Countdown to Selling a Christmas Story

Guest blog by Paul Navarro, author of The Gift Giver 

Time, time, time. My biggest sin is time—I have treated it with callous disregard. Let me tell you how. 

I wrote my children’s Christmas story, The Gift Giver, years ago, maybe three. And before that, it had been in my head for about a decade. So that’s 13 years I had to come up with a marketing plan for The Gift Giver. Thirteen years to secure media time, schedule appearances, do a real build up to Black Friday (when most people start their Christmas shopping). But, I didn’t do any of those things.

In my defense, it’s been a hell of a year.

1)    I finished polishing up my middle grade novel, The Incredible Misadventures of Zadora Zane, so my agent could start sending it out;

2)    I finished up an application to a prestigious grad program (getting together all the materials was no small feat); and the biggest thing of all;

3)    I got married.

So, it didn’t appear like the optimal year to release a book, especially when you factor in the fact that I’d never self-published a book before. But I’m nothing if not optimistic.  

Mounting the self-publishing mountain

I came back from my honeymoon at the end of October bound and determined to have this children’s book out by Thanksgiving weekend. Yes, looking back that may have been a little too ambitious. Doing all the illustrations myself and rewriting the manuscript about a dozen times, I finally had a draft I was proud of by the end of November. It then took me several days to figure out how to upload it to Amazon with all the formatting intact, all the while the number of shopping days until Christmas dwindling away—just like the song. (Is there a song for that? Well, there should be one.) Anyway, I did it. I got my book listed in all the major eReaders with a print version on Amazon.com. Whew!

But what now? 

Nightmare before Christmas

With only three weeks till Christmas, I’ve managed to squeeze myself into one writer’s fair to sell some books. It was a lot of fun and got me pumped up to really start plugging my book. This was when I realized there’s a lot more to publishing a book than just publishing a book. Somehow you’ve got to let people know it’s there and make them want to buy it. But how?

I turned to my writing friends for help. Some interviewed me for their blogs, some had me write guest posts (like the one you’re reading now), and others suggested independent book stores in which to sell my stocking stuffer. But in the midst of all this pre-Christmas chaos, what I’m struggling with is time. I need time to visit these book stores, time to write blog posts, time to go to book fairs. If I as independent publishers am to be successful in my literary endeavors, I must allow myself time to plan, time to execute my plan and then time to follow up after the execution so I can keep sales soaring. I’m going to assume that this is part of the reason the big ships like Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins buy books so far in advance—to give themselves time to build a strategy. 

I don’t make resolutions; I make plans

I, for one, will not commit the sin of taking time for granted again. Next year will be different. I’m going to start in the summer so by Thanksgiving I will have people lined up to buy my book. I may even create a special edition with more illustrations. In 2012, I will prioritize and give myself the gift of time. You can, too. Your book deserves it. It deserves your full attention and the entire weight of your creative brain. Let my story be a lesson to you and believe me when I say that your three biggest assets when marketing your book are time, time and time.

The Gift Giver is available on Amazon, Nook, Kindle and Lulu for the iPad.

Self-Publishing -- Lessons From the Trenches

The Gift Giver by Paul Navarro

Self-publishing is growing in popularity and many new authors are finding literary success in the world of online publishing. However, along with being your own publisher, you need to be your own marketing department. 

In the coming weeks, I'll be exploring the many ways to promote your self-published novel. In the meantime, who else is better to learn from then those who are forging ahead in this new frontier.

On that note, I'm very pleased to host my first guest blogger, multitalented writer Paul Navarro. Paul is the author of The Gift Giver, the story of a seven-year-old girl who learns the true spirit of gift giving at her class' Secret Santa party. It's available in print at Amazon and also on all the major e-readers. Paul will be sharing his experience and challenges in promoting his children's book in time for the holidays.

Willamette Writers Conference

How to start your conference day on the right note

For those attending this year’s Willamette Writers Conference, August 5 – 7, here’s what you can expect when you arrive, along with a few more tips to get the most out of the conference.

Come to the Thursday night events
There are a number of advantages to starting your conference experience on Thursday night, August 4.

1) Avoid the Friday registration rush.
You can breeze in and register Thursday night or if you are pre-registered you can pick up your registration packet. The registration area is open from 6 – 9 p.m. on Thursday.

2) Review the workshops.
In your registration packet, you’ll find the latest information on workshops. There are often changes from the original conference brochure. Select your top one or two choices for each time slot so you won’t have to spend time at the conference deciding. Better to spend your time meeting fellow writers and enjoying all the conference has to offer.

3) Double check your badge.
The front of your badge will state the days you are attending and whether or not you are booked for the Saturday night banquet and the type of meal you requested. If there are any questions, go to the registration area.

On the back of your badge you’ll find the consults you have purchased. These are the one-on-one and group pitch sessions. If you have any issues, the consult desk will be open Thursday night to help you resolve them.

4) Orient yourself.
If you’ve never been to the conference before, Thursday night gives you an opportunity to leisurely stroll around the Sheraton and familiarize yourself with where the various events are taking place. If you are pitching, note that the area for group pitches is different from the area for one-on-one pitches.

5) Attend Pitch Practice
You can attend Pitch Practice with the Pros from 7 to 9 p.m. in St. Helens for literary pitches and Mt. Hood for film pitches. If you want to pitch in front of agents and be critiqued, come early as it fills up fast.

Arrive early on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Give yourself enough time to arrive at the conference, find parking, have breakfast and get to your first workshop without having to stress. If you can’t find a parking spot at the Sheraton you can park at the Hampton Inn next door as they are owned by the same company.

1) Register first.
If you didn’t register or pick up your conference registration package on Thursday night, do this first. The registration area, consult help, and information desk are all at the south end of the Mt. Hood Foyer.

2) Have breakfast and mingle.
You’ll find a full breakfast buffet in the Mt. Hood Foyer served from 7:30 until 8:45 am. Grab a plate, a cup of coffee and head to the Mt. Hood Ballroom. If you sleep in, the breakfast buffet usually stays out longer. But breakfast is a great time to mingle and meet other writers.

If you have time, wander over to the Silent Auction area for first dibs on a wide variety of great stuff for writers.

3) Get to workshops early.
Workshops start at 8:30 am. Popular workshops fill up fast and can run out of seats, so get to the workshop at least 10 minutes early if you need a seat, even earlier if you need a place to plug in your laptop.

4) Take advantage of all the conference has to offer.
Don’t forget to sign up for the two free events: Manuscript ER and Pitch Practice. See my previous post for more information. They both run from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday.

See you at the conference!

If you find this information useful, please show your support by signing up in the upper right hand corner. Please click on the icons below to share this blog on Facebook or Twitter or email it to fellow writers. Your comments are always welcome.

Six Steps to Prepare for a Writer’s Conference

Part three of a three-part series on how to maximize your conference experience

Here are the last two steps for preparing for the Willamette Writers Conference or any writer’s conference.

Step Five: Polish your professionalism
The most important aspect of attending a writer’s conference is to present yourself as a professional. Being a professional writer has nothing to do with how much or how little you’ve published or how much money you’ve made as a writer. A professional writer is one who writes regularly and attends writer’s conferences! If you do everything described in steps one through four and have your business cards in hand, your research completed, and your pitch polished – you’ll be taken seriously by fellow writers, speakers, authors, agents, and editors.

Now complete the package with a professional look. Pick out three business casual outfits for the conference and have them pressed and ready to go a few days before hand. And if you are traveling to the conference, bring something that doesn’t need ironing. Conference days are long and the last thing you want to be doing is pressing when you could be practicing your pitch or getting your beauty sleep. Although it’s nice to look like a “creative,” going to the extreme will only distract the person you’re talking to and pull attention away from your pitch and you as a person. I find one outstanding accessory can add that creative touch to any outfit. Dress light as it will probably be a hot day, but bring a sweater or jacket in case the air conditioning is blasting.

Step Six: Pulling it all together

Here’s some odds and ends to help make your conference experience a great one.

Bring your materials
Remember I mentioned that some of the workshops will read the first pages of your manuscripts, or hear a pitch. Have those double-spaced and professionally formatted; and print out a couple copies of each. You may also want to bring the first five pages of your manuscript to show to a prospective critique partner. A simple exchange of pages can tell you instantly whether you’ll be a good fit.

If you are taking advantage of the free Manuscript ER (see my previous post) and I highly recommend you do, then bring printed copies of your opening pages, query letter, synopsis, or any part of your manuscript you are struggling with.

What you don’t need to bring is your entire manuscript. Never foist a hardcopy of your book at an agent or editor. Most are traveling a distance and don’t want to be saddled with a stack of manuscripts to schlep back to the office. If an agent/editor is interested in seeing your work, you’ll receive a business card and/or instructions on how to submit.

Notice for the Bulletin Board
If you’re looking for other writers to form a critique group, the bulletin board is a great place to connect. It’s usually in the main lobby of the Sheraton. It’s not too big, so best to keep your notice to the size of a 3 x 5” index card.

Tote bag
The conference doesn’t supply tote bags so you’ll want to bring something lightweight for carrying your conference materials.

Your laptop, netbook, or pad and paper
This is a personal choice. I brought my netbook last year and will again. It’s light, has hours of battery life, and fits in my tote bag. I can’t read my own handwriting, so taking notes is a waste of time for me unless I have my computer. If you need to plug in your device, outlets are usually available in the back of the room. Just remember to mute the sound on your computer before you leave home. Another benefit to bringing a computer is that many of the workshops have impromptu writing exercises. I find it faster and easier to write and edit on the keyboard than in a notebook. To each his own. Just be prepared in the style that suits you.

Food
The conference offers a full breakfast, lunch, plenty of caffeine during the day along with water and juice and some type of satisfying and fattening yummy in the afternoon. So no need to pack any snacks, but if you have dietary restrictions and can’t eat those afternoon fresh-baked goodies, you might want to bring your own snack. The conference offers gluten-free and vegetarian meal options, but you must specify those options when you register.

Check back in a few days for “What to do when you arrive at the conference” and the advantages of arriving on Thursday night.

Six Steps to Prepare for a Writer’s Conference

Part two of a three-part series on how to maximize your conference experience

Wow, my todo list for the Willamette Writers Conference is growing. Now that I know what I want to accomplish at the conference and I’ve done my research, the real work begins.

Step Three: Gather your networking gear

Even if you haven’t finished your first book, it’s never too early to start networking. No matter what your objectives for attending the conference might be, you’ll need:

Business cards
VistaPrint.com is a great resource for free and very low cost business cards. Make your cards memorable by including on the back of the card a description of your writing, a mini bio, a short summary or logline of your book, or details about the service you offer. Bring plenty to hand out. If you are offering a service to writers or promoting your book, you can place some of your cards on a table just for this purpose, usually located in the hallway outside of the Garden Room.

Elevator pitch
What are you going to say when the person next to you at lunch asks, “What do you write?” You need to be able to answer clearly and succinctly. Who knows, that person could be your future agent. Although she probably doesn’t want to hear your whole novel pitch, be ready with a one-line elevator pitch about you and your writing.

You might want to talk about what you’re seeking at the conference. For example, “Hi, I’m Sue, I write urban fantasy YA and I’d like to find others YA writers to start a critique group.” Or, “I’m Bill. I’m looking for agency representation for my steam punk novel, Derailing Victoria, about the queen’s plan to sabotage the first high-powered steam engine train.” Practice your pitch on everyone you can find, even your dog. Practice till it flows naturally and enthusiastically from your lips. If you’re a little shy, like me, you might want to practice asking “What do you write?” It’s a great ice-breaker at any conference and you just might meet the critique partner you’ve been seeking.

Step 4: Grip the ball and get ready to pitch

Whether or not you plan to formally pitch in one-on-one or group sessions with agents or editors, you still need to be prepared to talk about your writing. Even in the early stages of writing, condensing your story into its essence can help you see where your story needs to go.

Long Pitch
In one-on-one pitch sessions you have ten minutes with the agent and editor. Keep your pitch to around four minutes and this will give the agent time to ask you questions and vice versa.

Short Pitch
Most, but not all, agents and editors will be taking short pitches at the group sessions. Keep these to one minute. That means three short lines at the most. Check the agent, editor, film bios to see if the agent/editor will be accepting group pitches.

Print your pitch
Although it’s bad form to read your pitch from a piece of paper, I like to have it there as a security blanket. I never know when the fear factor will wipe out my memory bank and leave me gulping like a guppy out of water. I print out long and short pitches for each of my works in a large font so I won’t need my glasses. It also helps to refer to the paper as you practice one more time waiting for your pitch session.

Practice, practice, practice
Read your pitch to anyone who will listen. Practice your pitch until it rolls off your tongue effortlessly. See my previous post about pitch practice sessions offered by the conference.

The final steps will be posted on Wednesday: “Polish your professionalism” and “Pulling it all together.”

Next year in July, I’ll be teaching an online class on preparing for the Willamette Writers Conference. So sign up now in the top right box to receive this and other important announcements.