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. ...
You can be interviewed for print media, for radio, for TV, on blogs, Internet general, character interviews, trailers just to name a few.
Television interviews are similar to radio interviews. They are, however, more difficult to get. As always, and especially with television, you will not usually be interviewed because of your novel--it will be the topic of your novel that is the focus. You do have to worry with a television interview about how you appear. So although this information applies mainly to television interviews, it also applies any time you interact with the public.
Appearance matters, and it matters more to authors than to many other fields. You want to portray yourself to fit in the genre and your area of expertise. This also applies to your pictures. If your topic is studious and intellectual, you want to portray that. When I speak and interview for my historical fiction, I try to give an appearance of a professor. This is easy because I have been a professor and instructor for a long time. When I interview or speak about these books, I wear a coat and gussy up a bit. Not too much, I wouldn't wear a coat and tie, but enough so the audience sees me as an academician.
If you are a YA (young adult) writer, you want to have the appearance that you are somewhat connected to YA. You should wear something stylish that fits with that crowd. A suit and tie would be out of place.
A suit and tie would be very appropriate if you are a business writer or if you are writing about a business subject. If you are a preacher or a priest and your writing is topical on these subjects, you might want to wear a collar or a suit. You get the idea--you should portray your focus topic in your dress and your demeanor.
I'll get into more details on dress and demeanor, 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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