Hi everyone

I'm a new member and I'm looking for ideas and inspiration on publicity and marketing for my debut novel, 'Marilyn and Me' to be published by independent publisher, Cinnamon Press in May 2007.

As I'm with a small press, I'm aware that I'll need to do a lot of work to get my book and my name 'out there'. So far, I've set up a free writer's blog and started sending out various articles and reviews etc to get my by-line in the public eye.

But ANY ideas would be very welcome. Particularly, anything I can do for FREE, as I have no money and as my contract is royalties only, sadly no advance to go get happy with! I've got a year but I've also got a baby on the way so I want to get started asap.

I'm very nervous about scary prospects such as 'readings', 'signings' and 'talks' (and wonder how on earth unknown writers actually arrange these) but would be keen to hear from other writers who do these things!

Thanks

Shanta Everington

http://eastlondonwriter.blogspot.com

Shanta, welcome to WW. You've obviously cracked the forum-posting thing, so I hope you find the rest of the site useful. It's certainly very friendly and supportive. How exciting to have your novel coming out any moment now. Congratulations!

The Society of Authors do some very good booklets on all sorts of topics, including marketing yourself. They're a few pounds, or free if you're a member. (Well, well worth it. You can join if you have a publishing or agents contract, as you have, and the benefits are considerable).

http://www.societyofauthors.net/soa/section_page.php4?hp_nav_id=16&urlsection=Publications

Alison Baverstock's Marketing Your Book: An Author's Guide should be good too. It's pub by A & C Black in their Writer's Handbooks series, and she's a very nice, down-to-earth type who also teaches creative writing, so her advice should be good and practical.

Emma

Hi Emma

Thanks for that. Actually, my book's not out soon - it's NEXT May, so there is a bit of time, thank God.

I've got the SoA leaflets (I am a member) and A&C Black book and read them from cover to cover. They've both been helpful in general advice on the types of things you can do but I suppose what I really want at this stage is to 'talk' to other authors about how they actually secured media coverage, readings etc.

A lot is written about the types of publicity activities to consider but not a lot about the nitty-gritty.

E.g. Do you just walk into a book shop and ask to speak to the manager and ask if you can give a reading?!

How does one go about getting their book reviewed? I know publishers should assist with this and hopefully they will but I don't think it can hurt to start understanding how this side of things work.

My publisher doesn't have a marketing budget and as such, I'm planning to take a lead role. I am considering commissioning a book publicist to do some very targeted work but I don't want to incur too many costs myself.

Any WW members care to share their ideas, inspiration and experience?

Thanks

Shanta Everington
http://eastlondonwriter.blogspot.com

Shanta, you could try emailing WW member Roger Morris. He's got a book out now with Macmillan New Writers, and his day job is marketing. I know he's thought a good deal about what he should be doing himself, so he'll have some ideas (though he's pretty busy at the moment, so you may have to wait). Also you could search in the forums on 'marketing' or 'publicity' and see what it comes up with.

Certainly there's nothing to stop you walking in to a bookshop - though not yet, I guess. Local independent bookshops are particularly keen on knowing authors. I know I've found it a huge help to have something to wave and then leave with them or anyone with the basics: picture of jacket, blurb, photo of you, pub date, price, format, ISBN, who they should ring/email for sales and marketing (even if it's just you). Your publisher must be producing something like this, or it wouldn't cost much for you to do it. I think post-card size is nice to hand out/post to everyone in your address book/leave in places people who'd like your book hang out/libraries, reading groups. Ottakars are said to be more independently minded about local authors than WAterstones.

If you trawl the events listings in things like MsLexia you should find the venues, for readings: they always want more fodder.

There was a good discussion a few months ago at a Soc of A meeting that was all about marketing your book. I'm sure there's at least a digest of it on the Society's website. I know it included discussion of when it's worth hiring a publicist. MsLexia back numbers have talked about this too, and also I think back numbers of The Author.

Emma

<Added>

Another thought - the Members area of the Society's website has a message board. I don't know how busy it is, but it might be worth posting a similar question there, if it hasn't already. There are some members with an awful lot of experience.

The other thing might be to search on WW for 'Goldenford' the new independent/self-publishing press. I know at least one WW member is involved with it, and then seem to have generated a lot of publicity for themselves.

Shanta, I'm in much the same boat, except my novel is coming out in July this year. I'm with a very small publisher who doesn’t have any spare cash for marketing – although she makes up for that in enthusiasm!

I live in West Yorkshire, but my novel is set in Lancaster, so I'm hoping to have a feature on it in both local newspapers. The Lancaster Guardian have already offered to do one – partly because they get a mention in the book.

If you have a decent sized (in terms of floor space) independent bookshop in you area, you could ask them if you could do a launch there – you have time to cultivate a relationship with them by buying books there, if you don’t already.

Once you’ve got the jacket design finalised you could, as Emma suggests, get some publicity stuff to hand out; bookmarks, with a representation of the cover picture on one side and some blurb on the other, are always popular. You could ask in your local library and shops – anywhere that sells books – if you can leave some on the counter.

Pens are good too. Get a stock of personalised pens with the title, your name, your website, whatever. When you do booksignings, use a new pen to sign each book and then give it to the customer.

Good luck

Dee

Shanta,

A lot of stuff has already been covered but there's plenty you can do regarding getting some local press coverage. Don't forget the local papers and any local magazines for your area, the area where you were born and went to school, even the area where you may have gone to college. Don't forget about things like county magazines and the like.

But don't forget about contacting local radio and the BBC's own local online sites - they are always grateful for material. If there's some quirky element to your book, you might be able to stage a publicity stunt which could garner the interest of the local TV people.

It might also be worth sending a copy of your book and a press release to the Press Association. This is UK's national news agency which sends out review material to virtually all local newspapers as part of a features package.

I presume you are also going to set up a website from which to promote your book, in addition to the blog.

Shanta, have a look at the forum thread 'Pink Champagne and Apple Juice'; HollyB is part of Goldenford.

Emma

Yes, that's me, Shanta! The HollyB/Goldenford one. I agree with all the marketing ideas expressed above - and on a local level they're certainly not that hard to achieve. If you have an Ottakar's where you are, they're always very friendly to local, small press authors - in Guildford & Godalming, they've always been very positive towards Goldenford, for instance.

And of course local press/radio is another useful outlet, as has been said already. You could also get some flyers done and put them into every envelope you send out (even the bill payments!), put the information into your email signature and make sure you attach it to your outgoing messages - I've had several "hits" from that, which have proved useful.

Go to writers' conferences as well, and take business cards with you, which you can give out. Or even set up a table at a writers' conference or at a local literary festival. You'll probably find local authors in your area (or know of them) who'll be happy to share the load with you - that sometimes helps.

Good luck!

A
xxx

Hi Shanta,

I'm afraid I can't answer your questions but I'm glad you've got lots of good advice here already. I just wanted to say hello. I read your letter in MsLexia (it was in response to Keris's article, and she is on this site too - did you know that?) After I read your letter I looked up your blog and found it very interesting. I bookmarked it for future reference. That was before I saw you here!

I wanted to say congratulations on the upcoming publication of your book (and on the upcoming baby!)

I'll certainly look out for the book when it comes out.

I hope you enjoy this site.

Luisa

Oh my gosh, thank you all for your helpful advice and encouragement! To be honest, when I joined on a trial basis, I wasn't sure what to expect from the forum but I am overwhelmed by your generousity of spirit. I will digest all this properly and let you know how I get on.

Shanta

http://eastlondonwriter.blogspot.com