Coming Up for Air — But still treading water

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Anne R Allen, Author, author marketing, Colin Falconer, fantasy fiction, historical fiction, Lucky 7 Meme, Novel Writing, Roberta Trahan, Rosanne Lortz, Sara Ramsey, Sophie Perinot, Stefanie Sloane, Stephanie Dray, Teresa Frohock, The Well of Tears, women writers, Writing

It’s been a long few weeks of reviewing and revising as the manuscript works its way through production — and closer to debut. The official release date for THE WELL OF TEARS  is September 18, 2012.  Even as I write the date here I can hardly believe it.  The long wait is nearly over!

Still, I confess I’ve been struggling with the burden of balancing the many demands of the journey, which is ironic considering how well I knew what to expect. Honestly, I’d thought myself fully prepared. No one was more surprised than I to discover that there really are only 24 hours in a day. So, I am once again renewing my commitment to you all, dear readers. Weekly posts will resume, beginning now!

I’ve Been Tagged!!

The charming and talented Colin Falconer, one of my favorite historical authors and perhaps the most entertaining blogger on my list, has tagged me for the Lucky 7 Meme (see his post: http://colin-falconer.blogspot.com/2012/04/ive-been-tagged.html). It works this way:

1. You go to page 77 of your current WIP
2. You go to line 7
3. You copy down the next 7 lines, sentences or paragraphs and post them, as they’re written.
4. Finally, you tag 7 authors, and let them know they’re tagged.

For my part in the Lucky 7 Meme, I’m posting an excerpt from my current work, THE KEYS TO THE REALMS, which is in the early draft stage. This sequel to THE WELL OF TEARS is slated for publication in early 2013.  Both are books of the Dream Stewards series, historically based fantasies which center on the reign of Hywell dda, a 10th century Welsh king of whom little is known but whose reign left a lasting legacy. In the world of my creation, this mysterious king came to his great power with the aid of an obscure order of mages knows as the Stewards, charged with ensuring his success:

—

“Let him in, they you may leave.” Alwen allowed her second to help her on with the heavy, intricately adorned indigo velvet mantle of the Ard Druidh and seated herself in the ancient throne set upon a small dais that centered her chambers. “It is best I receive him in private.”

Glain nodded her assent but her grey eyes clouded with unspoken protests.  She had found it difficult to find much to like in their new resident. A concern Alwen shared and was looking to overcome.

“Leave the aleberry pot in the coals, will you?” Alwen tipped her head toward the hearth in the adjacent parlor and offered the girl a reassuring smile. “These visits tend to go better if he is assured his confidences will be kept, and after a cup or two of the spirits.”

Glain stifled a smile, still reluctant to relax into the familiarity that Alwen encouraged. “He tends to drink too much.”

“Take care, Glain. The king of the prophecy is due your respect, however begrudging it may be. He comes to us because the Fane is his only safe refuge, a place where he might find some relief for his worries.” Alwen’s wink coaxed a full grin from the girl. “But yes, he does.”

The sentry’s firm double rap on the outside of her chamber door signaled her visitor had arrived. Glain placed two silver cups on the hearth and set the pot to warm as requested, ushered in the king-to-be, and then made a discreet exit.

Hywel stood once again in Alwen’s presence, but this time at her request. Circumstances that clearly annoyed him. but he had come, nonetheless. His glower might well have shriveled any one else, but Alwen knew her power. Still, he was an unnerving enigma — every bit as regal as he was ruthless. She gestured toward the hornbeam and hazelwood desk beneath the double transom window on the far wall, and the more ordinary chair that stood behind it. “Sit, so we may speak plainly.”

—

And now, the 7 authors I’d like to tag (in no particular order):

Anne R. Allen

Sara Ramsey

Stephanie Dray

Sophie Perinot

Stefanie Sloane

Teresa Frohock

Rosanne Lortz

Thanks, Colin!!

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When Opportunity Arrives: Why It’s Never Too Early for Writers to Prepare for a Publishing Career

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Anne R Allen, author marketing, Jane Friedman, Jennifer McCord, Jennifer Schober, Kristen Lamb, Novel Writing, publishing, Roberta Trahan, Scott Driscoll, Writing, writing life, Writing tips

I’ve received several comments in response to my recent posts on Author Marketing from writers who are concerned it’s too early in their process to think about things like Blogging and Author Identity. I understand that mind set–especially if you are just beginning to flesh out a first draft of a first novel. Many of you have barely begun to envision what a finished book will look like, let alone crossing the ultimate threshold on your journey–a published work.

However, I really can’t say this enough–it’s never too early. Really. Make it your New Year’s resolution to overcome that reticent mind set and take a leap of faith. The sooner you start thinking of yourself as a ‘real’ writer and taking the necessary steps to grow yourself into a writing career, the sooner your work will reflect that professionalism–and the sooner the publishing world will take notice.

Of course your focus should be on your craft and gaining the skills to produce the best work you can. At the same time, you should also be planning your platform, putting together that writer’s resume, and thinking about who you are as an author. Do it now. Trust me–when that big opportunity finally arrives, there won’t be time.

I know this from experience. By the time I shipped my manuscript to Jennifer Schober  (the agent who would ultimately end up representing me), I had done many of the things I have suggested that all of you do–I had a website and a blog. I had even built a basic marketing map based on ideas I had gotten from other authors. I had been building my author identity by making the rounds at writer’s conferences and publishing trade shows speaking on marketing. I had also begun teaching writing craft classes with my colleagues Jennifer McCord and Scott Driscoll.

All of this, and I still wasn’t totally prepared when my agent announced she was ready to send the work out to publishers. I didn’t have a one paragraph author bio, a 50 word book blurb, a 3-5 page synopsis, or a one page summary of the sequel. I didn’t have social media set up. And she needed all of this done, before she began submitting. I should have been ready when she was, and I wasn’t. So at 2 am in a hospital room during a major family medical crises, I made it happen. I had to. This was the chance of a lifetime. And it was hell.

I wouldn’t wish this scenario on anyone. I share it only to point out that you NEVER KNOW when opportunity will arrive, and you MUST BE READY when it does. So, do it now. Even if you know it will all change later, begin the process. Be prepared.

Because, as I said, you just never know when opportunity will arrive. After almost 2 years of consistent rejection, and months after I had moved on to a new work, something magical happened. A shift in the publishing universe occurred and another chance of a lifetime appeared. Eight long weeks of negotiations later, and I have my very first book contract–right here, in my hands, today. Huzzah!

BUT- I also have about 8 months to write a sequel that I have barely started, 2 days to turn in a final copy of the manuscript for the first book, and a detailed author questionnaire asking for everything from my hobbies, professional background and marketing efforts to links to images that illustrate my vision of cover art. Thank the stars that my writer’s resume has most of that information already in it. Even so, there is much to be done, and the clock is ticking. Not that I mind one little bit. Best Christmas present EVER.

So, off I go to meet my dream. And as I have no specific tips to share this week, I will refer to you to the blogs of experts who I know will:

Anne R Allen

Kristen Lamb

Jane Friedman

I’ll be taking a hiatus next week for the holiday, as should all of you. But meet me back here on January 1st for my official book announcement and some more advice on preparing yourself for publication.

Happy Holidays!!

Author Branding — Just Who Are You, Anyway?

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Anne R Allen, Author Branding, Author Identity, author marketing, Blogging, Blogging Tips, Frederick Levy, John Grisham, John Nance, Marketing, Platform Building, Roberta Trahan, Writing, writing advice, Writing tips

It occurred to me, after writing last week’s article on blogging and other marketing tools all authors should use, that in order to effectively use those strategies one must first have something to say that goes beyond the book itself.  I also realized that branding and platform building are just as challenging to talk about in meaningful terms as they are to do. I suspect this is because we are moving the focus beyond the subject matter of the work to a much more personal topic–you, the author.

What is an Author Identity?

I have to say that writing and talking about myself is still one of the most uncomfortable things I am ever asked to do–kind of like pulling my own teeth. It is hard to talk about yourself, even harder to decide what to say. But, in essence, this is what platform building or author branding or positioning is — creating a reputation for yourself as an authority in, or credible spokesperson for, your work.

To put it as simply as I can, an author identity is a composite of skills, achievements, expertise, and personal traits that you already posses that are somehow brought to bear on your writing life. Let me offer myself as an example.

Just who am I, Anyway?

In the beginning, I couldn’t bring myself to talk about myself as a writer. In those days, while I was quietly drafting my first novel,  I was earning my living as a marketing consultant and publicist for self-published authors, small press publishers, and some minor public personalities. It was much easier to talk about my clients and what they were doing than it was to talk about myself. But, I needed to build my business, and to do that, I had to find a way to position myself.

On a whim, I attended a workshop at a writers conference on professional networking by Frederick Levy, a film industry expert who had written a book on the business for screenwriters. Frederick talked a lot about the importance of relationship building, and having a clear and memorable way of talking about yourself. As an exercise, he asked everyone in the class to come up with a tag line–a one line modifier that someone might remember long after they had forgotten our name. Wow, that was hard. At the time, I was working as a publicist for a couple of actors. I lived in Seattle, and they were living and working in Los Angeles. I came up with the tag line “a Hollywood publicist in Seattle“. It seemed corny to me at the time, but it was the best I could do. Frederick though it was creative and original, and when I later contacted him on behalf of a client, he rememberd who I was–and took my call. As it turned out, that tag line worked magic for me for many years. But then I realized it was time to take myself seriously as a writer.

The Writer’s Resume

When I set out to define how I wanted to be perceived as an author, I did what I had been advising my clients to do–I began with my resume. A lot of what was on that resume had nothing to do with my writing credentials or my area of interest. I tossed all of that stuff aside and honed in on the back story of my life that had a direct impact on my creative process. It wasn‘t much, but it was a start:

*I have a degree in Journalism

*I minored in medieval history

*I have invested years to the extensive study of ancient civilizations, mythology, and folklore.

*I am a published poet and journalist

*I worked for over two decades in advertising, marketing & publicity — the last ten years as consultant, speaker and instructor in the book trade

This is an over-simplified list of line items from my background, but each of these experiences directly inform who I am as a novelist- as an authority in my genre (I write fantasy and alternative history), as a trained writer, and as a book marketing expert. My creative and professional background gave me a voice and something to say, beyond my book. After all, I wasn’t a published author yet. But that didn’t mean I didn’t have something of value to share.

With this information as a starting point, I eventually developed a way of thinking and talking about myself as a writer. I worked on a writer’s resume and a short bio. At first, I only ‘wore’ this persona at writers conferences and trade events. Eventually I realized it was time to practice what I preached to my clients, and bring that secret identity out of the closet. It’s a pretty comfortable fit now, but it took some time. I began as many of you have or will, blogging about what I know. Case in point, my posts on author marketing. I also write about mythology, history, writing craft, and the business of writing. It’s all relevant to my author identity. One day, hopefully very soon, I’ll have books to promote. But until then, I have plenty to talk about.

Taking Center Stage

So, just who are you? Have you tried to craft a writer resume yet? If you haven’t, I suggest you put it at the top of your to-do list. Start with an old resume, one you’ve used or are currently using in the world of your day job or profession. Does that day job or career relate to your writing? In what ways? What else have you done to further your creative dreams–classes, contests, degrees, certifications, conferences, areas of study? Are you an expert on something, or a collector? Don’t forget to personalize your public persona–do you have hobbies or interests that others would find interesting? Do you have a special charity you support? Once you start pulling together a list of pertinent and interesting factoids about yourself, your author identity will begin to emerge. Before you know it, you’ll be thinking and talking about yourself in a new way.

If you’re still not sure what an author identity is, I highly recommend looking at the websites and blogs of your favorite authors and/or bestsellers in your genre.  Think about writers like John Nance (a former pilot and aviation expert who writes about terrorism, air disasters and espionage), or John Grisham (lawyer who writes legal thrillers) and how who they were in their former lives helped define who they became in their writing careers.

Remember, it’s never too early to start. Begin by sorting out how you want the world to see you, and discovering what you have to say–and then say it. Start tweeting and blogging, and don’t forget to set up that Facebook Fan Page. And for help with blogging, which is the most effective of the three basic marketing tools every writer should be using, take a look at Anne R. Allen’s articles on blogging for beginners — How to Blog and How Not to Blog .

The New Media Melee — 5 Indisputable Truths of Author Marketing

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Amazon, Anne R Allen, author marketing, Neil Gaiman, New Media Marketing, Roberta Trahan, Social Media, Writing, writing advice, Writing tips

A few days ago I stumbled upon a link in my twitter feed (a retweet by Neil Gaiman, whose work I admire) that caught my attention. The header mentioned Amazon book reviews–a target that should be on every author’s marketing radar. I clicked through to a blog post by author Anne R Allen, who had written a light- hearted but honest article about the importance of Amazon reader reviews and star ratings. She included a fun and very helpful guide to the review system, intended for authors to help encourage their readers to show their support.  I loved the article and decided I would tag on a note of appreciation for her insights, something I almost never do. As I scrolled through the unexpectedly long list of comments left by other readers, I soon realized that Anne had ignited a firestorm.

What one might politely refer to as a ‘lively discussion’ had erupted on her blog — readers, authors, and reviewers had engaged in often impassioned debate about their perceptions of their respective roles in the book world. Poor Anne had unwittingly tapped into the emotional undercurrent roiling in the minds of everyone involved in publishing today.

Uncharted Territory

No doubt about it — commerce, in general, and publishing, in particular — are caught in a technological undertow that is sweeping us out into the vast sea of the unknown. We’ve left the relative safety of what used to be, and are being dragged, sometimes kicking and screaming, into a New World in which we are completely unprepared to survive. Not only do we not know the landscape, we don’t know the language or the culture. And that is partly because the New World is, as yet, largely undiscovered country.

Scary stuff. No, really. It is. In the old days of marketing, at least there was a map. There was an identifiable playing field. And, there were rules of engagement. None of that seems to be true anymore. And worse yet, the harder one tries to figure out how to play, the more things seem to change.

Treading Water 

Anne’s blog post also tapped into my own turbulent thought stream. As a 20+ year advertising and publicity veteran – turned- author, I have been pondering my own marketing course for quite a while now. In the early days of e-commerce and cyber sales, I found it pretty easy to translate traditional marketing strategies to the new retail environment. It wasn’t long before I realized that my old-school outlook was only going to keep me afloat for so long. Sooner or later I was going to have to start dog-paddling and hope for the best. The truth was that the many modes of new media marketing were coming at me in huge waves. The learning curve was steep, and I just couldn’t keep up.

However, I also knew from my education and experience that a certain percentage of what was floating around would eventually wash up on the shore as flotsam and jetsam. Like all new ideas and trends, the test of time would eventually sift off the foam and leave the real substance.  And so, after reading Anne’s blog post, I got to thinking — are there any strategies that we can trust, when it comes to author marketing? The answer is yes — while consumer purchasing will always be influenced by the prevailing tactics and technology of the current environment, consumer psychology hasn’t really changed much in the last millennium. While how readers buy and read books is changing, why they read has not.  The Rosetta Stone of author marketing is simply this — know your reader and what they want.

I’m sure you’ve all heard this before — know your audience. Not as simple as it sounds, I know, but it really is the cornerstone to your success. No book is for everyone. So who is yours for? Once you have a good answer that question, you will be better able to travel the seas of new media marketing. Navigating will still be tricky, I warn you, but here are some fundamental rules of consumer behavior that will never change:

5 Indisputable Truths of Author Marketing:

1) Readers Are Creatures of Their Own Desires  — no matter how much technology tries to retrain and redirect our attention, we will always make buying decisions based on our individual wants and needs.  We will seek out the widest selection, the best deal, and the most convenient transaction — but in the end, all that really changes is HOW we buy, not why we buy. The solution? Be where the buyer is. In today’s world, this includes Amazon. Like it or not it is the reader (and the available retailers) who decides where books will sell, not the publisher or the author.

2)  Readers Are Not All Alike  — One of the best things to come out of the plethora of new media sales channels is the ability to target your marketing efforts. Once you have clearly defined the demographics of your core audience (and this you simply MUST do), search for the places they live, work and play in cyberspace. This means research. Do the homework yourself or hire someone to do it for you, but your marketing efforts will not pay off unless you make the effort to know and understand your readers.

3) Just Because You Build It Doesn’t Mean That They Will Come —  In my marketing days, the vast majority of my small business clients balked at the mere mention of a marketing budget. The proprietor invariably believed that hanging an ‘open for business’ sign in the window, and maybe mailing a flyer to his friends and neighbors, was all the marketing he needed. And, invariably, that business would go under within a year. Just because your book is published doesn’t mean it will sell. Readers are not likely to find you, unless you are looking for them. Once you have found where they live and breath in cyberspace, you must then engage. Join the conversation, Invite them over to your place (your website or blog, naturally, not your home). Offer them cake and cookies. Give them a reason to pay attention to you, and then do it over and over again.

4) Quality Will Always Count — A lot has and is being said about the virtues and faults of the various venues for bringing book content to the reader. We all have our biases about traditional and self-publishing, but we would all do well to remember that in the free marketplace, the reader has the ultimate power. The reader decides what matters. The bottom line is that everyone wants the best value for their time, and their money. Spend your energy writing the best book you can, not fretting over what else is out there. There is room for every book, every idea, every voice. In the end, the cream always rises to the top, no matter which bucket the milk is in. Good writing, fresh ideas, and quality production will always stand the best chance for success.

5) All Marketing Is Good Marketing — Sounds trite, but it is nonetheless true. There is no such thing as bad publicity — any attention that is brought to bear on you or your book is a golden opportunity. Whether or not it helps or hurts is completely dependent upon you and how you respond to it. Case in point, I bring you back to Anne R  Allen’s blog post on Amazon Reader Reviews. Her article was insightful, informative, and accurately researched. Most importantly, it was well-intentioned. That it stirred up a maelstrom of frustration and discontent was unexpected, and perhaps uncomfortable for her, but it was not unfortunate. The end result is that people are talking–about the issues that matter to them, and about Anne.  What could be better than that?