Current Project: Edits to CHASING RAINBOWS
Status: Getting there!
I'm looking forward to this weekend, because on Saturday I'll be sharing a booksigning with three friends I've known for quite some time: Christine Young, Chris Kraemer, and Rosemary Indra.
What are the advantages of shared promotion? The biggest one I can think of right now is you don't have to sit at a table alone wondering if you're going to sell even one copy of your books!
Shared promotion can also be kinder to the budget with two or more authors splitting the cost of printing or ads or other promotional items.
On the flip side, what if you don't agree with your "partners" on expenses or the way to approach a certain project? This can strain a friendship or damage a working relationship.
It helps to be clear on what each of you wants and expects. Agree on how much money to spend before starting a project. Start with one project and, if that works, then talk about other projects you might want to share. Or, you may share projects with different authors. For instance, as Rogue's Angels, Chris Young, Chris Kraemer and I are working on stories for a February 2010 anthology and are doing promotion for that release. For the booksigning this weekend, Rosemary Indra will also be joining us. In June, there's a Book Festival that will involve thirty-plus authors, several from the Mid-Willamette Valley chapter as well as the Portland romance writers chapter and other non-romance writers.
What about you? As a writer, have you done shared promotion? Was it beneficial? As a reader, does the recommendation of another author influence your decision to buy a book?
If you want to see shared promotion in action, please join Chris, Chris, Rosemary and me this Saturday, May 9, from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at the Blue Pepper in downtown Salem. We'll have e-books, print books, free refreshments and goodies to give away. Hope to see you there!
10 comments:
Good post, Genene.
Yes, I'm back and I'll be commenting on all the other blogs shortly. Though from most of the comments I read, I don't have a whole lot to offer that hasn't been said.
As for shared promotion- I've shared a table/signing with Chris Young and Karen Duvall. I've been at larger signings and while some still felt like I was all alone others had a nice camaraderie to them. Having done several by myself, I think the buddy system is good, but I can't always find someone to buddy with in the out of way places I tend to go.
I wish I could get to your signing on Saturday but I'm co-facilitating a criticizer workshop with Lindy for the COWG, not to mention I'm ready to stay home for a while! Good Luck to all four of you!
Paty, welcome back to the land of Internet!
You have done so much promotion! I admire you for how you have really pushed yourself in new directions. Out of the way places, huh? I'm thinking of trying some county fairs this summer, but that would involve being away from home and my doggies--not an easy thing to arrange. Besides, I like staying at home. So I can really relate to your "ready to stay at home" comment.
Hope your workshop this weekend goes well!
P.S. to all: I'm headed out of town soon to get food for my doggies and deliver my mom's present, so it will be evening before I get back to the blog. I'm not ignoring you--just on my "normal" schedule of not being at the computer much until late in the evening.
Group signings are lots more fun than single signings. I enjoyed my signing with Paty, and I've had some success with group signings that involve other more popular authors because folks who buy their books will often buy yours, too.
I used to do a lot of self-promo, and now there are even more creative opportunities for authors. I think the blog tour thing is a fabulous plan. I have a mystery writer friend who arranged a tour that covers almost every single day in May. She's at a different blog every day, and she gets tons of comments. To see a sample of her blog tour schedule, go here:
http://bethgroundwater.com/Book_Blog_Tour.html
Great tips, Genene. I like shared promotion as well.
I can't wait to hear all about your signing this weekend. I wish I could be there! I'll be thinking of you all!
Genene -- group signings are always easier just because you don't feel so exposed and lonely and weird. But I am totally out of my element with promotion, as you know. I have a short attention span and so I have chosen an area that works well with my attributes (which I prefer as opposed to "works well with my weaknesses.")
And no, really, as a reader, the suggestions of writers no matter how much I love and respect them, makes little influence on my decisions of what I read. I read what I like.
Hi to the doggies.
*Sigh* Someday.
My apologies to all! It's even later than I planned before I got back to my computer!
Karen, I really enjoyed your self-promotion newsletter when you were doing it. And you're so right, Beth's blog tour is impressive! Lots of different blogs and topics that look interesting. Thanks for the link to her schedule!
Hi, Eli!
Since many authors are introverts to some degree, I suppose it's little surprise that we tend to like the support of other writers when we do signings and events.
I'm really looking forward to this weekend's signing and hope to see some people I haven't seen in awhile. So sorry you won't be able to make it. All of you who are traveling, be careful on the roads.
LOL, Alice! You don't have to do promotion to sell books. That's wonderful!
You know, I didn't used to be swayed much by the opinions of other authors either--my apologies to anyone who uses cover quotes! But if I read a blog or e-mail where an author is raving (in a good way) about a particular book and you know those comments are unsolicited, I'm more likely to check out the book. I've discovered some really good books that way. So I'm paying a little more attention to the recommendations of other authors now.
And I'll give the doggies a hug from you. By the way, someone mentioned they would like to see more about my doggies, so I put together a photo of me and all the pack. I just haven't gotten it posted on my sanctuary Web site yet. I'll let everyone know when I post it, so you can see all the dogs I talk about so much really do exist!
Maybe someday soon, Kendra! You are cleaning up with contests!
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