The Fabulist Flash

Issue 101

Hint of Autumn Art Card

In This Issue:

1. This Week
2. Book Promotion Tips
3. Working with a Promotion Specialist
4. Carolyn Howard-Johnson takes the 18Q
5. About The Fabulist Flash

1. This Week

Summer is coming to an end. This was obvious this week when several editors contacted me. I went from wondering what the winter was going to be like to the news that I'll have three articles published in upcoming winter issues and a poem included in a the December release of an anthology.

In conjunction with the release of the anthology Writer's Bloc: A Las Vegas Valley Author Showcase, the writers included in the collection all got together to sign copies of the book. It was a fun party. Writer's Block was put together as a fundraiser for my writer's group and it's already raised several hundred dollars. I don't think any of us will achieve stardom from this publication, but we do get a nice publication credit and the book quality is very high. You can get your own copy from my website Kompes.com. Book sales support The Henderson Writer's Group.

Anthologies and story collections are growing in popularity again. The Chicken Soup series has spawned many "copycat" publications and many of those are doing quite well. It may have something to do with the shortening of our attention spans. Most of these anthologies don't pay much ($50-200), some don't pay at all, but allow their authors to purchase copies at reduced rates, and others pay with a few contributor copies. While this avenue might not be a lucrative business, it does offer published byline credit, increased name visibility, and an opportunity to publish work that may be in a different genre from your norm. For example, my poem being published. I'm not a poet by profession, but do pen a few lines from time to time. Credibility and audience exposure can pay dividends for years to come.

This week's issue explores book promotion with Lea Toland's 7 Vital Book Promotion Tips, Stacey Miller's Don't Let Your Book Promotion Specialist Disappoint You, and Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of The Frugal Book Promoter: How to do what your publisher won't taking the 18Q.

Until next week,

Gregory
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Gregory A. Kompes (www.kompes.com) is a writer, photographer, professional speaker and author of the bestseller 50 Fabulous Gay-Friendly Places to Live, The Endorsement Quest, and Your Intensive Care Unit Stay.

2. Book Promotion Tips

7 Vital Book Promotion Tips
by Lea Toland

As a literary publicist I often am asked about publicity tips, tricks, and the magic behind my work. It's not magic. All you need to know are the basics and from there you will be able to create an effective book promotion. Below I've listed the most vital and basic tips to a successful book publicity campaign.

1. ALWAYS Take 'No' for an answer

It can be frustrating when the media isn't interested in your book or story idea, but always thank them for their time and move on. If you try and persuade or argue with them you will leave a bad impression of yourself and your chances of working with this particular media in the future are slim. Try back in a couple months if it's a show or publication that you're particularly interested. The media changes with the seasons, and trends, so they may love your show or feature idea then, rather then now.

2. Don't Hound Your Publicist

The more time you take up with your book publicist the less time they have to talk with the media. When you first begin your book publicity campaign ask your book publicist when an appropriate time would be to have a weekly chat, and see if they have a number to call in case of a publicity emergency. This will be well received by your book publicist and their efforts will be more successful!

3. Start NOW

A book publicity campaign is the most successful within the first 6 months from your book's publication date (differs for traditionally published authors). This is because the media wants the latest products and they want to be the first to tell their audience about them. It's best to start publicizing your story to mainstream and industry media prior to your book's release and reach out to consumers once your book is available to order.

4. Don't Pitch Your Book

Make sure that you're pitching a concept, show idea, or solution when you begin promoting your book. If you sound more like…. "Hello, I am an author who just published my women's interest novel....." rather then, "Hello, is this a good time for you? Great. I'm a relationship expert who has proven that love novels bring couples closer in bed…" The second pitch is more intriguing and will most likely get a few minutes from the person on the receiving end. Your goal with every pitch should be to get their attention, a few minutes of their time and booked or featured as a guest, depending on the type of media.

5. Create a Press Kit

Before you begin promoting your book you should have a press kit ready to go. The essentials in most literary kits are a cover letter, press release, author bio, Q&A page, sample interview questions, and articles that make your topic relevant today. You're publisher should supply you with these materials and if you're self-published you'll most likely need to create these materials from scratch and on your own. This can be a daunting task to some, but the internet or library can be helpful when researching the proper formats of these products. Or, find a publicist to create a press kit for you!

6. Know Your Target Audience

Who will buy your book? 'Everybody' is not the correct answer to this question, although it is a common answer. The more focused you can get with your efforts the better your results will be. If your book is more main stream rather then specialized, then try beginning with a smaller audience and broadening your focus after you've saturated this first audience. Just a tip: Authors should always start with their local media, then regional (surrounding areas and states), and finally saturate national media.

7. Have fun!

Your enthusiasm, humor, and smile should shine through in every phone pitch, letter, and e-mail. If you're not excited about getting your work out there, then why should a producer or editor be excited to give you time on their program or space in their publication.

I truly believe that any author can publicize their own book if they have the drive, energy, and time to see it through from beginning to end. Publicity is the most vital within the first six months from its publication date, so authors should hit the ground running. If you need more guidance or would rather hire a professional to handle your book's publicity then start looking now. There are many publicity companies out there, but you need to find the one that's right for you and that is as excited about your book as you are.

About the Author
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Lea Toland lea.toland@spotlightpublicity.com

Please visit us for more information on our book promotion services: http://www.spotlightpublicity.com

3. Working with a Promotion Specialist

Don't Let Your Book Promotion Specialist Disappoint You
by Stacey Miller

When authors place sole responsibility for their book promotion campaigns into a book publicist's lap and leave it there, the results are often disappointing. Despite their best intentions, book publicists may fail to generate important reviews. Interview opportunities may slip through the cracks. Worse still, highly promotable books may languish without visibility in a highly competitive marketplace. The book promotion campaign, and the book promotion specialist, can disappoint you.

Does that mean you should give up on book publicists and wait for Oprah to call you? Or that you should give up on your book promotion campaign altogether? There is another option. You can work in partnership with your book publicist and take the following steps to maximize your chances of success:

Be clear about your book promotion expectations from the outset, and make sure there is a meeting of the minds. If landing on the front page of the Wall Street Journal would be the ideal coup for your book, make sure your book promotion specialist focuses on accomplishing that instead of pitching you to every producer at National Public Radio. Give your book publicist your wish list, and offer to prioritize your book publicist's to-do list; you'll both be happier in the long run.

Suggest news angles for promoting your book, and provide your book promotion expert with a list of buzz words and phrases. Your book publicist most likely isn't an expert in your field and will welcome your help, even if he or she doesn't specifically ask for it.

Tout your credentials and sing the praises of your book to your publicist at every opportunity. Don't worry about sounding pompous or immodest; your publicist will appreciate your self-confidence and be even more enthusiastic in pitching you to the media.

Keep an eye on the media, and inform your publicist about developing news stories and current events that might tie into your book and enhance your book promotion campaign. Ask your publicist what else you can do to complement his or her efforts. Are there professional associations or mailing lists you can steer him or her toward? Have you compiled contact information for your alumni, professional, and hometown publications?

Ask your book promotion specialist for what you need, whether it's a redirection of energies, an accommodation to your schedule, or a weekly progress report. You'll come out a winner if you ask your book publicist to communicate with you and commit yourself to doing the same. And you won't be disappointed with the results of your book publicity campaign or your book promotion specialist's efforts.

About the Author
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Stacey J. Miller is a book promotion specialist. Her company, S. J. Miller Communications, coordinate book publicity campaigns for authors and publishers. A free book promotion plan is available upon request. For more information, visit http://www.bookpr.com. bookpublicity@gmail.com

4. Carolyn Howard-Johnson takes the 18Q

1. Did you choose the writing profession or did it choose you?
Probably a little of both. I also denied it for a while. I kept telling myself that the other things I was doing were just as creative, just as important. I was wrong.

2. What is your background? (education, work, etc.)
I am an instructor for UCLA Extension's Writers' Program and completed a teaching program with that school--their intent, of course, to make terrific presenters of us all! (-: I was graduated from their cross-town rival, USC, and I have done just about every kind of writing professionally from media releases for a fashion publicity agency, to journalism to poetry (Tracings, a chapbook of poetry, named to the Compulsive Reader's Ten Best Reads of 2005 List).

3. When did you 'know' you were a writer?
The day it occurred to me I needed to print business cards. I picked them up at the printer and it said Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Writer. Ahhhh, confirmation. In print. And you should know this worked better than bylines had in the past.

4. How would you describe your style of writing?
Casual, thoughtful. I think of myself as literary but accessible.

5. What is your writing process?
I work it in when I can. I write without worrying about it. I edit the whole damn mess later.

6. What was your path to publication.
Journalism. A very exciting way to get the bug back in those days. Teletypes tapping, typewriters clacking, the smell of real printers' ink.

7. What is your favorite self-marketing idea?
I love Amazon. Now that's a targeted audience and they offer tons of perks to authors. Read about it in The Frugal Book Promoter: How to do what your editor won't.

8. What are the biggest surprises you've encountered as a writer?
That, even with a publicity background, I didn't know everything about book publicity!

9. How do you inspire yourself? What are your sources of creativity?
I don't know what writer's block is. All I have to do is pick up one of the thousands of papers on my desk, open one of my notebooks. I have far more ideas and projects than I can ever do in a lifetime.

10. What is your proudest writer moment?
A hard one. I think when I read that I had been named a woman "who makes things happen" for my literary activism. I write because I want to make a difference so The Pasadena Weekly's recognition that I had was a grand moment.

11. What's the best advice you were given about writing?
Do as I say, not as I did. Never give up on it. If you do, you'll have to start over again! (-:

12. What is your most embarrassing writer moment?
This is a whole mini anecdote. I was a reporter for The Salt Lake Tribune writing a food column on a teenager who offered up an easy -- very easy--fudge recipe you could make as you studied. The one-column cutline read (name changed to protect the innocent), "Kathy Laresen...easy to make while studying." The copy editors caught it before it ran in the city edition but it had run statewide that way. We didn't get a single letter!

13. What business challenges have you faced as a writer?
Mmmm. Paying the bills?

14. What is your writer life philosophy?
I will never stop. My last and final breath will be, "Make sure my manuscript sees the light of day."

15. When you're not writing what do you do for fun?
Promote. Ski. Promote. Travel. Promote. Go to museums. Promote. Read.

16. Who do you like to read?
I am voracious. Cereal boxes to philosophy.

17. What's your advice for new writers?
Learn your craft every time you take up a new one. That means lots of learning for your 1. first foray into journalism 2. first poetry 3. first novel 4. first essay 5. first short story 6. first nonfiction book 7. first....you get the idea. They're all different. Because you've "made it" with one writing profession, doesn't mean you know beans about another.

18. What are you currently working on?
I have a novel in a drawer. We won't talk about that. My next book is Best Book Forward: How to Edit Manuscripts for a Spotless First Impression.

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Are you a published writer? Take the 18Q today!

To read all the 18Q responses or take the 18Q visit EighteenQuestions.com

5. About The Fabulist Flash

ISSN: 1554-0804

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