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You are here: Home / Archives for public relations and your book

San Diego State University Writers Conference – 2010 some things I learned

March 10, 2010 by Patricia Brooks

Some Things I Learned at the

 

San Diego State University

 

  

Writers Conference – 2010

 

  

and more things I know and share with you!

 

Patricia L. Brooks, author, writer, speaker, publishing consultant, faculty  www.plbrooks.com www.blog.brooksgoldmannpublishing.com

“Connecting readers to authors is the Primary Goal” here for this weekend!

TAKING A LOOK AT PUBLISHING:

·         You must have a good concept and/or a great story first.

o   Readers have a lot to choose from and demand good work.

·         You must have good writing skills.

o   Readers are an educated and intellectual – give them what they want!

·         You must know the market – our readers are a savvy bunch.

o   Research with interviews, online, library sources and personal observation.

·         You cannot quit – be resilient and persevere.

o   If you write, you have to write.

·         You must be open to suggestions from various sources.

o   The best information comes from surprising voices – be open.

·         You must be professional in all you do.

o   Do not take short cuts; take time to do it correctly up front.

·         You must be genuine in the writing and promotion.

o   You get what you give out, give it your all.

TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR MANUSCRIPT:

·         It must be clean and revised several times before the editing process.

o   Don’t throw your book together in haste, show the editor respect.

·         It must be enough for a book – consider first a short story.

o   Take a hard look at your topic then do your outline and table of contents.

·         It must be more than a regional piece if you have lofty goals.

o   Honor our global society and allow yourself all the opportunities out there.

·         It needs goals, objectives and strategies in a well written plan.

o   Write out the steps you will take to your destination and the action needed.

·         It needs an author who is willing to take risks to make it a success.

o   Remember launching a book means always believing in your project.

·         It needs to find a place beyond its initial comfort level on your blog.

o   Respect the audience is looking for what you have to say – so say it!

TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR MARKETING:

·         Research every aspect of the niche, primary and secondary markets.

o   Understand you have readers you may be unaware of, give it some thought.

·         Prepare a synopsis of the book chapter by chapter.

o   Be prepared to share your work when called upon by an agent or the media.

·         Write an Author’s Platform for your book – regardless of genre and topic.

o    See my blog for a sample – a good practice for all of us!

·         Prepare a Book Proposal – regardless of how you plan to publish.

o    Decide if it will be independently or traditionally – this helps you get organized!

·         Always have a couple of fully revised chapters ready for review.

o   Remember, somebody may agree to do a peer review for you – be ready.

·         Develop a full Marketing Plan – this is your product.

o   Request this outline from me and get started; no one else will do it for you.

·         Read reviews of books currently coming out regardless of genre.

o   Peruse the newspapers everyday – you will learn from these commentaries.

·         Compare your book to current titles to know where to position your book.

o   Don’t be afraid of the 300 books published every day – just be ready.

·         Determine immediately what is unique and different about your book.

o   Practice your 30 second commercial so it rolls off your tongue easily.

·         Extol the virtues of your book and how it will entertain, inform or educate the reader.

o   Do something to be competitive – readers want value for their time.

·         Toot your own horn – no one else will do it as well as you will.

o   Forget shyness – you are now promoting a product and yourself.

·         Be fully aware of who is the reader/buyer of your book.

o   Do surveys, interviews or give away chapters for feedback to learn more.

·         Be very clear on the angle and/or twist of the book.

o   Be sure it is clear to you, so it is even clearer for the reader – keep it simple.

·         Be unwavering on why we “need” to buy your book and read it.

o   Remember you want readers to read the book and tell their friends about it.

·         Be absolutely sure of where the “hole” is that you can fill in the market.

o   Address this quickly, step back and take a strong approach to your plan.

TAKING A LOOK AT A MARKET ANALYSIS:

·         Who is the true audience for this book?

o   Is it broader than first anticipated; has a new trend come to light?

·         How big is that audience?

o   What are the demographics, the statistics to back your information?

·         Who is the target market for the book?

o   Have you considered all options for the first line of readers?

·         How will you find them?

o   Are they online, in bookstores, at events, in organizations or in corporations?

·         Are you being brutally honest with yourself about your market impact?

o   Is there more that you can do to make yourself successful?

·         What genre will this book fall into first?

o   Have you had a peer review to be sure you are seeing the big picture?

·         Where will bookstores shelve this book for the best sales?

o   Peruse bookstores and visualize your book on the shelves and ask booksellers.

·         Are you willing to role play your approach to bookstores?

o   Practice with a book seller; tell them your book will be out soon.  Take notes.

·         Do you have all the questions and objectives, all the answers prepared?

o   Practice dealing with “no” and with “yes” – anticipate the situation.

·         Do you understand the market trends playing a part in your book launch?

o   Read the newspaper – research online – understand the book business now.

TAKING A LOOK AT THE PR/MARKETING PLATFORM:

·         How will you create “Book Buzz” – word-of-mouth FREE marketing?

o   Can you write a Hot 100 Hit List of close friends and contacts?

·         How will you share your expertise to enhance your book’s PR?

o   Do you have a credibility statement on yourself?

·         How have you become an authority in your writing?

o   Why did you choose your topic?  What made you knowledgeable?

·         Are you willing to speak to groups with your book?

o   Be preparing a talk – even 20 minutes for a non-profit to boost sales.

·         Are you willing to blog faithfully about your writing or your book?

o   Be keeping a log of blogging ideas that relate to your topics.

·         Do you have a current bio, website and/or business card to enhance your image/PR?

o   Start collecting these from other authors and visualizing the same for you.

·         What is the angle you will use to get good PR immediately?

o   Review PR and media releases on other author websites in your genre.

·         What is distinctive about you and your book that would make for good PR?

o   Begin journaling while writing the book or promoting it – talk to yourself.

·         Do you have a critique partner you trust to read all your PR/marketing materials?

o   Join a writers group and critique group – trust other writers.

·         Are you willing to attend writing/publishing conferences to improve yourself?

o   Do at least one or two a year – and be a writer/author.

·         Do you read at least a dozen or more books a year in your genre?

o   Read to write – no excuses; if you don’t read, your readers won’t read either.

·         Are you willing to show your passion for your book by doing all of the above?

o   Pace yourself – pick three for the first month and add as you go – good luck.

GENERAL REMINDERS FOR ALL OF US:

·         Think of your book as a business or commercial entity.

·         Pick a subject you have expertise in and write on it with fierce abandon.

·         Inform yourself on how many books are written on your topic.

·         Create an audience for yourself.

·         Understand what your book means for other people.

·         Study “smaller” competition too – not just the best seller list.

·         Write what you know.

·         Listen to advice you hear again and again.

·         Trust your writer’s path, the stories that haunt you, the unique stories.

·         Believe these stories pick you; you are here for a reason, so write to some degree daily.

ENJOY – AND HAPPY WRITING – PATRICIA

Filed Under: Blogroll, brooks goldmann publishing, business consultation, conferences, marketing consultation, PUBLISHING PICKS, WRITING TIPS FOR YOU Tagged With: agents, author's platform, book buzz, book proposals, editing, editors, independently publish, marketing your book, public relations and your book, publishing, San Diego State Univ writers conference, traditional publishing, viral marketing and your book, writing

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