"Old" People Writing for Teens V

screenscope · Jun 19, 2019

As an old person with my first YA novel about to be published (in August) what are people's thoughts on getting word out about the book. Social media (FB, Twitter, Instagram), YA bloggers etc?

It is being published by a small UK traditional publisher and will be available world wide in ebook & print, but their promotion budget is small so I will need to take up the reigns myself when the initial launch, publicity and review cycle dies down.

The same publisher bought my first book, but that was an adult novel in a different genre.

Bing Z · Jun 19, 2019

screenscope said:
As an old person with my first YA novel about to be published (in August) what are people's thoughts on getting word out about the book. Social media (FB, Twitter, Instagram), YA bloggers etc?

It is being published by a small UK traditional publisher and will be available world wide in ebook & print, but their promotion budget is small so I will need to take up the reigns myself when the initial launch, publicity and review cycle dies down.

The same publisher bought my first book, but that was an adult novel in a different genre.

Cannot help with the promotion (wish I could). But congratz!!!!!! e-hugz!!!!

Sage · Jun 19, 2019

Will they be sending to NetGalley or other places (bloggers?) for review? As far as social media goes, I'll buy books from people I've met on social media, but they have to be real there or contributing in other ways to the YA writing scene and not just promoting books.

screenscope · Jun 19, 2019

Sage said:
Will they be sending to NetGalley or other places (bloggers?) for review? As far as social media goes, I'll buy books from people I've met on social media, but they have to be real there or contributing in other ways to the YA writing scene and not just promoting books.

I don't know about NetGalley, but they have regular publications and reviewers for their ARCs. I'll ask them, though.

I've built up a reasonable social media following since my first novel, which was an adult time travel thriller, so I'm looking forward to interacting in the YA writing and reading scene, particularly as the new book is the first in a proposed series.

Sonya Heaney · Jun 19, 2019

screenscope said:
As an old person with my first YA novel about to be published (in August) what are people's thoughts on getting word out about the book. Social media (FB, Twitter, Instagram), YA bloggers etc?

It is being published by a small UK traditional publisher and will be available world wide in ebook & print, but their promotion budget is small so I will need to take up the reigns myself when the initial launch, publicity and review cycle dies down.

The same publisher bought my first book, but that was an adult novel in a different genre.

Do you have a cover or title to share yet? (Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the one you're using here is your other book). I'd start by uploading the new cover on Absolute Write. Are you writing under the same name? I found you on Amazon and Goodreads, but didn't see a listing for your upcoming book. You have some great Goodreads reviews for the first book, including five stars from a very picky friend of mine who uses the site, so you did something right the first time around!

People always love giveaways. Goodreads charges for them now

rolleyes

, but you can do them on LibraryThing and BookLikes. I have NO idea how Amazon giveaways work, but you can do them there, too.

NetGalley is a huge help, but apparently very expensive for individual authors if their publisher doesn't use it.

Find some blogs that will host a feature about your new book. If you're writing for a YA audience maybe check out the social media they use (Tumblr, for example). I've never bought a book based on Twitter promotion; I don't think that's a very helpful avenue.

Is your next book Australian-themed? I saw your other book was and got excited - I write Australian historical fiction!

screenscope · Jun 19, 2019

Sonya Heaney said:
Do you have a cover or title to share yet? (Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the one you're using here is your other book). I'd start by uploading the new cover on Absolute Write. Are you writing under the same name? I found you on Amazon and Goodreads, but didn't see a listing for your upcoming book. You have some great Goodreads reviews for the first book, including five stars from a very picky friend of mine who uses the site, so you did something right the first time around!

People always love giveaways. Goodreads charges for them now rolleyes, but you can do them on LibraryThing and BookLikes. I have NO idea how Amazon giveaways work, but you can do them there, too.

NetGalley is a huge help, but apparently very expensive for individual authors if their publisher doesn't use it.

Find some blogs that will host a feature about your new book. If you're writing for a YA audience maybe check out the social media they use (Tumblr, for example). I've never bought a book based on Twitter promotion; I don't think that's a very helpful avenue.

Is your next book Australian-themed? I saw your other book was and got excited - I write Australian historical fiction!

Hi Sonya and thanks for the comments.

The cover is only days away from completion, as the publisher's graphic designer (who did the TimeStorm cover), is hopefully incorporating my latest suggestions, so I'll put it up as soon as it's finished. I only learned the August release date yesterday, so I'm waiting for all the ducks to align before getting the word out.

I did a couple of Goodreads giveaways (when they were free), but although they added a lot of people to the book's to-read list, I thought they were a waste of time in terms of sales. I'll look at the other options you mentioned, though.

The new book is about an English schoolgirl and a teen alien girl and is mostly set in space, so it's very different!

Sage · Jun 20, 2019

to OPWFT, Sonya & screenscope

screenscope · Jun 21, 2019

Sage said:
to OPWFT, Sonya & screenscope

Thanks, Sage. Nice to be here!

Sage · Jun 21, 2019

For anybody who's missed it, The Beta Project is live (in Novels)

Netz · Jun 21, 2019

Ooh, I wondered if you were going to be doing the Beta Project at all this year, Sage. I'm working on a WIP at the moment, so I'll probably enter (it would be foolish not to, given how helpful it is, plus it gives me an incentive to crack on with things). Cheers! :Thumbs:

Sage · Jun 21, 2019

This will be the first year I'm not entering, since I really have nothing I could enter with right now. I made an attempt at working on my SF from a couple of years ago, but it didn't go far. Although the part I worked on would affect the entry, and since nobody actually has beta'd it....

Bookgirl2021 · Jun 22, 2019

Oooh, tempting. Does it matter if I use something I've used in the BP before (like, 2-3 years ago (I think))? I've made some pretty significant changes since then....

Sage · Jun 22, 2019

It doesn’t matter to me. Might to folks potentially requesting if they remember it. But several entries in the past few years have been repeats.

Sage · Jun 22, 2019

Well, I have to say that Audible just impressed me. I had listened to half of a 23-hr book that I downloaded back in February, but I was not enjoying it, and really felt like I had wasted my credit (which at least was worth $15, not $32 like the normal audiobook price). But, despite how much I had struggled through and the length of time I had the book, it was a simple couple of clicks on the Audible site to return the book and use the credit for something else.

Audiobooks are too much of a commitment to get through to listen to ones that are making me annoyed (especially when there are 12 hours left). Now that I know I have this option, the only thing keeping me from doing it in the future will probably be the time I put into the book until I start wondering if I should DNF.

KiwiLady · Jun 24, 2019

I was just thinking about the Beta Project and wondering if there was going to be one this year. Strange that I come here and find that it's all set up and going (or maybe its always at this time of year and the cold southern hemisphere winter makes me think of it?). I won't be entering this year either, but I'll do some critiquing. I've jumped ship and decided to self publish a series that I wrote the first book for a couple of years ago. I've written the rest of the series (a novella and two novels) this year and I'll be releasing the books a month apart starting in September. Book three goes to the editor at the beginning of August and I just don't have anything else I can enter the BP with. Looking forward to seeing what everyone else is working on, though!

CoffeeBeans · Jun 25, 2019

Welcome new folks! Nice to see people out and about in the thread :hooray:

A new Beta Project?! This has made my day! I love the Beta Project so much, and the sub deadline is my birthday? Great! Sage, you're a wonder.

Kiwi, you should update that sig of yours with a link to your pretty new book

BookGirl, I put in an MS as an alpha, and again as a beta in the BP, and no one has seemed to mind it. Go for it!

KiwiLady · Jun 26, 2019

CoffeeBeans said:
Kiwi, you should update that sig of yours with a link to your pretty new book

Coffeebeans - I did what you suggested but it took waaaay longer than it should have (technically challenged) and was probably time that would have been better spent beta reading a manuscript or something...

CoffeeBeans · Jun 28, 2019

Well worth it, Kiwi. Definitely!

Is anyone doing July's Camp Nano? I'm not in a cabin yet, and I am planning on joining, but......

Sage · Jun 29, 2019

Your birthday is Fourth of July, CB? I didn't know that!

Okay, guys, I've let the Beta Project inspire me to actually work on a novel I've been meaning to return to, so I guess i have to enter now

It's always good to have me in there as a wild card, anyway. It's been entered before (and then I abandoned it, so still not finished).

CoffeeBeans · Jul 1, 2019

It is! All those fireworks, just for me.

Also, I swear I will send an entry your way. I'm still poking it with a stick.

KiwiLady · Jul 1, 2019

CoffeeBeans said:
Also, I swear I will send an entry your way. I'm still poking it with a stick.

Coffeebeans - send two entries. You have the work there waiting to go...

Sage · Jul 1, 2019

KiwiLady said:
Coffeebeans - send two entries.

It is tradition...

Netz · Jul 1, 2019

Exactly what I thought, too! :greenie

CoffeeBeans · Jul 2, 2019

Wow you all know me too well! Maybe I should mix things up this year... (I do have plenty of MSs laying around. Why only two?) :roll:

Netz · Jul 2, 2019

KiwiLady said:
Coffeebeans - I did what you suggested but it took waaaay longer than it should have (technically challenged) and was probably time that would have been better spent beta reading a manuscript or something...

Your novella cover looks great! Is Book 1 the Robin Hood ms I did a beta read for a few years ago? If so, ooh, there are sequels? Fab news!

"Old" People Writing for Teens V

screenscope

Bing Z

illiterate primate

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

screenscope

Sonya Heaney

screenscope

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

screenscope

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

Netz

Freshly caught writing bug lives!

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

Bookgirl2021

"If I had a heart, I'd give it to you."

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

KiwiLady

CoffeeBeans

KiwiLady

CoffeeBeans

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

CoffeeBeans

KiwiLady

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

Netz

Freshly caught writing bug lives!

CoffeeBeans

Netz

Freshly caught writing bug lives!