What Makes for a Good In-Person Promotion? (Authors)
April 22, 2018, 05:45 PM Writing Permalink
Have any other authors out there ever been invited to or
heard about an author event somewhere within driving distance, which boasts
there will be five, ten, maybe twenty authors at an indie bookstore or some such
place, so you signed up. You watched as the event posted dozens of times on Facebook,
you shared all the posts with your own followers (as if they didn’t have your
books already) you loaded up your book stock, drove over, and then spent most
of the day chatting with other authors while everyone collectively sold an
average of half a book per person?
I’ve only published one book (although I have two new novelettes coming in May), and I still have lots to learn
about book promoting, but I’ve tried a lot in the way of live appearances. I’ve
self organized book signings at book stores and once in a coffee shop, I’ve
participated in a small bookstore’s “author day” with several authors. I’ve
been to a special author event featuring more than 50 authors in the fourth
largest city in the country, and yet in my experience, as an essentially unknown
author, results have been less-than-encouraging.
Now, maybe you’re thinking, I don’t have the personality to
generate interest and sales, that I’m too introverted, not engaging people.
However, I’ve also tried my hand at pop-culture events such as comic-cons,
places most attendees aren’t coming to find authors and books, and at some of these
events, I’ve sold boxes of my novel. I’d even go as far as to say that I can
turn about one in five people who slow down long enough to be spoken to into a
sale at such events - not a bad batting average in my opinion.
So I have to ask, why do I have such poor results with book
events, and so much better results at events where books are at best one small
part of a much bigger focus on pop-culture and entertainment? Is it simply a
number’s game? Perhaps. The author event with 50 of us word crafters only drew
in 300 people, even in a huge city, while a comic-con, in a city less than half
the size can pull in 30,000. Is success dependent merely on the quantity of foot
traffic?
My intuition leads me to think the attendees of a specific
book event come ready to purchase several books, while most the comic-con-goers,
as I mentioned before, weren’t even expecting to see authors peddling their
works when they showed up in their costumes. I suppose you can’t account for
the quality of the product, at least not until you go buy and read my novel
(wink, wink) but I wonder if the issue is more one of how routine and avid
readers behave in the first place?
Reading is more solitary and less flashing than the other
kinds of entertainment out there. Is merely speaking to authors and seeing a
bunch of them sitting around waiting to sign books not enough of an event to
get readers out of the house? Do we need to start including live bands,
acrobats, or celebrities in our author gatherings in order to elevate them to
event status?
Another difference maker I’ve noticed is that at comic-con
sort of events I’m usually able to sit in on or host some sort of short
discussion or panel. I get to stand in front of a few people and talk, either
about my material or about general genre topics. This activity has translated
to a handful of readers heading over to find me and buy my book afterwards.
However, I’ve also gone to a huge book festival which held a tight schedule of
15 minute talks by authors in blocks of four hours straight over the entire
weekend, and then watched as one after the other authors stood and gave talks
to a dozen empty chairs, or maybe to eleven empty chairs and the next author in
line who was waiting their turn.
So I ask, what makes for a good live appearance? Is it a
must that some other, crowd-drawing activity be included? Is it a must that we
authors are given time to speak, at least in panels? Does every author event
simply need big name author signings, so we lesser-known authors can hope to
draw a few sales as the under-card? Or is it out of our hands, where how the
event promotes itself is the real difference?
Comments
Classic Review: The Great God Pan
May 29, 2017, 08:45 AM PermalinkI came across the short story, The Great God Pan as I was preparing a few of my own horror shorts for submission to publishers. I'd also seen it recommended in an article by Steven King. Thus, I picked up a copy to give it a read. I was not disappointed.
The story was disjoint, following several different characters in a few different places and jumping time. I found the tell of the story similar to Bram Stoker's Dracula, drawing from several sources to compile one story line, though it that story isn't given to us readers sequentially. I enjoyed the book, and as is needed for such a disjoint presentation, all the parts came together in the end to a satisfying conclusion. The characters were interesting, though I'll note the characters we follow were not particularly diverse.
My only issue with the novel would be the clarity of characters. In fact, I was thoroughly confused by the last chapter, as to what character we had returned too, and I couldn't grasp the story climax without knowing. I read it twice and ended up having to go look up online which character was narrating the last chapter. What I found was the last chapter had three distinct sections, each with its own narrator, each a return to a previous character. With that knowledge, It all made since.
I was satisfied with the end, and the copy I got of the story was many times removed from the story's original publication. I suspect, the story has aged to public domain, and I believe the publisher took some short cuts to get the story on fewer pages. Thus, I don't know if a better-formatted edition might not have left me confused on that last chapter. As a result, I don't feel right to rate the story lower because of this narrator confusion issue. You get the benefit of the doubt Mr. Machen, five stars.
The story was disjoint, following several different characters in a few different places and jumping time. I found the tell of the story similar to Bram Stoker's Dracula, drawing from several sources to compile one story line, though it that story isn't given to us readers sequentially. I enjoyed the book, and as is needed for such a disjoint presentation, all the parts came together in the end to a satisfying conclusion. The characters were interesting, though I'll note the characters we follow were not particularly diverse.
My only issue with the novel would be the clarity of characters. In fact, I was thoroughly confused by the last chapter, as to what character we had returned too, and I couldn't grasp the story climax without knowing. I read it twice and ended up having to go look up online which character was narrating the last chapter. What I found was the last chapter had three distinct sections, each with its own narrator, each a return to a previous character. With that knowledge, It all made since.
I was satisfied with the end, and the copy I got of the story was many times removed from the story's original publication. I suspect, the story has aged to public domain, and I believe the publisher took some short cuts to get the story on fewer pages. Thus, I don't know if a better-formatted edition might not have left me confused on that last chapter. As a result, I don't feel right to rate the story lower because of this narrator confusion issue. You get the benefit of the doubt Mr. Machen, five stars.
Classic Book Review: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
May 22, 2017, 08:23 AM Review, Writing PermalinkGiven the reach and influence The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy has had into pop culture, along with the admiration many of my friends have had for the series since we were young teens, I expected this book to be well suited to my taste and a pleasure to read. Unfortunately, perhaps my expectations were too high.
While there were a few gems of imagination and pure oddity which rightfully belong in the larger pop-culture and literary canon of references, there were so many details which were weird, seemingly just for the sake of being weird, that the actual plot was drug to a glacial pace.
Furthermore, I found that the non-sequiturs humor, which I admit is perfectly in line with many great works of entertainment from the same era of UK humor, rarely landed for me, and again the jokes were so numerous they proved a huge distraction from the plot. One caveat I'll add, however, is that I can see where I might have found the rambling humor and saturation of visual oddity, a bit more appealing if I were 13 years old.
I had planned to read the entire series, and in fact, I bought all five books, but now I'm don't feel what I got out of this book warrants putting its successors at the top of my reading list.
While there were a few gems of imagination and pure oddity which rightfully belong in the larger pop-culture and literary canon of references, there were so many details which were weird, seemingly just for the sake of being weird, that the actual plot was drug to a glacial pace.
Furthermore, I found that the non-sequiturs humor, which I admit is perfectly in line with many great works of entertainment from the same era of UK humor, rarely landed for me, and again the jokes were so numerous they proved a huge distraction from the plot. One caveat I'll add, however, is that I can see where I might have found the rambling humor and saturation of visual oddity, a bit more appealing if I were 13 years old.
I had planned to read the entire series, and in fact, I bought all five books, but now I'm don't feel what I got out of this book warrants putting its successors at the top of my reading list.
How Long Did It Take You to Write?
September 27, 2016, 09:27 AM Writing PermalinkThough my first novel has been out for only a year, I’ve already noticed there are a few questions that seem to arise over and over again from the prospective readers I meet while promoting the book. “Where’d you get the idea?” “Is it a series?” “Where is it set?” All are straightforward questions which are easy enough to answer. I believe, going forward as an author, I should expect to answer those same questions every time I step out into the world intending to push my stories onto the public. But then there’s another frequent question: “How long did it take you to write,” which isn’t quite so straightforward to answer. If you’re an author, is this one you hear often?
It’s not that I can’t remember when I first sat down and opened that new Word file which would become my manuscript, or that I can’t calculate the length of time between then and when the book came out. That’s simple. The difficulty in answering is in the implication the question gives of the asker. It is almost certain that they have an idea they’ve been harboring for their own novel, but have actually written little or nothing of it, and they’re trying to gain perspective on the work ahead of them if they move forward with it. Like a person standing at the bottom of a big hill, shouting to another who’s standing on top: “How far is it up?”
Knowing that a mountain of work lies ahead when one undertakes writing a novel, I feel obligated not to mislead a prospective writer, nor do I want to dissuade them. Writing a novel is likely to be measured in months and years, not days and weeks. On top of that, for a first time author, after they’ve finished they’ll likely spend more months, if not over a year hunting for a publisher, and should they find one, their publisher will likely spend months, if not a year, preparing the material and the book’s marketing before it is finally released.
That said, not all months are created equal. One author might spend 18 months writing their novel, but still be working a day-job at the same time, while another author might spend 6 months writing their novel, working on the book full-time. Sometimes the writing process involves waiting time. An author might finish a draft and have to put it down for a few weeks, or a few months, to return to it with fresh eyes. An author might also be using the services of an editor or a critiquing group between drafts, and be subject to weeks or a month, waiting for those notes, before digging in on the next draft.
I am personally working away on my next novel, with the intent of working on it full-time, but I find that having another book already out means organizing and traveling to personal appearances every few weeks, interviews, blogging and keeping up with social media to cultivate my audience, plus reading and reviewing fellow authors, which all take time. Thus, even full-time writing only allows for a part-time schedule of actually composing the words on the pages of my next manuscript. All of this makes telling that eager but inexperienced writer “a year,” “eighteen months,” “two years,” at best incomplete answers.
“How long did it take you to write?” Recently, I’ve stumbled on a relatively simple way to answer which fellow authors might find helpful to respond effectively, and which might truly impart accurate perspective to the asker. Measure the effort in hours.
I spent about 1,500 hours on my first novel, from page one of my first draft through the end of the polished manuscript that actually found me a publisher. (Though that is not the end of the process, mind you.)
Of course every author and every project are different, but now the prospective author can calculate a realistic approximation. If they can spend 40 hours a week on their manuscript, they might expect about 8 or 9 months for writing a novel similar in length to mine. If they can spend 50 or 60 hours a week, they might cut that down. If they work full-time elsewhere and raise a family, and can only spare 10 hours a week, they might realistically expect the project to take 3 years. In any case, hopefully the process will streamline with successive books.
To all you prospective authors, it’s a lot of work. I hope this helps. Good luck.
To all you established authors, how do you answer this question?
Originally Posted on "Marilyn's Musings" blog, March, 2015.
The Seed of a Story
September 15, 2016, 09:21 AM Originality, Story Idea, Writing Permalink
It’s a none-to-uncommon
question for authors, “where did you get the idea for your book?” But it’s not
always an easy question to answer. I wonder if we can do a little better?
For me, I have many
ideas swimming around in my head. Sometimes it’s a character, but I’m not sure
where I’ll use them. Other times it’s a setting, a plot twist, or just a moment
of intensity all without corresponding context. Once in a while, with a little
luck, a bunch of these ideas come together and form something bigger, a
foundation. Who’s to say which of that cluster was first, or even where it came
from?
With my recently
released novel, “Until the Sun Rises – One Night in Drake Mansion,” I similarly
can’t put my figure on any single element as having spawned the rest of my
tangled web. However, I can recall the
very first scene from the story I began developing.
The majority of the
novel is set in the present, but a portion takes place in the past. The first
past section involves a mysterious, secret, and very thematically dark magic
show which adds to the mystery set in the present with a parallel mystery to
unfold in the past. Essentially, it’s a tangential story line, a secondary
mystery that draws the reader to learn about certain characters pertaining to
the primary mystery and plot. It adds character depth, intrigue, and plot
layers. Of course the two plotlines intersect explosively, but it’s interesting
in retrospect for the secondary plotline to have been the genesis of the main
story, converse to what one might expect.
This magic show
moment and its characters were first. From there, I created scenes to give
readers background on the characters, to get you acquainted. Next, I developed
plot that puts the characters into that moment. After that, I developed
additional scenes to give that moment direct consequence, and more to show
readers what those characters do after that moment, how it impacted them. With this thread woven, I stepped back and
asked, “how can I make this even deeper, even more consequential, intriguing,
captivating?” The answer came with adding what eventually became the primary
plotline, which underwent it’s own similar development.
Returning to the
question, “where did you get the idea?” It feels like I just had that first
moment in my head. Did I see a weird magic show that made it dawn on me? Not
that I recall? Did I base the characters on something I saw, read, or heard? I
don’t think so. In fact, I believe I invented the scene and the character
specifically because I’d never seen anything like that scene before. The rest
was created to give others a chance to find it as interesting as I did.
Perhaps in the future
I’ll read an article and it will directly inspire a new story. Certainly that
occurs with non-fiction, and I can imagine the same for fiction - where a real
life story inspires a similar, but even more intriguing scenario. That just
hasn’t been my experience. In the mean time, perhaps a better go-to question
for authors is, “what part of your story did you explore first?” This might cut
to the desired incite into the creative process even faster.
Authors, what part of
your story did you explore first?
Originally Posted at the "Omni Mystery Blog," June, 2015.My First Vonnegut Experience, Though Likely Not My Last.
May 26, 2016, 09:26 AM Criticism, Writing PermalinkI've always been familiar with Vonnegut's name but not particularly versed in his material. I'd seen the movie based on his novel Mother Night, but outside of knowing a few titles, seeing his cameo in Back to School, and of course his connection with the University of Iowa, that was the extent of my familiarity. However, recently I'd encountered an intriguing, simple and playful, yet deep quote from Cat's Cradle. I felt it was time I gave Vonnegut a read and I was not disappointed.
The voice with which the book is authored is often playful, lighthearted, and downright fun, but the story itself bare quite biting criticism of many of society's driving forces - government and religion to name a few. Vonnegut eases into his opinions backhandedly and with an essentially neutral protagonist who is merely a victim of happenstance, landing readers on yet another drawback of such institutions before you know it.
The story of the book, my personal litmus test, starts with a very average seeming Joe. He's a writer and I suspect not-so-dissimilar to Vonnegut himself, conducting research for a novel. Along the way he encounters other seemingly unimportant characters, though by the end the narrator and almost every character along the way end up playing a role in what is essentially the end of the world. A master class is "raising the stakes" if every there was one. Undoubtedly Vonnegut's criticisms would not have been so palatable without the playful and surprising vehicle of this intriguing plot.
My only woe with Cat Cradle is that I didn't read it sooner.
The voice with which the book is authored is often playful, lighthearted, and downright fun, but the story itself bare quite biting criticism of many of society's driving forces - government and religion to name a few. Vonnegut eases into his opinions backhandedly and with an essentially neutral protagonist who is merely a victim of happenstance, landing readers on yet another drawback of such institutions before you know it.
The story of the book, my personal litmus test, starts with a very average seeming Joe. He's a writer and I suspect not-so-dissimilar to Vonnegut himself, conducting research for a novel. Along the way he encounters other seemingly unimportant characters, though by the end the narrator and almost every character along the way end up playing a role in what is essentially the end of the world. A master class is "raising the stakes" if every there was one. Undoubtedly Vonnegut's criticisms would not have been so palatable without the playful and surprising vehicle of this intriguing plot.
My only woe with Cat Cradle is that I didn't read it sooner.