Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Promoting a Book with Author Michelle McLean!

Today please welcome author Michelle McLean!


She’s here to talk about what she is doing to promote her latest book. Homework Helpers: Essays and Term Papers.

Nowadays, promoting your own book, especially when it comes to non-fiction, is something every author is going to need to do. Publishers do help (for instance, my publisher hired a publicity firm to work with me) but a lot of promotion responsibility rests on the author’s shoulders.

There are a lot of things you can do; some you are probably already doing (like blogging) and some that are fun things you can do once you have a book on the way. Since my book, Homework Helpers: Essays and Term Papers, is geared toward students, teachers, and homeschooling parents, I try to connect with those readers as often as possible. Here are some of the things I’ve been doing to help promote my book:

* This blog tour :)

* I created an Author Page on Facebook, Amazon, and Goodreads

* I began promoting my upcoming book through my blog and website and focused on building my readership

* I’ve printed bookmarks and postcards featuring my book to leave on the counters of my local library and bookstore – and I recruited as many friends and family members as I could to do so as well. I will also be mailing the postcards and press kits (see next bullet) to schools and other institutions that might be interested in my book

* You can create press kits to send to newspapers, radio stations, and any other venue that might either plug or be interested in your book

* I spoke with my local bookstore about making appearances and will appear with my book at their bi-annual teacher convention

- Any appearance opportunities you can find will be a great help in promoting your book. Whether it be visiting schools or speaking at conventions, these are a great way to get yourself and your book known.

- Online appearances like Twitter chats, blog and website guest posts, Skype chats, forum chats, and any other venue where you can connect with your audience are great

*I even have family members wearing T-shirts with a picture of my cover to their English classes and Disneyland :)

Bottom line – connect with your audience. Let them know you have a book they need :)

Homework Helpers: Essays and Term Papers is a fun, user-friendly book that guides the reader, step by step, through writing a dozen different types of essays, including the dreaded SAT essay. Using straightforward, plain English, this book shows the reader exactly what they need to do, from start to finish, and includes rough draft, edited, and final draft versions of every type of essay discussed. This book also provides chapters that include tips and instruction on researching, proofreading, and citations.


To purchase Homework Helpers: Essays and Term Papers:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Borders

Michelle McLean is a writer and the Chief Editorial Consultant for PixelMags, LLC. In addition to her non-fiction work, Michelle writes YA historical novels and other children’s books. If she's not editing, reading or chasing her kids, she can usually be found in a quiet corner working on her next book.
Visit Michelle at her website, blog, Twitter, or Facebook page.

16 comments:

Will Burke said...

OMG, those are some great strategies! I like the Bookmarks plan, it will be in front of a potential client all the time!

Jemi Fraser said...

Awesome tips! I love the t-shirts in Disneyland - that's fabulous!!! :)

Angela said...

T-shirts, I love it!

Unknown said...

Awesome tips! And Michelle's book looks great. Definitely planning to pick up a copy!

Michelle McLean said...

Thanks everyone, and thanks for hosting me today, Diane :D

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Great ideas. I've done most of these but could do better using facebook and goodreads.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I need to do the Goodreads. I keep getting Google Alerts with my name and book from that site. A t-shirt would be really cool though!

Tony Eldridge said...

Thanks for the tips, Michelle! I agree with the others about the t-shirt. I haven't tried that but I love the idea!

Helen Ginger said...

Great list of tips. Thanks. Love the t-shirt idea - very cute.

Jane Kennedy Sutton said...

Fun ideas. I like how you got your family and friends involved to help distribute bookmarks and to wear the t-shirts.

Tara said...

These are some fantastic ideas - thanks.

Best of luck with your book!

Unknown said...

Those are some great promotion ideas. I'm going to make sure I have in place ideas like this when I have to market.

TrickiWoo said...

Really great promo tips!!

Arlee Bird said...

I think some new writers who dream of a best-seller think that when their book gets published they'll be able to sit at home and just collect the checks.

You tell it like it is. Just because a book is out there doesn't mean people are going to buy it.

Good tips.

Lee
Tossing It Out and the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2011

Beverly Stowe McClure said...

Congratulations on your book, Michelle. You offer some great tips on promotion too. Good luck.

Morgan Mandel said...

I haven't tried Skype chats yet, but I do have an app on my Iphone for it, plus a little camera for my notebook computer. One of these days I'll break down and try it.

Sounds like you've got some great game plans.

Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com