Publication - even more Speaking and Teaching

23 January 2012, Publication - even more Speaking and Teaching

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.  ...

Since most of my writing is historical fiction, I have a multitude of topics available to me to teach.  Teaching is what I do.  I have been a teacher for the Air Force Institute of Technology.  I also have been a military aircraft instructor.  I teach classes now for different organizations for three reasons: to keep in practice, because people like my teaching, and to get out information on my novels.  The main purpose in the teaching isn't necessarily the sale of copy, but it helps to build a basis for your public credibility in the topic.  I'm a test pilot and an aerospace engineer by trade and education, but I also have skills and knowledge outside these fields.  My studies have been primarily culture and linguistics.  This is what I generally write about in history.

I do mostly ancient languages.  The basis of my novel, Aegypt is Egyptian hieroglyphics and ancient Egyptian as well as Tunisian and French Tunisian culture in the 1920s.  I interweave the intricacies of the language and cultures and especially the collision of cultures and languages.  This is the focus and usually a major theme in my writing.  I speak on these topics.  My novel The Second Mission is about Greece in 400 to 399 BCE.  You can see the numerous topics available to me to speak and teach about. 

So I get numerous requests to teach and speak about ancient Greece and ancient Egypt.  I take the opportunity to tell my audiences that my novels are about these topics and that they are a fun way to learn more about the subject.

I'll write more about speaking and teaching 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/.