This last couple of weeks, there has been a lot of promotion on Ink Spells! Between the Anthology Promoting Breast Cancer Research (see my guest post on PK Hrezo’s blog), the Military Family Giveaway, and the just concluded BlogFest 2011 (Winner is Alison! Congratulations!!), there’s been a lot of giveaways going on here.
Nathan Bransford recently suffered some backlash for promoting his book on his blog, which I think is a bit silly, especially given that the Great NateB is the original Mr. Nice Guy (see corndog on the sidebar). I mean, authors have to promote their work. It’s a part of the business. It can be unpleasant (if you are excessive about it, or obnoxious), but it doesn’t have to be. It can be fun and rewarding and a great way to meet readers, writers, humans, and possibly even cats. (Ok, maybe not the cats.)
The key, in my mind, is making sure you provide some value add to your readers (of your blog, of your book, of your author newsletters), whether it’s entertainment, information, or just a connection where you share something in common. Connection, in my opinion, is the most powerful way to go about it. Because, in the final analysis, that’s what writing is all about: connecting with other people, through your words.
This is true for accomplished writers, as much as for debut novelists.
I love when big time authors like Scott Westerfeld still tour and take time to give his fans a thoughtful presentation as well as a signing. Or mega-hit authors like Suzanne Collins are so gracious when the mobs are lined up for her signature.
My favorite author promotion story is about best-selling mystery writer Michael Connelly, an author I don’t even read. But my mom adores him and stood in line at the LA Festival of books, where Connelly was still putting in the hard work to meet fans and sell books. When the line closed just before her turn, she couldn’t believe her (bad) luck. Another fan walked away with a handful of books and when my mom cast a longing look at the stack, he gave her a signed copy of The Scarecrow, refusing to take payment for his thoughtful gift (thank you anonymous Connelly fan!). As my mom was about to depart, happy to have at least come away with something, the lady handling the event noticed her dejected look and ushered my mom over to meet Michael Connelly personally. He shook her hand and allowed her to gush on and on about his books. My mom is a psychologist. She knows people. She could tell this man was tired, having spent hours greeting fans and signing books. And yet he made a little time for her, a connection she will remember the rest of her life.
Thank you to Michael Connelly for being so nice to my mom! And to all the authors out there, new and veteran: remember that connecting with people, through our writing, through our presence, through the simple human gesture of taking time to shake hands with a long-time fan, even when you’re exhausted … this is what our writing is all about.
You can call it promotion. Or you can think of it as the amazing work we’re lucky to do.
What a wonderful story! And what great self promotion he did for himself there without realizing it!
Does this mean I have to fire the bodyguards I hired to keep the hordes away?
Such a great anecdote for starting the week! Thanks for sharing it with us.
@Laura I think the best self promotion is when you're being yourself and finding the people that like you the way you are. 🙂
@Bryan No, I think you should keep paying the Junior Russell's, especially the Vampire Infant. 🙂
@Anna My mom was so excited to share that story!
That's a really cool story!
Marketing is a tough business. It takes repetition to build long-term memory, so you need to be consistent in memtioning your work, but it's important to do it in measured doses. I try to have something new to say each time I make an accouncement.
At the end of the day, though, you still have to work at it. Either alone or with a PR firm, a publisher, or both, you have to spend the time and energy promoting a book in order to acheive readership and sales.
@Rick All fantastic advice! And it is a very tough business.
Authors HAVE to promote their books. It's part of the deal. Shame on anybody who criticized Nathan B. for promoting his book on his own blog! Clearly it had to be someone who doesn't have any idea what publishing a book is really like.
Promotions might be easy and fun for outgoing people, but a lot of writers are reserved and some are painfully shy. It might take all their courage to face people at a signing, give a talk on a panel, read their own book aloud in front of a crowd, or even do a live radio interview on the telephone.
People shouldn't throw stones until they've tried it themselves. 🙁
This is an interesting topic. Since blogging is relatively new there are so many ideas about what it should or shouldn't be, while author events and signings have been around forever so people expect that to be the traditional way to promote. I can see where followers of a blog can feel "manipulated" after a time, like this writer is just doing this for self-serving purposes, and that's been the whole purpose for the blog all along, so I'm outa here. Because it's so new and the blogging rules are all fuzzy. Nathan is breaking new ground, always has, so it is interesting to see what happens over there.
@Dianne Yes, I think until you've done it, you really have no idea what it's like. And I'm not a shy person, but signings still terrify me! These things get easier with practice, though, like anything else.
@KarenG If Nathan was doing his blog all along just to promote Wonderbar, well…there were certainly less time-intensive ways he could have gone about promoting (not to mention that he was an agent, not an author, at first). I think Nathan blogs for the reason most people (who stick with it) do – to share information and build community. But that shouldn't mean he can't promote things important to him – like charities (in the past) and now his book. And I think most people understand that. Just my 2 cents…
I look up front promotion the kind that Nate B. did on his blog. It's honest and asking for a sale. I like it done that way and not some underhanded/disguised way.
Susan, it's nice to hear an alternate take on self-promotion.
The dark clouds will eventually lose their bluster and blow away from Nathan's blog. They always seem to hide under the banner Anonymous when they attempt to deride. (gives the other anons a bad name…)
As for Connelly and your mom's good luck, it's nice to hear that some authors know where their fans come from and show that appreciation.
Enjoyed this post.
@Michael I agree, honesty is something I highly value.
@DB Nathan pays the price of being famous, drawing out the not-so-nice among us. And Connelly won some well-deserved good karma with how he treated my mom!
These days authors can't hole up in a room. We have to take an active part in our potential career success.
Susan, I followed your blog here from Nathan's (which itself is an example of effective self-promotion).
Thank you so much for putting forth the idea that self-promotion isn't some navel-gazing hobby for the arrogant, but, rather, a well-honed skill of the mature.
Bill
@Natasha Amen!
@Bill Thanks for stopping by! And effective self-promotion is not an easy skill, that's for sure, and I'm no expert. But I'm wading into the waters like everyone else and trying to learn. 🙂
Those are the best kinds of authors. You've got to love Michael for doing that.
Wow, I apparently missed a lot while away on vacation.
That is awesome. What a cool experience for your mum—and probably pretty cool for Connelly too to meet such an avid fan.
@Stina He won me over, and I don't even read mysteries! 🙂
@Nicki You're right – it can't be bad, getting the love.
Such a good point!!! Nathan's humble post (not the original one, but the one where he explains why had to promote his book) inspired me to buy the book right then there. I was going to buy it eventually (since I am a huge fan of MG SF), but hadn't got around to it yet. Also I loved your point about connecting with readers. It really is a win-win. These days I am so happy to connect with even just a few people; the idea of hordes of fan flocking to get signed books and a word or two is absolutely humbling. I hope I would has gracious as Connelly if that moment ever arrived. I certainly connected with parts of Life, Liberty and Pursuit as I felt Eliza being torn between her love and her education opportunities. So again, thank you for taking the time to do a well-balanced promotion of your book!
@Margo Aw! Thanks for your sweet words about LLP! There are many authors I admire, not just for their work, but how they handle themselves. I hope to live up to that high standard! Thank you for your wonderful comment! 🙂
Awesome story! Michael Connelly (and his fans) are nice people! I agree – being able to connect with readers who appreciate your work is one of the main reasons I write and want my work published.
That's a wonderful story about your mom, Sue. 🙂
I'm pretty sure self promotion is one reason a writer would have a blog. Maybe I'm confused???? Your blog is so people can get to know you (and vise versa) and if you have a book, you can tell them about it. It's like a virtual book signing….
I read this post earlier today and went over to read through the comments at Nathan's blog, and then forgot to come back and comment. I was so…shocked I guess. I wonder if people hold him to a higher standard because he used to be an agent? Personally I was embarrassed a bit by what I saw. He's an author, and he, like all authors, needs to promote. He did it in a respectful way, so what's the big deal?
And thanks for pointing people to my last post–you're right, being genuine should be in everything we do, including promotion.
Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse
@Ghenet That connection motivates me too! 🙂
@Sharon Oh, I like the idea of blog-as-virtual-book-signing! And you are exactly right – a blog is so people can get to know you – it's your virtual presence in the world.
@Angela I think you're right, people hold him to a higher standard. If you're a decent person, that holds yourself to high standards, and you're a famous person, you're going to attract people that want to bring you down. This is an ugly thing, and it pains me to see Nathan attacked for doing the same thing that every author does, indeed has to do, as you say. Thanks for stopping back by to share your thoughts! 🙂