Getting Noticed, the Bug-a-Boo of Promotion

Okay, I'm still hitting my head against the big marketing wall and have the bruises to prove it. Little traffic and sales.

Yeah, "I'm promoting". An example. Just noticed that I've done over a 1,000 Tweets and over 200 followers [most of them pertinent to writing]. The first few months I visited there, my tweets and followers were in the single digits.

Surprising, how promoting your stuff adds up. I'm mentioning all three of my pubs on Twitter. I include the Independent Authors Network' hash-tag and url. They even retweet me ... for what that's worth.

Does Twitter work for book promotion? I think maybe. I know that I get more traffic when I mention my books on Smashwords. Whether or not, someone buys depends on your blurb and other marketing skills. I think writers can chalk one up for the traditional publishers here. At least, I have this dream that they have a set of guidelines to help their writers do the promotion bit.

Back to the bug-a-boo of promotion: getting people to notice your book. A book by the IBC  [the Indie Book Collective] people does just that according to Jeff Bennington at The Writing Time Bomb. Why, oh why, do I keep finding such stuff when I don't have the time to absorb it. How to Sell More Ebooks gives some great ideas on getting noticed on Amazon where probably more USA books are sold than any where else. 

I'm thinking the book may be a buy ... but how to you study on Kindle? Can you underline and write notes to yourself as you read?

Yet again the ladies at Duolit have come up with some great suggestions for getting your NaNoWriMo project getting noticed by other writers: 5 Ways to Build Hype Before NaNoWriMo.  The good thing? Many of the ideas will apply to promoting all your writing.

So, happy writing ... and happier promoting if you sell something. If you are on Facebook, Twitter, etc you can promote even your short story sales. I'm sure editors appreciate all positive mentions of their publications ... just like authors do.

An Indie Writer's Pain: Gettting Book Reviews

Kay's Book Reviews:

Indie writers can envy writers, like Kevin Hearne, who are published by the corporate big boys. For example, here he's getting a review of his book Hammered, the third novel in his Iron Druid series, and he didn't ask me for a review. -- We won't talk about the almost a hundred reviewers I queried with little results, and no this isn't sour grapes. Just an observation. 

Actually Hearne dismayed me when I first started reading. The opening didn't sparkle like his previous books ... until I hit his ode to salad spinners. This bit after he'd finished turning Asgard, the plane of the Norse gods, on its ear. More important, he doesn't dwell on his genius bit of humor but jumps right back into the plot of avoiding god-generated disasters and making Thor pay for his centuries of cruelty and entitled attitude.

Yeah, I admit my envy of humorous writers since I'm incapable of writing funny. Oh, I understand the basic structure of juxtaposing two incompatibilities. Like the forgetful rabbi making the "sign of the cross" with the punch line: spectacles, testicles, watch and cigars. I'm condemned to spending my life being an appreciative audience for others. Books that do humor well while keeping the plot moving ... fast, should be cherished.

Yeah, this book isn't as funny as the others, but more important, it's more than competently written. The lives of the main characters and major secondary characters continue to develop and the loose ends are tied just enough to leave some dangling hooks to pull you into the next set of books. Let's hope Atticus  O'Sullivan continues his Brer Rabbit conniving for many books to come. 

Bonus Review:

The NYC son has a fascination for old for old cover art. I benefited by rereading Alan Garner's The Weirdstone of Brisingamen in the 0.25 Ace edition, yellow pages and all. I had forgotten what a great chase it was. 

Just as Tolkein marked fantasy tropes, I think Alan Garner set off a bunch of his own. Of course, he used tropes himself -- wise old wizard and kids landing in an adventure when they are removed from their normal lives.  It's what you do with the trope that matter. I found Garner's mine escapes more exciting than Tolkein's.

Grumbling About My Writing Lessons:

Time.  Where does it go. Of course, I had my critique meeting last week ... and my old man's second eye surgery. Even though I was told, not too gently, I need to add more back story to my new Half-Elven novella, I've been spending enormous amounts of time looking for book reviews.  

Yes, it is a long, involved process.  I blame the book reviewers for being too interesting.  First, I have to go to their websites to see what they do.  Then, most of them suck me into reading a couple reviews, sometimes more. There are some really good books out there ... even those written by indie writers.

Want to try reading some new writers without breaking your wallet? You might visit: The 99-cent-Book Network run by the Indie Book Collective. Contrary to popular opinion, you don't need a reader to download an e-book ... even on Amazon.

Before I go any further, I must share a link on Why Books Don't Sell from MuseInks. Since I'm one of the thousands who have an abysmal Amazon ranking, I thought I'd share this before I proceed.

Getting ready to draft a new novel? I used to do it every fall, and I bet many of you with children do the same as soon as the school bell rings. C. A. Marshall revealed a simplified way to check on your plot development: The Nine Grid Plan. I printed it off since I could even understand it ... unlike the snowflake method so many people swear at. 

Trivia:

Gotta crow ... even if you aren't interested.
Richard Hayes who reviewed Taking Vengeance at What I Wrote said:
Theodoratus' Half-elven "...is a new approach to the Elven legend which is really refreshing." 

Finding Book Reviews, etc.

Grumbling About My Book Review Lessons:

Haven't progressed much on soliciting book reviews, even though its a primary task.  The week-end frittered away into nothing.  I accept on faith that the more reviews, the better which means I've got to shift the stick.  If you're in the same boat, the Indie Book Collective has a list of reviewers on Goodreads if you're self-published.  

[While you're there ... if you join or are a member, you can "friend" me.  I plan to get back to visiting there regularly again.]

Then there's Maria Zannini who  blogged on good cover design as a guest blog on Kristen Lamb's site: Creating Cover Art: Down and Dirty Tips.  The sources of artwork is well worth the price of admission if you're self-publishing ... or considering it.  Wished I knew about the sites when I was working of the cover for Caverns Between Worlds.  [No, I hired it done ... but who knows what I might have found "wasting time".]

You'd probably do yourself a favor if you follow Kristen Lamb and Maria Zannini.  Zannini has a link to her Indie Roadshow, a whole four weeks of self-publishing tips where she discusses various aspects of self-publishing.

Zannini does a lot of "dutch-aunting", basically with the warning self-publishing isn't easy, especially when it comes to editing.  Yeah, self-publishers are in charge of the entire show ... including spending money on your project.  But, that may not be much worse than low-level publisher-published authors.  I've heard many complain they spent more than their advance on promotion of various kinds. --  I know I did for Taking Vengeance.

If you are interested in the changing parameters of the publishing world, you might also take a look at her guest blog at Mason Canyon's, Thoughts in Progress.  Zannini writes about the steps in her game plan she made to get her novella, The Devil to Pay, published so the advantages stay in her pocket.

Anyone care to share their experiences?

In the end, the self-publishing explosion may actually be changing the parameters of book reviews.  Writer Beware shares a link for an article by Patti Thorn, a former book review editor of the Rocky Mountain News [A Denver newspaper which went defunct].  First she gives a behind the scenes description of the book review desk.  Then, she discusses her business:  book reviews for hire ... sorry, making the case for fee book reviews, aka Blueink review.  Thinking about it?  I'll warn you the fee is respectably professional ... which is not to say that free reviews aren't necessarily profressional.

One networking thing I have accomplished:  setting up my author's page on Facebook.  Hopefully I'll be adding something new soon ... if I can get it written.  So far, I've my critiquers and beta reader set up for The Trouble with Somant.  Anyone care to like the page?

Quest: Chapter 8 in Bad Haiku

False King Seeks Allies

8

In the dark of night,

Smoke surges from toxic herbs,

Polluting dank air.

Rats stop gnawing, cough.

Roll over, die.  Rightful king

Slumps in his shackles.

Blood drips in circle

As the False King seeks help from

Depraved ghosts and ghouls.

Trivia:

I've enjoyed a couple of Tess Gerritsen's mysteries from time to time.  Her comments on her Six Favorite Books Featuring Female Sleuths. is a nice read for all writers, I think.  Not only does she mention Julia Spenser-Fleming's Episcopal priest, the Rev. Clare Fergusson [one of my favorite sleuths], but she gives an ode to Nancy Drew ... even if she was written by a composite of  writers.  Yeah, I was a Nancy Drew sort of gal rather than a Sue Barton one.  [from The Week, thanks to a link by Tamela Buhrke]

Quest 7, Fantasy in Bad Haiku

More of Quest, in Bad Haiku:

[Taking a break from serious writing.]

Failed Plot

7

False king frets as spies

Relay worrisome rumors

Of a wise rival.

With threat to his rule

Lurking beyond his grasp, king

Launches assassins.

Tales of youth’s prowess

Stop the killers’ blades, convert

Enemies to friends.

Kay's Comments
(Since my "book reviews" aren't serious enough 
to be a review of a book's worth.)

Actually, it's Monday, and I don't have a review per se.  But, I am still thinking about a blog by the Passive Guy on reading ... and how J. K. Rowling managed to get people to open pages across the generations.  I know I was an early reader of the books ... by the second volume when this cheapskate had to buy the hardbacks.

Passive Guy said it succinctly:  "How Harry Potter Saved Reading."

I prefer like to think "How Reading Saves People".  Is there nothing so pathetic as a bored salesclerk looking like they wanted to suck their thumb while they waited? The blank faces on subways are worse, like the time of the living zombies. Scary that they can turn off their brains. Books have saved me from such perils ... often. 

Came across several bored store clerks in the past week.  If they opened a book, they could have saved themselves from boredom. The time-clock probably condemns them to boredom, though. Wonder if you could make a case for "cruel and unusual punishment".  Corporations wouldn't understand even though the Supreme Court says the things are "persons".

Grumbling about My Lessons:

Promotions.  Promotions.  Someone shared the Indie Book Collective with me, and I'm learning a lot there. You might to ... even if you don't self-publish. 

But I have even something better to share if you are "indie" published, thanks to them.  The $0.99 Network will help you, perhaps, publicize your book if you have an ebook costing $0.99 or $2.99. Don't have an e-reader yet, but it seems to me that this place will help you save money.

I've done a submit for Taking Vengeance [published by WolfSinger Pubs].  Now I'm waiting to see if the site masters agree with my definition of "indie" to include small independent publishers. Don't think it's up, though.  I can't find it yet.

No matter really.  I'll still be able to use them starting in August when I start charging for Cavern Between Worlds.  Whatever, I think we're seeing networking in action -- provided I can figure out out to format the story.

Trivia:

The city road department is trying to turn me into a smarter mouse.  Road construction around out town has metastasized.  At least, they are creating jobs along with the inconvenience.