Normally I don’t recommend blogs that pertain specifically to writers, because not everyone who reads my blog is a writer. However, many of you are, so a good one is worth mentioning now and then.
Recently I enrolled in Joel Friedlander’s Self-Publishing Roadmap, and as part of the package he included several bonuses, one of which was Joanna Penn speaking about marketing novels. I’ve been following Penn on Twitter for a while, but it wasn’t until I heard her webinar that I became a true-blue fan. In less than 90 minutes she boggled my mind with her generosity and spirit. Through a combination of free and paid information, she provides expertise on navigating through new media. In addition, she writes novels, so she knows the challenges of marketing fiction successfully. Many of the experts I’ve run across online are great at nonfiction but provide little help for me, so Joanna is a great find.
Not only is her advice useful and specific, but she is also one of these chirpy, cheerful sorts that lets me know that I can fix my mistakes. I made some rookie errors with the production of The Foreign Language of Friends, even though it’s the third book I’ve produced. It was the first one, however, in this brave new world of e-publishing, and there are things I would do differently.
Is it too late to relaunch a book, I wondered? Never, Penn says. Unlike traditional published books, self-publishers can relaunch a book at any time, even years down the road. I busily scribbled notes and now have a plan for going forward — and a plan for setting up new work for the future.
Penn also has a regular podcast that I’ve found helpful, too. I just have one question: when does she sleep?
For those who aren’t interested in writing/publishing tips but want to go straight to fiction, Penn keeps a separate blog for fiction with the tagline “ancient mystery, modern thrill.” I’m looking forward to reading her books. In the meantime, she’s going to save me a lot of time, money, and heartache on my authoring, and she can do the same for you, too!
Thanks so much for the kind words Nadine! I’m so glad you’re finding the information useful. I am definitely a glass 3/4 full type of girl and we can all help each other on this journey 🙂
In answer to your question, I do sleep! But I don’t have a TV and I am a full-time author-entrepreneur – my passion is also my work, so I can fit it all in.
All the best with your writing and Joel’s brilliant course!
Thanks, Joanna
Thanks for dropping by, Joanna!
One of the lessons I’ve already learned from you is the power of exposure. I’ve been seeing you around for quite a while now, so over time I started to say, “Hmmm, wonder what she’s up to?”
Thanks for doing all that you do. I look forward to learning more from you.
I keep forgetting to sign up for your posts because I miss the feature blog (signing up now). Thanks for sharing the Creative Pen..
I’m always glad to see you here, Brenda! Thursdays are my favorite blogging day. It’s always fun to find new treasures, and there are SO many talented writers online to share.
(Faints from the awesome) TYSVM! 😀 This is exactly what I’ve been looking for, Nadine.
Excellent! You’re going to LOVE her. I am always happy when I find someone who can help me with my missing pieces of the puzzle, and even happier when sharing that info benefits others.
Thank you for the recommendation, Nadine. I am almost totally ignorant of the new media and the new publishing methods, so I need some help, even though I don’t write fiction (yet).
The good news is that nonfiction may actually be easier to promote! In your case, you have a specific audience, and many of them are using the Internet to find good resources. With your target market, a book could do well. When I wrote When a Grandchild Dies, I was able to find organizations who happily sold the book for me, so it did well. I think Joanna’s advice works for just about anyone, and I’d also recommend Joel Friedlander’s course if you can swing it. He takes people through the entire process of book production. Even though I’ve done… Read more »