MARKETING YOUR BOOK ON A tight BUDGET IS ALMOST HERE!

It's that time again! Now in its 7th year, (wow) I am really itching to share some new ideas with you!

I've been asked what sort of budget this book focuses on, and it finally occurred to me that the word 'budget' means different things to different people, so this year's update includes a special word that will help you from here on out to know what I mean! (I guess the dollar bill cover was too subtle!)

Plan on seeing the newest edition in January, more than likely in that first week!

Can't wait?

You can still get the 2017 edition 

here

Keeping Up With Social Media

I don't know about you, but it seems to me no author can afford to stand still when it comes to social media. There is always something new to learn, something old (maybe only sixth months old) to throw out, and something you are determined to continue.

This morning I learned a little about Quick Promote and decided it was something I wanted to try. If I like it, it will be in next year's Marketing Your book on a Budget.

Through the last few months I have been removing some links in the 2016 version of Marketing Your Book on a Budget that are no longer working for me.

And I am more determined than ever to continue with Animoto, though it now costs me almost $100 a year to keep it going. I also find that my blog is very worthy of my time (more and more people are reading it) and that doing book signings at unique places, and telling folks about it through facebook and twitter, is still my top way to sell (so I will be once again attending  the November Simple Treasures Boutique).

Keeping up with social media means a daily ride with it. That means posting something, learning something new, getting involved with what other writers and book readers are saying; something that will keep you on the social media track.

Here's to moving forward on the fast track!

Kathryn

MARKETING YOUR BOOK ON A BUDGET 2016

It's here a week early!

Get Marketing Your Book on a Budget 2016 in eBook and now paperback format!

Every year I go through this particular book and update everything! That means I let go of links no longer working for me, and add new links for free or low cost places to market your book! Plus, this time around, expect some new information on getting audio reviewers! 

Here't the new cover!

Kindle: Ready today!

Paperback: Is here!

FIVE OF THE MOST READ POSTS SINCE MAY

I haven't done this for awhile - posted the most frequently read posts on my blog. Favorite posts from May to July 2015.

Here they are:

James C. Duckett, author of Hidden Identities and Pushing the Wall, received the most reads. You can find the post here



In second place? My post on Successful Book Signings

In third place: Keep Positive: Sometimes it's Hot Out There, by yours truly, tied with FRIDAY FLICKS:The Gift: A Parable of the Key, also by yours truly.



In fourth, Dancing in the Rain 

And in fifth place, Successful Book Signings - Part 2

I appreciate all my faithful readers!

Kathryn

Marketing Your Book on a Budget Contest!

For those of you who haven't, as yet, perused my book for writers, Marketing Your Book on a Budget, now is the time to be a part of the contest I am holding at:

I Am a Reader!

Three print copies of the book will be given away!

Enter today!

FRIDAY FLICKS: The Essential Guide for New Writers, by Valerie Storey

Get the book at Amazon

Write Here In Ephraim Conference: Begins Today!

Another plug for the Write Here in Ephraim Conference.

Not sure who's speaking?

Below is a list of authors previously interviewed on this blog who will be at the conference. Just click on the link to learn more about them:

Sarah Beard

Mikey Brooks

David Belt

Chas Hathaway

Gregg Luke

And, of course, I will be there!

For interested fans, Dene Low will be interviewed on March 27, right before the conference.

There will be a GRAND DOOR PRIZE of  a Nook HD, so don't miss out!



Cost for this great conference is only $20! $15 if you pre-register

Plus, many of the authors are donating FREE books and other goodies for the lucky winners!

MERRY CHRISTMAS Book Readers and Writers!

This is my last opportunity to send you a Merry Christmas before the big day, and I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you.

Whether I know you personally or not, I am grateful for the time you take out of your busy schedule to read my blog. It means a lot!

One of the reasons I started a blog was not only to share my successes and failures (because, as writers we have both) but to share with you what I have learned and continue to learn.

It isn't easy being a writer. Sometimes we have to say 'no' when we'd rather go out to dinner over finishing our final draft. It would be far easier to 'put off' writing, because we don't have a boss leaning over our shoulder to get the work done. It would be great if we could get all the ideas we need for our next project in one fail swoop, but usually the ideas come in pieces.

In short, it would be nice if we had a nine to five job (and maybe we do AND we still write), but we keep writing.

Why?

Because we love it, that's why!

Merry Christmas!

Not Interested in a FREE marketing book?

Yesterday was a fine day for FREE books.

Four of you took me up on my offer and will be receiving Marketing Your Book on a Budget the next few days.

For those of you who didn't enter, I actually have 6 books left!

After that, the 2013 version of Marketing Your Book on a Budget will be gone! I am preparing for the 2014 version even as I type this blog post.

And yes, there will be new ideas in the updated book, but many ideas in the 2013 version of Marketing Your Book on a Budget are still being used by me, so you might just want to get a head start!

WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN FREE!

And yes, I pay for the shipping!

Can't beat that.

So shoot me a comment after this post telling me why you need my book; include your email address, and I'll get the book right out to you!

That's it!

Kathryn

This special deal is only for today; whatever I have left will be given to writers coming to the 5 & Dime Boutique in December. So don't miss out!

Interviewing to Promote Your Book

I speak a little about interviewing in my new book, Marketing Your Book on a Budget 2013. What is most clear to me is that obtaining a blog interview is much easier to get than a live interview, such as an interview through radio or television.

What is most important about the interview, however, is that you do as many as possible. For me, personally, I work on blog interviews first. These are not only the easiest interviews to set up, they are rewarding, too.

Consider a blog that has lots of visitors, and these visitors are looking for a new book to read. Consider the blog owner, a new friend, who may take a guest post after the interview, or who may decide to promote your book even further after the interview. Consider the links you can add and on and on.



Use your computer or your telephone to do blog radio interviews
Photo by: xmacex, courtesy of Flickr

Radio interviews come second; but I'm not talking about your local radio station, I'm speaking of blog radio. Blog radio is a terrific source for promotions. Most blog owners are just like you. They're either an author themselves or are trying to grow a new business. Either way or both, interviews with places such as blogtalkradio.com, offer authors a splendid opportunity to talk about their work in either a half an hour, an hour show, or even a fifteen minute spot.

Interviews can take place on the local radio station, during a short afternoon television spot or even as written up within your local newspaper, but I'll be the first to tell you that they're much harder to get. That doesn't mean you shouldn't shoot for them, but that you first consider what is realistic and workable as you move into these trickier venues.

In the long run, once you've interviewed on a blog or have done a few blog radio interviews, you may decide to do some interviews on your own blog, or try out blog radio for yourself, further expanding the opportunities to market your work.

Best Linkedin Writing Groups

Recently, I have discovered the power of joining and participating in Linkedin writing groups.

I had a thought come to me that wouldn't leave me until I'd followed through: Share with those on your writing groups about your new book, Marketing Your Book on a Budget 2013.

Photo by: TheSeafarer, courtesy of Flickr

The idea seemed good; weren't all those in writing groups at one time or another going to be interested in how to best market their book?

And so I went in and spread the word.

Let me just say, word about my book spread like wildfire. In minutes people were chatting about it, asking questions, and telling me that they were going to go over to Amazon and get the book.

I was smart without really even knowing it.

I'd sent along this information, not at just any old time, but during my 3 day Amazon FREE eBook promotion.
 

http://www.amazon.com/Marketing-Your-Book-Budget-ebook/dp/B0094XV6MA

 



I'm glad I fell into this idea, but I wanted you to know about it so that you could use it to assist you in your next book promotion. So, without further ado, here are my favorite Linkedin writing groups:

Aspiring Writers
Authors & Writers of Fiction and Non-fiction
Book Marketing
Books and Writers
Christian Authors, Editors, Publishers, and Bloggers

When you join with any of these groups, make sure that you participate, and that means asking questions of other authors, answering the questions they pose, and sharing your latest news or insights.

What makes a writing group great is the give and take of all of its members.

Blog Hop!

Week 18: THE NEXT BIG THING BLOG HOP

From Twilight to 50 Shades of Grey, the past few years have been full of high profile reads. Love um or hate um, you have to admit you have at least heard of them.

As Independent Authors we all dare to dream we will be next, and well let’s face it you never know ... right?

With that thought I jumped on this Hop, what is a blog hop? Well I didn’t know until I asked.

Basically, it’s an Independent Authors game of tag.

One Author posts, and then tags five other Authors, who each link back to them. Exponentially it is a marketing gold mine, and you my fair reader have hopefully just increased your to read list. Finding New and Exciting Authors you may never have found otherwise. Some of us are still writing, others are just being released. Either way, for you Fiction Lovers, a treasure trove awaits and I’d like to thank fellow S.I. Hayes for tagging me to participate.

Click the links to find out about S.I Hayes’ books.

Twitter @shannonihayes

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/S.I.Hayes.Author

Blog: A Writer’s Mind, More or Less

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6439607.S_I_Hayes/blog

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/s.i.hayes

In this particular hop I and my fellow Authors each in their perspective Blogs have answered 10 questions where you get to learn about our current WIP (Works in Progress) as well as some goodies as to our process, from characters and inspirations to photographic/ Cinematic eye candy! I hope you enjoy it!!

If this or any other items pique your interest, please feel free to comment and share your thoughts and questions.

HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS

1: What is the working title of your book? Sunny Side-Up

2: Where did the idea come from for the book? My first book in the Susan Sleuth Mystery series is entitled, Scrambled, and was released September 2012. This is the second book in the cozy mystery series and takes place on a cruise ship. A few years ago I went on an eventful cruise, and since Susan has always wanted to go to Paris or Hawaii I decided that a cruise would work.

3: What genre does your book fall under? Cozy Mystery, however, you'll find that my mysteries take on a more suspenseful feel. No cozy towns here, but loads of mishaps and bungles.

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? I would choose the main character, Susan. I like to be in the middle of things, whether it's a movie or a book. I like to figure things out before everyone else. I'm one of those 'talkers' when it comes to watching movies. "I think I know who the killer is," "I know why she said that," etc.

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? Is the grass always greener on the other side of the fence?

6: Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? Self-published through my business, Idea Creations Press and CreateSpace, a subsidiary of Amazon.

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? About four months. During the next few I'm going to have some readers and writers give me feedback and do plenty of re-writes. You should see Sunny Side-Up by the middle of next year--2013.

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? If you've ever seen "Murder She Wrote," you'll get a bit of an idea. Since my book doesn't fall smack-dab into the cozy mystery genre, the book is a bit harder to peg. Just expect an amateur sleuth, eggs to die for, and plenty of twists and turns.

9: Who or What inspired you to write this book? I realized that the first book Scrambled, didn't finish everything in the life of Susan Cramer. There was more of her to discover. In the third book, Hard Boiled, Susan returns home from her cruise only to discover some disturbing news. I have only ideas at this point, but be prepared for some scary fun!

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? A middle-aged woman who wants a better life. And what woman doesn't want that?

Below you will find Authors who will be joining me by blog, Next Wednesday. Do be sure to bookmark and add them to your calendars for updates on WIPs and New Releases! Happy Writing and Reading!!

Michelle Renea Anderson: Click the links to find out about Michelle Renea Anderson's book

Shelby’s Plan.

Blog: http://shellsbookworm.blogspot.com

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Shelbys-Plan-ebook/dp/B007CT4GL6

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Michelle-Renea-Anderson/e/B000APA04G

Twitter: @MichelleRAnders

Lin Floyd's Websites:

http://famhistory1867.com/  http://lettersfromlin.blogspot.com http://helpwithgenealogy.blogspot.com/
and http://www.poetry-in-the-park.com.

Kelley Lindberg's Work:

Blog: www.kelleylindberg.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelley.lindberg