This has been an exciting, rewarding and crazy year! I realized a life-long dream of publication and all of a sudden I'm not only a writer, I'm a businesswoman. At first, I berated myself because I wasn't as prepared as I should have been. Always prepare. Always have that marketing plan in place. That had been my mantra for years.
Guess what? I didn't have anything in place when Ellora's Cave bought my novella, NO HOLDS BARRED, last year. I scrambled to have a website built but was totally in the dark about marketing on the internet and made myself crazy about all of the things I didn't know.
I lucked out with the cover gods and a new friend, fellow EC author Fran Lee made me a cover trailer and put it on You Tube but that was about the extent of my marketing plan. By the time my second book, ASSASSIN'S KISS was published, thanks to the wonderful writing community that I belong to, I was a little more prepared. I imagine I'll learn a little more with each book.
I've also learned not to beat myself up for what I didn't know. Enjoying the process is a big part of what makes this business so rewarding for me. I love creating stories and when I learned to love marketing and accept it as part of this business I found that it added to the creative process. Who knew;-)
I've also learned so much from my fellow authors who have been willing to share information and help me along the way. The wonderful Fran Lee, goddess of cover trailers and my fellow blog mates, Crystal, Serena, Savanna and Francesca who show their support in so many ways. There are so many more but this blog would be a couple of feet long if I thanked everyone personally...now there's an idea;-)
So don't stress about all of the things you don't know. Learn as you go and pay it forward. Because there's always going to be someone who is where you were at the beginning. Be as helpful to them as someone else has been to you.
Hugs,
Paris
10 comments:
((hugs)) Nicely said Paris and Oh My how true! It's amazing all of the things we don't know when we start this path into the life of a published author and how long it takes to become fluent (does this happen, will I know it when I see it) at the business!
Friends and contacts are one of the best parts of this life, imo, I'm thrilled when I finish a story, but when I can share it with my friends along the way it makes it all the sweeter!
Great Blog!
Paris, I was an utter newbie to the whole promo your book thing. Though, I'm not in the same league as many authors at marketing, I've learned a great deal.
You're right, it's a process and I try to make it as enjoyable as possible, for my sake, and for whoever might be reading my promo.
Marketing is creative in its own way.
Hey, post that great review you got from JERR!
Serena,
Thanks, and I know what you mean about sharing with your friends;-) It does make it all that sweeter! Hugs back at ya, babe;-)
Savanna,
I think we all start out pretty much in the same boat but as long as we help each other along the way, I think we're all good!
Oooohhhh, and before I forget! I heard about a nifty thing to do at book signings. A fellow chapter mate passed this along. You know those digital frames that you can do a slide show with? If you make a book trailer and use it to do a power point presentation you can make a slide show to display at your book signing! I thought that was a clever idea. If anyone uses it let me know how it works out;-)
Such great advice, and noble at the same time. I was the same way. I'd been a member of RWA for ten years before I made my first sale, and my ignorant attitude was, "I'll pay attention to craft workshops now, and save the published stuff for when I'm published." Big mistake.
I like that idea about the digital frame. I have a portable DVD player, but the frame sounds simpler. Very cool!
If you have a DVD player, you can have a DVD made of all your trailers, and play it on a screen behind you so people waiting in line can watch while you are busy with others.
Hi Crystal,
I think many of us are the same way. We work so hard at our craft because writing stories is our passion and make the mistake of thinking someday is too far away to worry about. LOL! I just realized I was Alfred Neuman--what me worry;-)
Fran,
I can always depend on you to be one step ahead of the curve! I love the DVD playing behind you to entertain everyone waiting in line! Thanks;-)
The DVD playing is a good idea. If I could do book signings I'd definitely go with that.
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