Books – Page 31 – Jean's Writing

Want to know how to market that kick-ass book?

Published on April 15, 2016April 14, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell17 Comments

Today’s letter in the A-Z Challenge M.

M = Marketing

I had a hard time deciding which word to choose. Writing is filled with lots of M words. Midpoint, a big problem for me and lots of writers. Muse, real or mythical? Major and minor characters. Well, you get the point.

Me too! That’s why I choose the word marketing.

Because I’m terrible at selling. And maybe I’m not the only one who wants to know how to succeed at marketing my books.

We struggle to write a story, novel or in my case a children’s book and then what? Whether the author goes the traditional or self-publish route, marketing is a big issue.

Here’s what I’ve learned this past year about marketing.

Writing a kick ass story does not make the world beat a path to your Amazon page.
Writers need to promote their own books.
Write a good logline and elevator pitch. Be ready to spill it at every opportunity.
Develop an online platform.
Make your book easy to find and easy to buy.
Keep links current.
Write articles that tie your book to current popular interests.
Stay involved in Social Media. I know it’s time-consuming but a must.
Create a press release and submit locally and online.
Submit your book for pre-release reviews.
Have a launch party.
Talk to any and everyone about your book.

Did I do all of this? No. Like I said I’m not very good at this marketing stuff. But I’m trying to get better.

What tips and tricks did you use to market your book?

Did they work?

Are you good at marketing your own work? Or are you like me and struggle tooting your own horn?

Talk to me, the lights on and comments are now open.

You can find me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdelland Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! Please remember to click and share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

Want to know more, click the links below.

20+ Free Press Release Distribution Sites

71 Ways to Promote and Market Your Book by Kimberley Grabas

How to Market a Self-Published Book by Paul Jarvis

Good or bad, your book is judged by its cover

Published on April 2, 2016April 1, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell26 Comments

B = Book Cover & Design

Unlike what we learned in kindergarten, books are judged by their covers.

Yes, the first impression of your book cover influences the reader.

Some people are natural at putting forward that just stepped off the runway look, even at the grocery store. And there’s me in the produce aisle in my fluffy slippers. Hey, they’re warm!

I’m not homeless, just a little absent-minded. The lady shopping next to me, in four-inch Jimmy Choo’s, might be a model or she might be a femme fatale. Hmm, I feel a plot coming on.

But, back to the A-Z Challange and what I’ve learned over the past year from an amazing Web of Writing Bloggers.

Backward Six (see #10 below)

If you want someone to pickup, or click on your book, the cover and design better grab. The book cover needs to pull at them, make them want to look inside or at the least, flip it over and read the back.

So although we are taught at a young age not to judge people by their looks, readers do judge a book by how it is presented.

12 things I learned from you guys about book cover and design:

Looks are important. Forget what your mama told you about the inside being the most important part. If no one is drawn to open the book, they won’t read the story.
A book cover must look good as a billboard or thumbnail and everything in-between.
Artwork doesn’t have to be expensive to be good.
Clean and eye-catching is better than cluttered.
Not artistically inclined there is usually someone who can help. The world is as close as my keyboard.
Research other book covers that are similar. Which ones worked and which ones didn’t.
Art, image, and photo software need not be expensive. There are some that are free.
A trendy book cover can work. (This I’m gonna need to remember in the future.)
The book cover should go for an emotional response, then the reader will react.
The eye reads a book cover from top left to bottom right, and across to the left again. (Backward 6.)
The book cover is mine, even if I hire a pro, it presents my hard work to the world so I better make sure I’m happy with the end results.
And last, but not least, I learned that I’m not going to get it right on the first, second or maybe even the third try. But that’s okay.

DIY: How to Design an Indie Book Cover By Alex Palmer

10 Tips for Effective Book Covers By: dmatriccino

5 Tips for a Successful Cover Design

Designing a Book Cover That Tells Christopher Lentz

Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Let me know what you think about book and cover design.

Are you a DIY, or did you hire a pro, or do you fall somewhere in-between?

You can find me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! Please remember to click and share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

A = Assembly Required to write a good story

Published on April 1, 2016April 1, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell18 Comments

All I learned about writing from the village of bloggers.

That’s my theme for this A-Z Challenge.

Well, let’s be truthful. No way could I cover everything this amazing community has taught me since I began this journey. But I’m going to try.

A=Assembly Required

That’s the first thing I learned! Just like that bike at Christmas, or a bookcase from Ikea, or writing a book there is always some assembly required.

How many times have we groaned after seeing those dreaded words on a box?

Also, it pays to follow instructions.

Now if anyone knows me at all, they know I’m more of an eyeball-it type of person. Not a read instructions type of person.

I mean come on, with a good saw and hammer I can make anything fit. Who cares if I’ve got an extra screw or two left?

But I’ll admit writing is a bit different. And thanks to so many good writers and bloggers on the world-wide web, I’m getting better every day.

Yes, I’m still more of a pantster but I’m also learning how to structure my scenes better so that the bookcase won’t be lopsided. Nothing worse than having to shove a block under one edge to keep it upright.

So what did I learn about Assembly required, or in writer’s jargon, Structure required?

Assembling a story does not have to dismiss my spontaneity or pantster style of writing.
It’s okay to sit down and just write the first draft.
That structure can be as rigid or as flexible as I want. After all, I’m the author, this is a world of my creation.
Help is available at the end of my keyboard. Reach out and touch someone.
That I must assemble scenes, multiple story lines, and characters into a mosaic of that become the story.
Then let an editor tear it down because I left out a screw or two and then I must reassemble it all over again.

When and if I’ve a beautiful finished and polished manuscript…..

It’s time to assemble the physical book.

Yes, some assembly required to be a writer.

More reading on story structure.

Story Structure in Short Stories

10 Simple Keys to Effective Plot Structure

The Secrets of Story Structure (Complete Series)

Thanks for stopping by my blog.
You can find me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! Please remember to click and share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

Do you know how to add sound to your book?

Published on March 17, 2016March 15, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell35 Comments

Again! I learned something new today!

I had no idea a soundtrack could be added to an ebook. Who knew? Probably all of y’all, I’m usually the last to hear about all of this new-fangled techie stuff. But this is so way cool.

Will I use it? Not sure.

Why? Because when I pick up a book I like to shut out the world around me. I don’t enjoy listening to music or multi-tasking when I read. I prefer a quiet room or my porch on a warm sunny day.

Now my grandkids are different. The teenagers in our family enjoy reading with music blaring through headphones attached to their ears. To me, that’s a distraction.

However, I can remember a time when I did homework listening to the radio so maybe it’s not so different. Music comforts us, romance and relaxation.

And music is important to storytelling. Without music, movies would be boring.

But fiction writers can’t rely on music to create the tension or sounds to show a motor, river or a moving object. Or can we?

Ever heard of Booktrack?

Well, I hadn’t until now. Wow, seems I’m always the last to know the latest new fangled software.

I learned this program can add a movie soundtrack to your ebook. Is your hero drowning? Add the sounds of a rushing river. Need to add fear and tension? You can add a music score worthy of an Oscar. With sound, the writer can use sound to convey what’s happening instead of words to make reading the scene richer and more like a movie.

I learned that I could add background noise during character dialog. Such as glasses clinking, a door closing or a gun shot this takes writing to a whole different level.
This program can turn your novel or novella into a screenplay.

Is this the way of the future?

I’m not sure how much this will catch on but I think there is definitely a place for the technology.

Booktrack Studio Free App in Google Play

Step by Step how to – BookTrack Video Tutorials

Self- Publish BookTrack Studio Facts

Use BookTrack for Marketing Booktrack Authors Group

So what do y’all think?

Here to stay or a fad?

Use it or lose it?

Talk to me in the comments or reach out on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! Please remember to click and share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.