Friday, December 14, 2012

The Hobbit Blogfest, Déjà vu Fest - Setting up a Blog Tour, and Friday Photo

The Hobbit Blogfest, hosted by Tyrean’s Writing Spot and M. Pax. We are to answer a couple questions in celebration of the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

What is your favorite hobbit characteristic/or the one that you think closely resembles you . . .?

I’d like to say their penchant for fun, but it’s probably their short stature and big feet. (I’m 5’3” and wear a size 10 - men’s.)

If you could choose between a scrumptious second breakfast and a perilous unexpected journey – which would you prefer?

I’m all about the thrills - give me the perilous journey!

Have you ever left behind something on a journey (expected or unexpected) and wished you could have it over and over again? (a pocket handkerchief?)

I’m always forgetting things on a trip. I remember buying some really cool candy while staying with a friend. It was supposed to be a gift for the next person we were visiting. We drove off and left it in my friend’s fridge. (At least she enjoyed it.)

What is your Favorite part or quote from the book that you hope will be in the movie?

It’s been so many years since I read the book, I can’t think of a particular part. Always enjoyed Smaug though.


Next is DL Hammon’s Bump-Déjà vu Fest. We are to repost something from this year that maybe didn’t get a lot of attention. I did a two-part series on setting up a blog tour, and while Part I received a lot of traffic and comments, Part II did not.

Conducting a Blog Tour - Part II

After six blog tours of my own, there are a few things I have learned. This is a continuation from Part I - Setting up a Blog Tour:

Dates are set, you have your topics.
What happens leading up to, during, and after your tour?

Before tour:

List your upcoming tour on your blog and website.

Make sure you know exactly what each host expects and wants.

Prepare all guest posts and complete interview questions. This should not be something you rush through - it will take time. Go over these several times, looking for errors. You don’t want mistakes or poorly written guest posts.

A week or more before your tour begins, send your hosts all information, including:
Guest post/interview
Short bio
Short book blurb
Links to your site and where to purchase book
Jpg images of your book cover and a promo photo if you have one
Your book’s information - price, ISBN, genre, etc.
Html code or link to book trailer

Confirm dates, information received, and time of post with all hosts.

During tour:

Post link to tour stop on your blog and all social sites. Entice your followers, readers, and fans to visit your host’s site.

Check your guest post several times a day and respond to comments. The key to a successful tour is your interaction with the host’s followers. And remember, no matter what is said, remain positive. Even if your stop that day is a review and it’s not the most flattering.

Check back on earlier stops, as some people will comment late.

Be sure you have made it easy for people to follow your blog and other sites. (Because you should gain during a tour.)

After tour:

Thank each host!

For sites featuring giveaways, be sure to get winner’s contact information for sending books or passing along to your publisher.

Thank your followers and fans for keeping up with your tour.

Continue visiting your host sites. If you never visit again, you are sending the message that you were just using them.

Problems can arise at every stage of your tour, so be prepared:

Hosts that forget to post on time. (Or at all.)

Hosts that are indifferent or don’t interact with those who comment.

Incomplete posts or links that don’t work.

Hosts that continue to make demands or complain even after your guest spot.

(Sometimes things happen. All you can do is learn from the experience and avoid problematic hosts in the future.)

Your tour is successful if any one or more the following happens:

Your book sales increase during or after a tour.

You are exposed to a lot of potential readers.

Your own sites gain followers. (Hits are good, visits are better, followers best.)

Now who is ready for a virtual tour?

Part I

And your Friday inspirational photo from a recent Christmas lights hayride:



39 comments:

Tonja said...

I'm shorter. I'm pretty sure I could fit into a hobbit hole with no problem. :)

Great repost.

YVONNE'S POETRY CORNER said...

I did the Alex Blogfest, then my music site has gone down and have spent so much time trying to find the reason , so the other two blogfest are out for me as I have things to catch up on in the home.

A wonderful Christmas picture to get us in the mood for the festive season.

Yvonne.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Great blog tour tips, Diane! And I'm looking forward to seeing the Hobbit.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Diane .. some similarities there with the hobbit land ... but your blog tour tips are excellent ...

Enjoy the film when the time comes around ... cheers Hilary

shelly said...

Love your pic and the post.

Happy Holidays!

Hugs and chocolate,
Shelly

Stina said...

I would only go on a perilous unexpected journey if a hot-looking elf was coming with me. A hot-looking elf without a girlfriend. :)

Jennifer Shirk said...

I want to see The Hobbitt too!
Great blog tour tips. I'm also using the addresses I get from the tour to ask people to opt in to a newsletter now too.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Tonja, it's not often I encounter someone shorter than me.

I'm sorry, Yvonne.

Stina, how about a hot Hobbit?

Karen Lange said...

Lots of great blogfests happening! Will have to check them out. Have a great weekend!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Those are some big feet. And I remember the blog tours posts.

Carol Kilgore said...

Cool photo! And great tips for a successful blog tour. Preparation and interaction are the keys.

M Pax said...

Pretty lights. I forget things all of the time. I promised the boys I'd bring cocoa last night. Forgot it. But I did bring tea, pretzels and chocolate.

Nicki Elson said...

That photo is gorgeous! I can never get lights to show up well.

Thanks for reposting the tips on the tour---I'll most likely be doing one of those early next year.

I've been reading a lot of "breakfast" answers in the hobbit fest - should've known the spunk-master would pick journey. ;)

Tyrean Martinson said...

Beautiful pic!
I'm 5'3" but my feet are size 8 and 1/2 so . . .I think I must be a Hobbit too.

Thanks for all the great blog tour tips - I'm saving this page. I have a checklist already, but I might be missing a few of those items.

StratPlayerCJF said...

Love the Hobbit (and the LotR trilogy) -- read them many times starting way back in the 70's.

And a great do-over post from DL's blogfest -- a ton of great ideas for a blog tour!

Plus: awesome picture!!! I can never get night shots to come out more than as 'dark, darker, and darkest' lol!

Tara Tyler said...

i forgot i'm short too!
and thanks for the touring tips! great ideas!

Hart Johnson said...

teehee-love the size comparison there. I think my hobbit commonality is temperament... I love the merriment and fun of hobbits. Then again I have a hard time remembering if the books even have it. I've only read them all once, but I've seen the movie dozens of times.

Anonymous said...

Here from The Hobbit Blogfest. Good to see someone else take the journey over the breakfast!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Nicki, I am always up for an adventure.

Tyrean, be sure to check out Part I.

Chris, we were on a hayride, bumping around, so I'm stunned so many came out well.

Laura Eno said...

A perilous journey beats a second breakfast any day. I'm 5'10" so I think I'd hit my head a lot in a hobbit hole.
Great tips for a blog tour...I'm ready for a nap now. :)

Arlee Bird said...

I've never read The Hobbit or seen the movies (well, other than the first 2 Peter Jackson LOTR films), so I didn't have anything to say about Hobbits.

Your Deja Vu post has good information and is well worth the repeat.

Lee
Tossing It Out

Gossip_Grl said...

Loved all your answers for the Hobbit Blogfest! And definitely am glad you revived the Blog Host posting in the Deja Vu blogfest! Both parts have very good info thanks for sharing those!

Tony Van Helsing said...

I always preferred The Hobbit to Lord of the Rings. I read it countless times when I was a kid. also, Spunk on a Stick. Is this the American or British interpretation of spunk?

Anonymous said...

Two Blogfests! I have to admit I'm glad 2012 is coming to a close and I'm taking the last two weeks off. Maybe three. This year is ending with a bang!

Gwen Gardner said...

So many of us are short it seems! We could all go and live like Hobbits. Loved your answers!

Michelle Wallace said...

Thanks for posting these tips on a successful blog tour.
That photo is sparkly and eye-catching!

DL Hammons said...

I still have your blog tour post bookmarked! (both parts).

Thank you for taking part today!! :)

Rebekah Loper said...

Ah, so YOU'RE the adventurous type. *snorts* Tooks. I'm evidently a Baggins of Bag End through-and-through. ;)

Sadly, there's not a whole lot of Smaug in this first film, but there is a lovely teaser for him!

farawayeyes said...

Excellent post for the DejaVu. Glad I didn't miss it the second time around. Thanks.

Shannon Lawrence said...

Oh no!!!! I forgot the Hobbit Blogfest!!!! Dang it. I knew it was coming up. :(

Great re-post for the Deja Vu! Very useful information that I hope I'll have opportunity to use one of these days.

Shannon at The Warrior Muse

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

So many writers do blog tours, I figure they must be an effective tool. Then again, I guess you can only get as much out of them as you're willing to put into them. Thanks for the great tips. (Sounds like work!)

Trisha said...

I had forgotten about Smaug!! It's been many years since I read the book. But now that I think about it, I should have called my kitty cat Smaug instead of Smog. haha.

Talli Roland said...

Great tips on blog tours - a good post for the blogfest!

I've been enjoying the Hobbit answers!

Jenny said...

Stopping by via Deja Vu. You've given lots of excellent guidelines for blog tours. Thanks for re-posting!

Cindy Dwyer said...

Solid advice. Thanks for sharing.

Sherry Ellis said...

Good tips for the blog tour!

I always forget things when I go on vacation, too!

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Terrific Christmas lights. I can't wait to see Smaug. I love dragons.

Ciara said...

LOL, my husband says he didn't marry me for my Hobbit feet. :)

Deniz Bevan said...

My nieces and nephews are currently hobbit-size :-)

Thanks for the great tips on hosting a blog tour!