Marketing and other dirty words...

Today writers must be the whole package - creator, editor, publisher, marketer. The famously shy Agatha Christie once described her writing method as creeping away, writing something and then coming back like a dog who has just dug a hole in the garden and still has the dirt on its nose to prove it.

I can't imagine how she would have dealt with the whole self-promotion thing - probably died of sheer terror. She once allowed a pompous official to turn her away from a dinner where she was the guest of honour because she had arrived too early.

As a breed, writers are not good at blowing their own trumpets. But it's a skill we all have to learn and use, whether or not we wish to. Twitter, Facebook, signings all have their place. I've also discovered the promotional video, care of Animoto. It can be free or you can upgrade to get more gizmos.

Just to give you a taste, here is the link to my Animoto video about Court of Conspiracy.

http://animoto.com/play/Mrw4cjcd670I7xXDv1fglg

You can contact me in several ways:

Website                 www.apriltaylorauthor.com

Blog                     http://www.lukeballardelemancer.blogspot.co.uk

Facebook           https://www.facebook.com/britwriterapriltaylor

Twitter             https://twitter.com/authAprilTaylor

Court of Conspiracy by April Taylor is available here:

Amazon UK - http://amzn.to/1hFTxzo

Amazon USA - http://amzn.to/1eQ3bFl

#BookMarketing is a Writer's Middle Name

With the imminent launch of The Bull At The Gate, the second in the Torc of Moonlight trilogy, a writer's mind turns to marketing - except, of course, that mind should be planning the marketing parallel to planning the novel. Few of us are that adept, never mind forward thinking.

So this time round, and to ensure I have a plan for the third in the trilogy, I'm keeping a marketing journal. It was supposed to make a blogpost; the way it is growing it is more likely to make an ebook.

So here are some initial tips: if you have another book in your stable, discount it. Beneath The Shining Mountains has been on offer at 99c/77p for a week and reverts to its normal price on Monday - get it while you can. And guest-blog about it. Today I'm across at LindsaysRomantics. That gets your name noticed. If you have another in the series, or trilogy, discount that a few days before the launch - follow my website for news of Torc of Moonlight. And Facebook it. And Tweet it.

The buttons are just below. Thanks awfully for helping. 

Linda Acaster