Stuff I've Learned so Far in 2021 - Book Marketing and Publicity

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Happy New Year! 2021 is going to be a big year. My new cozy mystery series, the Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries, launches in October, and I’m getting reading to start my planning for its launch.

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One of my ideas for 2021 was to strive to learn new things. This week, I attended two marketing workshops, and here are a few of the nuggets I learned to help me with my website and publicity.

Author Brand

  • Authors need a tagline to describe their books and writing style.

  • Strive for visual unity (the look and feel) on all your social media, blog, website, and printed materials. Readers need to recognize you.

Time Management

  • Write your next book. Publicity and marketing are important, but you need to make sure you guard your writing time.

  • You can’t do everything. Decide what’s right for you.

Your Books

  • Make sure your book cover matches your genre. Covers do sell books.

  • Ensure that your book title matches your genre. Don’t make it look like a steamy romance if it’s a cozy mystery.

Website

  • To look professional, you need a website.

  • This is the center of all of your publicity efforts.

  • Industry professionals (e.g. agents, publishers, editors, reporters, reviewers) will look for your website.

Newsletter/Email List

  • You own your email list. If something happens to your social media sites, you don’t have a way to contact your followers.

  • Don’t just send a newsletter when you have a new book. Your readers want to hear from you. Find the right balance. Weekly may be too much, and every two years is not enough.