Please welcome guest blogger Janice Seagraves!
Promo one step at a time
By Janice Seagraves
I’ve just got my first book, Windswept Shores, published just a little over three months ago, on June 3rd.
It’s one of those dates that will stay with me forever, like my anniversary or the birth of my beautiful daughter. *grin*
But along with getting my first book published there comes the dreaded promo.
I’m lucky, I like to talk to people and talk about my book, which I think is half the battle.
I also adhere to the old adage, “Do it one step at a time.”
To take a journey of a thousand miles, it begins with a single step.
Baby steps: Each day do one thing to promote your book.
1. That can mean doing a blog guest post like this one.
2. Or a tweet on twitter
3. A post on myspace or facebook.
4. You can post on your own website or blog, which counts too.
A little bigger step: I was running a weekly contest for the first three months. It was hard and yes at the end of it I was rather tired, but I think it did help to get my name out there.
I also ran a contest on Coffee Time Romance. They’re a great bunch who runs that website. I’m very glad I joined up.
Some ideas for promo items:
1. A gift certificate from your publisher’s website. (Hint, hint. That way they may buy your book.)
2. Something you made yourself. I decorated mini surfboards, which I found at dollar tree and had a great response.
3. A journal since post people who respond to the contests are not only readers but writers, too.
4. Key chains. Who doesn’t need a key chain?
5. Totes. A lot of people liked my totes and I gave away several. (Hint: try http://www.vistaprint.com for the key chains, journals and totes then see what else you can find to help you promote your book.)
Walk before you can run: When posting on the loops, (that means the yahoo groups) my editor tells us we should have at least three excerpts that run consecutively. That way you won’t have reader fatigue from reading the same post over and over again. And I think she is right. I know my eyes glaze over if I try to read the same excerpt again.
Some links to where you can find Janice and her book:
Windswept Shores: available from Pink Petal Books
www.pinkpetalbooks.com *** http://janiceseagraves.org/*** Windswept Shores
Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_r2NXKT0Sg
my main blog Website Book Blog Art and Cartoon Blog Find me on myspace
"Life is not about the moments we breathe, but the moments that take our breath away."
Stories that leave you breathless . . . Janice Seagraves
4 comments:
Thank you for having me as guest on your blog, Cassandra. It was fun.
Janice~
Good advice, Janice. Baby steps are easier. Especially when we're trying to find a balance between promo and spamming. lol.
I loved your surfboards, and of course the totes. *winks*
Good luck, hon!
Oh, the dreaded promo. How I hate doing it, but it's a necessary evil in this business.
Ditto that--I can always use tips on how to maximize my promo efforts. ;-)
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