How Do You View Book Marketing?

It occurred to me the other day, when discussing my seven-year-old’s mathematics skills, that he thinks numerically. He processes information, much like I do: everything is seen as some kind of equation or percentage of something. As you start to tell me a story about something that happened 15 years ago I am already thinking how that represents a third of my lifespan. When you tell me any number – for anything – I instantly measure, compare, and analyze. Why did I share this?

Because I realize, as my wife pointed out, that not everyone thinks this way. Indeed many people process information differently. It could be based on their talents, emotions, experiences, needs, training, ideology, etc. We all process our experiences, conversations, or thoughts through some kind of  prism. To a rabbi, everything is seen as pro-Jew or anti-Jew. To a businessperson, life is expressed in terms of profitability. To kids, they determine how to navigate through life by how much fun something seems to them.

I imagine many authors think a certain way, but often it is not with a marketing mindset or PR frame of mind. Writers need to open their eyes and see opportunities to advance their writing careers in everything they do. This means you need to go from being a passive observer and recluse – which may be assets for a writer – and become the outgoing networker, the marketer, the promoter.

How possible is it for one to convert their thinking, their actions, and their relationships to fall in line with being book marketers? It can be hard to switch gears and wear a new hat but the modern-day author must promote or perish. Either he or she does it – or hires others to market a book.

I hear from many authors who feel or sound lost when it comes to book marketing. They either:

·         Don’t know what to do

·         Don’t make the time or effort to do what they know needs to be done

·         Won’t pay someone else to promote and market them

·         Ignorantly or wishfully hope their book will be naturally embraced by the masses without proactively pushing the process of discoverability along

·         Think they can be a success through some kind of simplistic effort – offering free downloads or something that, by itself, is not enough of an attention draw for the book

So, I urge authors to confront their thinking style when it comes to branding their writing careers. Do you think and act like a book marketer? Do you exploit all relationships and opportunities to promote your book? Do you believe you need to push your book every day? If you cannot answer yes to these questions – or refuse to acknowledge such questions – you need to hire help. Otherwise your book is likely to die a fast death.

The choice is this: Do you see writing as a hobby or a purpose? Is it a charity or a business? Do you want to just write, or do you also want to be read?

It is time to determine and acknowledge your attitude and approach to book publicity. Then act accordingly.

Interview With N'Tyse, Best-Selling Author Of, Twisted Seduction

1.      What is your new book about? My latest release, Twisted Seduction, is a drama-laced journey into the lives of two best friends who will stop at nothing to have the man of their dreams—even when the cost of betrayal has a price tag neither of them are quite ready to pay. Thirty-two-year-old Denise Jackson has everything a woman could ask for: a lovely home in the posh Dallas suburbs, a fancy car, a loving husband, and a beautiful nine-year-old daughter, Deandra. While seemingly having it all, Denise still feels incomplete. Her nine years of marriage to Jeff have been nothing more for her than a marriage of convenience to raise Deandra in a stable two parent home. She pretends to be happily married, but allows her husband and best friend to carry on an affair, giving Denise time to get better acquainted with her multimillionaire client, Greg Adams. But when Denise’s husband discovers he isn’t Deandra’s father after all, her carefully built lies come tumbling down. Twisted Seduction lures readers into an orchestrated web of raw emotion, deceit, infidelity, and sex that makes for an exhilarating read.

2.      What inspired you to write? I have always had a niche for writing, but I didn’t take writing to the next level until I discovered that there was an actual audience for the type of stories that I wanted to tell. When I found that audience, that’s when I began to pen my urban drama tales.

3.      What was the writing process like for this book? It took me about six months to complete this book although I had the storyline mapped out about two years prior. The only struggle was writing while expecting because I was always too fatigued and distracted with the pregnancy to stay focused. Nevertheless, I managed to overcome it and had lots of fun fleshing out the different dynamics of the book.     

4.      What are the rewards/challenges of writing in your genre? The rewards are being able to accommodate a loyal readership of urban fiction. The challenges are breaking down and dispelling many of the stereotypes that surround urban fiction literature.

5.      What advice do you have for struggling writers? Go back to the basics if you find yourself losing your grip on your passion. If you’re looking for support try to surround yourself with other writers. There are many networking outlets available online that can assist in helping authors get their writing groove back. 

6.      Where do you see book publishing heading? In a technology driven world, I see book publishing headed that way as well. With e-books on the rise and online bookstore giants like Amazon that offer book publishing services, I think it’s safe to say that e-books will replace most print literature. Although a greater benefit for aspiring writers is that they will have the luxury to self-publish their material anytime they’d like.

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person.