Welcome to the Brain Burps About Books Lunch ‘n Learn 4.
I’m doing this every Wednesday at noon (so the podcast is now publishing on Fridays as of last week).
You can see it live here starting at noon, or on Google+.
COULD YOU COMMENT ON FIRST TIME AUTHORS AND MAINSTREAM PUBLISHING.
I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY AN AUTHOR WHOSE BOOK WAS ACCEPTED THAT THE CONTRACT WAS EXTREMELY ONE SIDED AND, BEING A FORMER LAWYER, HE WOULD NOT SIGN IT.
THIS IS ONE REASON MANY OF US GO THROUGH AMAZON’S “CREATE SPACE”
Hi Katie, thanks for re-answering my question from Lunch ‘n Learn #3. I do find marketing direct to parents a bit tricky (and SCARY!) since unlike most authors I know, I’m not a parent, or a teacher and don’t see kids as often as I’d like, and I’m grateful for any tips I can get and act on.
I do get the basics of marketing are the same, but as I said in my video reply last week, it’s easier for YA authors to reach teens and adults directly because there are less filters to deal with, and it’s not that big a stretch to understand what may appeal to kids younger than 13 isn’t always in line to what parents will buy for or with their child in mind.
(You wouldn’t believe some of the narrow-minded things some parents/teachers/writers have told me regarding my MG debut novel [They read early drafts before I sold it.] which frustrated me as much as made me all the more eager to prove them wrong, and I feel like for once I got the last laugh!)
I know people often make point of adults not seeing things from the child’s perspective (regarding the actual books) but in marketing of said books, it is hard to get the right ratio of what hooks parents versus their kids, and the older the reader the harder that can be.
This might also stem from the fact that I’m a bit unconventional in my approach to things.
That said, it’s nice to know I’ve been doing some of what you suggested already (having my characters converse with each other, for my potential readers, and their parents, etc, to see) I try to do that on my novel’s Facebook page, and on T.A.A.’s Facebook page and twitter account.
I’m still working on possible craft ideas (Not my realm of expertise) and I hope over time I’ll build more of a community as it’s a bit more anemic than I’d like…
On that note, you should check out Sam Garton and Otter (@i_am_otter)
on Twitter. They’re quite engaging, so much so that some of my podcasting partners are following them, too!
I discovered this book late last year through my searching for titles to read and review on T.A.A. for 2014 and recently found out after a video by the author went live this week (Monday the 10th, February 2014) how HUGE their following is, even beyond the border of social media, and the book’s not out ’til April 2014!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnA-NO2IJJ8?rel=0&w=560&h=315%5D
It’s amazing the following you can build before publication, and while we all can’t go viral, we can a lot from those who do in working out strategies for our own work.
As you always say nowadays, there are ways for pre-published writers to market themselves, and this story among many proves it.
Sam’s someone you NEED to ask to come on the podcast, as he’s a solid and current example of pre-release marketing, and frankly, I’d like to be on it if possible as it ties in with my general message of “You don’t have to be a baby to revel in what I read and write” and I think it’s a message that needs jolting because if there’s one way the recession has directly hurt the kids and teens we write for (BEYOND their college readiness and job prospects…) is its stopping them from dreaming, its made them jaded realists at 4 and 5, when the sole concern is survival, and I do get and respect that, but you can be responsible about these things and still DREAM, and make those dreams happen.
Oy, sorry for rambling again, but since I can’t go to many of the cool and informative events you’ve been raving about, I’ve got time to engage in other ways…
Oh, and on that note, good for you making headways on “Dancing with
The Devil” and regardless of what you still need to tack in edits, be thankful you don’t have to face it alone as far as edits are concerned, I certainly am with my editor for GABRIEL, and I certainly submitted to her the best I could do alone, which isn’t always enough at times as you know.
Also, some of us who are dipping our toes into e-publishing often have to face edits alone, (due to lack of money, which isn’t the same as “Not willing to pay people what they are worth…) and we enlist writer friends we trust to spot things we’re not always able to, and there is only so much distance you can give if you want to build that backlist…
Anyway, have a safe and productive week, and please don’t forget to dream while taking action.
Taurean J. Watkins (Taury)
6 Comments
Tanja Bauerle
Whoohooo found it.
Tanja Bauerle
It's supposed to be 77 here is AZ today. We are still waiting for winter
Katie
Boo! Hiss!
JOHN WAITEKUS
COULD YOU COMMENT ON FIRST TIME AUTHORS AND MAINSTREAM PUBLISHING.
I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY AN AUTHOR WHOSE BOOK WAS ACCEPTED THAT THE CONTRACT WAS EXTREMELY ONE SIDED AND, BEING A FORMER LAWYER, HE WOULD NOT SIGN IT.
THIS IS ONE REASON MANY OF US GO THROUGH AMAZON’S “CREATE SPACE”
Katie
I advise asking the author’s guild. https://www.authorsguild.org/advocacy/ Who was the publisher? Make sure they’re above board and legit!
Taurean Watkins
Hi Katie, thanks for re-answering my question from Lunch ‘n Learn #3. I do find marketing direct to parents a bit tricky (and SCARY!) since unlike most authors I know, I’m not a parent, or a teacher and don’t see kids as often as I’d like, and I’m grateful for any tips I can get and act on.
I do get the basics of marketing are the same, but as I said in my video reply last week, it’s easier for YA authors to reach teens and adults directly because there are less filters to deal with, and it’s not that big a stretch to understand what may appeal to kids younger than 13 isn’t always in line to what parents will buy for or with their child in mind.
(You wouldn’t believe some of the narrow-minded things some parents/teachers/writers have told me regarding my MG debut novel [They read early drafts before I sold it.] which frustrated me as much as made me all the more eager to prove them wrong, and I feel like for once I got the last laugh!)
I know people often make point of adults not seeing things from the child’s perspective (regarding the actual books) but in marketing of said books, it is hard to get the right ratio of what hooks parents versus their kids, and the older the reader the harder that can be.
This might also stem from the fact that I’m a bit unconventional in my approach to things.
That said, it’s nice to know I’ve been doing some of what you suggested already (having my characters converse with each other, for my potential readers, and their parents, etc, to see) I try to do that on my novel’s Facebook page, and on T.A.A.’s Facebook page and twitter account.
I’m still working on possible craft ideas (Not my realm of expertise) and I hope over time I’ll build more of a community as it’s a bit more anemic than I’d like…
On that note, you should check out Sam Garton and Otter (@i_am_otter)
on Twitter. They’re quite engaging, so much so that some of my podcasting partners are following them, too!
I discovered this book late last year through my searching for titles to read and review on T.A.A. for 2014 and recently found out after a video by the author went live this week (Monday the 10th, February 2014) how HUGE their following is, even beyond the border of social media, and the book’s not out ’til April 2014!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnA-NO2IJJ8?rel=0&w=560&h=315%5D
It’s amazing the following you can build before publication, and while we all can’t go viral, we can a lot from those who do in working out strategies for our own work.
As you always say nowadays, there are ways for pre-published writers to market themselves, and this story among many proves it.
Sam’s someone you NEED to ask to come on the podcast, as he’s a solid and current example of pre-release marketing, and frankly, I’d like to be on it if possible as it ties in with my general message of “You don’t have to be a baby to revel in what I read and write” and I think it’s a message that needs jolting because if there’s one way the recession has directly hurt the kids and teens we write for (BEYOND their college readiness and job prospects…) is its stopping them from dreaming, its made them jaded realists at 4 and 5, when the sole concern is survival, and I do get and respect that, but you can be responsible about these things and still DREAM, and make those dreams happen.
Oy, sorry for rambling again, but since I can’t go to many of the cool and informative events you’ve been raving about, I’ve got time to engage in other ways…
Oh, and on that note, good for you making headways on “Dancing with
The Devil” and regardless of what you still need to tack in edits, be thankful you don’t have to face it alone as far as edits are concerned, I certainly am with my editor for GABRIEL, and I certainly submitted to her the best I could do alone, which isn’t always enough at times as you know.
Also, some of us who are dipping our toes into e-publishing often have to face edits alone, (due to lack of money, which isn’t the same as “Not willing to pay people what they are worth…) and we enlist writer friends we trust to spot things we’re not always able to, and there is only so much distance you can give if you want to build that backlist…
Anyway, have a safe and productive week, and please don’t forget to dream while taking action.
Taurean J. Watkins (Taury)