already think I'm a lefty liberal idiot, so I might as well go the whole way. What's wrong with acknowledging that not everybody celebrates Christmas? What's wrong with noting that not everybody celebrates ANYTHING? Those who rail against "political correctness" are missing the point. It's about accommodating those not in the majority to make everyone feel more comfortable. Where's the problem with that? 

5. I still think Superman is the best hero. Keep your dark brooding types. Think of a better argument in favor of fair immigration: A being from another place comes here, has enough power to take us over and make us do his bidding, and instead decides to use his unique abilities and help in any way he can. There are lessons here and they aren't about who has the best things.

6. I think the Beatles are better than Beyonce. This is not to diminish Ms. Knowles at all. I thought the Beatles were better than Michael Jackson, Elton John and whatever other act was supposed to surpass them. Come up with better songwriting, better musicianship, more innovation and... you can't.

7. I think newspapers will survive. Yes, there will be massive changes and there will be downsizing. But I'm encouraged by the fact that the best investigative, in-depth reporting done during this past election cycle (about which no more will be said) was done by Newsweek and the Washington Post, followed by the New York Times. And in the week after the election, 41,000 people bought subscriptions to the New York Times.

8. I think independent bookstores can prevail over online sellers, and will. Sure, you can buy anything--literally--online and have it at your door within two days. But when you need a suggestion for your next read, do you want it to come from another reader, or from a algorithm? I once had a site recommend a certain DVD to me because I had bought a vacuum cleaner from them. The signs are there. Independent bookstores rule.

9. I think comedy is about to have a renaissance. And I don't mean just because political satire will be EVERYWHERE. I think the tide is turning in comedy and there will be a wider range of product to take in. It doesn't all have to be raunch or children's animation and nothing else, and soon we'll see that it's not. The recent Ghostbusters wasn't a great movie, but it did show off a tiny sample of the talents of Kate McKinnon, and she's going to be huge.

10. I believe the next four years will lead to something good. It'll take a while and it won't be fun, but activists will be born. Already the actor Michael Sheen has announced that he is no longer the actor Michael Sheen and is now the activist Michael Sheen. And the thing about activists is they're the people who get stuff done. Because they're, you know, active.

 

Last positive note: Pitchers and catchers report in 56 days. Happy holidays, to those who celebrate!

Unpopular Opinions

by Erin Mitchell

There’s been a post theme going around Facebook lately wherein people share ten unpopular—but not political—opinions. I wasn’t loving the posts because they seem to celebrate and encourage the negative...until I saw Rob Hart’s.

Rob is (in no particular order): a novelist, a writer of short fiction and essays, a father to a daughter who is my hero, one of James Patterson’s BookShots co-authors, and the publisher/COO at MysteriousPress.com. He is also a haver of opinions, some of which he shares on Facebook.

One of the things I’ve always liked about Rob’s approach to said opinions is that he encourages discussion. So I’m grateful that he gave me the OK to borrow his post and add a bit of my own commentary.

The bold parts below are Rob’s; the parts that aren’t are my additions.

Ten unpopular opinions, publishing edition:

1. Big publishers DO publish good books, and the reason they won't publish yours is because it's not up to their standards, or doesn't fit their editorial vision, or sounds like the same book that's been published dozens of times already. Or maybe it's just not good.

I know there are some folks who think big publishers only publish crap. This bugs me, in no small part because it assumes that all readers are identical.

In terms of marketing, the most important thing any author can do is understand their audience. If you assume that you know your readers without looking at actual qualitative and quantitative data, you’re missing out.

2. James Patterson and Stephenie Meyer clearly understand things about the world you don't.

I would have phrased this one a bit differently... I don’t know anything about Stephenie Meyer, but I worked for JP, Inc. back in 2005. He was already resoundingly successful with his Alex Cross series (the project I worked on was for a different series), and everything he did was geared towards marketing to specific audiences, which is not surprising given his advertising agency background.

Rather than being pissed off, as many authors seem to be, at whatever Patterson does or doesn’t do, we could all learn a lot from his activities. For example, when I’m asked why I think his books sell so well, my answer often surprises: short chapters.

But think about it: many people think reading is a slog. Like it’s work. With short chapters, readers feel like they’re making progress. Accomplishing something. It won’t work for every story, but I think it’s worth considering.

3. You should not design your cover. Your friend should not design your cover. A graphic designer with a lot of experience designing covers should design your cover.

About all I can add here is YES. Covers are the most valuable marketing asset for any book. If you’re traditionally published and you don’t like your cover, for the love of Pete, say something. Or have your agent say something. Your publisher might not be able or willing to change it, but you owe it to your story to try.

4. Most small publishers are really cool and important and I read many small press books. But some of them are just self-publishing you by proxy.

Yup. That said, there are out-of-pocket costs involved in self-publishing (see above) that you might not be in a position to front.

When it comes to marketing, you’d be well advised to assume that the money a small publisher can spend is limited. If you’re looking at a contract from a small publisher, consider asking for some unusual terms, like getting sales reports on a monthly basis or having a commitment to timed promotions built in.

5. Some of publishing is luck. A lot more is hard work and talent. Luck is not the only deciding factor in success, and if you think it is, maybe you need to examine why you think that.

There are good books that are not published. For any number of reasons. But luck is indeed far from the only factor. I’m biased, but if you’re aiming to get published, maybe consider polishing your author brand.

6. You have to use Microsoft Word. It's the industry standard and whatever workaround you've devised is going to screw something up as it moves back and forth between formats. Just get Word. Write it off on your taxes.

I’ve worked with manuscripts that aren’t in Word, and I promise you it’s a tremendous PITA. And it takes me a lot longer to do what I do, which is time I’m generally not getting paid for. So yes, please use Word.

Office 365 costs $99 per year. This allows for five users. So if you can find four friends willing to go in on a subscription with you, that’s $20/year each. That seems like a reasonable investment to me. There’s also a $10/month option.

7. There's a reason the publishing process takes a long time: There's a lot of work that goes into the process. It's not because anyone wants to see you suffer.

Of course the length of the publishing process isn’t personal. That said, publishing is one of the most inefficient industries on the planet.

8. Nobody owes you anything.

I think this one is true of a lot more than publishing, but I certainly see it in marketing all the time. Lately I’ve had a rash of folks asking me to work for them for free...because they’ve written great books. Unfortunately, using my hard-won professional expertise for free won’t pay my bills.

9. If you got rejected by a short fiction magazine you didn't bother to read to get a sense of their editorial voice, that's on you.

I didn’t know this was a thing. All I’d add is that if you’re looking for a publisher or evaluating offers from publishers and not looking at their business, that’s a recipe for disaster.

10. Writers need to write less posts and blogs about the publishing process/industry because a lot of them are laughably misinformed about how it works. I say this after having worked in publishing for six years and published three novels and still I don't understand any of this shit.

Aw, Rob...I think you understand it pretty well. At least, you clearly understand the importance of constantly learning.

 

Kindness Marketing

by Erin Mitchell

This time of year—and this year especially—we’re all thinking more about kindness. We all agree that acts small and large that bring a smile, comfort, a laugh, or a moment’s respite from the craziness of daily life are a good idea, but do they have any marketing value?

Short answer: Yes, absolutely.

Longer answer...

There are people who advocate that doing anything that is not completely selfless is pointless, that acts of kindness somehow have less value if there’s something in it for you. I don’t agree, because I think acts of kindness inherently create a positivity that envelops both the recipient and the donor of these acts.

Think of it this way: You hold the door open for someone and wish them a nice day. That person goes the extra mile for someone else. That someone else decides to make an additional effort on behalf of another person. It’s the butterfly effect.

I’m lucky enough to be involved with a couple of nonprofit groups, and honestly? Sometimes I wonder why I bother. Because we’re all human, sometimes these activities can be hard going, even though we’re all there for a common purpose. But ultimately, I do it because I have certain skills that are beneficial to these organizations, and I have a responsibility to serve the community that is my lifeblood.

Also, when I’m looking for new work and I need references or referrals, these organizations are a great source for both. So there’s a lot in it for me, and I’m cool with that.

How does this translate to the real world for authors and publishing folks? It can be as simple as thanking a reader or as complex as setting up a foundation. One thing I know to be true is that (most of the) super successful authors—you know, the ones who inhabit the top of all the bestseller lists the world over—invest in kindness. They take the time to be compassionate. They treat their readers (customers) with respect.

We all want to feel appreciated. To be seen. To be supported in times when we might not even realize how much we need it. So kindness does, in fact, matter...as a marketing tactic as well as a human attribute.

Imma Gonna Unfriend/Unfollow You!

by Erin Mitchell

How are you doing? Everyone ok? One thing that’s true and nonpartisan about this political cycle is that it has certainly made social media a lot more...interesting.

Whether we choose to share them publicly or not, most of us have strong feelings about the American president-elect, and those who either support him or do not. Authors, shockingly, aren’t bereft of emotions about recent developments and the reactions people have had to them.

I’ve seen a lot of people (a LOT) post on Facebook and Twitter that everyone who thinks X (because it comes from both sides) should unfriend/unfollow the person posting. I have some opinions about this...

If you have to warn people that you’re about to offend them, perhaps it might be an idea to consider whether what you’re posting is off-brand. If it’s not—if, say, you’ve always discussed politics on your social feeds—then you shouldn’t need to issue a warning. If it is contrary to your personal or professional brand, maybe consider not posting it at all.

If you have considered and decided that extreme times call for extreme measures, fine. That’s your choice and more power to you. But there’s still no reason to instruct people to stop listening to you. Everyone knows they can and how to do this.

You know, too, that if you post something that is extreme and/or controversial (or, these days, even calm and considered) some people are likely going to get upset with you. I know, I know...it’s your page and you can say whateverthehell you want to. That’s true. You can. And people can react.

Remember: Unless your account is protected, everything you put on Twitter is public. On a Facebook profile, you have a great deal of control over who sees what on your profile. Click here for a clear explanation of what these controls are and how they work. Posts on a Facebook page are public, period.

I’ve long advocated for authors having both a profile and a page. They’re different audiences, and have different functionality. If you have a profile, you’re not required to accept every friend request you get. In fact, I recommend only accepting the ones from people you actually know or with whom you share enough friends to be confident they’re legit.

But regardless: Dramatic declarations of mass unfriendings serve no purpose. Save the drama for your stories!

When Not to Market

by Erin Mitchell

This has been a helluva week. Regardless of your political leanings, we were all surprised by the results of the American presidential election (thanks, pollsters).

Many of us were up way past our bedtimes on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, everyone I know was in shock, one way or the other. So I was surprised to see this boosted post in my Facebook feed:

Whoever runs Craig Johnson’s Facebook page had been boosting these posts—with “Longmire for President” gear—for a few weeks. Which was smart.

Continuing these boosts past Tuesday morning was not.

So it occurred to me that it’s time for a reminder: When we experience a national event, you need to pause your marketing. I always and still use as an example the young woman who was working for a PR agency on September 11, 2001. (And before anyone gets offended, I’m not saying the election was the same kind of event, but it was as significant to much of the US and global population.) This woman decided to integrate the day’s events into a pitch she was sending to media on behalf of her client, a financial services company, starting said pitch with a line to the effect of, “Since we all need some good news today, let me tell you about my client!”

She was fired. The company no longer exists.

I’m a big fan of planning promotions. When doing so, it’s important to pay attention to the World Events Calendar. Know what’s going on, for Pete’s sake! And always—ALWAYS—have a kill switch. If you’re advertising/promoting online and you ad shows up in the midst of discussion of a mass shooting, you’re not going to win any fans.

Be well, folks.

Reflections on Bouchercon Online

A week ago, many of you were in New Orleans either listening to fascinating panels, trying to figure out how the damn elevators worked, commenting on the heat and humidity, or hanging out in the bar (or Starbucks). If you weren’t there, you probably know people who were.

Me? I was on Facebook. Don’t get me wrong...I got to talk with a lot of people and had more soul-restoring hugs than I could count in New Orleans (and ate my fair share of beignets, too). But my official duties were on the Bouchercon Facebook Page.

We tried some new things this year, most notably, livecasting some of the panels and events. It was a bit tricky because the wifi in the hotel was either decent or nonexistent, and sometimes the difference between the two was inches, but overall, it went really well. People seems to enjoy it (especially those who couldn’t make it to New Orleans), and the videos have reached thousands of people.

This is my favorite example from last Friday. (Spoiler alert: it was a panel and a contest and Laura Lippman won by a mile!)

As it has been in years past, Facebook was also a place for people to ask questions and voice complaints. There was nothing I could do about the FedEx shop in the lobby charging a $20 fee to send boxes, but it seemed to help people to have a sympathetic ear.

Almost as soon as folks started departing the hotel on Sunday, the post-Bouchercon posts and articles started appearing. I’ve been doing my best to find and post them all. If I’ve missed yours, please let me know!

So why am I telling you all this? Two reasons:

First, to thank you. Whether you were at Bouchercon and let me catch you on video or visited the Facebook page and clicked like, it’s appreciated.

Second, to ask for your help. At the height of activity last week, the Bouchercon Facebook page was reaching more than 70,000 people, between organic posts and folks mentioning the page. That’s a tremendous audience. And the best part? Every single one of those people is a reader.

As you likely know, Bouchercon is a completely volunteer endeavor. And if the page can reach 70,000 readers with just little old me toddling around, we could connect with even more people with more hands on the proverbial virtual deck. I would have loved to do short author interviews, for example. I had planned to, but didn’t have time!

So while you’re thinking about it, please consider volunteering next year in Toronto. There are plenty of roles to be had...including helping out with social media.

Living Live

I’ve been terribly remiss in posting weekly...lots of explanations, but no excuses, and I promise to be better, and hopefully vaguely interesting!

When Facebook launches new functionality, they tend to go all out, and Facebook Live is no exception.

Side note: Twitter has also launched a Live Video functionality through the Periscope app. I’ve played with this a bit, but not enough to offer information or opinion on it yet.

Facebook Live is exactly what it claims to be. It’s a Facebook post that is a live video broadcast. Like any new functionality, there are some things to know...

I used it quite a bit on a recent journey to the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, affectionately known as Harrogate. Click here to see an example (bonus points if you can identify the authors in the video). Here are some tips based on my experience:

• Facebook Live is available through the mobile apps. You cannot use it through a regular browser. It was only on the phone app at first, but it’s now in the iPad app version too.

• To start a live post, click the box where you would enter a status update and select Live Video from the options at the bottom of the window.

• If there are specific people you want to alert to your being live, you can tag them in the description of the video before you go live.

• When it first launched (lo these many weeks ago), using it on a page (rather than a profile) required a bunch of additional hoop-jumping. Thankfully, this all seems to be removed now.

• Live Video only works with a fairly strong wifi signal. If you move around and the signal changes, it will "pause" the live broadcast, which is irritating.

• Speaking of pausing, once you’re live, you can’t pause. You can only end the live video and start over again.

• You can zoom the video while you’re live, but doing so makes it much harder to keep the video steady. If you’re not using a tripod, I’d suggest avoiding zooming.

• Once you end the live video, you can choose whether to upload it to the profile/page and whether you’d like it to be HD.

• People can comment on your video while you’re live—and you see those comments—but the only way to respond to them is by speaking...you can’t type responses while live (although you can “like” comments as they come in).

• This link has some helpful tips from Facebook. The one about writing the description before-hand is absolutely true. I’m less a fan of telling people when you’ll be live in advance, mostly because I’m not sure many folks actually plan their schedules around Facebook. But I could be wrong.

The live videos I did while traveling were well received. I think there’s something both slightly creepy and super cool about it, and the creepiness probably appeals because we read crime fiction. But are they a viable marketing tactic? That remains to be seen. It absolutely is a fun and easy way to create video content, so my prediction is that yes, it will be helpful in book marketing efforts.

I don’t have a panel at Bouchercon next month, so I’m going to do a “virtual panel” (because I love asking authors and readers questions), some of which I’m hoping to do live, assuming the wifi is strong enough. So if you’d like to give it a try, please let me know!

The Newsletter Conundrum

by Erin Mitchell

A couple of days ago, Bryon Quertermous posed a great question on Twitter:

Readers: Yay or nay on author newsletters? I've never liked them and think social media and my own website do a good job. Am I missing out?

I think authors should do newsletters…with some caveats.

Newsletters should tell readers a story and provide useful information. If their sole purpose is to sell stuff, there’s no point. But not all your readers will see every social media post, so providing links and recaps of anything important in a newsletter makes sense.

I like author newsletters that include snippets that are useful, fun, funny, or seasonal. Talk about your books, yes, but don’t only talk about your books.

Newsletters should be short and readable. They should have your voice. They should have links. Think of them as an email…you’re writing an email to a friend. You’re not making a presentation to The Board.

The content that you write for your newsletter shouldn’t be confined to it. Once you send it out, it should be cross-posted on your website, Facebook page, Pinterest board…you get the idea.

Being readable means newsletters should be easy to read on mobile devices. That means complicated HTML layouts are out. One of my favorite authors sends his monthly newsletter through Constant Contact using a custom HTML layout that makes it damn near impossible to read on anything other than a computer. It makes me sad every single month because I want to read his newsletter, but I read a lot of email on my phone or iPad (as do many of your readers…trust me).

And if you’re going to go to the trouble of doing a newsletter, make it easy for people to share it—on social media and by forwarding it.

Of course you should never, ever sign people up for your newsletter without their permission. That said, I’m not a fan of the double opt-in. I sign up because I mean to; I shouldn’t have to reconfirm my intention by clicking a link and then get yet another email confirming that I clicked the link. That process is just annoying (to me…might be just me, though). Also, if your unsubscribe process takes more than one click, you need to fix that.

Marketeers used to spend a great deal of energy figuring out exactly when to send newsletters to get the best response to them. There used to be rules for this based on their figuring, but I think those are all gone out the window. Generally speaking, I like to send them mid-day, because there’s more of a chance you’ll catch people when a little diversion is welcome. Fridays used to be taboo, but no longer. Same with weekends. The only time I still try to avoid is the middle of the night.

If you have a big mailing list that you’ve been growing for a while, it’s a good idea to clean it occasionally so you’re not paying to send email to addresses that are long since abandoned. I use DataValidation.com for this.

So…what do you think? Author newsletters, yea or nay?

 

Public Political Posts

by Erin Mitchell

In case you’ve been stuck under a rock in a soundproof cocoon for the last several months, it’s election season in the good old U-S-of-A, and people have some strong opinions about candidates.

We seem to be down to two on each side, and when folks aren’t wigging out about the one from their chosen party who isn’t the one they support, they’re positively freaking about the prospect of someone from the other party winning.

So, what’s an author to do?

When it comes to social media, like most SM questions, there is no right answer. But there are a few things worth considering.

Like it or not—and I’m not meaning to diminish the art involved in writing novels in saying this—books are a product that you want people to buy. And just as I won’t shop at certain stores because I disagree with some of their corporate policies, some readers will not buy books from authors with whom they disagree politically.

So if you decide to express political opinions publicly, you run the risk of losing part of your potential reader audience.

You do have options, though. If you have a Facebook profile, for example, you can adjust your privacy settings so only friends see your posts and then only accept friend requests from (or send requests to) people you know. Everything on a Page is public, but on a Profile, you can control who sees what.

On Twitter, everything is public by default. You can choose to make your account protected, which means that only people you approve will be able to see your tweets. Same goes for Instagram.

It’s worth considering, too, what you stand to gain from posting or commenting on politics. Some authors have a great deal of influence with their readers, and this isn’t something that should be taken lightly. Chances are good, too, that many of your readers’ life circumstances are different from your own, and so with influence comes a certain responsibility.

I’m not a fan of hate-mongering under any circumstances. I think it’s possible to disagree civilly. But if you express an opinion—pretty much any opinion—on social media, sooner or later someone is going to have a go at you. When they do, the best (and simplest) thing to do is delete and (depending on the circumstances) block. That person was never going to buy your books anyhow.

Is it November yet?

 

Book Advocates and You

by Erin Mitchell

I’ve been using the term “Book Advocate” for a few years now. It started because there were cases where “book blogger” or “reader” or even “loudmouth” didn’t quite describe the group I was referring to, even though Book Advocates can be some, all, or none of these.

I’m pleased to see the term popping up more frequently, because I think it respects and acknowledges the value that Book Advocates bring to the proverbial party. (And yes, I’m taking full credit for it!) This morning, I saw that NetGalley is using it prominently on their site, and I realized that they’re defining it (much) differently than I do, so I thought it might be helpful to explain the term as I use it, why Book Advocates are important, and how you can find them.

Before I start, I should mention: There are, of course, exceptions to each of these "rules," which aren't really rules at all. 

Reviews

Some Book Advocates write reviews, online or elsewhere. But not all do. Their influence might come in the form of direct recommendations to friends, family, colleagues, frenemies, strangers, or book club members. They are people who talk about your book, but not (just) through reviews.

Acquiring Books

A lot of Book Advocates get ARCs and/or galleys for free. Sometimes they request them. But they also buy books, for themselves and others, and check them out from the library.

Your Number One Fan

Book Advocates are different from your Annies (see: Misery). They’re not the folks who send you five emails every week, comment on every single Facebook post, reply to each of your Tweets, and know your home address. (These people can be valuable too, of course…or scary, but that’s a subject for a different post.) Book Advocates are the ones who know—and talk about—your stories because they love them, and want other readers to experience them. They appreciate your storytelling. That simple.

New Releases

Book Advocates are the people who clear their calendars to read your new release, and also make a point of reading your backlist.

Participation

Book Advocates participate in their reading community, online and in person. They chime in on discussions. They go to events. They have friends who read and ones who don’t. They are the people who, when you meet them, will gush and go all fangirlorboy, and then will have a substantive conversation with you.

Industry

Some Book Advocates work in the publishing industry, but many do not. And here’s a real shocker: Not everyone who works in or near publishing is a Book Advocate. Not every author. Not every publicist. Not every editor. Ok, you get the idea. Some people work in publishing because it seemed like a good idea when they started. To some, it’s just a job, and often one they’re good at, but they’re not Book Advocates.

Quantity

Most authors and books only have a handful of Book Advocates, like maybe five. You’re really lucky if you have ten of these folks. They’re not a quantity proposition.

So, why do Book Advocates matter? Simple. Few books get the marketing oomph from publishers to be breakout hits. Book Advocates won’t make or break your book, but they are the people who support your storytelling career. And sometimes they are the architects of a book’s success.

Ultimately, Book Advocates are people who love your books, and share their adoration in meaningful ways with other people.

How do you find your Book Advocates? Short answer is, “pay attention.” And whatever you do, pleasepleaseplease don’t pay attention to these folks only to ignore them as soon as you find a modicum of success. (Yes, I’m bitter because yes, this has happened to me.)

To find your Book Advocates, look for people who…

• Request a galley
• Converse about your book on Facebook and Twitter (and their blog, if they have one)
• Ask you questions about your characters that you find interesting
• Are mentioned when you ask readers where they heard about your book
• Thank you

You’ll know them when you find them. And when you do, treasure them.

Should You Stay or Should You Go?

by Erin Mitchell

This week, Philip Pullman, the patron of the Oxford Literary Festival, resigned because, he said,

“that his position as patron of the festival “sat rather awkwardly” with his role as president of the Society of Authors, which has been campaigning for authors to receive fair payment at literary festivals.”

Naturally, this has ignited something of a debate on Facebook and Twitter, with many authors feeling strongly one way or the other, each for their own reasons.

Like most of marketing, this is a case where there’s no one single and definitive answer, but I have an opinion...

It’s important to recognize that festivals and conventions aren’t the same thing. Bouchercon, for example, is a convention. The national organization is a registered nonprofit, and it has a board (of which I’m a member). Each year, though, there’s a Local Organizing Committee that operates largely independently.

Festivals are normally smaller, and usually have a standing organization (often also nonprofit) behind them. Also, conventions have members (including Bouchercon; when you register to attend, you’re buying a membership for a year), whereas festivals have attendees (or ticket-holders).

The reality is that few public (as opposed to professional development events) book events pay participating authors. There are a few I’m aware of that reimburse (some) expenses and some that don’t charge authors an attendance fee, but more often, if you go, it’s on your own dime.

Pullman argues that authors “are the only ones who are expected to work for nothing” at these events, and proceeds to recycle the messaging that’s been floating around lately about not working for publicity.

Well, hang on there, Mr. Pullman.

First of all, he’s speaking as though this applies to every book event, which is absurd. Second, he seems to be completely forgetting that readers factor into the event equation. Third, last time I checked, writers write for a living. They don’t participate in panels or socialize in bars. And last, he apparently discounts marketing completely when it comes to books, which is simply stupid.

Look, I wish authors got paid to attend all book events. Believe me, it would make my life a lot easier. But they don’t. Are the reasons for that sound? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. But if you’re not going to any book events because you’re not paid to do so, you’re making a mistake.

Events, just like any marketing tactic, are a matter of return on investment (ROI). For any given event, you have to ask yourself (and, ideally, a spreadsheet) what’s in it for you. Questions I use to evaluate events on behalf of clients include:

• Are there panel opportunities? If so, will you get to be on a panel?
• Is there an on-site bookstore? If so, how many books are normally sold?
• How many readers (as opposed to writers) attend?
• Is the audience in line with your reader demographics?
• How much does it cost? (Including registration, travel, and on-site expenses like the aforementioned bar)
• Do you want to go? (This one can’t be quantified on a spreadsheet, but it’s a valid question.)

Don’t get me wrong, and I want to be absolutely clear about this: I believe writers should be paid, and paid well, for their work. For their books. People should buy books, and authors should make money from that transaction.

If I wanted to be upset about something, though, it would be the tiny percentage of book sales authors receive and the often draconian contract terms, not the fact that few events offer honoraria. Events are an important marketing tactic. You don’t need to go to all of them, but don’t write any of them off just because authors aren’t paid to attend.

 

2016!

Happy 2016! Hoping your year is starting off right. Wanting to be way out ahead of the proverbial curve, here's my Best of 2016 list. It will be longer this time next year, but readers have some fantastic books to look forward to in the coming months already.

Happy, Merry

Whether your day involves carols and gifts or a movie and Chinese food, wishing you all that is joyous, peaceful, and bright in life, and mysterious and dangerous on the page.

Thank you for reading.

Three Thoughts

1. Most Excellent Marketing Idea

I recently spent a couple of weeks in London, and while there saw the Smartest Marketing Idea of 2015.

You know how ads normally include a URL for the advertising company? That’s great…except it assumes that the audience will remember the URL, get to a computer, and type it in correctly. Instead of all that, wouldn’t it make sense to conform advertising to the pay people more commonly use the interwebs? Sure, it would. And ads in the UK are doing exactly that. At the end of TV ads—and in print and outdoor ads—in place of the URL, it has “Search” with an easy-to-remember phrase.

Like this:

So instead of having to remember the name of the product NatWest (a bank) is advertising, I only need to recall the topic of the ad (that they have an account that gives cash back on household bills) and know how to get to Google.

Companies are using this in magazine ads, and also on the ads on buses, billboards, and tubes and stations.

For authors, this is a bit trickier, unless you’re marketing books by Steig Larsson, Raymond Chandler, or Agatha Christie, each of whom show up on the first page of results when googling “crime book.” But the principle still applies. For example, if a reader is looking for Reed Farrel Coleman’s latest book, all she needs to do is Search Reed Coleman, and the very first result is Reed’s website. No need to recall that the book is called THE DEVIL WINS…or maybe she’s looking for WHERE IT HURTS, which comes out in January. Either way, the search will take care of it.

Authors—Pattersons and Grishams excluded—don’t do TV ads or panels in the subway, though. So where would you put this spiffy Search line? Think header images. Book jackets. Bookmarks. Hell, t-shirts. Just about anywhere readers could do with a clear call-to-action.

2. The Book Depository

I recently learned that not everybody knows about The Book Depository, and so I’m making it my mission to spread the word.

The Book Depository is an online bookstore based in the UK. They’re owned by Amazon, but I’ve been using them since before they were, and the acquisition doesn’t seem to have changed their business at all.

So, why should you care?

Because they’re in the UK, they sell books that are released there before they’re available in the US oftentimes months before we can get them at a local shop. Want to read Ian Rankin’s new Rebus novel, EVEN DOGS IN THE WILD, but don’t want to wait until the January 19 US release? Order it from the Book Depository and you’ll have it in about a week.

And the best part? Shipping—anywhere in the world—is free. And their prices are quite reasonable.

So if you are a fan of UK authors (in addition to Ian Rankin, think Mark Billingham, Val McDermid, Elisabeth Haynes, and Martina Cole) whose books are released here later or not at all (as in the case of Cole) or you like to have UK edition of books, you need to check out The Book Depository. If you want to tell ‘em I sent you, click here; it’s an affiliate link.

3. On a Personal Note

As Jeff was so kind to mention a few weeks back, I’ve had an interesting couple of months. In a nutshell, my heart isn’t working right. I’m taking some good drugs, but chances are good I’ll need to get a new heart. While this is certainly a frustrating, infuriating turn of events, I am lucky beyond all measure or reason to be surrounded by a community beyond par.

You all are the best. The very best. Truly.

I’m overwhelmed by the incredible support I’ve received. Most recently, my Crimespree Magazine family organized an auction on my behalf. Even if I wasn’t the beneficiary, I’d recommend you check it out, because there are tons of supercool items available, and none of them available anywhere else. Click here to have a browse.

Thank you for reading.

Notes from the Washington Mall

Josh Getzler

I was in Washington, DC last week to see some clients and meet about a couple of projects. A couple of things occurred to me as I wandered the streets of the Capitol on a ridiculously gorgeous Thursday in late October, on one of the first clear-headed and not sleep-deprived days I’ve had since the summer ended and I’d gone from Jewish holidays to a bat mitzvah to, almost inexplicably, adopting a puppy (who is beautiful and one day will be a perfect child, but right now is a gorgeous brown menace).

The first thing I realized was just how portable my job is. I was out of the office but had spaced out my meetings in such a way that I was pretty much able to resemble my usual email protocol without needing to put up an Out of Office message. I have a Surface tablet, which might as well have been made for a literary agent or editor—it allows me to use Office in full, read portably, see my email (which is Google based, so therefore looks the same whether I’m in Chelsea or on Connecticut Ave) and edit manuscripts in a smaller and lighter package than even a laptop (and has a detachable keyboard—it’s outstanding…). I spent several hours a day in my hotel room, by myself, better able to concentrate because I had nothing (beyond the internet and, say, solitaire) to distract me (and the wifi was iffy, so even that went better than usual). I submitted manuscripts, held calls (I use my cellphone a lot anyway), and the change of venue did me a world of good. Not that it’s not good to be back to the kids, dog, and general chaos of NYC, but that was a nice breath.

The second thing that was pretty stark was the way we now think of ebooks. One of the meetings I was in dealt with a graphic novel. All of a sudden, one of the non book-people in the meeting said “Wait a minute, is there even going to BE an ebook of this?” “Of course,” I said. “Well, do we need to negotiate rates or anything?” “No, it’s done in the boilerplate.”

Nobody even needed to say more. And the interesting thing to me was that the conversation was, in point of fact, all about maximizing the print edition through product placement and general branding. It was incredibly old-school thinking—and for this project, it will clearly be the driving force of sales. Now, part of our conversation dealt with the fact that the book part was only one of four separate pieces of a multi-platform brand that will ultimately have digital games, at least two apps, and (if we can clear a bunch of hurdles) a television series. So lots of screens. But the book drove the bus.

So I guess what I took out of the trip is that while the digital world enables me to do my job better, more efficiently, and from anywhere, our industry is getting comfortable, at last (at last? It was pretty quick…but that’s another story) with the place of the digital world alongside the traditional one.

And then I got home and saw that Amazon is opening a traditional bookstore. And we’re off to the races…

 

P.S. Here's where to give money to help Erin pay ridiculous medical bills.

 

We're Really Not Kidding. Help!

Josh Getzler

I'm away from my desk today, so I asked Jeff to put up again his post looking for support for our fellow Dead Guy, Erin Mitchell. It's plenty important enough that you can wait a week to hear about why you shouldn't write in the passive voice or curse in middle grade books, or whatever else I was coming up with today. Back next week. Go Mets (Yes, I said that--maybe my next post will be defending my right to say that after having worked with the Yankees for 9 years--or maybe it's obvious from that!)

We here at DEAD GUY are taking today to urge you to donate to what we believe is the worthiest cause on the planet.

Our very own Erin Mitchell.

As she has documented quite eloquently, Erin's been having some pretty serious health issues, and as anyone in the United States knows about such things, it has not been inexpensive. She is self-insured, so the bills are mounting pretty staggeringly. We believe Erin should not have to shoulder the burden alone while she's dealing with so much at the same time.

So there is a grassroots (that is to say, crowdsourcing) movement to try and help, which was set up by Ellen Clair Lamb. Many have contributed (including some on this blog), and if you are able to do so, we'd urge you to send what you can.

Anyone who has read Erin's posts here or encountered her elsewhere know she is an amazing woman, one whose wit and general good humor coexist with strong views and a sense of right and justice. She is being dealt a hand she doesn't deserve, and the overwhelming cost of health care in America should not be something she has to contend with when she's fighting a much more important fight. 

If you can spare a few bucks, we'd appreciate it if you would take a look. If you can't, why not comment below and let Erin know how much you like reading her here on DEAD GUY or elsewhere. In fact, why not do both?

She's already overwhelmed with a situation. Let's overwhelm her with how much people care.

We do. You get well soon, Erin. We want you back here on Fridays.

Help Erin. Now.

We here at DEAD GUY are taking today, which is normally Erin Mitchell's turn to post, to urge you to donate to what we believe is the worthiest cause on the planet.

Erin Mitchell.

As she has documented quite eloquently, Erin's been having some pretty serious health issues, and as anyone in the United States knows about such things, it has not been inexpensive. She is self-insured, so the bills are mounting pretty staggeringly. We believe Erin should not have to shoulder the burden alone while she's dealing with so much at the same time.

So there is a grassroots (that is to say, crowdsourcing) movement to try and help, which was set up by Ellen Clair Lamb. Many have contributed (including some on this blog), and if you are able to do so, we'd urge you to send what you can.

Anyone who has read Erin's posts here or encountered her elsewhere know she is an amazing woman, one whose wit and general good humor coexist with strong views and a sense of right and justice. She is being dealt a hand she doesn't deserve, and the overwhelming cost of health care in America should not be something she has to contend with when she's fighting a much more important fight. 

If you can spare a few bucks, we'd appreciate it if you would take a look. If you can't, why not comment below and let Erin know how much you like reading her here on DEAD GUY or elsewhere. In fact, why not do both?

She's already overwhelmed with a situation. Let's overwhelm her with how much people care.

We do. You get well soon, Erin. We want you back here on Fridays.

Reviews and the Reviewers who Review Them

by Erin Mitchell

I had a really…interesting experience on Facebook this week. Here’s a brief (and not entirely accurate, either, because I’m using it as an illustration) summary:

Facebook Post: Authors, don’t respond to bad reviews.

Comment from former professional reviewer: Don’t even bother reading reviews because only 1 in 100 has merit.

My comment on the above comment: That’s not my experience.

So…should you read reviews? Should you engage with reviewers? Talk about a question that has as many answers as a proverbial dog has fleas. Let’s look at some different scenarios.

Scenario One: Terrible Review from the New York Times (or any other newspaper or magazine)

The last time I had a client get a bad Times review, it was hard to take it seriously, because the reviewer was so clearly biased. The author was, understandably and rightly, angry. It was completely unfair. It was a poor excuse for “journalism.” And it didn’t even have a good out-of-context pull-quote.

He really (really!) wanted to respond. Anyone would. But he didn’t.

Even with the benefit of hindsight, I’m not sure this was the right move. I mean, the review was bad. It was out there. It could have incited controversy that could have driven sales. Or, no matter how balanced and factual his response, his responding could have gone pear-shaped. So on balance, he was probably right not to respond.

Scenario Two: Dreadful One-Star Review on Amazon

I run into this one ALL the time. Should go to the trouble of tracking down and interacting with people who leave these reviews? Nope. Should you share them on social media? Maybe, but sparingly and only if they’re really funny. Should you lose sleep over them? Absolutely not.

There are cases where it is worth asking Amazon to remove these reviews. But—and this is important—if you make the request for a book you wrote, it will probably not be successful. I ask Amazon to remove reviews when, for example, they’re about a technology issue (“I couldn’t get the book to download!”), and I’ve never had Amazon do anything but remove them. I’ve also asked for reviews that are personal attacks on the author to be removed, with the same level of success.

I have not, however, ever asked Amazon to remove a review that is a genuine bad review. That is, the person read the book and is critical of it.

And that said: An author responding to a review like the above is a recipe for disaster, and only ends up making the review more visible. Walk away.

Scenario Two: Dreadful One-Star Review on Goodreads

See above.

Scenario Three: Bad Review from a Book Blogger

I think we can all agree that not everyone loves every book. When I don’t like a book, I stop reading. I don’t talk about books I didn’t enjoy. It keeps my life simpler.

But some book bloggers—quite a few of them—do publish tepid or negative reviews. And that’s their prerogative. Should you respond to them? Most of the time, no. If you do, for the love of reading, do it through an offline channel…and be polite.

 

All of this raises the question of whether authors should read reviews at all. I’ve never met one who didn’t. I never recommend spending your life reading through Amazon reviews, because your time would be better spent writing. But at the same time, I remember the first author (John Connolly) who left a nice comment on a review I wrote about one of his books, and I was thrilled.

I enjoy reading reviews—in newspapers, magazines, on blogs, and even on Amazon. I like hearing about other readers’ experiences of books. This has value to me. I don’t need a bunch of hoity-toity crap (that usually means absolutely nothing) in reviews for them to be worthwhile.

The second-best piece of advice my dad ever gave me was, “if you don’t have something nice to say, shut up.” Personally, I think this applies to both reviews and responses to them. Not every book is for every person. That’s fine. Variety is wonderful.

The best rule of thumb I can offer? It’s the same as in that original fb post: Authors, don’t respond to bad reviews. Read them or don’t—whatever is right for your personality and productivity—but if you read a bad one, just keep moseying on along.

You’re Not Just a Reader

by Erin Mitchell

I find few phrases more distressing than, “just a reader.”

You, my friend, are not just a reader.

You are the arbiter of great stories. You are the fuel that runs engine of publishing. You are the only reason any book ever sees the light of day.

You are the best source of book recommendations for everyone you know, even if you never write a review or participate in social media.

You are the reason I got up this morning; when people ask me what I do for a living, I say, “I connect books and readers.”

You might be one of those folks who feels the need to complain to an author because you don’t like the font used in her book or object to her English characters speaking like Brits. Perhaps you feel the need to tell everyone the ending of the last book you read because, clearly, you could have written it so much better.

Doesn’t matter.

You’re still not just.

You’re a reader. And if nobody has said it recently (or even if someone has), thank you.

 

You’re Not Just a Reader

by Erin Mitchell

I find few phrases more distressing than, “just a reader.”

You, my friend, are not just a reader.

You are the arbiter of great stories. You are the fuel that runs engine of publishing. You are the only reason any book ever sees the light of day.

You are the best source of book recommendations for everyone you know, even if you never write a review or participate in social media.

You are the reason I got up this morning; when people ask me what I do for a living, I say, “I connect books and readers.”

You might be one of those folks who feels the need to complain to an author because you don’t like the font used in her book or object to her English characters speaking like Brits. Perhaps you feel the need to tell everyone the ending of the last book you read because, clearly, you could have written it so much better.

Doesn’t matter.

You’re still not just.

You’re a reader. And if nobody has said it recently, thank you.

 

Report from a Mad World

by Erin Mitchell

If the headline above immediately made you think of this movie or this song, then you’re old enough to have experienced the vast and fundamental changes in publishing over the last few decades. But you know what? Sometimes they still make me shake my head…

This week, a Publisher cancelled the release of a book only a few weeks before the drop date. The Author was very public about his reasons for leaving (his long-time) Publisher. Then another Publisher announced a contract with the Author, and on we go.

I’m sure things like this happened in the 1930s and 40s, but we sure didn’t see them play out right in front of us, blow-by-blow and play-by-play. Some of the commentary has been quite…passionate, and therein lies an important marketing lesson: If you don’t have something nice (or productive) to say, don’t say anything at all. Or if you must, say is privately (like, on the phone…email is so not private, dude).

While I was still getting my head around how the above played out, the GOP debate happened. I didn’t watch it, but I have watched the commentary. Again, passion reigns, and some folks are saying some stuff that, marketing-wise, they really shouldn’t.

Which leads to another marketing lesson: Nobody should change who she or he is, but try not to offend readers unless it’s absolutely necessary. Or is part and parcel of your brand.

I’m not saying to never discuss art or politics, just that when doing so, taking a considered and respectful tone is advisable.

Speaking of respecting readers, that store that's giving refunds for GO SET A WATCHMAN? It's undertaken a good publicity stunt. But make no mistake, a publicity stunt is exactly what it is and all that it is. It's not a moral stance. So those who were horrified at the publisher for publishing an unedited and questionable manuscript as a stunt but are cheering for this are being hypocritical.

I just don't see how a bookstore encouraging people to return a book and publicizing this effort is good for reading. Or readers. I'd be much more impressed to see a store hosting, say, a discussion group to talk about Harper Lee's books (both of them or either of them...you know what I mean). That's a story I would click.

Then, as if the world wasn’t mad enough, I installed Windows 10. I mention this only because I’ve seen a lot of folks skeptical about installing it. I was too, but I like it. No problems so far.

Finally, I leave you with this: Real Genius is 30 years old this week.

Like I said…mad world.

Report from Harrogate

by Erin Mitchell

Years ago, I used to bring an empty suitcase with me when I visited Dublin because I needed a dedicated piece of luggage for all the books available there that I couldn’t get in the US. Now, thankfully, the world has evolved. Books travel the Atlantic regularly, and getting them from anywhere takes little more than a few clicks. Still, though, there are books and authors who are better known in the US or UK, and bridging this gap is no small part of my day job, which is my perfect excuse to attend Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate, England.

So here I sit, in a picturesque town in Yorkshire, surrounded by readers, some of whom are also authors.

Harrogate, as it is commonly known, is a special event. It’s not small, but it feels intimate. It draws an incredible list of authors—this year’s list includes folks with names like Child, Billingham, Paretsky, McDermid, Cleeves, and Gardner—as well as many who are headliners of tomorrow. It is held at the Old Swan Hotel, which is where Agatha Christie disappeared to in 1926. It really is a special gathering.

“But I’m not published in the UK. So there’s no point my going.” Not so fast. Lots of authors come to Harrogate who are not on panels; there’s just one panel at a time over the course of the weekend, so panel spots are competitive. But the crime fiction reader community is, today, global (see above). We all share in the joy of talking about the books we love, and this is an ideal venue for so doing.

Today

This is an important day.

And while I understand that not all Americans are celebrating, I think we can all agree that we are living through history.

Things change…laws change, attitudes change, even publishing changes. And we’re all part of it.

I believe it is important to acknowledge this. So here you go:

 

 

Report from BEA

Today's report comes to you live from BEA at the venerable Javits Center in New York.

Since Wednesday, book people of all types have been here doing what we all do. Each year is pretty much the same, but also slightly different...here are some observations:

1. It's less crowded I'm not saying attendance is down, but BEA definitely seems slightly less manic this year than previously.

2. People love crime fiction The one booth that always has a long line is Mystery Writers of America. This year is no exception.

3. Exhibitors cheaped out on chocolate I'm not seeing nearly as many bowls of candy. I know we're here for the books, but I do miss the tiny Hershey bars.

4. Reading and publishing are alive and well--thriving, even Every year I walk in here and think, "how can anyone honestly think reading needs to be 'saved'?" If it's in danger, someone really needs to tell the thousands of people here, the librarians, booksellers, bloggers, publishers, authors...nobody here thinks books or storytelling is dying. Far from it.

5. Bloggers matter When BEA first started welcoming book bloggers, not everyone realized what a shift this is. These are folks who love telling people about the stories they love. And their importance in the book ecosystem can't be underestimated. I'm thrilled to see so many bloggers here.

An Open Letter to Authors

by Erin Mitchell

Having recently completed the re-vamp of the Bouchercon 2015 website (please check it out!), I’m motivated to make this plea…

Dear Authors:

Yes, my day job is marketing books. When people ask me what I do, I say, “I connect books and readers.” Much of what I do is online, and my goal is always the same: To make it as easy as possible for readers to find books (and authors) whether they’re searching in a store, a library, or online.

Last week, I talked about Mobilegeddon, and the importance of your website being responsive (mobile-friendly). But that’s altogether irrelevant if you don’t have a website.

It’s been said before, but bears repeating: There is no reason—none—for an author to not have a website. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Heck, it doesn’t even necessarily need to be pretty (although that’s certainly preferable), but to not have one at all? That’s inexcusable.

But I don’t have the money for a website!

Really? My guess, then, is that you don’t know how much a website costs. Let’s break it down…

A URL—an address—costs about $10, and that’s assuming GoDaddy isn’t having a sale on URLs for $3.99 (as they often are).

If you want to go the do-it-yourself route (which I can’t, in good conscience, recommend), you have of options: Google, Blogger, and Wordpress.com are probably the most popular free ones. If you prefer to work from a template and can pay $8-20 per month, Squarespace or Wix might be worth a look.

Or you can employ a professional, someone who knows what they’re doing and can help you with design, implementation, and maintenance. Pricing for this varies dramatically and can be anywhere from $500-$5,000 or more. But the point is that even is your budget is modest, you can have a professional website.

You haven’t convinced me.

Ok, fine. You want to be harder for readers to find? That’s your call. But if you’ve ruled out a website, at least consider having a Facebook page and/or Twitter account.

Because, really…you’ve gone to the trouble of writing a book and getting it published…don’t you want readers to be able to find it?

Love,

Erin

Mobilegeddon 2015

by Erin Mitchell

Last Tuesday, Google released substantial changes to its search algorithm. In a nutshell, these changes mean that websites that are responsive (mobile-friendly) are now (most of the time; there are exceptions to every algorithmic rule) getting (much) higher placement in search results.

But…will the book industry notice? Should authors and publishers care?

You can find as many answers to this as Nancy Drew had pairs of nylons. My answer? Is yes, you should care. Why? Numbers.

Specifically: 64% of American adults own a smartphone. 42% own a tablet computer. (If you want more detail on these stats, click here and/or here.) And we already know that a lot of people browse for books and look up authors online. So being easy to find from mobile devices has value. Why would you want to hide from as much as half of your audience?

So, some facts…

• Google’s actions this week weren't a surprise. They announced this change in February. And it makes sense. After all, their customers are everyone who uses Google to search, regardless of screen size.
• A website can look good on a small screen without being responsive. Google’s mobile-friendly test doesn't assess how a site looks, but rather whether the functionality adjusts to different screen sizes.
• If your site is not responsive—doesn't pass the above-linked test—you should assume that your ranking in search results will suffer. Whether it actually does or not will be determined by how people search and the intricacies of the damned algorithm.

But the thing is, there’s no reason to have a site that’s not responsive. Because it’s not as if this mobile thing is a new phenomenon. And why would you want to be anything but as easy to find as possible?

The good news here is that making a site responsive is not hard. If your site is built in Wordpress, your theme is probably already responsive. If not, chances are good you have Jetpack installed, and it has a module that will make your site responsive with only a few clicks (and it’s free). Most (if not, at this stage, all) of the other platforms have a tool to easily make your site responsive, too; Google has a guide to them here.

If you’d like to read more about Mobilegeddon, The Guardian had a good article, and CNN has a decent overview report.

Now that I have you good and panicked, I’ll leave you with this: While Google is now prioritizing mobile-friendly sites in their search results, they also took care to note that a site with high-quality content that isn't mobile-friendly could still rank high, providing it has results for any given query. So having a website is still, as it has always been, about content.

So above all else, keep writing great books.

Random Observations

By Erin Mitchell

Wow…it’s been a crazy few weeks. Lots going on, and so it seems like a good time to round up some observations…

Book Expo America

BEA. The Rumble in the Javits. Book Nerds Unite. However you look at it, BEA is a big deal if for no other reason than there are a ton of people there, each of whom has some connection to book world. While I’m far from a fan of the locale (the combination of pigeons flying around the show floor at $6 for a Diet Coke doesn’t blow my skirt up), I love the energy. I say it every year: if someone tells you books or reading or stories are dead or dying, suggest she or he come to BEA.

If you are a member of Mystery Writers of America (and if you’re not, why not?), be sure to familiarize yourself with the fantastic member benefits around BEA. It’s a fantastic place to meet librarians, book bloggers, media, and booksellers…and if you buy me a Diet Coke, I’ll be your friend for life.

Help-An-Author Lists

If you have been so lucky as to avoid these lists, here’s one…they’re basically all the same.

How I hate these lists. You know why? As a reader, I find both their tone and content offensive. But they keep showing up…on blogs, in Facebook posts…they’re hard to avoid. The thing is, I have no problem with authors asking readers for their help in spreading the word about their books. You can and should do this. But to do so in a way that implies some kind of obligation on the part of readers? That’s not cool.

Assuming a reader has purchased your book (that is, not shoplifted it or stolen it electronically), she or he has no obligation to the author. None. Nada. If said gentle reader enjoys the book and wants to go write a review somewhere? Wonderful. If you want to remind them that so doing is helpful? That’s great too. Authors who make lists, though, veer into the territory of obnoxious—this is entirely different from a specific request—and always come across like they have no respect whatsoever for their readers. Please cut that shit out.

Justified

Don’t worry…if you haven’t seen it, I’m not going to spoil it for you.

In my less-than-humble opinion, Justified is one of the finest television series ever produced, in no small part because it was always true to the Elmore Leonard short story on which it was based and also the history of Harlan County. I wasn’t gaga about the finale, if I’m honest, but it sure was classy. I think Mr. Leonard would have been proud. That last scene was one for the ages, and gave us a new phrase to put on the shelf next to GitOffMyLawn:

We dug coal together.

 

Clean Reader: Who’s behind it and what’s next?

by Erin Mitchell

In March, 2010, my friend and YA author Marley Gibson received an email from a school librarian in Riceville, Tennessee. The librarian, Cheryl, explained to Marley that while her students loved her Ghost Huntress series, she was distressed because she had to go through each with a Sharpie (she was specific about this) before shelving them to “mark out bad words.”

In other words, she censored them.

Marley was furious. She responded to Cheryl and contacted her publisher. As a reader, I was horrified, and I contacted a number of reporters. Marley’s publisher didn’t want to pursue it. The only response I got was from a Washington Post education columnist, who contacted the county school board, but didn’t write anything when she got no response.

In other words, nobody gave much of a shit.

When I was growing up, my dad took the attitude that anything I read wouldn’t harm me, and as a result, he didn’t censor nor regulate what I chose to read. Thankfully, the good folks at the Greenlake library in Seattle didn’t censor books. I read a lot of books that were age-inappropriate, and boy, I’m glad that I did. (So if we ever meet in person and you’re offended by my language, feel free to blame Ed McBain, Lawrence Block, Thomas Hardy, Judy Blume, Colleen McCullough, and Stephen King, among others.)

Which brings me to Clean Reader.

Clean Reader is a reading app that “prevents swear words in books from being displayed on your screen.” The app is free for Apple and Android devices. The app has four settings—Off, Clean, Cleaner, or Squeaky Clean—that affect which words (if any) are hidden.

Until yesterday, the app had an integrated bookstore. As of right now, it does not. In response to (strong) objections from authors, Inktera removed their store from the Clean Reader app. This means that as of this morning, the store page in the app is empty. Inktera still shows up on the app's "More" tab, but I expect this will change, too.

Clean Reader is an ebook reader, and as such it can still be used to read ePub and PDF books, such as those purchased from "open" stores like Google and Smashwords.

So...how can authors prevent readers from using this app to read their books? The short answer is that unless an author holds their ebook rights and chooses only to publish on Kindle and iBooks with DRM, she or he can't. Think of it this way: With paper books, you can't stop anyone with access to a pen from redacting or replacing words in their paper copy of your book...this is the same principle. Authors can raise the issue with their publishers, but I’d bet money doing so won’t get you anywhere.

The above leaves aside the discussion around DRM as a whole and closed vs. open ebook systems. I do, however, think that’s a discussion worth having.

When it comes to reading, I have always been an advocate of choice and opponent of censorship. As Terri pointed out yesterday, if a reader prefers books without certain words, there are more than enough to choose from. If a parent wants to control which words their kids read, again, they have more options than a dog has fleas.

Which brings me back to Clean Reader. I was curious to know how it came to be, so I did some digging. Here’s what I learned:

Kirsten and Jared Maughan of Twin Falls, Idaho are the face of the company. They say they had the app created because their daughter was distressed by reading swear words (they’ve told different versions of this story). They are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), which takes a strong stance against profanity, which says in part:

Foul language is both degrading and harmful to the spirit. We should not let others influence us to use foul language. Instead, we should use clean language that uplifts and edifies others, and we should choose friends who use good language. Setting an example will encourage those around us to use clean language.

Here’s what I find interesting about this: The church’s language talks about words you use. Not censoring the words other people use. The Maughans appear to have missed this.

The Maughans commissioned Page Foundry to create the app. According to the Clean Reader website, the copyright is held by Upstream Media, which is an Assumed Business Name registered to Mr. and Mrs. Maughan. Following the Upstream Media trail leads to Kitchens Connect, Inc., which is owned by Darin G. Maughan.

Page Foundry’s CEO, Dan McFarland, has been extremely responsive, thoughtful, and transparent in helping me understand Clean Reader from a technological perspective. If you’re inclined to criticize them for taking on this project, I would argue that’s akin to blasting McDonald’s for selling food to people at risk of heart disease.

Jared Maughan, on the other hand, responded to only one of my emails with: “We'll have more updates later. Thanks!”

Huh. One might almost think the Maughans have something to hide. The conspiracy theorist in me thinks maybe they have some weird motive in all of this, other than wanting to encourage censorship.

Because, really, wouldn’t their energy and money have been better spent on, say, compiling a list of books they consider acceptable, and putting those into an app?

 

Goodbye, Lisa

I'll return to regularly scheduled book marketing talk next week, but right now, there's something even more important to talk about...

In December, 2013, I used this space to tell you about my friend, Lisa Adams. I got so many wonderful notes about this post, and I’m grateful that so many of you took the time to have a read of Lisa’s blog.

One week ago, Lisa died. I saw the news on Saturday morning, and while she prepared us all for it as well as anyone could, it has left me with an even greater sense of loss than I had anticipated.

One of the conversations (via instant message) with Lisa that I will always remember was about our shared experience of someone close to us dying but remaining an intricate part of our makeup. I told her about the picture of my mother, who died when I was a child, that watches over my desk. She shared memories of her mother-in-law. Lisa touched so many people deeply, and she will remain with us all too.

Lisa also left us a powerful legacy through her writing. I would encourage you to read some or all of it. I’ll leave you with the message she repeated often recently, and which I’ll never forget:

“Find a bit of beauty in the world today. Share it. If you can’t find it, create it. Some days this may be hard to do. Persevere.”

How to Be a Book Snob

by Erin Mitchell

This post was inspired by a segment on RTE Radio 1 about THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN, during which John Connolly valiantly tolerated some pretty impressive book snobbery. Click here to listen (popcorn at the ready recommended).

 

1. Use the phrase “transcends the genre” frequently and in a complimentary fashion. (For more on this, please read Sarah Weinman’s excellent piece on the topic.)

 

2. Damn genre authors with faint praise at every opportunity.

 

3. Choose one or two popular genre novels and refer to them as your guilty pleasure. You need not have actually read them.

 

4. Have (ideally snarky) opinions about books you wouldn’t be caught dead reading.

 

5. Speak often and loudly about your love of reading, but take no action whatsoever to encourage other people to read.

 

6. Should you accidentally (or under duress) read and enjoy a genre novel, be sure to point out the ways in which is isn’t really a genre novel (see #1).

 

7. Should you happen to encounter a writer of said genre novels in the course of your fabulous life, be sure to educate him or her all that is wrong with genre fiction.

 

8. Never, ever set foot in a library, unless it is a private one or you are attending a specific (ideally invitation-only) event.

 

9. Criticize common readers whenever possible. Sharing lists of obscure books you absolutely adore on social media is an excellent means to illustrate how much better you are as a reader and a human being, and be sure to express your shock and outrage should any of your “friends” not have read and appreciated them all.

 

10. Remember that people who live outside wherever you do (or New York City or London) and/or possess less formal education than you do are lesser life forms, and couldn’t possibly know a single thing about Real and Worthwhile Literature.

 

Together, we can make the world safe for Real Literature and save potential readers from themselves.

 

Video, Please

by Erin Mitchell

 

Me: I’d like you to make a short video.

Author: Huh? Video? Why?

Me: Because videos are fantastic online content.

Author: Really?

 

I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve had the above conversation. I mean, I get it…you’re authors. Most of you (with some notable exceptions) aren’t accustomed to being in front of a camera. You might not even own a video camera other than your smartphone.

But this doesn’t change the fact that people like watching video. According to Pew Research, 63% of online adults and 82% of 18- to 29-year-olds (a traditionally hard-to-engage demographic when it comes to books) use YouTube. That’s a lot of people.

Ok…but what should I do on this video?

The answer to that depends a lot on how comfortable you are with different things. Do you like to read your work out loud? Talk about your process? Answer questions? These are all viable options.

Some guidelines:

1. Keep it short: Aim for around 2 minutes, 3 max. Longer than that, and you risk losing attention. Ads are 30 seconds long for a reason!
2. Remember that it’s not an ad: You don’t need to sell your book. If you choose to read from it, the book will do that on its own. If you’re talking, you need only be interesting. Fancy graphics and a soundtrack aren’t necessary.
3. You don’t have to be the star (if you don’t want to): If you’re not super comfy in front of a camera, no need to be. You can combine elements of your book(s) with music (in this case, you do want a soundtrack).

Here are three examples of different types of videos to inspire you:

 

Survey Says

It's an age-old question: What makes a reader choose one book over another? These days, the potential answers often feel endless, and that's before we even get to how different answers are connected to each other.

But knowing that whatever the answer, it will provide fodder for discussion and consideration rather than a clear-cut game plan shouldn't stop us asking the question! So I did.

Before I share the results, some notes on the survey pool:

• 442 people answered, and each could only pick one answer.
• So statistically significant, this isn't. It's representative of a portion of the reading public. It's anecdotal.
• The pool was biased to those of us who have a stake in reading, most often a professional one. I doubt there was a casual reader in the bunch.
• In an effort to keep it simple, I didn't ask for any demographic data.
• This was an online poll, and was distributed via Facebook and Twitter.
• So these are people who spend time online. (Do I get a gold star for stating the obvious?)
• I neglected to include "Cover Art" as a choice, and several people pointed out that I should have (it was an accidental oversight, and once I realized it, I couldn't add it in without losing the responses I'd already gotten).

Now, the results. Click the image to see it bigger in a pop-up window.

And conclusions?

• Authors need to build their fan base. (Note to self: Next poll topic is the effectiveness of different ways of doing just that.)
• Recommendations in just about any form are powerful.
• Blurbs aren't as important as we think they are (to this segment of the audience, which is probably because we're a bit cynical about them, if we're honest, right?)
• We need to remember how powerful library displays are; twice as many people picked this vs. store displays.

What do you think? Any questions?

By the Numbers

by Erin Mitchell

This week, International Thriller Writers (ITW) sent out the (59-page) results of a (well intentioned) survey entitled, “Thriller Author Audience Expansion Roadmap.” Click here to have a look (if you dare—it really is 59 pages).

If you don’t want to read 59 pages, here’s the summary (since the survey didn’t have one, this is mine):

It’s important for authors to build their audience. The most effective ways to do this are, and will remain, unclear because it is impossible to have conclusive or comprehensive data about readers.

Marketing is a funny beast. We combine the best-educated guesses we can muster with a dollop of creativity, temper it with listening, and remain poised to alter tactics at the wisp of a will because readers, like all consumers, can be fickle. And the interwebs change. And…squirrel!

A couple of weeks ago, the Pew Research Internet Project posted their Social Media Update 2014 (their research was conducted in September). While this is not specific to books or reading, I find it much more helpful than the ITW survey, probably because it delivers some clear and useful data points:

• 71% of online adults (so, people who use the interwebs and are grown-ups) use Facebook, and 70% of that group engages with Facebook every single day.
  • This translates to 31% of all American seniors. Since we know for sure that seniors buy, read, and talk about books, this is significant.
  • This also translates to 58% of all Americans 18 and older. That’s 140.7 million people.

Conclusion: There is no good reason for any author to not have a strong presence on Facebook. By this, I mean a page (not just a profile).

 

• While Twitter experienced strong growth last year, it’s still used by only 23% of online adults.

Conclusion: Twitter might be helpful, but it doesn’t warrant a ton of your marketing effort (budget, time, energy).

 

• Instagram is also growing quickly, and is up to 26% of online adults.

Conclusion: It’s important to remember that just being 18 doesn’t make someone an adult by any measure that doesn’t include numbers. Instagram is all photos, all the time. Young people love it. Because of how it works, though, its usefulness as a marketing vehicle for books is less than monumental.

 

• 28% of online adults have a Pinterest account, but only 17% of them engage with it daily.

 Conclusion: People who love Pinterest really love it, but this is a small group.

 

• LinkedIn clocked in at 28% too, and for the first time, the share of internet users with college educations using LinkedIn reached 50%.

Conclusion: It’s practically impossible to delete a LinkedIn account and some people are job-hunting. (Translation: LinkedIn isn’t a credible book marketing tool.)

 

Any questions?

Welcome to 2015

Happy Birthday!

Oh wait...that's not you...that's me. Today is my birthday. I make a point of telling as many people as possible every year because I'm still smarting from all those "Christmas and birthday" presents I got as a kid.

So here I am, halfway through my fifth decade on the planet. As you read this, I'm off doing something fun. I hope you're having a good day too. 

Because I failed miserably at cards this year, I decided to get ahead of the Best of game by publishing my Best Books of 2015 list. As the year progresses it will get longer, of course, but here are nine books coming out this year that I've been lucky enough to read already. I promise they're fantastic.

 

Letter to My Tribe

Way back at the beginning of the year a mystery novel by a certain Literary Fiction Author was published, and said author proceeded to make a number of derogatory comments about crime fiction and those who read it. I had the opportunity to respond in an editorial in Crimespree Magazine, and that response is below.

As we celebrate the season, I wish you joy, happiness, and light. I consider myself incredibly lucky to be a part of this community.

 

I’m an only child, but I didn’t grow up alone. I solved crimes with my buddy Nancy Drew. I hung out with the good men and women of the 87^th Precinct in Isola. I rode the Orient Express with Monsieur Poirot. I fished with Santiago and had a crush on Doc in Monterey.

As I got older, my extended family grew. I got sober with Matt Scudder and ate lunch with Bernie Rhodenbarr and Carolyn Kaiser. I tromped around the French Quarter and peered into Louisiana’s misty bayous with Dave Robicheaux and Clete Purcel. I followed Serge all the way to Florida. I hiked into the dark woods of Maine with Charlie Parker. I was shown around LA by Harry Bosch, Joe Pike, and Elvis Cole. I fell in love with Copenhagen while following Louise Rick. I sang along to Hank Williams with Tom Thorne. I glimpsed evil with Tony Hill. I crept through Edinburgh’s alleys with Rebus. I rode around The Hollows with Jones Cooper.

I could go on (and on), but you get the idea. These characters and stories—and the authors who create them—have made my life infinitely richer. They have contributed to how I view and interact with the world, giving my perception and understanding of human nature layers and depth I would otherwise lack.

Crime fiction is not about crime any more than science fiction is about science or romance is about sex. It is about the human condition. It is about aspects of society we might prefer to ignore. It is rife with social commentary that gives us room for thoughtful consideration. It is delivered in prose that can be sharp, languid, or both.

I often hear people say that readers like mysteries because they enjoy seeing good triumph over evil. I don’t necessarily agree. For me, the best mysteries are less about the solution or even seeing justice served. They’re about the process, about how human beings interact with each other and the world around us often in the most trying of circumstances.

Crime fiction is sometimes dismissed as being less “deep” or “worthwhile” than other forms of fiction. I would venture, though, that this dismissal comes from people who aren’t familiar with the books that have enlivened my five decades on the planet. These stories are clever, insightful, intelligent, astute, and sometimes funny.

I’m a fairly well-educated person with a decent vocabulary, and yet I frequently look up words used in the books I read. So those who think that crime fiction is written with less literary flair than other forms of fiction are also sorely mistaken.

In addition to giving me glimpses into locales real and imagined, crime fiction shows me aspects of history through a unique lens, one of the personal perspectives of characters (and, by extension, authors). It also captures the cultural details of particular eras that might otherwise be lost.

Crime fiction consistently occupies spots on bestseller lists because it engages readers with stories and characters that range from clever and light to terrifying and gruesome. Some stories follow formulas, yes, because those formulas work, especially when they’re used by authors with remarkable storytelling skills.

I’m incredibly lucky to know a lot of people who read and some who write crime fiction. They are among the finest people on the planet. To those who sneer at readers and authors of genre fiction generally and crime fiction specifically, I say: meet my tribe, my family. Get to know us. We might surprise you.