Tag: promotion

Interview with Renee Scattergood

Quan

I owe much of the success of my sci-fi/horror book Godmode to book marketing guru Renee Scattergood. She offered a series of promotional programs that really allowed me to get some exposure for the book. But in addition to that, she is also a writer in her own right, with many dark fantasy books to her credit. Check out more about her at www.reneescattergood.com.

What inspires your writing?

I have a very overactive imagination. I get so many ideas for stories that I really don’t need any more inspiration! 

What is your process of developing characters?

I have a step by step process for developing the characters as well as the entire story. It’s 30 steps in all and the character development is Steps 1, 2, 4, and 10 (and there is a reason for breaking it up, but there’s too much detail to go into here). Basically it’s a process of answering specific questions that help develop the stories while developing the characters.

Did you start with a story outline or did you make it up as you went along?

I always plan and outline my stories.

How much research did you need for our story?

My story didn’t need much in the way of research, though I did use generators to help with names for characters, places, creatures, and objects.

Did you draw on personal experience?

The magic in the world is (loosely) based on shamanism. I studied shamanism for several years, so I used that experience to create the magic that exists in this world.

How did you publish?

I self-published.

Why did you do it that way?

I’ve always wanted to be self-published. I have an entrepreneurial spirit, so it was a natural step for me. I enjoy being in charge of all aspects of publishing my work.

Who did your cover and marketing?

My cover was done by Katie Jenkins at Magical Designs. I do my own marketing (marketing is my second love).

Did you use beta readers? How did you secure them?

Yes, I do use beta readers. For Shadow Stalker, I found most of my beta readers on Facebook. Now most of them come from readers of my newsletter.

What is your process for worldbuilding and developing backstory for your fantasy and sci-fi settings?

Most of the world-building takes place in step 21 of my writing process. I do the world-building after the first draft has been written by going back through the story and making notes about things that I need to expand on to bring the world to life. Then I add those things to my world-building files. World-building is generally an ongoing process for me, however, because I will keep adding stuff to my files as needed.

The backstory comes during the character development stage. The backstory is mainly based on the characters’ backgrounds and what was going on in the world around them. I only add or include a backstory if it’s central to the story.

How many revisions did it take to get a publishable book?

With Shadow Stalker, it took many revisions because I didn’t have my current writing process to fall back on. With my new writing process, I cut out a lot of the revisions by working out the kinks before I start writing.

What are some cost-effective strategies for cash-strapped authors to promote their books?

There are a lot of free options out there. I think the best things authors can do is have a presence on social media (for connecting to readers, not selling to them); a blog to build a presence on the internet; doing interviews (like this one), guest posts, and podcasts can also help increase your visibility; and most importantly, you need to have a mailing list so you can promote your new releases to your readers.

What are you writing now?

I’m working on several projects at the moment. I’m writing a novel series called, A God’s Deception. I’m also starting a new serial called Emergence (it’s a prequel to my Shadow Stalker serial), and I’m also working on a fantasy romance novel series under the pen name, Kahlan Richards. 

What is your advice to other writers?

There’s really so much advice and info out there for authors, but when it comes down to it not everything will work for you. Everyone is different, so focus on what works for you and don’t worry about the rest. And don’t be afraid to experiment with new ideas. Use your readers as a sounding board. They love feeling included in your process!

Be sure to check out one of her books here!

Vanity Press, Thy Name Is Mudd

Quan

My first novel, The Leopard Man, was published through a nefarious book publisher called PublishAmerica. Some of you may know of them and their reputation. I did not renew my contract with them and have since self-published The Leopard Man, even offering it for free on my website. This is an account of my experiences good and bad putting a book out through PublishAmerica.

1. I had just spent 9 months working on my new manuscript. It was an involved process, and I was very proud of the story. But I was intimidated by the process of seeking an agent and publisher. I had failed previously with two other manuscripts, and I wanted desperately for this one to succeed. I was also unemployed, and I was spurred on by the rags-to-riches stories of Tyler Perry and Michael Moore. They succeeded by working hard and believing in their dreams, and I wanted to do the same. I was jobhunting when I came across an ad for PublishAmerica on Careerbuilder.com. I was a little wary, wondering why a book publisher would be on a job hunting website, so I looked them up. I thought I was researching them. I visited their website, where they implicitly said they weren’t a vanity press. So I took their word for it and sent my query and then my manuscript to them. They accepted it without any problems. I was elated to have my book coming out, and told all my family and friends as much.

I missed a few clues that something was wrong. First of all, I had to edit my own book. In addition to that, I only got a $1 advance, they offered a bare minimum (not even that) of promotional support, I had to approach bookstores myself to get the book stocked. Also, The family & friend list idea seemed unprofessional, and I didn’t see any books by this publisher in bookstores near me.

I had made plans to go on a deep, involved marketing campaign. I had read Terry McMillain’s article on self-promotion, and took it all to heart. I was determined to make this book a bestseller, if I had to do everything myself (which I eventually had to do anyway). I had gotten quotes from various publicists. I had contacted numerous Writers conferences about setting up booths or doing appearances to promote my book. I had found an alumni from my college who would help me set up shop in Chicago. I had talked to an uncle who had a Movie producer friend about maybe getting the producer to buy the movie rights. I designed my own book cover, and programmed the promotional website myself. I told everyone at my high school reunion about my book and signed everyone up to my mailing list. I contacted both my Creative writing professors (Jonis Agee, who wrote Strange Angels) and a novelist who was an old classmate of mine (Anne Mallory, who wrote Masquerading the Marquess) about reading my manuscript and endorsing it. I was going to approach my church about endorsing the book, and had planned on taking out ads in local newspapers and magazines. I had gotten price quotes from merchandisers for book-related items like t-shirts and mugs I could give away or sell. I talked with a local bookstore about having a book signing the month my book was released. I had even talked to some music producers I knew about putting together a movie-styled score for my novel. I was thinking up sequels to the book, also.

Then a strange thing happened. I was applying for the Poets & Writers author database and was rejected. They said my credentials weren’t good enough. I wondered why, so I looked up the rules. It said “we don’t accept book published through Vanity Presses…like Publish America.” My heart hit the floor. “vanity press” is one of the most reviled phrases in the writing community. And I felt that I had basically been lied to.

That’s when I did some REAL research on Publish America. I googled them and found a plethora of information, mostly from authors complaining about them or warning others not to do business with them. There were complaints logged in the BBB about them. There was an extensive pro vs. con site about them, with the vast majority of comments being on the con side. Book Reviewers, magazines and industry resources didn’t consider their books as legitimate. Book stores would not carry anything published by them. Legitimate agents and publishers held any works done through them against you when considering future books for publication. Basically, publishers like PA don’t make their money off of actually selling books, they make their money off of the author buying the books from them. And my book was under contract with them for seven years. I saw my hopes and dreams of being a full-time author slipping out of my hands.

I was despondent for about two weeks. I was embarrassed that I had asked my Teacher and Friend, both established authors, to endorse what they could have easily seen as hack work. I was ashamed to be telling people of a book they couldn’t go to their nearest Borders (back when brick and mortar bookstores were a thing) and buy, especially since a great deal of my friends and family didn’t have access to Amazon.com, where my book was being sold at. I canceled the majority of my promotional plans. No more writers conferences. No more movie deal. No hiring of any publicist. No merchandising or ads in any publications. No book signings. I even canceled the soundtrack project. I stopped updating the website. My story covered some powerful topics – one of which I got the permission of a lady who had been through a very traumatic experience to use in my story, and I felt that I had let her down in not getting the issue addressed. I was on the verge of abandoning the book – and my writing – altogether. I had even gotten to the point of questioning how good the book really was, and whether I had what it took to be a successful writer.

Then a few things happened. First, I had gotten a response from the classmate, saying she loved my story and would gladly endorse it. I had told her what happened, and she gave me some words of encouragement, saying that this misstep didn’t have to be the end of my writing career. Some of the friends and family on my mailing list said they sympathized with what happened to me and would support me and tell people about my book. And then the book actually arrived. Vanity Press or no Vanity Press, NOTHING can compare to the feeling of seeing your first book in print. It’s an amazing thing. On top of that, I gave one of my two complimentary copies to Ashlynn, my wife’s teenaged niece, who allowed me to base the heroine of my novel on her mannerisms, opinions and personality. Seeing her face light up as I gave her the other copy of the book reassured me that I did the right thing in getting the book out. It inspired me to redouble my efforts to promote the book, if only to see how I could make the most of my situation.

I decided not to go all-out to promote the book like I had originally planned. I didn’t have the time or funds to sink into a huge promotional campaign (especially if I was doing it all myself), and this was before internet and social media book marketing became a viable thing to do. but I did manage to make some things happen. I approached a few libraries in my hometown and told them about my book. They ordered a few copies and even asked me to autograph one! I got a kick out of seeing my book on their shelves next to Grisham, Clancy, McMillan and Tyreese. I continued to update the website, adding Anne’s endorsement and even moving the site to my personal website when the domain expired. I contacted my college’s alumni magazine and they reported the debut of my novel and how to get ahold of it. I joined up with Amazon’s marketing partnership to help direct visitors to my site to Amazon to buy the book. A middle school English teacher who heard of my plight invited me to speak about it and creative writing in general to classes of young writers at a few schools in Ann Arbor. I still went to one of the conferences – the Sweet Auburn festival in Atlanta – and passed out postcards and flyers promoting my book. And, of course, I wrote this article.

A supporter of PA once said that they were satisfied with PA. The company treated them nicely, and they were happy to have their book published. And that really is fine and dandy…if all you want to do is get a book published. For those hoping to make a career out of writing, however, Publish America’s sordid reputation is a serious detriment. I learned that from experience. If I had it to do over again, I would have taken a more serious look at them, and checked around before sending or signing anything. It wasn’t all bad, though. For one, I did sell a few books: the libraries bought a couple, and a couple of family members bought books. I didn’t get much in Royalties, but with all of the money I spent writing and promoting the book, it counts as a huge benefit for me come tax-time. Since I lost more than I made, I can write all of that off and get some of that money back. I still get a kick out of seeing my book in the library, and my wife’s niece was so happy to be the star of her own novel that she took her copy of the book with her everywhere she went, up until she started attending college.

And I haven’t stopped writing. I’ve since gotten two other novels published with legit publishers or e-publishers, and I made sure I did my homework on them before I signed anything with them. Red Rose Publications, King Jewel and Necro Publications have been very good to me and my novels. My contract with PA finally expired, and I now offer that book as-is as a free PDF download on my website, www.quanwilliams.com. And now I am seeking an agent for two fantasy manuscripts I have completed as of tis posting, and I am , I promisecrrently writing follow-ups to both of them, But when I do finally garner the interest of another publisher, I promise to look before I leap into a situation with a suspect publisher. I don’t want to publish in vain again.

The book in question, The Leopard Man, is available as a free download here.

Interview with Lisa Robbin

Quan

Lisa Robbin is one of many multi-talented classmates I had the pleasure of working with during my formative years. She is an accomplished singer, actress and author, and now works as a marketing coach for creative-types. One of these days I’d like to hire her myself to help me sell more books and get more people to read this blog. In the meantime, here are her thoughts on writing her two most recent books.

What inspired your book?

I have two books. This first (a business parable) was inspired by an encounter on an airplane. A woman told me I was going to write a book called “The Secret Watch” and by the end of the flight, I had the entire book outlined. My second book was the direct result of 20 years of working with creative entrepreneurs. It outlines my approach for helping creatives make good money doing what they love.

Did you start with an outline or did you make it up as you went along?

Both books started with an outline, though the second book had a much richer outline.

What researching methods did you use?

Google is my friend. For terms, definitions, and fact checking, I looked to the Internet for confirmation. For my second book, I also used personal interviews with experts and case studies from my clients.

Did you draw on personal experience?

My first book is less autobiographical, though it does draw on some personal situations that are more universal in appeal. The second book draws heavily on my own personal experiences as a business coach for creative entrepreneurs.

How did your publish?

I opted to self-publish both books. My brand is about not waiting to be picked, and the lead time for a high-quality, traditionally published book is easily a year or more. I didn’t want to wait that long to get my content to market, plus, I wanted to actually make some money on the book. New authors rarely get a large advance, and the royalty checks are a fraction of the cover price. Self-publishing gave me complete control over the entire process – and a larger share of the revenue.

Who did your cover and marketing?

I hired cover designers for both books, but when it comes to interior, I didn’t know what I didn’t know on the first book. I highly recommend Tracy Lay at DigivisualDesign.com for book cover (and interior layout). I did my own interior on the first book and it shows. My second book is SO much better because I hired a designer that does great work on the cover and the guts.

Because I am in the marketing business, I’ve done my own marketing, which has its pros and cons. Being so close to the work, it can be a challenge to promote the books frequently enough with my audience. And doing it myself means less reach. I built a street team to help me launch both books, but all ongoing marketing efforts are my own. And that’s something pretty common in publishing these days. IF you can get a publisher to pick up your book, they’re still going to expect you to help do some of the outreach and marketing.

How many revisions did it take to get a publishable book?

My first book had about 13 revisions, because I worked with a professional editor. My second book had 4 revisions before we went to press. Even still, I managed to find a couple of things to fix after publishing.

What is the ratio of time you spent researching to time you spent writing?

I write first (a LOT) and then research the points I’m making, so maybe 1 hour of research for every 10-12 hours of writing. But my books aren’t research-driven. I would expect a technical or historical book to require much more research time.

 How did you make time to write?

I have a saying: if it’s not scheduled, it’s stressful. I allotted twice as much time as I figured I’d need to write the books and put it in my calendar as writing time. If I don’t put it in my calendar, it simply doesn’t get done.

How does your published book enhance your other ventures?

My books are the foundation of my speaking and training platforms. I sell them at conferences and events, and use them as content for my courses. My first book also became the foundation for a new coaching card deck (merch) that I created.

What methods did you use to research for your book?

Interviews and google. I also developed an assessment that has been taken by thousands of people over the past 3 years. 

Who are the people that would benefit the most from reading your book, and how did you determine that?

My audience is creative entrepreneurs. Each book serves a different segment of that audience. The Secret Watch is more inspirational in nature, while Creative Freedom is a step-by-step how to for people serious about growing their creative career in a way that works for them.

How did you decide what order to present your topics in?

Narrative non-fiction lends itself to a classic storytelling flow, so for The Secret Watch I started with the conflict and unravelled the story to the resolution at the end. Creative Freedom, being a how-to book needed to start with some context before jumping into the nitty gritty. Then, it was a matter of taking readers through the same process I use with my clients.

How did you ensure that your advice, memories, and recollections were accurate?

Fact checking, looking back over recorded conversations, transcripts, and verifying the results of my clients for the past 20 years.

What would you like your readers to gain from reading your book?

All my books are written to inspire and encourage creatives to do what they most love and stay the course on their dreams… and hopefully make some good money in the process.

What are you writing now?

I’m currently working on the follow-up book to Creative Freedom which focuses on taking a creative from profitability into a six or seven figure career doing what they love.

What is your advice to other writers?

Write because you can’t NOT do it. Don’t write for the money. The money doesn’t usually come straight away…. at least, not from the book. It comes from the following you create and the Raving Fans that you develop as you write. Build relationships as you write, and don’t stop writing. Even when things seem hard or weird, make sure you take time to get at least a few word down. Those words add up to big ideas over time. 

And don’t try to do everything yourself. Don’t write in a vacuum. Talk to people you trust. Hire an editor or a designer. Pass off all the stuff that takes you out of your zone of genius as soon as practical. You may not be able to hire out everything, but do what you can to take the pressure off yourself to do everything to bring the book to market. Don’t be afraid to start smaller than you’d like, either. Most of us aren’t ready to win the Pulitzer Prize with our first book. That’s okay. Keep writing. Don’t stop writing.

Be sure to get your copy of Lisa’s book “Creative Freedom: How to Own Your Dreams Without Selling Your Soul: A guide to personal and financial success as a creative entrepreneur”now!