Roseanna: There are things that help a little, things that can’t hurt,
and things that are a whole lot of fun, no matter the outcome.
#3 Have a Pitch
Inevitably, someone in the grocery store or church parking
lot or soccer sidelines will ask you, “Oh, you’re a writer? What’s your story
about?”
Trust me—it helps to have something to tell them. Otherwise
you’re left going, “Oh, well, you know. A guy. And a girl. With some issues.
Stuff happens. You know. A little romance, some faith…er…um…”
While you certainly don’t want to sound rehearsed in this
situation, do have a concise explanation handy. Mine would go something like
this:
Well, it’s biblical fiction, set in the New Testament
days—the Church of Rome, actually. My heroine is a slave named Zipporah who can
see into the spiritual realm, so there are some pretty interesting adventures
she falls into. Especially when I pit her against a woman who has a spirit of
divination. It’s not exactly a romance, but there’s a strong love story—I gotta
have a love story! Really, though, I wanted to examine the depths of faith and
what it would have been like to be one of the first generation of the church.
Pretty fun stuff.
As you can see, it’s not formal. I always interrupt myself.
I phrase it like a chat. And when I do this with curious acquaintances, they
always respond with questions and opinions that allow for a conversation to
develop—and a perfect opportunity to hand out a bookmark. ;-)
#4 Make it a Group Effort
Do you belong to a close-knit writers group? Group blog?
Just friends with other authors in the same genre? Pool your efforts!
Some of the most amazing online events I’ve participated in
are the monthly Tea Parties hosted by Colonial Quills (www.ColonialQuills.blogspot.com).
Every month, new releases by the contributors are celebrated in style, and
dozens of readers churn out hundreds of comments, sharing images of the gowns
they’re “wearing” and chatting as if they’re at the location specified in the
party, complete with “Do pass another of those scrumptious shortbread cookies!”
Authors often appear as their characters, promoting their books in the process,
and a merry time is had by all. Because these events are monthly, avid readers
know to come on the first Friday of every month. But because the guests of
honor change, new Facebook events, Google + events, and Twitter hashtags are
created so friends and fans can be invited.
The result? Shared efforts combine to create incredibly
successful online events.
#5 Be Enthusiastic
Whether you’re posting to Facebook or talking to someone
face-to-face, your enthusiasm goes a long, long way. Make sure your passion for
your story comes through. Use a few of those exclamation points you weren’t
allowed to put in the book itself. ;-) Don’t play it cool—play it real. Yes,
this will occasionally get you labeled “absolutely adorable.” There are worse
things, LOL.
As with many things in life, there are no guarantees in
marketing. My mantra with this sort of thing has become “There’s no magic
bullet.” Which means no one thing that will make something a huge success. But
you can identify things that help, things that harm…and tailor it to you from
there!
What other good ideas have you put into practice for selling books? If you're unpublished is there something on your list to try when the time comes?
~~~~~
Roseana M. White pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross
flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing
fiction, she’s homeschooling her two small children, editing and designing, and
pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of 9 historical
novels and novellas, ranging from biblical fiction to American-set romances to
her new British series. She makes her home in the breathtaking mountains of West
Virginia. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.