Introduction: I realized that I need to introduce this blog a little. I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. The working title was Daemon, and this was my 21st novel. Over the last year, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel.
I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.
Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, go to my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.
Here is the list of ideas for advertising--there are more and I'll add to the list as we go along. I'm certainly not an expert in all these, but I've dabbled in all of them. I'll try to relate my experience and the degree of that experience to you.
1. Have a website for your novel.
2. Write a blog.
3. Advertise.
4. Literary awards.
5. Book cards.
6. Contests.
7. Interviews.
8. Blog tours.
9. Press releases.
10. Speaking and teaching.
11. e-mailing.
12. Gifts.
13. Book signings.
14. Book trailers
15. ...
You can be interviewed for print media, for radio, for TV, on blogs, Internet general, character interviews, trailers just to name a few.
There is an implied question about the content of a blog interview--that is, just answering the questions isn't enough. I probably don't need to tell many writers this, but the concept of answering questions is to do it in a very constructive and artful way. You also want to ensure you write the answer in your voice. The point is to get across your skill and your style and excite your potential readers. Again, I'll point to the blog interview I did on my novel Centurion for Lynnette Bonner. You can see it at http://lynnettebonner.blogspot.com/2010/08/lionel-alford-talks-about-his-book.html.
Overall, this is the point I'm making in terms of all your writing about your own book, you want to convince and excite potential readers to pick up and read your novel. There really isn't any other purpose. If you aren't excited about your novel, no one else should be either. Anything you are excited about, you will talk about and try to get others excited about too.
This is what bothers me about authors who say they aren't interested in promoting their own works. I can understand not really wishing to sell your own works, but the idea that someone isn't interested in promoting their created art, is beyond me. Writers want other people to read their writing and to appreciate it. That is the point of writing (a communication tool).
Let's move on to general Internet interviews, tomorrow.
I'll repeat my published novel websites so you can see more examples: http://www.ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites: http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com/, http://www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, http://www.thefoxshonor.com/, and http://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.
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