Thinking Outside the Box

I have a friend in my writers group who refers to me as "Mrs. Everywhere."  Contrary to what some may think the name implies (get your minds out of the gutter!), it's a moniker he gave me to represent the multitude of promotional events I participate in every year.  Many times during conversations when an event or venue is mentioned, I say I've either been there or will be there.  Keeping my name and face in front of my readers and potential readers is something I've always deemed important, and over the years, I've found the best way to do that is through using unique sales tactics.

For many writers, "selling books" means setting up space in a local book store for an afternoon and coercing all the patrons to buy your wares.  While book store signings are all well and good, there are numerous other ways to promote your work.  Here's a list of some you may not have considered:

1)  Set up a table at a local craft show.  People are there to buy, and often welcome something different from homemade candles or wood crafts.

2)  Libraries love to promote local authors.  Schedule a brief presentation about your book, and offer to donate a copy or two to the library as your thanks for the opportunity.

3)  Retirement and assisted living communities often welcome authors for a short presentation and reading for their residents.  Offer a discount to anyone who wants to purchase, and donate a copy to the facility's library, if they have one.

4)  Take part in a charitable event by donating a copy of your books for a raffle, or set up a table and give part of the day's profits to the cause.  Any charitable donation you make is tax deductible, so be sure to ask for a receipt.

5)  Do you live close to an airport?  Schedule a meeting with the manager of one of the gift shops and ask them to purchase copies of your books for resale.  What better way to endure a long flight than with a good book.

6)  Similar to the idea of tip #5, hospital gift shops may be interested in what you have to offer.  Both patients and visitors often pass the time by reading, and may welcome the availability of something other than a magazine.

7)  Offer a special on your social media page and watch the orders roll in!  People love getting a good bargain, and will also enjoy the perk of supporting a local artist.  Be sure to list all the details in your post and a link to your personal website, as well as the deadline for orders.

In what other creative ways have you promoted your books?  Please feel free to share in the comments.  Until next time, happy writing!

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.