Networking is such an amazing thing. In a recent e-mail conversation I had with Boyd Sutton, he mentioned a book promotion idea he had read about. I had originally met Boyd on an Yahoogroups (word_friends if anyone is interested in exploring it). At the time he was editor of the Wisconsin Regional Writers Association. That relationship has led to all kinds of projects, including today's guest post.
A series of posts on Facebook discussed how an author in New York City
promoted her book by hiring actors to read from it in various public places
around the city. Read more about that event.
Marketing like this seemed like an unorthodox, but imaginative way to gain attention for a book. But is it practical? Would it be too expensive? Of course, one might have some out-of-work struggling actor friends who would do it for free (and for some exposure of their own). I wonder whether it led to book sales?
That gave me a related thought. If having someone read a book in public
might generate buzz--and sales--how about extending the approach to YouTube?
Authors regularly create book "trailers" on YouTube. But how about
additional YouTube posts where someone reads one or more chapters? With a
blurb at the end about where the full book could be purchased. Is that being done? Does it work?
Carolyn and I would love to hear if you've done something similar? Or about your own ideas for book promotion!
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Guest blogger Boyd Sutton is active with the Wisconsin Regional Writers Association (www.wrwa.net) He invites you to come to their Fall Conference in Madison, WI, September 24-26, to hear me speak on "How to Do It Frugally," and present a workshop on promotion.
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and how to books for writers including, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't; The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success; and Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers . She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". She has three FRUGAL books for retailers including A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use the little Green widget to let them know about this blog:
Saturday, June 05, 2010
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This idea sounds intriguing! Maybe it would work.
ReplyDeleteI am already video taping readings from a new novel I'm getting ready to begin promoting. I use an inexpensive HD Flip Camcorder. The videos are on my web site & on my YouTube Video Channel (which means it is also part of the You Tube database). Without any specific promotion of the videos yet beyond my facebook friends, they've gotten 66 views so far. I think readers enjoy them. They are short videos. It will be interesting to see how many views they get once the book is really being promoted (late July).
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