How Authors Can Help Your Publisher Promote a Book

[I've intended for a while to put my suggestions to authors about how they can help publishers promote their book(s) on this blog; here's first draft 1/8/12; I'll update & add more here soon.]

For each new book, any decent publisher (large or small) does a set of basic marketing activities. We:

• send review copies to key review periodicals, sites, and influential people
• design catalog sheets or flyers
• work with the distributor and sales reps to get them good tools for sales
• make sure the book is listed in central books-in-print databases
• create web pages (with various optional enhancements like tables of contents, first chapters, sample material, author interviews, etc.)
• follow-up on specific marketing plans or queries from media, as appropriate for each book

After that, we allocate a limited set of marketing resources, as best we can. Even with bigger publishers, marketing budgets are allocated unevenly; the publisher is looking for the biggest bang for the buck. (A publisher typically choose to do things that are most efficient to do and replicate, have the best sales/cost ratio, or develop useful resources or contacts applicable other books in the future.)

Authors can help launch a book, hoping to hit a good “take-off” momentum. And can help stretch out the life cycle by keeping a book active enough that the publisher also maintains some interest in keeping the book visible.

Also authors just do many things better than publishers because of subject knowledge and local or personal/professional contacts. They can tackle things that a publisher frankly doesn’t have the resources or strategic desire to do.

Here’s a working set of things a Crickhollow Books author can do to help promote a book. I’ve divided it into 3 sections:

1. Working with your publisher
2. Primary things to do on your own
3. Secondary things to consider

Working with your publisher

Look for coop efforts. There are some inexpensive tools you might ask your publisher to provide, if you offer to be the one to distribute it. For instance, most publishers would happily to a run of 500 bookmarks, or postcards, if you have a good way to use them and will look for ways to hand them out, put them at good venues, etc.

Other enhancements for online websites. You can create a list of 10 interesting things about your book, or a teacher’s guide with activities, or a book-club guide with a handful of questions and some behind-the-scenes tidbits about the book, etc. Post them on your own online site(s), and your publisher might post them or help distribute them (this is most likely to happen if you show a draft to them and let them check to make sure good promo info is present and well-presented).

Provide a good self-interview and a fun-to-read bio. I like self-interviews because you can cover everything you want, plus you reveal more of your true personality. (Outside interviews are wonderful, but let’s face it, they often go a bit off-message from a promotional perspective.) You can post this on your own website or a blog site, and provide the link. (Here’s an example: )

Primary Marketing To Do Yourself

Reviews at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, GoodReads. Round up some people to post reviews on Amazon, GoodReads, etc. Yes, this is legitimate. You’re not telling them what to write, just encouraging them (of course, you’re looking for friends or colleagues likely to like the book!) It helps if these are scattered about the country, instead of all from your tiny town.

Send a copy and book info to your alumni magazine. Contact them to let them know you’ve a graduate, have written a book, have sent a copy, and are willing to furnish more info or do a brief interview (many have online newsletters as well as print magazines). Alumni magazines have an amazing reach across space and time, and these audiences are well-educated book-buyers.

Send a copy and/or book info to organizations you belong to. These might be literary, professional, social, etc. Many have websites, newsletters, etc. (If you don’t belong to regional or genre writer groups, etc., this a good reason to join.)

Contact local media with book info. You may have more appeal as an individual, compared to your publisher – you’re a person, can be interviewed, have a circle of local friends, etc. – contacting your local NPR affiliate, newspaper, magazines, etc.

Contact influential people in your field for blurbs. Offer them review copies (your publisher may gladly provide a small batch of copies for this use). Request a very short blurb (just a few descriptive words or sentences is plenty), a brief bit of feedback that you can use to help promote the book (if they deem it worthy of such). You have a better way to find these people, and can talk to them in ways that involve your field or genre.

Contact local bookstores or other venues like libraries or clubs and offer to do a program. Consider a talk or workshop on a useful subject; this is often a better draw for a lesser-known author than a reading/signing. If you write fiction, your talk might be on how to research a book, find an agent or publisher, do promotions, etc. Think outside the box – think not how to promote your book, but what topic involved with your book is most likely to attract an audience.

Secondary Marketing To Do Yourself

Plan a fun book launch event – or hold a party to celebrate an award, etc. While a launch party is good to do, you can also plan, announce, and host a simple event for things that happen long after a book is released. The promotional visibility on Facebook, etc. is always good, even if it’s just a few friends showing up to share a beer or glass of wine or a piece of celebratory cake or . . .

Offer a book giveaway on GoodReads. (And ask your publisher to provide the books, if you promise to do the work to send the books to winners.) 5 or 6 copies are sufficient. This way, you can sign the books, and the publisher just needs to ship one batch to you.

Brainstorm fun and buzz-worthy ideas. Any out-of-the-box creative idea that might take off?

Get involved and stay involved with your local literary community. Keep in touch with local writer gatherings, events, bookstore readings, etc. Get to know the movers and shakers, bookstore owners, librarians, media people, organizational officers, other prominent and up-and-coming authors. Stay in touch, and help out as you can. Giving of your time and sharing your knowledge and contacts will eventually be repaid. For instance, help announce good books by others, review them, post their events on your Facebook page, etc.

Be reasonably active online. Maintain a Facebook presence. Do a blog (steady and persistent) focused on you as a writer and your book and its subject matter/genre. It doesn’t need to be wildly active; just write a post at least once a month. What do you write about? Book news, behind-the-scenes tidbits about the book, favorite short excerpts, why you love a given passage or character, how you dealt with a writing challenge . . . Of course, this is the place to mention great reviews, thank people, announce coming appearances, report on how to after those events . . .

Do ongoing web searches in your area of interest. Look for bloggers, media people interested in your topic, regional book events, interest groups, etc.

Good Resources

Book Marketing Planning Spreadsheet
developed by Jenny Blake, author of Life After College.

http://www.lacbook.com/for-authors/book-marketing-resources/

I’ve generally used my own version, but I admit this is the best I’ve seen. Highly recommended.

GoodReads – Author Programs

http://www.goodreads.com/author/program

Here’s info on doing book giveaways (the main thing I recommend, besides encouraging others to review your book).

Tips on Planning a Book Launch Party
[link to come]

Tips on doing Book Readings & Signings
[link to come]

Tips on Writing a Self-Interview
[link to come]

Teachers Like New Jingo Fever Book

Here are a few recent comments from teachers about Stephanie Lowden’s new chapter book, Jingo Fever:

One of the challenges in teaching is to use time effectively by finding materials that serve more than one purpose. Students who read Jingo Fever are provided with important background knowledge that enables understanding of complex historical events. Teachers can also find rich material for deep classroom discussions that increase comprehension skills, as Addy struggles with universal adolescent dilemmas against a backdrop of bullying, racism and intolerance that unfortunately continues to plague our children today. With engaging characters and a compelling story, students will enjoy this accessible novel.
– Debra Ahrens, Elementary School Teacher

Hi! I read Jingo Fever and loved it. I teach first grade, but I see it appropriate for 4-8th grade. I found the story to be exciting and could lead to a lot of great classroom discussions. My daughter is in 7th grade and currently taking German as a foreign language. She was interested in learning more about German culture, since this is also her background. The reading level was easy for her, but the idea behind the story was enjoyable and educational.
– Susan Stevens, Madison, Wisconsin

We agree! This is a great book for introducing some complex issues in a thoughtful way.

“Rich material, accessible,” “the story was enjoyable and educational” . . . that’s music to our ears! It’s what we strive for as a small indie press, doing good books that the big children’s book publishers are overlooking.

Wisconsin State Journal interviews Jingo Fever author

Stephanie Lowden, author of our new middle-grade novel Jingo Fever, first studied anti-German bigotry in Wisconsin in 1970 under E. David Cronon, professor of history at UW-Madison and later dean of the College of Letters and Science.

Here’s an interview with author Stephanie Lowden by Doug Moe that appeared in the Wisconsin State Journal.

In it, she talks about the research that was the starting point for this middle-grade historical novel.

Interview with Stephanie Lowden, Author of Jingo Fever

Here is an interview with Stephanie Golightly Lowden, author of Jingo Fever, our newest Crickhollow Book for young readers.

Jingo Fever is a chapter book set in 1918 during World War I in a small town (Ashland, on Lake Superior) in northern Wisconsin. It deals with the effects of intolerance experienced by many German-Americans during the war. It’s a fascinating and little-known aspect of American history.

Unfortunately, there are modern-day counterparts. What happen when excessive patriotism at home gets out of hand during conflicts abroad? German Americans experienced much persecution during the First World War all over the U.S. . . . despite their citizenship and, for many families, the brave service of their young men in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Here are Stephanie’s comments on Jingo Fever.

Q: What caused you to write this book?

Many years ago my mother told me how, when she was a very young girl, German language books were burned during World War I. Her stories led me to research that time period. Ultimately, Adelle’s story was born. All of the incidents Adelle mentions in the story involving the persecution of German-Americans are true.

Q: Was this book based on a real incident in Ashland, Wisconsin?

Yes. I have taken some liberties with dates and events in this fictional story of a young girl growing up during the summer of 1918. But a real incident did take place in Ashland, Wisconsin, in which two German professors were tarred and feathered, in April 1918. I moved the date to the Fourth of July to serve my story, as I wanted the incident to take place during Adelle’s summer vacation.

Q: Was it something that was just going on in Ashland or was this widespread across the state and country?

Oh, yes, it was very widespread, not something special to Ashland. It was going on all over Wisconsin and the country.

Even in Milwaukee, for instance, despite its strong German-American heritage, there was a lot of public antagonism towards any and all things German.

There really was a machine gun set up at one point in front of the famous Pabst Theatre, by a bunch of anti-German vigilantes who wanted to prevent a performance of Schiller’s Wilhelm Tell. Other German cultural activities were cancelled, from fear of public opposition. A law was passed that people could not speak out against the war. German language newspapers were confiscated (stolen) by the post office. People were forced into buying war bonds (the money used to help fight the war) even if they could not afford them.

It wasn’t just German-Americans who suffered. Other groups, such as the Mennonites, were persecuted for their opposition to the war as pacifists. In time of war, people become frightened. Fear all too often leads to the loss of civil rights.

Growing out of all the abuses, though, came an organization that worked to prevent this type of thing happening again. Today, that organization calls itself the American Civil Liberties Union.

Q: Why did you use the book Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea as a book that young Adelle is reading during the summer of Jingo Fever?

I’m a science fiction fan and I remember as a young girl loving the movie, Journey to the Center of the Earth, which I saw when I was a kid. So I thought Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea would be fitting because Adelle was afraid of Lake Superior, a lake that seemed quite different to her than the milder shores of Lake Michigan that she knew well from growing up in Milwaukee.

I didn’t realize though, until I was just about to finish the last chapters of the book, that . . . like Captain Nemo in the Jules Verne novel . . . Adelle too was trying to run away from something. Adelle wanted to avoid facing and accepting her German heritage . . . just like Nemo was running away from the real world, hiding in his submarine from the political turmoils happening on the surface of the earth.

Q: Is Jingo Fever relevant today?

Absolutely. As a history major, I realized that every time we go to war, some minority group suffers. Fear of “the other” seems to take hold. It happened against German-Americans and many others during World War I. It happened against the Japanese during World War II. And it’s happening against Muslims and Arab-Americans today after 9/11.

The other core issue, of immigration, has always been a difficult one for our country. When our country was young, the “Yankees” didn’t approve of the Irish, the Italians, the Germans. They saw them as foreigners, especially when they tried to keep alive the customs, foods, festivals, and language of their ethnic groups. Today, new immigrants from Mexico and South and Central America are harassed. But it’s interesting to look back to Wisconsin history, where there was so much rich German-based culture, including using the German language at home, in public, and for cultural performances like theater and singing festivals. Unfortunately, much of that was lost or greatly diminished because of the intolerance fueled by World Wars I and II.

In fact, other ethnic groups like Norwegian-Americans also dropped some of their public ethnic activities during World War I, out of fear of being seen as too foreign.

And of course bullying and mob behavior is pervasive. I am a substitute teacher and I know what happens to kids who are different.

I hope this book is one that will be read and discussed, especially in schools. It looks at the effects of ethnic intolerance, based on looking back to something that happened almost 100 years ago, which might be a good way to lead into discussions of what is happening today.

JINGO FEVER
A middle-grade historical novel
by Stephanie Golightly Lowden
Crickhollow Books • October 4, 2011
Trade Softcover • 128 pages • 5.5″ x 8.5″
Juvenile Fiction / Chapter Book / Ages 8–12
$13.95 • ISBN 978-1-933987-16-3

Jingo Fever (New Chapter Book for Young Readers)

Our newest Crickhollow Books title is Jingo Fever.

This is a middle-grade historical novel, set in 1918 during World War I on the homefront in a small town in northern Wisconsin. It deals in a quiet, thoughtful way with the effects of anti-ethnic bigotry (towards German-Americans) during wartime conflicts abroad.

(And it has some clear parallels with modern-day issues involving ethnic int0lerance and racism directed at Muslims and Arab-Americans. This is a great book for school teachers and librarians! . . . a way to introduce complicated issues in a safer historical context, but leading to good classroom discussions.)

Jingo Fever
by Stephanie Golightly Lowden
Crickhollow Books (October 2011)

Welcome to the story of young Adele Klein, a German-American girl who has come from Milwaukee with her mother to live for the summer of 1918 with Uncle Mike in Ashland, a small town in northern Wisconsin on the shores of Lake Superior.

Adelle struggles to cope with the local patriotic fervor, in support of American troops abroad . . . but spilling over into a hatred of all things of German origin.

As she seeks friendships with local youngsters her age, she wonders how to deal with the bigotry of anti-German sentiment, which escalates with the approach of the July 4th celebration. In the meantime, she and her mother worry about Adelle’s brother, Karl, a young man of German-American who is fighting with the U.S. troops in France.

The summer’s events will teach Adelle about the importance of standing up for what’s right.

THEMES
Family & Friendship • Ethnic Heritage • Patriotism during War • Resisting Intolerance & Bigotry • Standing Up to Bullies

Stephanie Golightly Lowden is the author of several previous children’s books, including Time of the Eagle, a middle-grade chapter book about two Ojibwe children on a winter trek. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

A War of Her Own Comes in Second in National Competition

After winning First Prize as best novel of the year from the Press Women of Texas, A War of Her Own has gone on to win second place at the national level of that competition.

The National Federation of Press Women chose Sylvia Dickey Smith’s historical fiction novel for 2nd place in the 2011 NFPW Communications Contest. The award will be presented at the NFPW annual conference, Sept. 8-10, 2011, in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The historical novel by Texas author Sylvia Dickey Smith is set in 1943 on the World War II homefront in the town of Orange, Texas (on the Sabine River on the Louisiana/Texas border).

“A well-written new book,” said the Dallas Morning News. The story follows the story of Bea Meade, young mother, who becomes a “lady riveter” (ala Rosie the Riveter) at a wartime shipyard.

The story is loosely based on family history, as Sylvia’s own mother was one of those women who went to work in the male-dominated shipyards in Orange, Texas, during WWII.

Our congratulations to Sylvia for this additional and well-deserved honor!

How To Write Your Best Story (New Book for Writers of Fiction and Creative Nonfiction)

Our newest Crickhollow Books title is How To Write Your Best Story. It’s intended for talented emerging writers, to emphasize the importance of story in successful literature.

Whether you’re writing short stories or novels or creative nonfiction, this book of practical tips will surely help you find a few ways to improve your craft.

How To Write Your Best Story
Advice for Writers on Spinning an Enchanting Tale
by Philip Martin

The book is chock-full of time-tested techniques for making good stories happen. Pure storytelling ability is a crucial skill for writers, but is often overlooked (Taken for granted? Denigrated as too simple? Too amorphous to teach? Either you got it or you don’t?).

The author, Philip Martin, is a past acquisitions editor for The Writer Books, connected with The Writer magazine, where he worked with authors from Frank McCourt to Jane Yolen, editing books and anthologies of advice for writers. He is now Editorial Director for Crickhollow Books.

This new book by Martin on literary story-craft fills a bit of a void. As Flannery O’Connor lamented, “I find that most people know what a story is until they sit down to write one.” Writers in need of help with story techniques will appreciate this look at three key elements that fuel the magic of story: intriguing eccentricity, delightful details, and satisfying surprises.

No discussion here of metafiction, or narrative arcs, or point-of-view conundrums! Instead, it’s a throwback to traditional ideas about what makes a story appeal to reader (and to editors and literary agents).

Want to get your fiction or creative nonfiction published? Want to get an enthusiastic “yes!” from an editor or agent for your next manuscript?

This book is an essential addition to your library of useful literary advice for emerging literary professionals.

Two Interviews with Crickhollow Books Authors

1. A Lovely Interview with Sylvia Dickey Smith

There’s a fine write-up about Sylvia and her historical World War II homefront  novel, A War of Her Own, here at Stephanie Barko’s website. Stephanie Barko, by the way, is an Austin-area literary publicist (not employed on this book) with a particular interest in good historical fiction; she was named 2010 Best Book Promotion Service by the website Preditors & Editors, a high accolade.

In that interview, Sylvia Dickey Smith begins with a sentiment that all historical novelists should begin with:

A War of Her Own came about as a result of my sense of a sacred trust—a compulsion as it were—given to me to tell the story of a significant time in history and the people and events surrounding it.

This book was recently awarded 2nd Place Award, Best Novel of the Year by the National Federation of Press Women, after winning 1st Place in the Texas chapter.

2. A Lovely Interview with Loreen Niewenhuis

Loreen was recently in Milwaukee doing book signings at Next Chapter Bookstore and REI for her book A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach, about her long trek around Lake Michigan. She was interviewed on Milwaukee Public Radio’s WUWM “Lake Effect” by Susan Bence, their environmental reporter who has done a lot of great programs on Great Lakes water issues.

Here’s a link to the Lake Effect interview with Niewenhuis. It was a good one, about the diverse nature of Lake Michigan and about the meaning of a personal challenge like a really, really long walk.

Loreen’s book is doing fabulously well with Lake Michigan–area indie bookstores . . . a sign of the role of those indie shops to helping get lots of people excited about a book that otherwise might well have been overlooked as being too regional. But so many of the best books are regional. It’s the message that’s universal!

Haiku about Water – The Winner(s)

As the imperial judge of haiku worthy of fine cheese (not cheesy haiku, please), I had trouble picking my favorite from those submitted for our spring Crickhollow Books “Haiku about Water” contest.

I ended up selecting three finalists.

Then, I waffled and squirmed, I equivocated and fiddled, I dithered . . . yes, it was hard to select a winner. (I did consider calling it a tie and sending all 3 finalists a share of the cheese. But Hook’s Cheese Co. of Mineral Pint, Wisc., ships only a minimum order of 5 pounds.)

But I made the call. For me, the basis of my decision tends to be either:
1. A image so clear, surprising, and/or compelling that it sticks with me for a long time after first reading it.
2. Something so lovely that it carries me to a place (in my mind) where I really like spending time.

First the two runners-up (i.e., I could have well chosen either of these).

Waves fill the footprints
with coquina: bright seeds, next
season’s necklaces.

(Amy Watkins)

and this trio of haikus, which had a lovely flow (pun intended).

Tranquil waters drift
Through banks of emerald guards–
Sentinels of pine.

Refreshed and cleaner
Behind its misty curtain–
Waterfall Trail bath.

River lullaby
Carries secrets of lovers
In ripples of time.

(Virginia Pohlenz)

But, without further ado, the winner:

Hazy stars swirling –
Street lights reflected in drops
On a man’s mustache.

(Andrew S. Agacki)

That powerful image drew me in each time with its crystalline magnification of a moment in time. It just stuck with me from the first reading.

I honestly enjoyed each and every submission; they made me think a lot about the variety of ways water touches our lives . . . especially in this difficult springtime of 2011 with floods and storms and high waters plaguing parts of the country. Many, many thanks to all of you who shared your thoughts and poems.

Let’s do it again soon. Keep writing!

Tips from Margo Dill for Using Dripping Blood Cave in the Classroom

There’s a recent post featuring Dripping Blood Cave & Other Ghostly Stories on this excellent blog, Margo Dill’s Read These Books and Use Them!

I recommend Margo’s blog highly, for all of you interested in good kid-lit titles. She doesn’t just recommend a book. She puts in the time to share detailed insights into why a given book will be useful to teachers and parents (and enjoyed by kids, too!) . . . with ideas for classroom activities using the particular title.

About Dripping Blood Cave, she says, “Kids will love these ghostly adventures.”

She then offers three activities that teachers can do with this book, which uses fun characters interacting with interesting tidbits of Midwestern history in each story. (See: So, what do I do with this book?).

In her previous post, on Rick Riorden’s The Lightning Thief, Dill mentions she’s teaching a course for middle-grade novelists, “Writing a Middle-Grade Novel,” through WOW! Women On Writing.

She includes a great list of some all-time best middle-grade novels. I found many personal favorites on this list!

• The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
• Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
• The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
• Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
• Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
• Holes by Louis Sachar
• Wringer by Jerry Spinelli
• Skellig by David Almond
• The War With Grandpa by Robert Kimmel Smith
• The Gravesavers by Sheree Fitch
• Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

If you’re interested in good tips for using this type of well-written book in the classroom, check out Margo Dill’s Read These Books and Use Them!