First, if you’ve been a webby for a while you might want to check and see what you’ve put out on WWW about yourself and others. You might also want to go through what others have said about you. More and more writers and editors and agents are checking to see what kind of person you are and the easiest way is to Google, Yahoo or Bing your name.  Beat them to it and be sure you want them to find what’s been posted. Within 15 minutes of querying an agent, she had visited my blog and left a comment. I was very pleased that I  1) had that blog and 2) that it looked professional and interesting.

If you have some things out there that you wish you hadn’t posted, take them away. YouTube, MySpace or any other social network can be edited or you can delete your old account and start fresh. If that isn’t something you want to do, block specific users. That can be done under Settings or Preferences.

Second, be alert. Sign up for any news that comes out about you and your book on Google Alerts.

Third, buy your Domain name and make it simple and really you. Sometimes if the .com of your name is already taken you can buy the .net or .org version. Remember you’re trying to Brand yourself, so choose the name you want people to identify you with. I made a mistake in the beginning. I used cleemckenziebook.com for my webpage, and I still can’t remember why. I should have only used cleemckenzie.com.

Fourth, use the forums and networking sites that you find helpful and that you can manage. Besides Authors Now and 2009 Debutantes I joined facebook and myspace, Verla Kay, SCBWI, and She Writes. I’m just now getting around to LinkedIn and I find it a very professional and useful tool that allows me a wider set of connections.

Fifth, Tweet and be sure you’re linked to your blog and your other sites, so your Tweets will feed automatically into them. This is a perfect place to comment about any updates to your website or your blog, but your Tweets shouldn’t be all about you. Here’s a marketing formula I found and credit goes to Terry Belcher, an internet marketer.

30% tips that help people make their lives better
30% anything funny (jokes, funny quotes, etc.)
25% compliments and praise for others (includes RT)
10% information that keeps them informed
05% what you are doing

Sixth, stop by for visits and leave comments on other people’s blogs. I try to visit people once a week. I’m sure more is better, but if you’re like me there’s never time to do all of this marketing  AND write. It’s a challenge I’m sure all of you recognize and share an appreciation for.

So what did I forget? I’m sure as soon as I post this I’ll think of something and slap myself on the side of the head.

Oh and “Happy Friday the Thirteenth.” This is the third one of those this year!!

(takes deep breath and whispers) Writing a book and getting it published is only half the battle.

What? I know! I mean, who even knew?

Now that we’ve been published, many of us are fighting an entirely new battle: getting our books into the hands of readers.

So what you’re telling me is that not only am I expected to write the book, but to promote it, too? All by myself? Are you kidding me?

(sigh) I wish I was, and unless you’re reading this and your name is Stephenie Meyer or JK Rowling, you’re nodding your head. You feel me, because you’re there, too. The good news is: we can help each other. Here are a few ideas/marketing tips I’ve picked along the way.

Tip #1: Get a Publicist . . .  or Just Look Like One.

Some publishers have in-house publicists who work with authors. They can be really helpful . . . but if they are responsible for publicizing everyone on that house’s list, odds are you won’t get the attention your book deserves. You have two options. First, you can hire your own publicist. They’re great, but they also cost money. If a publicist isn’t part of your budget, your second option is to become your own.

If you hired a publicist, you can stop reading here. If, like me, you are the publicist, read on.

Tip #2: Build a Web Presence

Start a blog or launch a website: make sure it’s user-friendly and that you update it often. Determine who you want to target: teens, librarians, teachers, parents, writers, etc. and plan accordingly.

You can start a free blog at Livejournal, Blogger, or WordPress. If you decide to go with a website, don’t think you have to hire an expensive web designer right away. Call a local college to see if there are any art/design/computer students willing to help. Ask what they will charge you, and remember that most of them are looking for experience (and a few bucks for a couple of pizzas).

In my case, I built a “mini site” through Sproutbuilder (basic accounts are free: I only pay for monthly hosting through GoDaddy.). I can always have a professional site done later . . . like, when I become Stephenie Meyer.

Tip # 3: Network Network Network

It’s important to network with other writers who are promoting their books. Myspace, Facebook, writer’s forums, and blogs are a great way to do this. Make sure you are active in these forums, and commenting on other writer’s blogs. The more people see your name, the more likely they will remember you when they are browsing the shelves at Barnes and Noble.

Tip #4: Target Indies

As much as I would love to send a Godfather-like entourage into the major retail chain offices and demand they stock my book, that’s not exactly in my budget, either. Instead, I’m focusing on independents across the nation. I gathered their addresses from the American Booksellers Association website and I’m sending out small packets of information (business envelope-sized).

The packets include an introductory letter and a “newsletter” about One Wish. In addition to a short summary, it also contains info about the author (that’s me!), and reviews. I also threw in a business card and a promotional bookmark.

At the least, consider sending out informational postcards.

Tip #5: Go on Tour

Yes, I’ve heard the news: first time authors shouldn’t bother with in-store signings because no one will show. Do you know what I say to that? Who cares? If you want to schedule a book signing, go for it. You could combine the signing with a launch party and invite family and friends. Or . . . you can schedule a signing for the heck of it.

I have a signing scheduled for September. To prepare, I’m going to send a press release to the local papers and informational fliers to the local schools. If no one shows, it won’t be because I didn’t invite them.    

If you’re not ready for an in-person signing, why not try a blog tour? This was one of the most amazing things that came out of my contact with the 2009 Debs. We set up a blog tour promoting each other’s books after they were released. For around 30-40 days after One Wish debuted, I was featured on just many blogs. Sure, there were tons of questions to answer, but it was worth it.

Email book reviewers and let them know that you’re available for interviews, as well. Most will be happy to feature you on their blogs. They tend to friend each other, so make sure you scout their “follow/following” lists for potential leads.

The bottom line is, as authors, we are our own best promotional tool. A blog, a website, bookmarks, business cards, blog tour, indie mailers. . . . I’ve spent as much time promoting my current book this year as I have writing a new material. Yes, it can be an overwhelming task, but it comes down to this: if I don’t do it, who will?

How about you? Have you had success promoting your book? Any tips you’d like to share?

Five Ways to Find a Find

Glossy promotional campaigns, bestseller lists everywhere, that indefinable buzz that skyrockets a book to the forefront of our collective imagination — we’re inundated with hard sells these days, often for the same few titles. How do you offer readers books beyond the bestsellers? How do you find the ones that will resonate with you and the people in your community?

1. Become an Insider. The free Publisher’s Weekly Children’s Bookshelf newsletter and local SCBWI chapters are great resources, and I’m partial to perusing the PEN Children’s/Young Adult Book Authors Committee site for thought-provoking discussion and information about authors and books. Tap into a mega children’s book resource like Jacketflap, or enjoy more intimate dialogue with generous readers like Hip Writer Mama, Mother Reader, and Miss Erin who provide thoughtful reviews and musings on the world of children’s books.

2. Become A Community Activist. There are tons of online communities heavily populated by authors, like Verla Kay’s Blue Boards, which include Book Talk, Book Review, and Good News sections that alert you to some of the latest publishing talk, and personal favourites that may be flying under the media radar. Grab a tea or coffee and get happily lost among the virtual shelves on cataloguing and networking sites like Goodreads and Shelfari. Debut authors’ communities, such as the Class of 2k8, The 2009 Debutantes, and the Tenners provide an entry to the world of new books , often providing ARCs, contests, interviews, and opportunities to connect with industry up-and-comers. Join the friendly fray at literary collectives like The Longstockings, Fangs, Fur Fey, Readergirlz, Guys Read, the Blue Rose Girls, and Yahoo! Groups such as Teen Lit Authors and Middle School Lit.

3. Go to the Pros. The New York Times and Oprah are great, but some of my go-to reviewers and book-talkers include Mitali’s Fire Escape, Seven Impossible Things, Black Threads in Kids Lit, Bookshelves of Doom, A Fuse #8 Production, Interesting Nonfiction for Kids (I.N.K.). Visit the African American Children’s Book Writers, the Caribbean-themed Geoffrey Philp, the Guardian books’ section, Cynsations, Big A, little a, and the the Brown Bookshelf. Go to non-traditional sources, perhaps targeting niche communities known to be big on books; I’ve found the online craft community to be a goldmine for literary dialogue.

4. Listen Up. Children’s book-related podcasts are another way to get beyond the headlines. Just One More Book is a lot of fun, and Cynopsis Kids “concentrates on the business of entertaining children via television, books, games, movies, videos, merchandising and the internet”.

5. Be Old School. Good old face-to face conversation with readers never goes out of style. Chat up your local counterparts, other ‘gatekeepers’, and other readers Chances are that sincerity, enthusiasm and that personal touch will go a long way.

This is just a tiny sample of the many wonderful sources of the latest and best information in the world of children’s books. What are your favourite ways to find a Find?