Category: Marketing Tips

Self-Promotion: An Interesting Twist

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

Have you ever met a person who’s always talking about herself? Someone who monopolizes every conversation? I did. In college. Funny thing. Nobody wanted to hang out with her.

We hear a lot of talk about the importance of marketing and self-promotion. Especially if we want to make it in this business.

But in the same breath, we know too much turns people off.

Which leads to the question I’ve been thinking about now that I’ve signed my first book deal:

How do we market ourselves without coming across as self-centered or narcissistic?

In a post titled Social Networking Rules, YA author, Elana Johnson, shares some simple, yet brilliant guidelines she lives by.

One such guideline?

If she tweets about her life, she scrolls through her twitter feed and @-messages three others who’ve said something about theirs. Elana says, “This creates a new conversation between me and them.” And she doesn’t feel like she’s hogging the twitter feed.

This reminded me of some advice I got before going to my first writing conference two years ago.

Be outward focused.

Marketing 101. Simple, yet profound.

Don’t focus on you. Focus on the people around you.

Talk up such-and-such author’s new book while at the bookstore. Pray with a friend or roommate before they pitch their novel. Take time out from a workshop to brainstorm with a fellow writer. Mentor a newbie.


Sounds counter intuitive, doesn’t it? But it works. Especially if you do it from a sincere heart.


Here’s the thing. Nobody wants to hang out with people who talk about themselves all the time. We’re drawn to those who genuinely listen and turn the focus outward.

I took this advice when I went to my first conference in 2009, and again in 2010, and had two amazing experiences. The weekend stopped being about me, and became about us. It helped me understand that we can all work together to promote each other.

After reading Elana’s blog post, something clicked. I can embrace that same bit of advice as I travel down this new, exciting, and slightly intimidating path with Waterbrook Multnomah.

I can be outward focused.

I can remember that it’s not about me. It’s about the writing friends I get to encourage and promote along the way. The readers I get to entertain and connect with along the way. The professionals I get to learn from along the way.

The minute I forget that, is the minute someone needs to kindly kick me in the head.

Let’s Talk: Are you talking too much about yourself? How do you keep your focus outward? Any self-promotion tips for a gal who’s not quite sure how to handle it?

On a fun note: I’m meeting my critique partner and friend, Erica Vetsch, this weekend for our own personal writing retreat. We’re locking ourselves away so we can write, write, write! Ah. Sweet bliss.

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Networking

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

If you want to go places in this business, gone are the days where you can do it without networking. Okay, okay…there’s the one or two rare exceptions. But let’s lump ourselves with the majority and accept the fact that networking is necessary. Especially for the writer seeking publication.

So what exactly is networking?
 
I’m not going to give you a dictionary definition. I’m going to give you a Katie-definition. Here’s what networking is to me: interacting and connecting with other people within the publishing industry, whether they be fellow writers, agents, editors, or publishers.
I know networking can be an icky word, because it sounds self-seeking. But I say phooey. It’s only self-seeking if you make it that way.

One of the biggest benefits I’ve experienced from networking is the genuine relationships I’ve formed in the process.
 

Why is networking important?
 
Because traditional publishing houses do not take unsolicited submissions, and because fewer and fewer agents are taking on clients through the query-system.
So how are writers still snagging agents and yet-to-be-published authors still landing books deals? First, they wrote a good book. Second, they networked.
 
Here are a few ways to network:
  • Attend writing conferences when you’re ready to pitch. I went to my first conference in ’09, and I went with three finished novels that were ready. I met authors. I connected on a deeper level with writers I already knew from blogging. I ate lunch with editors and agents and I got to pitch one of my novels face-to-face to an editor and agent of my choice. I was no longer an unsolicited, faceless submission.
  • If you have the money, attend conferences when you aren’t ready to pitch. So many people go to conferences and don’t sign up for editor/agent appointments because they have nothing to pitch. I say, get your money’s worth! Take the appointments and preface it with, “I don’t have anything to pitch, but would love to pick your brain…” Get your name and face in front of industry professionals. Make a good impression. See which agents you click with and which agents you don’t. That way, when you ARE ready to query, you won’t be another unfamiliar name in the slush pile.
  • Follow blogs and COMMENT. Sorry. I don’t mean to yell. But lurking does you no good. Find agent blogs. Editor blogs. Published author blogs. Unpublished author blogs. Not only will you learn a load of useful information, but it’s a FREE way to build relationships and get your name and face out there.
  • Get on Twitter, follow, and have “conversations” with other writers. I personally think Twitter’s more useful when it comes to networking than Facebook. But that’s probably because I use Facebook for more personal stuff.
  • Don’t be afraid to shoot somebody an email. As long as you’re sensitive to and aware of people’s busy schedules, nobody’s going to resent an email. In fact, I enjoy getting emails from people who have questions. I feel like I’m paying it forward from all the times people reached out to help me.
I had a brain wave the other day. A totally, unprofound, no-duh brainwave. Are you read for it?

Networking isn’t about our books. It’s about the person underneath them, and with every tweet, every comment, and every conversation we have, we’re building a reputation. Agents and editors aren’t just buying books. They’re buying the brand behind the books – and that’s YOU! So be real. Be sincere. Be professional. Be you.

Let’s Talk: How important do you think networking is for the writer seeking publication? What ways do you network? What’s worked best for you? Do you cringe when you hear people talking about networking? Why or why not? And happy Valentine’s Day!

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Are You Getting Others Involved?

Posted on by Katie Ganshert

I’m taking a break from 3 C’s to try something new. For the next several Fridays, I’ll blog about things I’m experiencing, learning, pondering, or wrestling with on this new leg of the journey. In a month or two, I’ll reassess and see if this is a good direction.

So without further ado, here’s a small epiphany I had while telling people the news:

I don’t know what’s more fun – getting the contract, or getting to tell people about the contract. I’ve gotten some great responses, some funny responses, and some very humbling responses. You know the ones. When the person just sort of stares at you while crickets chirp backup, and then finally they say something like, Oh, that’s nice, when really they mean, You’re kind of weird. Gotta love those.

The most popular is probably: Are you going to quit teaching?

The most awkward: So is there a lot of money involved?

The most laughter-inducing: Are you going to be famous now?

But my two favorite have got to be these:

  • When I found out I was getting published, I was in the middle of teaching and therefore couldn’t tell a soul. I teach with two close friends who have read all my books and have supported me through this entire journey. So after school, when I’m about to burst with the news, I have Susan and Melissa meet me in Melissa’s room, whereby I blurt, “I’m getting published!” Oh my goodness. It was the BEST reaction ever. They hurled themselves at me with hugs and screams. They jumped up and down with me and cried with me. I’ll never forget it.
  • The second was more unexpected. I volunteer Wednesday nights at junior high ministry. One of the 7th graders used to be my student two years ago while I was writing Beneath a Velvet Sky. While she waited for her bus at the end of the day, she’d answer my farming questions. So while we were hanging out on Wednesday night, I told her I was getting published, thinking she’d smile, but not really get it. Nope. She freaked out! Then she asked if it was the one she helped me with and when I said yes, she about peed her pants.
Both of those reactions got me thinking. People like to be involved. Melissa and Susan wouldn’t have gotten as excited as they did if I never would have shared my writing with them. But I did. And it’s like this publishing deal isn’t just happening to me, it’s happening to them too. They are such an important part of it.
And then there’s my junior high girl. When I think of my reading audience, I do not think junior high. I think adult women. But when I told her, she was SO excited to buy my book. So excited that she helped me with it. She told her friends and all of a sudden, I had three girls who couldn’t wait to buy a novel that won’t come out until next spring. Three girls who couldn’t wait to tell their moms about it, because their moms like to read, and their moms ARE my intended audience.
So here’s something I’ve learned. Something I’ve rolled around in my head:

As writers, we should be looking for ways to get people involved. Because when people get involved, they get invested. And when people are invested, they’re going to encourage others to get invested too. And really, isn’t that the core of good marketing?
Let’s Talk: How are you involving people in your writing? Do you have a hard time doing this? Why or why not? And just because I’m not sharing my 3 C’s, doesn’t mean I don’t want to read yours. Feel free to share those too!

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