Write a book - CHECK.  Edit the book - CHECK.  Publish the book - CHECK.
Market the book?  Uh…  About that…

Feel a little stuck in the marketing department?  Not sure where to start or what the necessary steps are to get the word out about your book?   Did you think the publishing company was going to do it all for you?

Whether you signed on with a traditional publisher or you decided to self publish, when it comes to marketing, your book needs YOUR voice, YOUR promotional efforts and YOUR push to get the word out to readers everywhere!  I don't just mean setting up a few local book signings and speaking events (of course, those don't hurt), but in today’s web-driven-world, a GREAT way to kick-start your marketing endeavors is to build an online presence for you and your book. 

Most people already have personal Facebook and Twitter accounts - but these are also great tools to use professionally to help market your book and YOU as a budding author! 

Create a website.  Start a blog!  Sign up on AuthorsDen.com.  Join Goodreads.com, Jacketflap.com and other book oriented sites where you can network with readers and other authors.  And YES - sign up with Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, etc. and build a Facebook Fan Page for your book or for you as an author.  Build separate accounts and followers from your personal online networks.  Yes, it’s important to keep your friends and family connected to your work, but you need to do more than just showcase to those who are near and dear to you already.  You also need to promote “Your Name,” Author of “Your Book” to the WORLD!

I have THREE websites, a blog, a FB fan page, a twitter account, a jacketflap account, a Goodreads account, an AuthorsDen account and a LinkedIn account… And you know what - this is hardly a dent in the online presence I COULD have....  but it is a presence and it helps!!  Now, you don't have to do this all in one day (it WILL TAKE TIME to build your online presence), but these are necessary steps if you want to promote your book to a wider market. 

Online venues will also help you connect with reviewers, interviewers, bloggers, other authors, etc.!  There are SO MANY online source and connections that can bring attention and awareness to your book.  Look into being featured with online Author Spotlights, write and host guest blog articles and do online interviews.  Once you get a feel for what opportunities are out thee, the sky is the limit!  The sooner you get started, the better! 

If you want to get your book attention and achieve the success you deserve as a hard working author, you need to take some BIG steps in the marketing department, and building a strong online presence is a great way to get started. 

My name is Magda M. Olchawska and I’m an author of children books (Mikolay & Julia Adventures www.mikolayandjulia.com) as well as an award winning filmmaker.

In this guest blog I’m going to share with you a few ideas & concepts about creating a book trailer.

You have your book written & you are about to be published.  Just before your book comes out you probably try to arrange book tours and try to get as many interviews & reviews as possible, try to get the top reviewer from Amazon to agree to read your book etc.

One of the new tools a lot of writers started using as part of the marketing campaign is a book trailer.

I just want to make sure that we understand each other book trailer isn’t going to sell books (just like a movie trailer doesn’t sell cinema tickets.) book trailer is going to make more people aware of your book.

It’s going to be easier for people to watch 60 sec. trailer than read a synopsis.

If you are either using a company or making a trailer yourself there are a few basic rules to keep in mind:

• Don’t make it too long. The average trailer should be between 30 sec.-90 sec. at the most. People loose attention after 90 sec.
• Make sure you are using a font that can be read and understood. Nothing fancy.
• Having music is necessary for your trailer. Music is an integral part of any kind of trailer. It often expresses more than words will do. However before you choose the right music make sure it fits your trailer. Don’t mislead your readers/audience in any way.
• Make sure you are telling the book’s story visually. Don’t give away too much. You don’t have to explain everything to your audience in a trailer.
• While making a trailer your job is to make sure it provides relevant information about your book & is mysterious & intriguing enough for people to go to your Amazon page & buy the book right away.
• Think about your book trailer as a 20-word logline of your book. How would you describe your book in 20 words? What would you say with the images in that 20 “words”?
• I strongly suggest having your website’s link through out the duration of your trailer. The best place for that is in the bottom left corner. This way you give the audience enough time to register the name of your blog/website.
• Leave enough time for your audience to become familiar with your book cover.
• Don’t try to use MTV cutting style (very fast paced cutting) for your book trailer ‘cos you won’t be able to convey any information this way. It’s not a music video.
• Try to come up with one thing that is very unique in your book & use it in your trailer. It could be your book’s trademark.
• When you buy or choose visuals for your book trailer, try to make sure they are attractive & are able to tell your story. Don’t buy random images or images that look outdated.
• Your book trailer is going to represent your book visually. If your visuals aren’t good people will think your book isn’t good either.
• I would also suggest to write a script for your trailer. This way you will know what you want to portray.

Try to do a little homework & watch as many movie trailers as you can. The people who make them are Pros & know how to trigger emotions.  It doesn’t mean you have to spend millions on your trailer. The less money you have the better ‘cos you really need to be creative.

If you would like some help with your book trailer please visit me at http://www.magdaolchawska.com/about/creative-consultations

Thank you so much for reading my blog. I hope you enjoyed it.

If you would like to find out more about my work as a writer & filmmaker please visit www.magdaolchawska.com

If you would like to find our more about my children books please visit www.mikolayandjulia.com

For a writer, nothing can be more frustrating than drawing a complete blank.  No matter how much you think about where you want to take your story or how you want to build the plot, you continue to stare at a blank page. 

Writer’s block can be devastating to the progress of a book or story.  I have gotten hit with it in the past and have struggled to overcome it.  A lot of writers suffer from writer's block at some point in time and the thought of walking away from a story that seems dead in the water can be tempting; but it’s important that you try to work through your writer’s block in a constructive way.  Sometimes setting the manuscript aside, thinking that you just need to take a break from writing, can leave that book collecting dust for months!  Believe me, I know!

One of the best ways to overcome writer’s block is to JUST KEEP WRITING!  Perhaps you do need to take a short break from your current project to clear your mind and regain focus on where you want to take your story next, but in the meantime, concentrate on writing something else.  A short story, a poem, or even a letter to a friend…  Keep those juices flowing, just give them another outlet.

An exercise that I find helpful when I need to purge my mind of the muck that is gumming up my literary flow is to find an every day object (one that is around the house or in your office) and start free-flow writing about that object.  Begin by describing it in great detail.  Then add some of your own flair as a creative writer by giving this object a personality.  Put the object in a frame of mind and write about its thoughts, desires, regrets and hopes.  Take this object on a short adventure.  You may not like what you come up with in the end, but the point is not to create another masterpiece.  This is an exercise to work out a few mental knots and loosen up your imagination.

Once you get those creative juices flowing again, you may find that you are ready to take on the rest of the project with which you were previously struggling. Being able to break free from the structure of your work-in-progress with a free-flow writing exercise may also help you find a solution to that dilemma that is holding you up or could even bring about new ideas that could fine tune your original concept.

Hopefully, after a few free-flow writing exercises, the next time you pick up your manuscript, you won’t feel quite as stuck.

Authors: Trying to get the word out about your book(s) or broaden your fan base?  Why not connect with other authors and writers for a few interviews?  It's an opportunity to get your name out there AND have fun sharing juicy tid-bits about yourself!  Plus, networking with other authors and writers is a great way to reach out to new readers!

I recently had the honor of interviewing with two different people, writer & filmmaker, Magda M. Olchawska, and romance author, Desi Moon.  I had a blast with each and really enjoyed the opportunity to meet people outside of my usual domain. 

Check out my recent interviews below!
Interview with Heather Payer  - by Desi Moon
Interview with American Author of ”The Nameless World” Heather Payer-Smith - by Magda M Olchawska

Interview Tips:
- Keep things light-hearted.  You want your audience to have a good time reading your interview.
-  Keep things interesting.  Readers will want to take something away from your interview, whether it is learning more about you and your work, gaining insight into your methods or even learning a few fun facts about you that show you're someone worth getting to know.
- Be informative.  Give readers a reason to follow you!  Show them that you're an expert at what you do.  Show people that you have something to say worth listening to.
- PROMOTE!  Don't be shy when talking about your work.  This is a great opportunity to make more people aware of your books and why they should read your work!
- Be gracious.  Do your best to help promote the interview AND the interviewer. 

Keep in mind, author interviews are an excellent way to introduce your followers to someone new, as well. 

 Compelling books begin with compelling characters.  No matter how big or small their roles may be in the grand scheme of your story, each character has a history, a personality, quirks and passions…. At least, they should.  So what can you do to freshen up your characters if you find some of them are reading a little stale or seem to be cliché? 

Why not get to know your character(s) better through a character interview?

Write down a series of questions that you would ask anyone you didn’t know very well.  Adjust them to suit your character, perhaps give him a job interview or write questions that your character would have to answer for an online dating site.  Come up with questions that will really force you to look deep into your character’s soul, motives, likes and dislikes. 

Once you have your list of questions, it’s time to sit down with your character and really get to know him.  Don’t just answer the questions as if you were the character - imagine that your character is actually sitting across from you at a coffee shop or in your office. 

Pay attention not only to what your character says, but HOW he or she says it.  Is your character quiet or loud?  What does his voice sound like? Does he have strange or annoying habits when he speaks?  

Write down the character’s reaction to the questions you ask and make notes about his body language when he answers.  Does he avoid eye contact?  Does he bite his nails?  Does he hesitate or is he quick to answer?  Does he smile?  Is he flirty? 

This is your opportunity to really investigate what makes your character tick.  It’s also a great way to discover what kind of feeling YOU get from your character and determine how you can best present this persona to your readers.  When you are done with your character interview, you will have a detailed list of traits and idioms unique to your character.  Use these elements to SHOW your reader who your character really is. 

Taking time to get to know your characters will make all the difference when writing them into the story.  Again, no matter how minor the character may be to the plot, creating compelling characters will help to build a compelling story.  Be inventive and find ways to make each of your characters stand out.  Your readers will thank you.

Sitting at my computer, I glumly stare at the screen, quietly breathing, as I wait for something to suddenly inspire my next words.

OR

Sitting at my computer, I stare at the screen with little anticipation, breathing as though  each sigh robs me of my train of thought as I wait for inspiration to strike and guide my next words.

There is an ongoing debate in the literary world regarding the use (or overuse) of adverbs in writing.  While adverbs certainly have their place in the literary world, relying too much on adverbs to convey a thought can leave your work a little lackluster in the end.  The above examples both convey the same idea (author experiencing writer’s block) but I think we can all agree that the second sentence is far more engaging to read.   Why?  Because it SHOWS (versus tells) the reader what the character is thinking/feeling.

Good writing draws the reader in, makes him or her experience the moment with the character.  The more enticing the writing is, the stronger the connection between the reader and the story can be. 

That’s not to say that you, as a writer, should avoid adverbs altogether, but you should certainly be aware of how often you do use them, as, again, too many can take away from the potential of your storytelling. 

If you find that you use adverbs a lot, that’s OK - keep writing!  Don’t let your flow be hindered by word choice; but when you go back over the pages you wrote, challenge yourself to find other ways to phrase your sentences to omit some of the adverbs and engage the reader with more active descriptions.

In time, it will start to become more natural for you to move away from using so many adverbs and can broaden your literary horizons. 

So you’ve decided to take the bull by the horns.  This is YOUR BOOK and you want to see it through from start to finish; make your dream of being a published author come true!  You are going to self-publish! 

Now what?

I wrote a guest blog for a dear friend & author, Magda M. Olchawska, that offers some step-by-step guidance on how to self-publish a book.  I encourage anyone who has made the choice to self-publish, but isn't quite sure where to go from here to check it out!

How to Self-publish a Book by Heather Payer-Smith Author of “The Nameless World” http://www.magdaolchawska.com/entry/217

When I finished my first book, I couldn’t wait to get it in front of a publisher.  I had worked hard, written a great book and was sure that it had a place in the market.  I had the support of friends and family and was very excited about the prospects of landing a publishing contract.

As I mentioned in my intro to this blog, I did land a publishing contract, but it fell through and after years of trying to find another publisher and/or agent without success, I was left wondering where to go from here.

It was after much thought and deliberation that I decided to self-publish; and I’m very glad I did.  However, self-publishing is not for everyone.  Whether or not to self-publish can be a hard decision for authors to make for several reasons.  In a situation where you, the author, will be taking all the risks (versus a publishing company investing their time, money and effort into you and your book) many struggled to overcome the “cons” of self-publishing when considering their options. 

For me, I had a hard time overcoming the fear that my book would not be taken seriously by anyone.  A lot of people attach a stigma to self-publishing, viewing it as a “last resort” for wanna-be authors who couldn’t sell their book to a “real” publisher.   I won’t deny that there is valid reason for this view toward self-publishing.  Especially with the growing popularity of print-on-demand sources and vanity presses, almost anyone can publish a book (some of which really do lack in polish and merit).  So I really struggled with whether or not my book could gain due attention and credit if associated with the common misconception that self-published = crap. 

I also worried about how I would get my book out there to readers.  I was confident I could get the word about my book out to a local market, but how on earth could I get it into the hands of the thousands of readers I hoped would want to read my book?  Publishing companies work through distributors to get their books onto the shelves of bookstores and retail stores alike, but as an indi-author, it would be nearly impossible to grab the attention of sales outlets like that without a lot of work and A LOT of money. 

One of the biggest “cons” that authors who are thinking about self-publishing face is the potential cost of undertaking such an endeavor.  In order to get your book(s) out there, it is going to take money.  How much money depends on what route you decide to go (traditional or print-on-demand), but either way, there are a lot of aspects to self-publishing that could cost a pretty penny and there is no guarantee you will ever see a return on your investment.

To start, some authors may need to hire a professional editor if they truly want to put their best work out there.  One of the reasons self-publishing gets such a bad rap is a lot of authors are hasty in putting their work out and their book is riddled with grammatical errors, typos, choppy story-lines etc.  Investing in an editor’s help could make all the difference in the success of your book.

Self-published authors are also responsible to the layout and design of both the cover and interior pages.  If you do not have the skills and/or software to do that, you will need to hire a designer to put your book together for you. 

Then there is the cost of printing the books.  Whether you choose to use a traditional publisher to print in bulk or use an online, print-on-demand source, there will be some cost involved (granted, print-on-demand sources are usually much less, and can even be as little as the cost of printing and shipping a proof of your book, but it could get more expensive if you opt to purchase “packages” or plans that will offer you more benefits down the road). 

There is also a great deal of TIME that goes into self-publishing a book.  From research to marketing and everything in between – it all falls on the author’s shoulders and can be a bit overwhelming to handle on one’s own.  There really is a lot to learn about publishing and it is wise to invest your time in learning the ins and outs of the how to publish a book.  You’ll find there is more to it than meets the eye. 

A lot of these aspects can weigh heavily on an author’s mind when considering self-publishing, but if you can overcome the fears and doubts and are confident you have what it takes to get your book out there (and have the funds to make it happen), there are a lot of benefits to self-publishing, too!

There is a certain sense of satisfaction seeing your book through from start to finish.  You don’t have to worry about someone making any changes to your book or representing it in a way that you disagree with.  You have complete control over your book and, to some, that benefit in itself is worth cutting a publisher out of the picture. 

Also, when self-publishing, you can move at your own pace.  Deadlines are a handy thing to set up for yourself, but if a family emergency comes along or you just need to take a break, you can put your book to the side until you are ready to move forward.  On the flip – you don’t have to wait on someone else to get things moving forward.  Most publishing companies promise publication anywhere from 6 months to TWO YEARS after you sign with them   If you are publishing the book yourself, you can have it out in a matter of a few weeks!  (side note – I recommend taking your time, though – make sure you have everything you need and that your book is as polished as it can be.  Most often, people who rush to publish their book later wish they had given themselves more time). 

Another major benefit to self-publishing is that you don’t have to share the profit!  No matter who publishes your book – the only way money is made is by marketing the book – which falls heavily on the author.  Even if you are signed up with a label, you have to put a lot of work (and money) into marketing your book.  Publishers will list your book in their catalog and group it in with some general marketing, but they won’t necessarily push your title unless they feel it really is the next big seller (which is rarely the case when some publishers put out hundreds of titles a year).  Publishers expect authors to take on the primary marketing responsibility themselves. After all – it is YOUR book.  Some authors don’t even consider going through a traditional publisher because they are confident in their ability to produce and market their books and don’t like the idea of someone else making most of the money off of their talent and hard work.  That is not to say you can get rich quick (or at all) if you self-publish because you have all the up-front fees and continued business expenses to consider, but a bigger return per sale certainly helps reward you for all your efforts. 

One last benefit to self-publishing – if your book does well on the market, it may catch the attention of a publisher and you may end up getting that publishing offer after all. 

There is no right or wrong answer to the question, “Should I self-publish my book?”  You, as the author, simply have to weigh the pros and cons and decide for yourself what risks you are willing to take and how much time, effort and money you are willing to put into your book.  Just remember that, unfortunately, authors who self-publish ARE taking a risk.  There is no guarantee that your book will sell or that people will respond well to it.  It will take a lot of work and a lot of dedication (and possibly a lot of money).  But, if you are confident in your book and your ability to get it out in the market, self-publishing is a good option to consider.  There are so many different directions you can go with self-publishing that just might pay off.  If, at this point you are still considering self-publishing as an option, I’d say you’re on the right track and highly recommend you purchase a “how to” book like “The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing” by Marilyn Ross and Sue Collier.  Also, look into publishing resources like Createspace.com to learn more about print-on-demand publishing options. 

Whatever you decide, just make sure you are completely comfortable with your choice.  Trust your gut.  If you have any doubts, just wait.  Continue to explore your publishing options and seek out other advice from industry experts and authors who have experience in both aspects of publishing. 

You spent months writing your novel, engrossing yourself in every fine, little detail of your characters, the plot, the setting… creating an intricate world woven into the lines of your book – a poetic masterpiece of words that depicts people, places and relationships so clearly that you are sure the reader will feel like they are right in the midst of the action…

…and now…

You have to strip away all those “unnecessary” details and wrap it all up in a concise little package known as a synopsis. 

In a nut shell – the synopsis is simply a general summary of your book from start to finish (and yes – they want to know what happens in the end, so no cliff hangers here).  Generally, a synopsis should be about two-three pages unless otherwise specified (some want a little more detail, but most are just looking for the basics).

Writing a synopsis can definitely be a challenge.  For author’s who are so close to the work they created, especially for plots that are more complex, it can be hard to summarize your story in just a few pages without feeling like you are losing elements that make your book GOOD! 

Fear not…  the point of the synopsis is not to dazzle the person reading it, but rather to give them a step-by-step breakdown of the essentials of the story.  What an editor or agent is looking for in the synopsis is a general idea of the main characters, plot lines and conclusion of the story.  They just want to know the core aspects to get a better feel for what happens in the book.   Believe it or not, it’s actually okay if your synopsis reads a little boring.  Not to say that you shouldn’t make the synopsis engaging, but this is not the place to flaunt your unique author’s voice or creative writing style.   

The best way to get started is to consider your main characters – who is the book about?  Be careful not to give too much credit to supporting characters – while they are important to the dynamics of the actual story, they don’t necessarily need to be expanded upon in the synopsis. 

Next, think of the main plot of the story.  What happens to these main characters along the way that builds the overall plot?  Again – be careful not to go into too much detail about events that don’t have a major impact on the progression of the plot. 

Now that you have picked out the main characters and events of the story, you should be able to being summarizing how Character A stumbles into Event 1, where he encounters Character B and, together, they go through Event 2.  Okay, I know this is a little vague, but if you narrow your focus to the people and events of your book like this, piecing together the important elements will help you build your synopsis without too much trouble while keeping you on track.

Again, I recommend having a friend or colleague read over your finished synopsis to make sure you give a good representation of your book without going into too much (or too little) detail.  Don’t be afraid to write more than one.  Put them aside for a day or two and read them when your mind is fresh.  It may help you determine which synopsis works best, or if you still need to work on it a little. 

If you would like to see an example of a synopsis, I welcome you to read the synopsis for my book, The Nameless World, at  http://www.thenamelessworld.com/synopsis.html

(ok – I admit, I do not give away the ending here, but that is for the sake of the readers.  Would hate to post a spoiler for my own book!  Rest assured, the formal synopsis tells all). 

New and seasoned authors alike can agree that one of the most daunting aspects of preparing a submission is drafting that pesky, but oh-so-important query letter.  If you find yourself struggling to get a good query together, know that you are not alone.  While I don’t have a magic formula that you can use to generate a buzz-worthy query, I can lend some advice regarding structure and key elements that may help you get started. 

Start with the “hook” 
Keep in mind, editors and agents read dozens of query letters each day, so it is important to get their attention right away with a one – two sentence hook.  But what IS a hook?  It’s that jaw-dropping, breath-taking, goose bump-raising idea that makes someone want to know more!  It’s the juiciest teaser you can offer that will leave editors with only one thought on their minds – your book.   In short, a hook is the primary selling point of your story.

(please note – simply claiming “my book is the next best seller” is not a hook nor is it a statement that should ever appear in a query letter)

I will admit – for me, this is probably the most challenging element of the query letter and I am not shy to admit that I don’t always come up with the best hooks; but once you figure out what makes your story compelling and what makes it stand out from the rest, generating your hook shouldn't be too difficult.

(Tip: when coming up with your hook, think about the main character’s struggle, the thickest point of the plot and what ties them together.  Some people write the hook as a statement, others pose a thought-provoking question.  Use whatever is most comfortable for you.)

Sum it up
While you don’t need to go into great detail, offer a brief summary of your book.  You’ve got them with your hook, now tell them what to expect with the rest of the story.  While you don’t want to commercialize your summary too much, think of it a little like what you would find on the back cover – short and to the point, informative but enticing. 

Offer more info
Now that you’ve snared an editor’s attention with an amazing hook (no pressure, I swear – ha ha) and given them enough to wet their appetite, let them know more about some technical aspects of your story:  word count, genre, audience, similarities your book has with other popular titles, ways that it stands out on it’s own, how it fits a need in today’s market and why you think it is a good match for that publisher/agent.   This section doesn’t need to be long, but it does need to be informative.  After all, you want them to be able to see at a glance that your book fits their needs on a mechanical level.

Introduce yourself
Don’t forget to tell them a little bit about yourself, too.  Mention your credentials as a writer (if you have any) or why you are an expert on the subject matter of your book.  They don’t need a memoir, but enough to let them know you are a serious author and someone that they would like to work with (because this could be the beginning of a long relationship).   Be unique and personable throughout your query, but do your best to remain professional as well. 

Formalities are a must
In closing your query, be sure to THANK them for their time.  Let them know how to get in touch with you and what materials you have enclosed for them (again, stick to what they request in their submission guidelines).  Another bit of information that editors and agents appreciate knowing is whether or not your submission is exclusive (for their eyes only at this time) or if it is a multiple submission (sent to more than one publisher/agent).   This is a courtesy to them, but also could be an advantage to you – if someone is interested in your book but knows you have it out to others for consideration, it may encourage them to respond in a more prompt manner. 

So, there it is - the meat and potatoes of a query letter.  It may seem like a lot to cram into one page, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll discover what works and what doesn’t work for you.  Please note that this is just a guide to help get you started.  You may want to arrange the elements in a different order, or add something else to the content.  Unfortunately, query letters are subject to trial and error – so I definitely recommend having friends and family read over your letter to make sure it flows well and lends a good impression of you and your book – because that is what the query letter is – it’s the first impression and you want to make it a lasting one.