Publicity?

I have no wisdom to offer here, except that I just this evening started reading Jeff VanderMeer's Booklife, which covers exactly these issues. People I trust have said great things about it. Maybe consider picking it up?

I'm published by HarperTeen. Here's what they've asked me to do thus far.

* various appearances, mostly in or near the city I lived in but also several things on the road, for which they paid transportation and lodging (and sometimes a meal stipend).
* guest blogging for a number of outlets or their own sites
* provide information for their publicity team about where I've lived, who I know, etc., to help them direct their efforts.
* keep up Twitter/MySpace/Facebook, as YA readers in particular respond very well to an author's active presence there
* build, maintain and keep current my own personal website
* record both a podcast and a video for their promotional use

That's all I can think of right now, but let me tell you, that can keep you busy enough. What it does not do is cost me a lot of money; the only thing I've paid out of pocket for is my own website.

That depends really. I would be put off by a publisher who asks or expects you to do too much off your own bat. For instance, I recently looked at a publisher who asked authors to submit a 'marketing strategy' with their submissions. Needless to say I did not query them.

Aside from keeping a website and agreeing to interviews and appearances and signings etc - providing they are reasonable requests - is about all you as an author should be expected to do.

after all, you should be at home writing the next book, right? You can't do much writing if you are flying all over the country.

My novels were published by Flux, the YA imprint of Llewellyn, a good mid-sized publisher. More to the point, they're in the US and I'm in the UK. They never put any expectations on me at all, although I have a website and a blog. When I was in the US for a work-related trip, they set up a couple of stock-signings for me. (That's where you go by the bookshop, schmooze with staff, and sign stock. It's not a formal book signing where readers come to meet you and get their books signed.)

If I lived in the same country where my books were published (or if I were a big enough name that a publisher would send me on a book tour--grin!), I'd do more just because I'd want to and I love doing that kind of stuff. Since I don't, it's a non-issue.

Thanks for sharing your experiences and your publishers expectations, ClaudiaGray.

Of the blog sites they asked you to join/set-up, which is bringing your the biggest/most productive responses?

And what advice would you give for others debating which one to start with? I am a romance writer, not a YA author. Do you think that infulences the choice ?

JackieA said:

And what advice would you give for others debating which one to start with? I am a romance writer, not a YA author. Do you think that infulences the choice ?

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If you're not targeting teens, I don't think MySpace is that important. But I would set up both a Twitter account and a Facebook FanPage. They don't take up that much time (I've done both for marketing and PR for businesses), and if you personally do not know how to do it or use them, then befriend a teen or college student who does.

Personally I believe it's easier to reach people using Twitter than Facebook, so if you only have time for one at the moment, then go with Twitter. You already have a blog and a website, so you have something to direct them back to.

What type of publicity is an author is expected to do? Another thread prompted me to ask this question. There seem to be conflicting opinions about what authors should do to promote their work.

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If there are conflicting opinions it's because PR or marketing models do not work across the board. Each book is a different product, coming from a different production company, and not only will the production company (publisher) have different requirements but the product (book) will have different needs.

That being said, the few things I believe authors can and should do, even if not required, are outlined in Claudia's post. Aside from diving into social media, work on some grassroots efforts in your local community and see what kind of interest you can generate. Talk to your publisher's PR/marketing team before you do, though, because they will be able to give you pointers to help so you are not going about it blindly. The more a client (author) wants to help a PR team, the more smoothly things go.

They expect you to do whatever you can. My experience is that you don't have to do any, but if you don't, and the book tanks, that's one more finger they can point at you.

Author promotion is mostly something that authors can do to keep their hands busy so they don't fidget to death when their books come out. If it worked any less often or less well no one would do it at all.

The best thing you can do is write your next book.

I find that my readers respond very well, in particular, to Facebook, and I get a lot of interesting FB through that venue. I'm not sure about the romance market, but I would think having some kind of presence could only help.

I'm not published yet, but my book is *almost* on sub with my agent, so I'm starting to explore self-promotion. Social networking is huge. Get a blog -- and don't just ramble about yourself; share useful things about writing, etc. And get twitter! I just got it yesterday and it's kind of weird but fun... a good way to join conversations and get your name circulating while circulating other names for other people.

ClaudiaGray said:

I'm published by HarperTeen. Here's what they've asked me to do thus far.

* various appearances, mostly in or near the city I lived in but also several things on the road, for which they paid transportation and lodging (and sometimes a meal stipend).
* guest blogging for a number of outlets or their own sites
* provide information for their publicity team about where I've lived, who I know, etc., to help them direct their efforts.
* keep up Twitter/MySpace/Facebook, as YA readers in particular respond very well to an author's active presence there
* build, maintain and keep current my own personal website
* record both a podcast and a video for their promotional use

That's all I can think of right now, but let me tell you, that can keep you busy enough. What it does not do is cost me a lot of money; the only thing I've paid out of pocket for is my own website.

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That sounds like a lot of fun!

(By the way, this is the kind of thing I was referring to authors having to do for their own marketing in the other thread. I should have pointed out that it shouldn't cost you much, if anything. But you obviously DO have to put some time and effort into it.)

Libbie said:

(By the way, this is the kind of thing I was referring to authors having to do for their own marketing in the other thread. I should have pointed out that it shouldn't cost you much, if anything. But you obviously DO have to put some time and effort into it.)

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It was more a matter of using the wrong word. 'Marketing' refers to getting your books into stores. Commercial publishers do the marketing. 'Promotion' is what authors need, as much as possible, to try to pitch in with, though commercial publishers do that, too, to varying degrees depending on a Whole Lot of Factors.

Libbie said:

But you obviously DO have to put some time and effort into it.)

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You don't have to do any promotion, and many writers do not. Others think they have to because the publisher asks them to. You do not.

All you have to do is sell enough books to make the publisher happy. Writer promotion does not guarantee this, and lack of writer promotion never stops it.

This is an area where the writer should do what he feels is best for him and his book.

I would say a must is a website. I am surprised by how many authors don't have their own website. If your fans want info on you, where are they going to go?

Also try doing interviews. Interviews are a great way to get a new audience, introduce yourself and build links for your website. You might even do a press release if you have a new book coming out.

And these suggestions you can do for free.

Website and blog are a must. If you have a physical copy I would recommend book signings and perhaps reading an excerpt or two at a local cafe. You could also do newspaper interviews, on-line interviews, scheduled on-line chats...the list goes on and on. You could also hang up fliers of the book in your local town.

When I get the capital, I'm putting Capon Frank on a Sprint Cup Nascar!