Create a Marketing Plan That Works For You—Free Template Download!

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Many authors are intimidated by the idea of marketing their book. What’s the purpose of marketing if it cuts into precious writing time?


The reason this is important is because, without marketing, the book that you devoted hours into will fail to sell. It’s your responsibility, as the author, to make your book visible by your target readers. So where can you begin—especially if you have zero marketing experience?


I’ve created this marketing template that will walk you through, step-by-step, the process of building a marketing plan that works for you. You can download the template for free by clicking here!


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Create a Marketing Plan That Works For You—Free Template Download! #marketing #writerslife @TessaEmilyHall https://bit.ly/2sH2PKI

How to Become an Author in Today’s Publishing World: P.3 – Building a Career

Many people think, once they sign a publishing contract, that they’ve officially “made it” as an author. And I guess this can be true for some, depending on what their specific goal/vision is. But if you’re hoping to build a career as a novelist, then that first book contract? It’s not the finish line; it’s the starting point. In other words … your career is just beginning!

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In the previous posts in this series (Post 1 & Post 2), I discussed how to set a foundation that could pave the way to attaining publication. I then explained the steps you can take when you’re ready to move forward and seek representation/publication.


Once you’ve finally landed a publishing contract, are there still goals to be reached? And how can you sustain your novelist career, stand out in the publishing world, and sell your next book?


First, let’s discuss what an average traditionally-published author’s career might look like…

1. Author signs book deal and delivers manuscript.
2. Author is taken through rounds of edits with in-house editors.
3. As the six-month pre-release of the book approaches, author begins generating more buzz surrounding book release. They may work with publicists at this point to help strategize promo efforts and create a marketing plan.
4. Author might begin brainstorming a new project during this time.
5. Release day finally arrives! Hopefully the author has planned a launch party—either an in-person event, virtual party, or both.
6. Author continues participating in marketing efforts even after the book is released. If their editor approves of their new book proposal/idea, the author may sign a new contract and get to work writing this new book. (Unless, of course, the author has already signed a multiple-book deal with this publisher.)
7. Repeat.

Keep in mind, though, that this isn’t always what the publication process looks like for traditionally-published authors. There are those who might have no idea how to market a book, so their release comes and goes without hardly any publicity. If this happens, their publisher will be less likely to sign a new book deal with them. It’s also likely that the publisher might prefer to wait and see if this new author can earn out their advance before they offer another contract.


Basically, here’s a brief overview of the hurdles this new author now faces:

• Marketing. Generating and sustaining book buzz. Building a solid readership—one that will help to sell their next book.
• Brainstorming a new book idea and selling it to their publisher (if they didn’t sign a multiple-book deal).
• Delivering the book idea.
• Receiving glowing reviews and ratings and attaining book awards—all in effort to build author credibility and bring more publicity to the book.

With this in mind, what can you to prepare for the road ahead?

1. Build your knowledge of book marketing. Take courses, workshops, listen to podcasts, and read books and blogs. Keep in mind, though, that it’s impossible to do everything. Stay focused by creating a marketing plan and only participating in efforts you’re comfortable with. It might also be a good idea to hire someone who can help spread the word about the book. Of course, don’t forget to continue building your platform during this time! Find where your audience is and strategize how you can connect with them (without necessarily “selling” to them.)
2. Know your brand. This can be a difficult feat, especially for the newly contracted author. Sometimes it’s not easy to establish a brand until you hear from readers and can tap into the reputation your books have within your genre. For now, do what you can to create a brand that suits your personality and differentiates your books from other authors within the genre. You can find out more about how to do this by seeing this post.
3. Stay updated on the industry and know what’s selling in your genre. I don’t, however, recommend that authors “chase the trend” per se. But it is wise to know what’s selling and know if your new book idea will have an audience. (Because if there is an audience for it, then the publisher will be more likely to sign another book deal.)
4. Keep going! Sure, there may be slow seasons in the author’s life. Several of them, actually. But a slow season shouldn’t necessarily be a stagnant season. If you’re actively working at growing a platform, marketing your book(s), interacting with readers, entering contests, staying updated on the industry, making connections, and, of course, writing—then your writer’s journey never has to come to an end.

Summary: The writer’s journey is filled with new milestones—not necessarily finish lines. Once you become an author, don’t take for granted the unfolding of your dream, but do continue working to ensure that your career is sustainable. And no, I don’t think it’s ever too early to prepare for life after publication!


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What are you doing to prepare for publication? If you’re an author, do you have advice you’d like to add?


Tweetable:


How to Become an Author in Today’s Publishing World: P.3 – Building a Career #authorslife #publishing @TessaEmilyHall http://bit.ly/2G0vl0d

Teen Writers: 5 Ways to Come Across as Professional in the Industry

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When I began my writing journey five years ago, I quickly learned that being taken seriously as a teenager in the industry was not going to be easy. For some reason, many adults already have a pre-conceived idea of teen writers: that they are wannabes who are only seeking publication for fame and recognition. Or that they will only become published because they're so young. Or that they are trying to rush into publication without first sharpening their writing skills. 
Frankly, I can't blame some of the adults who hold these opinion. Besides, they may have been seeking publication for years ... if not decades. They have studied the craft. They know how the industry works. It might not come across as "fair" to them that a teenager is able to write a book and land a publishing deal without having to go through much effort. 
So what can you, a teen writer, do now to decrease your chances of coming across as the typical teen author "wannabe"? And how can you impress an agent/publisher by becoming a professional in an industry filled with experienced adults?
1. Attend writer's conferences. 
I can't stress how valuable it is to attend a writing conference. Not only do you learn a tremendous amount of information on the craft and business of writing, but you also have the chance to network with other writers, find a writing friend (and potential critique partner), make connections, and pitch your book to agents and publishers. 
The only thing is that conferences can get pretty expensive. However, there are plenty of small conferences that you could attend as well. 
If you are able to attend a conference, trust me: It'll be worth every penny!

The first conference I attended at 16. Pictured with my first writing friend, Author Katy Kauffman. 

My second year at this conference, when I was 17. Pictured with my mom. =) 

My third year at BRMCWC, when I was 18. Pictured with Katy again.

Fourth year attending BRMCWC, 19. I received 2nd place in their contest's blog category. =)

Fifth year at BRMCWC. Purple Moon was a finalist in the YA Fiction and First Novel categories.
(And that's my publisher standing next to me.)

2. Study the industry. 
A lot of aspiring authors skip this step. However, if you want to become an "author" and not just a "writer", then research is vital in your journey towards publication. 
Writing is an art, yes -- but it is also a business. And by doing this homework, your chances of signing with an agent or a publisher will increase.
Learn the process of how a book is published. Become familiar with the publishing houses and the books/genres/authors they publish. Learn the trends of publishing: Where it has been, where it is, and where it's going. Also, research literary agents. Make a list of the ones that represent your genre. Understand what makes a reputable agent, what the role of an agent is, as well as the author/agent relationship.  
{I've compiled a list of industry blogs on the bottom of this page.}
3. Familiarize yourself with how a book is publicized. 
Even though publishing companies do help authors promote their book -- the truth is, much of the promotional efforts are up to the author. That's why publishers want to sign with authors who understand marketing. In fact, when an author sends a proposal to a publisher, they are to list strategies they have brainstormed on how they will promote their book. 
Here's why: If there are two different authors who have pitched similar stories to a publisher, the publisher is likely going to sign with the author who has the best marketing strategies OR the biggest platform. (Of course, they do take into consideration the quality of the writing and story as well.)

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Being an author requires more than just having a talent for writing. You are selling a product, too, which makes you an entrepreneur. And as an entrepreneur, understanding the ins and outs of how to promote your book is a must.  

4. Study the craft. 
You might ask: "Isn't writing an art? Can't I just rely on my natural instincts to write a book? I read enough novels, anyway; I know what goes into the making of a good book."
Yes, writing is an art. But so is filmmaking. And just because a filmmaker might watch several movies and have a "talent" doesn't mean they automatically know everything about how to make a high-quality film.
Is it okay to write the book that's on your heart before studying the craft? Of course. Reading other books and writing our own is, in fact, the best way for a writer to learn the craft. 
However, if you want to become published some day, you should, eventually, study. Just like you would with any field. And here's why: Acquisition editors (publishers) and literary agents receive multiple submissions per week. They can quickly spot which writers have done their homework and which ones haven't. 

And since they receive so many submissions per week, they usually have a list of things they look for when thumbing through their pile of manuscripts. If you want to stand out in their submissions pile, I'd suggest doing this rather than simply trusting your writerly instincts. 
Besides, if you are really passionate about writing, why wouldn't you want to learn how to better your writing? Why wouldn't you want to learn how to strengthen a scene so that the emotion is conveyed more powerfully? Or learn the techniques that could help your writing to show rather than tell?
As writers, we should want to write the best story that we possibly can. Besides, learning the craft is exciting! Call me a nerd, but I feel like a kid on Christmas morning any time I buy a new writing-craft book.  
Personally, I don't want to submit the story that I created out of natural instinct. I want to spend time with it. I want to make it shine by applying what I've learned. I want to write a book that will resonate with readers, one that will stand out in the midst of a publisher's submissions. 
{Click here for a list of craft-books and blogs.}
5. Grow your platform.

As I mentioned in #3, a publisher is highly impressed when an author already has an established platform. Nowadays, a huge portion of the marketing efforts is done via online. And even though not every author is active on social media, I have noticed that publishers do want to see at least somewhat of a web presence from their authors. 
But remember: A platform isn't grown overnight. It takes much time and effort. And even though growing one will definitely help in the long run, keep in mind that the most important thing you can do as an aspiring author is to write. That should remain your top priority. 

 ! What are other tips you could add to this list? Which of the ones I listed have you benefitted from the most? If you haven't gotten this far into your writing journey yet, do you find research overwhelming or exciting?

How to Glorify God While Promoting Yourself

As an author, it is vital that I promote my books and brand myself. But as an introvert—as well as a Christian—self-promotion isn't exactly in my comfort zone.

I've never been someone who loves the spotlight. In fact, I'd much rather blend in rather than stand out. However, if I want my book to sell, I have no choice but to promote myself.

My first book signing/launch party

But this isn’t easy. Especially when it feels as if I'm trying to praise myself.

For instance, my cousin made my blog layout (which I absolutely love, by the way). And although it is recommended that authors post pictures of themselves on their blog and website, I sometimes wonder if other people think that I'm trying to glorify myself rather than Christ.

These past few months, I’ve been having to do a lot of self-promotion. I even had to take a semester off school so I could focus on promoting my book.

But having to put up fliers around my town to advertise my launch party made me cringe. Seeing my name all over Facebook on the day of PURPLE MOON’s launch tempted me to hide in a corner.

I’m sure I'm not the only Christian author who has felt this way. Because as children of God, we’re not called to glorify ourselves. We’re called to glorify Christ. So how are we supposed to do this when we’re the ones standing in the spotlight and receiving the praise?

This is what I’ve come to realize: self-promotion isn’t necessarily about promoting ourselves. Sure, as authors, we need to spread buzz about our books. It is important that we let others know who we are. However, God has not given us this spotlight so we can praise ourselves; He has given us this spotlight to see if we will use it to give Him praise.

For me, that's really all I want to do through my writing career: use the gift that God has given me to draw others to Christ, and to show them how much He loves them. When I am interviewed, I try to incorporate this in some way. I don't want people to just see me, but to see Christ in me.

Writers, remember that you are not only promoting yourself. You're a representative of Christ. So in the process of promoting yourself, make sure that you are actually directing others to Him.

Besides, He's the one that has given you the gift. He's the one whom you ultimately want to please by writing Christian fiction. And as Christians, it is our job to make His name known. What better way to do this than through being in the spotlight?

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Summary: For many authors--especially those who may be introverted--self-promotion isn’t exactly comfortable. Some may even see it as praising themselves rather than God. But as children of God, we’re called to step out of our comfort zones. We need to put down our pride and remember that it is ultimately God that we’re glorifying. As a Christian fiction author, it is our job to draw others to Christ in the process of drawing attention to our books.

Tweetables:
How to glorify God while promoting yourself by author Tessa Emily Hall @tessaemilyhall http://bit.ly/1bCQTOs Click to tweet!
"It is our job to draw others to Christ in the process of drawing attention to our books." ~ @tessaemilyhall http://bit.ly/1bCQTOs  Click to tweet!

(Be sure to catch today's blog tour stop, "Story Behind the Cover Art" on Candy Apple Books' blog!)

Thursday's Thought: Blog Tours or Book Signings?

In this day in age, blog tours are becoming more popular than book signings/book tours—especially for the authors who may not be well-known. Blog tours are a great way to build buzz about your book, and an author is able to hold one without ever leaving the comfort of his/her own home. 

However, there is no way to tell which one generates more sales. I personally love to attend  a book signing, even if I have never heard of the author before. From an author's perspective, being able to meet readers and sign their books can be far more personable than a blog tour. On the other hand, blog tours can be just as exciting, and are generally able to spread more word about your book than a book signing.

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What are your thoughts about blog tours vs. book signings, and which do you prefer? 

PS: I am currently planning the blog tour for my debut YA Christian fiction novel, Purple Moon. If you would like to be apart of this blog tour, please send me an email at christiswrite (at) gmail (dot) com. Thanks!