Marketing

Sorry it's been a while, but like everything else, life gets in the way of getting work done. Ok real life as in my day job as an accounting clerk gets in the way of everything that I want to get done, ie editing my novel Mackenzie Falls and getting this blog written.

So back to what I was wanting to write about.

Marketing.

The dreaded thing that has to be done to be able to get not only your work noticed, but you noticed as well. No matter how wonderful your project is done without the right marketing and talk no one is going to know that you are there.

Don't have a marketing team or budget to get anything done? Don't be discouraged there are so many things that can be done with the wonders of the internet that are free. You just have to take the time and effort and do it yourself. Ahhh one more thing to add to your plate? You just want to write you say? Well put on your big boy/girl pants and suck it up. Marketing on the internet really isn't as scary as you think it might be.

No I don't have a degree in marketing, but I have helped my sister with her start up company as well as a friend with writing and keeping up social networks, for TALImag. Needless to say that with the endeavors of trying to figure out what to do, you learn quite a bit. Plus follow the people/companies that are similar to you. Learn from them. See what works and what doesn't work for you and then do it.

Simple as that? Yeah pretty much.

Free social networks that you can use to your advantage. Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Linkedin and more are easy to use to your advantage. Like, follow, or whatever the network calls and gather a group people who are in the same business or genre of writing that you do.

Now that you have your accounts set up and a good list of people that you are following, it's time to start posting.

What me post stuff? Yes, you. No one else is going to do it for you. What do I post? Well personally post a little bit of everything. Talk about what you are working on. The process, the different stages you are at, the problems that arise, the successes. DO NOT! I say DO NOT. Start talking about how wonderful you are and how great your project is. And that it's a shock that no one has already published you and your works. Everyone thinks that they are wonderful and that there work is the next best seller. That goes without saying. Also DO NOT, just ask people to follow you and then get angry when they don't. That is one of the first things that get me to not follow someone, let alone want to learn more about them.

Be smart when it comes to your post. This is going to be the first impression that people, potential agents or publishers, have to you when you are a newbie to the business. If you are annoying on a social network then they won't take you serious, let alone ask you for pages. So don't be an ass and turn people away. Win them over with your personality and seek peaks into your work. This is how you will win followers and maybe even get your foot in the door with great networking into the industry.

Also you learn a hell of a lot if you follow agents that work in your genres. They actually post things that will help you! What? Free looks into there world and what they like and don't like? AMAZING! I know. So follow them. Learn from then. And then when it comes to sending in your submissions, then you will know what not to do to turn them a way. You might even have a fun hook from a story you can relate with from their social networking. Thus catching their attention.

But please DONT be a stocker. That is just plain creepy and will immediately turn potential people who will help you get published away. We don't want that now do we.

Aren't we supposed to push our work on people to get them to read us? Well yes. To a point. Remember, we are new in the industry. No one knows who you are and to be honest don't really care. You need to find the balance of give and take when it comes to your marketing on social networking. This is a great place to have people see who the writer is. If someone likes the writer then they will at least buy your work eventually when it's published. When you come off as unlikeable, it doesn't matter how amazing your work is. No one is going to read it. Easy as that.

Sure you can ask questions to fellow writers or agents on these sites, but at the same time don't get upset if they don't respond quickly or even at all. They are busy busy people. They also have hundreds other new writers asking questions.

Once again you have to find the balance of give and take. There are times when you really need to push and then know when to back off. Don't piss people off. Everyone talks to each other. You don't want to have a reputation of a hard person to work with let alone a hard person to be around.

Now that you have to social networking marketing aspect down, now there is one more thing that you can add to your list of marketing techniques. Yup, a blog.

Cliche? Maybe. But in this wonderful land, you have the opportunity to get some writing samples out there. Don't just post your story in chunks. That's just stupid. Now giving maybe a sliver here or there, then awesome. Let the teaser draw in more readers. Get them interested in your characters.

What exactly do you write in your blog? Well that is up to you. This place has no character limit. You can rant about your frustrations of being a newbie writer. Or you can talk about the things that you are researching and are super excited about. That you can't hold in any more and have to tell someone.

A blog is just another place to let people see in to your world as a writer. Remember you can give your opinion here on anything and everything, but remember don't piss people off too much. That is just going to ruin your reputation before you even have put your foot in to the publishing worlds door.

No you aren't going to be discovered overnight. Things don't happen that way. People work years and years before they turn in to an overnight success.

Use every opportunity you have to build the reputations and credentials you have and use them in these great free ways to market yourself. You never know maybe an agent or publisher is reading your blog or twitter post and says, "Hmmm. This person is interesting. I want to know more." And then life goes from there.

Be smart in your marketing posts. Let people see you the writer as well as your writing projects. It gets boring after a while reading the same post every other day, week, month and year.

Oh and can't forget this one other important thing when it comes to marketing and posting on your blog. Be consistent. Make a schedule and keep to it. Don't have all the time in the world? Fine. One post a day. One post a week. Whatever you can fit in keep to it. You don't want to disappear for too long. Stay on people's mind. Make them want to check up on all your pages, and see what you are up to, how your project is going, or how your pet is feeling since they were sick last week.

Consistency is key to any business. Especially marketing. Keeping up the high standards that you set will put you a part from so many others. You want to stand out for all the good reasons. Use that to your advantage while you can.

Now get going and start marketing yourself, while you are getting pages done. There is no better way to get yourself out there then right now. Get people asking when you have a completed manuscript cause they are so anxious to read it.

Well?

What are you waiting for?

Oh...good luck! You're not alone in your adventure of writing and finding the right home for your work. You might not see me but I'm by your side cheering you on, going through all the same ups and downs as you.