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Named to "Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites," this #SharingwithWriters blog is a way to connect with my readers and fellow writers, a way to give the teaching genes that populate my DNA free rein. Please join the conversation using the very tiny "comment" link. For those interested in editing and grammar, go to http://thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com.

Monday, July 23, 2012

How To Keep Getting Tons out of a Writers Conference After the Event


Today’s SharingwithWriters guest is the co-chair for Book ‘Em North Carolina Writers Conference and Book Fair that supports local literacy and anti crime. This is a woman who can help the essentials of making a book fair and conference work for you. I extended her wisdom to three guest posts. If you missed the first two, start two posts ago on "What To Do Before a Book Fair" and read on through to this one.



How to Get the Most out of a Writers Conference
Part 3: After the Event


By p. m. Terrell 

Making the most of an appearance when it’s over is often the most overlooked part of book promotion. Yet it can be the most effective.

1.     Contact the Media. Have you noticed that 99% of what’s in the news is about what’s already happened? Send a picture of yourself at the conference to your local media with a caption and contact information. Often they’ll print the picture with the caption. And sometimes it leads to additional interviews.

2.     Update Your Web Site. Put pictures on your web site and keep a “Past Events” page. When you are booking other venues, they will often look at your website to see where you’ve appeared before. Especially if you have a line at your desk or you’re surrounded by fans, it shows future organizers that you can bring in the crowd.

3.     Update Your Social Networks. Tweet or post updates on Facebook and other social networking sites. If you have pictures, be sure to share them. You want people to know you’ve just attended a very successful event.

4.     Keep Up Your Contacts. Don’t make the mistake of dropping out of sight after the event. Send emails to those you met—fans, readers, and fellow authors—to thank them for attending or letting them know how much you enjoyed spending time with them. Staying in touch can often lead to more book sales and more appearances.

5.     Thank the Organizers. This can also be a good time to ask about any future events they have planned. As writers conferences and book fairs become more successful, the spots available to authors can fill up fast. If you had a good time and believed it was beneficial, make sure you’re one of the first in line for their next event. Other authors are doing it and you don’t want to lose out.

6.     Blog About It. Let those fans and readers who couldn’t be there in person know about the event and any highlights. Post pictures and provide links to buy your books.

7.     Update Your Mailing List. Hopefully, you got email addresses or mailing addresses of those who came by your table. Make sure you’ve added them to your list so you can keep them informed of upcoming events and new book releases.

What are ways you promote your successful appearance after the event? Click on the little comment link to share your ideas—and be sure to tell us about what you are doing in the publishing industry.

 ~Learn more about p.m. terrell:
www.pmterrell.com
www.pmterrell.blogspot.com/
www.maryneely.com
www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/pmterrell/
Terrell is author of more than 16 books, including the Award-Winning historical books River Passage and Songbirds are Free; internationally acclaimed suspense Exit 22, Ricochet,The Banker's Greed, Kickback and The China Conspiracy; the how-to book, Take the Mystery out of Promoting Your Book; and four non-fiction computer books. Look for her latest book, Vicki's Key, a two-time award nominee and finalist in the 2012 International Book Awards, and her next book, Secrets of a Dangerous Woman, due to be released in the fall of 2012!


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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 award-winning second edition of, The Frugal Book Promoter: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher; The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success; and Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers . The Great First Impression Book Proposal is her newest booklet for writers. 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:

2 comments:

  1. Thanks again for posting these tips, Carolyn! I hope everyone will put February 23, 2013 on their calendar and join us at Book 'Em North Carolina for a fun, exciting event. I'm so happy you'll be there, Carolyn - you'll have a lot of fans eager to hear you speak and buy your books!

    ReplyDelete
  2. As it turns out, I ended up sittig on a panel at the Greater Los Angeles Writers Conference (in addition to my other presetations). We discussed this subject--and it was very well attended. Everyone loves writers conf. and fairs. I know Book 'Em will be a big success.

    ReplyDelete

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