I knew that my friend Lisa Iannucci’s daughter, Nicole Brinkley, managed an independent bookstore in downstate New York, but didn’t know Nicole was a retail rockstar until I read about her in Publishers Weekly earlier this year.

That’s when I discovered that the American Booksellers Association selected Nicole to moderate a panel on “Recapturing the Tween Middle Grade Market” at its Winter Institute 2024 in Cincinnati.

I knew immediately that she’d be a fantastic source for a Q&A about getting your book into bookstores.

I was soooooo right.

Meet Nicole Brinkley, indie bookstore manager

Nicole Brinkley is the manager of Oblong Books in Rhinebeck, N.Y., where she has been known to cause a cloud of malaise to form around anyone who claims that genre fiction is a lesser form of literature.

Described by one media outlet as “one of the best and most outspoken leaders in the indie bookstore community,” Nicole has won multiple awards for her work as a “legendary bookseller.”

She also reviews books professionally for BookPage and Shelf Awareness. Media outlets that includeThe Wall Street Journal, Parade, Publishers Weekly, Bustle, and others have featured her work, which has ranged from interviews to book recommendations to essays and articles.

Nicole has also taught educational sessions for the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the American Booksellers Association, hosted events for companies such as HarperCollins and Boston.com, and spoken at numerous conferences and conventions.

Find her online at nebrinkley.com.

Getting your book into bookstores

I’m thrilled by Nicole’s generosity. Refill your mug and settle in to learn everything you need to know about getting your book into bookstores.

So many self-published authors dream of getting their books into bookstores, and for good reason. How easy or hard is it for them to do so?

It is difficult for any book to make its way into a bookstore.

Self-published authors do have a different climb to getting into stores because of some logistical elements that we’ll talk about later on, but consider the number of books published each year. Somewhere between 500,000 and one million books are traditionally published each year between the Big 5 publishers and small presses, and upwards of one million books are self-published every year.

My bookstore fits 30,000 books total–not just new books!–and is considered a large independent bookstore. That means an incredibly small portion of what is published makes its way into our store.

When considering whether to stock a self-published book, what does your bookstore look for? What do you need to see/know before you feel comfortable placing an order?

Self-published books stocked in our store need to meet many of the same requirements that traditionally published books do.

The big four requirements to meet are:

1. Book prices are reasonable for their category and genre.

For example, adult paperback fiction is usually around $18 to $20.

So, self-published paperback fiction that costs $40 likely won’t be a good fit for our store.

2. Books are offered at a good discount to the store.

Most traditional publishers offer books at a 46% to 50% discount.

This allows bookstores to earn half of the cover price, which they use to pay staff and keep the store going. It is harder to justify the shelf space to books with shorter discounts since the store will make less money on them.

3. Books are returnable.

What happens if we can’t sell a book?

Because of the low profit margins of books and the way the industry works, we need to send books back to publishers when they don’t sell within an expected timeframe. Otherwise, our shelves are cluttered with books nobody ended up wanting.

Books must be returnable both to traditional publishers and to self-published authors (or their distributors).

4. Books fit with the customers and store’s stock.

Did you self-publish a paperback picture book about dentists? It might not be the best fit for stores that don’t sell a lot of paperback picture books.

What about a beautifully packaged work of literary fiction? Maybe not the best fit for a genre-focused store.

We need to vet authors

Bookstores looking to stock self-published authors also have the extra hurdle of vetting the authors and their books’ content. This is normally something we offload to a traditional publisher or a publisher’s sales representative. We trust them to know who and what they’re publishing.

But with two million self-published books coming out every year, we need to take the extra step to verify who they are.

If they’re writing nonfiction, do they actually have the credentials to be writing about their topic or are they spreading misinformation?

If they’re writing fiction, have they generated something through artificial intelligence?

None of these vetting decisions are personal attacks on a self-published author. We know that many authors are just that: authors. Talented, hardworking, and worthy of having their books sold in the bookstore.

But with the huge volume of books published, it’s difficult to distinguish the excellent self-published work from the less-than-stellar stuff without help. Meeting the first four requirements makes that important vetting much easier!

Packaging matters

While not required for either traditionally published or self-published books, having a well-packaged book also helps.

I don’t just mean a pretty cover, though that is good.

Design and print your cover with the title and author name on the spine so the books don’t disappear when we put them on the shelf. Print an ISBN and a barcode on the back of the book–and make sure that they’re clear and scannable

Little details to just having a book as a functional product go a long way to helping it do well in stores.

If you’re looking for a self-published author who does all of this very well, take a look at C.M. Nascosta.

Who makes the yes/no decision? What’s the best way to approach them about stocking a book?

Bookstores have buyers–booksellers whose entire job is selecting books that go into their store.

At Oblong Books, the co-owner does all book-buying. (We have separate buyers for toys and cards.) Other stores have separate buyers for kids books and adult books, or buyers for different genres and categories.

Bookstores that run consignment programs for self-published books might also have somebody who runs those programs separately from the buyer. Generally, however, the buyer is the way to go.

It is very easy to approach buyers about carrying a book.

Go into or call a store, explain that you have a book coming out or a book recently published, and ask if you can have the buyer’s name and contact information.

Drop the buyer an email with the information on your book:

• Title
• Author
• Publication date
• Publisher (if you’re using a small press vs. fully self-publishing)
• Why it’s a good fit for the store
• How bookstores can order (either directly from the author or through programs like IngramSpark, as bookstores cannot and will not order through Amazon)

You do not need to repeatedly bring books or promotional material to the store. You do not need to call them.

Self-published authors get a bad rap because of individuals who come into stores and throw hissy fits when their books aren’t immediately accepted or when the buyer decides their book isn’t a good fit for the store.

If you’re polite and understand that this is a business, store employees will treat you well in turn. That’s the start of a good relationship with a bookstore. Even if they don’t take your book now, they might always be somebody you can work with down the line.

Speaking of placing an order, what are your store’s financial terms with books provided by the author?

We work with self-published authors in a variety of ways.

Our store orders self-published books through IngramSpark and from authors directly that do well for us. Many of these are local authors or authors whose books have strong ties to the region. We want to support them, and appreciate that they want to support us.

In these cases, we pay directly to either the distributor (like IngramSpark) or the author (if they’re supplying the book).

We also have a consignment program for books that we aren’t 100% sure are a good fit or for books that aren’t normally returnable.

Our consignment program ensures that those books get the attention they deserve while also covering our bases. We can make money when they sell, and return books when they don’t…all while giving authors a chance to get their books in front of our customers.

There is a flat fee to enroll in the consignment program, but it guarantees display space for an entire month. We cut checks for the author periodically throughout the year as books sell.

What are your three best tips for getting your book into bookstores?

Only three?! Well, I’ll try my best.

1. Be strategic about the bookstores you reach out to.

If you’re a romance author, look at romance-only bookstores or bookstores known for working with indie romance authors. If you’re writing about a specific region, reach out to bookstores in that region.

Talk to your local indie. You don’t need to be in every bookstore, but know why a bookstore would be a good fit for you.

2. Be kind. Be patient. Be polite.

Most booksellers will be polite and professional when working with you. You can still convert those that aren’t into allies down the line.

(Trust me, my friends: I know that some booksellers can be short with self-published authors who are trying their best, and it’s not fair to you. Understand that there are people who have come before you and given authors in your situation a bad name, and that you don’t need to continue that chain. You can be better than them.)

Self-publishing is a job. Just be professional.

3. Please put your title on the spine of your book.

Please.

It makes the lives of the booksellers so much easier once the book is in the store.

What else should we know about getting your book into bookstores?

One of my ongoing goals is to read more small press and self-published authors, and I know many young booksellers who have the same goal.

I can’t wait to see more independent authors make their way into the independent bookstore space. We’re natural allies!

Write a book that people want to buy

I’m so grateful to Nicole for sharing her wisdom and experience with us so you know all about getting your book into bookstores!

I’ll add just one more thought: Stores want books that people want to buy.

People won’t want to buy your book if they don’t know about it, so work hard to help them discover it. Create demand so that booksellers like Nicole are ready, willing, and able to stock your book.

Write a great book, pursue reviews so you have that third-party validation that people like it, and continue to market it long after the launch. Both will make it easier for bookstores to say “Yes!” when you contact them about carrying your book.

Want to make it easier for fans to write short, meaningful reviews? Use the Build Book Buzz Reader Book Review Form. It’s your shortcut to success.

Do you have a question for Nicole about getting your book into bookstores? Please leave it in a comment.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Associates links, which means if you click on them and make a purchase, I will receive a couple of pennies (at no extra charge to you).

With crowdfunding generating nearly $74 billion in North America in 2020, there’s good reason for authors to take advantage of this approach to raising funds to publish or market their books.

One crowdfunding company is even making it possible for authors to find a traditional or hybrid publisher. When those using Publishizer‘s platform generate a high volume of book proposal-based pre-orders, they can convince publishers that their book is marketable.

“Marketable” is, after all, one of the keys to securing a traditional contract that helps authors avoid the self-publishing learning curve and expense.

It’s not enough to say, “This is for me,” though. Considering only 22% of campaigns reach their goals, it pays to first learn the best ways to use crowdfunding to raise money for book publishing. What works? What doesn’t?

Meet Pamela Cummins

To help with that, I talked with spirituality author Pamela Cummins about her recent Kickstarter campaign.

Pamela is a gentle soul who is using her gifts to help others.

An expert in dream interpretation and a spiritual growth coach, she’s written eight books and created four oracle decks.

In addition, Pamela is a psychic, certified Lenormand reader, advanced clinical hypnotherapist, ordained interfaith spiritualist minister, certified energy healer, and body/mind facilitator. She’s even an Attitude of Cattitude columnist.

Pamela is an active, supportive member of my Build Book Buzz Facebook group (please join us!) whose gracious approach to sharing what she’s learned always makes me smile.

Here’s our conversation. It’s loaded with helpful specifics.

What book did you run a Kickstarter campaign for and when did you do it?

The book I used for the campaign was Dream Interpretation for the Mystical Soul back in October 2023.

What was your fundraising goal, how much did you raise, and what, specifically, were you raising money for?

Many authors will do a Kickstarter to offset the cost of publishing their book. However, that’s not my reason. One day out of the blue, my angel told me to do a Kickstarter for the book I was writing, which surprised me because the thought hadn’t crossed my mind.

That night I asked for a solution dream about whether I should do a Kickstarter campaign.

Here’s my dream:

I was sitting at my computer screen and a loud voice told me to research Kickstarter. Then I began typing to research it.

After my mystical messages, I knew this was the way for me to go.

My goal for the campaign was to reach a new audience, discover if Kickstarter was the right platform to market new books, and hopefully earn money from it, too.

I set the funding goal at $300 and raised $416.

Please tell us how you structured your campaign and why you used that approach.

“Keep it simple” was the structure I used for my first Kickstarter, something I’m good at. Therefore, my campaign was about digital products and services. Etsy taught me how much shipping stressed me out before I closed my former shop. Hence, my decision not to do physical products.

One bit of advice I heard over and over was not to have a high funding goal. This way it’s easier to make and go over your goal.

This is important because if you don’t reach your money goal on Kickstarter, then you don’t receive a penny. And your campaign stays on the platform for the world to see it wasn’t funded. 

$500 is the recommended amount. An experienced Kickstarter author confirmed my feeling of having a lower goal of $300 because I didn’t have any physical rewards. Plus, my research showed (at the time) how past dream interpretation campaigns never funded.

Another word of advice I took was that the best length for a campaign is 21 days.

Campaign structure

Here is how I structured the campaign tiers:

1. E-book.
2. Digital swag (this tier included the e-book, two digital bookmarks, and two MP3 meditations).
3. 20% off dream interpretation by email and e-book.
4. 20% off one-hour dream interpretation session and e-book.
5. 20% off coaching dream interpretation package and e-book.

Customers had the option to purchase the digital products separately as add-ons, and I provided an add-on, one-question psychic email reading that was only available on Kickstarter.

How did you prepare for your Kickstarter campaign?

Research is a must for a Kickstarter campaign! Backers can tell when someone didn’t do their research, and it’s all about the fundraiser making money. If they had done the research, then the campaign would have focused on the awesome products the backers receive before it’s available to the public.

I took my dream’s message to do research seriously by reading books, articles, and blogs, and watching videos. Kickstarter’s website has loads of how-to information.

A great way to learn how to run a Kickstarter is to back other campaigns.

This taught me a lot about the process and what to do and not do.

For example, when one campaign ended, an author did not send a thank you. And her spiral paperback was available for sale on Amazon two weeks after her Kickstarter ended.

I felt annoyed her book was available for sale before I received my copy. (FYI Amazon doesn’t produce spiral books.)

This is why I thanked my backers with most of the updates and why I waited five months before making my book available to the public.

Join the Facebook group for authors using Kickstarter

The number one resource I recommend is the Facebook group Kickstarter for Authors.

There is a wealth of information to explore in this group managed by experienced Kickstarter authors. I spent many hours there researching and reading the posts. The members are very supportive.

What I found most helpful was the feedback on our campaigns before they went live. Kickstarter for Authors will keep you inspired!

The number one resource I recommend is the Facebook group Kickstarter for Authors.

Pamela Cummins

How did you promote your campaign?

Before the campaign, I called and sent messages to friends and colleagues. I asked if they would follow my Kickstarter before it went live, spread the word to help me get followers, and help again once the campaign went live. Even sharing it on social media would help.

I wrote articles, blog posts, and newsletters on what Kickstarter was about and my upcoming campaign. I was interviewed on a couple of podcasts and a live radio show. And, of course, posting on social media.

The Kickstarter for Authors Facebook group also does swaps to help market each other’s campaigns.

What lessons did you learn about using crowdfunding to raise money for book publishing?

I learned the following six lessons:

1. Who I could count on to spread the word about my campaign. One of my colleagues went beyond what I expected and I let her know how grateful I was for her help.
2. I would start at least six months in advance to collect followers before the Kickstarter instead of two months.
3. October is not a good time to run a Kickstarter campaign because that platform’s Witchstarter promotion for magic projects that month floods the platform with too many campaigns.
4. The platform is always changing, so continue to research it.
5. I would make the funding goal lower for a digital-only campaign. Hopefully, another campaign would fund quickly so I could avoid worrying about reaching my goal. Perhaps it would fund in one day so I receive the fully funded in one day banner!
6. Most backers want physical products, so I’ll think about using them in my next campaign.

What surprised you the most about your campaign and the response to it?

How stressful it is to run a campaign and the fear of looking foolish by not funding.

It’s one thing to hear about it, yet another to experience it. Part of me couldn’t wait until the Kickstarter was over.

Many people don’t understand what Kickstarter is about.

Some think it’s similar to GoFundMe, although a few got it when I explained it was about receiving new and cool products before the public can.

Others wanted to know why I was still promoting my Kickstarter after I hit my funding goal. A couple of people shrugged their shoulders upon hearing that was my bare minimum goal and I was hoping to go way over it.

Will you do this again for another book or product?

Possibly. Maybe an oracle deck? If I received messages to do it again, I would. At least this time I would have experience with how to run it.

What else (if anything) should we know about your Kickstarter experience? 

You might wonder why I would bother with all this work to only make $416.

My answer is to think about how many e-books I would need to sell to earn that amount – at least 60. It would take a heck of a lot more if I had the book enrolled in Kindle Select.

I had 10 backers and eight signed up for my mailing list. One purchased an email dream interpretation. The others may purchase and/or refer people to me in the future.

I have no regrets about the experience. My suggestion for your Kickstarter is to do lots of research and planning, but let go of the outcome.

Are you thinking your book is too weird for Kickstarter? It’s perfect because backers love those types of books.

Whatever path you choose to go for your books, I wish you much joy as you travel it!

Have you used crowdfunding for a book? Were you satisfied with the outcome? Please tell us in a comment.

When visiting a website to learn more about an author, expert, or entrepreneur, the first thing I look for is the “About” page. I need to know quickly what the person does, how qualified they are to do it, and how they express themselves.

About half the time, there’s no information on qualifications (this is especially true with companies selling services to authors). I get the impression that people like to talk a lot about what they do, but not why we should trust them to do it for us.

But even when those essential trust-building qualifications are included, so many of the About sections I read are dry and boring. They lack personality. They don’t draw me in.

Help readers discover the real you

I want your all-important “About” page to communicate exactly what it should to your target readers. I want you to pull them in with your words. I want you to discover how to write a powerful “About the Author” page so readers want to engage with you.

That’s why I asked writer and content strategist Sonya Matejko to share with us the About page advice she offers her clients.

Introducing Sonya Matejko

Freelance writer and Vienna, Austria, resident Sonya Matejko uses words to make people feel seen and heard. Whether through branded content, a founder’s bio, a reported story, or her poetry, Sonya writes because she believes well-written stories have the power to empower and connect us, and to help us grow.

Sonya is also the founder of Nurtured Narratives, a wellness-focused storytelling company. There, she provides a feel-good storytelling experience for brands, entrepreneurs, and others who value well-being.

Here’s our conversation about how to write an “About the Author” page that sizzles and sings.

How to write a powerful “About the Author” page

Why is an “About” page an important component of an author website?

Put yourself in the shoes of a reader. Imagine you are between two non-fiction books about improving self-confidence with equally good reviews.

Certain that both could give you valuable insight, you go to the authors’ websites to see whose insight you are more likely to resonate with. The first About page confirms what you suspected: the author indeed has credibility (previous books) and knowledge (related certification). Check.

But then you go to the second About page. As you learn more about them, you realize you want to learn from them.

Their story doesn’t just offer credibility. It offers relatability. And they become not just an author you’d like to hear giving a talk but one you’d want to talk with over coffee.

This is the power of an About page on an author’s website.

What’s your About page philosophy?

My philosophy centers on feel-good storytelling, and the same applies to About pages.

Consider the question: How do you want your potential reader to feel about you as an author? Do you want them to feel:

• Like you both look at life in a similar way?
• Like they can trust you based on your experiences?
• Inspired by your perspective?
• Empowered by your way of thinking?

This could be the difference between having a one-time reader and having a reader on your email list, first in line for pre-orders, and following you on social media — because it feels good to them to be a part of your community.

What are the most common mistakes individuals make with their About page content?

The most common mistake is leaving much to be desired.

It’s not enough to have an About page with your bio and headshot to check the box of having one.

Imagine the frustration from a reader who’s already read your bio in the book or on Goodreads, and then they get to your About page to learn more and are hit with the exact same content. It feels like a waste of time for them — and a wasted opportunity for you to build loyalty and connection with a reader.

It’s totally understandable if the idea of adding more to yours is overwhelming. So, start small.

Consider the questions you often get from readers. They might come from Instagram DMs, book signings, email  messages, or even via your aunt at family gatherings. Write down three, then include those answers in your About page narrative or in an FAQ.

What are the most important elements of an “About the Author” page?

Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, the most essential elements on your About page include:

• Who you are
• What you write about
• What makes you credible to write about this
• Why you do all of it

Especially for nonfiction, you want to show people that you have a solid foundation of knowledge to lend to the topic. They need to know that you’re more than just someone who’s read a few studies and developed their own theory over coffee.

But then you also want to include your why; this will be the hook. The other elements are check marks so the reader says, “OK, they know what they’re talking about.”

But then the why is the “OK, I want to be a part of this conversation.”

Here’s a great example from Whitney Goodman, the author of Toxic Positivity. You see, she goes through her bio, training, and press features.

But then she has a section called “I Believe,” and this is the section that intrigues me most. It’s just four lines, but it’s these four lines that, if someone on the page believes them too, lands her a new reader.

Other good examples in nonfiction include Mark Manson, Lori Gottlieb, Vivian Tu, Kevin Wilson, and Susan Cain.

How can authors write an About page self-description that stands out and resonates with their target readers?

For nonfiction authors, chances are you will not be the first author to write about your topic of choice. Even if how you look at it is different, there have most likely been books related to the umbrella topic that have been published before yours.

Of course, the reason your book will succeed is not because of the topic. It will be because of how you talk about it and the unique experiences in your life that have shaped that perspective. This is also why readers will choose your book over another on a similar topic.

Stand out by telling readers how you see the world, what shaped that sight, and why you feel compelled to share what you know with the world. Many people can write about healthy eating, but none share your story about what got you into it.

When writing your About page, stand out by telling readers how you see the world, what shaped that sight, and why you feel compelled to share what you know with the world. ~Sonya MatejkoClick to tweet

Don’t just tell a story. Tell your story.

(And P.S. it doesn’t have to be long! See this short but solid example from Jacquelyn Ogorchukwu Iyamah.)

A fiction writer usually needs to approach their About page description differently than a nonfiction writer. What one thing do you think is the most important thing to include on a novelist’s About page?

Fiction differs in that readers are more likely to make an initial choice about a book based on their preferred genre, the storyline, the setting, etc., rather than on the author. However, that doesn’t discount the value of having an About page for fiction authors.

That’s because once readers get hooked on a book, a series, or an author’s writing style, they’ll often want to know more — especially before the author’s next book. The Author page can satisfy that need.

Lisa See’s About page is a great example. She not only has her bio, but she also showcases insights into where she finds inspiration for her books. Plus we learn more about what led her to become the author she is today.

As another example, consider Kristin Hannah. Her About is divided into sections, each meeting a varying interest for a reader with things like her favorite books and fun facts about her.

Is there anything else you’d like to add about how to write a powerful “About the Author” page?

Writing what you know is one thing, but writing about yourself is another. So, if you’re sure of the story in your book but unsure of your story as an author, you’re not alone.

And I’d love to help you get sure. I’m open to connecting with you to help you access clarity around your story and write an About the Author page that’ll tug at the heartstrings of your future readers. Get in touch with me if that sounds appealing.

Do you have an “About” page on your author site? Please share the link in a comment so we can admire it! (You can see mine here.)

Writing about publishing predators here recently made me realize that I could do more to highlight the good guys in the indie author side of book publishing — the legit author services providers.

Yes, there are a lot of bad guys waiting to pounce. But there are also many legitimate professionals who do good work for a fair fee. Their mission is to earn a living while helping people like you bring your book to the people you wrote it for.

That’s why when a book marketing coaching client connected me with the woman who helped polish his book, I was more than open to a telephone conversation with her. That discussion led to this Q&A about her work as an author services provider and how she does it.

Introducing Karen Hodges Miller

Karen Hodges Miller is CEO at Open Door Publications, a company that specializes in helping authors navigate the world of publishing in today’s environment. The company assists both published and first-time authors with the wide variety of skills and tasks needed to successfully write, publish, and market a book.

She is also the author of eight fiction and nonfiction books and has written countless newspaper and magazine articles in her 30-plus-year career. Her most recent books about book marketing techniques are Authorpreneurship and How to Sell Your Book Today.

Karen is also creating an online course on how to self-publish a book.

Learn how one author services company does business

I talked to Karen about her company to help us better understand how businesses like hers operate. While Karen contracts with specialists for tasks like proofreading, she is very hands on with the company’s book projects.

Please tell me a little about your publishing business.

Open Door Publications assists writers in navigating the sometimes murky waters of self-publishing. We work on a custom basis, starting wherever the individual writer is, whether it is at the “I want to write a book and I’ve never written anything” stage to “I’ve published a book—now what do I do?”

In short, we offer book coaching, editing, proofreading, formatting, cover design, and marketing plan assistance.

Many authors struggle to finally finish their books. Why is that? What are common obstacles to completing a manuscript?

I think the biggest obstacle to publishing is fear: fear of failure or fear of success.

I’ve found that the author who becomes frozen and unable to “pull the trigger” and upload the book when everyone is telling them that it is good is worried about one of these two things.

The second biggest obstacle to finishing a book is time management.

The biggest obstacle to publishing is fear: fear of failure or fear of success. ~ Karen Hodges MillerClick to tweet

It takes time and creative energy to complete a book. Planning to write three hours a day every day when you already have a full-time job and a family is unrealistic – but I’ve heard many authors tell me this is their plan.

First, sit down and look at your schedule. When can you write? How long can you write productively at any given time? Look at your obligations, then add your writing time to your calendar and make it sacred. Only a true emergency should keep you from writing at that time.

You’ve developed a system that helps authors finally get their books done. Please tell us a little about it and why it works.

My system goes back to the five Ws of journalism: who, what, when, where, and why.

1: Who

First decide who is your target market.

Describe them in detail, including age range, gender, income, other activities and hobbies, and where you will find them on social media and in real life.

2: What

What do you want to write?

Whether fiction or nonfiction, write down your subject and your theme. Your subject is the topic of your book. Your theme is the final message you want your reader to take away when they are done reading.

Try to write your theme in one sentence. If it takes an entire paragraph to explain your theme, you need to go back and refine it.

Next, create a simple outline defining your chapters. Don’t spend too much time perfecting the outline. This is a simple guide that will help you throughout the writing process and make sure you have kept to the points you wanted to make, and have not forgotten anything.

This outline should be made for both fiction and nonfiction and can take any form from a traditional outline to 3×5 cards to a mind map.

3: When

As I mentioned, if you have not scheduled time into your week to write, you’ll never get around to it.

Writing is hard work. Schedule realistic times when you are fresh enough to have creative energy.

If you have worked all day, made dinner for the family, helped with homework, and done three loads of wash, it is unlikely that you’ll be fresh enough at 11 p.m. to write. You may need to get up an hour early to write in the mornings.

4: Where

Where will you write? You need a quiet place where you can think to write. You also need a place where you can securely keep your notes, research, and any other documents.

If you must take out and put away all of your information before each writing session, it will be demotivating. Or, if you have your notes where anyone might move them, it will become a problem.

And finally, make sure you have a secure backup for your work!

5: Why

If you don’t know why you are writing a book, you’ll probably never finish. Write down your goals for your book. Place them into two categories:

• What you want your book to do for others
• What you want your book to do for yourself

Writing is hard work. Schedule realistic times when you are fresh enough to have creative energy. ~ Karen Hodges MillerClick to tweet

How do you decide who to work with? Is there a certain “something” you look for in authors?

I am looking for the “entrepreneurial author,” or as I like to say, someone who is an “authorpreneur.” This is a person who realizes that there is no “write it and they will come.”

First you must write the book, then tell your friends, family, and fans about it over and over and over again.

The second thing I look for is someone who knows how to tell a story.

As an editor, I can fix grammar, help with plot holes, and help with character development, but in the end, the author must know how to tell the story in an interesting way.

Authors have many author services companies to choose from when seeking help bringing their books to the world. What should they be looking for in a business like yours, especially considering the number of predators ready to take their money?

First, make sure that you can personally speak to a human, not just communicate by email.

Look carefully at the services offered. Do you need all of them or just some? Do they only sell packages or do they offer an “a la carte” menu? Are you required to purchase a large amount of books as part of your package?

And finally, do they promise to make you a bestselling author? No one can promise that!

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

The only way to become an author is to first become a writer. Writing is hard work and it takes practice. Try to write several times a week, if not every day.

The quickest way to fail is to fail to start!

What author services companies do you recommend? Please tell us in a comment!

My blog post two weeks ago shared insights into how traditional publishing works and noted that if you want to pursue a traditional publishing contract, you’ll probably need a literary agent.

A literary agent’s primary job is to sell your book to a publisher for the most favorable terms possible. Sometimes they help shape your proposal or manuscript to make it as marketable as possible before they “pitch” it.

Contrary to what you might see online or in groups, you don’t “hire” an agent. You “contract” with one. An agent works on commission, which means they aren’t paid until both parties sign a contract and the publisher pays the first amount due.

Because this is typically a commission-only sales job, literary agents need to be very, very selective about the people and projects they take on.

With this in mind, I asked literary agent Amy Collins to talk about what she does and offer advice on working with agents.

Introducing Amy Collins

Amy Collins, now an agent with Talcott Notch Literary Services, is one of my absolute favorite people in life and in the publishing business.

Amy has more than 30 years of experience matching books with readers. A former book buyer, publisher, sales director, and owner of New Shelves Books, she now represents many authors who have signed deals with major publishers.

Amy also teaches classes on querying and creating great proposals for Writers Digest. If you’re at a conference where Amy’s speaking, get to her session early and be prepared to take notes. She’s an entertaining and engaging speaker with something important to say to authors.

Behind the scenes with a literary agent

I know you love being a literary agent. Tell us why.

I have always enjoyed research, making new friends, and matching books with readers. For 30 years, I sold books to bookstores and libraries. Now, as an agent, I use my sales talent to help an author find a perfect fit at a publishing house. It is a joy to help authors achieve their dream of a publishing deal.

As an agent, I am constantly getting to meet talented editors and work with them to find clever ways to get my author’s books in front of as many people as possible.

It is a joy to help authors achieve their dream of a publishing deal. ~ Literary Agent Amy CollinsClick to tweet

What sorts of authors and projects do you represent — what’s your sweet spot?

My main focus is science fiction, fantasy, and speculative fiction. As for nonfiction, I work with books in the following categories: cookbooks, pop culture, and cultural reference.

I caution authors that I would not be a great agent for memoir, children’s, or business books. I have some clients who also write mystery, thriller, and children’s books, but I tend not to look specifically for them.

What’s your best client success story?

I love TikTok, and while scrolling one day, I was charmed by a young woman named Devrie Brynn Donalson. She was looking straight into the camera, telling the viewer that they were a hot mess and “good for us.” She raved and ranted and had me laughing so hard I had to catch my breath.

I sent her a message and asked if she had ever considered writing a book. Well, she had. She wanted very much to write a book. She and I spent a few months getting to know each other and developing book ideas. After a while, we felt confident we would work together well.

I put together the proposal, Devrie wrote the book, and I started pitching to publishers. We had interest in less than a week, and within a month, we had a wonderful offer. Blackstone will publish the book early next year.

How about a project disappointment — a book that didn’t find the home you thought it would, or that everyone had high hopes for but it didn’t find its audience?

Two years ago, one of my first clients had a terrific book. We got an offer and publishing deal that thrilled us all. I was sure the book would be a bestseller and sell like gangbusters.

At the same time, another client wrote a gorgeous novel, and I started pitching it that same month, expecting to have an offer within six months. In both cases, I am afraid that my expectations were way off. The nonfiction book sold well, but not enough to make the publisher or author happy. The novel is still one of my favorites, and I will not give up until I have found it a home.

But it is quite disappointing for the author to see my other clients get offers and published while she waits.

What do you look for in an author and a project — what makes you think you’ve got a winner?

I look for an author who has a LOT of books in them. I love the idea of helping an author navigate their career, not just one book. I can tell within a few moments if the writing is “my style.”

I need to really love the book I am working with, or it will not be a good fit.

I do not charge for any of my time or work. Agents only get paid once the book sells. If I am going spend months and years working with authors on a book’s editing, pitching, contracts, marketing, launch, and series as well as audio and international rights? I had better love it.

Agents only get paid once the book sells. If I am going spend months and years working with authors on a book's editing, pitching, contracts, marketing, launch, and series as well as audio and international rights? I had better love it. ~ Literary Agent Amy CollinsClick to tweet

That being said? I do not depend solely on my personal taste. I love books I discovered when I was 30. I read and reread them and love them. But they would not sell today to 30-year-olds. I have to remember that my taste is not everyone’s taste.

My job as an agent is to match my client’s style with the right editor and publishing house. Thank goodness not everyone has my taste in books.

What’s the one thing you want to see in a message from an author who wants you to represent them?

I love to see in the message that the author understands how publishing works. If they mention a conference they attended or organizations they belong to, that is great. I love to see the word count and genre early in the email.

I love to see in the message that the author understands how publishing works. ~ Literary Agent Amy CollinsClick to tweet

But mainly? Less is more. I do not need much to become willing to read a few pages. If the genre and premise fit the kind of book I represent? I will happily read a few pages.

What are some of the common mistakes authors make when approaching literary agents?

Not knowing the current successful authors in their genre and making claims that their book is unique. (It rarely is.) Another misstep is when I ask for a plot synopsis or plot outline; they do not have it ready. (Agents will need this eventually, so have it ready.)

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

The advice I give most often is to read books that are being published today and in your genre. Book pacing and writing styles change over time, and staying current is essential. If you are selling a book in 2023, your book needs to appeal to readers in 2023.

Thanks so much to Amy for sharing her insights with us!

Years ago, I generated so much global publicity for a subscription newsletter I created that I didn’t have to look for a literary agent for the book version of the newsletter – agents started calling me. That media exposure generated my first agent and book contract.

That’s just one reason why I’m always nudging you to get media attention. The exposure can be priceless.

To help with that, my author publicity course, Get Quoted: A Journalist’s Strategies for Using HARO to Snag Book Publicity, focuses on the single easiest way to get news media attention that can help build your author career. Get the details at https://build-book-buzz.teachable.com/p/get-quoted .

I also created Build Book Buzz Publicity Forms & Templates to help you write and use the most common publicity documents – pitch letters, press releases, sample Q&As, etc.– that you’ll use when seeking author and book publicity. Learn more about this collection of templates and real-world samples at https://build-book-buzz.teachable.com/p/build-book-buzz-publicity-forms-templates .

Get out there and get known. It can help you and your work be discovered by the right people … people like literary agent Amy Collins. 

Got questions about working with a literary agent? Please ask them in a comment. 

Because I know how powerful news media exposure is for books, products, and services, I’m constantly encouraging you to pursue publicity for your book.

My publishing experience is a great example of why it’s important. My first book contract was a direct result of publicity I generated for a subscription newsletter I created around the lighter side of gender differences. That book sold out, thanks to book publicity generated when my publisher’s in-house book publicist and I collaborated and worked together as a team.

My second book sold out three press runs on the strength of publicity alone. (It was published before social media was a thing.)

Because I think publicity is so important to your author career, I asked a veteran book publicist how she decides which authors and books to work with and how self-published authors can make their work more promotable. It’s an enlightening Q&A with important insights.

Introducing book publicist Karen Engler

I met Karen Engler after I used HARO to find sources for an article about how to turn your passion into a retirement project. I was so impressed with her pitch on behalf of her author client and our resulting conversation that I knew she’d provide thoughtful answers to questions I wanted to ask on your behalf.

Karen is a 30-year publicity veteran specializing in flexible author media tours. As a secret weapon on publicity teams, she has vast experience with nonfiction and children’s books.

Her hobbies include an obsession with animals – especially dogs – and tiny houses. She’s excited to hear about people’s passion projects that have led to their books. Feel free to reach out for a quick consultation; here’s her email address.

Q&A with book publicist Karen Engler

Whether you are a DIY marketer or are considering hiring a publicist, Karen’s insights will help you understand what you need to succeed.

I’ve noticed that not everybody understands what a book publicist does. What services do you provide?

Yes, part of that confusion is because publicity can be a broad category, but publicists are best known for lassoing media attention.

My focus is;

• To generate press materials like press releases, author Q & As, advise on videos, edit articles, and more. It’s different for everyone.
• To reach out to journalists; bloggers; newsrooms (where applicable); website content directors; producers; and radio, podcast, and TV hosts, to lasso media coverage of their books.
• To present the books and authors in the most concise and personalized way. This can vary depending on whom I’m approaching.
• To read the book!

What makes you decide whether to take on an author or book? What do you look for?

I have to be inspired by them and their story or their angle or approach to any given topic. One of the things I love about working primarily with nonfiction books is that most authors are doing an act of service. Whether it’s to inform or entertain, I like being part of bringing their efforts to more people.

I prefer to work with open-minded people. Though I always start by swinging for the fences, the most significant results often come after you redirect or regroup who and where you’re pitching. I’ve seen some amazing things come out of coverage from small media outlets.

I've seen some amazing things come out of coverage from small media outlets. ~ Book Publicist Karen EnglerClick to tweet

What’s your biggest challenge when representing an author?

Finding the sweet spot, that is, the intersection of the author’s work/topic with the zeitgeist in our culture (and media) at any given moment. Then finding the best way for their work to jump off the page.

What’s the difference between promoting a self-published book and one that’s traditionally published?

Traditional publishers are ninjas at packaging books. Though I’m not a big fan of pitching solely with their general press release, they’re great at describing a book and its relevancy.

Self-published books tend to come from lesser-known authors. There’s much nuance to presenting someone who is new or has done little media. This takes a lot more time as well. It is also a big turn-off to people in the media when it’s obvious that authors haven’t worked with an editor on their book.

It is also a big turn-off to people in the media when it's obvious that authors haven't worked with an editor on their book. ~ Book Publicist Karen EnglerClick to tweet

What can a self-published author do to help make hiring a publicist worthwhile, or to enhance their chance of success if they go the DIY route?

Let go of old-school expectations! It’s a long game now. There is some pre-pitching six months out. However, campaigns start later and go longer than they used to, about six to eight weeks before the publication date, and then continue three to four months after that.

If someone chooses the DIY route, they should be comfortable handling rejection and lack of response. I prototyped a consultancy with authors who wanted to save money and handle their press, and I took over. They were bummed out when they should have been writing! With a few exceptions, it’s taking on another job.

What’s the most important thing you’d like authors to know about working with a book publicist?

A cookie-cutter or formulaic approach to book publicity is short-sighted. Every book is unique. Some methods tend to work, but there’s no formula. Also, success isn’t guaranteed just because another author has written a massive bestseller about the same topic.

A cookie-cutter or formulaic approach to book publicity is short-sighted. Every book is unique. ~ Book Publicist Karen EnglerClick to tweet

Big thanks to Karen for taking the time to answer these questions so thoughtfully!

What questions do you have for book publicist Karen Engler about working with a book publicist? Please ask them in a comment. 

When I saw in a Facebook group that poet Raegen Pietrucha was hosting a workshop on how to promote poetry a few months ago, I saved the notice. Would she be open to a Q&A here about exactly that?

I was delighted when she accepted my invitation this week! Here’s what you need to know about Raegen first.

Introducing Raegen Pietrucha

Raegen Pietrucha writes, edits, and consults creatively and professionally. Head of a Gorgon is her debut, full-length, poetry collection. Her debut poetry chapbook, An Animal I Can’t Name, won the 2015 Two of Cups Press competition, and she has a memoir in progress.

Raegen received her MFA from Bowling Green State University, where she was an assistant editor for Mid-American Review. Her writing has been published in Cimarron Review, Puerto del Sol, and other journals. Connect with her at raegenmp.wordpress.com and on Twitter.

How to promote poetry

Our conversation about how to promote poetry is full of insights for all authors, not just poets.

What’s the biggest challenge poets face when promoting and marketing poetry books?

The biggest challenge for poets is the sheer lack associated with the genre: lack of resources dedicated to it; the lack of know-how in promoting and marketing it; and worst, the lack of audience for it.

The biggest challenge for poets is the sheer lack associated with the genre. ~ Raegen PietruchaClick to tweet

I see all of these as tied together, by the way: The lack of resources and know-how in promoting poetry reinforces the lack of audience, which reinforces — and for some small-minded folks, even justifies — the lack of resources dedicated to promoting it.

I truly believe poetry would have a much larger audience if the kinds of financial and publicity resources dedicated to most prose genres were dedicated to poetry. Too many folks still see poetry as something intimidating or beyond them, but I think this is a challenge that smart marketers and educators can overcome.

Problem is, those most talented book publicists in particular go where the money is — and right now, that’s not with poetry

What are your 3 best tips for promoting poetry books?

1. Start early.

Start early — as in now if you have even the slightest inkling that you might someday write a poetry book or several.

It is never too soon to start building your brand and platform as an author, and the more effort you put into building a community around that idea — you as a poet with a book coming along someday — the better off you are when it comes time to publish, promote, and sell your poetry.

Take social media, for example. It’s OK if that’s not your platform and you prefer, say, an email list, newsletter, and/or blog, but what you don’t want to do if you intend to use social media to promote your book is be days away from your book’s launch and then decide that’s when you’ll start your Twitter or TikTok account.

That’s not an excuse not to start, by the way, and late is better than never, but it takes a long time to form relationships and build traction in any community, so it’s best to start now.

2. Define what’s intriguing.

Really understand what it is about your book that folks who don’t typically read poetry might find intriguing, because it won’t be the poetry aspect of it unless they’re already poetry readers and/or writers.

For my debut full-length collection, Head of a Gorgon, the short of it is, it’s a feminist reimagining of the myth of Medusa that explores surviving sexual violence in contemporary times. That means my book is for all adult readers who are drawn to feminism, mythology, discussions of survivorship, and/or poetry — with the fact that it’s poetry being the least emphasized element for a general audience.

3. Network and build relationships.

The success of any type of promotion, publicity, marketing, and sales effort ultimately relies on relationships. This is a pain point for a lot of writers, who often identify as introverted or shy and tend to use that as an excuse for inaction.

But like it or not, it is part of the deal, especially in poetry, where we don’t have those financial and human resources dedicated to the genre to help propel it along separate from — and sometimes despite — the poets.

Build relationships personally. Build relationships professionally at work. Build relationships creatively with peers at conferences, workshops, readings, events, etc. — online and in person, if possible.

Some of the most unexpected but most joyous experiences I’ve had with promoting and ultimately getting coverage of Head of a Gorgon came from professional and creative relationships I built several years ago with people now states away from me whom I still touch base with from time to time on social media.

And I should mention that they approached me with their own ideas and opportunities to help spread the word. That’s the real gold in book promotion: when the opportunities come to you versus seeking them out.

But lest anyone misunderstand me, let me clarify: Even these were still, albeit indirectly, the result of the many times I posted news about the book — just not coverage I specifically reached out for and requested (though I did plenty of that with other folks and outlets).

People can’t help you promote your book if they don’t know you have one.

People can’t help you promote your book if they don’t know you have one. ~ Raegen PietruchaClick to tweet

What book promotion tactic have you tried that wasn’t as successful as you had hoped?

A fellow writer and I joke a lot about one thing in particular that always seems to tank as a promotional effort: the take-this-action online giveaway.

If you ask folks online to do anything beyond liking, sharing, tagging someone, or maybe guessing a number in a designated range, the majority of them simply won’t even bother to try, no matter what the prize is.

If you could only do one thing to promote your poetry, what would it be?

This is something I’ve come to think about immensely differently since the pandemic began. Because I’m not willing to jeopardize my health and the health of my loved ones, least of all for book sales, I have focused all my energy into online/virtual opportunities for Head of a Gorgon, largely through social media.

I post everything — podcasts I’m on, reviews my book’s received, press coverage, online readings, virtual workshops, and more — there. And I truly believe my brand is the better for it.

When my chapbook, An Animal I Can’t Name, came out in 2016, I was barely active on social media and relied on local in-person events (readings, workshops, etc.) here and there to sell books. That was somewhat successful, but the reach is naturally limited to who’s physically present in the community and attends those events.

With social media, if you put the effort in and find your groove and community, the doors fly wide open, and opportunities you didn’t even know were out there just appear. In fact, this Q&A is one example of that very thing happening.

With social media, if you put the effort in and find your groove and community, the doors fly wide open, and opportunities you didn’t even know were out there just appear. ~ Raegen PietruchaClick to tweet

However, if we weren’t in a pandemic, I would absolutely be diving into in-person events of all kinds as well, from conferences like AWP to bookstore and library events to off-the-beaten-path opportunities like local arts and crafts shows.

I don’t know at this point that I would sacrifice my social media promotions for it, for the reasons I detailed earlier, but I am pretty confident my sales would be at least double what they are now if it was safe for me to attend in-person events and promote my work there.

Big thanks to Raegen for sharing her industry knowledge with us! Please comment with any questions that Raegen might be able to answer. 

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Associate links, which means if you click on them and make a purchase, I will receive a couple of pennies (at no extra charge to you).

I first connected with incredibly successful children’s book author Kim Norman a few years ago when I reviewed her popular self-published book, Sell Books and Get Paid Doing Author School Visits, here. It’s a must-read for all children’s book authors.

I don’t usually connect with the authors of books I review on the blog – not even briefly. Most don’t even know I’ve reviewed their book.

I’m glad this one was different, though. Kim has become a friend – and a very, very fun one at that.

I asked Kim to share insights about writing and marketing children’s books today. Here’s what you need to know about her first.

Introducing children’s book author Kim Norman

Kim Norman is the author of more than 20 children’s books, already or soon to be in print, published by Sterling; Scholastic; Penguin/Random House; Farrar, Straus and Giroux; Candlewick; and Abrams.

Titles include I Know a Wee Piggy, which was selected by the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to be distributed to nearly a third of a million youngsters. Puddle Pug was distributed in FiveBelow stores nationwide in a special boxed set with a pug doll. (Which checked off a career bucket list item for Kim to see one of her characters made into a plush toy.)

Her most enduring title is her best-selling Ten on the Sled. The book, sometimes featured in school winter programs, has inspired at least one holiday parade float.

Calling herself a “bedtime reading evangelist,” Kim has been invited to countless schools around the US to talk to students about her favorite thing: books! (And be sure to read my review of her book on author school visits here.)

What are Kim’s secrets?

I’m thrilled by how generous Kim was with what she’s learned as a popular children’s book author. Pour a cup of coffee or tea and settle in to learn.

I think new parents and retired teachers share a common mission: To write a children’s book. I’ve never done it, but I know it’s a lot harder than it looks. What’s the hardest part of writing a children’s book?

When I talk to kids in schools, I always tell them that the very first thing you need to be a writer is … (wait for it!) … PATIENCE! (“Wait for it.” Get it?)

I’m in a large FB group of those who self-publish children’s books, many of which are lovely books, but all too often I see a new member pop in and say, “I’ve just finished writing my first children’s book. Any advice on how to publish it?” I never say it, but I always want to say, “Okay, first: tear it up and write another one. And another and another.”

I never do say that because it sounds mean, but honestly, we’re no more ready to publish the first draft of our children’s book than we are to play concert piano as soon as we learn “Chop Sticks.”

Since I’m primarily a picture book author, I’ll mostly talk about them in this interview.

There’s so much about a picture book that’s not obvious to the casual reader: pacing, word choice, characterization, story arc, tension (even in a story about a child learning to tie a shoe, there needs to be at least a little tension), on and on. This includes remembering to leave space for the illustrator to tell part of the story by not describing things that can be shown in the pictures.

We’re no more ready to publish the first draft of our children’s book than we are to play concert piano as soon as we learn “Chop Sticks.”Click to tweet

What do you like most about being a children’s book author?

I love the variety. My stories are short, so I don’t need to spend a year on them, although as I mentioned above, I do revise many times, so it’s not one-and-done. I also like that it allows me to pursue things I think are interesting.

I’m a closet science geek, so I love the research that can go into even a fictional manuscript about arctic animals on the sled.

What “how to get started” advice can you offer those who want to become a children’s book author? 

Here are the first two things I suggest to those who want to become a children’s book author:

1. Go to the library and check out as many picture books as they’ll allow. Take them home and read them, paying attention to how the story flows from page to page. For instance, if it’s a humorous book, you’ll notice that the “punchline” — whether visual or verbal — nearly always falls after a page turn. Aim to read at least 100 books in this analytical way. Hey, they’re short. It can be done in a few weeks.
2. Choose at least three or four of the ones you like best and type up the text. Now close the book and study the text with no pictures in sight. The first thing you’ll notice is that the story feels a little bald and unfinished. Of course, it IS unfinished because the pictures should tell half the story. If your own story reads as mostly complete, then it’s not a picture book manuscript.

It may be a great story for a magazine where there are only one or two pictures for the whole story, but it’s not a picture book manuscript because you’ve taken over some of the illustrators’ job.

Look even more closely at the typed text. Count the words of the whole story. Current picture books tend to be much shorter than when we were little. Now count how many words per sentence. Compare the length of the sentences at the beginning of the story to those at the end.

For pacing the story, you may find that sentences in the midst of the action are very short whereas, nearing the end, the sentences may be longer. This helps slow the pacing like a train pulling into the station.

I mentioned two, but a third important point is if you plan to write in rhyme, get lots and lots of beta readers. If you know anyone who is musically inclined,  ask them to read the manuscript aloud to you (cold read, no practicing!) so you can hear where they stumble on the rhythm.

I suggest a musical friend because they’re more likely to have a strong sense of rhythm. Usually, the biggest problem isn’t the rhyme, it’s the meter. So plan to work even harder on a rhyming manuscript, with many, many, many revisions.

Never settle for the first or even second draft.

Never settle for the first or even second draft.Click to tweet

When it comes to book promotion, what are the one or two tactics you can count on that will help build awareness and sales?

I’m embarrassed to say I can get very lazy about this. And that’s not because I’m spoiled by having publishers who send me on tours. I’m at 20-plus books now with never a tour in sight.

But I learned the hard way, from my first book, that there’s not a lot an author can do to hugely affect sales for nationally published books. I worked my fanny off for my first book, sending out press releases, even getting my own and several critique partners’ books featured in a huge NY newspaper with something like a million readers. But it really didn’t do much for sales.

But that’s partly because my books are traditionally published. So unless it helped sell thousands of books, it’s not going to impress my publisher.

On the other hand, I think an article like that could make a big difference for a self-published author who makes higher royalties and can make sure there are local events mentioned in the article. My neighbor self-publishes and does a much better job than I do getting the word out.

But since the two publishing models are so different, a street fair or newspaper article will do her more good than it will me since, again, she makes much higher royalties when she sells a book.

Which makes it sound like I must be crazy to slog through the process of traditional publishing since it’s slooooooow and I usually receive only 5% of the royalties (having split the average 10% with the illustrator.) But thanks to my publishers’ much wider distribution, I’m getting 5% on thousands of books, as opposed to my neighbor’s higher royalty on, perhaps, hundreds, and having worked a LOT harder to bring the book to print.

So it’s just a different model with pros and cons for each. I once had a book go into its third printing even before it was released. I can’t take credit for that, other than it being some of my best writing, if I may say so.

Mostly that was thanks to my publisher sending out review copies, catching the eye of lots of teachers and librarians who could see this would be a great title for their students. Plus, it had a nice Halloween hook, so it caught parents’ eyes, too.

So here’s something I do that works (at least when there’s not a pandemic on): author visits.

Publishers really do appreciate that I do them, because they do sell books, and on top of that, I get paid for my time. In fact, that’s what I titled the book I wrote on the subject: Sell Books and Get Paid Doing Author School Visits. Embarrassingly mercenary title.

Of course, it’s not all about the money, it’s also about the kids, but I do want people to buy my author visit book, after all.

What have you tried for book promotion that was a complete flop?

Oh gosh, I must be really bad at it, because I can think of more flops than successes! (That’s why we all need you, Sandra!)

I once  tried to run an art contest through the local art center. They never gave out the coloring pages to a single kid! About a day or two before the awards were supposed to be presented, the youth director at my church— God bless her! —  found a few dozen kids to participate.

Add to that, it was about 900 degrees the evening the awards were presented and the art center director didn’t even let me know she was doing a presentation up the street related to something else. (Note to self: Never work with her again!) So that’s my biggest disaster memory.

What I learned was to not trust that a partner is going to follow through (and to not wait so long to check on it!), and also to not make things too complicated. If you’re asking people to jump through hoops, they’ll genuinely mean to do it, but then time will pass and you may have very few participants.

So if you’re looking for participation from your audience, make it super easy. Put in the live links, write the tweet for them to copy and paste, etc.

Oh and giveaways seem to work well for engagement.

via GIPHY

I’m still not very good at Twitter. Mostly my posts get crickets. But I once posted a giveaway of some books inside a repurposed vintage suitcase, asking people to repost etc. for a chance to win, and dang.

That post was seen by something like 40,000 people in no time. Still lame by Kardashian standards, but pretty good by my cricket standards.

What’s your best marketing tip for children’s book authors?

First, write a really, really good book. That’s best accomplished with lots and lots of revision.

Then, I’d say author visits are the best tool for direct sales and really can sell a lot of books in a single day.

Author visits are the best tool for direct sales and really can sell a lot of books in a single day.Click to tweet

I do think social media can play a role in spreading the word.

About half of the authors I have interviewed for the Picture Book Builders blog are titles I found on Instagram and Twitter. I’m not the owner of the blog, only a contributor, but I really admire what the founder, Jill Esbaum, has done with it. It has a mailing list of approximately 1,000 subscribers and gets quite good engagement in the comments.

Check out my most recent post there interviewing an author whose book I found on Twitter. (Jill sets a parameter that we interview traditionally published authors only.)

Would you like to add anything else?

Just how much I appreciate you, Sandra. I really have learned a lot from you over the years. (Editor’s note: Shucks.)

Before you go …

Every author needs a “platform,” whether they’re self- or traditionally published. Platform is that audience waiting to buy your book.

Kim’s platform includes school visits. Publishers love seeing that she’s speaking to her audience in situations that generate sales.

Public speaking, whether in schools or elsewhere, is one element you can use to build the platform you need to succeed as an author. But there are more.

Get a list of 13 platform elements in my free PDF, Platform Building for Authors Cheat Sheet. It will help you identify which ones are the best fit for you and your author career.

Big thanks to Kim for sharing her industry knowledge with us! Please comment with any questions that Kim might be able to answer. 

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Associate links, which means if you click on them and make a purchase, I will receive a couple of pennies (at no extra charge to you).

When I first met Vicki Weisfeld, author of the debut thriller Architect of Courage, I was intimidated.

It was many years ago. I had just joined the communications team for a national awareness campaign Vicki created and managed for her then employer. She had high standards and expectations for the people supporting her goals.

It was clear that I’d have to earn her trust and respect. Was I up to the challenge?

I did my best.

Over time, our professional relationship has evolved into a friendship that has allowed me to watch this mentor transform from an accomplished professional communicator into an award-winning mystery writer.

And now, with her first book released by a small press in early June, I continue to be impressed as Vicki works steadily to introduce readers to her story.

I invited her to talk about her promotion campaign here. I hope her activities inspire you to think about what’s possible for your book.

Introducing Vicki Weisfeld

Vicki’s short stories have appeared in leading mystery magazines, including Ellery Queen, Sherlock Holmes, and Black Cat. Find her work also in a variety of anthologies: Busted: Arresting Stories from the Beat, Seascapes: Best New England Crime Stories, Murder Among Friends, Passport to Murder, The Best Laid Plans, Quoth the Raven, and Sherlock Holmes in the Realms of Edgar Allan Poe.

She’s a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and the Short Mystery Fiction Society (which awarded her “Breadcrumbs” a best short story Derringer in 2017). Vicki also reviews crime/mystery/thriller fiction for the UK website, Crime Fiction Lover.

Grab a cup of tea, friends. Vicki has lots to share with us about the effort and energy she’s put into promoting her debut thriller.

Book promotion Q&A with debut thriller writer Vicki Weisfeld

The publication date for Architect of Courage was early June, but I know you started thinking about promotion well before then. What are some of the early things you did to prepare for your book’s launch?

In a way, it was like I was “preparing” for the book launch for the last decade. For example, I launched my website in 2012 and post about four times a week. In total disregard of the fate of the nation’s trees, I’d been printing out and organizing helpful-seeming articles on marketing and promotion—actionable steps!—for years. (Some of those articles were yours, Sandy!)

As publication day approached, and I realized I finally had to wrap my head around this challenge, I went through my files and pulled out the articles that looked most germane. I had a couple of articles about scheduling: “six months before publication, you should . . .”; “four months before publication, you should . . .” It was overwhelming.

And, we were in the midst of Covid, so even though I had the time, I lacked the motivation. In the end, I whittled my plans down to a manageable number of tasks that I felt confident I could do well.

Two months before the launch…

Many of the most helpful things I did, starting two months before launch, involved getting my tools together:

• Assembling a mailing list in Excel from all my different sources of contacts (almost 500 people)—a vital tool.
• Creating a list of bloggers in the crime/mystery/thriller genre and what their requirements are (including whether they want to hear from me or my publisher).
• Enrolling in the International Thriller Writers Debut Author Program.
• Writing a series of posts for my own blog on 10 successive Tuesdays (the day I have the largest number of visitors) in April and May about different aspects of the book, to “soften up” the market.

These posts contained information specific to the book, but also generalizable tips for writers. They had an overarching “Where writers’ ideas come from” title, rather than a “Here’s why you should buy my book” approach. This is an example. This series was well-received.

• Sending announcements to organizations in my genre that mention members’ new books in their publications.
• Sending a flyer to about 36 close friends and family members letting them know the book was coming (at last!) and how they could help promote it (more on this later).
• Planning the launch party!

I know you’ve been putting a lot of time and energy into book promotion. Tell us about your Partners in Crime virtual tour.

I paid for a Partners in Crime Tour (PICT), and provided the staff with information and photos (book cover, me), and they took it from there. Loved that! Even if I felt “unproductive,” I knew something was being done with a range of book blog sites. Over a month’s period, that arrangement produced:

• Six “showcases” (reprints of my promotional content plus the book’s first chapter)
• Five reviews
• Two “interviews” accomplished by email (Read them at Braydon’s Briefs and The Big Thrill.)
• Two guest posts that I wrote
• One podcast (scroll down at that link), where the host read my first chapter and gave a review
• One blog talk radio interview scheduled for September (for an extra fee)

Interestingly, none of the bloggers PICT found were in my list. So, in addition, I’ve reached out to several from my list, which has garnered additional interviews, reviews, and guest posts.

Did any of this activity result in actual sales? That’s hard to know. However, I wasn’t expecting a straight-line relationship between blog post and ringing cash registers. I recall the old publicity rule of thumb that people typically need 14 exposures—14!—before a piece of information sinks in or takes hold enough for them to push the “BUY” button. Having my book in so many places increases those exposure numbers.

Moreover, since I’m a new author with a tiny publisher, I don’t have any prestigious reviews, so I excerpted the book bloggers’ posts to populate the “Editorial Reviews” section of my Amazon page.

You’ve done several book appearances for Architect of Courage, too. Please offer an overview so we understand what types of locations hosted you and what they accomplished for your debut thriller.   

Yes, I’ve done presentations at my launch party, to my women’s group, two bookstores, Mystery Writers of America – New York Chapter, and the local Sisters in Crime chapter.

Some of these presentations involved a reading, and some were just Q&A—more fun, actually. I was allowed to sell books at some events, and not others. I had to bail on a book festival I’d signed up for in northern New Jersey, because of being stranded in Lisbon with Covid, but I have another one scheduled for October.

I’ve sold about 54 books through these means.

Two additional points:

1. With books sold “in person,” you make more of a connection with the reader, and probably increase the probability that person will give you a review, which is very important
2. All the work I did for PICT, coming up with examples and alternative ways to respond to very similar questions, really stood me in good stead. Someone asks a question, and I have a well-thought-out (usually!) response at my finger-tips. Even small events are worth doing, if only for the practice.

I’m impressed with the number and quality of reviews on Amazon. What’s working best for you for getting reviews?

Here’s where I learned from you, Sandy. Part of the reason people don’t review a book is they can’t think of what to say. It’s not necessary to give a book The New York Times treatment; a casual “I really enjoyed this book and here’s why . .” works every bit as well.

Writing a review is one of 10 things I suggest people can do to support a book or an author they admire. That list was part of my “friends and family” letter before the book was launched. I’ve taken copies to readings, etc.

Writing a review is one of 10 things I suggest people can do to support a book or an author they admire. ~ Vicki WeisfeldClick to tweet

When I realized it could be a “generic” product—without the links to my blog, my author page, etc.—I made it available on my blog (it’s had some 250 page views) and highlighted in on Facebook and Twitter. You are welcome to download it, add your own ideas, pictures, and so on.

How did you identify and connect with the three book clubs that plan to read your book?

This was in part serendipity.

One is a mystery book club here in Princeton that I belong to.

One invitation came after a member read the book, liked it, and suggested it to her book club (which is also doing an interview with me the previous month).

And the third invitation came from a friend of a friend who read the book and liked it. Zoom is a big boon here, because book clubs are all over the country!

What’s next for your promotion activities?

I have a list of mystery book clubs and reaching out to them is my next task, along with finding an audio book producer and distributor (I don’t want to manage this myself).

Plus, developing a strategy for submission to appropriate award programs. That falls under the rubric, “nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Even being nominated provides additional exposure.

Of everything you’ve done so far, what would you do again for your next book?

Regrettably, I can’t participate in the International Thriller Writers Debut Authors Program again! But I would definitely repeat the Partners in Crime Tour.

I’ll be keeping my master mailing list (that Excel list) up-to-date in the meantime, so I can reach out to people again, and perhaps by then I will have a fairly good newsletter following. I also believe writing the series of blog posts about the book was helpful.

What’s your single best tip for other novelists about book marketing and promotion?

Say “yes” to everything. You never know where it might lead!

I remember an author talking about a bookstore event she did where no one came. She used the time instead to chat with the store’s staff, who then, because they had that personal connection with her, displayed her book prominently, and invited her back when her next book came out. Much better attendance!

Any other thoughts you’d like to share? 

Book promotion is work, but it’s part of the job description of being an author in 2022.

Book promotion is work, but it’s part of the job description of being an author in 2022. ~ Vicki WeisfeldClick to tweet

I think we get a little paralyzed by so many articles with headlines like “15 Marketing Mistakes New Authors Make” or “Are You Dooming Your Book?” Ignore all that.

Don’t try to do everything, it isn’t possible. Find the tasks that appeal to you, and don’t be afraid to ask for help (“friends and family” again). They’re likely very proud of you and happy to provide some assistance. You just need to tell them how.

Whatever you do, do it in good spirits, with reasonable expectations, and move on with a smile on your face. You’re an author!

Big thanks to Vicki for sharing her experiences with us! Do you have a question for her about how she’s promoting her debut thriller? Please leave it in a comment so Vicki can respond.