tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post1386602028192315807..comments2023-10-31T10:59:03.023-04:00Comments on INKSPOT Crime Fiction Blog | A Place for Mystery, Mayhem, Writing and Life: Marketing Your Novel, Part 2Linda O. Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512430135042480450noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-11715965821807531442007-06-14T16:12:00.000-04:002007-06-14T16:12:00.000-04:00Thanks for putting this out there, Mark. I too am ...Thanks for putting this out there, Mark. I too am using AuthorBuzz in July for FIT TO DIE. They have recently added a book club option as well that reaches some 5500 book club leaders. I have been interested in tapping into the market this whole year, but will wait and see what other authors think of that new feature. Good luck with the book and I hope you sell out right away!jbstanleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05839153589205692508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-41095708194089712672007-06-13T21:53:00.000-04:002007-06-13T21:53:00.000-04:00Damn, Nina!My chocolate Lab can't read a lick (er,...Damn, Nina!<BR/>My chocolate Lab can't read a lick (er, no pun intended). But he is an avid listener of National Public Radio when we're gone.Mark Terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09410424046477699059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-56437447827340900922007-06-13T19:56:00.000-04:002007-06-13T19:56:00.000-04:00Hi, Mark. Love the comments in addition to your p...Hi, Mark. Love the comments in addition to your post. Everybody chiming in today has a point. I think the greatest frustration for most of us, whether our publisher is small, medium or even (gasp) large, is trying to keep books on bookstore shelves. If we can do that beyond 30 days, we're truly halfway to Profitville. I've hand-sold hundreds of copies of my books at dog shows and other local events. It's exhausting and exhilarating, and I can't swear that it makes a hell of a lot of difference in my actual numbers. <BR/><BR/>Shot in the dark? Maybe. But I have met some very cool Afghan hounds and their invariably attractive humans. ;<) <BR/><BR/>Moreover, I've personalized many books for dogs who, apparently, can read. Who knew? <BR/><BR/>Nina WrightNina Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01951320004034298217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-11728583377971174962007-06-13T14:50:00.000-04:002007-06-13T14:50:00.000-04:00Anonymous,Well, I'm not sure Midnight Ink is a sma...Anonymous,<BR/>Well, I'm not sure Midnight Ink is a small press. They're a small-to-medium imprint of a very large company, Llewellyn Worldwide, which is considered to be, if their PR is accurate, the second largest publisher of Tarot and New Age publications in the world. (I don't know if they base largest on revenue, number of books, number of people, or just, you know, a really, really BIG building--perhaps it's a mystery only the accountants know).<BR/><BR/>The single biggest difference between a small press and someone like MI or the big NY publishers is distribution. MI seems pretty good in that area. If you can't get your books into the bookstore, then pretty much all your marketing efforts and dollars are wasted.<BR/><BR/>Sue Ann,<BR/>I think that's an important point. To which I would also include: What works for you personally.<BR/><BR/>Some people love to go out and do book signings and book talks. I don't, actually, although I do some. I prefer drive-bys for the signings rather than formal signings. Over the course of a couple books (technically The Serpent's Kiss is my 4th)I've tried a lot of different things--hired a publicist to set me up with signings, got the Website, mailings (both postcards and a brochure last book), gone to conferences, blog, e-newsletters, library talks, Rotary Club talks, book fairs, street fairs...<BR/><BR/>I'm not sure any of them are exactly better than others, but some are more efficient for me, which might be another way of saying I have more money than time, so talks and formal signings and conferences aren't quite as effective for me as online and direct mail things.Mark Terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09410424046477699059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-42483805254707259082007-06-13T14:18:00.000-04:002007-06-13T14:18:00.000-04:00Bravo on your marketing tenacity, Mark!I'm plottin...Bravo on your marketing tenacity, Mark!<BR/><BR/>I'm plotting a similar "let's try it and see what happens" approach. By the end of the summer I will be sending out about 5,000 direct mailings. I decided to allocate some of the money I budgeted for conferences to this endeavor, and hired a friend to do the labeling and posting so I could continue writing. Then we will review the results and see if it was worth it. <BR/><BR/>You never know if something works until you try. Then you throw out the bad and keep the good. :)Sue Ann Jaffarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09984054116933714621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-12179990075763119532007-06-13T14:08:00.000-04:002007-06-13T14:08:00.000-04:00I'm a fellow small-press author applauding your in...I'm a fellow small-press author applauding your initiative, Mark. I wish we could guarantee that our marketing investments would pay off. Unfortunately, I've gone basically the same route you're going, with the result that my books earn out their advances and not much more. The hard reality is I haven't turned a profit. Yet. But my books are in print, and I keep writing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-13345262268599515642007-06-13T12:56:00.000-04:002007-06-13T12:56:00.000-04:00Right, a PhD for "experience."Well, yes, I did act...Right, a PhD for "experience."<BR/><BR/>Well, yes, I did actually survive a terrorist attack. Can I get my PhD in Terrorism Studies now?<BR/><BR/>I've always liked the main character in Ross Thomas's "Out On A Rim" who became a terrorism expert the old-fashioned way--by being one for a few months. In his case, in the Phillipines in World War II, after his battalion was wiped out by the Japanese, running around on the island using guerilla tactics.Mark Terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09410424046477699059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-26299474619877213342007-06-13T12:03:00.000-04:002007-06-13T12:03:00.000-04:00Joe, maybe it's one of those colonic cleansing dea...Joe, maybe it's one of those colonic cleansing deals -"Stillwaters run deep" they say....<BR/><BR/>See, I can work blue....Mark Combeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01270361794228887282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-87855042819618369102007-06-13T11:58:00.000-04:002007-06-13T11:58:00.000-04:00"Joe--That's Doctor Stillwater to you, sir!" That..."Joe--That's Doctor Stillwater to you, sir!" That's not one of those 10-day, life experience Internet degrees is it? :-)Joe Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00028401465567502250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-28765986902359462882007-06-13T11:47:00.000-04:002007-06-13T11:47:00.000-04:00SS--Maybe I'll post next week on my blog about onl...SS--Maybe I'll post next week on my blog about online marketing, such as it is. Good idea.<BR/><BR/>GM--hope you do & enjoy. Thanks.<BR/><BR/>Joe--That's Doctor Stillwater to you, sir!<BR/><BR/>Mark--haven't heard that one. The one I've heard is, 50% of all marketing dollars are wasted, but since you don't know which 50% it is, you spend the whole dollar.Mark Terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09410424046477699059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-24215034910520837972007-06-13T10:59:00.000-04:002007-06-13T10:59:00.000-04:00I think there is an old advertising saw that says,...I think there is an old advertising saw that says, "If you make one dollar more than you spent on advertising your efforts were successful." Okay, fine. I can buy that - maybe. But how the hell do I know if I made $1 more!?<BR/><BR/>But like you say Mark, you've gotta get out there with the information 'cause folks aren't driving by the house looking for thrillers to read....Mark Combeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01270361794228887282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-47598266059295970342007-06-13T10:50:00.000-04:002007-06-13T10:50:00.000-04:00Mark,Thanks for sharing. It's hard enough to gaug...Mark,<BR/>Thanks for sharing. It's hard enough to gauge ROI on anything dealing with advertising and promotion. But with book marketing, it's even more of a hit and miss scenario. TSK is on my list. I’ll look forward to reading Mr. Stillwater’s latest escapades. Good luck.<BR/>JoeJoe Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00028401465567502250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-9097097456471941602007-06-13T10:29:00.000-04:002007-06-13T10:29:00.000-04:00Fascinating post. Also helpful to those of us tryi...Fascinating post. Also helpful to those of us trying to decide what to do when the time comes.<BR/><BR/>I also look forward to reading you. The TBR file around here threatens to take over the house. I am planning to install more bookshelves, as I've given away all the books I can bear to part with.<BR/><BR/>And DH is a packrat, bless him.G.M. Malliethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13805971625496094303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-31143499394117181802007-06-13T09:10:00.000-04:002007-06-13T09:10:00.000-04:00Will do, I promise! I'm looking forward to it!That...Will do, I promise! I'm looking forward to it!<BR/><BR/>That's a lot less time than I would have expected. It's a good list to keep! Any chance anyone will do a Part 3: Marketing Online?Spy Scribblerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14299551957327543491noreply@blogger.com