Self-promotion! Yes! It’s required! Once you write a book, find an agent and have your manuscript accepted for publication, you’re required to talk about it and all of your adjacent accomplishments non stop for the rest of your life. Have you read Elyssa Friedland’s hilarious piece for McSweeney’s, “Did You Know That I Have a Book Coming Out?” One of my favorite passages reads: “Did you know that I have…
This week we are talking about the differences between expectations and reality when it comes to traditionally publishing. I’ve compiled a run-down of my top three surprises regarding the process but if I had to sum up my debut publishing experience in one word it would be this: intense. The doctor in me feels compelled to point out that my limbic system took a beating this year, whirling around in…
Imagine an author. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably getting a vision of a scholarly genius, possibly in an elbow-patched smoking jacket, pounding in a fit of literary fervor at the clattering black keys of an antique typewriter. Which, of course, is located in an attic apartment with a skylight, the wide windows open to a rolling vista of Parisian rooftops, the air redolent of coffee and perhaps a…
This week we’re asking publishing industry experts to answer the many questions that we debut writers have as we get our careers started as published authors. For my post, I’ve decided to focus on the hard work of in-house publicists. I’ve asked publicists who work at two of the big five publishing houses to help me out by explaining the process of getting the word out on a new book –…
Okay, so this week’s topic is marketing. As the other Debs have confessed, as writers, its one arena that really leaves us flummoxed. What works? What doesn’t? Who knows? One of the most confusing aspects of all this is that marketing is defined differently than publicity. Marketing usually entails paid, guaranteed efforts (like ad placement or co-op at the bookstore), while publicity is the stuff you see show up randomly…
This week’s theme is marketing-a timely one for me, since as you know, SMALL MEDIUM AT LARGE is only recently released and thus marketing has been on my mind a lot lately. Okay, more than a lot. More like thoughts of marketing and publicity have been all-consuming. Because here’s the thing: not only do I have a book that I would like people to read*, but I would actually like…
From the 2011 Debs… Deb Eleanor’s The Weird Sisters has its first review! Library Journal calls it “lovely”, with “creative and original” narration. Woohoo! Deb Kim is into countdown mode for her book launch on November 1st. Excited and a bit nervous. OK, a lot nervous! Deb Sarah’s latest Real Simple article, The Winter Washing Guide (how and when to wash all your favorite winter weather staples), is out this…
Jen runs the successful book blog Devourer of Books, which was recently voted ‘Best Eclectic Book Blog’ during Book Blogger Appreciation Week and is the host of the Debutante Ball Reading Challenge. She is also the proprietor of Booklicity, a company dedicated to providing targeted blog publicity for books and authors. We’re delighted to have Jen join us to give us her worst (and best!) advice on reaching out to…
The Debs are proud to welcome author Diana Orgain as our guest this week. Diana holds an MFA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University, with a minor in acting. Diana’s plays have been produced at San Francisco State University, GreenHouses Productions, and PlayGround in San Francisco. Bundle of Trouble is her first mystery novel. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and their children. First off, thank…
I’m willing to bet it’s the Number One thing a new author hears: “You should go on Oprah!” There’s so much packed into that statement. It’s a compliment: “You really could get on Oprah! You’re book is just as good as MIDDLESEX!” It’s optimism: “Your book would stand out from the pack, I just know it!” It’s cheerleading: “I want you to be a success and I know that would…
