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Musa Publishing

Arcadia Divine

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Well, that's what I thought too. Since it's not the case, or reserved only for certain people, this is not the place for me.

No offense, but for someone who's in the industry you sure aren't showing much professionalism.

You better hope macallister (probably spelled that wrong) doesn't ban you for this.

In any case, I'm out. I want nothing to do with fighting. I have enough to deal with in my personal life.
 

Filigree

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Penhead, I'm sorry you feel that way. AW has a lot to offer for folks who learn to throttle down a little on ego. And since I'm regularly accused of being a towering egotist, that's something for me to admit. I'm rather thankful Mac and the mods haven't banned me, for some of the mistakes I've made. But I learned, and I'm grateful for the AW forums I read. One of them was just responsible for an anthology sale that will help my career.

If I'd taken my toys and gone home in a huff, that would never have happened.

So I'm out of this thread, too. I'm waiting to submit anything, pending beta readers and agents, but Musa's intriguing me. I think it will survive the questions we've offered, and doesn't need me as cheerleader.
 

James D. Macdonald

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The big six largely promote certain titles and let authors promote other titles themselves. Whether fair or not, it's the reality of the business.

This is not true.

The big six (like other publishers) invest a lot of time and money in each of their titles. It would be utterly daft for them to throw their money away by leaving promotion and marketing for any title to underfunded, untrained amateurs, no matter how enthusiastic those amateurs might be.
 

happywritermom

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I have a good friend, published by one of the big six, who received nothing but a mention on the publisher's website for her novel, despite promises of publicity. They told her just before publication that they had zero money for publicity marked for her. They did give her review copies to distribute, but that's it.

Another friend, a debut novelist, started her career with a 21-city tour.
 

JulieB

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I have a good friend, published by one of the big six, who received nothing but a mention on the publisher's website for her novel, despite promises of publicity. They told her just before publication that they had zero money for publicity marked for her. They did give her review copies to distribute, but that's it.

There's a difference between publicity and marketing. I guarantee you they did marketing. Why pay an advance and print a book if they don't intend to sell it? They had people out pushing that book to stores. They sent out review copies. The cover was professionally designed.

If she has a signing, I guarantee you that publisher will make sure there are books available. If it's a genre book and she attends a convention there's a good chance they'll buy an add in the program book, if asked. They may even shoot out a box of books to give away.

I've never had a book tour, but I've had everything above except the box of books show up at a convention.
 

James D. Macdonald

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I have a good friend, published by one of the big six, who received nothing but a mention on the publisher's website for her novel, despite promises of publicity.

What, not listed in the publisher's catalog? No review copies sent out well in advance of publication? (Check to see if PW or Booklist reviewed it. If they did, that happened.) Not promoted by the sales staff when they visited bookstores? (If it was shelved at B&N that happened.) No ads in the trades? No cover flats?

I find that interesting.

Tours are ... not the only thing out there.
 

happywritermom

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What, not listed in the publisher's catalog? No review copies sent out well in advance of publication? (Check to see if PW or Booklist reviewed it. If they did, that happened.) Not promoted by the sales staff when they visited bookstores? (If it was shelved at B&N that happened.) No ads in the trades? No cover flats?

I find that interesting.

Tours are ... not the only thing out there.

Could we cut back on the sarcasm here, please?

I would fully expect any publisher to do most of these things. That's the promotional baseline.

But what has been discussed here by Celina is efforts to get reviews, get interviews for the authors, etc. That takes networking -- networking targeted toward the specific genre and, often, the specific book. Since networking can be so intensive, it costs more in terms of salary and, maybe, travel expenses (one staff member devoted to publicizing a handful of books, going to conferences and such events to make connections, etc.).

That is the kind of publicity my one friend got, but the other did not. The one publisher knew the debut author's book had best-seller potential, so they invested largely in it. It paid off. It made good business sense.

These are ebooks (so far). Clearly, Musa staff is not going to visit book stores to promote the books/authors and will not be shipping extra copies for signings. And it is, of course, easy enough to email an electronic book to a potential reviewer (cost-free), but Musa staff still needs to prove its credibly to the more popular reviewers/bloggers to get their attention.

Again, I do not intend to submit, but I do believe that Musa's concept has a place. I would like to be able to whole-heartedly recommend Musa as a publisher for those who are seeking that treatment for their works.
 

happywritermom

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So would I. That's why I find it so astounding anytime someone says that major publishers don't promote their books.

I admit. I should have used the word "publicity" in my original post as I did in specific reference to those two authors in my follow-up post. Stupid, unforgivable mistake as a writer, I know.

Are we good now?
 

FabricatedParadise

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Ok... so here it is:

I came into this thread because I'm about to start a round of Q's for my ya uf.

I skipped a few (ok 18) pages and figured I'd go right for the current guts of the thread.

And now I'm stuck in the weeds with a troll. WTF is going on in here and bottom line, do I query Musa or not? What's the common consensus?

Edit: Also, I adore colloquialisms in narration. I think it gives the characters depth :)
 
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Haggis

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Ok... so here it is:

I came into this thread because I'm about to start a round of Q's for my ya uf.

I skipped a few (ok 18) pages and figured I'd go right for the current guts of the thread.

And now I'm stuck in the weeds with a troll. WTF is going on in here and bottom line, do I query Musa or not? What's the common consensus?

Edit: Also, I adore colloquialisms in narration. I think it gives the characters depth :)
Common consensus? Read through the thread. Think it through. And then make up your own mind. :)
 

Dominique Eastwick

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Good Evening AW’s first I don’t post a lot here as is obvious by my post numbers. I also come in and only read about once a week. I say this so if there are more questions and I don’t get to them right away no one thinks I am avoiding the questions. I am just very busy and don't have time to spend on many threads right now.
Let’s start with what Musa does with promotions and marketing. I think the most important thing is we walk through with our authors the ins and outs to social media, creating a blog/website, how to get into blog hops and what is needed to get your brand out there. Besides having a yahoo loop devoted to the authors (like most publishers) we also have a “secret” Facebook book page that allows the authors to cross promote easily and help each other out. The authors are encouraged to help each other out, and so far have stepped up to the plate far more than anyone could have expected. Their enthusiasm and hard work is amazing.
What Promotions provide for the Authors-- we send review requests out to over 70 review sites, 30 alone for YA (that doesn’t mean that all will read the books but it does give the books a better chance.) And we are adding review sites weekly. Some books might not get out to all the sites depending on the genre but every book will be placed in at least 20 review sites inboxes. We have one person devoted to YA reviews and promo and one to non-romance. They find new blogs and help us to set up interview opportunities for the authors. I personally handle the romance and contemporary fiction authors, as these genres are where I write and have contacts at these review sites.
The Promotions department works one on one with any author that asks for extra help. Working through press releases, how to get radio interviews, what sites to target for blogs. We discuss the best way to market their books and promote them. We encourage them to start marketing their brand well before their release date so that they are already have momentum and a following before they have something to sell. This includes getting active on loops, forum, and blogs that fit their genre. We also assist them by creating websites, blogs, and promotional art for those social networking opportunities. At upcoming conventions and conferences, we are purchasing advertising for Musa books as well as developing the graphics and copy for any author who needs our assistance on any promotions they buy.
Almost daily, promo opportunities are posted/provided to the authors that we arrange-- from blog hops, interviews, radio interviews, newspaper interviews, live chats, and Musa Promotional events. Blogging are encouraged on the Musa blogs as well as on others. We also create and develop marketing campaigns—like our press packages going out this week for the release of Homer Eon Flint's The Flying Bloodhound—to tighten focus and attention upon Musa.
It’s the old adage at Musa: give a man a fish, he can eat for a day…teach the man to fish he can eat for a lifetime. We are taking the time to teach and work with the authors how to best promote themselves. Some Musa authors are promo machines and just hand us a list of sites to send their ARCS to; for others, this is their first book and they haven’t even opened a facebook account yet let alone a blog or website. Every author's promotions experience is different because each author needs something different from us. And as Musa grows and develops financially, so will our advertising dollars.
I am certain I am forgetting somethings but should you have any other questions please feel free to post them here or you are welcome to PM me.
 

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Dominique:

I'm quoting your post because yours is difficult to read.

Good Evening AW’s first I don’t post a lot here as is obvious by my post numbers. I also come in and only read about once a week. I say this so if there are more questions and I don’t get to them right away no one thinks I am avoiding the questions. I am just very busy and don't have time to spend on many threads right now.

Let’s start with what Musa does with promotions and marketing. I think the most important thing is we walk through with our authors the ins and outs to social media, creating a blog/website, how to get into blog hops and what is needed to get your brand out there. Besides having a yahoo loop devoted to the authors (like most publishers) we also have a “secret” Facebook book page that allows the authors to cross promote easily and help each other out. The authors are encouraged to help each other out, and so far have stepped up to the plate far more than anyone could have expected. Their enthusiasm and hard work is amazing.


What Promotions provide for the Authors-- we send review requests out to over 70 review sites, 30 alone for YA (that doesn’t mean that all will read the books but it does give the books a better chance.) And we are adding review sites weekly. Some books might not get out to all the sites depending on the genre but every book will be placed in at least 20 review sites inboxes. We have one person devoted to YA reviews and promo and one to non-romance. They find new blogs and help us to set up interview opportunities for the authors. I personally handle the romance and contemporary fiction authors, as these genres are where I write and have contacts at these review sites.


The Promotions department works one on one with any author that asks for extra help. Working through press releases, how to get radio interviews, what sites to target for blogs. We discuss the best way to market their books and promote them. We encourage them to start marketing their brand well before their release date so that they are already have momentum and a following before they have something to sell. This includes getting active on loops, forum, and blogs that fit their genre. We also assist them by creating websites, blogs, and promotional art for those social networking opportunities. At upcoming conventions and conferences, we are purchasing advertising for Musa books as well as developing the graphics and copy for any author who needs our assistance on any promotions they buy.


Almost daily, promo opportunities are posted/provided to the authors that we arrange-- from blog hops, interviews, radio interviews, newspaper interviews, live chats, and Musa Promotional events. Blogging are encouraged on the Musa blogs as well as on others. We also create and develop marketing campaigns—like our press packages going out this week for the release of Homer Eon Flint's The Flying Bloodhound—to tighten focus and attention upon Musa.


It’s the old adage at Musa: give a man a fish, he can eat for a day…teach the man to fish he can eat for a lifetime. We are taking the time to teach and work with the authors how to best promote themselves. Some Musa authors are promo machines and just hand us a list of sites to send their ARCS to; for others, this is their first book and they haven’t even opened a facebook account yet let alone a blog or website.

Every author's promotions experience is different because each author needs something different from us. And as Musa grows and develops financially, so will our advertising dollars.


I am certain I am forgetting somethings but should you have any other questions please feel free to post them here or you are welcome to PM me.
 

happywritermom

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Thanks for taking the time to give such a detailed and thorough answer Dominique.
I agree.
Teaching writers to promote and market themselves is a smart investment for both the publisher and the writer. It sounds like Musa's promotion and marketing goals are reasonable and achievable.
I really do hope Musa makes it and makes it big.
You're good people.
 

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Hello, Dominique. Thanks for explaining that for us: but it looks to me like all you're doing is sending out review copies and teaching your authors how to network online. Which is good and all, but it's only a small part of the marketing and promotions that in my experience is required to effectively sell books in decent quantity.

Are you forging contacts with newspapers, radio stations, book clubs and the like, so that all your authors can benefit? If your authors have to do this for themselves, there's no ongoing link with Musa itself, no relationship develops, and the benefit of each contact is much more transitory.

I understand that as an e-publisher your sales will pretty much all be made online, and so your marketing efforts are concentrated on online arenas: what innovative steps are you taking to help your authors promote their books? Blogs, websites, social networking: it's all been done, and while it will generate some sales it's not new and fresh. Are you contacting other appropriate online organisations (for example, off the top of my head, and with very little thought behind it: reenactment societies for the historical fiction that you're selling) or is all that up to your authors?

And what are you doing, if anything, to make your books more visible in online bookshops and reader-related sites like Goodreads and Library Thing?
 

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Hi Dominique. Since I live on the West Coast, I'm late to the game and, as usual, Jane asked everything that was on the tip of my tongue. The one thing that continues to clang in my head is how you can possibly do justice to 400 books. Whether they're novels, shorts, or re-releases, they all have to be marketed and promoted. The sheer volume requires a huge amount of time and money.

It's great that you're working with your authors on how to navigate social media, but what most people don't realize is how long it takes to establish an online presence. Whenever querying authors tell me they're "going to set up a website, FB page, and blog," I tell them it's too late. Additionally, with the popularity of social media, there is a huge amount of white noise. How do your circumvent that?

Almost daily, promo opportunities are posted/provided to the authors that we arrange-- from blog hops, interviews, radio interviews, newspaper interviews, live chats, and Musa Promotional events.
This is a little unclear. Do you get those radio and newspaper interviews for your authors, or do you show them how to do it? I'm confused because you say that promo opportunities are posted to the authors. Is it more like a bulletin board that says, "KCBS is looking to fill a time slot with an author for the Ben and Jerry Show, so be sure to send in your cover letter."?

Or do radio stations contact you requesting an interview with a specific author? And does this happen on a regular basis? I'm trying to figure out whether you send TIP sheets and cover letters to radio stations, or tell authors how to do this.

For instance, we are heavily into radio, local TV, and newsprint. They know about us because we have running ads for our releases in RTIR (Radio Television Interview Report), and we send ARCs, TIP sheets, and cover letters to all the newspapers. The problem for an e-publisher is that all those venues ask for a physical book. Do you print up galleys for this purpose?

Do you advertise in RTIR (Radio Television Interview Report)? If so, how do you afford the costs for so many authors? How do you go about contacting newspapers around the country? Sending a TIP sheet and cover letter is good, but what about the follow up? That takes lots of time, and I can't imagine how you can accomplish this for such a huge number of authors.

If you're showing your authors how to navigate the radio and newspaper, then they should be aware that only the author's local newspaper, TV, and radio may bite because we've found most of these venues ignore cover letters from the authors.

Please know that my questions aren't meant to be provocative. I'm merely trying to wrap my head around how it's possible to do all the things necessary to properly promote your authors. Practicality suggests that you need to lean very heavily on your authors to do much/most of the promotion legwork. And as savvy as a lot of authors are, they don't have the experience or know-how to bring a book to the forefront. That's the publisher's job.
 

Dominique Eastwick

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The one thing that continues to clang in my head is how you can possibly do justice to 400 books. Whether they're novels, shorts, or re-releases, they all have to be marketed and promoted.

It's a team effort with the division being made between genres. And its not all huge releases all the time. Last week we released four books. So that meant I took on two books to promote and Market and the other two were promoted by the other two members of promotions. Close to 30 of the books we released were re-releases for Aurora Regency. These authors I have worked with in the past so there wasn't the learning curve there is with a new release. And I will be the first to admit the 20 some Aurora regency books rereleased opening weekend did not recieve the attention the four new releases did.

I start working with the authors to remarket their books as soon as they sign. The re-releases have to find a new group of readers and have to refind their momentium. Having been through this personally I understand the ins and outs from an authors standing.

It's great that you're working with your authors on how to navigate social media, but what most people don't realize is how long it takes to establish an online presence. Whenever querying authors tell me they're "going to set up a website, FB page, and blog," I tell them it's too late. Additionally, with the popularity of social media, there is a huge amount of white noise. How do your circumvent that?

I respectfully disagree that it's ever too late to get your brand out there, yes it takes time but its never too late. That is part of what we are helping the authors understand the fine line between over promoting and making people want to read what you say.

This is a little unclear. Do you get those radio and newspaper interviews for your authors, or do you show them how to do it? I'm confused because you say that promo opportunities are posted to the authors. Is it more like a bulletin board that says, "KCBS is looking to fill a time slot with an author for the Ben and Jerry Show, so be sure to send in your cover letter."?

Lets see if I can clear this up. I do not set up the radio shows for the authors but I let them know when the contacts I have say they have a slot or two to fill. Many of which I have a long standing relationship with. Some are radio shows contacting me, some are me contacting the radio shows and saying I have authors that might be of interest to your readers. We encourage authors to go directly to their local radio stations and newspapers to get air time as well. One Author was interviewed last week by the BBC, another by a local radio station and a third on a web-radio show.

Yes is it sort of like a bulletin board with any opportunity that comes my way posted for the authors to take advantage of, with contact information of how to get their feet in the door. I also supply a check list of things that will help the author prepare for the radio interviews to make it a smoother process for everyone involved.


Do you advertise in RTIR (Radio Television Interview Report)? If so, how do you afford the costs for so many authors? How do you go about contacting newspapers around the country? Sending a TIP sheet and cover letter is good, but what about the follow up? That takes lots of time, and I can't imagine how you can accomplish this for such a huge number of authors.

We do not advertise at RTIR at the moment. It is the Author's responsiblity to contact their local newspaper. Together we work through the press release before it's sent out by the authors to the papers. If the papers ask to review the book I will sent them an ARC as soon as we have one available.


Please know that my questions aren't meant to be provocative. I'm merely trying to wrap my head around how it's possible to do all the things necessary to properly promote your authors. Practicality suggests that you need to lean very heavily on your authors to do much/most of the promotion legwork. And as savvy as a lot of authors are, they don't have the experience or know-how to bring a book to the forefront. That's the publisher's job.
I take no issue with any of your questions :). I welcome them. We are a small start up publisher, authors coming to us are aware of this and many authors I talk to directly before they sign their contracts. So far, and I can't speak for all of them but they are aware of what will be expected of them and I am aware of what they expect from me. We work together with the author to bring their book to the forefront. It's at team effort. A lot of it is taking the time on Musa's end to find the promotional opportunities and offering them up to the authors. Many of our authors this is their first time publishing so there is a lot to learn about review sites, press releases, social media ediquette. It takes time, I make mistakes and we all stumble but ultimately the time we invest in helping authors to learn the ropes helps us both in the end.

I hope I didn't miss anything in here, please feel free to re-ask anything I might have missed or didn't make quite clear.
 

Dominique Eastwick

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Hello, Dominique. Thanks for explaining that for us: but it looks to me like all you're doing is sending out review copies and teaching your authors how to network online.
Are you forging contacts with newspapers, radio stations, book clubs and the like, so that all your authors can benefit? If your authors have to do this for themselves, there's no ongoing link with Musa itself, no relationship develops, and the benefit of each contact is much more transitory.

Old Hack thank you for your questions,
although a great deal of what we do is obviously what is above, reviews and social media, I apologize if I gave the impression that that is all we do. Yes we have some contacts at radio stations and newspaper all of which we are building as we go and utilizing. Yes the authors need to contact their local newspapers and radio stations as it would be impossible for us to contact them all. But for the larger blogs, newspapers and radio stations I initiate contact with the agency then pass along the information I have to the authors.

I understand that as an e-publisher your sales will pretty much all be made online, and so your marketing efforts are concentrated on online arenas: what innovative steps are you taking to help your authors promote their books? Blogs, websites, social networking: it's all been done, and while it will generate some sales it's not new and fresh. Are you contacting other appropriate online organisations (for example, off the top of my head, and with very little thought behind it: reenactment societies for the historical fiction that you're selling) or is all that up to your authors?

Again it’s a team effort with the authors, after all the book is their baby and they know it better than anyone else. Here are a few of the examples of what we are doing that is outside the box. (Though I will be honest I can't imagine others aren't doing it) For our Historical fiction novels we are marketing to the museum communities those working at museums and supporters of them, as well as historical buffs. For instance Civil war books will be marketed towards reenactment organizations as well. We have a YA book out that is about a boy with Asperger’s Syndrome so we are marketing it to Autism support groups. And then we ask authors to come up with ideas of where we can market that is off the beaten path. This along with the other venues we usually market to.

We are working to help authors do 'eBook signings’ at places like Barnes and Noble. Trying to come up with strategies for how best to get Nook readers to come in and meet an author at a bookstore. Something I think most E publishers are struggling with.

And what are you doing, if anything, to make your books more visible in online bookshops and reader-related sites like Goodreads and Library Thing?

We encourage the authors to go into these sites and become active as early as possible. Reading and reviewing books in their genres, getting to know their fellow authors. As a new company Musa is still working to build its brand and become more visible.

As I said in the post before this if I missed something please let me know and I will do my best to answer your questions.

Happy Writing.
 

IceCreamEmpress

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Here are a few of the examples of what we are doing that is outside the box.
None of the examples you give are "outside the box" at all. Every Big Six publisher, for instance, does this stuff as a matter of course (and has done for the last 20 years). It is excellent that you are working these angles, but so is everyone else.
 

Cyia

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We encourage the authors to go into these sites and become active as early as possible. Reading and reviewing books in their genres, getting to know their fellow authors.

That's an absolute landmine.

Reviewing books in the genre you write, giving opinions on what are basically your contemporaries and competition is either going to come across as shameless flatter and self-promotion through the same (if the reviews are good), or sour grapes and bridge burning (if the reviews are bad).
 

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To be fair, I've published with several of the top e-publishers, and none of them have done more than what Musa is doing according to these posts. Some of them haven't done even as much, to the best of my knowledge.

I share the hesitation a lot of people have about a brand new publisher, but I don't think we can realistically expect a start-up e-pub to do as much as, (or more than!) the Big Six.