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There is an old saying that you are a writer until you have published your first book, then you become an
author. Well, I personally believe that in today's ever-changing world the transition happens only when you
perfect your skills to include selling that book. In other words-- 'Market Your Wares'.
There are hundreds of self-help books on this very subject matter, all trying to tell you their secret formula to
success. What is that sought after, sure fire secret to success? Is it destiny, coincidence or just plain luck?
Maybe all of the above, but one thing is for certain, competition is fierce. The latest reports state that new
titles for 2006 exceeded 19,000. Now those figures do not reflect the deep changes in the literary world
such as the explosion of self –pub, the E-books or show the higher distribution costs across the board.
In todays market, with distribution costs at a premium, book sales down and e-books on the rise -money is
tight. Money that many publishers just don’t have despite cutting back internally, most often those budget
cuts were on marketing, advertising and promoting. This, as we all know, results in many first time authors
not being given the opportunities that they once had in the literary world.
Did you get the picture that this is a business to make money? Good. Because it most definitely is! So now
what are you going to do to get your project noticed and to sell your books? Well first off, don’t panic. Allow
yourself to successfully transform yourself from a writer to a seasoned author by perfecting your craft and
learn how to 'Market your Wares'.
Many of you are probably still having a hard time embracing the thought of marketing your work as an
extension of your writing. Or worse, you’re overwhelmed at being your own marketing guru. Hold on! Don’t
panic or close the book on your writing career. Take the plunge and nudge your writing career into a new
level and become the multi-faceted professional author that you admire and respect in others. Everyone
knows the success stories of such greats as Nora Roberts selling her books at Garage Sales, or James
Redfield who just wouldn't accept no from publishers and started off as a self-pub until eventually he was
noticed and became #1 on the NY Best Sellers list for 26 weeks with his explosive novel, "The Celestine
Prophecy".
Now, I'm not suggesting that the marketing plan that we at LSP have developed will offer you an opportunity
at this year’s recipient of a Pulitzer or making the New York’s Best Sellers List. What I am suggesting
though is that before your career can ever take off, you need to sell your work -- create a buzz and we intend
to help you.
How?
The first thing we ask each of our author's to remember is that YOU must sell your book. That requires
hard work, dedication, persistence and a solid marketing plan as the foundation for your business. One
that we at LSP believes will pave the way to yours and our success . Below is a list of fundamental tools
needed to 'Market your Wares', many that Light Sword Publishing creates for our authors to assist them in
their marketing endeavors. NOTE: Although LSP will offer support to our stable of authors, by providing
them with an extensive marketing kit and valuable tools, we firmly believe that it is the author that must sell
their work, not the publisher. We publish books and should not be confused as an authors publicist.
A fundamental business plan begins with...
** Create your own Business cards (include logo and / or tagline (see below). Word has templates to
choose from.)
** Create a Tagline - one or two sentences describing your story to use for promotional materials.
** Add an Email signature. It should include your logo and/or personal tagline (see below for
description).
** Take a leap and create your personal logo, or research for a famous quote that best describes who
you are. (Not your story, but rather who you the author is.)
*** LSP has a trained staff of editors, including staff members that will professionally format your work.
As the author you must work with your editor(s) to make your masterpiece ready for print.
*** LSP creates a professionally designed cover for your masterpiece.
*** LSP creates a professionally designed banner to use for promotions in ads and on the Internet
*** LSP will create a generic poster (11 x 17) in a 'WORD' doc that includes a copy of your cover art and a
picture of you. (Normally the same photograph that will be used on the back cover of your book.) A
'header' is added so that our authors can easily change the text box for individual events. This text box
is typically near the top of the poster and is used for “Meet the Author” or “Introducing”, etc. A second
larger second text box is added. This text box will used be for the “Location”, “Address”, “Date”, and
“Time”.
*** LSP creates a generic flyer. Typically an 11 x 8.5 following the same outline above.
*** LSP creates bookmarks for booksignings and for promotional handouts. These bookmarks typically
will include the same background used on the flyers and posters along with a thumbnail of the cover
of the book, your tagline and website address. Backside will include LSP website address and your
assigned ISBN 13 .
*** LSP creates a concise and inviting 'Media Kit' or often called 'PSA' as a PDF that included:
1. Introduction – Cover Sheet
2. Book Cover and tagline, ISBN 13 below the cover art
3. Synopsis (as seen on cover 100 words or less), Author BIO (same as back cover, should be 60
words or less), Author photograph.
4. Reviews (as they become available)
5. Press announcement or as we call it our 'email blast'.
6. Contact information
NOTE: The above mentioned generic flyer's , generic posters, bookmarks and PSA's are professionally
designed for our authors to have printed on their own at any local office supply or copy store.
In addition, LSP also provides our authors with:
*** A table top easel to proudly display their novel at booksignings and events.
*** LSP mails out 100 announcement letters to family, friends and colleagues introducing the release.
*** LSP sends an email blast announcing the release.
*** LSP mails an introduction press release to local & national publications, talk shows, local media and
local book stores.
*** LSP sends out galleys for reviews.
*** LSP has an on-line support group for LSP staff and stable of authors.
*** LSP provides assistance to each of our authors in innovative ways to create a buzz according to their
own personal needs, such as libraries, organizations or festivals.
*** LSP is available through the following distributors -- Ingrams, Baker & Taylor, Amazon.
*** LSP has arranged for authors to sell their books at major festivals, where the fees for the booth and an
ample supply of books for each of our author's are provided at no cost to our stable of authors.
*** LSP pays for Internet exposure for three months to each of our authors with Author Island.com.
Along with the above mentioned kit , events, advertising, and assistance in marketing our stable of authors
work, LSP recommends that each of our authors add personal touches to their kits, such as a quality
binder for their personal professional PSA, purchase stickers that peel from a roll that say “Autographed
Copy” on them, and lastly, splurge and purchase a special pen used only for booksignings.
It is with great pride that all of us at LSP offer such an extensive marketing plan and support to our authors.
Ultimately, we accept without reservation that it is up to the author to embrace 'Marketing Your Wares' if they
are to become the success that they are searching for, we just believe that by assisting them on this
wondrous journey these added steps will set LSP and our authors apart from the others. Afterall, Light
Sword Publishing was founded to help others see their dreams come true.
Best regards,
Linda Daly
CEO/ President
Light Sword Publishing
NOTE:
Every Saturday evening at 9:00 pm EST, a chat on "Marketing Your Wares" is hosted
by Linda Daly. This free chat is opened to the public. To begin sharing new ideas
with your peers on how to market your wares visit, www.lindadaly.net.
Hope to see you there.
author. Well, I personally believe that in today's ever-changing world the transition happens only when you
perfect your skills to include selling that book. In other words-- 'Market Your Wares'.
There are hundreds of self-help books on this very subject matter, all trying to tell you their secret formula to
success. What is that sought after, sure fire secret to success? Is it destiny, coincidence or just plain luck?
Maybe all of the above, but one thing is for certain, competition is fierce. The latest reports state that new
titles for 2006 exceeded 19,000. Now those figures do not reflect the deep changes in the literary world
such as the explosion of self –pub, the E-books or show the higher distribution costs across the board.
In todays market, with distribution costs at a premium, book sales down and e-books on the rise -money is
tight. Money that many publishers just don’t have despite cutting back internally, most often those budget
cuts were on marketing, advertising and promoting. This, as we all know, results in many first time authors
not being given the opportunities that they once had in the literary world.
Did you get the picture that this is a business to make money? Good. Because it most definitely is! So now
what are you going to do to get your project noticed and to sell your books? Well first off, don’t panic. Allow
yourself to successfully transform yourself from a writer to a seasoned author by perfecting your craft and
learn how to 'Market your Wares'.
Many of you are probably still having a hard time embracing the thought of marketing your work as an
extension of your writing. Or worse, you’re overwhelmed at being your own marketing guru. Hold on! Don’t
panic or close the book on your writing career. Take the plunge and nudge your writing career into a new
level and become the multi-faceted professional author that you admire and respect in others. Everyone
knows the success stories of such greats as Nora Roberts selling her books at Garage Sales, or James
Redfield who just wouldn't accept no from publishers and started off as a self-pub until eventually he was
noticed and became #1 on the NY Best Sellers list for 26 weeks with his explosive novel, "The Celestine
Prophecy".
Now, I'm not suggesting that the marketing plan that we at LSP have developed will offer you an opportunity
at this year’s recipient of a Pulitzer or making the New York’s Best Sellers List. What I am suggesting
though is that before your career can ever take off, you need to sell your work -- create a buzz and we intend
to help you.
How?
The first thing we ask each of our author's to remember is that YOU must sell your book. That requires
hard work, dedication, persistence and a solid marketing plan as the foundation for your business. One
that we at LSP believes will pave the way to yours and our success . Below is a list of fundamental tools
needed to 'Market your Wares', many that Light Sword Publishing creates for our authors to assist them in
their marketing endeavors. NOTE: Although LSP will offer support to our stable of authors, by providing
them with an extensive marketing kit and valuable tools, we firmly believe that it is the author that must sell
their work, not the publisher. We publish books and should not be confused as an authors publicist.
A fundamental business plan begins with...
** Create your own Business cards (include logo and / or tagline (see below). Word has templates to
choose from.)
** Create a Tagline - one or two sentences describing your story to use for promotional materials.
** Add an Email signature. It should include your logo and/or personal tagline (see below for
description).
** Take a leap and create your personal logo, or research for a famous quote that best describes who
you are. (Not your story, but rather who you the author is.)
*** LSP has a trained staff of editors, including staff members that will professionally format your work.
As the author you must work with your editor(s) to make your masterpiece ready for print.
*** LSP creates a professionally designed cover for your masterpiece.
*** LSP creates a professionally designed banner to use for promotions in ads and on the Internet
*** LSP will create a generic poster (11 x 17) in a 'WORD' doc that includes a copy of your cover art and a
picture of you. (Normally the same photograph that will be used on the back cover of your book.) A
'header' is added so that our authors can easily change the text box for individual events. This text box
is typically near the top of the poster and is used for “Meet the Author” or “Introducing”, etc. A second
larger second text box is added. This text box will used be for the “Location”, “Address”, “Date”, and
“Time”.
*** LSP creates a generic flyer. Typically an 11 x 8.5 following the same outline above.
*** LSP creates bookmarks for booksignings and for promotional handouts. These bookmarks typically
will include the same background used on the flyers and posters along with a thumbnail of the cover
of the book, your tagline and website address. Backside will include LSP website address and your
assigned ISBN 13 .
*** LSP creates a concise and inviting 'Media Kit' or often called 'PSA' as a PDF that included:
1. Introduction – Cover Sheet
2. Book Cover and tagline, ISBN 13 below the cover art
3. Synopsis (as seen on cover 100 words or less), Author BIO (same as back cover, should be 60
words or less), Author photograph.
4. Reviews (as they become available)
5. Press announcement or as we call it our 'email blast'.
6. Contact information
NOTE: The above mentioned generic flyer's , generic posters, bookmarks and PSA's are professionally
designed for our authors to have printed on their own at any local office supply or copy store.
In addition, LSP also provides our authors with:
*** A table top easel to proudly display their novel at booksignings and events.
*** LSP mails out 100 announcement letters to family, friends and colleagues introducing the release.
*** LSP sends an email blast announcing the release.
*** LSP mails an introduction press release to local & national publications, talk shows, local media and
local book stores.
*** LSP sends out galleys for reviews.
*** LSP has an on-line support group for LSP staff and stable of authors.
*** LSP provides assistance to each of our authors in innovative ways to create a buzz according to their
own personal needs, such as libraries, organizations or festivals.
*** LSP is available through the following distributors -- Ingrams, Baker & Taylor, Amazon.
*** LSP has arranged for authors to sell their books at major festivals, where the fees for the booth and an
ample supply of books for each of our author's are provided at no cost to our stable of authors.
*** LSP pays for Internet exposure for three months to each of our authors with Author Island.com.
Along with the above mentioned kit , events, advertising, and assistance in marketing our stable of authors
work, LSP recommends that each of our authors add personal touches to their kits, such as a quality
binder for their personal professional PSA, purchase stickers that peel from a roll that say “Autographed
Copy” on them, and lastly, splurge and purchase a special pen used only for booksignings.
It is with great pride that all of us at LSP offer such an extensive marketing plan and support to our authors.
Ultimately, we accept without reservation that it is up to the author to embrace 'Marketing Your Wares' if they
are to become the success that they are searching for, we just believe that by assisting them on this
wondrous journey these added steps will set LSP and our authors apart from the others. Afterall, Light
Sword Publishing was founded to help others see their dreams come true.
Best regards,
Linda Daly
CEO/ President
Light Sword Publishing
NOTE:
Every Saturday evening at 9:00 pm EST, a chat on "Marketing Your Wares" is hosted
by Linda Daly. This free chat is opened to the public. To begin sharing new ideas
with your peers on how to market your wares visit, www.lindadaly.net.
Hope to see you there.
Thoughts on ‘Marketing Your Wares’
by Linda Daly
by Linda Daly
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