What's the thing you like least about being an author?

This is a question I ask many authors that I interview as part of my Book-A-Week Challenge. The answers are what I believe most writers should be aware of and prepared for.

Me - I am not fond of the marketing aspect. I love the getting out and meeting readers and other writers. I would do that every week and love it!

It's the planning, the how do I get my name out there, contacting book stores, restaurants, and other venues who will many of them turn you down. Like we didn't have enough rejection just trying to get published?

It's the amount of time spent crafting and sending out press releases, emails, or placing phone calls when I could have been writing. Especially when 99% of what I send out goes unanswered.

So why do we do this?

We put ourselves out there every day, take precious time away from writing because we love what we do and want to share it with others. We do it because if we don't tell the world of readers that we exist they will never know.

Getting into print is just the beginning. For me, getting people to read my books is the hardest task I face as an author. **Tomorrow we'll discuss ways of getting readers to read your work.**

What about you? What do you like least about being an author? Share your thoughts, experiences, thoughts here.

Everyone needs a little pixie dust and cocoa powder

You've read my books, seen interviews of me on various blogs and websites, and just when you think you know Denise Robbins the author, she throws something else at you.

For those of you who don't know, besides being a writer, I am also a chocolatier. I make all kinds of chocolate treats. I started the two ventures, making chocolate candies (truffles first then shaped-lollipops) and writing at about the same time.

Every fall I make caramel covered and sometimes caramel/chocolate covered apples for Mack's Apples, a local apple orchard. During the holiday season I usually make dozens upon dozens of chocolate snowmen, bears with Santa hats, penguins in winter scarves, etc., for my friends who own Big Easy Bagel in Manchester, NH.

Throughout the year I will make various candies and chocolate sweets for baby showers, weddings, birthdays, school events, sports events, and charities. This year I even made something very special for the ladies of the New Hampshire Romance Writers group when I gave a talk on how to write a love scene. ;-) Let's just say they had great inspiration to write that scene.

This is me five years ago when I first started making all that chocolate and a local television show, The NH Chronicle, asked me to be on a segment.



Publicity can be so much fun. . .and fattening! Come back tomorrow and I'll post a recipe for something sweet and chocolatey. Because as my slogan says, "Everyone needs a little pixie dust and cocoa powder."

Social Media is Word of Mouth on Networking Steroids

Social Media is Word of Mouth on Networking Steroids

This past Saturday was the first meeting of the season for the New Hampshire Romance Writers of America NHRWA. Laurie Storey-Manseau was our guest speaker. Laurie is a marketing maven, agency owner of www.storeymanseau.com, and a working woman. You go Laurie!

The topic of Laurie’s presentation and discussion to NHRWA was Social Media. Hallelujah, someone to pull or is it push us into the next generation of marketing!
In her presentation, Laurie covered blogging, Twitter, Facebook, etc., and how to use these social media tools and technologies in marketing.

Here is where I receive vindication for my nagging of other NHRWA members for almost a year about getting into social media and marketing. :-) “Thanks, Laurie!”

One of the key points to Laurie’s presentation to a room full of writers that would be applicable to everyone is this: “Do not wait until you are published to start using social media.”

You see, I was behind the 8-ball when it came to marketing and social media. I waited until a publisher gave me a contract for my first book to start a blog. BAD! I did not use Facebook until a friend of mine twisted my arm and nagged me into it. I’m not even sure how or why I began using Twitter, although now, it is my lifeline as my blog and Twitter are the only things I can access while at my day job.

While the end goal of marketing as a writer may appear to be selling your book that will not occur unless people know you exist. Social media and marketing are not just about inundating people with information on your book, but is viral marketing with the real end goal of people, a lot more people knowing who you are, what your brand is, and why they should want to know more about you, and pass it on.

High-level social media/viral marketing example: You find someone who has a great blog on a particular topic of interest to you, you post a comment on the blog, and you pass the word on so others visit the blog post. Someone else who visits that same blog sees your comment, clicks your profile link, visits your blog, leaves a comment, and passes your site on.

Real-world example that happened to me: One day I started a blog post on Book-A-Week Challenge, where I encourage people to read a new book each week. I picked a book, posted information about it, read it, and then posted an interview with the author on the blog at the end of the week. Both the author of the book and me, the author of the blog, use social media to spread the word and tell everyone about the Book-A-Week Challenge, the authors’ book, and the interview. Guess what happens?

People I know read the book
People I know visit the author’s website/blog
People I know leave a comment on the posted interview
People the authors knows leave a comment on the posted interview
All those people now check each other’s profiles and visit their blogs or sites and pass the word on
If you’re a featured romance author in the Book-A-Week Challenge, chances are a reported from Examiner.com (Stephanie Giancola), contacts me or you so she can interview the romance author for her column (because Stephanie knows me and I now know this author)
Terry Kate from www.romanceinthebackseat.com sees the blog, contacts me, says she is going to be in New England, and wants to interview me as well as other authors that I may know
I introduce Terry to other authors and after her video interview sessions with us, we go out to dinner afterwards where I introduce her to future authors, Stephanie Giancola who does an on-the-spot interview with Terry for her online Examiner column.
Debbie from www.youdontsaynotogirls.com meets Terry that night with us and finds out that Terry knows someone on the West coast that Debbie could possibly hookup with to promote and move forward her business

See how all this works?

Remember the old adage that most business occurs through word of mouth? Well, social media is word of mouth on networking steroids. The amount of people you can reach is innumerable.

Romance Authors and Readers

How do romance authors or any authors reach out to their readers or potential readers?

Last night, before I had dinner with "the girls" of http://www.youdontsaynotogirls.com, I had a very interesting conversation with Terry of http://www.romanceinthebackseat.com. During our quick (longer than 30 minutes) chat, we both talked about how there are lots of groups for authors to meet other authors, or even authors to meet editors, agents, etc. But where are the events where authors can meet readers?

I'm not talking at like a book signing. Although they can be fun the amount of interactive time between a reader and the author can be minimal. And yes, although you may learn a little more about the author, when does the author learn more about his or her reader?

At dinner with "the girls", they noted the same thing, that there are a lot of opportunities for authors to meet authors. This is all well and good, but isn't our goal as an author to reach readers? Not necessarily to put our latest and greatest book in their hands, but to find out what they liked, what they didn't like, and what they would like to see.

Perhaps there is a reader in your midst that has thought of writing a story but has not figured out how to put pen to paper. Is it not our responsibility to help them figure out how to do so, to encourage them, motivate them?

I realize there are some, perhaps many authors that are actually shy, introverted, whatever you want to call it and putting yourself out there can be, um, well, distressing to a few. BUT, don't you want readers to know that you as a person exist behind the name on the cover? That you are more than the bio posted on the book jacket or your website? Please, you can only show so much of you in 100 words or less.

I, personally, love talking with readers and authors. Let's face it! If you write, you more than likely read. Don't you want to have a sit down with your favorite author and ask him or her about him or her self? Yup, I am waving my hands in the air. "I do!"

I would love to have a cup of coffee or a can of soda, even a glass of wine and a chat with as many of my favorite authors as possible. (To name a few, David Baldacci, Linda Howard, Carla Neggers, Suzanne Brockmann, John Sanford, Faye Kellerman, many more!) I would love to share a cold beer with a new author I just read and find out why she wrote that story as her first.

I'm not talking a friendly chat in an auditorium. That is an oxy moron if I have ever heard one! A friendly chat would take place at a local coffee shop, pizza place, winery, where everyone can sit around in comfy chairs, and be themselves. No suits or ties, or dresses (unless that's what makes you comfortable), but a T-shirt and a pair of jeans so you can sit back, cross your feet and have a conversation as if this author and reader was your next door neighbor. Who knows, maybe they are.

I would be willing to drive a distance to sit down and talk with readers and authors, wouldn't you? Wouldn't that beat standing in line for a 5 second blip and a signing by an author who doesn't even know your name?

Anyway, after all that longwindedness (not sure if that is a word), my point is, I'm an author and a reader and I want to meet readers on a more personal level, talk with them, hear their stories, share my stories, and just have some fun.

With that in mind, I would love anyone's input as to:

A. Does this sound like a terrific idea?
B. Would you as a reader want to participate in this?
C. Would you as an author want to participate in this?
D. What place would you recommend for a cozy author/reader chat?
E. How often should these take place? (once a week, once a month, more)??

Share any thoughts and ideas. And yes, I plan on following through on some form of this in the VERY near future. Hopefully, other authors will want to participate or start something similar in their area!

Marketing Saturday with author Denise Robbins

I've decided that Saturdays need to be my marketing day. Why?

Gee, cuz during the week I have to drive to work in South Boston and who can be creative after that. :-)

And because first thing this morning I sold a book so it seemed like a good day to focus on promotion.

Went for breakfast this morning at Sammy J's around the corner from me and one of the ladies asked if she could buy a copy of It Happens in Threes. What a great way to start the day!

Did I tell you I got the "You don't say no to girls. . .who do it and write about it" T-shirts?

Well, I did. Actually, I will be picking up some larger size T-shirts this week from Kim and Deb at www.youdontsaynotogirls.com. In honor of those T-shirts they made especially for me and all us writers, I thought I would try to come up with something fun to so readers of It Happens in Threes can also get one of the T-shirts.

Don't you want one?! Well, you might if you saw a picture of it. Sheesh! I guess I have to get someone to take a picture of my hiney - I mean backside just like on my book cover so you all can see the very cool shirt.

While I try to devise a wonderful contest, I am sitting in my home office with the cats not so patiently waiting to be paid attention and try to focus on my upcoming radio interview with Don McCauley of Free Publicity Focus Group http://www.freepublicitygroup.com.

Speaking of interviews, my friend and mystery author CJ West, is going to be hosting a new blogtalk radio show. Here is a link to his website http://www.22wb.com/. Anyway, I have to send him a copy of It Happens in Threes today so he can read it before I guest a spot on his talk show. I hope he is prepared for a heart-stopping romantic suspense! :-) Not to worry, I did forewarn him.

In the meantime, I am also working with Jeannie Ruesch of www.willdesignforchocolate.com on my next book trailer video for Killer Bunny Hill that will be out in July just in time for the national RWA conference. I'm just so excited I get goosebumps every time I think about it.

OH! And I so need to update my website at www.deniserobbins.com. I realized yesterday that I had not even posted the logline that my friend and mystery romance author Nora LeDuc at www.noraleduc.com helped me craft after about 25 email exchanges. Nora's latest book, Murder Came Calling, will be out in June.

Plus, I haven't even listed my next book event that is scheduled for July 11 at the Toadstool Bookstop in Milford (www.toadbooks.com) with author Diana Rubino (http://www.dianarubino.com/) and celebrate her latest release A Bloody Good Cruise along with Killer Bunny Hill.

With my next release coming out in July, I have to get my friend and author Jessica James of http://bookexposure.blogspot.com/ to create my next press release. Seriously, Jessica is the best when it comes to creating the right message for the media.

Okay, is it me or has this job thing truly interfered not with just my writing but my marketing and promotion.

Sheesh! I still owe a response to the Friday Creative Writing Prompt.

With all that said, and , how do other authors manage it and stay sane along the way?

Feel free to share, rant, toss ideas, or just tell us who you work with on your promotion or what you like to see.

What's on a book cover?

Now we all know that in spite of what we say, "don't judge a book by its cover", that we all do. Speaking of which, let me tell you a little story.

I had this call with a man for a radio interview.
Anyway, the guy is a marketing guy and when we chatted about the cover of my book, he stopped me and said, “Wait. You have a woman’s butt on the cover of a book?”
Of course, I answered, “Well, it’s not her naked butt. She’s wearing a bikini.”
He went off. He thought it was terrific! He said, “I could make you famous on that idea alone.”
HA!HA!
So then I said, “The second book will probably be similar only she’ll probably be in a tight-fitting snow suit.”
He laughed and said, “OH MY GOSH! A series of butts on book covers. That’s genius.”

I have to say, I never realized there are no “tushes” on book covers. But (no pun intended) it sounds like it was a winner of an idea.

Book Exposure and Free Book

Only two days left to leave a comment at Jessica's blog and possibly win a free copy of my book IT HAPPENS IN THREES.

Check out her blog at http://bookexposure.blogspot.com/

Good luck!

Book Exposure

Remember last week I told you about a blog called Bookexposure and the author Jessica James who was a newspaper editor? She also writes historical fiction. Truly a woman of many talents.

After she helped me with my press release for IT HAPPENS IN THREES, she has given me many more tips on how to expose my book for others to know it exists.

The other day, she sent me an email to let me know that she was going to feature my book on her blog. If you haven't checked out her blog before then, please check it out from. . .

03/09/2009 - 03/14/2009: IT HAPPENS IN THREES will be featured on Bookexposure, http://bookexposure.blogspot.com/.

Press Release

Although I have been writing. . .at page 85 as of this morning, I also did spend a little time on the publicity thing.

I found this wonderful person named Jessica James and her blog at http://bookexposure.blogspot.com/.

Jessica is an author and a newspaper editor with 18 years experience. She knows how to craft a press release and how to address an email to an editor to get their attention.

I worked with Jessica through email the past three days where she asked me a bunch of questions and in the end, I have a press release that I have already sent out to a local paper and the blurb to attach to submit to a newspaper editor to catch their interest in possibly doing an interview.

Seriously, if any of you are having troubles with getting that press release done, check out her blog and contact her. I highly recommend her!

Next Book Signing

It really is nice to have friends. A friend of mine owns a small breakfast and ice cream shop and she has decided that my next book signing will be at her place.


Between bacon and eggs, you can buy a book. :-) Or buy the book before breakfast and start reading it while you're there.

The event is Saturday, March 14 from 8AM - 10AM at Sammy J's. The address is 144 Main Street in Salem, NH.

Mark your calendars!

Publicity Revelation

I don't remember if I have written about this in the past or not, but let's talk publicity.

How am I supposed to write and do my daily grind type stuff if I also have to work on the publicity for my book?
I'm not talking about the actual book events and interviews and such things as that. Please, those are the fun and can be very enlightening. Plus, you never know what story idea may come from it.

I'm talking about the actual creation and submittal press releases. Even though I may be able to write one where do I send it? There is no clear list for a new writer that says, "Send here."
And there are no instructions on how and who to contact to get media interviews.
To top that off, as a novice author with a small publishing house how do you arrange book events?

I'm sure that it can and has been done. But, dang, if that does not take a great deal of time and research. I have spent days trying to find information, and although I know I am internet search challenged, I still have not found answers. For example, how do I send a press release to the New York Time, Washington Post, or Boston Globe? Better yet...all major newspapers across the US and on the web?

Let's face it, without good publicity that book will remain in a warehouse or on a shelf (if it's even in the bookstores). That begs another question. How to get the bookstores to carry the book?

If you have answers to these questions, please feel free to post them here for others.

Now, knowing that I am not a marketing guru or a salesperson, I decided to locate and contact a public relations firm. Actually, I contacted 3 of them. Can you believe that not one has responded back?? That begs the question of why? Is it because my book is a romance? Hey - don't say anything. There were several agencies I checked into that specifically did not work with "genre fiction". No accounting for taste. :-)

Perhaps they don't think my book is worth the effort because my publisher is small? So what. They'll only get bigger...and already are.

And knowing that I have a second book to be released this year you would think, "Yeah, this is a no-brainer. We should work with this writer."

So...bottom line is this. I want my writing to be my career. How do I get there? PUBLICITY
How do I get that publicity?

Yup, I'm in the background waving my hand saying, "I have no clue."

Article in Newspaper

Ever wonder if people actually read the articles in the paper? When the local paper put the article in about my new book, I was not certain if anyone would read it. Well, they did.


How do I know? Besides having several people tell me in-person when I was out to eat, I received a couple of emails congratulating me on my book. One email in particular was really great.


A local woman emailed me and asked if I would be interested in talking with her and her daughters about book writing and candy making. Uh, yeah, of course I was interested so I invited them over to my place.


The other afternoon, Kris and her daughters came over and we sat around eating scones that Kris made and talked about writing then we cleaned up and made chocolate lollipops with a Valentine's theme.

Tips for a successful book event

Now remember, this is my first book so I am a complete novice when it comes to this promotion stuff. Yeah, okay, I'm a novice when it comes to most anything related to the books except reading and writing.


Does anyone have any tips on what to do or not do for a successful book event?


Like, do I have to dress professionally? ew! What can I say, I am jeans girl.


Or do I set up a table and sit behind it? That seems kind of impersonable and I always like the events where the author reads an excerpt from the book - or maybe from an upcoming book.


Send your ideas, please.

Nashua Telegraph - Author's Forum

On Friday, I received an email from the Nashua Telegraph and a form to fill out, kind of a paper-based author interview. Very neat!


Anyway, look for my book and me to be featured in the Nashua Telegraph's Author Forum section.


It will also announce the upcoming booksignings.

Working on an interview with an author - ME!

Last night, as part of my effort to self-promote I started to work on an "interview with the author" that I want to send to the local papers.

I got a few questions down then started to wonder what kinds of things would people really want to know about me and my very first romantic-suspense novel.

So, here I am, requesting that if anyone has suggestions to feel free and post a suggestion or send an email from my website.

The one question I know, is the question I have already received from many friends. . . "Did you pose for the cover?"

Do you honestly expect me to answer that? HA!

What to do with my new book cover?

Well, I can tell you what I did last night. I printed out several copies of the cover and took it with me to my salon appointment. Of course all the ladies know my first book is coming out so they were ecstatic.

Such a tremendous feeling to know that something you've worked years on achieving is just around the corner!

Beyond that, I now have to create a "Press Kit". No clue what that is other than one of the things will be a Press Release and somehow my new book cover plays a part in this.

Plus, someone suggested that I get bookmarks made with the book cover art on it and the ISBN and my website listed, not to mention my next novel.

Woohoo! Let's get this show on the road.

If anyone has other marketing suggestions for use of the book cover art please let me know.

Couldn't Sleep - More Marketing

Last night while my body wanted to sleep the sleep of the dead, my mind decided to take a detour to the amusment park.

Sound silly? Maybe it's a funny description but it really does explain what happened. So what did I do to curb the spinning of my mind?

I came up with and emailed an idea for a magazine article to Susan Caldwell, Publisher/Founder of www.applaudonline.com magazine. It's a magazine all about NH and MA women. I met Susan several years ago when we both were starting our businesses, hers the magazine, and me www.sweetsbydenise.com.

Anyway, I decided to reach out to her and propose doing an article on NH Romance Writers. I believe in our group and what we do and would really like to see others become aware of what we do and who we are. I want to spread the word.

If you have a local magazine or newspaper in your area, propose an article/idea. Start telling people about you, your writing, and the other writers who support you. What's the worst that could happen? They turn you down, okay, go to the next one.

Ha! It's kind of like trying to get published!!

More marketing

David Daniel, fiction author, and English teacher, forwarded me an email today with information about an Open Mic night at UMASS Lowell. The university did this last year which is what inspired me to write my first poem and then submit it and it was published...(see previous post).

Anyway, you don't have to read a poem. You can read an excerpt from a work-in-progress. What an excellent idea! Here's a perfect opportunity to check and see if your hook works.
Again, look at how many people will hear/read something you've written and now know your name.

Hopefully, if you do something like this you remember to take your business cards which will not only include your name, book name, but your website URL and the ISBN number for your book.

Remember, no one can or will promote you as well as you promote yourself. TELL EVERYONE!

How else to get your name known as an author

I was just sitting here trying to plot through my current WIP (obviously it's not going too well, otherwise I'd be writing there and not on my blog). :-)

As I was sitting here trying to write, I received an email from Tammy, the editor of the NHRWA newsletter. She dropped me a quick line to let me know that other chapters have used an article I wrote for last month's newsletter. First, that was great that Tammy kept me updated. Second, that's so cool!

Now I'm sitting here realizing what a wonderful way to get your name out there and to get more visitors to your website and ultimately to your books.

For those of you who are part of a writing group, I recommend you write a short article on a writing subject that interests you. Remember, if you're interested in it, someone else is too. Besides, think of the marketing benefits.

As a matter of fact, another author several months ago suggested to time getting a magazine article or two published with the release of your book. Hm...makes sense.

Website

How important is a good website?

The answer is always mixed. Some people firmly believe in the value of a website while others could care less.

Now I'm a computer person by day so for me a website is very important. Anytime I want to get information I search the internet. If I want to find out all the books a particular author has written I go to the web and check for their site and then others.

The website I have now is based on the title of my first book coming out. Well, I've recently been working with a woman (Jeannie Ruesch) on re-doing the site and her opinion is that my website should be under my name. After speaking with her on this I did the research and she was right. Most authors have their website under their name, not their book title.

People are going search for my books based on my name, not my book title.

Anyway, back to the original question. How important is a website?

Look at it this way, it's a relatively cheap way to advertise/market yourself and your work. Plus, it will be seen by way more people on an average daily basis than a flyer on someone's car, or an ad in a local paper, or even in the yellow pages. A website is international.

From my perspective a website is a HUGE marketing tool. Use it. Take advantage of it. But, do it right.

This is where Jeannie comes in. She's helping me make the site right. Stay tuned for the unveiling soon. In the meantime, check out Jeannie's site at www.WillDesignforChocolate.com.