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The Guardian’s Wildchild is Making Headlines 7/3/2014 7:30:10 AM
Being a published author is exciting …. but a lot more is required than a talent for telling / showing a story. If you are hoping your creation catches the eye of readers, you need to almost delve into your gifts of magic. There have been days when I thought that well-known authors had secrets that propelled them to their notoriety and million dollar sales records.
After the initial glow of seeing my book, The Guardian’s Wildchild, on the amazon virtual shelves and print copies in my local book store, the grind work began. Eventually I did discover the secret. It is more than hours blogging, tweeting, and luring the public to my amazon site. The secret is developing relationships.
Doesn’t sound too hard, does it. However, if you’re an introvert, this task is the same as slamming your hand onto a hot burner. Guess what? I’m a life long introvert but when it comes to believing in my novel, I’ll slam my hand on that burner all day long.
Now, here is a word of caution. A lot of nefarious people (authors, publishers, agents, marketers) are very interested in developing a relationship with you. Being a person who prefers to trust, it has taken me a few knocks to differentiate the weasels from the worthy (apologies to the weasels of the animal kingdom).
Now, for those of you stepping into the mirky book marketing waters, consider this. Follow a few author groups for a while (facebook, blogs, twitter, etc.). When you find a group (on line or live) that ‘speaks’ to you, ask to join the group. Ensure the group is supportive of each other, has a proven record of published novels, and is active in the marketing world. The tone of the group should be positive and encouraging.
Another word of advice is try to attend a writer’s convention. It can be costly but the experience can propel you forward in giant leaps. There are many scheduled throughout the year and you will likely find one in your area, province/state, or country. I recently attended the RomCon in Denver. There were a few shortcomings but I did make some great connections.
My best advice? Steer away from marketing sites that promise the world, all for a few hundred dollars per month.
Recently, I joined a writing support group. One of the members, Lynette Willows, who co-wrote No Gentleman Is He, advised me to join The Romance Reviews. I did and have been amazed at the advertising opportunities — some are free, some involve affordable cash. And sales have improved considerably since making headlines at TRR.
Curious? Check out the headlines The Guardian’s Wildchild is making at TRR this month. Whoot!
Remember: If an author or reader has helped you promote your book, return the favor.
