In a post today ( in BBC News ), discusses the government of India’s strong interest in returning to the expansion levels of yesteryear. With a former growth rate of around nine percent annually, India’s latest growth rate has been around 6.5%+ recently. Actually, 6.5% looks great compared to many countries around the world for [...]
Write a book as an emotional connection…whether fiction or nonfiction. An author who “connects” with readers will sell books. In order to “connect” with readers, readers have to know an author exists through creative promotional techniques. These three comments seem obvious to an author writing a book, but it’s amazing how many an author will write a book without planning the “connection” with potential readers. Here are the first three creative promotional techniques an author can use to build a “platform”…and make promotion fun!
Endorsements and Testimonials
Influential talk is “buzz.” Ideally, an author has developed personal relationships with influential individuals available to pen short blurbs and kind words for a new book. An author can meet a future endorsement or testimonial (handled much the same) at a trade show, conference, personal visit… Following an introduction, an author should follow up the personal meeting with a note and stay in touch at least once every six months.
To start a relationship with a fellow author, pick up a book by that author and look for contact information. Call, e-mail or mail to this author and begin a mutually-beneficial relationship.
For Hollywood celebrities, look up the Screen Actors Guild in Los Angeles or New York City. Celebrities always have a manager or agent. As a creative promotional technique, mail a nice, low-key, handwritten (if your writing is easy to read) card to the agent/manager introducing yourself as an author and what your interest is for contacting their client. Stay in touch, whatever the response, every three weeks in a professional fashion and your request should eventually get a nod.
Members of the National Speakers Association are often experts in a variety of fields and stay current in a variety of industries. Search the association directory online for a professional speaker in the topic matching the author and get in touch. Speakers love promotion in a book and are often an author themselves.
You get the idea. As an author, decide what high-profile groups will help you sell books with their blurb and name. Now, go build relationships with creative promotional techniques.
Online Publicity/Publishing Resources
As an author, stay up-to-date by following publishing and media-related newsletters for creative promotional techniques. Here are four excellent resources that have been in business for years:
a) PartyLine – Partyline carries breaking news, media requests and PR opportunities.
b) SPAN – Small Publishers Association of North America’s website (and member resources) contain many author marketing tips.
c) The Publicity Hound, facilitated by Joan Stewart, features tips, techniques and tools for free (or real inexpensive) publicity for an author.
d) Publishers Marketplace is where the publishing industry follows book deals, information from book agents, editors and publishing news.
Write Free Articles for Recognized Magazines
As soon as an author finishes the rough draft for a book, he or she should immediately send professional query letters to appropriate editors of relevant national magazines explaining all the research you, an author, has completed. Suggest that the queried magazine would be interested in your current and researched information as an upcoming article. Essentially, query relevant magazines matching your topic during the manuscript phase to solicit an article assignment as a creative promotional technique. Editors at magazines work anywhere from three months to one year on article selection…look at Wooden Horse Pub for magazine inspiration.
Trade magazines (vertical industry magazines such as “Meetings and Conventions,” “World Trade 100,” etc.) usually pay little to nothing for articles, but definitely include a byline on the author (contact information). Consumer, flight, special interest (National Geographic, Entrepreneur) and professional magazines generally pay from $0.10 to $2.00 per word (plus payment for professional photography). Remuneration is not as important, as is an author promoting their expertise and building a platform through exposure. Author, get the word out!
Creative promotional techniques for an author are abundant….especially with the Internet. Relax, plug-in to promotional techniques that match your personality and book…then press GO!
Mike McCann
Mike-at-GlobalBusinessCafe.com
No doubt you have seen books in all shapes, sizes, page counts, number of words per page…the list can go on and on. I have even seen a book that is blank (no words except the copyright page), with a nice front and back cover, that sold many thousands of copies. This “blank book” is analogous to the “pet rock” phenomenon years ago…humorous book writing without substance. Let’s get serious now on “conventions” on book length.
Print books come in paperback and hardback form. Paperback books are the norm. Hardback books are typically created as a precursor to the printing of the paperback version of the same manuscript or a conscious decision by a publisher to connote a high-quality book worthy of a higher price or a book that is considered “reference” and expected to be used frequently (where paperbacks would become too degraded in quality in short order).
“Trim size” is your book’s size once it is printed, bound, and trimmed. Trim sizes are measured in inches by width x height. For example, a trim size of 8 x 10 means the printed book will be eight inches wide and ten inches tall. I am familiar with at least 11 industry standard trim sizes, ranging from 5 x 8 to 8 x 10. For costs purposes, it is important to stay with a standard book writing industry trim size.
Professionals in the book writing industry have a variety of answers for what is the ideal “book length.” Here are facts that you can use to make a decision.
Industry acceptable print books are at least 108 pages. Plan on 250 words per 6 x 9 inch page (160 pages equals approximately 40,000 words) when writing books. Major publishers typically like a finished manuscript between 50,000 to 70,000 words. If you focus on publishing high-quality e-books, the typical page length for an e-book is 50 to 100 pages.
Tip: Hold on to “foreign rights” in a book writing agreement if at all possible. Many foreign publishers “shop” American manuscripts to purchase “rights” for printing in one or more countries and languages. Revenue from foreign rights can be substantial when writing books.
I mention “foreign rights” in the book length discussion (additional foreign rights details to come) because foreign editors and publishers prefer American books that are up to 200 pages in finished length because of the cost of language translation. London and Frankfurt are two major international book writing “rights” shows where publishers and “rights” owners negotiate.
Stay tuned for the next segment on writing a book…
Mike McCann
Mike-at-GlobalBusinessCafe.com
Writing a book can be overwhelming, especially for a first-time author. In the past 10 years, I have written two books in sequel. Over the next three weeks, I will outline preliminary steps to writing a publishable print book or Ebook, followed by proven marketing strategies and tactics.
My definition of a print book is a 6 x 9 inch perfect bound book of 160 pages or more. There are typically 250 words per 6 x 9 inch page, so 160 pages equals 40,000 words. Mainline publishers typically like a finished manuscript between 50,000 to 70,000 words. If you focus on publishing high-quality Ebooks, the suggested page length is 50 to 100 pages.
Focus on a Specific Topic
It is surprising how many people start to write without a clear vision of the topic they want to cover in a book length manuscript. Pick ONE topic that you are very familiar, enjoy researching and enjoy speaking on before audiences. Familiarity, researching and speaking will infuse lifeblood into your word creation.
Because so much reading is now taking place online via Ebooks and mobile devices, it is wise to plan on adding stimulating visuals, hyperlinks within the manuscript, as well as audio and interactive mechanisms and video. Thinking of the multimedia pieces included in your book at the outset will make the outline creation (next step) easier.
Suggestion: Enhanced Ebooks are incorporating words, sounds, visuals, interaction into one manuscript delivered electronically. Enhanced Ebooks are new…I am working with more than one group developing enhanced Ebooks that will likely become the choice format for readership in the years to come.
When coming to a final decision on your one topic (nonfiction) or plot (fiction), research commonly used words and phrases for the topic/plot in keyword tools such as Google Adwords. Look for “longtail” (phrases of four words with high interest) to match the chosen topic because using longer phrases as keywords will bring in more traffic than singular words.
Marinade on choosing a specific topic. Next, we will cover outline creation to stay focused and disciplined.
Mike McCann
Mike-at-GlobalBusinessCafe.com