Testing sending blog posts via email. What do you think?
Here are some links I may or may not have remembered to post in a while.
Books:
Showing posts with label marketing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marketing. Show all posts
Friday, November 2, 2018
Book Expo today!!
OK. The latest updates have been made to my store, and I am ready to have my booth at the York Book Expo!
If you are local, I hope to see you there! I will have some goodies for my friends who drop by!!
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
Publishing Pathways
In a FB group where I am a member, lots of questions get asked about whether to self-publish, spend time on an agent, obtain an MFA, or what is the best Return on Investment for a writer with stories to share.
I speak a lot about the importance of privilege and various meanings of success in any career or lifestyle. And when I wrote a reply to one person in particular, I knew I had a blog post I wanted to share with MY audience.
So here it goes:
Privilege is definitely an issue, and a lot depends on how much you can bring to the table. If you can get the funding for an MFA -- and there are some scholarships and awards for older women, POC, single-parent (if that applies to your situation). I don't know if enough of them can be stacked to get your MFA for free or at an affordable rate, but an MFA might be cheaper than the full price of a number of writer conferences. And if you approach the MFA like an extended conference -- getting the work done, but really using the time back in school to network, network, network -- you might be able to create the platform(s) and do the other things that will help you publish successfully, whether through the University Press, with an agent-in-training, or some other connection any professor you have might be willing to help you establish.
These are the reasons to do the MFA. I still haven't done it. I went the self-pub on a SHOESTRING route.
Unlike other self pubs who pay (who afford) editors, publicists, cover artists, formatters, and Lightning Source ISBNs, I belong to a few writing groups and have some BETA readers. I use free ISBNs and modify Create Space templates. I don't market the way I should or the way I hope I would if my bills depended on it. I'm a teacher by trade and used my published works as a portfolio to show I know what I'm doing and can teach others through camps and workshops. Nearly all my students outsell me.
Other writers self-pub and make more money. Many spend more money to publish. If they have the money to spend, and they are happy with the result, more power to them.
If you are able to market your own books, if you have friends and family who sell 31 and jamberry nails and all those other products, then you might find it in your best interest to publish for yourself, market yourself, or partner with someone who sells their widgets well.
In this business, like any other, it takes money to make money, so to make money, you will have to be making an investment of some kind beyond writing the manuscript. Then you have to decide what your budget (time, effort, money) is and what you can afford, what ROI you want and the path you are going to take to get there.
I can't tell you what to do, but I can hope that you find all the success you seek.
What does success mean to you? What advice would you give someone in your field?
Phyl Campbell is the author of I'm Not Writing a Book Today, the so-called procrastination guide for writers and other dreamers. Her books are available on Amazon. She lives and teaches in York County, PA.
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Website Overhaul
A loving person sat me down very carefully and told me my website was too busy. This was months ago.
And they were SO right! I just didn't know how to FIX it.
It took me a long time to clear my brain-space to figure out how I wanted to capture the last decade of my writing life (and some things predate THAT!).
So what I have now is by no means PERFECT, but it is BETTER.
I've made better use of the menu levels and I've updated a lot of links that I should have realized (but didn't) were dead. (Yes, I saw dead links. And they didn't know they were dead. Take that, M. Night!)
This is a weird transition for me in figuring out what Phyl Campbell Press will look like in the coming months. Will it be absorbed into Creative York on terms acceptable to me, as I hope? Will I keep it separate, as may be better for me and the baby -- er, business -- I have built?
Speaking of Creative York, absolutely go check out my classes on their page(s).
Check out Rustic Cup, too! The owner is a wonderful soul who is getting me to think even bigger and bolder. We haven't solved all the world's problems yet, but I think we're closing in! ;)
And they were SO right! I just didn't know how to FIX it.
It took me a long time to clear my brain-space to figure out how I wanted to capture the last decade of my writing life (and some things predate THAT!).
So what I have now is by no means PERFECT, but it is BETTER.
I've made better use of the menu levels and I've updated a lot of links that I should have realized (but didn't) were dead. (Yes, I saw dead links. And they didn't know they were dead. Take that, M. Night!)
This is a weird transition for me in figuring out what Phyl Campbell Press will look like in the coming months. Will it be absorbed into Creative York on terms acceptable to me, as I hope? Will I keep it separate, as may be better for me and the baby -- er, business -- I have built?
Speaking of Creative York, absolutely go check out my classes on their page(s).
Check out Rustic Cup, too! The owner is a wonderful soul who is getting me to think even bigger and bolder. We haven't solved all the world's problems yet, but I think we're closing in! ;)
Friday, July 15, 2016
New Time for Workshop and Two "Save the Dates"
And then "Save the Date"
Back by popular demand August 23 and 30!!
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Media Kits and Shoestring Budgets
When trying to prepare for a book launch tour on a shoestring budget, don't do what I did and do an internet search on marketing. Unless you enjoy feeling depressed.
So many people out there are willing to you how they made a million dollars selling their fiction. You just need to believe in your abilities and write them a check for hundreds of dollars.
And what is sad is not only that so many chumps fall for the obvious scams, but that paying to get ahead is now the standard business model for marketing. We know it takes money to make money. We know that businesses have to have initial capital investments. And most of that money seems to go to advertising. Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!
But when so many human beings and five percent of pets decide to earn money writing books, banks are unwilling to loan money to authors to start businesses. And most people that see themselves as authors/artists mentally put the word "starving" in front of that. They think they must starve for their art. Our society perpetuates the dual myths of overnight success and starving artistry.
But among all the pieces of advertising that yearn to be spam, I found a decent template for a media kit from Joan Stewart. (Ignore her media kit templates unless you are NOT operating on a shoestring. You will be sad.)
So I am working on my media kit now. Wish I hadn't written so many books -- because needing different length blurbs for each one and trying to stay OFF auto-pilot when I want them done years ago -- but I digress. I'm proud of those books. And I will get through this.
So that's my post for today. Back to work.
Other articles of interest:
Finding Pink Elephants
A Muse Meant
Quick and Dirty Publishing Guide
So many people out there are willing to you how they made a million dollars selling their fiction. You just need to believe in your abilities and write them a check for hundreds of dollars.
And what is sad is not only that so many chumps fall for the obvious scams, but that paying to get ahead is now the standard business model for marketing. We know it takes money to make money. We know that businesses have to have initial capital investments. And most of that money seems to go to advertising. Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!
But when so many human beings and five percent of pets decide to earn money writing books, banks are unwilling to loan money to authors to start businesses. And most people that see themselves as authors/artists mentally put the word "starving" in front of that. They think they must starve for their art. Our society perpetuates the dual myths of overnight success and starving artistry.But among all the pieces of advertising that yearn to be spam, I found a decent template for a media kit from Joan Stewart. (Ignore her media kit templates unless you are NOT operating on a shoestring. You will be sad.)
So I am working on my media kit now. Wish I hadn't written so many books -- because needing different length blurbs for each one and trying to stay OFF auto-pilot when I want them done years ago -- but I digress. I'm proud of those books. And I will get through this.
So that's my post for today. Back to work.
Phyl Campbell is Author, Mother, Dreamer. Sometimes the Mother and Dreamer get in the way of the Author, and the Author has to catch up. Check out her author page on Amazon.
Other articles of interest:
Finding Pink Elephants
A Muse Meant
Quick and Dirty Publishing Guide
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