Monice Mitchell Simms's Blog, page 11
January 2, 2011
For Make Believers – Book Tour in a Box: The Three B's
Happy New Year, Fam!
Two days into 2011 and I pray that your new year is going well. What am I saying — I pray that your new year is off to a fabulous start!
Well, as we begin a new decade, let me complete the task I began last November. If you have been following my blog — and I hope that you have 
— then you know I've been writing a series on the steps I personally took (am taking) to
build an author's brand from the ground up and how that made it possible for me to produce a successful book tour for my debut novel, Address: House of Corrections, on a shoestring (no string) budget.
Thus far, I've posted three blogs – Book Tour in a Box: Phase I, Book Tour in Box: Phase II and Book Tour in a Box: P.P.A. In them, I shared these seven tips:
1. Take your time to write, edit and publish the best book you possibly can. First.
2. Create and publish a blog.
3. Dive headfirst into social media.
4. Build a website.
5. Draft a press Release(s).
6. Don't sleep on traditional media.
7. Publicize. Promote. Advertise.
Whew! Even in bite size portions, that's a lot of information…O.K., you ready? Let's hit it!
THE THREE B'S
BOOK TOUR IN A BOX STEP EIGHT:
Submit your book to be reviewed. Notice I said "submit" and not "pay for."
There are two trains of thought on this. Many authors, unsure of how their books will be received, opt to pay a someone or a service to favorably review their books. The good news? You're sure to get a good review. The bad news? The world of publishing, especially self-publishing, is massive but small, and everyone will know that you paid for your phenomenal review.
So, in the end, I feel that it's best that you bite the bullet and submit your book to a person or organization/service that will give you a fair and honest review versus paying someone to say your book is the best thing since Gone with the Wind.
And thanks to the Internet, you have many choices to get your book reviewed. For me, The New York Times, Oprah Book Club and Essence Magazine are at the top of my review list. But while I was (am still) waiting for them to dig my book out from the bottom of the gargantuan submission pile, I fired up the engine of my most valuable tool – My Social Network.
My first stop – Bloggers. There are hundreds upon hundreds of blog book reviewers. Here are just a few….
101 Book Blogs You Need To Read
Most require that you mail a hard copy of your book to them with the caveat that you're willing to wait for a month or so turn around and they will post to a number of book sites, including Goodreads.com and LibraryThing.com. The bloggers I connected with tended to fall into two categories — They wouldn't review my book if they didn't like it or they would post an honest review or my book whether they liked it or not.
I'm not going to lie to you. Reputable or not, you're taking a chance when you mail your book out to a stranger. I didn't have much money, so I only mailed out two books to reviewers. My results were 50-50. One reviewer loved my book. The other? I haven't heard from. Maybe she still hasn't read it or hated it? I don't know….
A little gun-shy to mail out books I didn't have, I took the advice of ?, and reached out to folks (mostly friends, at first,) who had read the book, and asked them to post their thoughts on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com. The more customer reviews you receive on Amazon, the higher your rank rises. Also, I've found that folks sometimes respond even better to customer reviews – especially when posted on Facebook or Twitter – because it comes from someone just like them. It's a thumbs up from someone they identify with and can be more valuable than an "official" review.
Pursue Official Book Blurbs.
Alright. I realize I just said that "official" reviews can be trumped by reviews from the people. But I gotta back track. A book blurb from an "official" can work wonders in the validation department. I know what you're thinking – Isn't a book blurb something that you pursue to grace your front or back book cover before it's published? Yes, it is. I, in fact, was blessed to receive glowing book blurbs from New York Time Bestsellers, Tavis Smiley, Dr. Cornel West and Lyah Beth LeFlore.
But who's to say that once you've published your book, you can't still get an "official" person to give you a glowing book blurb review? In fact, it might even be easier to receive, once you're published. Send him/her your book with a nice,concise letter, and resist the urge to become a nuisance. What do you have to lose?
Introduce Yourself to Book Clubs
Become a book club favorite, my friends, and you've struck gold! Now, it's easier said than done. When I first published my novel, last year, I was honored to be chosen by Diva Dialogue in my hometown, Detroit, as one of their book club choices. We had a ball discussing the book over the phone and they also took a photo with my novel. Here's a link — photos – Ain't it cool?
I enjoyed the experience so much, I wanted to repeat it across the world and beyond! So I got a hold of a list of book clubs, which included their location and/or e-mails and phone numbers. I reached out to the entire list and unfortunately, many of the e-mails were old and bounced back. And the others – excluding three or so — didn't bother to respond. Why? Because it's a crap shoot.
As a new author, the main thing pushing against me was my unknownness. I guarantee next time around, that won't be the case.
Despite my less than stellar results the first time around, I suggest that you hit up as many book clubs as you can. It's only an e-mail. A free e-mail. Carve out a little time and get to it! Here's a list to get you started. (Note: Some of the e-mail addresses may be outdated, but at least, you're not wasting postage, right?;)
Good info, huh? Not a waste of time or space? I'm glad.
Now. speaking of wasting, I'm about to waste away if I don't get some food in me soon. Happy New Year, Fam, and talk with you again soon. Hmmmm….Why have I ended my last three blogs with food references? LOL!
Hope this helps.
living by my pen,
monice
* For individual coaching, click below – http://addresshouseofcorrections.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/living_by_my_pen_ad.jpg
December 29, 2010
For Make Believers Book Tour in a Box: P
For Make Believers Book Tour in a Box: P – For Make Believers Book Tour in a Box: P.P.A. by Monice Mitchell Simms T… http://ow.ly/1aEC7W
December 28, 2010
For Make Believers Book Tour in a Box: P
For Make Believers Book Tour in a Box: P.P.A. – by Monice Mitchell Simms This is tough. Ever since I returned home … http://ow.ly/1aDM1i
December 27, 2010
For Make Believers – Book Tour in a Box: P.P.A.
This is tough.
Ever since I returned home from my book tour for Address: House of Corrections, I've been sleeping crazy. Up all night, vegging in front of the boob tube and knocked out until the afternoon…Only to start the cycle all over again the next day.
I haven't been writing either. Been thinking a lot about everything I want to create, but have yet to put pen to paper or hands to keyboard.
At first, I chalked my zombie state up to exhaustion. After that, I blamed it on the Holidays. C'mon, Fam, be honest. The Holidays are "the most wonderful time of the year," but non-stop consumer cheer, especially when you're watching it from the sidelines, can do one of two things — Send you over the edge in tears or lift you up so high you're moonwalking on cloud nine.
I, my friends, have metaphorically been hanging by my non-existent fingernails on the melancholy edge. But now that 2011 is rapidly approaching, it's time for me to take one of my long walks (for exercise and reflection) and get back on the good foot.
Before I share the next step I took (am taking) to build an author's brand from the ground up and how that made it possible for me to produce a successful book tour on a shoestring (no string) budget, first let's review the last three tips from my blog, Book Tour in Box: Phase II…
4. Build a website.
5. Draft a press Release(s).
6. Don't sleep on traditional media.
Got it? O.K. Onward and forward!
P.P.A.
BOOK TOUR IN A BOX STEP SEVEN:
Publicize, Promote and Advertise.
Contrary to popular understanding, promotion, publicity and advertising are three different things. I utilized the two that required no money – Promotion and Publicity. Check out these definitions from two business websites, About.com: Small Business: Canada and BusinessDictionary.com-
Publicity: The main objective of publicity is not sales promotion, but creation of an image through editorial or 'independent source' commentary.
Promotion: Communicating with the public in an attempt to influence them toward buying your products and/or services.
Cool definitions? Yes. But what does it mean to you?
Well, for me, publicity meant enlisting the help of my mother and hiring myself as my publicist. Check out what I said about writing press releases last time.
And promotion for my book and tour broke down like this: Social media. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Youtube were my main ones. Attempting to be creative, I posted quotes from my characters, excerpts from my novel and even poetry that inspired my novel.
A filmmaker by trade, I also produced and posted a trailer of my novel. I would suggest you do the same. Standard practice now, there are a plethora of companies that can produce a trailer for you. But before you plop down money, be sure to comparative shop and view previous work of the person or company. An expensive, corny, run of the mill trailer of a novel, I feel, does more harm than good.
Another thing that also harms authors is not taking advantage of all of the tools available to them. And one of those tools that is overlooked time and time again – especially in the beginning – is sound.
Let me make it plain. As an author, the best thing you got going for you is your voice. That's what keeps folks reading your books. So why not use it when you're promoting your novel?
As a spoken word artist, I recorded three poems inspired by my grandmother, the shero of my novel. I also enlisted the services of twelve talented actors to voice the characters of Address: House of Corrections for an audio series that I'll be premiering on a computer near you soon. To promote my book, I posted my actors'/characters' voices online saying some funny, racy and intriguing stuff. Did it help me sell more books? Who really knows? But it sure had folks hungry for more. And that's what you want, right?
But what if you're not a spoken word artist or don't have any acting friends at your disposal? Clear those pipes, friend, and get to reading. Choose a section that touches you the most – the one you're the most familiar and comfortable with. Rehearse and run it by some folks that will tell you the truth, then make necessary adjustments and post. Believe that your spoken voice will translate.
I hear you — easier said than done, right? Nope. If you have a laptop, you have a microphone and some kind of recording program, i.e. Garage Band for Macs. If not, you can download one. Here's a link to a recording program for Macs and P.C.s. (If you still have a P.C., that's a conversation for another time….:)
And if you and downloading files on your computer don't mix, here's a link to program you can call into:
Great. Now you have all the content you could ever need to promote your novel. How do you manage it all without driving yourself insane?
Late in the game – before I headed out on tour, actually – I learned about and incorporated HootSuite, a social media dashboard that allows you look like the big boys and manage multiple social networks through one client. Sure, I had to spend about an hour or so every week uploading and scheduling all of the content ahead of time, but when I was on the road, it would spit it out on cue and made it appear as if I had a publicity and promotion machine behind me.
Speaking of "behind me," my husband is sitting on the couch behind me, (im)patiently waiting for me to eat the dinner he cooked for us. Gotta go. Hope this helps. Happy Holidays!
Note: Fam, I know I went off script and only listed one step instead of three in this blog. I'll get you next time. Promise.
living by my pen,
monice
* For individual coaching, click below – http://addresshouseofcorrections.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/living_by_my_pen_ad.jpg
December 23, 2010
For Make Believers – Book Tour in a Box Phase II
G'Day, Fam!
Amazing. Just as I physically force myself to stop surfing the web and finally get my head in the game to begin writing this blog, one of my neighbors in the apartment building next to mine begins blasting his music.
Damn shame, too. The breeze coming through my bedroom window is delicious.
O.K. before I start suffocating in my now stuffy room, let me get to business.
In my last blog - Book Tour in a Box: Phase I – I touched on three steps I personally took (am taking) to build an author's brand from the ground up and how that made it possible for me to produce a successful book tour for my debut novel, Address: House of Corrections, on a shoestring (no string) budget. This is how I translated it into advice for you:
1. Take your time to write, edit and publish the best book you possibly can. First.
2. Create and publish a blog.
3. Dive headfirst into social media.
Now that you've completed your book, got folks following your blog and have made meaningful social media connections, it's time to create a buzz for yourself, so you can take your show on the road.
Fam, I present to you…
Phase II
BOOK TOUR IN A BOX STEP FOUR:
Build a website. Alright, I bet you're wondering why I listed building a website after creating and publishing a blog. Well, that's because these days most blogs and even social media profile pages are doubling as websites. And to pay to have a website created when you can get a free blog up and running within seconds seems like a waste to me.
And while we're on the topic of waste, I've also learned that what you work works for you. As I knocked my head around this social networking landscape, I discovered that it didn't make sense for me to have a bunch of accounts to different sites that I didn't have the time or interest to maintain.
That being said, if you just have to have a website, there are plenty of free sites that you can choose from. The templates are professional looking and they even offer you the opportunity to have your own personal domain address. For an upgrade fee, of course.
Here's a link to a free service that I used to create my Flash website, which I haven't upgraded for a personal domain address, because I didn't have the money. And it's also in desperate need of an update, because I, quite honestly, spend no time on it and like my blog better.
BOOK TOUR IN A BOX STEP FIVE:
Draft a press Release(s) announcing your future New York Times Bestseller.Thanks to our economy, the days of keeping an expensive publicist on retainer are long gone.
And now that its common place for journalists to scour the web for news, I highly suggest that you enlist the help of a friend to pen a press release for you or write one yourself. I did — Midwest Born, West Coast Accomplished Writer Takes On East Coast.
If you're going at it alone like I was and need help writing a press release, check this out -
Also, below is a link to my favorite free press release distribution site. (I only used the free ones.) But if you have a budget, many free websites offer premium packages that you could upgrade to that will send your press release directly to a list of news agencies. There are a plethora of paid websites to choose from…But like I said, I didn't use those…
Briefing Wire – A Free Press Release Website
BOOK TOUR IN A BOX STEP SIX:
Don't sleep on traditional media. Newspapers, magazines and Radio might be on life support, but that doesn't mean that you should exclude them from your media plan. The first two things you should ask yourself are – What is your hook? And who do you know?
Every book and author has a hook. For me, it was family – mother and daughter relationships, specifically – and my hometown Detroit. A journalist in my former life and a homegrown success story, I was fortunate that I could revisit some of the same media that had supported me in the past. Ironically, though, it was the new, unexpected connections that yielded the most ink.
But what if you're just starting out and you don't have any former connections to draw on? Then, you have to figure out what your hook is. What makes you stand out from the crowd? Craft a press release around that, ignore the nay-saying voice in your head and push it out to every possible venue. And I mean, everyone. From local or school newspapers, radio and television programs to The Oprah Winfrey Show.
And last but not least, make a list of all the folks you know in media. Trust me, you know more people than you think you do. Especially now that the definition of media is a much more fluid term than it used to be and EVERYBODY has a Facebook profile and Twitter page.
Remember: No one is untouchable. Every traditional media organization has a dedicated blogging department. Reach out to freelancers, staffers, and take it from me who got many a front page story, because none of the staffers wanted to write it — make an intern your friend!
To jump-start some ideas for you that could work for local and national media – some of them are out there (just warning! , check out what these folks had to say -
How To Get Attention of National Media
O.K. my stomach is growling. Time for a late lunch. Stay tuned next time for my next blog, Book Tour in a Box: Phase III. Hope this helps.
Happy Holidays!
living by my pen,
monice
* For individual coaching, click below – http://addresshouseofcorrections.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/living_by_my_pen_ad.jpg
December 21, 2010
For Make Believers Book Tour in a Box :
For Make Believers Book Tour in a Box : Phase I – By Monice Mitchell Simms Apologies, Fam. As you may or may not kn… http://ow.ly/1ayxR3
December 20, 2010
For Make Believers – Book Tour in a Box : Phase I
Apologies, Fam.
As you may or may not know, I am a poet at heart, so I wouldn't have been right if I hadn't gotten all deep in my post last week – Faith Leaves a Trail. But now let's get to the nitty-gritty.
In the next three steps, I'm going to share how I built (am building) an author's brand from the ground up and how that made it possible for me to produce a successful book tour for my debut novel, Address: House of Corrections, on a shoestring (no string) budget.
When I first planned this blog, I thought I was just going to run through all of the steps I took to launch my book tour out of nothingness. But the more I thought about it, my tour didn't manifest out of thin air. I actually began pouring the cement for the building blocks that became my tour months before I ever stepped foot out on the road.
Let's go back to my beginning…
PHASE I
BOOK TOUR IN A BOX STEP ONE:
Take your time to write, edit and publish the best book you possibly can. First. Should go without saying, but often times, we're in such a rush to succeed and let's be real,make that money, we get ahead of ourselves. I know, because I'm guilty of this.
In previous blogs, I've shared some things that helped me. Joining a writers group for support and to hold you accountable can be a great start. But honestly, what helped me the most was creating and sticking to a writing schedule. That's my first piece of advice to you.
My second piece? Make it easy on yourself. Pay attention to when it's the best time for you to write. Are you a morning or night person? Back in the day when I was younger, I could only write from 11 pm to 3am in the morning, but now that I'm older and get sleepy after ten at night, I had to flip it. Yes, I still write best when I'm sleepy, but now I get up at 6 a.m. to do it.
Check out this link to help you create a writing schedule:
How to get on a writing schedule that works
BOOK TOUR IN A BOX STEP TWO:
Create and publish a blog. I gotta admit, I did this backwards. Because I didn't really know what blogging was, I initially set up my blog to only push my book. What I didn't realize was that blogging isn't about pushing a product; it's about sharing WHO YOU ARE. You might get some folks to bite and purchase your book at first, but sooner rather than later, they drop off and you're left with a useless piece of cyber real estate.
I would suggest that as soon as you begin your writing process, you begin a blog, so that you can start growing the fan base who – once they get to know you – will be ready to purchase your book once it's done. (Amazingly, these – not all, but some – will also be the people who will support you on the road for your book tour.)
What you write about is up to you. Some folks writing about the minutia of their lives, making their blog an online diary. I didn't go that route. Not knowing what else to talk about at first, I just wrote about the story behind my story. It's only now after a year of bumping around that I'm figuring out what my blogging voice is. Learn from my mistake and ask yourself now – What is your blogging voice?
Here's a link that gives advice on finding your blogging voice and one to a blog that I follow:
How To Find Your Blogging Voice
BOOK TOUR IN A BOX STEP THREE:
Dive headfirst into social media. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. You're on it all the time anyway, you might as well make it work for you. There are tons more you can use, I know, but these were the ones I worked with the most. And I say "worked with, " because I made it my business to make conscious connections with like-minded people – friends, colleagues, writers, readers, filmmakers. Folks that were headed where I was headed or already where I wanted to be. Folks that I could help and who could help me.
O.K. O.K., I'm not perfect. To this day, I still get caught up every now and again in the those time zapping applications and for a second there, I checked myself into rehab for Facebook addiction. But overall, it was/is all business when I get on-line, because I recognize that social networking is a powerful, influential tool. And if you can get folks facebooking and tweeting about you, it's a good thing. It doesn't guarantee anything…for that matter, what does?…but it surely helps.
Here's a link to a book I think breaks down this concept in a concise way:
Tribes: We Need You To Lead Us
Alright, Fam. That's it for today. I'm sitting in a sports bar/cafe and my mango tea has gotten cold. I'll hit you up with Book Tour in a Box: Phase II soon. Hope this helps.
Happy Holidays!
living by my pen,
monice
* For individual coaching, click below – http://addresshouseofcorrections.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/living_by_my_pen_ad.jpg
December 19, 2010
For Make Believers Faith Leaves A Trail
For Make Believers Faith Leaves A Trail – For Make Believers Faith Leaves A Trail For Make Believers Faith Leaves A… http://ow.ly/1awH1u
December 18, 2010
For Make Believers Faith Leaves A Trail
For Make Believers Faith Leaves A Trail – For Make Believers Faith Leaves A Trail For Make Believers Faith Leaves A… http://ow.ly/1aw38b
December 17, 2010
For Make Believers Faith Leaves A Trail
For Make Believers Faith Leaves A Trail – For Make Believers Faith Leaves A Trail For Make Believers Faith Leaves A… http://ow.ly/1avkFm
