To Sign or Not to Sign?

I love being an independently-published author. Choosing to go this route has afforded me the privilege of writing without worrying about deadlines, my books will never be "back-listed," I get paid a higher per-book royalty than most traditionally-published authors, and most of all, I can market and promote my work in any way I wish. Although I love to do personal speaking appearances, one of my favorite ways to promote is still the good old book store signing.

Even in the age of e-books, throngs of people can still be found lingering among the shelves of a book store on any given day. There is just something about the atmosphere that draws them in (not to mention a good cup of coffee at the store cafe!). Whether you gravitate toward the larger brick-and-mortar chains or the quaint neighborhood shop, you can have a successful book store experience by following these tips:

1) Schedule the event on a day/time that the store will have the most traffic.
Saturday afternoons are usually a safe bet, in most cases. If you can
schedule during or close to another store event, even better!

2) Get to know the store manager or signing coordinator. Get a full name, phone number, and email address for that person so you can keep in contact. Make sure they "know" you as well by sending them a media kit.

3) Ask the manager/coordinator what kind of and how much publicity they will be doing for the event. Don't be afraid to make suggestions. You may suggest something they never thought of doing! Also ask what they need from you in order to better promote the event.

4) Send or drop off posters and/or something they can pass out with your info prior to the event.

5) Do your own publicity--word-of-mouth, website, blog, Facebook, etc. Let people know you will be there. DO NOT leave publicity solely up to the store--the books are yours, not theirs!

6) At the event, don't sit at your table. Get up, move around, and greet patrons. Tell them about your work and invite them to check it out. Smile and be friendly.

7) If the patron isn't interested for him/herself, ask who they might know who would like an autographed book. Remember gift giving occasions like birthdays, etc.

8) Don't be pushy--if they are interested, great. If not, give them your info for future reference. They may want to buy later. Thank them for looking.

9) Dress and act professionally. People may not judge a book by its cover, but they DO judge the author that way! Sad to say, but true.

10) After the signing, thank the manager/coordinator personally, and offer to sign a few copies for them to keep in the store. Follow up with a handwritten thank-you note within a few days.

I hope these tips will be helpful to you, and would love to hear anything else you have done to make your signings successful!

Social Networking--Help or Hinderance?

A few years ago, I heard about this new marketing concept called social networking. Being an independently-published author, I'm always looking for different ways to promote myself and my works, and thought, "Hey, this sounds like a winner. The perfect way to reach hundreds of people I wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity to connect with." Immediately I set out to establish myself on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. I even checked out MySpace and considered filming a book trailer to place on YouTube. "If you're gonna do it, do it right," I told myself. Several times a day I logged in to check status updates, send tweets, and accept friends and followers. It seemed not an hour would pass without my doing some sort of social networking activity. I found old friends from days gone by, made new friends, and became a social networking diva. I was sure to begin selling more books than I'd ever imagined. Everyone would want a copy, and I might even connect with a big publisher who would sign me to a million dollar contract. Yes, I would become a household name, all because of social media.

Then one day I woke up and realized one important element of the equation was missing. I was so caught up in trying to promote my books via these sites that I had neglected to keep writing! I was telling everyone to buy books one and two in the series, and that book three was "coming" when, in reality, I hadn't even begun the manuscript. What was to happen when everyone in my social media circle had read the first two books and there was no end in sight for the third? I also realized that much of my social networking had nothing at all to do with my books or the fact that I was an author. I was so caught up in Sally's new puppy or Joe's wedding photos that I was using up the valuable free time I once used to pursue my passion. Social networking for me had become more of a hinderance than a help.

The moral of the story? There is a time and place for everything. If you want to participate in social networking, then by all means, go for it. Have fun, talk to your friends, enjoy your time. However, don't forget to also set time aside for writing. It may mean limiting the number of minutes (or hours) you spend on Facebook or only 'tweeting' three times a day instead of ten. It may mean actually writing out a schedule for your day and making sure you stick to it. Some have even gone as far as to set a timer when they 'log on' to their networking site--when the timer goes off, they move on to the next task. As it did for me, disciplining yourself to use your time wisely may take some effort, but in the end, you will be glad you did---and so will your readers.

Looking Up

Above my desk hangs something I call my inspiration board. To anyone else, it probably appears as nothing more than a giant corkboard filled with pictures, newspaper clippings and the like. When I look at it, I see all the things that give me a reason for writing.

The idea for my inspiration board came last summer during a low point in my writing career. Somewhere along the way, I had convinced myself that no one wanted my books, my public speaking abilities were mediocre at best, and, due to a severe case of writer's block, I had lost the gift God had so graciously given me--if I had ever truly had it at all. Tired of wallowing in self-pity, I decided to give myself a pick-me-up and, with cash in hand, headed to my local Office Max for some new office furniture and supplies. A glass desk, padded chair, and the aforementioned corkboard accompanied me home.

As I set about the work of remodeling my office, God set about the work of changing my attitude. The top of the desk's attached shelving unit provided the perfect place to showcase my ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Silver Award certificate--proof that I really had "the gift" of writing. My two published novels, which I tucked away just a shelf below, reinforced that fact. Continuing to arrange and rearrange the room, I happened upon my file box where God pointed me toward a folder labeled "Fan Mail." I began to read the contents, and my heart was warmed by the notes which had so lovingly been penned by those who had been touched in some way by my work. Each one told me that there were plenty of people who loved what I was doing--and they were eager for more. Next came the "Reviews" folder; again, more reinforcement that I was, indeed, doing something right. Lastly, God decided to remind me that I, like many other authors, had a dream of seeing my stories on the big screen someday. I smiled and laughed at His sense of humor right then--Chuck Wicks was playing on my CD player--my "real-life Mitch." "Okay, God, I get it," I said aloud. "Thanks for reminding me."

Today my inspiration board is filled with those wonderful reviews, some of my cherished fan mail, a few of my newspaper interviews, and yes--pictures of Chuck. Now when I become discouraged, all I have to do is look up to be inspired, to know I'm worthy, and that there are people depending on me to keep going. Looking "up" is what I should have been doing to begin with.

The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of

I'm going to see Rick Springfield in concert tomorrow night. I can't wait! As I sit here at my computer, I glance up to my right and feast my eyes on a lithograph showing the two sides of the man--a mature artist whose life experiences now influence his music; and the much younger, dream-driven teen idol I fell in love with so many years ago at the tender age of 14. As I stare at the photos for a moment longer, I suddenly realize why the younger Rick's picture is larger than the two older Rick images--because that's the way he wants to be envisioned by his fans. That's the Rick he wants people to remember--the Rick I remember. The man who chased his dream and caught it.

Back some twenty-plus years ago at the height of his career, he had it all. He was the steamy, dreamy Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital, one of the most popular soaps of all time. His voice filled the airwaves as he coveted Jessie's Girl, and he tried his shot on the big screen as cocky rocker Jamie Roberts in Hard to Hold. After a few failed relationships with famous actresses (one of them being Linda Blair of The Exorcist fame),he found love with a record company receptionist, married, and had a son. His live-in-concert video, Beat of the Live Drum was flying off the shelves, and he took home a Grammy. His life was finally all he had hoped for. He dreamed big, and it all came true--simply because he never gave up.

We all have dreams, but how many of us actually pursue them? How many of us sit idly by and watch them fade away? I was blessed with a beautiful dream involving a man I call Mitch Tarrington. He came to live inside me, and by God's grace blossomed into a wonderful, beautiful part of my life that makes him so real I can hardly believe sometimes that he isn't. He drives me to be more than I am. He takes me to places I've never been before, to the very corners of my imagination. He fills me with such excitement that I just have to share him with everyone I know. He not only lives on the pages of my books, but in my heart. I'll never actually get a chance to shake his hand, give him a hug, or share dinner with him in a physical sense, but as long as I can dream him, I can be with him. I'll follow him wherever he wants to take me, as long as God is willing, and if you're up for it, I'll take you along, too.

Follow your dreams and let them take you into a whole new world full of possibilities. As the saying goes, if you can dream it, you can achieve it!

**Photo of Rick Springfield--still lookin' hot at 60!! (courtesy of Photobucket)

Take Time, Make Time

My writing career is starting to suffer, and it's all my fault. I can't remember for certain the last time I worked on my manuscript, scheduled a signing at a local book store, printed or mailed any promotional materials, or even updated this blog. Okay, I guess that last one was March 1, but only because the dashboard feature on the site told me so....

My excuse? Life. Like everyone else in the world, I have one--or try to, anyway. My life includes work, husband, children, pets, family, friends, and everything in between. Some days I feel as if I go non-stop from sunrise to sundown. I feel like there are so many demands on my time that I don't know where to begin or in which direction to turn. It's nonstop 24/7/365. With all these other things to do, how can I possibly find time to write?

The question really should be, if I truly love my craft as I say I do, how can I not?

When I really sit back and ponder my reasoning, it comes back to nothing more than poor time management. At the end of a long day, instead of losing myself in the world of Mitch and Dana Tarrington, I go into a vegitative state in front of some old Nick-at-Nite show on TV. In between loads of laundry, instead of cranking out a few phone calls to my local Borders or Barnes & Noble, I cruise my Facebook page. When I could be sending out flyers to groups for potential speaking engagements, I'm checking out the latest pictures of Chuck Wicks on y-Frog. So, it comes down to this--it's really not that I don't have the time to take, it's that I don't take the time I have.

Today I vow to work harder,bring my writing back to the forefront, and dedicate time to some aspect of it every day. Now, I will sign off so that I can pull up my manuscript--right after I paint my toenails.

Sell Yourself First

In my almost six years as a writer, one of the most rewarding activities I've done is a book signing. Book signings are a fantastic way for an author to showcase his work and have the opportunity to meet with those who will be reading it. I have been honored and blessed to become acquainted with so many wonderful people who support my work and keep me knowing that what I am doing is worthwhile.

Something surprising I have found along the way, especially when participating in multi-author events, is that some writers don't share my views. They act as if the event is a chore, something they MUST do simply to get sales. Rather than interacting with patrons, they sit docile at their stations, stone-faced, delivering a greeting only if they feel it appropriate at the moment. When they do get a sale, they often give the feeling that they are doing the customer a favor by offering an autograph. There is very little, if any, appreciation involved in the transaction.

For the life of me, I don't understand why any author would convey that attitude toward the very people who are the lifeblood of his career. Why would people want to follow an author who treated them like just another dollar in his pocket? I know I wouldn't! While sales are important for any author, it is my opinion that readers are more important. Without them, what's the reason for our writing? I personally don't see a point in pouring myself into hours of work only to have the finished product collect dust in my garage. If an author hopes to get anywhere in his career, he needs to sell himself before he tries to sell his work--not the other way around. Readers who are made to feel special by an author are more likely to follow that author, purchase his books, and recommend them to others. If a reader likes you, he will be more enthusiastic about your work.

A few tips for your own events:

1) Greet all patrons who come within 2-3 feet of your signing table. Wear a smile, and invite them to browse your work.

2) Don't push for a sale, but rather tell them about the book and let them look through it. Simply let them know you will be happy to sign a copy for them if they are interested.

3) Give a sincere thank-you to everyone who takes the time to stop by, whether they purchase or not. It helps to have some type of printed information about your work for the patrons to take with them. (i.e. postcards, flyers, bookmarks)

I would love to hear what other tips you have, and why you feel you should sell yourself first.

Keepin' It Real

It came today! When I saw my son walking toward the house from the mailbox with the package, I got all giddy like a kid at Christmas. Cutting through the bubble wrap, I finally held in my hands what I'd been waiting the past ten days to receive. A virtual plethora of knowledge sure to boost my writing to the next level. A simple book entitled, The Writer's Guide to Places.

This outstanding work, written by authors Don Prues and Jack Heffron, provides authors with intricate details about 51 U.S. cities and 10 Canadian provinces. Its purpose is to help writers create realistic scenes, characters, and dialogue pertinent to the places their stories are based in. It's almost like taking a trip to the destination of your choice without leaving home. So far, I'm loving it! These men did an awesome job of researching every aspect of this book, making it an invaluable tool for the writer who wants the detail but may not otherwise have a means of obtaining it.

Being that I've already written two novels based in Philadelphia which contain very few actual facts about the city, I now feel empowered that I have some new knowledge to incorporate into future volumes of the Forever Love series. I can send Dana shopping at the Italian Market, and now appropriately place Gartano's on Philly's South side with the other quaint bistros of its kind. The boys in the band can enjoy a good hoagie while they dream of playing for a sell-out crowd at Veteran's Stadium. I love to keep my writing as real as possible, and this book will certainly help. However, there's still one thing I just can't quite bring myself to do.

I simply can't picture Mitch Tarrington saying, "Yo!"

I think I'll let Rocky keep that one.