 | 15 May 06 |
I hope all the moms had a Happy Mother’s Day! I had a busy weekend, and I’m dragging this Monday. No telling what I might say in this blog today…
This week we’re going to talk a little bit about the thing we least like about publishing. Trust me when I tell you that it sounded much smarter coming from Natalie. I can’t remember how she phrased it, but hey, I’m faking it here and it’s Monday! I get points for just showing up!
I love most of my job. I love writing (except when the characters aren’t cooperating and the Boys in the Attic are being snarky), I love meeting readers, I love everything but…
Promotion. Intellectually, I understand the value of promotion. Promotion is all about getting your name out there. Making your name a recognizable brand.
Say Stephen King, and people recognize him as a horror writer.
Say Danielle Steel, and people think glamour/romance
Say JK Rowlings, and people think Harry Potter and wizards.
That’s the value of promotion. But promotion is tricky, and there’s no concrete way to measure its effectiveness. Essentially, it’s a crapshoot.
On top of the murkiness of the value of promotion, I’m not a born saleswoman. I can talk about writing and my books pretty easily. But what are we selling, our books? Well yes, but the way to BRAND is to SELL THE AUTHOR.
Jennifer Crusie is someone who has done a fantastic job of branding herself as an author. A friend and I were just talking about this. Jennifer Crusie the author is Jennifer Crusie the person. There’s no real line between them. The readers who go to her lectures or book signings or blog feel like they know Jennifer Crusie. But see, Jenny is a teacher, and she’s used that skill to really put forth her brand and personality. She travels all over the country doing this.
That isn’t MY lifestyle. So I’m going to have to find another way to promote and build my “brand.”
Then there’s the whole issue of the type of books I write. I blend mystery, romance, sex and maybe a little adventure, until I don’t fit clearly into a defined genre. Fortunately, things are changing in publishing though…lines are blurring and we are learning how to promote books that don’t exactly fit. I have a terrific editor, and I emailed her one day and said, what if I wrote a romantic mystery for Brava (another imprint for my publisher, Kensington, where most anything goes as long as it’s sexy and sophisticated).
She called me within a minute. “That’s a great idea!”
For once, I was actually thinking about promotion. In my mystery series, I get compared to Janet Evanovich. This is a very nice compliment but it’s a double edged sword in promotion. Readers may buy my books because they like Janet Evanovich, but it doesn’t BRAND ME, it’s playing off Janet Evanovich’s brand. And while I love writing my mystery series, I wanted to do more. Put more into my books. So while literally laying on my bed and staring at the ceiling (brainstorming!) it occurred to me that I might be a natural fit into Brava.
THE SEX ON THE BEACH BOOK CLUB is coming out in January 07. My publisher did a superb cover, and my editor called me last week to tell me how much she loved the book. They are talking about the promotion they will do on their end. So I guess I’d better get a promotion plan in place.
Any suggestions on promotion????
© 2006 – 2009 Jennifer Lyon. All rights reserved.
Award winning author, Jennifer Lyon, always wanted to be a witch. Since her witch-powers never materialized, she went onto Plan B and now she creates magic in her books. In her new series, the author of the acclaimed Samantha Shaw Mystery Series (written as Jennifer Apodaca) introduces the Witch Hunters, legendary men who must overcome a curse to team up with witches and fight evil.
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How about blogging on reader blogs? Specifically reader blogs who have reviewed your books and liked them–I’m going with the theory that their audience probably feels more or less the same way.
by May May 15th, 2006 at 8:01 amHi May, that’s an excellent idea! Boy you’re sharp on a Monday! I’m still looking for more coffee
by Jen May 15th, 2006 at 8:24 amWow, this is hard, because this is what all of us are trying to do. Be us, but be the best “us” we can be. I would say that Allison is well on her way to her brand—she had incredible help from her publisher with those three books so beautifully done. Three months, three books with similar-but-easy-to-delineate bookcovers (not to mention superb writing), and boy, is it ever soup yet!
I wish I knew even remotely what to do. I did read a good article today in the NYT about how Arianna Huffington built her blog brand. Didn’t know how that would apply to my blog, though.
I guess you have to take into consideration your other books before this one, and see if there’s a common denominator? Because it’s not just Sex on the Beach Book Club – it’s all your books and yourself that you’re selling. Is there something you get from fan letters, anything that rings a bell, that you’ve heard before?
If it were just Sex on the Beach Book Club, you could do some beachy thing and call it good. Have swizzle sticks made up or something like that. But that’s not really the point.
I’m asking all these questions of myself, and coming up empty on the answers. I know I’m in there, somewhere.
One person I’m intrigued with is Mary Kay Andrews, formerly (or perhaps still) a mystery writer named Kathy Hogan Trochek. Her Mary Kay Andrews brand is incredibly strong. Her books are not series, although they do have recurring characters, and they’re big as can be, and the writing is just brilliant. I guess you’d call it southern Chicklit mystery but even that doesn’t begin to describe them. And the covers, oy! Color. Chicklit + color. Perhaps her brand has been created simply because she is at the top of her game in her writing; she has truly found her place, and her voice.
So at least I recognize brand when I see it.
Do it? That’s the hard part.
More thoughts if I get any.
by J. Carson Black May 15th, 2006 at 8:28 amI find it amazing at who does and does not get national backing from their publishers. One book – co written by an author recently named here – received a massive radio blitz from her publisher. The book was flimsy at best. I am becoming well read of the authors here and am surprised by the lack of support by their houses. Houses that would benefit as much as the author by further promotion than just printing and placing the books on the retail rack.
At some point in the last year I read an article that talked about group signings. This I thought sounded fun at least. The authors that partook in the multi author sigining series sang praises from the results obtained. But with the price of fuel these days, even single signings close to home are astronomical, let alone a roaming tour.
by Cele May 15th, 2006 at 8:36 amHi there, Jake! I see you travel in the same endless circle that I do, LOL! You know, for me, it’s sort of like what I read–most everything. I’m the same with writing. The one comment I get a lot is that I write guys really well. Some people, of course, will disagree, but that’s one strong comment I get a lot. Anyway, the swizle stick idea is cute, especially since it could double as a book mark!
Someone told me to get some photos of me on the beach. I can’t express how much I’m resisting that idea. I suppose I could do it as long as no one suggests bikinis, or anything remotely revealing. It’s not a horror novel, after all.
By the way, Jake, you have a great blog!
by Jen May 15th, 2006 at 8:45 amCele, group signings can be a blast. I do them once a year at a local bookstore. I seem to sell well, but I hardly notice because I’m having fun. I think the readers are drawn to authors who are laughing and including them wihtout making them feel pressured to buy.
There’s a formula that goes into who gets backing. Some of it has to do with the initial advance, which is based on a profit and loss statement, then how many books are pre ordered that the big buyers (Bordres & Waldens, B&N), print runs, the “buzz” about the book…all kinds of things. It’s not personal, it’s business. All this stuff comes down to the bottom line. Some authors who have gotten huge in-house support, then failed to sell as well as expected, have suffered for it.
by Jen May 15th, 2006 at 8:50 amI agree, Jen. It’s better to have a smaller print run and less promotion, and exceed expectations, than get a huge six figure advance and tank!
It’s frustrating, though. Kind of a Catch 22 – you write good books, but nobody knows who you are. If nobody knows who you are, why bother to promote you? Around and around and around.
That’s why we’re all out there peddling as fast as we can, and probably spending way too much time promoting our books rather than writing them. The first sale you have to make is to your publisher. You have to sell them on you!
Thanks, Jen, for the compliment.
by J. Carson Black May 15th, 2006 at 9:07 amJen, the thought of a booksigning scares me. I love the SEX ON THE BEACH BOOK CLUB title. Are your books all similar in voice if not content? Maybe they all have witty, snappy dialogue? Could you use something like that for branding? You said anything goes with your publisher as long as it’s sexy and sophisticated. If you plan to continue writing sexy and sophisticated, that could be your branding right there.
by Edie Ramer May 15th, 2006 at 10:15 amJen, we’ll definitely talk . . . but the first thing I would do is write the next book and beg, borrow, steal your editor into slotting it in April 07. Why? Because that’s only three months between books, you can put your first chapter as a teaser in the SEX book and you can have complimentary cover treatment. Sue Grimshaw said that if they know another book by the same author is coming out within FOUR MONTHS they’re more likely to keep the first title on the shelf longer and bring it again when the second book hits. Meaning, no stripping
I love your cover, love your title, and your writing fits the whole package. Forget the gimmicks BUT consider talking to your editor about something apropos to send out with the sales team or send direct to booksellers . . . like deliver an ARC in a beach/book bag with a recipe for sex on the beach (the drink) bookmarks, maybe an cocktail glass with your cover on it. You want them to read it and hand sell it to their readers.
by Allison May 15th, 2006 at 10:22 amI think that having this blog and by blogging on readers blog may help with the promotion. I can totally see how you would hate this part of the job, I just shudder thinking about having to do that. I do think that the bookmarks with the Sex on the Beach receipes on them are a cute idea! I am intrigued just by your title.
by Kristie May 15th, 2006 at 11:24 amCover? Do you have a cover? I’d love to see it!
Interesting, Allison— I learn more every day. If the publisher will do that with the sales reps, it could be wonderful.
by J. Carson Black May 15th, 2006 at 11:49 amJake, the publisher may not pay for it, but I’ve heard of authors who have had promo things printed up and then sent them to the sales manager who then distributed them to their reps. It’s crucial that you get this all pre-arranged otherwise it’s a waste of money, but if they are excited about the idea it can really work well.
by Allison May 15th, 2006 at 12:21 pmEdie, “Sexy and Sophisticated” might really work! I never even thought of that (even though I wrote it on the blog). Thanks!
Allison, thanks for the tips and have fun at RT!
Kristie, that’s a cute idea to have book marks with Sex on the Beach drink recipes. Hmm, guess I should get busy “testing” receipes!
Jake, yep I have a cover. I need to ask my editor when she gets back from RT if I can put it on a public site. Then I will show you all.
Allison (again!) good point about making sure you pre-arrange giving promo materials to sales managers. They get unsolicited stuff that can end up being tossed. But if it’s a part of an approved promo package, then it’s okay.
by Jen May 15th, 2006 at 12:44 pmAlllison, re. paying for it ourselves and asking the reps to do it (if they’re excited)– that’s something I’m going to file away for future refrerence.
Jen, now I’ve got something to look forward to–your cover!
BTW, I’m so fascinated by branding, that I’m doing a blog on it myself. Not just promotion, but what a brand is, how we can identify it, etc. Not that I know. But maybe somebody else does…
by J. Carson Black May 15th, 2006 at 1:18 pmI took two branding classes and I still don’t quite get it.
But look at how they’ve repackaged books to give an idea of branding. Tami Hoag, for one. They’ve reissued all her titles with different covers that are the same but different–so that the reader knows exactly what they’re getting.
by Allison May 15th, 2006 at 1:47 pmYou notice, I mention what a masterful job Ballantine did with your books.
I think it gets easier if you can get and keep a backlist. Look at J.A. Jance’s books. Every single one of her books has been reissued in paperback, with similar themes but different colors to differentiate them. This is, I think, the second time they’ve reissued a lot of the earlier ones. Styles change.
by J. Carson Black May 15th, 2006 at 2:13 pmAllison, that suggestion about asking them to do another book four months later… whoa. I may just ask and see how they go for it. Because we were scheduling my pub date to coincide with a big event here, we pushed it back to May ’07. This was at first at my suggestion and when the pub realized it was a real event (mentioned throughout the book) (Deb, it’s the Contraband Days Fest)… they got fired up. But, because of the pushed back deadline, I’m going to have the second book done well before the first ever comes out.
How long does it take Ballentine to go from receiving your book to it being in print. I know for celebs, they can do a fast turnaround, but for someone like me. (I know this is something I can ask the editor, but I’m curious what other houses do.)
Also, I think virtual book touring can work. What hasn’t worked for me when i read an author’s website is when they post a whole lot about the author and then about the book… and without the hook for the book up front. I think it almost needs to be like the movie one-sheet (the movie poster), where you get a snippet of information and then a teaser and then go into a little more detail, with a link back to the author to follow through. Does that make sense?
by toni mcgee causey May 15th, 2006 at 5:00 pmI love group signings. and the sex on the beach recipe on the back of a bookmark is brilliant! I have a really good recipe…somewhere.
by Karin May 15th, 2006 at 6:13 pmI’ll chat more about branding later. Right now I’m fighting a nasty head cold and revisions.
Toni, I’m not a pubbed author, but I’ve heard of books being released something like 2 months from acceptance–it was a non-fiction book, and the concept of the book was precipitated by a real-life event that the publishers wanted to take advantage of. They were writing a chapter a day, and getting the copyedits the next.
Jen, I’m 12 hours ahead of EST. Totally different timezone. That’s why I’m sharp when you’re not. LOL.
I have realised that for branding your blog, it has to have a focus. JA Konrath’s is promo for books, for example. I was trying to juggle both foodie stuff and reviews and writing stuff on my blog. Not the best idea.
by May May 15th, 2006 at 7:38 pmToni: your publisher can do anything they want. And besides, with a May 07 pub date they have plenty of time to schedule you in the summer season.
From what I’ve picked up is that publishers generally plan one year in advance. So, in Spring ’06 they’re setting the Spring ’07 schedule (and some of the late winter — like SPEAK NO EVIL is technically winter–Feb–while the other two books are in Spring.) So you’re set for May ’07 but your house probably hasn’t even started the summer ’07 schedule except for their set authors (the ones who publish every July, for example) . . . So you can and should have a talk WITH YOUR AGENT FIRST about this and have your agent pitch the idea to your editor. Do May, July and Sept, or May, Sept, Dec. (though Dec is generally a bad month for sales unless you have a niche holiday book, and even then I’m not sure . . . )
Anyway, to give you some perspective: I finished the revisions of THE KILL mid-Nov and had the copyedits the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (due the Monday after Thanksgiving, which I pushed to Tuesday otherwise I would have had to overnight the manuscript by Noon Saturday — wasn’t going to happen.) I had the page proofs mid-December with a 72 hour turnaround time. The book was printed and warehoused 30 days before release date, about 6-7 weeks after I turned in the page proofs. It was on the shelves 2/28/06.
For the last book of this current trilogy we know we’re looking at a close time frame, so I’m going to try to deliver it early. Right now it’s 1/15/07 and it’s an April release, which is about 11 weeks. But in case of revisions, I want to get it in before Christmas.
So, I don’t know if that helps . . . but FWIW, I think you have a great opportunity to launch your series right. Let me know what happens!!!
by Allison May 15th, 2006 at 10:25 pmHuge help, Allison. I’m going to talk to my agent Wed. (She’s out Tuesday.) Thanks! (Of course, I may totally freak her out or the editor out. Heh. Won’t be the first time.
)
by toni mcgee causey May 16th, 2006 at 12:43 amYou’d think writing the damn book would be enough, wouldn’t you?
Allison – you continue to amaze me. Your mind just keeps spinning this stuff out: first – three incredible books, then – numerous blogs, promotion ideas for yourself and others, conferences, articles, author panels, etc., etc., etc. What are you? the energizer bunny?
Mo
by Maureen May 16th, 2006 at 6:15 amKarin if you find the recipe for sex on the beach (the drink!) send it my way!
Toni, the time between acceptance of a manuscript and publication can vary widely. BUT the reason to get the manuscript in early, like a good nine months before publication, is so the publisher can build some buzz in the book industry, and get out ARCs (advance reading copies).
May, no wonder you are sharper than me, you’ve got a whole 12 hours on me!
Maureen, you know, the real truth is that no author can propel her book to bestsellerdom. Either the publisher does it with huge print runs, strict lay downs and a few other tricks, or the readers do it by sheer word of mouth. All authors really have control over is writing the very best book they can.
by Jen May 16th, 2006 at 7:19 amJen, the author branding terrifies me because I write in multiple genres too, though I’m only published in one. Love Allison’s idea about the beach bags. How come she’s so smart???
by Jan May 16th, 2006 at 7:23 amJan, I totally understand your fear! I can’t commit to a favorite color, how can I commit to a BRAND??? Allison was just born smart…but we love her anyway!
by Jen May 16th, 2006 at 7:56 amI think it would be difficult to be a writer and have to promote your work. I’m not a writer but a reader so can only offer what works for me. My TBB list is made up of books that I’ve read excerpts on and liked or a favorite author of mine has a new release out. So one of my suggestions is to keep your website updated. I also hear about books from author newsletters, reader groups, author blogs and recommendations off list and in chat from my reader net friends. Maybe you could join Romance Junkies book club (Yahoo group), if you aren’t a member yet, and send through a promo post. There are a lot of readers on that list. Or, they have delurk days and you can join in and chat with the readers. I have purchased books by authors I’ve chatted with just because I like their personality and are curious.
I also think book contests are a good idea. I’ve found many new favorites by getting the chance to read a book I might not have bought. I’m a pretty loyal reader and if I like an author’s story, not only will I tell my net friends but I will buy the next one and keep going until I hit a couple of “not so good” ones.
by KimW May 16th, 2006 at 4:02 pm