How to Find the Right Marketing Support + Freelance Publicists, Fonts, & Intellectual Freedoms
Actions to find the right marketing support; upcoming workshops; list o' publicists; queer writers statement guide; fonts & idea generators; awards, copyright, + book banning news; valentine's day tea
Greetings readers & writers,
I recently read this piece {Medium} by Linda Caroll, about entering the world of publishing (in this case self-publishing) without having a handle on what it truly entails to promote one’s work. Caroll is very tongue-in-cheek but also resigned to a difficult truth: so much of publishing and marketing feels inscrutable. It’s easy to make assumptions about how your writing will enter the world, to forget the broader market forces pushing back against you.
Let’s simplify things: you need to market your work but you don’t know where to start. 1) How do you figure out what marketing support you need and 2) How do you find that support?
What you need
Goals
It’s critical to understand that not every marketing strategy matches every writing project. To understand where to focus your energy, the first step is to identify your marketing goals.
Action: Write down your top three: 1) motivations for publication, 2) strengths and weaknesses as a marketer. Consider: where might the overlap be between your strengths and your goals?
Expertise
Just like you wouldn’t go rock climbing without the right equipment and instruction, it’s important to get informed about your different publishing and marketing options.
Luckily, there are lots of experts out there on every aspect of the publishing process, including incredible free resources: Jane Friedman covers everything from paths to publishing to book marketing; #AskAnAgent on Twitter can give you answers to querying and submission processes; and there are Facebook groups, Reddit Threads, and numerous newsletters that cover different aspects of the publishing process.
Still feeling overwhelmed? It may be worth signing up for a class, marketing consult, professional conference, or buying a guidebook specific to your needs. These direct options give you access to a professional who can dig into a specific marketing topic or frame the marketing for your particular genre.
Action: Make a list of marketing suggestions from the experts on what works best for your genre/style of project. How do those suggested strategies line up with your own goals?
Gaps
Once you have a sense of the marketing options that might work for you, it’s time to identify the gaps!
Action: Make a list of marketing strategies you are interested in pursuing for your book.
In green, highlight any strategies that you feel comfortable managing yourself.
In yellow, highlight any strategies where you already have support (e.g. from the marketing dept at your publisher, a web designer, a saavy social media friend, etc.)
In red, highlight strategies where you still need support, either because you don’t know or don’t want to manage those particular strategies on your own.
Finding support
Now you know what you don’t know, so let’s find people who do!
Check out sites for freelancers and consultants like Reedsy.com, Author’s Guild Marketplace, and GrubStreet. Examples of the types of professionals who can help:
Need someone to cover the details? A personal assistant can help with responding to media inquiries, research, drafting social media posts or pitches, etc.
Artistically disinclined? A web and/or graphic designer can help you create visually appealing, functional, branded materials for you to use on and off the web, such as your website, ads, graphics, business cards, etc.
Looking for interviews and review coverage? A publicist’s value lies in their connections to media outlets and their ability to be an evangelist for your book. Traditional publishers have them in house; there are also freelance publicists who can help you reach media in specific genre(s).
Looking for a comprehensive branding plan? A PR firm will design and execute a full marketing campaign for your book, especially in what it means for your overall brand and career goals.
Want to market your book yourself but need a plan? That’s what I’m here for! A book marketer/ marketing coach will work closely with you to develop a marketing plan that fits your budget, time table, and emotional bandwidth.
These different support networks can vary in terms of cost. If you need additional funds, resources, or moral support, don’t forget the option of writers’ grants. Some, such as the PEN Emerging Voice Fellowship and Creative Capital Awards, emphasize both financial and mentoring support.
Collaboration
Finally, don’t forget your fellow writers and creatives. Reach out to whatever creative communities you have access to, whether it’s a writing center or this newsletter, to find ways to co-promote, brainstorm, and ask questions!
Action: Referring to your list of gaps (and your personal budget) identify the kind of support you need and some possible sources. Are any of the experts you researched able to help you further in these areas? Are there writing colleagues/organizations you can tap into?
What support systems have helped you in your writing/publishing journey?
Book Marketing Now interviews are back! This month we’re featuring children’s book author and elementary school librarian Lisa Rogers and her new guide to women artists. She’ll be sharing about crafting and promoting non-fiction books for young people and wading into the world of book marketing during the pandemic and beyond.
Finally, an archives page! Check out all the 2021 and 2022 BMN interviews in one place!
Upcoming Seminars
All events are virtual and require registration unless otherwise noted.
Feb. 16th (*7:30 PM*): Speculative Fiction Variety Hour* - FREE! (email for link) *actually 90 minutes of exploring topics in speculative fiction, genre, and writing
March 25 (10:30AM): Marketing for Writers Series: Audience & Platform
April 8th (10:30AM): Marketing for Writers Series: Publicity
April 7 - May 1: Presenter at Muse & the Marketplace!
May 7th: Marketing for Writers: A Business Seminar (MWPA - TBA)
Coming in May! Writing Like a Parent, Parenting Like a Writer (Grub St. - TBA)
Not available these dates? Connect with me for one-on-one coaching that fits your schedule!
Writing/Marketing Resources:
Decided you need a freelance publicist? Though it’s from 2019, this Freelance Publicist Contact Sheet from Publishing Trends is a detailed list of the major players in the freelance book marketing industry.
Friend, playwright, and Dungeon Master extraordinaire, Walt McGough, pointed me to this very cool random world-building generator. Designed for RPG games, it’s equally useful for writers looking for the perfect character names or story details.
Writer and educator Atom Atkinson has shared a beautiful and practical guide for queer writers on how to craft one’s own speculative writer’s statement {Catapult}. You can also read more about their journey as a writing mentor.
Could your writing slump be a font problem? R.E. Hawley geeks out about Garamond and how a fresh font gave her a new lease on writing {The New York Times - free link}. Plus, check out this entertaining flowchart from Julian Hansen. What font might help you unlock your current project?
Industry News
The American Library Association announced its Youth Media Awards at the end of January! Included in the winners were fans of the newsletter Andrea Wang (Watercress — Caldecott, Newbery Honor, APAA Literature Award) and Rajani LaRocca (Red, White, & Whole — Newbery Honor).
AI Influence on Audiobooks Grows—As Does Controversy {Publisher’s Weekly} as audio book narrators argue for the human/artistic component against publisher’s bottom line.
Libraries, Publishers Battle Over Terms for E-Books’ Use {Bloomberg Law} as libraries push for less restrictive ebook terms and publishers content copyright infringement.
Art Spielgman’s Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel Maus, which depicts the story of his father’s Holocaust, made headlines this month when a Tennessee school board unanimously decided to remove Maus from the 8th grade curriculum {NPR} due to profanity and nudity. Margaret Renkle discusses how this fits into the general trends of book banning {The New York Times - free link}
Tea
My parents like to give our family my two favorite things for Valentine’s Day: books and tea! This ruby-red, zingy, puckery hibiscus tisane, Raspberry Crush from Labrang Tea Traders is just what a winter morning call for (thanks Mom & Dad!)
Spring is coming, slowly but surely. Whether you’re writing or not right now, you’re doing exactly the right thing: whatever gets you through the grey month of February. Order free test kits for your household. Try to get outside, when the weather allows (and look for crocuses!) Get yourself a good mask. Call a friend just because.
~Allison
Writer & Marketing Coach
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