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Writing Etc. – April 15, 2007

ISSN: 1545-5580

Make your writing sparkle. Write killer queries. Get published.

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Notes from Minnesota

Make Readers Buzz About Your Book by VB Rosendahl

Paying Markets

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Notes from Minnesota

My buddy Victoria Rosendahl has been writing fiction for over 40 years. Her first short stories received polite rejections and she spent most of a decade working on securing an agent and getting her novel published.

To no avail.

A couple of years ago, she did a freelance editing gig for Stargazer Press, a small publishing house in Canada. When the owner asked if she had any manuscripts lying around, Victoria jumped out of her seat and rushed down to the local P.O. to send it out.

Within two weeks, she received word that Stargazer wanted to publish Bitter Tastes, her first mystery for kids aged 8-12. After she signed the contract, she started thinking about the best way to publicize this huge accomplishment. The Plan was born.

Honestly, she’s really on to something here.

I know lots of you write fiction and many have been published. But here’s the $64,000 question: how in the world do you start getting the word out?

I mean, really. You could be published by one of the Big 7 in New York – you’ll still be responsible for coordinating the publicity.

Well, that’s where Vic steps in. She’s launched and run a successful campaign for Bitter Tastes that has reached all the way to the LA Times, Rachael Ray and Oprah Winfrey. In fact, she’s waiting to hear from those TV shows as I write this.

Interested in meeting her and finding out how she does what she does? Cool. She’ll be participating in a seminar given by The 3 Chix on Saturday, May 5, 2007 in Wilmington, Delaware and she’ll not only talk with you about mounting a successful campaign, you’ll get the actual materials she used to do it.

Sign up to meet her up close and personal: http://www.3chix.com/Seminar_Registration.html

From a media kit to pitch letters to press releases, Vic will show you the ropes so you don’t have to rip your hair out trying to find out what to do.

Hope to see you there!

Beth

PS I can’t swear to this, but I’m twisting Vic’s arm to pass out some super secret contact info for shows like Oprah, 20/20 and Rachael Ray. If you’ve ever wanted to be on national TV, you won’t want to miss this part of her talk. Ready and rarin’ to register? Go here: http://www.3chix.com/Seminar_Registration.html

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~~~~~~~~~~~~ Feature Article ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Make Readers Buzz About Your Book

By V.B. Rosendahl

www.vbrosendahl.com

www.3chix.com

I think most writers … when they’re honest with themselves … view the act of writing with romantic glasses. Who hasn’t dreamed of writing The Great American Novel in a cabin on Golden Pond or on the verandah of Hemingway’s Key West cottage? Both visions include a Duotang box full of completed manuscript and, in the case of the Caribbean, a Red Stripe close at hand.

The dream also includes a fat advance and royalties coming in faster than Lucy and Ethel could stuff chocolates into their mouths in the candy factory show. All you’d have to do is hop on a jet for your press junket, sign some books and accept the accolades of adoring fans.

Right?

Mmm, not so much.

There used to be a time when writers could write their masterpiece, send it off to the publisher and forget it. They could bask in the warm glow of success (hopefully) and go where the publisher sent them. Writers didn’t have to worry about writing and distributing press releases, contacting book stores or putting together media kits.

Big 7, Small House, Doesn’t Matter

Whether you’re published by a house in New York City or New York, Nebraska (is there such a creature? I was just goin’ for the laugh here), you’ll be responsible for getting the word out and creating some buzz about your book.

There are a couple of important things to have in your publicity arsenal as you start down the path. The first is flexibility.

I can plan out the most elaborate press campaign known to man but if I don’t know how to spot an opportunity, I’m screwed. Here’s an example.

My able assistant, Wendy, was looking for outlets to get the word out about my new book, Bitter Tastes. Bitter Tastes is the first in the Kathy & Martha Mystery Series that is being hailed as the New Nancy Drew. It’s perfect for kids aged 8-12.

Wendy found Radio Disney. And Radio Disney fell in love with Bitter Tastes. Not only did I get invited to appear at their recent event, Move It to Music Expo, they asked me to come down to the studio and record a fifteen minute interview which they broadcast on their leading weekend kids’ show, Kids Concerns.

When it came time for me to do a book signing at a local bookstore, my new friend, Radio Disney, broadcast a blurb about it throughout the day for 10 days preceding the event.

I couldn’t buy that kind of publicity. They’re even stuffing my bookmarks in their goodie bags. Woo hoo!

The next item to have is something more tangible: a good media kit. Now, this doesn’t have to be stuffed to the gills but a few really good pieces will send you pretty far:

            Bio sheet with a photo

            One sheet

            Cover letter

            Business card

            Bookmark

I can’t stress enough how important a bookmark is in an author’s media kit. You can either have them designed and printed professionally or do what I did and make them yourself.

Last, make sure you have an email file for all of your local press contacts. Send out press releases when your constipated dog farts. Take that to mean any time something remotely important happens. I’m being nominated for an international book award in May – a press release will go out.

And don’t assume that since you’re either with a small house or self-published that you can’t get into some of the large chains. I kicked the door hard enough at Borders and got my publisher in there. That means all the authors in our house are in there. It’s pretty cool.

Creating buzz about your book may seem foreign at first but once you get started, it really isn’t that bad. Before you have a book signing, call the local radio station to see if you can do a quick interview the morning before. And don’t forget to get in touch with the local TV stations. Producers are always looking for ideas and new faces.

Enjoy the buzz. It’s glorious.

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V.B. Rosendahl has been writing for over 40 years. She’ll be appearing at The Business of Successful Freelance Writing in Wilmington, Delaware on May 5, 2007 where she’ll teach a class called, “How to Publicize Your Book.” For more information on the seminar, go to http://www.3chix.com/What_You_ll_Learn.html.

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Paying Markets:

Back real soon. I’m still swamped.

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