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I’m happy to welcome back Christine Rains, once again taking over Wistful Nebulae. I asked her to talk about marketing. It goes with one of those pesky goals I made for 2013 — to have more of an open dialogue about marketing. What are it’s secrets? Take it, Christine…
I was told at a seminar once that being an author is fifty percent writing and fifty percent marketing. I scoffed at it, but now I’m cursing that they were right.
But I’m a writer, you say. I’m horrible at promoting myself. I sympathize with you. Marketing my books and myself is intimidating. Sometimes I still feel like I’m fumbling around in the dark. If I ever do find a light switch, I hope there’s a bulb in the socket and it shines on me when I turn it on. Then I hope I’m wearing pants!
Until I find that magical switch, there are easy ways to market my books. Here are a few things that I’ve learned as I’ve struggled to promote myself as an indie author.
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Set specific and realistic goals. You’re not going to become a best seller overnight. If you’re lucky, you’ll sell a few copies the first week of your release. Sale numbers for indie writers make a slow climb, but you can help them increase steadily.
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Market to the right audience for your genre. How do you know if you’re marketing to the right one? Through trial and error. Sometimes the group you think is best for your book isn’t the right one. You’ve just got to keep on trying.
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Use social media. I’m not suggesting you get on every social media site. You’ll just overload yourself if you do. Again, this goes back to knowing your audience. A blog and Twitter might work best for you, or Facebook and Pinterest.
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Build a library. The more titles you have out, the more you’ll sell. This works particularly well with series.
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Remember, you’re not the only indie author out there. Network and build relationships. Find buddies with similar goals and promote as a group.
I wish I could offer you some simple advice and you’d sell millions. Let me know if you ever do come across those magic words! Until then, keep writing and never give up.
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The Dragonslayer
On the rooftop of neighboring building, dragonslayer Xanthus Ehrensvard fires at his target, Governor Whittaker. How he missed the shot, he doesn’t know, but fleeing the scene, he picks up an unwanted passenger. Gorgeous reporter Lois King saw Xan’s face, and she believes it’s the story to make her career. Except he can’t let her walk away knowing what he looks like. Xan has to show her the Governor is a bigger threat to the world than he is.
Xan knows dragons never went extinct. They evolved with human society, taking on mortal forms, and slithered their way into positions of great influence and power, just like the Governor.But it’s no easy chore proving to someone that dragons still exist, and even more so, they’re disguised as famous people. Xan must convince Lois or find another way to silence her. An option, as he gets to know her, he likes less and less.
After all, dragonslayers are no longer celebrated heroes but outlaws. Just as the dragons wish it. But this outlaw must make a plan to slay the dragon or risk its retribution.
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Author Bio:
Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she’s not writing or reading, she having adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She’s a member of S.C.I.F.I. The 13th Floor series is her first self-published series. She has four novellas and eighteen short stories published.
Website / Blog / FB / Twitter / Goodreads
Writers 4 Writers
Remember W4WS is this Monday, the 18th. You’ll want to check Gwen Gardner’s blog and Melissa Bradley’s for what to tweet and share on FB. Or just check the W4WS FB page or the #w4ws hashtag. Help out this two wonderful, friendly writers.
Celebrate the Small Things
Every Friday, Vicklit of Scribblings of an Aspiring Author hosts the celebrate the small things blog hop.
*Set a release date for Boomtown Craze and am having a party. Prizes included. I could use some help getting the word out. Sign up is HERE.
*Finished editing and formatting Boomtown Craze this week. Yesterday actually.
*Cover is in process for the new book.
*Valentines was kind of a bust because I’ve been illing since Tuesday, but I was happy that Husband Unit went out to get me more NyQuil, cough drops, and Zicam.
*Met my writer gal pals for lunch on Tuesday. Hopefully none of them caught my germs. We had a lively discussion about how our writing is going, publishing, TV, movies, and books.
*Sale for Stopover at the Backworlds’ Edge ends Monday, 2/18.
Questions / comments for Christine?
Have a great weekend!
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Agree that you might think you know your target audience – but until the book hits the market, you’re never sure.
Glad editing and formatting is done, Mary!
Thank you so much for hosting me today, Mary!
Alex, you’re definitely right. Sometimes you can only and wait see about these things.
having a sexy mc doesnt hurt either! hubba hubba!
and you have building a library down, girl!
have a great weekend, ladies!
Still looking for the light switch.
*checks to make sure pants are on*
It really is a balancing act. I swing between social media and writing without finding the middle.
Congrats on getting Dragonslayer out!
Light switch? I’ve been using a candle.
Excellent advice from Christine. I am all signed up for your launching party, Mary Pax. And I hope you’re feeling better.
Great tips Christine! I love your attitude. Dragonslayer looks awesome!
Mary – sorry you were illin’ for Valentine’s Day, but glad you’re getting set for Boomtown Craze – I’m looking forward to reading it!
I’m glad, too, Alex. Although, I did the last few days with a fever, so I’ll have to do another final read-thru.
I’m very glad to have you here, Christine.
He definitely hurts nothing, Tara.
I’m still looking for it for some, too, Laura and Diane.
Yay, Al! I’m finally starting to feel better, but another late start… I’ve been sleeping a lot. My cats do not approve.
I got the first proof of the cover today, Tyrean. It rocks! Woot!
Tara, that doesn’t hurt at all! *LOL* Have a wonderful weekend.
Laura, thank you. I’ve still yet to find a good balance too.
Diane, don’t breathe too heavily! ;)
Al and Tyrean, thank you!
Great advice. Thanks.
And just when I was sure I couldn’t be surprised by another “dragon” story… Christine Rains goes an’ surprises me!
Dragons disguised as people… !! You’ve piqued my curiosity, for sure. :-)
Tonja, thanks!
Loretta, I’m happy I could surprise you. :)
Finding your audience is the hardest part I think. Social media helps since it’s “real time.” Great tips Christine.
Maurice, thank you!
Great to see you, Tonja
I love Christine’s stories, Loretta.
It seems we have to turn over a lot of rocks to find them, Maurice.
Great advice Christine:) I’m enjoying all your posts:)
I’m glad I don’t have to worry about marketing (at this point). I admire anyone who can do it effectively–it seems like something that takes a lot of dedication and smart decisions.
Those are great promotional tips from Christine.
“Sometimes the group you think is best for your book isn’t the right one” – this statement caught my attention… I never ever thought about that!
Those gal pal writerly get-togethers sound awesome! *sighs*
I really need to find myself a writerly gal pal who I can meet for “literary lunches”
I’m signed up and ready for your launch party Mary!
Great tips, promoting as a group sounds good – safety in numbers!
Congrats on your progress, Mary.
Those are great tips. Keep expectations reasonable. Since I’m the person that had half way expected to win the Hugo as a self-published short story author, yeah, expectations can offer some disappointment if not tempered.
YAY to writer pals and get well soon!!
Christine has been quite an online force this past week! Very well done. And, M, very good of you to host her. Both of you exude professionalism and fun. :)
Great to see you, Tania.
It takes tenacity more than anything else, Eagle.
They are fun, Michelle. I found this group about a year ago.
It’s also more efficient and effective, Nick. Have a great weekend.
It’s hard not to hope for the stars, Rusty.
Thank you, Vikki.
Have a wonderful weekend, Suze.
Tania, thanks! :)
TGE, it does. I’d love to find that magic switch if it does indeed exist!
Michelle, glad I could help!
Nick, thank you! There’s definitely safety in numbers.
Rusty, I still dream big, but I’m learning to be happy with the small victories.
Vikki, thanks for stopping by!
Suze, thanks! I think I’m ready for a nap today, though.
Fantastic tips, Christine! Although it seems like marketing is a higher percentage than 50%. ;)
Congrats, Mary, on getting the revisions/edits done!
I adore this girl…she is such a lite breath of air!
So many great tips! Marketing can be so overwhelming (as I’ve been learning this year), so it’s nice to see a list like this!
Those are some excellent points, Christine. I think you have good, practical reasoning behind your marketing tips and hope that your series does well.
:-D
Thanks for the tips, Christine! I admit I think marketing is a nightmare, so I appreciate the advice! I have to agree with Tara that your cover boy here definitely doesn’t hurt, I would think he is doing some of the work on this book for you LOL. :D
Hope you are feeling better now, Mary. I’m all signed up for the next Boomtown party. :)
It seems higher to me also, Cherie. Yay on edits. Final read-thru is now 1/2 done.
Hello, Tammy :D
It sure can be, Heather.
She will hit at some point or other, Misha. Christine just has to out stubborn her boulder.
No, not feeling better yet, Julie :( And I agree about Christine’s cover boy.
I really need to work on marketing. This is good advice. I have to say I haven’t had too much success with Facebook (got blocked for trying to friend people I don’t know) but Twitter has been a great tool.
Cherie, thanks! And yes, it certainly does. I think I remember another writer saying it was 90% marketing. Eek!
Tammy, you make me blush!
Heather, thank you. Marketing is still hard even with a list!
Misha, thanks! I hope so too.
Julie, thank you. I hope Xan is doing some work!
Nigel, thanks. FB hasn’t been great for me either. Twitter and my blog are my best tools.
I think it was excellent advice Christine, and it was good to hear that not selling millions is normal. I’m good with a steady climb up the hill.