Writer in Residence - Deborah Cooke

Once upon a time, I believed that authors just wrote books. (Isn't that enough?!) I thought that authors remained in their studies or spare bedrooms or offices and wrote books, sent those books to publishers to be printed and packaged, then wrote more books while waiting for the cheques to arrive. I had no idea how much other stuff authors do, once books are sold to publishing houses. The production phases didn't surprise me – it only makes sense for everyone to check the typesetting, for example – but the author involvement in marketing the work is far more extensive than I believed, way back in those days before I sold a book.

So, let's review a few of the ways that authors are expected to be involved in the sale of their book(s) to the reading public. You can prepare for some of these ahead of time.

Self Promotion for Authors

In a crowded marketplace, it’s tougher for authors to spread the word about their own work to the reading public. And at a publishing house with a full list in recessionary times, it’s difficult to get a big promotional budget assigned to an individual book. Of course, the more the house pays in advance for the book, the higher the budget will be, but a great many romance novels head into the world with their package as their sole promotional asset.

The package is everything that wraps around the book itself. It includes the cover art, the cover copy, the review quotes (if any) and the endorsements (if any). How much involvement the author has with the development of the package will vary from house to house, and quite possibly from editor to editor. The house has already invested in the book by acquiring it, so will probably want to ensure that it travels into the world with a good package.

How can'the author influence the cover?

• Ideas
If the package is the main promotional asset that the book will have in the world, it only makes sense to want as strong a package as possible. If asked by the house, it’s good to provide a few ideas – by this, I mean a paragraph or two – of images or keywords that summarize the book and its tone. There is an entire language of cover art, which the art director at the publishing house will understand. (A clinch on the cover, for example, often indicates a more sensual read. The hero alone often indicates a hero-focussed romance.) The art director will also be aware of what other houses are doing with their art, and most likely strive to make your book’s package distinctive. If you get a great cover, be sure you let everyone at the house know how much you love it.

• Cover quotes
If you have review quotes from your previously published work, it can make everyone’s life easier for you to compile those quotes in a nice little file, then send it to your editor. If you do not have a previously published work – and thus, have no review quotes – you can cultivate advance review quotes. If you know any authors published in the same subgenre, you can ask if they will read the manuscript and quote for you. You can also query authors you don’t know, or ask a favour at a conference or booksigning. Some agencies coordinate quotes between the authors in their list. Some editors will seek review quotes from other authors with the house. Obviously, the more famous the quote-giver, the better. There is an entire protocol to this procedure – I think the main thing is to have a thick skin and not be offended if anyone declines. People are busy.

How else can a new author cultivate interest in his or her work?

• Website
You should buy the domain name for your writing name – whether it’s your legal name or a pseudonym – as soon as possible, even if you don’t intend to launch a site soon. There are various points pro and con for having a website before a work is sold, and what you choose to do is a personal decision. You should however launch a website a minimum of three to six months before your book’s publication date.

• Blog(s)
Many authors also maintain blogs. These can be used to build visibility, to fortify connections with readers and to provide timely updates about releases and sales. The tone is generally chatty and friendly. One of the ways to drive traffic to your blog is to visit other blogs and comment upon posts there, although you have to be a pretty regular visitor for people to notice your presence.

• Social Networking Sites
Many authors use Facebook and Twitter and any of the other multiple of social networking sites to build awareness of themselves and their work. There are also authors who build identities on sites like Second Life. In addition to these broader spectrum sites, there are romance-specific networking sites, like Romance Junkies, which provide forums for romance readers and writers to discuss everything, including books.

• Reviews
A book can be reviewed and that review can generate interest. Romance novels tend not to be reviewed by the mainstream press, but there are a multitude of specialist publications – many of which are virtual – which do review romance novels. Google can be your friend here in finding review sites. You can query them and send out homemade Advance Reading Copies of your book – or the ARC’s from the house, if the house is making any – to ensure that the reviews are concurrent with the publication of the book. Generally authors receive their complementary copies of their own books too close to the release date to use them for reviews. Some reviewers will also post their reviews to online bookstores.

• Bookstore Sites
Many online bookstores allow authors to build a kind of homepage, which highlights the author’s list of titles and includes some personal information. Amazon.com is the obvious example – you can link an RSS feed from your blog to your Amazon page to keep it updated with new content.

• Bricks and Mortar Bookstores
It is entirely possible that your local bookstore will be thrilled to learn that you have sold a book. If you find strong support from a local store, it can be a terrific source of local promotion for both you and the store. Some authors teach workshops at their local bookstores, or do book launches there, or a variety of other activities. Your local library may also be interested in highlighting your work and your expertise. Look locally first to find a champion for your work.

• Writing Groups
We are all aware by now, of course, of the writers’ organization Romance Writers of America (because I keep talking about it!) This is the genre specific writers’ organization for the romance genre. RWA also has local chapters – like Toronto Romance Writers – which organize monthly meetings, contests, critique groups, and sometimes even retreats. They bring in speakers and provide networking opportunities for writers, as well as professional and emotional support. There are other special interest chapters of RWA that can be joined from anywhere in the world, which keep in touch electronically. And there are other writing organizations, as well, for mystery writers, horror writers, science fiction and fantasy writers, etc. etc., plus the Writers’ Guild, the Authors’ Guild and Novelists Inc. which are not genre-specific.

• Conferences
Many writers’ organizations host conferences, either at the national or regional level. As well as providing networking opportunities, such conferences give authors the chance to teach workshops and participate in booksignings. There is often the opportunity to donate signed copies of books to raffle baskets when attending a conference, or provide promotional materials for distribution to the attendees. All of this helps to build visibility.

• Promotional Materials
Many authors create p
romotional materials. It is useful to have something with your website url to hand to people after a workshop or at a booksigning – or even at the grocery store. You can also do mailings to bookstores or to readers. You can provide press kits to the media. The possibilities are nearly endless.

As always, you must make the choice of how you will spend your time. Self-promotion can be very effective, or it can simply take a lot of time that you might have used for writing. Each of us has to make the personal choice of an ideal balance.

What's up this week?

Wednesday’s pick up post addresses a persistent myth of publishing, just to give you something more to chew on.

Then on Friday, bestselling author Kayla Perrin will be our guest. She’s an enthusiastic self-promoter and I'm looking forward to her post on author promotion.

Remember, as well, that I'm still Alive & Knitting on my regular blog. I've been doing a lot of guest blogging this month to promote both WINTER KISS and GUARDIAN – exactly the kind of author self-promotion that we're talking about here this week. That continues this week – I'll even be blogging on Saturday at Borders' True Romance blog. In many cases, there's a door prize – guess what the door prize is? Right! A signed copy of the book in question.

And, don't forget to register with the library if you plan to attend out closing reception. That's next Thursday, the 26th, and our panel guests will be Brenda Chin and Amy Moore-Benson. Check the sidebar for the link for more information.