30
May

LTUE – Marketing and Publicity

   Posted by: Admin    in LTUE, My Events

This entry is part 1 of 6 in the series LTUE 2012

I have been so busy and such a procrastinator that I have neglected to put my LTUE 2012 notes up here. So, I will be posting them all over the next several days.

LTUE was February 9-11, 2012. This year it was held at Utah Valley University (UVU), and it was a great event.

So, on to my notes . . .

Marketing and Publicity

Bree Despain, Lynn Hardy, Jenn Johansson, Elana Johnson, Chris Schoebinger

You can pitch ideas to your publisher.

  • Bree’s nail polish
  • LibraryThing and Goodreads – giveaways (free ebooks) (goodreads giveaways require hard copy)
  • Amazon Kindle Forum (don’t talk about your own book)
  • Charity Work (donating proceeds from book)
  • Bridge book – combine book/paper with eBook (prequel? bridge story?)

* Marketing is about throwing stuff out and seeing what sticks.

  • Good Things Utah, Utah Valley Magazine
  • Build your platform – be interesting and entertaining, even a group blog. social media, book bloggers.
  • Publish more each year. Multiple releases. Anthologies.
  • Check out what others are doing.
  • Conferences
  • * Pick a couple things you enjoy and can make an impact with.
  • * Sandra Mitchell – marketing blog. Timeline. Postcards.
  • “I wanna get my books in the hands of kids for a reduced price”
  • Signings aren’t great except maybe in release month. Launch party. Presentation beforehand?

 

30
May

LTUE – What Exactly Does an Editor Do?

   Posted by: Admin    in My Events, LTUE

This entry is part 2 of 6 in the series LTUE 2012

Lisa Mangum, Joshua Perkey, Kirk Shaw, Rick Walton, Stacy Whitman

Editors are not really copy-editing. Work on bigger picture.

Editors are a writer’s biggest advocate.

Get to know editors. Social media too.

Editors facilitate communication between reader and author.

If editor suggests a change, you can come up with your own solution for solving the problem.

Editors are starting to allow simsubs (simultaneous submissions).

Important to keep the reader hooked after the first few chapters.

Some writers start in the wrong spot – editors may be able to help.

Editors can help fix characterization, pacing, plot. But, they don’t want to have to fix everything!

Editors can’t fix voice.

31
May

LTUE – Queries and Pitches

   Posted by: Admin    in My Events, LTUE

This entry is part 3 of 6 in the series LTUE 2012

Donna Milakovic, Lisa Mangum, J. Scott Savage, Chris Shoebinger, Kirk Shaw

Different types of queries – with manuscript, without, requested, slush

Different types of pitches – verbal (elevator pitch), high concept (take small idea and make it your hook, make it big). What makes your book different? Be enthusiastic about your story – infectious.

* manuscript.com – good info on pitches

Make sure to tell the ending. Position it for them – take subgenre and associate your book with titles there (not necessarily A-list titles).

Be simple, memorable, powerful, then stop talking!

4 sentences is about right.

Think of ways to increase your value to the publisher (in publicity, marketing)

Have others give honest reviews before sending your manuscript.

Publishers are more interested in building a brand.

After writing 1st book in a series, start a new project. This is so that if the 1st one gets rejected, the 2nd in the series is useless.

 

20
Jun

LTUE – eBooks

   Posted by: Admin    in My Events, LTUE

This entry is part 4 of 6 in the series LTUE 2012

This one did not have lots of notes from me because I knew a lot already. But here they are:

iwritenetwork forums for bloggers

smashwords

createspace (amazon)

16
Jul

LTUE – From Idea to Story

   Posted by: Admin    in My Events, LTUE

This entry is part 5 of 6 in the series LTUE 2012

Jess Smart Smiley

Developing an idea into a story.

Do a mind map, lists, notecards.

Take one bubble and combine with another. Repeat.

Then take time away from the ideas and let it all germinate.

Get a solid concept.

Notecard method: split into 3 sections – Begin, Middle, End. Put B, M, or E on notecard.

Write 3-5 sentence description of what happens on each card.

Then add 2 cards to each one. Create a middle and end for each section – 2 sentences.

Then build what goes in-between.

Make the process as much fun as the book when it’s done.

Then, Rough Draft.

What story looks like, pacing, get to know story better, see what up against.

Finish rough before editing.

Next draft.

Final Edit.

16
Jul

LTUE – Feeling Fake

   Posted by: Admin    in My Events, LTUE

This entry is part 6 of 6 in the series LTUE 2012

Jason Alexander, Ami Chopine, Sandra Tayler, Chris Weston, Stacy Whitman

Imposter syndrome.

Reality –> everyone is making it up as they go!

Part of it is humility – knowing you don’t know it all.

And that is good –> willing to learn

Fear can keep you from what you need to do.

It’s okay to get it wrong. Get it wrong and move on!

No about smart, it’s about hard work.

Look at the evidence that you belong – of your own competence.

Write every day.

Spectate on the feelings you have in the moment.

Set goals.

Have somebody be your sanity check – honest affirmation.