Publication - Advertising Concepts

6 December 2011, Publication - Advertising Concepts

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. At this moment, I'm showing you the marketing material I put together for a novel.

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/.

Your publisher provides a certain degree of marketing savy and power to you that an indie doesn't have.  Unfortunately, for most published authors, this marketing support is limited.  Really, unless and until you have a bestseller, you aren't at the center of your publisher's radar.

So, you could hire an advertising or promotional group or person.  That costs money, usually, lots of money.  I'm not certain of the return on value--I'd like to know, but that information isn't easily available.  If you find some, I'd like to see it.  There is the other more realistic risk.  Although all authors are certain their own works are fabulous, and many times others will agree, the real problem is the question--will this book really be a bestseller?  And--should I put down a chunk of change to take that risk? 

The obvious answer is to let the market decide.  This is where an indie has a definite disadvantage.  The published author has already run one of the gauntlets of the market--publishing.  A publisher has taken a chance on the novel--one value judgment has been made.  The publisher and the published author have some hope of return on value for this reason alone.  Therefore, as an indie author, I wouldn't take a risk (by spending a chunk of change) on a novel that has not been accepted by a publisher.  And as a published author, I'm more of the opinion to let the market itself judge the value of my work--there are problems with that strategy. 

We'll explore those problems and more of this idea of low and no cost advertising 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/.