Welcome to week nine of the Christian Author Bootcamp! This is a ten week book promotion blitz created to help you whip your publicity plan into shape. This week your challenge is to create low cost marketing materials such as business cards, bookmarks and postcards as another way to promote your book.
We suggest checking out OvernightPrints.com for low cost marketing materials.
Welcome to week seven of the Christian Author Bootcamp! This is a ten week book promotion blitz created to help you whip your publicity plan into shape. This week your challenge is to ask for reviews. Your friends and family members will love helping you out with your book promotion plan, but the key is to ask!
Welcome to week four of the Christian Author Bootcamp! This is a ten week book promotion blitz created to help you whip your publicity plan into shape. This week we’re talking about using special discounts as an incentive to get people to purchase your book and about conducting a book giveaway.
Ambassador International often provides custom coupon codes to authors who want to provide a special discount through marketing materials or to people who attend a special event. The coupon codes are valid only in the Ambassador International online bookstore. Check with your publisher about getting a coupon code that you can distribute.
If you decide to host a giveaway of your book make sure you promote it through Twitter, Facebook and more. Enter your giveaway on giveaway listings hosted by other blogs. Here is a long list of blogs that promote various weekly giveaways. You must enter your information into each site, but it can be a great way to get the word out about your giveaway.
Welcome to week three of the Christian Author Bootcamp! This is a ten week book promotion blitz created to help you whip your publicity plan into shape. This week we’re taking on the task of writing a news release and distributing it to various media outlets. Watch the video and then find the links mentioned below.
Today’s guest post comes from author Paulette George. Her new book “Good Morning Beautiful” hits store shelves this month. Although Paulette dreamed of becoming a published author, she wasn’t sure how to make it happen. In this guest post she explains how faith and courage helped her make the connections she needed to have in order to accomplish her goal.
It was a warm June morning as I drove in Chicago traffic. Fog thickened as I headed for the writer’s conference I had waited a year to attend. Fear and insecurity began to engulf me, as travel became more difficult and I had 60 miles yet to cover. Finally I panicked and turned the car around, heading toward home. At the Starbucks drive-thru I bartered with God.
Surely You would not want me to risk my life to attend this conference? It’s just too dangerous to drive.
No. I heard in my head. Go back.
Not taking the thought seriously, I continued.
What are you doing? Go back. The nudging persisted.
Pulling over in the parking lot, I phoned my husband, fully expecting him to tell me I was doing the right thing. He didn’t. Instead, he urged me to listen to the tug of the Holy Spirit and follow the lead. Via my earpiece, Larry stayed with me as the highway brought me safely to the conference, one minute before the opening session began. There were no appointments left to meet with an agent or editor. Though disappointed, I knew I was where I was supposed to be.
That evening Jennifer, a fellow writer whom I had just met, strolled with me toward the dining hall. As we passed a man who I thought was an agent, I surprised myself when I asked if we could join his table. I was equally surprised when he agreed. As we ate, Jennifer and another writer shared their stories and pitched their writing. Terrified of rejection, I was silent until Jennifer glared at me, urging me to share. When I didn’t, she spoke for me.
“Well, Paulette has story to tell.”
I gulped, and nothing came out until a concealed kick from Jennifer’s foot prompted me to speak.
My mind flashed back to the class where I had learned about pitching a story. Having memorized the key points, I slowly began my spiel. When I finished, there was silence, which I was sure lasted more than an hour. In reality it was only a minute. As Les finished his last bite of food, he set his fork down on the table.
“What’s your take-away message for the reader?” he queried.
I knew the story so well that my answer was instant.
He nodded and asked, “Who is your target audience?”
Again, I knew the answer.
Les smiled, and pulled out his business card, jotting instructions on the back for me to submit my book proposal to him. Not long after, I received a contract. Today, as I sit in my office and write this article, I am days away from holding my first published book.
My advice to you on how to land an agent is this: have a one-minute elevator pitch ready, and know your take-away message for the reader and your target audience. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt to pray.
Thanks again to Paulette for sharing her story and advice on finding a literary agent. Be sure to enter for a chance to win Paulette’s new book along with an autographed copy of the hit album “Blue Moon” by Steve Holy, featuring the song that Paulette’s book is named for, “Good Morning Beautiful.” Details to come here on Christian Publishing Tips shortly.
Make sure you check out Ambassador International’s sale. They’ve drastically lowered the price on five popular titles. Here are the details:
AND if you’re a fan of Christian Publishing on Facebook you’ll have access to a coupon code that will take EVEN MORE off your total during this awesome sale! So whether you need a gift for mom, dad, grandparents or kids, this sale will help you knock out some Christmas shopping without spending much money!
Several media outlets, including the Associated Press, are reporting that a North Carolina pastor and more than a dozen fo his church members plan to burn Bibles and Christian books on Halloween. The AP says Pastor Marc Grizzard told WLOS, an Asheville ABC affiliate that the King James version of the Bible is the only one allowed in his church and that other versions are “satanic.”
Pastor Grizzard along with 14 members of the Amazing Grace Baptist Church plan to burn not only copies of the Bible on Halloween, but music and books by Christian authors. Some of the authors pinpointed by the small western North Carolina congregation are by evangelist Billy Graham and best-selling author Rick Warren.
The church’s website is down, apparently because of the increase in traffic they’re experiencing. But other outlets are reporting that the site defends their plans to burn Bibles, saying it’s Biblical. What do you think of this Halloween Bible and book burning?
From September 10-13 133 cities around the world held events to raise money for local charities. It’s called Twestival Local and it was started about a year ago by some Twitter users in London. Christian Publishing Tips was pleased to support the Greenville Twestival by donating autographed Christian books by bestselling authors for the silent auction. All of the money raised by the Greenville Twestival supported the Miracle Hill Boys’ Shelter, a Christian organization that cares for abused and neglected boys. Christian Publishing Tips is thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this great event that supported a wonderful cause.
Dozens, if not hundreds, of authors circulate the convention center floor during the International Christian Retail Show. Many sign copies of their latest books while others simply attend to make connections. Among those at the show are some of the most popular Christian authors of the year. Today a few of those authors made appearances at ICRS.
Author Karen Kingsbury
Bestselling author Karen Kingsbury signed copies of one of her latest books at the Zondervan booth. This was Kingsbury’s second signing of ICRS.
Authors Alex and Stephen Kendrick
Hundreds of people lined up to get a signed copy of bestselling book, The Love Dare written by brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick. The book was published by B&H.
This week many from the Christian publishing industry are gathered in Denver, Colorado for the International Christian Retail Show. The convention includes great networking opportunities and educational opportunities through seminars. A recent seminar looked at Christian fiction sales which have exploded over the last three decades.
Christian fiction was born as a genre in 1979 with Janette Oke’s book Love Comes Softly. From 1980 to 2000 fiction sales quadrupled to $4 billion in Christian bookstores. Pretty soon mainstream retailers like Wal-mart and Barnes and Noble realized they needed to start carrying Christian fiction. So who’s buying all of these Christian fiction books?
* 72% of Christian fiction is purchased by women
* 41% of those buying Christian fiction make less than 35,000 a year
* Active Christians purchase 53% of the titles
While the Christian fiction marketplace is booming it still only makes up 5% of the overall fiction market. And while online sales are growing, in-store buying is still the preferred method with 61% buying in stores and 27% buying online. Personal recommendations are a big factor when buyers are deciding which books to buy Seventeen percent of people buy books based on online sources including book reviews, online advertisements, email from the retailer or based on the author’s website.
RT @newerakara: Looking forward 2 signing my new book, "Are You Keeping a Secret?" at booth 2121 (Winepress) Tues 9am at #ICRS! See u there! http://twitter.com/christianpubtip2010/06/29
RT @AngeStar: First full-I mean FULL-day of #icrshow & great 1! Meetings books etc.Must go to popcorn cart &see Like Dandelion Dust trailer. http://twitter.com/christianpubtip2010/06/29
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