I get excited when I see a turtle (even after this many years).
The turtles get excited about all the seaweed growth on the bottom of ORION.
And Gordon gets excited to think the ORION'S bottom will be cleaned for free.
9:30 pm and 77 degrees.
My luggage is in the cockpit. My clothes will soon to be carefully packed and I have left instructions with the horse exercisers.
Counting down to a New York state of mind...
My meetings have been scheduled with my agent, editor and publicist. I hope to learn more about the process and understand where I fit in. I always thought that an author's job was finished when "The End" was typed at the bottom of the page.
I am here to tell you that is not the case.
A few things to consider while you are working on your manuscript.
Besides the synopsis, besides the hook, besides answering the question "Why did you write your novel?"
Figure out who is going to read your book.
Figure out where on the store shelf your book will sit.
Figure out how that reader is going to find your book.
These are all things to think about.
I find out about most of the books I read from blogs and other resources on the internet.
How will readers find out about your book? If you do not consider this you will not be as successful as another author who understands both marketing and has some type of business plan.
It is just as important to market yourself as it is to market your book.
I am learning this as I go.
Writing is a business. I think if more writers understood this there would be far fewer disappointments.
Art may be passion filled and ethereal. But it loses something if it is not shared.
So transfer your excitement from your work in progress to marketing your work in progress.
Any questions?
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9 comments:
I used to feel like the business side stole my creativity. Now I simply allow myself time each week for pure business thoughts and that seems to keep me on track creatively as well. It's a tough balancing act!
Thankfully, I have 20 yrs sales and marketing experience, so today I feel as comfortable working on that side of the fence as I do on the creative side :)
Have fun in NY, Pat.
Wish I were going!!
I can't wait to hear about what you learn in NYC!
I find I'm often occupied by that question, "how will people find my book?" and am already looking for opportunities though I'm 10 months out.
Primo advice here.
You are so generous to share your experience. I hope I'll be following in your footsteps, perhaps 6 months to a year from now, when my book is finished... in the meantime, your blog is the first one I visit for inspiration. THANKS.
I wish I knew more about marketing. I feel everything I am learning about it is from the net and I wonder which pieces of advice are sound and which are not. I also feel like I am never doing enough.
But on the plus side everything I am doing so far has been really enjoyable. I think I enjoy promoting my book, which makes things way easier.
Have an awesome time in NY Pat!
Hi. I just dropped in via your comment on taxes on Miss Snark's website. I lived in Hawaii for 13 years. I was finishing a doctorate at UH and working at the East-West Center and also doing some cosulting. Boy, do I remember the tax system there. One of the worst in the country.
Your book sounds wonderful, and you can count me as one of the buyers.
As it happens, I have a novel forthcoming (in the UK) in September, so your experiences are very relevant to where I'm headed, so I'll be backing up through your blog and then following your new posts.
Best of luck with LOTTERY!
Pat,
I continue to thank you for your most useful advice. I don't know anything about marketing. I read that writers should begin marketing themselves before they even obtain an agent. It's alot to take in. Thanks for all of your info. I really appreciate it! :*)
I will post more about this later. Marketing, though, is not just how to position something for buyers. It is a way of thinking globally. Many times writers are so self absorbed they don't think past "The End."
My point is if you are mindful of this it can help. For example conferences are a great way to network. Not just with published authors. You never know whether that unpublished writer one year might be someone who can blurb your book five years from now.
Exactly, Pat. I agree. Speaking of marketing though, I am revamping the marketing of myself, as you can read on my blog about what happened to my potential uber agent :*(
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