Creating a Booklife
BookLife by Jeff Vandermeer
You’re reading this right now, so you must be able to navigate your way onto a website. But what if that’s the extent of your technical abilities? Does the idea of having to become social media savvy make your brain hurt? Does there seem to be too much to learn and not enough time to do it and work on your novel at the same time?
We’ve all heard that as debut authors, we have to become part of the social networking / new media environment, and every agent and publisher will expect it. To some, this is an exciting frontier . . . and to others, it’s a frightening abyss. I’m pretty savvy myself, but I have had many, many moments of complete overwhelm.
If you feel dizzy just thinking about it, you’re not alone.
There are plenty of resources online for the soon-to-be-published author who needs tips and advice. But, for those of us who like the comfort of a book in our hands, BookLife: Strategies and Survival Tips for the 21st Century Writer by Jeff Vandermeer is a great companion guide.
Jeff is not only a social media expert, he’s also a writer of many genres, including fiction, so he can sympathize.
For those of us who do go into overwhelm, he’s got a section in Chapter One called “How Am I Possibly Going to Keep Up With All of This?!” That’s what I kept asking myself! One thing I learned, with immediate relief, is that I don’t have to do it all. I seriously thought I was behind the times if I wasn’t on MySpace. But MySpace has never appealed to me, so I avoided it. Now, I don't even worry about it. There are PLENTY of other avenues. I can pick and choose the ones best suited to me and my personality.
“Sometimes an opportunity is an opportunity – and sometimes it’s just a distraction or even a trap.”
Jeff’s book covers:
Creating and Managing Your Goals
Choosing Your Platforms
Effective and Ineffective Approaches to Blogging
Managing Your Involvement
Networking
Dealing with Agents and Publishers
Understanding Creative PR, PR Tools, and PR Planning
Leveraging Your Ideas
Maintaining Your Booklife
Life Balance
Living Your Booklife (finding inspiration, work schedule, habit vs. process, etc)
Protecting Your Booklife (rejection, despair, envy, etc)
And Much More.
As you can see, the book is not just about social media, it’s about how to make your public and private booklives connect, so that the process feels organic, rather than like swimming upstream (or against a sea of virtual voices). What you create OUT THERE can be an extension of yourself. Your personality, your strengths, may be used and can be communicated so that your readers hear YOUR voice and not something inauthentic or forced.
The book offers not only tips, but questions you can ask yourself to get clear, ways to get more focused on your PR so you can take practical steps to creating your booklife, self-checks to make sure you’re staying in balance, resources and examples.
I highly recommend this book to any writer who is nervous about navigating the virtual landscape.
And if you'd like more information about Jeff and/or his work, you can find him ONLINE. Of course.
“VanderMeer has struck a new sort of balance with the Internet: charming his dedicated fan base on the web, creating multimedia promotional tools for his books, and actively seeking out new readers like me in the digital crowds. One of my favorite writers.” —The Publishing Spot
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Guardian Angel Kids Ezine Announces New Editor-in-Chief, Donna McDine
M E D I A R E L E A S E
CONTACT: Donna McDine, Editor-in-Chief, Guardian Angel Kids Ezine
Email: submissions@guardian-angel-kids.com
Website: http://guardian-angel-kids.com/
For Immediate Release
Guardian Angel Kids Ezine Announces New Editor-in-Chief, Donna McDine
Jennifer Reed, original Editor-in-Chief is stepping down from Guardian Angel Kids and will be replaced by award-winning children’s author, Donna McDine effective immediately.
Ms. McDine comes to Guardian Angel Kids with 20 plus years of administrative and web design expertise in both Fortune 500 companies and as a virtual assistant. Along with her experience in the children’s publishing industry as a published author, National Writing for Children Center Publicist Intern, and former Stories for Children Magazine marketing manager McDine brings to the forefront her business, writing, and marketing know how to propel Guardian Angel Kids to further success in 2011 and beyond.
Please join, Lynda Burch of Guardian Angel Publishing, Kevin McNamee, Guardian Angel Kids Technical Director, and MarySue Roberts, Guardian Angel Kids Cover Art Director in welcoming Donna McDine to the family.
Please visit Guardian Angel Kids and become familiar with all we have to offer the young muses in your life at http://www.guardian-angel-kids.com/.
Thank you for your time and interest.
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The Brick and Hopefully Crumbling Wall of Parenting and Writing
by Donna M. McDine
You dream of the days of no commute to a 9-5 job and you finally give your writing aspirations the chance that they deserve. You have stocked your office or any small writing space that you designate in your home with all the essentials; computer, paper, pens, pencils, books and research resources, etc. However, the responsibilities of mother seem to intrude every moment of the day.
Now that you are home, everyone thinks that you are accessible all day long. The kids feel that since you are home that you aren’t “really working”. You’re not sure when it happened, but responsibilities that were normally delegated, somehow have become all your responsibility. A writer’s life can easily become frustrated when the creative juices are without fail interrupted by the most mundane questions or needs. You know how that goes. Cleaning the sticky keyboard. Mom where are my soccer cleats? What is there to eat? Can you put the movie in for me? The list is endless. When did my family become so helpless?
We all love our families, but how does one carve out that special and much desired writing time without the feeling of neglect on the family? It is important to reset boundaries as quickly as they disappear. Let your family know that writing is indeed work, but also a passion that you want to achieve. Teach your children the importance of uninterrupted writing time and that they will get your undivided attention once your writing session is completed. Hopefully they will come to understand that what is important to you should be respected. Just as you respect what is important to them.
Although there will be times and sometimes it will feel like many, where interruptions are a necessity. Such as, when the school nurse calls to say that you need to pick up your child that has a fever. Like any mother, we quickly grab our car keys and head to the school. If you attempt to balance your writing and the care of your sick little one it will tend to leave you both feeling frustrated and neglected. At this point, you are much better accepting the fact that your child needs you and that your writing can wait for another time. Even if that deadline is on the horizon, you will not do your best work, just leave it.
Grab any time thrown your way, especially when the little ones are asleep. When the house and telephone are quiet it tends to be a great time for creativity. These little pockets of time may not feel like much, but the time over a week to a month will accumulate and you can get quite a bit accomplished.
Keep a handy pocket notebook with you at all times, you never know when your next inspiration will come to mind. It could happen anywhere, such as that crowded doctors office you just brought your sick child to. Like anything in this life, this too shall pass, but we hope not too fast, since they do grow up quickly.
To learn more about Donna's writing career visit her at http://www.donnamcdine.com/
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BREAKING NEWS: The Bug plagues the blogosphere
Breaking News: The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade is now plaguing the blogosphere.
Nov. 5, 2010--From the west to east coast, The Bug is on the loose and cannot be stopped! Reports state that the brand new picture book by award-winning author Lori Calabrese broke out of its bookends, sneaked out of the bookstore after hours and is now buzzing by various children's literature blogs. It's goal--to make its way into people's homes.
The first incident occurred at Mayra's Secret Bookcase, located at http://mayrassecretbookcase.blogspot.com/2010/11/review-of-bug-that-plagued-entire-third.html, at around 12 p.m. Tuesday. One witness said, "All of a sudden, out of nowhere, this Bug comes flying and buzzing in the air. It was big.""The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade all started because my son caught one of those vicious stomach bugs," says Lori Calabrese, the author. "Now it's gotten loose and it has its bright emerald green eyes set on plaguing the blogosphere. I never thought it would get to this point!"
No one has been hurt, but there's more to this bizarre tale about a bug on the brink of extinction. People report that all incidents with The Bug have been positive...
"A bug-tastic treat," says Ingrid Sundberg of Ingrid's notes.
"What I really enjoyed about this story is the way the author skillfully combines verse and a complete plot with a clear beginning, middle and end," says Mayra Calvani of Mayra's Secret Bookcase.
"This is a wonderful story which should find a home in every grade one through three classroom," says Penny Ehrenkranz of One Writer's Journey.
"Readers will enjoy the building tension that takes place centered on the interplay between the two types of ‘bugs’ in the story," says Chris Singer of BookDads.
."Let's cut it off at the path," says Sergeant Hines Emerald. "If it's already in your house, it won't be able to sneak its way in and plague members of your household."
To keep up to date on the status of The Bug, be sure to follow along some of the blogs in The Bug's crosshairs...
November 2
Mayra's Secret Bookcase
November 3
Ingrid's Notes
November 4
Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz's One Writer's Journey
November 5
Book Dads
November 8
Brimful Curiosities
The Children's Book Review
November 9
Mrs.Hill's Book Blog
November 10
Miss O's Library Land
November 11
Tara Lazar's Writing for Children (While Raising Them)
November 12
N.A. Sharpe's Realms of Thought
November 15
Beverly S. McClure's The Story of a Writer
November 16
Elysabeth's Stories
November 17
Raising Itty Bitty Bookworms
November 18
There's a Book
November 19
The Iron Bodkin
November 30
Into the Wardrobe
What The Bug can't stand the most are comments! So leave as many as you can at these "targets" and be entered to win a
The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade Prize Pack that includes...
-a tote bag-t-shirt
-Make your own bug jar craft kit
-Make your own bug magnifying glass craft kit
-Calendar magnet
-pen
-bookmark
-and an autographed HARDCOVER copy of The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade
(Contest open to U.S. Only/ Winner will be announced December 1st)...
According to state blogosphere officials, the escape has sparked nationwide buzz over The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade
. Chaos has ensued and they want everyone to stay well-informed, and be prepared or at least have a plan as The Bug continues to plague the blogosphere!
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Do you need a publicist to market your book?
Rebecca Grose is the president of SoCal Public Relations (www.SoCalPR.net), a freelance publicity firm specializing in children’s and young adult books. With almost 20 years in literary p.r., she offers full-service promotional campaigns for clients in all genres (YA, picture books, historical fiction, middle grade, etc). Originally from Michigan, she lived in New York for eight years, working in children’s publicity at several major publishing houses (Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, DK Publishing), and now resides in San Diego, where it’s always sunny and warm (well…95% of the time).
Rebecca not only tells us about how she got started, but also offers some advice on how to get the word out about your book...
Tell us a little about your background and how you became a public relations specialist who focuses on children's and young adult books.
Years ago, I worked in publicity for Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (HBJ), here in San Diego, but on the adult side of the business. In fact, I had the great honor of being involved in promoting The Color Purple by Alice Walker. Of course, at that time, I was only an assistant, so I handled making her travel arrangements, creating her itinerary, that sort of thing. As my career progressed, I loved the challenge of a campaign, working with great authors, and meeting new people.
In 1995, I moved to New York – the hub of the publishing industry, and worked for several major publishers, including Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, and DK Publishing. But my career took a different path and I was hired by the children’s publicity departments, which I liked so much better! I handled p.r. campaigns for award-winning literary giants like Walter Dean Myers, E.L. Konigsburg, Patricia and Fredrick McKissack, and was totally hooked! The looks on the faces of kids when they met one of these amazing luminaries was so rewarding and inspiring. And the camaraderie within the children’s publishing industry was quite different than when I worked on adult titles – in children’s, everyone understands the importance of early learning and reading for kids, and although there is still competition between publishers, it felt like one big extended family. I had an opportunity to attend amazing book launch parties and major events (the stories I could tell…), plus accompany my authors on multi-city tours and to national media appearances. It was an incredible experience! (P.S. one of the last books I worked on in New York was a picture book, Langston Hughes: American Poet…by Alice Walker; in a way, I felt like I’d come full circle in my career.)
In 2003, I moved back to San Diego to start my own freelance literary public relations firm, and have since had an opportunity to work with numerous authors at various stages of their careers, including helping many first-time authors launch their books and start building their brand. It has been very rewarding on so many levels, especially when I have clients who hire me time and again – whenever they have a new book they’d like to give an extra push.
What are some of the services you offer your clients?
Everyone’s needs are different, so I work closely with my clients to determine our best plan of attack. We brainstorm together to design a tailored campaign that will generate the most impact for their book and achieve their goals, whether it’s an author tour, online media coverage, niche market research, local appearances, radio blitz, or any combination. My services include creating press materials (press release, author bio, Q&A, praise sheet, etc), which are approved by the author. I also work with bookstores, libraries, and festivals/trade shows to schedule appearances, signings, panel discussions, presentations, and provide written confirmations to all involved while working with the venue to maximize publicity for the event. Of course, I also pitch media contacts for features, interviews, reviews, round-ups, chats/guest blogs, and more.
What are some of the services you offer your clients?
Everyone’s needs are different, so I work closely with my clients to determine our best plan of attack. We brainstorm together to design a tailored campaign that will generate the most impact for their book and achieve their goals, whether it’s an author tour, online media coverage, niche market research, local appearances, radio blitz, or any combination. My services include creating press materials (press release, author bio, Q&A, praise sheet, etc), which are approved by the author. I also work with bookstores, libraries, and festivals/trade shows to schedule appearances, signings, panel discussions, presentations, and provide written confirmations to all involved while working with the venue to maximize publicity for the event. Of course, I also pitch media contacts for features, interviews, reviews, round-ups, chats/guest blogs, and more.
Consultation is a key part of most projects for my clients throughout our campaign (and beyond), answering their questions re how best to interact with the publisher, giving suggestions about creating promotional materials or how to update their website, etc. Working together, we become a team, and it’s helpful for authors to have an experienced publishing insider to bounce ideas off and ask advice.
You can find out more about the services I offer by visiting my website: www.SoCalPR.net
What do some of your clients say is their biggest challenge?
I talk to a lot of authors, and what I hear over and over again is that they really aren’t comfortable with promoting themselves to booksellers, libraries, or media. They don’t enjoy the business end of the industry, they’d rather be immersed in their writing! It can be difficult for an author to know the best way to pitch an appearance or an interview, which is where someone with experience can certainly help. But also, most of these contacts prefer an objective approach; it’s easier for them to deal with a third-party than directly with the author.
You've created buzz for many books--in what specific area have you found the best success (online sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or media kits, etc...?)
The online community is definitely the best way to build a buzz, especially if you can achieve a domino effect with multiple bloggers…each having followers/readers who then spread the word to their friends/family, and so on.
What do some of your clients say is their biggest challenge?
I talk to a lot of authors, and what I hear over and over again is that they really aren’t comfortable with promoting themselves to booksellers, libraries, or media. They don’t enjoy the business end of the industry, they’d rather be immersed in their writing! It can be difficult for an author to know the best way to pitch an appearance or an interview, which is where someone with experience can certainly help. But also, most of these contacts prefer an objective approach; it’s easier for them to deal with a third-party than directly with the author.
You've created buzz for many books--in what specific area have you found the best success (online sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or media kits, etc...?)
The online community is definitely the best way to build a buzz, especially if you can achieve a domino effect with multiple bloggers…each having followers/readers who then spread the word to their friends/family, and so on.
What’s most important in this realm is for the author to become actively involved in their own success. These sites are comprised essentially of readers who thrive on direct communication with the author, either through an interview or guest blog, or when the author is a member and leaves a comment or chats with others on the site. It’s much more genuine (and effective) when this type of grassroots buzz is generated, than when a publicist or marketing person tries to post info about a new book to any of these sites.
My role in this is to facilitate and fuel this interaction for the author…set up chats and blog tours, help them identify the sites that would be the best fit for them to join, etc. In addition, I work with a lot of other online media to secure reviews and author interviews to feed into the buzz we’re building.
What's your best advice for a small press author to build a buzz for their new book?
An author’s best resources are the contacts they already have…friends, family, teachers they know, the clerk or manager at their local bookseller, etc. (see #4, below)
An author’s best resources are the contacts they already have…friends, family, teachers they know, the clerk or manager at their local bookseller, etc. (see #4, below)
With that in mind, here are a few helpful tips:
1) accept the fact that you will need to roll up your sleeves and do a lot of marketing/promoting yourself (and possibly hire someone to help you)
2) create a website at least 2-6mos before pub date (even if you start with just one page), include it on everything (promotional materials, press materials, letters), ask the publisher to list it with your bio on the jacket flap (if possible)
3) use an email signature which includes your book title, pub date, website (don’t make it too lengthy), and include it on every communication!
Example: Mary Smith
Best Book Ever Written (April 2011)
www.marysmith.com
4) put the word out to friends, family, anyone you can think of, and ask for their help in spreading the news about your new book; these are people who want to help you, so let them!
5) if not already a member of book sites, blogs, etc, join a few that interest you and become very active; comment on other books, author interviews, etc. (remember to include your email signature, see #3)
What do you like best about your job?
Working with people…authors, publishers, booksellers, librarians, media contacts, etc. I truly believe it all comes down to relationships, and I continue to enjoy my ongoing friendships in every segment of our industry. It’s especially rewarding to bring others together, such as introducing an author to a key librarian who has amazing outreach in their community, or putting a bookseller in touch with several authors for an upcoming special event, etc.
What do you like best about your job?
Working with people…authors, publishers, booksellers, librarians, media contacts, etc. I truly believe it all comes down to relationships, and I continue to enjoy my ongoing friendships in every segment of our industry. It’s especially rewarding to bring others together, such as introducing an author to a key librarian who has amazing outreach in their community, or putting a bookseller in touch with several authors for an upcoming special event, etc.
Bottom line – it’s all about bringing people together, in one way or another, and I’m happy to do my part.
Thank you for this opportunity to answer a few questions for your members and readers!
Thank you for this opportunity to answer a few questions for your members and readers!
For more information:
Rebecca Grose
SoCal Public Relations
socalpublicrelations@yahoo.com
619.460.2179
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