I think I need some direction, I seem to be lost/stuck????

[J.T. Brown]

 

Hello Everyone,

I am trying hard to figure out the process of marketing. I always worry about being to pushy and overbearing. I am a little nervous about posting my book everywhere. I try to find suitable places for my work, and trying not be a spam-(er). I am not sure if I am aiming in the right areas. I write for middle grade and young adults, but to market for that age seems impossible.

How does everyone get their books out there without pushing too hard?

This is my work.....What am I doing wrong? Am I missing something???

 

"The Legend of Harper and the Reversing Worlds, Trilogy One"

http://www.amazon.com/Legend-Harper-Reversing-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B004...

-Age Level: 8-12, Grade level 3-up Series: 1

-This children's fantasy fiction book contains no foul language or any adult content of any kind.

Pages: 341 Word Count: 42,848

Harper Grogen has no idea that she is the most powerful creature in Pasmaqon. She knew she was different from many other eleven year olds; maybe a little quirky, but magical was not in her self-description.

Her inquisitive notion drove her to an old tattered book which held a mysterious stone.

Her possession of the stone sent her to a estranged world, which had been hidden under the ocean's fire tornado of “'Reversing Falls.”

Harper quickly realizes she holds the power of Pasmaqon, not knowing that invisible vices had an intense sense of her keeps.

 

"Tide's Ghost of the Reversing Worlds, Trilogy Two, Part I"

http://www.amazon.com/Tides-Reversing-Worlds-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B0061...

 

 

-Age Level: 8-up, Grade level 3-up, Series: 2

-This children's fantasy fiction book contains no foul language or any adult content of any kind.

Pages: 249 Word Count: 32,598


A mysterious beast appeared along the shores of Harper’s town, bringing harm to whoever is in the path to Harper’s treasures.
Harper quickly recognizes that the beast was a spell bound leak from Pasmaqon. She soon finds herself back in the magical land to fight a battle that she was indeed prepared for.
The twist of the Reversing worlds, seeks not only Harper, but the true villains of her land above.

"Gypsy's Meadow"

 

http://www.amazon.com/Gypsys-Meadow-ebook/dp/B0076SV24C/ref=tmm_kin...

A horse stands at the corner of the fence as she tells a tale. She shares the stories from her past. The stories of heartbreak, disappointment, and the feeling of finally finding love within her life. She remembered when her life wasn’t as easy as, she struggled to be recognized for who she was. She remembers when a little girl opened her heart and opened up a whole new way of living. She chose her new life, and wants to share it with you; hoping for other horses out there in need, will have a chance to live with love. “Gypsy’s Meadow” is a touching story which tells a tale of other simuliar horses out there that are just plainly looking for a good home. The purpose and mission of this book, is to raise funds for “First Light Farms Equine Shelter”; so other horses can share their “Remember When” and not “Maybe could be.” “Every step we take could be another hoof print left in our hearts.”

My Pages:

http://www.amazon.com/J.T.-Brown/e/B007PWVBUE/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_p...

http://www.authorjtbrown.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100002256411173

https://twitter.com/#!/Mysticalwriter

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5403130-j-t-brown

http://bookblogs.ning.com/profile/JTBrown?xg_source=activity

 

My Youtube Video's:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSSLYYtb17M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YggQlKI2oq4

 

Should I be doing anything different?

I have submitted my work to a few reviewers. Do I look for reviewers or do I wait for the interest?

I have been tinkering with different sites, but having a hard time navigating and finding my way around. I am still in the process of getting to know bookblogs.

Am I missing anything? How in the world, do you get your work out there when self-published?

Maybe a website, offer free signed copies, or mass emails????

I would be more than willing to help out anyone that wants to share their information with me, tather if it is a add or a follower.

I Thank you so much for your time and advise....

Take Care,

Happy Reading and Writing,

 

J.T. Brown

 

 

[Dream]

Hello Brown, marketing your books can be a big problem, not only for you but for many authors out there writing books.I believe thats one area where publishers can help authors a lot. Marketing books is complex yet simple, you have to do many things for it to work and requires many iterations and rigorous process. Identifying the group or niche of people who would be interested in your work is the key. Your book audience is YA and they are the easiest ones you can market as they are on the computer and use internet a lot. The important point is you have to pick a beach head and spread from there, marketing randomly across the internet is not very efficient in my opinion. Follow through is very important and things will not work in a snap :)

Some of the ways I suggest:

1. Email successful YA book authors, ask them to mention about your book like tweeting or sharing it on Facebook. Again the message needs to be very creative, like ask them for an advice on how to market your book and the authors will do their part to help you, everyone got help at one point of their life to become big. I would say, target the tier 2 YA authors and the response probability is higher than tier 1 who get 1000 emails everyday. If you email 100 tier 2 YA authors 20 may respond, but it does help than just Facebook comments!

2. Collaborating with librarians, teachers, principals at your local schools even before the book is releasing. Do a free pre launch event at your local schools to create the buzz before the release. If you have a good relationship with schools, it helps a lot to market YA books. Target locally and it will spread globally! I feel this is the best beach head for you. Targeting schools locally and also across the country. 

3. Try to get a press release locally, local newspapers, radio stations etc reporters do want to know the books releasing locally and its their job to write interesting content for their newspapers and book releases are definitively a knowledge topic or giveaway the book to a reporter and ask for a written review in the newspaper column where ever its appropriate. At this moment, getting covered in NY Times is long shot, you can try if you have connections. Its not impossible, people have done it before. 

4. Social media marketing helps to some extent. 

I hope it helps!

Vish Chap

www.dreamonus.com

Online book giveaways

https://twitter.com/#!/dreamonus

[e-mail]

[J.T. Brown]

Dream,

Wow!!!! Some wonderful advise here. I will take it. Thank you!!!

I looked at your website, and I love it!!!

Do authors ask to have free book giveaways on your site? I am so sorry to ask, I am new to this and would love to know the details.

Is it possible I could get one of my books on your site????

I have pondered the idea around this week for Mother's Day. Creating a event for "Gypsy's Meadow" where as my daughter and I wrote it together. I was hoping of doing a promotion of some sorts of celerbrating Mom and daughter for a good cause.

I could offer a free autographed book to the winner.

I was thinking of "Moms" sharing stories about motherhood on my blog. The three top stories, I could send the book to.

I am wondering how to set up this process and if we are too far in May to start such a venture.

Would this be a idea???

 

Your post got me thinking. :o)

 

Many of my stories have been through the local papers, and really no bites. Maybe I should try letting the paper know where they can locally get a hold of the book.

Most in my area, shop on the internet. Sad, but true....

Sorry to toss ideas towards your way, but your advise sparks some ideas for me.

You were very helpful!

Thank you so much!!!!

I can't wait to get started!!!

Take Care and Wish you luck in all you do!

J.T.

[Dream]

Hi Brown, 

Thank you for the kind words. 

Yes, you can list your autographed book on Dream. There is a feature where you can list your giveaway. I posted the link here.

http://www.dreamonus.com/books/new

Add a giveaway and I will approve it ASAP!

Once the giveaway ends, I will pick a winner and let you know and you can send the book through their way!

Let me know if you have problems listing the book. 

You can do the moms sharing motherhood thing on your blog, but how would you let people know about that? 

Press release would work well in your case. 

Any questions let me know!

Vish Chap

www.dreamonus.com

Online book giveaways

https://twitter.com/#!/dreamonus

[e-mail]

[Janet Howle]

We are trying a live internet radio interview as a marketing strategy. There are so many options that it is hard to decide which will give you the greatest exposure. I'll let you know if we see changes in sales from this. The URL, if you are interested is: http://www.voiceamerica.com/worldtalkradio/vshow.aspx?sid=764 

[J.T. Brown]

Wowwzzzaa!!!

This looks like a great idea! Thank you for sharing. Yes! Please let me know if this changes your sales. :o)

Thank you so much for sharing!

J.T.

[Pearson Oldmitz]

Hello TJ,

You are welcome to post your book trailers on my discussion page, "Do Book Trailers Sell Books?" So far it has gotten over 2100 views and 89 replies, and created some interesting discussions. Give it a look. I started the topic with Stephen Poleskie's trailer for his book VIGILIA'S TEMPEST. The trailer had 700 hits on YouTube when I put it up and it is now nearing 3000, many of these coming from Book Blogs members. 

Best wishes,

Pearson Oldmitz

[J.T. Brown]

Hello,

I would love to be part of this! Thank you so much for sharing! I will be looking this up and give you my book trailers on youtube. My trailers have been made in the last few weeks, and I am in hopes of sharing my new book cover for my upcoming book this summer. :o) Thank you so much!!

You will be hearing from me soon. :o) Thank you so much.

:o) J.T.

[Joy Cieslarski]

You should try and get this into schools! It may create a following that way. I am also new to the publishing world (self-publishing) and I gave copies to my daughter's english teacher. Your book is quite eye-catching! I may have missed it, but I didn't see if you have children. Try and get it into middle/jr. high schools. If you get even one reader, it will spread like wild-fire. A friend of my daughter's picked up my book and she told me she couldn't put it down (my daughter is 13).  I gave the school 4 copies and the teacher "book talked" it during one of her classes. It gained so much interest, she had a raffle in her classes for kids to take turns reading it. A copy is also in their library.  I also emailed my daughter's grammar school english teacher and told her about it to get more traction there.   Try some more unorthodox methods; find out if your friends have book clubs. I've made some stickers, T-shirts, hats to advertise my book as well. Put up a sign at your local grocery store, solicit some smaller bookstores in your area to see if they'll carry your book. I've been successful there.

 

 

 

 

[J.T. Brown]

Hello,

Yes I am a mom, I did make sure to send copies to her school. I think I should send copies to other near by schools as well. That is so excited to hear about the kids excitment. It is a great and wonderful way to share, and to it is focusing on the right age group.

I thank you so much for sharing and I wish you luck with all that you do.

J.T.

[Yolanda]

Hi,

Try the libraries, I live in a small town so all the librarians know me.  Give book readings there. Get to know the ones who really recommend books.  Do a marketing plan for your books.

http://hillaryhermes.blogspot.com/

 

YP

[J.T. Brown]

Thank  you so much, we have a reading lined up for next week. We are so excited!!!!

 

Take Care and thank you so much for your advise.

J.T.