Comments on: Indie authors lead the way

By: This Week in the Blogs, October 15 – 21, 2020 – Passion is a great Love

This Week in the Blogs, October 15 – 21, 2020 – Passion is a great Love — Sat, 24 Oct 2020 19:39:18 +0000

[…] Beckwith on Build Book Buzz Indie authors lead the way “I’ve read several articles detailing how authors are dealing with COVID-19. The word […]

By: Sandra Beckwith

Sandra Beckwith — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 00:02:50 +0000

In reply to Mary Potter Kenyon.

If anyone’s in a position to be creative in this situation, it’s you! This is a great example of practicing what you preach, right?

Sandy

By: Mary Potter Kenyon

Mary Potter Kenyon — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 21:31:17 +0000

This was going to be the year I would travel to promote my book. I was going to visit a daughter in California and a sister in Florida and set up events in both areas. I’d also do in-person events at libraries and bookstores all over Iowa. By the time my book was released in August, many bookstores and libraries were closed and everything I’d set up as an in-person, was either cancelled or pivoted online. I was actually inside a bookstore to launch my book, “Called to Be Creative: A Guide to Reigniting Your Creativity,” but my attendees were on the screen. It was my most successful launch yet. The drawback to library appearances on the screen is no hand-selling. I’d typically sell books after presentations. To help the independent booksellers who are featuring my events online, I put together packets of notepads and vintage “magic pencils” together, with rack cards that included text from my book that explained the magic pencils. That way they could advertise that the first 10-20 (depending on the size of the bookstore) who purchased the book through them would also get the notepad. I’ve had to be creative to promote my creativity book!

By: Sandra Beckwith

Sandra Beckwith — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 13:51:44 +0000

In reply to Fran.

It’s a year of firsts, Fran! I feel bad for them because they had such high expectations and then POOF! All plans were gone. It’s so disappointing.

And I’m so, so glad you enjoy and appreciate what I share here. That means a lot to me, so thanks for saying so!

Sandy

By: Fran

Fran — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 03:08:45 +0000

First, let me say that I am rather shy in front of a lot of people, so I’m happy not to do book tours, or TV interviews, for that matter. Indie authors struggle for readership, anyway, so we must approach that battle in our own creative ways, and we share our latest ideas with like souls. I never thought I would ever feel sorry for traditionally-published writers. But then, I’m quite old, and it was bound to happen eventually.

Sandra, just wanted to add that I so enjoy your contributions. My ‘favorites’ list is getting very long.

By: W. M. Raebeck

W. M. Raebeck — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 18:12:44 +0000

Not intentionally a tactic but could be lock-down related, has been the response to my first book of poetry (‘Silence of Islands’). Unfamiliar with the ‘poetry audience,’ I published with slight trepidation. But it turns out poetry touches everyone—perhaps more so in uncertain times. I had my best launch yet. Maybe ‘feeling’ genres are appealing right now, maybe people appreciate short and sweet reading they can step in and out of, and poetry’s definitely in fashion….but I sense the gung-ho reaction ties into the introspection and edginess people are experiencing—the need for solace, the willingness to explore and go deeper, and any and all affirmations of universal emotion. We’re in a feeling place right now—maybe a beautiful side-effect of this bizarre epoch.