Define "Promotion" in 2011 - CrimeSpace2024-03-28T21:23:32Zhttp://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/define-promotion-in-2011?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A278378&feed=yes&xn_auth=noAh, yes. My last publisher i…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-03-19:537324:Comment:2788912011-03-19T17:35:20.591ZI. J. Parkerhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Ah, yes. My last publisher informed me that they were committed to getting me reviews from trade publications (but not from anyone else). They planned on library sales. Getting reviewed by the 4 trade publications has always been a given for me. I had hoped for the other kind. Not to mention submission for the Edgar awards. From my point of view, I got no support at all.
Ah, yes. My last publisher informed me that they were committed to getting me reviews from trade publications (but not from anyone else). They planned on library sales. Getting reviewed by the 4 trade publications has always been a given for me. I had hoped for the other kind. Not to mention submission for the Edgar awards. From my point of view, I got no support at all. I think the list needs to inc…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-03-19:537324:Comment:2788862011-03-19T16:28:22.835ZEDWARD C MORGANhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/ECMorgan
I think the list needs to include WHAT they do to promote their authors too. After all, plenty of activities can be called "promotion," but are in reality a complete waste of time, are ineffective, but sure do sound nice to an author hoping for some support.
I think the list needs to include WHAT they do to promote their authors too. After all, plenty of activities can be called "promotion," but are in reality a complete waste of time, are ineffective, but sure do sound nice to an author hoping for some support. UR isn't taken novel-length s…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-03-19:537324:Comment:2788202011-03-19T14:07:58.515ZBenjamin Sobieckhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/BenjaminSobieck
UR isn't taken novel-length submissions until June, though. The right rail of the website shows its distribution prominently, a definite plus. They're hitting as many retailers as possible.
UR isn't taken novel-length submissions until June, though. The right rail of the website shows its distribution prominently, a definite plus. They're hitting as many retailers as possible. I'll second that. I've been a…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-03-19:537324:Comment:2787552011-03-19T00:38:45.906ZSusanhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Susan
<p>I'll second that. I've been a professional musician for 3-4 decades, and I still practice my trumpet every day. EVERY day, 7 days/week, whether I've got a headache or not, or a cold, or I just plain don't feel like it. It's the same with writing. I wrote 3 novels over ten years (while teaching music and gigging) and threw them away. They were NOT ready for prime time. But writing them wasn't a waste. I learned how to write a novel, learned what pitfalls to avoid, learned how to create…</p>
<p>I'll second that. I've been a professional musician for 3-4 decades, and I still practice my trumpet every day. EVERY day, 7 days/week, whether I've got a headache or not, or a cold, or I just plain don't feel like it. It's the same with writing. I wrote 3 novels over ten years (while teaching music and gigging) and threw them away. They were NOT ready for prime time. But writing them wasn't a waste. I learned how to write a novel, learned what pitfalls to avoid, learned how to create characters and streamline plots. We learn by doing. And doing. And doing. </p>
<p>How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice.</p>
<p> </p> OK, so what we need here is a…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-03-18:537324:Comment:2786912011-03-18T21:41:51.924ZI. J. Parkerhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
OK, so what we need here is a list of smaller publishers who do in fact promote their authors.
OK, so what we need here is a list of smaller publishers who do in fact promote their authors. Good point Mark but some auth…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-03-18:537324:Comment:2787082011-03-18T21:22:22.839ZStacyhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/StacyDeanne
<p>Good point Mark but some authors don't <em>want</em> to do it alone. Some of us like to have a pub behind us for various reasons. A lot of authors just want to write and not deal with the business side. True a lot of pubs don't promote the way they should but the minimum of what they do is more than most authors could do on their own. Also, some authors don't have the money to spend on making their self-published book look wonderful in order to compete. A lot of folks can't pay for editing,…</p>
<p>Good point Mark but some authors don't <em>want</em> to do it alone. Some of us like to have a pub behind us for various reasons. A lot of authors just want to write and not deal with the business side. True a lot of pubs don't promote the way they should but the minimum of what they do is more than most authors could do on their own. Also, some authors don't have the money to spend on making their self-published book look wonderful in order to compete. A lot of folks can't pay for editing, typesetting or all the other services. It depends on the kind of person the author is. I never wanted to be a publisher and deal with that side of things and I never wanted to self-publish for many reasons. Now I might put some shorts or something up on Kindle one day, yeah. But I'd never self-publish my primary work. Just not what I ever wanted to do.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Also, let me say again NOT ALL pubs don't promote. Like I mentioned on my post in the thread, a lot of smaller presses and epublishers promote the heck out of their titles. So it's not every pub that doesn't promote. The bigger pubs are the ones who really are promoting less and less. Still, it goes to what an author wants to do for their work. Some authors still want their books in print and in stores, etc. It's a whole lot of reasons why some folks might not self-publish. People are different and we all have different goals and desires. I say whatever makes the author happy is what they should do.</p>
<p><br/>Best Wishes!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.stacy-deanne.net" target="_blank">http://www.stacy-deanne.net</a></p> I agree and it makes no sense…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-03-18:537324:Comment:2787072011-03-18T21:11:46.364ZStacyhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/StacyDeanne
I agree and it makes no sense, I.J. Why do pubs even pick up titles if they don't intend to promote them? Some books they already have it down they are gonna give them the big promotional push and some they won't even try to. I don't understand it. Seems to me you'd wanna give all your books the same push so they'd be successful. What's so bad is that a lot of those books the pubs throw all the promo at fail too. They don't sell either then the poor author is blamed and you can forget them…
I agree and it makes no sense, I.J. Why do pubs even pick up titles if they don't intend to promote them? Some books they already have it down they are gonna give them the big promotional push and some they won't even try to. I don't understand it. Seems to me you'd wanna give all your books the same push so they'd be successful. What's so bad is that a lot of those books the pubs throw all the promo at fail too. They don't sell either then the poor author is blamed and you can forget them getting another contract. Everything's the author's fault. The pubs want books to sell well yet they expect us to do it all on our own. As some of you know, I was wi…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-03-18:537324:Comment:2787062011-03-18T21:08:20.341ZStacyhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/StacyDeanne
<p>As some of you know, I was with one of the big guys for my last two books and now I'm with a small press. Whoever believes small presses don't promote, let me say that I think a lot promote way more than a big press would. You get closer attention and most indie/smaller presses have fewer authors to deal with so they can concentrate on each author more. The bigger press might have more money or a few more contacts (not necessarily meaning more than some smaller or indie presses in every…</p>
<p>As some of you know, I was with one of the big guys for my last two books and now I'm with a small press. Whoever believes small presses don't promote, let me say that I think a lot promote way more than a big press would. You get closer attention and most indie/smaller presses have fewer authors to deal with so they can concentrate on each author more. The bigger press might have more money or a few more contacts (not necessarily meaning more than some smaller or indie presses in every case) but if they have those things and don't use them for every author, what's the point? The fact is most authors who end up with big houses will end up being neglected and after a while, you'll be on your own.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I won't go into the things I experienced in terms of promotion in the past but let me say I am extremely happy with being with an indie press now and they are helping me ten times more than any other pub I've been with. I agree with Ben that what he says SHOULD be what pubs do at least. Sadly many are not even doing that. It's now getting to where if you want to send a certain amount of books for reviews, you have to order them yourself and ship them out. Pubs are sending out fewer author copies which most authors used for review purposes. The pubs might send a few books out for you but it probably won't be as many as you'd like them to. I've heard of some presses sending as less as five copies for reviews then they leave it to the author to pick up from there.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Another thing I like about indie and smaller presses is that they are more open to the author's input when it comes to promotion. They work with you and take what you say into consideration. They will be honest and let you know what they are able to do and what they can't. I respect that instead of being with a pub where you have made arrangements for some big publicity thing that they were supposed to help you with, only to have them say they can't fulfill the obligation. It's the close attention I like and the fact that I actually feel like I'm being listened to when I have suggestions of my own. With big houses it's their way or the highway whether you like it or not.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As for review copies, I now only send PDF's for reviews. That's my new policy. If a reviewer doesn't wanna accept a PDF for review then I move on but a lot more reviewers are accepting ebooks. It's better and easier for the authors and less expensive if you get to where you have to start ordering your own books. I spent tons of money the last time shipping books out for reviews (yes when I was with a big house). I'm not doing it this time. Authors have to start looking our for themselves and doing what's best for them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yep, everything is changing and sadly some pubs won't even put stock in Internet promotion.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Best Wishes!</p> Oh, yes. But these days that…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-03-18:537324:Comment:2786332011-03-18T14:39:12.291ZI. J. Parkerhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
<p>Oh, yes. But these days that's not an option. You decide how low you'll go on advance without promotion in hopes that the book may somehow break out anyway.</p>
<p>If such a deal were to be made, the details of publisher promotion need to be spelled out.</p>
<p>Oh, yes. But these days that's not an option. You decide how low you'll go on advance without promotion in hopes that the book may somehow break out anyway.</p>
<p>If such a deal were to be made, the details of publisher promotion need to be spelled out.</p> Damn right. Far as I can tell…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-03-18:537324:Comment:2785502011-03-18T01:42:23.527ZDana Kinghttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DanaKing
Damn right. Far as I can tell from the outside, your advance IS the marketing budget. Spend it wisely.
Damn right. Far as I can tell from the outside, your advance IS the marketing budget. Spend it wisely.