Publication - Your Press Release Content

20 January 2012, Publication - Your Press Release Content

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.  ...

Content!  What kind of copy do you need in your press release?  This is especially important if you are an indi writer.  The primary information you need to get out is your book info.  Here is the block for my novel Aegypt:

Title:  Aegypt      Author:  L.D. Alford      ISBN: 1602900132      ISBN-13: 9781602900134      Format: Paperback, 232pp      Publisher: OakTara Publishing Group LLC      Pub. Date: January 2008

This information allows someone to find your novel!  That's why it is so important.  Second, you need to have a short synopsis and teasers.  That's the information we created for your novel a while ago.  Third, you need information on the author.  That's the information we created before as well.  Finally, if you aren't an indi, you want information about the publisher.  If you are an indi, that's optional.

If you are writing a press release for something other than the release of a book, then remember topic.  For example, if you have a novel about the Berlin Wall, any news about the Berlin Wall is a reason to put out a press release.  You might have a press release that announces the recognition of some event for the Berlin Wall and state that your novel is related to that topic.  This gives you an opportunity to get out information on your novel and to potentially score other interviews. 

The use of a press release is to get information to the media.  Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't.  Your only hope is to keep trying and keep the information (especially topical) out about your books.
I'll write 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/.

Publication - Blog Interviews Content

10 January 2012, Publication - Blog Interviews Content

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/.