My last post was on the back of the book. This one is on the very important front cover.
Some very good advice from Dave Bricker about designing book covers. Things to think about when you want to do it yourself, or when you are evaluating what your hired designer has done for you.
Note: If you hire a designer, make sure they get a synopsis of your book. Most don’t have time to read a whole book, but they should have a good idea of what’s going on in your story so they can design around it.
Your book blurb is very important, not as important as the cover but a close second.
I was at the Sterling North Book Festival this weekend selling my wares and after people stared at my covers for a few seconds, they picked up a book and read the back, even if I was talking to them.
Claude and Mathew Kadish give us some ideas for the piece on the back of your book, or the description for you ebook online (same thing). I agree with all the suggestions made (though I think 5 paragraphs is too long – 3, maybe 4 is about right) and I like the person’s suggestion in the comment section – go to a bookstore or library, look online at the book descriptions/blurbs on the back of the book for best-selling titles in your genre and take notes. Imitation is the best form of flattery!
I also think the open lines need to hook the reader, as well. Think – a jazzed version of your ‘elevator speech’ about your book.
Here is their list:
Claude Nougat’s Blog : How To Write A Smashing Book Description for Your Book:Tips from a Pro.
Here is a wonderful post with step by step directions on how to run a promotion. Very helpful information from Brooke Warner at Warnercoaching.com.
Now is about the time to start signing up for those fairs and festivals that frequently occur in the fall. Terry Cordingley has some ideas about the subject that I thought you might like. I have found that craft fairs can be fairly profitable affair for a book seller. You are frequently the only person selling books so it’s a nice place to stand out.
I think it’s handy to have a smart phone with a credit card swiper at these sales – the folks at these sales have only have so much cash and they are much more likely to buy your book(s) if they can use credit. I use the free paypal swiper. Make sure it works for your smart phone before you got to the sale. I had to change phones to get mine to work. I should have had the swiper with me when I bought the phone but I didn’t. Live and learn.
Anyway, sign up and go to any fair or festival you can get to. It’s a great way to get your name out locally.
Terry Cordingley: Day 15: Selling Books at Fairs and Festivals. Thanks for the reminder, Terry!
Kathleen Page says Endorsements, Guest blogging and email marketing are the three best strategies. I’m not sure this is a very helpful list for indie authors.
Endorsements – How easy is it to get other – well known – book endorsements? Not very. First, you have to be able to contact a well known author or publication, then you have to have them read your work, or at least part of it. Not an easy, if impossible, task if you don’t work with a agent or publishing house that has a reputation. I was actually able to contact a fairly famous author once because she lived by my in-laws. She gave up doing endorsements, so I was out of luck.
Guest Blogging – I have done guest blogs on quite a few sites and it might have given me a sale or two but that’s about it. I haven’t been impressed by this mode of marketing. I will continue to do them because I think they are an OK way to get your name out there, but not a great way to get sales, in my opinion.
Email marketing – I’ve read this numerous times, that this is the best way to market, but I really don’t like sending out “Buy my new Book!” email to people. I have and I will continue to do this because it might help my sales a bit, and I only do it every years or so when I come out with a new book, but I don’t like doing it because I personally don’t like getting these types of emails. People say that newsletters are the best way to market via email which is better than just a Buy my Book email, but takes A LOT more time, time that I don’t have. With a newsletter, you have to come up with content not related to selling you stuff 97% of the time and 3% of the time you can actually tell your subscribers about what you’re selling. (the percentages are made up, by the way). This, to me, is not a good investment in my time.
Anyway, those are just my opinions. Read what Kathleen has to say and decide for yourself.
One person’s marketing success story. Do you have one, too?
Most authors would agree that after writing a book, the biggest challenge is how to market the book. Competing for publicity and media attention is difficult and time consuming, often with little to show for your efforts.
That’s NOT true in Sabrina Penn’s case! Her efforts have yielded video reviews at two large metro TV stations.
Sabrina Penn’s children’s book, “A Cowgirl Named Pammy” was just printed, and within a two week period, she landed two TV interviews. Morning anchors at TV stations in Chicago and Denver promoted the book during their AM programs and provided information on where to purchase the book.
Illustrated by Michael Sein-Colon, “A Cowgirl Named Pammy” tells the story of Pam Grier, the first African-American woman super hero in Hollywood action movies. Sabrina said, “The key to my success with the media was simple: I created a brief summary of my book and emailed it to select media outlets. Since Pam Grier had lived in Colorado, I knew there would…
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From Clarie McKinney on Publishers Weekly website and my contact, Jennifer, on linkedin: Do You Know What a Book Publicist Does?.
Not that I’ll ever be able to afford a publicist, it’s still good information to know (just in case). Maybe you and I will need or meet one one day!
Some good advice from Richard Ridley and CreateSpace: CreateSpace Community: Resources: Participate in Online Book Clubs.
Notice Richard doesn’t suggest you join these groups just to market your work. Being a part of a group that actually fits you is helpful to make connections and share information. You might, at some time, share your book(s), but if you go into groups like these with the sole purpose of marketing, then you will probably be disappointed. Participation is a good marketing strategy, but it takes time and effort – ugh!
Some sites for authors related to their websites from Chris Robley on the Bookbaby blog.
Author Website Tips from HostBaby You Won’t Want to Miss – BookBaby Blog.
Here are some very good tips even if you’re not trying to catch the attention of a traditional publisher. (from PBS Media Shift)
CKBooks Publishing 