We've all seen the
tips on writing and promoting books and other things literary. So
here's a few I've picked up over the last couple of years on being an
author.
Appearances Count
They say don't
judge a book by its cover. But we do. So you've got the snazzy book
cover, your website looks awesome, and you've got some cool as ice
business cards. What else?
Get some promo
materials. Not just business cards but flyers and postcards as well.
People forget about emails you've sent, links you've posted to their
Facebook walls, and things you've Tweeted them. They quickly get lost
in the ever growing pile of electronic noise.
But you give me a
postcard and I'm more likely to check out our wares. They don't have
to be hard to make. A quick search of the internet turns up hundreds
of discount printers who can turn around postcards, flyers and
posters in a matter of hours. Artwork doesn't have to be a hassle
either, just try not to use the site's standard templates. Have a
look around for royalty free and creative commons images (always
credit any artists you use. They'll thank you for it!) and pick one
you like. Or hit up any artists you know. It might cost you a bit but
you'll have something which stands out from the rest.
And Smile!
For the love of all things great, get some photos taken! If you find
yourself giving an interview, or someone needing a photo of you for
whatever reason, the last thing you want being used is a Facebook
photo of you drunkenly gurning at the camera. You only have to take a
look at some of the articles on music site Blabbermouth to see just
how some atrocious photos are used (Yes, it's believed they do it
deliberately!). Put on your finest clothes, brush your hair, and grab
a photographer friend. Go somewhere nice, or somewhere interesting,
or your back garden. Do something interesting. Get some nice
photographs taken so you've got something to hand out if people need
it.
The ones I use were taken by a friend in exchange for dinner. It did
involve a hike up to a castle in high heels (never again!) but it
paid off with some really pretty pictures.
Be Nice
Seriously. It's not hard to do and people are more likely to remember
you if you've been nasty to them. Yes, we all have our bad days.
We're only human after all. But try not to moan, especially about
your situation as an author. Whether you're self published or
traditionally published, there are people who follow you and will
have a certain image of you in their minds. If you break that image,
you've broken their trust in you and, in turn, probably lost yourself
fans and readers. By all means moan about your day, the weather, the
traffic, or whatever, but remember that, as an author, you're in a
somewhat privileged position. A smile will make you a lot more
friends than a frown (unless you're Grumpy Cat. But let's not go
there because this post will descend into nothing but photos of our
favourite frowny feline).
Saying that, play up to your quirks. I've managed to turn being
grumpy into something which I think makes people smile. Thanks to
everyone who sends me Grumpy Cat stuff! You're only helping to fuel
that fire! ;) Be yourself and continue what you're doing but keep the
moaning private.
No One Left
Behind
Remember those who've helped you get where you are. You might not be
selling books at the rate JK Rowling does but, somewhere around you,
there'll be a team of people helping you along. This may be people at
your publishers, friends, family, the local community, or work
colleagues. Send them a card every now and again. Drop them a gift at
Christmas. Say thank you. Again, emails, Facebook messages and Tweets
are great but there's something so much more personal about sending
something through the mail. Trust me, people love getting things
which aren't bills and junk in the mail.
No One Left
Behind Take 2
Some people do need a slap in the face with a shovel. But, for this
one, we'll forget about them. Authors are generally a really great
bunch of people. So let's help one another out! Promote each others
books, help others who are struggling, hold competitions, and get
involved with events. Together, we can do this!
Thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate it!
~~~
Rae spends her days running around a care home and her nights in
front of a computer. When she's not writing or making people laugh,
she enjoys listening to music, keeping in touch with her friends, and
fangirling over various bands. She's threatened to write a novel about some of her life experiences.
Her first two books, Mars on the Rise (Veetu Industries #1) and
Selling Mars (Veetu Industries #2), are available through TorquerePress. Her next two books, The Eve of War (Veetu Industries #3) and A
Second Past Midnight, will be coming out in 2014.
:)
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your new books, congrats!
ReplyDelete