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Hi all,
I'm currently polishing up my MS for a non-fiction book that will fall into the parenting genre, sort of a funny (I hope) How To book (I'll make the actual proposal sound better, I swear).
Anyway, my research shows that similar books in that genre seem to be by authors who have already had success on their subject with a blog/newspaper column (or be a celebrity!) and have a large following. I also read an interview recently with an agent who said she checks out a potential authors on-line presence to see how popular they are.
I had a blog for many years, but I didn't really enjoy it and the only things I did like to blog about occasionally had no relevance to my MS. I came to resent it and felt my time was better served working on my writing projects. (The fact I had very little followers did nothing to encourage me to keep it going either!)
I'm confident my MS takes on a different spin of my subject. Do I have to have an on-line presence before submitting it to agents in a few months? This is the route I'd like to try first. I use Twitter and Instagram a bit but that's about the extent of my contribution to social media!
Thanks!
Comments
You need to demonstrate that there is interest in you and the book's subject. Those statistics should be included in your pitch.
On Twitter and Facebook you could follow lots of people who post about your subject matter and share/retweet anything you find interesting or useful as a way to provide information without doing too much yourself.
It's good you've got Twitter and Instagram, but you might want to create a basic website too.
Are you on Mumsnet and NetMums?
I've failed dismally with self promotion with my Etsy shop via social media, which discourages me with an author profile. I wish so much didn't hinge on social media, I bloody hate Facebook too, there are too many opinionated idjits!
Follow a few bloggers who talk around family related topics- I know from comping there are quite a few. And build from there as many bloggers do.
If you don't engage you can't expect people to spend money on your book. You spend time in the community, they spend their money.
If you can't do that then you need to consider what you're about. If you can't be enthused to engage, are you really that confident in your product? Even if you employed a PR company, i.e. Cameron, you still need to engage. I have clients who have used Cameron but they have still needed to get out there and engage.
http://www.cameronpm.co.uk/
In an ideal world you would have begun your marketing when your book was in its first draft.
:-\"
I do find it funny though, when the dentist tells me to keep an eye on my boys sugar intake and fizzy drinks and fruit juices. It is everything not to laugh in her face. They are fully aware of his restrictive diet, and he does not have anything that they say to restrict. I think the teeth problems are aassociated to his overall condition, though he hasn't been formally diagnosed with the second one - as they won't listen! I shan't go on, it took us six years to get the first diagnosis, I need a break before the next fight! There are so many factors in stuff like that, just saying 'don't give rusks' is silly in my opinion!
It is not taking you away from your work, it will enrich it.
But the bottom line is - no publisher has time to advertise your book and with thousands being published every single day you need to advertise yourself or sink into the masses without trace - and as a lot of your work has gone into every word, and every book from then on will depend on the sales of this one, you need to get out there and swallow the bullet.
However, since I began to seriously consider attempting to write my Fiji memoirs, I realised that I would have to bite the bullet and start work on gaining a following. I knew that if I didn't, then I would be writing the book for myself only!
I started a blog last year, which I do enjoy writing and whilst my following is still very modest, it's a start.
So - you're going to have to make some hard decisions if you want your book to succeed I'm afraid.
I realise I made myself sound completely uninterested in my topic! What I meant by not being interested in a topic, is the kind of threads where parents end up having a mad rant about something daft! I love my topic (twins!) and can talk no end on the matter. Perhaps I'll give the MN/NM multiple birth forums a try. You've given me lots to think about, I feel quite positive about trying things out.
The problem with blogging, is that while I do like communicating with like minded folks and sharing, I don't like my family and friends reading it! I'm fine if they read something I've had published in a magazine, but I get really embarrassed if someone says "I read your blog" to me. I worry they must think I'm trying to make out that my life and family is sooo amazing etc. I don't get along well with my sister either and she's made some snide remarks, which has made me really self conscious. But like I said, I don't mind strangers reading my stuff at all.
Maybe I will re-activate my blog then... perhaps anyone with 5 minutes spare could have a wee look at it and tell me what you think? I made it private a few months ago after one of my freelance clients said he'd found it and I was utterly mortified!
But be proud someone has read your blog, thank them and ask them if there is something they're particularly interested in, or would like to see on your blog.
I wish I'd had blogs I could have read when I had the triplets.
There are a lot of twins born and there are so many everyday issues that result from having multiples; from simple things to complex things like, should you keep them together in the same class or have them in separate classes when they go to school.
Be confident on the surface even if you aren't inside.
If you wrote this book to help mums who have been in your position, you must seek them out and tell them you have loads of tips to help them!
Best of luck
marion
Do you think I should post snippets on my blog from my 'Twins' non-fiction manuscript that I'm writing, to try and gain interest? This is my blog if anyone wants to proffer an opinion (or should I put it on the blog updates thread?). Be gentle.
https://karenwalkauthor.wordpress.com/
Also, is there a TB Facebook group I can join? I've set up a writer's page there too... there's a link on the blog if anyone wants to take pity and like my new page... I have a grand total of zero likes so far! Will seek out some of you lovely folks too (in the most non-stalker way possible, of course...)
I've set up a Facebook 'Writer' page too, and am following other pages there that share my interests and leave comments. There's a handful of popular family writers/bloggers that I enjoy reading and post similar things to me, so I'm engaging with those pages and might hopefully hook other readers to me, plus I've joined some twin pages to interact there and offer advice to other twin mums. I have a whopping 9 whole likes so far!