This month we have been talking about promotions and marketing.
A WORD ABOUT MY SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE AND MY ROLE IN THE RAI SAGA
As my followers are well aware, I often to Character Take-Overs. In other words I post and share on my social media platforms from the points of view of my friends from the Realm of Rai. Yes, I say friends, not characters. If I call Amanda Adams, Creature of Rai, Member of the Unicorn Clan a “character” she will not stop telling me how wrong I am. In the case of the Rai Saga, I am less of an author and more of a biographer.
Some friends, like Kestrel, Creature of Rai, Member of the Birds of Prey Clan, are extremely helpful. During our interviews, Kestrel provides in giving me an unbiased point of view of what actually occurred in mortality on the Realm of the Light. The Realm of the Light is a realm of mortality that has now entered its End of Days.
Whereas some of my other friends, such as Vultyramous Hunter, Creature of Rai, Member of the Volkrog Clan (what is a volkrog, you ask? Check out my blog, https://jqmserv.wordpress.com/the-sykar-series/ for more information) is very stubborn and very difficult to get a straight answer from.
But I digress, but not really. My friend, Naservin Mastrov, or as he is better known, Master Serv, Creature of Rai, Member of the Volkrog Clan, takes a great deal of pleasure in doing recording himself on YouTube reading excerpts from my books, and books of friends.
HOW I USE MY CHARACTERS TO SHARE THE WORKS OF FRIENDS
The following is the post the I will be sharing on my personal blog. I share the text here as an example of how I, and my friends in Rai, cross-promote. Now I am not saying everyone should do this exactly. I’m not even saying I am good at promotions. What I am saying is I have a lot of fun doing cross-promotions. I highly recommend that we all look at how we promote. See what we can do to help out fellow authors.
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As a bit of fun cross-promotion for the Burning Embers Spring 2020 HOP, I have invited Naservin Mastrov “Master Serv” to do a handful of excerpts. Check them out!
And this final one has nothing to do with the Hop. However, it is my favorite Master Serv reading to date. The Pirate Empress by KR Martin:https://youtu.be/wfbs5jkrlUE
If you are interested in joining the hop, and being entered into a random drawing for a $20 Amazon Gift and amazing Ebook Bundle, the hop starts here on JQM’s Author Page:
This month I have been thinking of what
we can do as a community of authors to help each other market and
promote our books and sales.And I have a few suggestions, listed in no particular order. *
Share each other’s blog posts & social media posts of authors who
write similar genres as you with your followers and friends. Our
followers are readers, and as we know, a devoted reader never has enough
books, and we (or at least I) am always on the lookout for my next
favorite author. *
Participate in Newsletter Swaps. That is great way to find new readers.
Personally i use Story Origin to help me organize my newsletter swaps,
but however you do it, it is a great way to help share the works of your
fellow authors while sharing your books with new readers. *
If you have the ability and prowess to create new promotional images,
offer to make images for others, either by way of bartering for services
or paid services. Many authors (myself chief among them) lack abilities
to utilize photoshop or other graphic programs, and I barter services
for my promotional images, usually i barter BETA reading, but that is
what works for me. Mainly because i enjoy BETA reading. *
Participate in Reader Group Hops. It is fun way to both promote your
own works & invite your followers to meet new authors. *
Ask questions, and if you have an opinion on a discussion topic, share
your point of view. I recently had a conversation with a fellow author
about a WIP, and the way she explained her point of view helped resolve
my issue
As a long time fan of college basketball, this years edition of March Madness is a bit disappointing, and very alarming.
But there is a bright side to everything, well not to me because our dehydrated potato warehouse and our manufacturing plants are still running full steam ahead.
But this edition of March Madness has helped me reflect on my ultimate goal, which to make enough money writing so i can quit my day job.
My strategy?
Well first, i buy into the idea that an author has to have multiple titles out and mutiple platforms to make thier available.
So, my first goal is to have 20 published titles by the end of 2022. My second goal, which is similar, is to have my Realm of the Light Series finished by that time (it will be a 5 book series).
But what does this have to do with marketing?
Well, I’ll tell you.
It’s matter of vision. I have a vision for how I want my author platform to look. And all my marketing and promitions fit within that vision.
1st, I want more than just Sykar the Volkrog to be a bestselling title. So i am planning a promotional sales run for The United, which both myself and my publisher are dropping a comsiderable amount of time and money into promotional newsletters, blog tour, social media blitz, newsletter swaps, etc. The sale will run the first week of April.
2nd, well, i want to build my newsletter to the point where it is my most effect marketing tool. To accomplish that I have a few NL magnets on Story Origin, joined a few different group giveaways, and have hired a NL consultant.
After that, my goal is to consitently create quality content that my readers will enjoy, and find inspirational.
What are your goals?
I am late posting this evening because i am neck deep in edits, prepping Shades of Mortality, The Realm of the Light Book 4. My March 31st publisher deadline is looming over me like a . . . Well, like a deadline.
Anyway, i am no good at creating promotional images to use in marketing, but i do have a superpower. I surround myself with people more talented than I, and i am able to barter services with those who are talented in areas i lack.
Here a few promo pics my goid friend, and Photoshop Sorceress, Alicia Scarborough created for me.
Guest Post from Sam’s Teen Reads Corner, presented by Thrice Read Books
Guest Post from Sam’s Teen Reads Corner, presented by Thrice Read Books
Mornin!
The monthly theme for March is Marketing Madness. One of my favorite things about being an author, is connecting with other authors. Reviews are important to some marketing strategies, so I asked Sam from Thrice Read Books to join me on my blog.
FIRST, LET’S GET TO KNOW YOU A BIT. TELL US SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT YOURSELF:
I love books so much that as a child, I used to eat them. Like, literally. I would eat little samples of the pages. Did you know that different kinds of paper have different flavors? My parents are quite happy that I’ve outgrown that habit. Plus, ebooks! When was the last time you tried taking a bite out of your Kindle or Nook? That’s what I thought.
WHAT IS THE GENRE AND AUDIENCE FOR YOUR REVIEW VLOG?
My review vlog focuses primarily on Young Adult and Teen fiction. Occasionally, I’ll read and review something middle grade or new adult. I particularly love fantasy, paranormal, and horror fiction.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO REVIEW BOOKS ON A VLOG?
Sam’s Teen Reads Corner started out as a homeschool assignment when I was in junior high, as an alternative to writing book reports for all the books I read. The format has changed over the years, but I still love the variety of books I get asked to review, and I enjoy the interaction of the live stream format.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR WRITING EXPERIENCES:
I’ve drafted three books of my own, though I haven’t gotten around to publishing any of them. (Because editing. And computer crashes. And high school.) I’ve completed one National Novel Writing Month. And I’ve met so many awesome authors as the daughter of bookstore owners. Truly, it’s kind of a bookworm’s dream – living downstairs from our bookstore inventory (I never have to complain that I have nothing to read!). Plus, inventory shopping trips usually result in me getting at least a few books that I get to read before they get listed.
