Time allotment for marketing

[Sharon Dwyer]

I have to wonder how to spread my time with websites. This has been an ongoing problem for me and I keep changing my mind. If I spend the time it takes to go through blogs, websites and forums, I lose time doing what I want to do - write. It takes time and concentration to write a book. Then the marketing comes and that requires more time, except I am already working on the next book.

So....how should time be allotted and where are the best  places to go so I spend the least amount of time doing this.  How about we list the best sites that work for authors promotions.

[Irina Shapiro]

Hi, Sharon. 

I was just thinking about that very thing yesterday.  I wind up spending so much time trolling these sites that I have no time left to write.  I've been allocating a certain amount of time per day to do marketing, and then I move to other things.  This is all very time consuming, but it needs to be done.  If you come across any useful sites, please pass on the information.  I would love to learn of more ways to promote my work.

Irina

www.irinashapiro.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Irina-Shapiro/307374895948375

   

[Sharon Dwyer]

My problem is if I start with going through the blogs and websites by the time I get done to start writing I'm tired or the day has gone by or I am just through with banging on the keyboard. What type of books do you write?

 

[Irina Shapiro]

Maybe you should do the writing first, while your mind is still fresh, and then spend a few hours on the marketing.  I've read that the best time to post things is between 11am-1pm.  Those posts get the most traffic.  I write historical romance with a twist.  I like a hint of mystery and supernatural to keep the stories fresh.

[Irina Shapiro]

BTW, can you share some sites that you've found helpful?  I love this site, but I don't know of any more like it.  Have you done any blog tours? 

 

Irina

[Sharon Dwyer]

I haven't done any blog tours. Not really sure how to. I am fairly new to all this and haven't gotten into it with whole heart. One site to try is http://forums.nathanbrandsford.com. He used to be an agent and has a great set of forums and info on his page about writing, agents and publishing.

[Irina Shapiro]

Thank you.  I will check it out.  I am relatively new to this too, and I've learned some useful things.  I am doing a blog tour in the UK this week.  I found the blog organizer through this site.  I was hoping for a surge in sales, but so far, I've seen nothing.  I think my money is probably better spent elsewhere.  But, it was important to try. 

Have you done any one thing that really increased your sales?

Irina

 

[Sharon Dwyer]

Nothing has changed as far as sales go. My latest book, Dirt, just came out and I am trying to find sites to  promote it. I ma not sure about blog tours - really need soemone to tell me about them. I seen them but I don't know how to get on one and what I am suppose to do on it. I notice a lot of them advertise their books for free. Don't really know how that increases sales - It will increase awarness of the book but don't know if that transends into sales.

[Marie-Anne Mancio]

Hi Sharon,

I'm an author who has appeared on a few blogs just by contacting review sites direct with a synopsis and asking. They will either send you a list of questions or ask you to choose a topic related to your book to blog about. I think you have to target the blogs carefully though (do they read your genre etc.?)

I'm also part of http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/22646.Orangeberry_Summer_Splash_... which is fantastic because someone else is doing all the admin! I can't tell you yet if this will translate into increased sales but I know they have several http://www.orangeberrybooktours.com/p/sign-up.html tours throughout the year and so far have found Pandora to be very organised, professional and Twitter savvy (no, I'm not on commission!)

I don't know if you have an e-book or p-book but if it's the former I say be generous with the giveaways. Better people read it and spread the word....

Good Luck!

Marie-Anne

[Sharon Dwyer]

Thank you for the information. I did sign up with goodreads and need to spend some time there figuring it all out. My book is hard copy and ebook. Ebook is available on all formats so I hoe when it gets through the distribution channels I will some activity.

[C.B. Haight]

So you tried the blog tour and found it didn't make much of a difference? I am currently building my audience prior to the release, and I have been working on assembling a blog tour. I have been wondering what the best actions here are. I have been picking bloggers that review on Amazon and goodreads to maximize my online presence, did you try that? I do think a big part of book sales has to be local at first. I think you have to make contact with local groups that appeal to your readers, and make your presence known. I will let you know if it works. Right now I have 3 book clubs waiting for release, and one book store that scheduled me for an event, but I did all that leg work with my family's help. However, I expect it will not boost sales as much as it will get people talking.

Have any of you tried building a trailer for your book to rev people up? I make them for several people, and several reasons, here is a link to one I made for a fellow author. The Pirate heir. Then you can put them on several book trailer websites. And tweet them.

[Sarah E.]

As a blogger I have the exact same problem. Somedays I spend so much time trying to get my blog's name out there that I don't actually get any writing, reading or review done. I find that it helps to alot a certain amount of time each day for networking, its amazing how much you can get done when you tell yourself you only have twenty minutes to comment on other blogs! I find that most of my traffic actually comes through Book Blogs probably because I spend most of my time netowrking, on this site.

As for promoting your book, I would highly recommend asking individual bloggers to review your book, uf you aren't ready for a blog tour yet. I know that I have certainly found books I want to read by reading other blogs.

Best of luck!

-Sarah

http://laceandlavenderhints.blogspot.ca

[Sharon Dwyer]

Thanks Sarah. I will try to find other bloggers who may be interested in reviewing the book.