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- Column - From the Trenches - |
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March 21, 2000 Is There Life After Publication?By Susan McBride Author of And Then She Was Gone Before I was published, I thought the hardest thing about being a writer was getting a contract. As if just completing a danged manuscript - a good manuscript - wasn’t labor enough. When And Then She Was Gone was published, I figured the hard part was over. Ha! Publication, I quickly discovered, was a four letter word: W-O-R-K. In the year since GONE’s official publication date of May 1999, I’ve worked my proverbial tail off to make sure copies were selling and not just gathering dust in my publisher’s warehouse. In this day and age with so much competition, I knew it would be tough going for a first-timer with a small press, with limited distribution and a marketing budget of zilch. Name recognition sells books, and I didn’t have that either, nor did I have a publicist or agent to give me tips. So using my own creativity and wits, I set about promoting GONE without losing the shirt off my back in the process. The result of my efforts: A nibble from an LA production company, an invitation to contribute to an anthology to be published by Tarcher Putnam in January of 2001, and a nearly sold-out first print run. Okay, so a few thousand books isn’t much compared to the big guys, but I’ve been told it’s not bad for a small fish in a very big pond (and, as far as I’m concerned, it’s only the beginning). The tactics I used can be applied to any size print run and most of the cost involved is supplies and postage. (Heavy on the postage.) It just takes a little ingenuity and a lot of sweat. Even if you’re not published yet, it can’t hurt to consider what’s ahead of you. Here are the basics: 1. Make Up a Mailing List - Begin this well before the date of your book’s release. I started mine a good year or so prior to the release of And Then She Was Gone. Go through your personal address book of friends and family, but don’t stop there. Include any members of groups to which you belong, such as a college alumni association, sorority sisters/fraternity brothers, athletic clubs and writing associations. Many such clubs have directories you can purchase. Don’t forget your hairdresser, postal worker, bank tellers, co-workers, or anyone else you see regularly and know on a first-name basis. My initial mailing list held around 1,000 names, and I try to keep it updated. Use this list to release a general announcement about the birth of your book. I’ve heard of authors literally sending "birth announcements" with the vital statistics being the page number and cover type. I had postcards made up with my book cover on the front and information about the book on the back. The first batch was done through a Kinko’s store and looked pretty good. One thousand oversized postcards cost me less than $500. I later found out about Modern Postcard , an on-line service that can do this for much less - 500 regular sized postcards were a bit over $100 and are only $65 for a reorder of 500 - and the quality is great. They can also do notecards with your cover art, which is something I’ve done, and I have used them often. The mailing list is also a vital tool for promoting your booksignings. Target those people who live in the vicinity of the bookstore and use your postcards or make up a flyer, if desired. Pass out these by hand when convenient - such as at your aerobics class or your office - and mail the others. Another mystery author, Janis Harrison (ROOTS OF MURDER), has a guest book she uses at signings to expand her mailing list with names and addresses of buyers. Wish I’d thought of that sooner! If I’m signing out of town, I try to make sure I know at least one person in that area and ask them to send me a list of names and addresses of their friends whom I could invite. This has helped ensure buyers at every stop along the signing route. 2. Get Reviewed - Most publishers will send out review copies to Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus, The Library Journal, The New York Times Book Review, as well as to your hometown newspaper. However, in my case, since my publisher is small and basically unknown, GONE was not selected for review in PW, Kirkus or LJ. But I wasn’t about to let that stop me, nor should you. I was determined to get AND THEN SHE WAS GONE some exposure in the mystery world, a genre that my publisher admittedly knew nothing about. So I took on the responsibility of getting GONE reviewed, and I was determined to make the most of it. I actually bought a case of books from Mayhaven on top of the case they gave me to use for promotional purposes. I made a list of reviewers whose names I’d seen in magazines, in the newsletters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Romance Writers of America, as well as on web sites like Cluelass which is a great resource for mystery authors. My greatest luck has been with on-line sites which review books. I’ve found them to be most welcoming to new authors, especially those without brand name publishers. Within months of sending out copies, reviews of AND THEN SHE WAS GONE were popping up on sites like Crescent Blues, Romantic Times, Under The Covers, Inscriptions Magazine, BookBrowser, BookSights, The Charlotte Austin Review, The Mystery Reader, MyShelf.com and About.com Mysteries. About.com featured a nice author bio by Cathy Gallagher, The Mystery Reader ran a New Faces column by Cathy Sova, and Inscriptions Magazine’s Jade Walker did a nice interview. Romantic Times did double-duty, placing the review by Toby Bromberg in both its print edition and on the web. Another print magazine, I Love A Mystery, ran a review by Harriet Klausner, and GONE was mentioned in the New Releases sections of The Mystery Review and Dastardly Deeds, a fun publication edited by Diane Plumley. Several mystery reviewers and a bookseller who subscribe to the large discussion list called DorothyL also posted their opinions of the book there, giving me even more blurbs for my press kit (and scrapbook). What you must do first is to email the web site and get the okay to send your book. The whole process goes more smoothly this way, and it’s always nice to be invited to the party instead of crashing. The "three months prior to publication" time-line is less rigid with most web sites, though being able to provide advanced copies before your book’s release is a bonus (I didn’t have that luxury). Do what you can and don’t worry too much about what you can’t control. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to submit a copy of your book to any reviewer, even those at major magazines. Sure they can ignore it, but you’ll never know if you don’t try. Who knows what could happen? Which reminds me of something else I’ve been told more than once: Even a bad review is better than no review. It gets your name and book title out there, and someone might remember those and not the words of the critic when they’re clicking on Amazon. Which brings me to the next tip: 3. Make Your Book Available Online - Again, generally this is the job of your publisher, but it doesn’t hurt to follow-up. I’ve seen on-line listings with no cover art and no descriptive copy. Small presses are most prone to this problem. All you have to do is get on the net and visit the on-line bookstores. Make sure they have your book available, that everything is accurate and the cover art is displayed. If not, check with your publisher about getting this done or email the author/publisher services department and ask how you can do it yourself. If you have a scanner, this is a piece of cake. If not (like me), most will do it for free, though Amazon does charge for this service. Also, find out about how to submit descriptive copy about your book, including a sample. This gives prospective buyers more to work with when deciding whether or not to buy your book. And tell those who read your book--especially buyers at signings--to give an on-line review if they would. You’ll want to make sure local bookstores carry your title as well, which leads to tip #4. 4. Build a Relationship with Bookstores and Libraries - Don’t just assume that, since your book has been published, every book store in your own city - much less the country - will have it in stock. Not so, especially if you’re published by a small press. It’s your job to make sure the chains and independents in your hometown know the book is being released. And, since you’ll probably want to do some signings anyhow, it’s a good idea to call around and get the names of the CRCs (community relations coordinators), then contact them individually, make an appointment to meet them, and take an advance copy in for them to read. I made up a little promo bag specifically for this purpose. The CRCs will want a chance to take a look at your book, hopefully even read it, before they’ll commit to scheduling an event. In my eyes, that’s a plus. When they know firsthand that your book is good, it’s a great door opener. When the CRC contacts you to set a date, have a calendar in hand and be flexible. Some will ask that you do a reading as well. Others will want you to speak for a few minutes beforehand. This varies from store to store. If there’s something special you can tie in with your book’s promotion - i.e., if your protagonist is a belly dancer, and so are you - share that with the CRC. Hey, this is showbiz, after all. And do pay close attention to the mystery independents. They can be the backbone of your sales, believe it or not. While CRCs in the chains come and go, ownership of the indies typically remains steady. I cannot express enough how important mystery bookstores were (and are) to sales of GONE, especially Big Sleep Books in my own St. Louis, and The Mystery Bookstore in Omaha. Helen Simpson of Big Sleep and Kate Birkel of The Mystery Bookstore backed me up from the start, kept copies in stock, and sold a lot of books for me. Do look up the list of Independent Mystery Bookstore Association (IMBA) and make a point to introduce yourself and your book to these wonderful people. Their support is invaluable. Your area libraries are also wonderful places to showcase your book, don’t forget to touch base with them. Donate a copy of your book so they can get it entered into their system and out into patron’s hands. Some libraries will want you to make a presentation and others will also do signings. Like book stores, each is run a bit differently, because they know what works best for them. Don’t hesitate to volunteer to speak, even if there’ll be no sales afterward. Readers are more likely to buy your book if they’ve met you and feel a connection to you. As far as getting word out about your events, don’t forget to use your mailing list. Many stores and libraries have newsletters available to customers and patrons, but even these won’t generate crowds unless you’re a bestseller. Make sure your metro and community papers are aware of your appearances and don’t be afraid to put up flyers at work or at the gym. Contact local writing groups and any book clubs, especially those affiliated with the libraries or stores. You can’t be bashful when it comes to self-promotion. Inform your local TV news programs about your book and upcoming events. I’ve had good luck with one station in St. Louis and have appeared twice already, once on an afternoon entertainment show and again on the hour-long noon news. Encourage a couple of friends or family members to show up wherever you’re speaking or signing. Even a little crowd is better than none. After your signing, always send a thank you note to the library or bookstore, but don’t let that be the last contact you have with them. Keep in touch by sending copies of reviews or other information regarding your current and future books which may interest them. You must remember that you’re establishing a long-term relationship that should go well beyond the first novel. Be professional, but friendly. Make them eager to have you back when your next book comes out. 5. Network, Network, Network - There’s nothing more important than making contacts in any profession. The same goes for writing. I knew no one in the business before I was published, and now I have enough names to fill a Rolodex. Through interaction with reviewers, on-line web sites and discussion groups, book stores, reporters, readers and writers, you’ll begin to develop a surprisingly large network of contacts. Attending conferences is a good way to begin and will provide great exposure as well, not only for you and your book, but to others in various aspects of publishing. I feel lucky to have made many new friends and acquaintances since the release of And Then She Was Gone. I’ve learned about organizations and on-on-line discussion sites that I never knew existed. There’s a moderate cost to networking, including conference, travel and membership fees. Don’t forget to have business cards made up with your name, book title, and email address and/or phone number. This looks far more professional than writing the information on a napkin. I ordered 500 for about ten bucks at Office Max, and they serve their purpose. Smile, have fun, and try to relax. Everyone else out there is in the same boat as you, so don’t treat it as punishment. Think of it as an opportunity to meet really interesting people, some of whom may become lifelong friends. 6. Advertise a Little - There’s no point in spending your life savings on expensive ads to promote your book when your publisher isn’t. I heard about a St. Martin’s author who blew $40,000 to spread the news about his first novel. I’m not sure how well it worked; but, as I can’t recall his name or the book, I’ll figure not as well as he’d hoped. If you’d like some ad space, but don’t have a lot of dough, there are options out there for you. On-line web sites often have extremely low rates (some as low as $40 quarterly), and genre magazines can be quite reasonable. I’ve chosen two magazines with which to target potential buyers: Mystery Scene and Publisher’s Weekly. The former charges less than $300 for a half-page advertisement. And, to be honest, I wouldn’t have even considered PW except that I get an amazing discount as a member of Sisters in Crime: around $735 instead of $1,600 for a four-color, 1/6 page setup. As it turned out, the PW ad is what caught the eye of the Hollywood production company. 7. Be Prepared - Okay, so I stole this one from the Boy Scouts, but it’s true. Be ready for anything. Keep a few postcards with your book cover in your purse, stow some bookmarks in your coat pocket, and even keep a copy or two of your novel on the backseat. You absolutely never know when you might need to do a little impromptu promotion, so don’t ever be caught with empty hands. I took bookmarks to jury duty and passed them out to readers in the jury room (though one of the clerks wasn’t real happy with me). I’ve gone to a boutique, gotten into a conversation with the owner--who happened to be a closet poet--and passed on a flyer about a booksigning. My dream was always to be an author. Now that I’ve achieved that, I’ve got to do whatever I can to make sure my book sells and that as many people read it as humanly possible. Though I sometimes feel like P.T. Barnum--"Step right up, folks, and see the two-headed mystery author"--I can’t complain. Promoting a book is a lot of hard work and nothing like what I’d imagined (still waiting for those calls from Jay Leno and Oprah), but it’s as much a part of being an author today as writing. So, if you’re unpublished, the time to start planning is now. And, if you’re newly published...well, what are you waiting for? --- Now some quick news on what’s happening in the mystery scene - Donna Andrews won the Lefty Award for Best First Novel at the Left Coast Crime Conference in Tucson, AZ, this past weekend for Murder With Peacocks, while LA Requiem by Robert Crais picked up the 2000 Dilys Award given by the independent mystery bookstores for the book that was the most fun to sell. On the conference front, it’s just been announced that Bouchercon 2001- A Capital Mystery, will be held from November 1-4/ 2001 in Washington, D.C. at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel with guests of honor, Sue Grafton, Peter Lovesey, and Michael Connelly. E-mail: info@bouchercon2001.com Don’t forget Malice Domestic XII in Washington, D.C. May 5-7/ 2000 at the Renaissance Washington Hotel. Registration is $175 with the Agatha Awards banquet included and $125 without. Check their web site for more details. And there’s Mayhem in the Midlands from May 11-14 at the Omaha Sheraton, Omaha, NE which hopefully will be the first of many. The cost for registration is a mere $75 (excluding brunch). See their web site for details. |
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