Hello all
Its a beautiful day. Snow covering the ground, but not on the roads, and the sun is there somewhere. Yeah winter in Canada.
I should be doing edits on my next release but I’ve have spent a large part of the morning ordering promotional stuff.
Will it help? Who knows. It’s kind of like a crap shoot. You try and write the best book you can. You really try. (But still people find mistakes. I did edit and reedit it, honest.) Then you get an publisher or an agent and you think your work is done. Wrong again. (Kind of like those edits you thought you caught).
This is where the work begins. And what works? Does anyone really know?
A great cover helps. Thank you to our Soul Mate cover artist who does an amazing job on our covers. I’m still thrilled with mine. Hoping to get Jimmy on my next book too.
So you’ve got a great cover. But that is only helpful if someone sees it.
Another problem. What is the best way to get it out there? Blogs, contests, interviews… I have a friend who set up a table at Walmart one or two days a week. He got lots of exposure. Me, I’d like to have that hot little cover (and the book behind it) to wave at everyone who goes to the checkout. That is until I see someone I know. Then I might turn away in embarrassment. But I want my book to sell so I’m going to get over that and book my table at Walmart as soon as I have a book in hand.
But I have to be like the priest I knew and say, “Have I got a deal for you.”
I get promotional stuff from Vista Print and when I show people my ‘trading card’ they all ask, “Can I keep this.” (Did I already say thank you to the great cover artist and Jimmy Thomas?) Doesn’t mean they are buying my book but maybe someone will see it and buy it.
And there comes the best way to sell your book. Have someone see it, read it, like it, and tell their friends. Not always the easiest. I’m not one to push my book on people I know.
Promotion can get so expensive. So here is where I tell you about that deal I mentioned.
When you order something from Vistaprint and get their emails, they offer some great deals that you don’t find out about by looking at their site. Like how does 250 business cards for free sound, or how about 100 postcards for free. I have ordered the postcards and put two images on the one. (If you call Vistaprint customer service they can help edit to get both on the one.) Then I cut them in half and I have 200 ‘trading cards to hand out.
Or this where I put one image and then my information on the other side. You can give it away like this or fold it in half and it makes a cute gift card with your image on the front and your info on the back. The inside is blank so you or someone else can write inside. I’d like to get a bunch of these out to conferences or writing workshops.
I’ve emailed out group the add as you have to have it to get the deals. they also have 250 free business cards, 50 small magnets for $4.74 and a small banner (50 cm/90cm) on sale for $3.99. Tip: when you get the email and click on one item, it will take you there for that one offer. Put that in your cart and then go back to the email and click on the next deal you want until your cart is full of all the sale goodies. You can’t get the deals on the site.
So, I hope you like my deals. I have Scottish heritage, maiden name Wallace (yes related to the William Wallace in Barbs book). I do so love a deal.
Now back to my edits. But the most important tip for last. Write the next book and get it out there. When we are ‘discovered’ we don’t want to be a one book wonder.
Kendra waving to all.
kendrajames4 