How is Promoting a Re-release Different/The Same as Promoting a New Release?

[Beth Groundwater]

I address this question at my post today on Inkspot, the blog for Midnight Ink authors (http://midnightwriters.blogspot.com/), but I'd like to find out the thoughts of other mystery writers and readers here. Do you think a re-release should be promoted differently than a new release? If so, how?

[John Desjarlais]

I promoted a re-release of my medieval thriller RELICS in 2009, but not as aggressively as my new release of 2009, BLEEDER. Since they came out at about the same time, my money and time went toward the new book. They have different audiences, too, and I felt the audience for the historical book was smaller. I guess I simply had more enthusiasm for the new book - but I did many of the same things - Media Kit, bookmarks/postcards, mailings to stores and libraries, conferences and book fairs, social spaces, review queries, interview requests, announcements in alumni magazines, trailer, all that.

John

http://www.johndesjarlais.com

 

[Beth Groundwater]

Thanks for the replies, Tom and John. I'm looking forward to seeing you in person at PPWC next spring, Tom, and John, I have to admit that I, too, feel more enthusiasm for a new book than for a re-release. A fellow author opened my eyes, though. She said my focus on promoting the re-release should be on finding new readers (which means promoting it in different places than where I promoted the original), and to those new readers, it will be a new book. An entirely different outlook!

[Benjamin Sobieck]

What do your readers expect? That's what I'd think of first.

[Beth Groundwater]

Great comment, Benjamin! I was thinking of my existing readers, who already know about and probably have read the book, but I forgot about NEW readers who didn't know anything about me. So, I've added some on-line events and a couple more in-person events. The promo keeps growing!