Q&A - Book reviews! Are there any questions left?

[Gisela]

Most often I get contacted by authors, who have questions about the best venues (real clubs/groups or online groups) to find these first crucial reviewers. If you have any questions about that, please post them and I'll do my best to come up with ideas (also please mention your hometown, since this is important).

If you have any other questions, please post them too. :))

[K.]

I'm in Southeastern Oklahoma, about midway between OKC and Wichita Falls, TX. I've been hunting on line for information about how to figure out where different genre readers/ age groups hang out, so that once I finish getting the revisions done and am ready to actively market, I'm not a stranger. I've found a couple of places for horror/thriller writers - almost but not quite, even though I've had a good reception, but I haven't found where the adult fantasy readers tend to congregate. Any suggestions for searches to help isolate these platforms so I can start looking at them?

[Gisela]

K. wrote: "I'm in Southeastern Oklahoma, about midway between OKC and Wichita Falls, TX. I've been hunting on line for information about how to figure out where different genre readers/ age groups hang out, ..."

Hi K.,

Do I understand that you write Fantasy? Try meetups.com in your area.
http://www.meetup.com/Sci-Fi-Fantasy-...

If you get 6 good reviewers you have a good base, all it takes that you get a few good reviews, which 'set the tone' right away, when your book comes out. You are very clever to plan ahead.

If you'd make the effort to drive to Fort Worth there is even more action going on.

http://www.meetup.com/South-Arlington...

Hope this helps, please stay in touch and let me know how it's going,

Gisela

[K.]

Thanks Gisela. Yes, I write fantasy. I've got 5 reviews right now on Amazon, a sixth waiting on the updates to post. The gentleman in question emailed me about a few errors that revisions should be correcting.

I didn't know about that site, so will definitely check it out for person-to-person contact.

I've been hunting for the online hangouts for the different genres/age groups. I know Tumblr is the younger crowd - up to about 21 or so. I just can't make heads or tails of how the replies work, though I can definitely get posts up. I've been feeding my Wordpress blog through there to help push a little exposure.

I've found a couple of active groups on FB, which I'm hoping will help open up some avenues. Can't seem to hit the right search string for GR, though I've got one excellent author's group I'm active in.

That's the type of stumped I'm at. Because of being a student, most of my time is late in the evening/early morning. Which is why I've been trying to find online groups, rather than in-person groups.

[Gisela]

Dear @K.

I have published 15 books and from my experience face-to-face contact is so important for getting early reviews. You can get to know the person, you can "hype" the interest by revealing a few clues early, and you can raise expectations. Plus, on top of it, once your book is out, you can organize book signings, sign copies, and create a buzz with 'real' people.

Additionally, the people, who you get to meet, might know somebody who works for a local newspaper or the local TV station, or even a cool coffee shop or bar that would host a book launch party. That just doesn't work the same online, because the contact is 'virtual'.

[K.]

Gisela,

I wasn't saying it was a bad idea. I've been nibbling around campus, and have a few interested parties. I also know that an online presence will reach further than I can drive on the limited time budget I've got.

Now that I'm a couple of weeks (or less, I hope!) from having the revisions done, and uploaded, along with the hardcopy books on their way to me, I'll be looking at some alternatives here in town. Unfortunately, I missed one of the better windows - there's a local "cage fighting championship" which I could have easily tied into for the first and second books. That won't be back until next fall. I've just got to figure out what other angles I've got hidden in the book.

Having a dark fantasy that's not horror or dystopian makes it hard to pin down why anyone would want to read. ::Chuckles:: Though when folks do, they love it.

One of the angles I'm hoping to be able to exploit is the "local author" since I've skimmed through many of our local used book stores, and don't see anything local. But, I'm sure there is more out there to learn.

[K.]

Victoria wrote: Question:: Are you an indie author. I have received zero support from local bookstores in regards to book signings or personal appearances. They all tell me the same thing "We don't feature self-published authors, or print on demand publishers in our store." "

Yeah, I'm an indie. That's why I've been looking at the smaller shops, not the big chain that is in town. Though, I've heard it might be possible to be picked up by the bigger chain's local stores if you have the POD through Ingram, rather than Create Space. I haven't made it that far. Once I have a book in hand, I'll go talk to them.

[Gisela]

@K and @Victoria

Yes, I am an indie author. We have local 3 independent bookstores and 2 B&Ns in town (Greenville, SC). One of the independent bookstores wants authors either to pay or spend $25.00 in her store so she takes the books into commission. I also put books in commission into a bookstore/thrift store in a closeby city. They participate in an arts festival once a year and sales were awesome at that occasion. Festivals are always good because people anticipate to spend money. All four book stores do book signings. Also, one library, about 30 miles away, does author events, which are good. However, the main library here in town snubbed me.

There is a way to bypass the bookstore issue. Try to get Baker & Taylor as a distributor. They also deliver to B&N and B&N will do book signings if they can order the books from Baker & Taylor.

Also, enter for an award. When I still lived in Wilmington, NC the local newspaper snubbed me for 10 years. After one of my books won an award they sent a reporter with photographer to me house.

Also, winning an award makes you an "award-winning " author, which is good. Here is an article I wrote about book awards (not all are the same good)

http://venturegalleries.com/blog/go-r...

[Gisela]

@Victoria

Hmm, I know how you feel and I even though I cannot tell you if it works in your area, here is what I do.

I bring a paperback copy with me, plus a printout of the good reviews, plus a list of my social media contacts (x followers on twitter, google+, goodreads etc., my blog) and I tell them that if I get to do a book signing at their store I WILL BE PROMOTING THEIR STORE. I'll be driving people to them (and who knows what else they'll buy once they are here).

And of course, when the employee says, she'll have to talk to somebody else, I say, "Can I leave you the sheet so you can show your boss how I will be promoting your store? PLus, the copy of my book's reviews."

I present it so it looks as if they have more to gain than I. Good luck!

[Justin]

Do you have any suggestions on how I can get my library to be more supportive and forthcoming about welcoming indie and local authors?

I live in Attleboro, MA and the local library has a policy to which they can't feature author's because the book is for sale online and because I make money they can't help promote or anything..

[Gisela]

Justin wrote: "Do you have any suggestions on how I can get my library to be more supportive and forthcoming about welcoming indie and local authors?

I live in Attleboro, MA and the local library has a policy to..."

Hi @Justin,

Thank you for asking. I know how you feel because it is the same in my area. The local library does not support indie authors.
I would suggest you connect with writers' groups at Meetup.com. I check and found more than 20 groups with a radius of 50 miles. That is sensational. There, you'll also meet budding authors, who want to hear from you as a published author and who probably want to read your book too.
You could even set up your own group.
Please stay in touch and tell me how that's working for you.
As always,
Gisela

[Jim]

Justin wrote: "Do you have any suggestions on how I can get my library to be more supportive and forthcoming about welcoming indie and local authors?

I live in Attleboro, MA and the local library has a policy to..."

Justin,

Public libraries usually obtain books through catalogs issued or posted on-line by a professional distributor such as Ingram Books or Spring Arbor which lists books by genre and ISBN. Inform your local library that you have a published work. Provide information regarding genre and available formats. Include the ISBN for each format. It is the head librarian's prerogative whether or not to place your work on their shelves.