How to Have a Successful Facebook Party

Facebook parties are good ways to create some buzz around your book, especially a launch or a milestone celebration. Here are some things I’ve learned over the years.

1. When you create one, you need to decide where to host it — on your author page or your event page. I’ve done both. For mine, I tend to have them on my author page.

2. Recruit author friends to help you. Each one should offer a discussion question and some sort of prize. I’ve noticed that things (e.g. bookmarks, gift cards, etc.) are more popular that ebook give-aways.

3. Make it clear with your guest authors about what they should (shouldn’t do). Authors love to promote their own books, blogs, and newsletters. I always say feel free to do this. It helps everyone when we gain new readers, but some folks just like to focus on the subject of the party. Make it clear up front.

4. If you’re going to mail a prize, make sure it can be packaged easily and specify up front where you’ll mail to. Overseas shipping can be pricey. Tina Glasneck gave me good advice — Make sure your prize fits in a standard envelope.

5. Set up a schedule for all the participants at your party. Every 15 or 30 minutes is about right. We’ve done them for longer periods, and it’s tiring for those logged on for a 2- or 3-hour party. I like the ones where the authors chat with guests, so the 15-minute timeslots are good.

6. You should set up an events page with instructions and the link to your party. This is a great way to invite friends to your event.

7. Make sure that all of your author friends have access to post on the page where you’re having the party. (Settings and Page Roles). Don’t way until the event to do this.

8. Make sure you introduce yourself and your books in your post.

9. Make sure you review Facebook’s Terms and Conditions on give-aways and requirements. These change occasionally, and you want to make sure you’re compliant.

10. Create memes and announcements for your event — advertising the authors who are your guests. Tag each of the authors and ask them to share with their readers.

11. Specify the time, time zone, and date of the party in your announcements. Also make it clear when winners will be selected/notified.

12. Encourage your author friends to hang around and chat after their timeslot. It' makes it more interesting when there are a lot of comments/dialogue.

Facebook parties can be a fun way to hang out with readers.

Need Something? Make It Easy...

My boss at my day situation loves his “Easy” button. There’s something to that. People are bombarded with things, and life is crazy. Recently, I was on a team reading and ranking submissions that were applications to do something for us. Some were a joy to read; all the information was organized and ordered. But there were others that we really had to dig to find the information or the proposal was incomplete.

I heard the fabulous Jane Friedman talk about this. If you want someone to help you with a writing or marketing task, make it easy for them. She’s right. Always provide the person with context and enough information to complete the task.

Blurbs - If you’re asking for a blurb, send the person a synopsis of your book and your biography.

References - When you ask for a reference or a nomination, send them a SHORT copy of your biography and other pertinent information.

Time - Give the person as much time as possible. I had a publisher once who sent out book blurb requests with a short deadline. It didn’t give busy people enough time to read enough of the book.

Pay it Forward - Make sure you’re willing to help others too. You can’t always be on the asking end.

Give Them an Off Ramp - Give the person an exit that doesn’t cause hard feelings. Everyone is busy, and your timing may not be right. When you call or write your introductory email request, acknowledge that they’re busy and that you understand if they’re unable to help right now.

By providing enough information and time, usually people are more than wiling to help.

What would you add to my list?

Do You Treat Your Writing as a Business?

For many years, my writing was a hobby for me. I did it for fun and without much thought as to what I would do with the end product once it was finished. I had no deadlines, and I could work on projects at my leisure.

When I decided I wanted to a published author, I realized that it was a business and that I needed to treat it that way. That meant being more organized and structured.

Writing Time/Scheduling - I don’t write every day. Life gets in the way some times. But I do try to write or edit regularly, and I track my word count to see progress.

Try to protect your writing time. It’s so easy to get distracted or involved in other activities. I try to honor the time I reserved for writing. And I do make much more progress when I keep to my schedule (and track my word count progress).

The Business Part - Talk with your legal and/or tax advisors to make sure that you’re compliant with the laws, regulations, and rules in your area. Do you need a tax ID number, what can you claim on your taxes, do you need to collect sales tax, and do you need a business license? I now have a new drawer in my office filing cabinet for book-related documents.

If you’re required to keep receipts, work out a system to collect/organize them for your taxes. Some use a file folder and spreadsheet, and others use an app for tracking expenses and deductions. You’ll need to figure out what works with your style and what provides you the right information when you have to file documents.

If you sell books, you’ll need to decide what you’ll accept (e.g. cash, credit card, debit card, check). I accept all, and I use a Square for the credit/debit cards.

I have to track mileage, sales, and expenditures. I do this faithfully after an event to ensure that it’s current. It is too hard to remember or recreate what I did at an event three months ago. Figure out what works best for you (e.g. file folders, spreadsheets, mobile app, accounting software packages, a personal assistant).

Events - I like to go places and talk with readers, so I like to do a lot of events. I tend to attend the ones where I can talk to readers and do presentations (and have books available for sale). I don’t base my decisions on book sales alone. Sometimes, you make contacts or build relationships that could be worth more in the long run than a sale. Networking is an important component of the writing life.

Your time is valuable, so you need to make sure that book marketing and events don’t overwhelm your writing time.

Your Time - Your time is limited and valuable. Figure out what tasks you can do yourself and what others your budget will allow you to outsource.

I like to do my blog, websites, and social media work. In the past, I have hired a line editor and someone to do specialized graphics for me. I know several authors who have hired digital or personal assistants to do administrative tasks. I also have friends who have hired folks to manage their social media accounts and publicists to coordinate marketing campaigns. Figure out what you do best and focus on those items. One of my author friends hired her granddaughter to help her with her social media. She gets the tasks done, and her granddaughter get spending money and work to show on her resume.

Your Investments - You need to decide what you can budget in terms of your time and money for your writing projects. It can be time consuming and costly if you don’t monitor where you’re spending your resources. I track this and compare it to my sales.

Writing is a business. It’s filled with contract, invoices, sales tax, and tax forms. But the writing is fun, and there is no feeling like opening that box of books and seeing your name on the cover. What else have you encountered in the business world of writing?

Happy writing!

Be Creative When Planning Author Events

The Unhappy Hour at the Poe Museum in Richmond, VA

Writing events aren’t just a writer at a table in a book store. Be creative when you plan and accept invitations to appear. I have had so much fun at our events.

Poe Birthday Bash - Poe Museum’s Unhappy Hour - We are so fortunate to have the Poe Museum in downtown Richmond. It’s one of my favorite museums. They have lots of events and special programs. We’ve done signings, panels, and readings at their annual Poe Birthday Bash and their summer Unhappy Hours.

MOCA - Our short story authors participated in a reading at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art in Virginia Beach. A lot of museums and botanical gardens have special events or themed events that will fit with your book/genre.

Murder at the Library - For the past four years, we have partnered with the Friends of the Chesterfield County Library and the Chesterfield Libraries to create a “whodunnit” play. Members of my Sisters in Crime chapter write the script for the library staff to act out. They sell tickets for the after-hours event, and we provide authors for a panel discussion and book signing. The event has sold out each year.

Rosemont Winery - For our wine-themed mystery anthology, our authors staff a table at the Rosemont Winery’s Arts and Crafts Festival. The day-long event is held at the beautiful winery with food, drinks, pets, and lots of fun readers who are very supportive of local authors.

Book Launch in a Winery - For 50 Shades of Cabernet, we held the book launch at the Mermaid Winery in Norfolk. The location and food were great, and we had fun talking with so many mystery readers.

Book Launch in a Bowling Alley - I had my launch for Secret Lives and Private Eyes at Uptown Alley, a bowling alley with restaurants, bars, games, and a night club. My character, Delanie Fitzgerald, visits the location in the book, so I thought it was a perfect place to launch the series. My event was held upstairs in the bar/club area with lots of lounge seating and an outdoor patio.

Book Launch in a Café - Our book launch for Virginia is for Mysteries was at the East Beach Sandwich Shop in Ocean View (Norfolk, VA). They offered drinks and great food. We signed books and enjoyed the music of the local band. This artistic community was so supportive of local writers.

Also, don’t forget workshops, libraries, school groups, and book clubs when you’re planning your events. Tell everyone that you know about your book. You’ll be surprised at the interesting invitations you’ll receive to visit and speak.

What I Learned about Navigating Writing (or Fan) Conferences

I returned from a fabulous weekend at Malice Domestic. I had so much fun networking, seeing friends, meeting readers, and being a fan girl. (I got to meet Anne Hillerman and Chris Grabenstein this year.)

Here are some things I’ve learned to help navigate these events — whether your a writer or a fan.

Comfort

• You are going to do a lot of walking. Wear comfortable shoes.

• Dress in layers. Conference rooms are notorious for being frigid.

Be Prepared

• Make sure you have a bag for things you’ll need: bookmarks, business cards, promo materials, a notebook, and something to write (or sign books) with.

• Have your elevator speech (1-2 sentences) ready about your book in case you’re asked.

• Print a copy of all your registration confirmations and take them with you to make sure there’s no confusion.

• Keep all of your receipts for meals/expenses for your taxes.

• Read the conference agenda and plan what you want to attend. Some provide “conference at a glance” booklets to help you navigate, and others have an app for your phone.

Swag

• Bring an extra bag or leave room in your suitcase for all the swag and books that you’ll collect. I went to the Kensington Books give-away and signing. They were so generous. My TBR stack tripled.

• Many conferences have shipping centers, so you can send it all home if you need to.

Etiquette

• Be professional always! You never know who is sitting next to you.

• Check out the conference’s website for past pictures to get an idea of the dress code for the events. Some are casual, and some dinners are black tie.

• Don’t start every conversation about your book. Be genuine. Be part of conversations. They’ll be plenty of time to talk about your book.

20 Things I Learned from JRW's "How to Sell the Heck out of Your Book"

l-r: Chanel Cleeton, Stacy Hawkins Adams, and Jane Friedman at the JRW Writing Show

I had the pleasure recently of attending James River Writers’ “The Writing Show.” The topic was “How to Sell the Heck out of Your Book” with Chanel Cleeton, Stacy Hawkins Adams, and Jane Friedman. Here’s what I learned:

1. Write a fabulous book. Focus your energy on your writing.

2. Readers and word of mouth sell books.

3. Authors have an advantage when they write a series. It keeps readers coming back for more.

4. Authors need to read a lot and know their genre.

5. Books with good covers sell.

6. Make sure that you keep an email list and create a newsletter. You own this list. Make sure you maintain it.

7. Be active on social media.

8. Make sure you have an author website. Keep it current. Your website is your business card.

9. Jane Friedman said that you need an email list, website, and social media platform, and you need to maintain all three.

10. Build relationships with your readers.

11. Be creative when you plan events and launches. Who can you partner with?

12. Look at where you spend your advertising and marketing dollars. Data is your friend. It can help you set your goals.

13. You should start your marketing plan for a new book four months before it launches.

14. Networking is important. Build relationships with readers, authors, booksellers, and others.

15. If you ask people to do something for you (e.g. post a review, blurb your book), make it easy for them. Send them a summary and an information/press sheet.

16. Time management is an issue for authors. There is a lot to juggle. You need to find balance.

17. Hope is not a strategy for book marketing. You need a plan.

18. Don’t get in panic mode over book marketing. You need to be in it for the long-term.

19. Always be professional.

20. Know where your readers get their information or hang out. Figure out ways to reach them there.

How Do You Decide What Author Events to Attend?

There are so many events and writer functions to choose from. It’s often a tough decision to make on whether to go or pass. I have several author friends who weigh their decision based on how many books they think they’ll sell.

Your writing is your business, and you do need to make sure that you have time to write and market your work. You, as a professional, also need opportunities to sell your books. And your time is valuable.

That being said, there are times when I’ll do a volunteer event or a workshop where I don’t have an expectation for book sales, but there are often benefits or surprises that go along with these.

Every event is an opportunity to talk to readers. Because I’ve attended an event, I have been invited to a radio interview, podcast interviews, marketing opportunities, book clubs, and other speaking engagements.

I love libraries and writing programs for new writers (especially kids), and I try to make time to do these kinds of events. I spoke to an English class recently about the mystery genre, and I was floored that multiple students had brought copies of my books for me to sign.

I did a group event at a wine festival once. It was hot. We were outside, and book sales were slow. But we did have an opportunity to talk to hundreds of people. I gave out bookmarks, pencils, and pens. I was also pleasantly surprised that my ebook numbers jumped the next week. People who were not ready to buy a book at the wine festival bought one later online.

Once, I did a book club presentation at a senior facility for a friend who was a program director. After a wonderful discussion, all the participants asked me to come back for a book signing.

So, yes, as an author you need to make sure that you divide your time. If you’re on the road constantly, you’re not writing your next book. But, if you don’t go out, you don’t have opportunities to talk to readers. I think it’s a balancing act.

Ways to Get Traffic to Your Website

All authors need a website with your current information and all your books. Getting people to visit your website can be a challenge sometimes. Here are some ideas to drive traffic to your website.

1. Have a blog on your website and blog regularly. Pick a schedule that works for you and try to stick to it. Find your niche of what you want to share (e.g. tips about writing, social media tips, book promotion ideas, recipes, crafts, etc.).

2. Share links to your blog posts on your other social media sites for advertising.

3. Make sure to put your website’s URL on all of your other social media sites. If there’s not a specific field for it, make sure to include it in your biography or description.

4. Find other authors like you and do a blog take-over. She posts on your blog while you post on hers. You swap audiences and hopefully introduce new readers to you.

5. Find ways to have guest bloggers or interviews of others on your blog. When the guests share your post, other readers find your site. On my Pens, Paws, and Claws blog, we have #WriterWednesday interviews with guest authors.

6. Build a network (formal or informal) of other bloggers/writers who will share each others’ posts. You spread your reach to all their followers.

7. Review books on your blog.

8. Do guest posts on others’ sites. Include your biography, website URL, book links, and social media links at the bottom of your post.

9. Put your website’s URL on your bookmarks and business cards.

10. Some authors give away freebies or have contests on their websites. Others give away short stories or excepts from a future work.

11. Make sure you keep your content on your blog/website current. If people visit, and things are dated, they often don’t return.