Posts Tagged ‘self-promotion’

Seven Secret Clues to Successful Author Self Promotion (3)

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

As I mentioned in my previous post, if you are an author considering self-promotion and concerned about costs, don’t sweat.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money but it helps if you follow my Seven Secret Clues to Successful Author Self-Promotion:

CLUE 2:

Be Bold (credit: E. Polinsky)

Be Bold (credit: E. Polinsky)


Swallow Your Shyness and Be Bold

 
Fake it, if necessary!




Master public speaking:

  1. Practice on your own, in front of a mirror and then with your family and friends. No, it’s not easy; Yes, it can be embarrassing…but just do it. Otherwise, being terrified of speaking in public will seriously hamper your opportunities for promotion
  2. Take a Christopher Leadership-like course: you’ll receive terrific and helpful tips on creating speeches, memory techniques & effective delivery
  3. Join an amateur acting troupe. Not only will you have fun, you’ll begin to appreciate the cadence of dialogue, the power of silence,  the varying ways of talking and add to your writing toolbox an understanding of the power of formal speech, colloquialisms and accents
  4. Volunteer to speak at local clubs, business networks, etc.
  5. Offer to read and sign books at local bookstores and libraries.

After all, you want people to read your books, don’t you?

Good. Now you’re ready for the fourth clue

Seven Secret Clues to Successful Author Self-Promotion (2)

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009
Don't Be Shy

Don't Be Shy (credit E. Polinsky)

Okay, so you’ve made the gutsy decision to put your work and yourself out there.

Great. A tough but necessary step to finding your market.

Now, what do you do?

Well, over my decade-plus years as a published mystery author, I’ve run the gambit of promotional efforts: book signings, attending conferences, giving speeches and interviews, teaching, writing articles/stories, seeking out reviews, creating and sending promotional bumpf like postcards & bookmarks, maintaining a web site presence and now blogging. And I haven’t finished yet.

Gaining Courage

Gaining Courage (credit E. Polinsky)

It takes time, determination and moxie.

But, it can be done. On your own. Without costing a fortune.

How? Don’t sweat. I’ve got seven secret clues to successful author self-promotion…and you don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to understand them.

CLUE 1:

 
Competition’s Fierce, So You’ve Got To Have F.L.A.R.E.:

• Be Fresh & Original

• Be Loud both in Voice & Appearance

• Be Articulate for Panels & Interviews

• Be Respectful to Audience, Reviewers & Booksellers

• Have the Endurance to Smile & Survive

See…not so hard, is it?

Seven Secret Clues to Successful Author Self-Promotion: (1)

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

Over the next few posts, I’ll be discussing the challenges and joys of promoting yourself and your books by listing my clues (after all, I am a mystery writer) to shameless successful self-promotion for authors.

And I say “shameless” without fear because if you don’t have faith in the value of your writing, why should anyone else?

Why should you be ashamed, embarrassed or shy to trumpet—well perhaps just gently toot—your own horn?

Glynne Turner and I recently did by pitching our new multimedia Quillr® storytelling concept via a press release. This resulted in the fun pic below along with a nice newspaper spread.

Photo of Glynne Turner & Nicola Furlong promoting Quillr

Photo of Glynne Turner & Nicola Furlong promoting Quillr®. Credit Peninsula News Review

For some reason, self promotion in the book publishing biz is considered distasteful and vain. I have found this attitude particularly vexing, especially since I’ve noticed the complete opposite in the screenwriting/filmmaking industry.

I’ve been fortunate to have a some of my screenplays/concepts optioned for movies and TV series (no, none as yet have made it to the big or little screen but that’s another story).

In the movie/TV industry, advertising one’s product is de rigeur.

The indie writer/producer/director who maxes out her credit cards to make and flog her flic receives accolades for her guts and determination and her work receives attention.

But if an author steps forward to undertake her own publicity, she may be derided and the value of her work tainted.

Why?

I don’t have the answer.

All I can say is this: if readers don’t know about your work, they can’t buy it.

So, if you’re willing to step out into the limelight, even a little, to market the efforts of your hard work, then read on.

And pat yourself on the back.