That illusive bridge between writing and marketing
Bridge at Moonee Beach, Coffs Harbour
Last week (before I got caught up in the road trip) I got to ‘blog chatting’ with Elisa. It all started when she sent me a friend request on Goodreads, then asked me why my books weren’t up there. I said, I never got around to it and she said, maybe you should.
Okay – she was a little worried she was being pushy – but you know what? I need pushy!
I joined Goodreads a couple of years ago so I could put my books up there, but you know how it is, life gets in the way. I ran out of gas. I had a flat tire. I didn’t have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn’t come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake! A terrible flood! Locusts! {Courtesy Blues Brothers quote} – excuses, excuses.
Here lies my problem. I’m a writer, not a marketer. I know people who are both and that must be a wonderful thing. Tara Moss and I have won the same writing award and our stories have been in the same anthology – but she is famous (according to me, anyway) and I am not. She is brilliant at marketing her ‘brand’ and I am not (having said that, she may well be a far better writer than I am!)
I’m always keen to help people along so they can realise their dream and do better in life (just like Elisa), but I must admit – I never take my own advice.
I finish a book. I get into the next book and so it goes. For some reason my books sell at a steady (but not breakneck) pace and I don’t know who’s buying them or how they find them.
Now I’ve started a blog (because one of my friends said they’d kill me if I didn’t strongly suggested it – and hey, who am I not to take advice every now and then) and I’m loving every second of it. It’s like, why didn’t I do this years ago? It’s fun!!!
As it turns out I did manage to get my books on Goodreads. But there was a problem – I’m not the only Dianne Gray author in the world so I had to adjust my name to Dianne F Gray to avoid reader confusion. What I do next is anyone’s guess.
So here I am today - still searching for that illusive bridge between writing and marketing and wondering if I’m the only one…
Are you a writer or marketer – or are you the full package who can manage both?
Do you want to help people fulfil their dreams but ignore your own advice?
Dianne Gray author 
Great post! This is definitely something that worries me about self-publishing — that you have to be both a writer and promoter — whereas in traditional publishing I would imagine that the publisher does the promotion for you. Granted, I have heard from some traditionally published authors that they are expected to do a great deal of self-promotion nowadays, so maybe that quality-of-life advantage has vanished.
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So true! When you’re ‘traditionally’ published you’re expected to do a lot of your own marketing and promotion. I guess this is fair enough if you’re that way inclined – but for those among us who either don’t have the time or resources it’s a hell of a struggle.
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You so sound like me. I would rather just write and forget all this marketing stuff, but I also want readers and to get them it takes marketing. I’ve know now for almost two weeks (tomorrow August 25) my book will be published. It scares the heck out of me. But I’m not going down with a fight.
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Hahaha – well said, Donna!
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I meant without a fight. Oops!
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Lol -:)
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I would say I’m neither because I don’t write, only for my blog. I can say I am not a marketer, I could never sell anything because I ramble on and can’t get my point across.
I’ve always wanted to write Children’s Li, just never knew which route to take!! I’m glad you found out and know at least one person with your name!
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There can be advantages and disadvantages of having a common name – I guess this is one of the disadvantages
I hope you find a way to start your writing. WordPress has many great blogs that may help you get there 😀
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Well, I have the same problem as you have! I’m a pure writer and poet, not a marketer!
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Makes it very hard sometimes…
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Yeah! So true!
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I am a hopeless marketer, probably because I haven’t really had to worry about it. I’m more of a behind-the-scenes type person; I will research something to death as long as that’s all I have to do. Oh, and write, and write, and write. I’m not published, and may never be. I write because I have something to say (or my characters do!) and I have no choice about writing – my characters compel me to write their stories.
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It all seems to be about marketing these days. Even though we write because we can’t help it, it’s nice to get feedback once and awhile. I guess it all comes down to whether I just keep doing what I’m doing or weather I put in the extra effort to ‘get it out there’ as they say 🙂
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Thank you for your beautiful blog. I have nominated you for the Sunshine Award! Please follow this link http://staciegh.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/sunshine-award2/. Congrats!
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Thank you so much – that is lovely 🙂
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Hi Dianne. I, too, more so think of myself as a writer than marketer, but part of this is due to the technicality of not yet having any completed books to market. I already know that I don’t have a natural marketing bent, but someday I will have stories that I want to sell, so I’m trying to learn about marketing little by little right now, and trying to get past that icky feeling I get when thinking about art in terms of sales and revenue.
The timing of your post is fortuitous, though. If I may, I’d like to direct you to a recent post by a woman in my writing group. She is a marketer, and breaks the process down rationally for those who say they “just want to write”: http://raynfall.com/624/so-you-just-want-to-write/
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Wow! Thank you, Janna 🙂 Very fortuitous indeed!
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This ‘marketing’ thing is now in all areas of life, including personal relations, so not being a marketer seems to me like being free of modern culture’s most exhausting activities. Go get yourself a slave to do it for you!
Now that you’ve added them you’ll get a feedback (hopefully) and get to know your readers 😉 that’s a good thing, right?
As for me, I guess I’m partially a marketer, because I’m strange and happen to be completely bonkers sometimes and that, for better or worse, still ‘sells’, so I can finally use everything I was mocked at at school XD Well, at least that how it it.
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I’m hoping it’s a good thing that I get to know my readers – unless they just want to cane me!
You’re right about marketing. There’s been a bit of trouble here recently with Target and other stores who use social media and unless you’ve got a good marketer or someone who really knows what they’re doing you can get into trouble (like Target did and a local airline here when people used FB to complain about service)..
I like bonkers 🙂
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I can totally relate to this. I’m a writer and stink at marketing. I’m not good at selling anything, especially hyping myself. This is one of the reasons I stopped querying agents about my completed novel. That part wasn’t fun….writing is. I hope you find that bridge between the two.
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Thank you, Janna! It is a pain trying to find the bridge 🙂
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It’s a tricky balance indeed. I kind of forget the marketing thing sometimes, getting tied up in the whole writing side of writing, and then will do a big promotion thing (like the one I’m doing now). But, the more I promote, the less I write and vice versa (be that blogs or fiction). I marvel at those who can strike an equal balance between the two (without having the staff or existing platform of someone like Tara Moss, for example), especially those who can do both well.
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So right, Kate! I had a book launch last November and it took so much time (even though I had a heap of friends helping out). You seriously need to have a team to be able to write and market 🙂
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I think I’m only a writer – not that I’ve had to do much marketing, really. But I still have these thoughts like “Is my writing really that good?” I think if I had more confidence in myself I would do better. 🙂 But I’m really only just starting out, so I don’t know. I hope all you guys get the marketing you need. And blogging is surprisingly, fun, isn’t it 😀
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It really is fun 😀 It’s like instant creativity!
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Oh, I resonate with this! I come from a PR/advertising background and left that line of work, because the emphasis was always on promotion at the cost of originality and creativity. It sapped me.
I market my thoughts and write my feelings- doubt that makes sense. But I came across a quote a few days ago. It went something like: “There’s no money in poetry, but there’s no poetry in money either”. That may be a bit extreme, but then, finding a balance is never easy.
I hope you do well on Goodreads!
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I LOVE that saying! Thank you for sharing 🙂
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I think it’s safe to say you’re not the only one! Writing and marketing seem to me like chalk and cheese. They require such different head spaces that I’m amazed anyone can juggle them both and am rather scared that that’s what’s required of us these days. 😦
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It’s like – use right brain and left brain. Most people are either one or the other 🙂 Those who can manipulate both are very lucky!
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Spooky, I just finished blogging on much the same subject! If you’re a professional writer then you simply HAVE to sell, like it or not. If you write as a hobby then you can kick back a bit and do as much or as little as you wish 🙂 And, like your other respondents, I find it doesn’t come naturally.
Just downloaded E Theory Dianne and looking forward to it.
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Thank you, Roy. I really hope you enjoy it 😀
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I know exactly what your talking about! I sit here day after day thinking I should do more to promote my book, but do I…
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So true, Maggie 😀
Maybe we should all get together and open a publishing house…
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Its funny you should say that, I was in Glasgow this week talking to some other authors about this very same thing… starting our own publishing house and hiring an in house publicist 😉
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Great minds think alike 😀
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I have a similar problem. I’ll happily edit books for people, but I won’t write my own. I had a friend scold me: “You help everyone else, but when are you going to write your own book?”
I have my own home-based business. When I started four years ago, my main thing was I wanted to edit books and continue being a journalist (after being a journalist at a newspaper for seven years). But somehow along the way, I got suckered into promotions and marketing, which now takes up 80 percent of my time. I’m good at it, but it’s extremely hard work. So I definitely feel your fear. The thing is, once you get started in the marketing field, it is thrilling and addicting when you score.
Have you considered doing the library circuit? Many libraries have authors come on board to read excerpts from their books. It’s a win/win because it’s a free program. Once you get your feet wet, marketing can be very positive, even addicting 🙂
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Thanks, Maryanne. What a great idea 😀
Well done getting your home-based business up and running. That’s something a lot of people can only dream about!
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I’m going o look for your books on Amazon when I get back to the States in October. 🙂
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I want to say ‘you don’t have to do that’ – but therein lies my problem!
So here’s a practice shot for me taking my own advice – ‘thank you so much Ad, I hope you enjoy them’ 😀
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😆
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I get the not wanting to market thing. I resisted blogging and a website for a long time but have jumped in headfirst. There’s a certain satisfaction in watching the comments and followers grow, slowly, but grow nonetheless. Thanks for stopping by my site!
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So right, Catherine! I also resisted – but am so glad I dived in head first as well. It can be a very satisfying pastime 😀
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Hi Dianne! I am not sure you are interested – but love your blog, hence the nomination (check my latest entry pls 😉
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OOOOO! Now I’m excited. Ducking across now to take a look 😀
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What a lovely post! 🙂 I am really good about helping others…myself, not quite so much…
Glad you are now on goodreads.com cause I am going to be reading your book soon and I need to track it and review it and all that good stuff! Best
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Woo hoo! Very excited its all up and running now. Thanks to you:)
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Oh wow, my friend! I haven’t read the comments yet but, maybe someone will be able to give some useful advice. The cover & titles on your books are very eye catching!
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Thank you! 🙂
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This post is marketing in itself! Just bought the Kingle edition of your short stories. Looking forward to reading them!
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Oh, thanks so much Amanda! If this is what marketing is about I’m one happy camper:D
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Wonderful post. As I only have a short story published in an online journal, there isn’t much marketing I can do. However, because I am an aspiring novelist I started my blog in hopes of building my brand. I have more fun engaging in general conversations about writing than I do actively talking specifically about my WIP or even, my published short story. So, I guess I’m a writer rather than a marketer. But I do feel like marketing requires warm-up for a lot of us who are not natural “sellers” and I feel more and more comfortable with putting myself out there.
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I guess blogging is ‘getting us out there’ so other writers understand us and our voice. I also love talking about writing in general and don’t like to push any specific products. Having said that, I’ve got a novel coming out in about a month but I thought I’d put it up as freebie for a while to see how it goes before putting it on the market.
I’m just getting my head around this ‘brand’ thing 🙂
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Writer, not publicist. But like 4amWriter above I have had some of my stories published and I am hoping to build my brand. Surprised to find I am enjoying the blog. Lots of lovely writing, lots of lovely people. But time consuming. Have to be very strict and get on with the writing as well.
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You’re so right, Pat, blogging can be very time consuming! Lucky I’m on holidays at the moment so I can spend a bit more time than usual getting to read more great blogs 🙂
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Spent more that a little time catching up, read the preview of “Let Sleeping Gods Lie” on Amazon, and was left feeling like I need a kick in the backside to finish my book and work on publishing. It is kind of hit and miss with me. I get fired up and do my research, take notes, write some and then leave it for months. Is this any way to get a book written? And yet, I can wake from a sound sleep and be thinking of Rachel, and this will cause me to have to get up and write…
So as not to forget.
Thanks for visiting me today, Diane. Getting to know you encourages me to do more.
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I’m glad ‘Let Sleeping Gods’ inspired you (like a bit of a kick!). If you get fired up and then don’t write for months it’s just your style and I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Not everyone writes every day. I haven’t written since I finished my last novel (The Eleventh Question – which is now with the editor) because I’m giving myself a little break until another idea comes along 🙂
Best of luck with it! 🙂
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Thanks!
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Diane, I love this piece and wish I had good advice. I spent 40 years in my prior life working with numbers in professions ranging from accounting to portfolio management and was a moderately successful salesperson in all of the related jobs. When I became a writer later in life, I put away my sales skills and have never reclaimed them. I’m not sure why. I love what I write and occasionally even love how I write, but for the life of me I can’t seem to connect the dots to selling what I write. Now would be a good time to figure it out. Take care and thanks for what you write! Sheila
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Thanks Sheila! It really is like juggling two completely diffferent skills (left brain right brain stuff) and most creative people I know just can’t get their head around (or get the time to) get out there and sell themselves.
Thanks so much for dropping by 🙂
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Great post; a friend told me about Goodreads a few years ago, and while I’m not on it much, it’s a great place to show off one’s books, also to keep track of what I read, which is actually more fun than I thought it would be. (I just added you as a friend, btw). As indies, marketing is mammoth, so discretion is necessary; a fine line between cutting into the writing time, but the need for some exposure. I think the biggest challenge is deciding where that line lies, and staying on whatever side a writer is happy with. Good luck with Goodreads!
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Oh – thank you Anna. Now I just have to figure out how to add you as a friend!
You’re so right about the the fine line – marketing is a full time job and for someone who just likes to sit back and be creative it can become quite daunting.
Thank you so much for the GR friending and for popping by my blog 🙂
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Well, considering that until recently, I was almost exclusively a DeviantArt writer… I think I’m more of a networker than a marketer. At this point, I don’t really have any idea what marketing entails, and when I start Googling the sucker, it seems like a better and better idea to give up and go hide in a closet with a pen and a notebook. Focusing on the publication bit is my priority right now.
Also, Lulu scares me. I’m convinced I would submit my fantastic cover art and marvellously-formatted text, and it would come back to me and be… funny-looking. Formatting is not my forte.
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Hahahaha – great response! Networking is probably the way to go instead of marketing!
Lulu is very good but can also be very fiddly to get things exactly right. Have a look at a traditionally published book for your interior layout. Include the copyright info and even a blank page at the front so the story starts on the right hand page – you need to be great with a rubiks cube to figure this one out because the first page in your word document is actually the first right hand page of the book (I’m very visual so I’m probably not explaining this well!) Also, you need to start the page numbering when the story actually starts (not on the first and second pages where you’re bolded name and then copyright comes in).
Lulu gives you your doc in PDF format before you agree to go ahead so that makes it really easy to see what the interior layout looks like and you can change it as many times as you like before you go any further. I usually decrease the size so it looks like it’s in ‘book’ format on my screen.
Try it out if you get some time. It costs nothing and you can always trash it if you don’t like it.
Best of luck – I’ve become a bit of a Lulu master so if you decide to go ahead and run into any problems email me at everythingt671@gmail.com and I’ll walk you through it 🙂
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First Facebook, then… THE WORLD!
No, but seriously.
I’m not the best at a rubik’s cube, but I do definitely have some time to play around with formatting. Knowing me, this is going to involve a lot of note-taking as I trudge through piles and piles of books… Not that I mind that, of course.
And thank you! I’ll be sure to hit you up if it just absolutely kills me. 🙂
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No probs! Good luck 🙂
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The only thing I don’t like about social media is how much time it takes up. I like blogging – but Facebook and Twitter can get annoying. I’m actually thinking of deleting my facebook – its a personal one anyway that I hardly use. Why can’t people just use the email?
I haven’t been published yet so I don’t know anything about actual get-in-there-and-market, marketing. So, I’m still clueless as to whether or not I’ll be any good at it.
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Start now, Daphne!
FB can get annoying and I’m thinking of ‘cleaning’ mine out so I stop getting posts from people I don’t know 😀
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I love your blog, Dianne! I’m so glad you commented on mine so I found you. You have a very entertaining way of thinking about and writing about the world! I’ll be following you for sure.
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Thank you, Dora! I’m loving your blog as well 🙂
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I’m a writer and a marketer, but I get paid for the latter. Still, I would love to be published, so hopefully my marketing experience comes in handy. Looking forward to reading your books:)
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Oh, Denise – you’re one in a million! Not many people are writers and marketers 🙂
Best of luck with your writing and I’m sure your experience in marketing will come in very handy!
Ever thought of posting a blog one day on how to market books (in this indie world!)
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Thank you Dianne! I hadn’t thought of that, but that is a great idea. I know nothing of the publishing world yet but I could learn a little and marketing is still marketing no matter what the product or service is. Great food for thought, thank you:)
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So that’s what Goodreads is about? I have an invitation and got as far as signing on, but naively assumed it was just about book recommendations and haven’t made time to go back to it. Probably won’t now. Nice to meet you though Dianne.
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Thank you for stopping by, jo!
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Thank you for your postive feedback on Pickpockets and other observations. I’ve just begun the marketing process and my book isn’t even finished yet. However, blogs are a good way to market yourself as a writer and the publishing industry is coming to realize that. I have friend on my facebook page who is also an author. He was and discovered by a publisher through blogging his book. I’m currently writing my first novel and after extensive research I decided to try self publishing. But you must be careful in choosing a self publishing company. Many of them take your money and run so to speak. However there are some good ones out there. I found one that was connected with a major publishing company and offers several packages to help promote your book.
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It’s good to get out there even though your book is not finished yet. You’ll have to let us know when it’s available. Best of luck 🙂
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This is an issue a lot of creative people have. Artists are often introverts and feel very close to what they create and have to learn how to be a seller too, which is almost the opposite. It’s like telling a professional cricketer to now sit and teach maths to teenagers: a completely different skill set.
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Great analogy, Di!
So true 🙂
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Hi Dianne!
I’m an avid Goodreads (GR) trawller and I’m working on my first novel… baby steps at the moment, but each one, is one closer to a finished book. 🙂
You’ve already taken then first step to marketing your book, you’ve got an account on GR. I can suggest a group I’m part of on GR that offers honest reviews in return for copies of the book. (Shut Up and Read – they do a ‘read it and reap’ book/review swap program which has seen a vast number of authors offer X amount of copies of their books in return for a review) I have partaken in it as a reviewer and from experience the reviews the other people provided have been really good and constructive.
If you don’t want to go down that path, take a page out of these self-published author’s books on GR.
Lindsay Burkoker (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4512224.Lindsay_Buroker), Michael J. Sullivan (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2063919.Michael_J_Sullivan) and David Estes (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3167424.David_Estes) are fantastic examples of different ways to boost your books and getting publicity once they’ve been published.
They are all very active on GR and other social media sites. As a reader I absolutely love their willingness to engage with their fans/readers personally through GR. I have been in contact with them on a number of occasions. Lindsay in particular has a blog that is full of ideas and her experiences with self publishing and promoting her books. Very useful 🙂
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Thank you for letting me know this. There’s some great info here 🙂
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Hey Dianne,
Thanks for the recent “like” on my post about the Ratu Bagus Ashram. A great, easy, blog (and book) about new media marketing for writers is Kristen Lamb. Her book, “Are you there Blog it’s me writer?” is an easy read, it’s funny and targeted at writers who are always making excuses about why they “can’t” do more marketing…especially using social media tools like Twitter and Facebook. She’s really direct and funny.
Check out her blog. You may find it refreshing!
Best,
Jen
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Wow – thanks Jen, this is great! 🙂
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Excellent post. I need to work harder at marketing. I think I’m a member of Good Reads, but did I post my books? I’ll have to check some time…
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Interesting comments and post. Forgive my long winded reply.
The bridge as you say Dianne can sway either way, how much do we ‘pump’ ourselves up to market our own material. I have just recently gone through the experience.
My dream of all dreams was to write a book. I found myself beginning fiction only to end it abruptly because I didn’t plan a story line properly. Whilst commencing all my “This is the novel of all time”(yes slightly delusional),my eldest daughter left home (Empty Nest). I had been writing Journals since I fell pregnant with both my girls and I drew on those and my feelings of what I went through leading up to the preparation of her leaving home (I was a basket case).
This culminated in writing a non-fiction memoir The Empty Nest A Mother’s Hidden Grief.
I had it professionally edited by Louisa Dent louisa@elleldistudios.com.au (in itself a marketing link). I worked with Louisa at a book distribution company in Melbourne and she was not only my friend but my mentor.
I then sent it to various Publishers and also Literary Agents to no avail. Yes I received positive feed-back but that’s as far as it got. Finally I decided to see how turning it into an E Book would go. I started with Lulu and managed to have a brilliant guy (on Lulu) to do the EPub versions for both Lulu and Amazon. It was ‘launched’ mid August and I have sold 8 books to date (not J.K Rowling standard I know) but the fact that there are people out there whom I have never met reading what I have written is the buzz that us writers seek.
I have digressed slightly off the topic, I have now signed up to Good Reads and will see about promoting on there. I also have gone onto various websites ie emptynest.com and they have actually placed it as a read also. It’s hard work, I have to push and find every avenue I can think of and would be ever so grateful to any other of your followers for more. Also absorbing what your other followers have written coffee2words.
So yes I shall plough on and self promote knowing in my heart I think I’ve written a damn fine story! 🙂
http://www.ramblingsfromamum.wordpress.com is where you shall find the link to my memoir.
As I said – I have to keep on plugging! 🙂
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Wow! It really is a roller coaster ride! Lulu is very good, I publish my work on there now. I have been with mainstream publishers before (I got them through winning writing awards) but I found that my work was kind of ‘taken over’ by them and the pay is very miniscule. Self-publishing has given me back my independence and I really like that:)
I’m on Good Reads now (at first I found it a bit confusing, but now I’m getting used to it) so I’ll have a look around for you 🙂
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You have been very true and candid about the reality. Thanks for sharing the post.
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Thank you for reading it! 😀
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No you’re not the only one.
I’m write (right) there write (right) now…
I wrote a book and put it on Amazon and Barnes & Noble and am now at the stage where I market the thing. Trouble is I’m a writer, not a marketing guy.
Dang, this part is hard…
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It’s really hard, John. There are seriously not enough hours in the day to do all the marketing or even know where to start 😦 Best of luck with the book – let me know how you go 😉
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Will do Dianne – thanks so much.
By the way, I just stumbled upon Goodreads – do you use it?
John
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I do use it (but not much). I was only introduced to it by another blogger a few months back. I’m on there as Dianne F Gray.
I was also thinking after reading your comment that you should contact Tiffany (she’s doing my book reviews at the moment) and ask her if she will do yours. Her link is on the bottom of my latest post. Another reviewer is Elisa (lost inside the covers). I’ll have a look for her link and send it to you.
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Hi Dianne,
Thanks for connecting – and for suggesting Tiffany. I just sent her a note asking if she’d review my book…
John
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Excellent! 😉
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