LIfe, The Universe, and Everything SciFi/Fantasy Symposium

What a great conference. I had a blast! The fist day I attended a class on Marketing with:

Bree Despain (Dark Divine Trilogy),

Elana Johnson (Possession),  

Jenn R. Johanson (Insomnia), 

and Lynn Hardy (Prophesy of the Flame). 

Here are my notes:
Marketing Tips: Stalker, Stealer, Mutator:

• Do blog tours, anything to get your name out there.
• Host give aways.
• Get your name and book in local magazines and on local television talk shows.
• Do a group blog with like-minded authors, who write novels in the same genre or age group.
• Watch what you put out there because everyone can read it.
• “Stalk and steal” great ideas from other blogs!
• Do anthologies like Hunger Games?
• Bring other people on that can help you (published authors).
• Approach people and ask if they’ll host a contest.
• Check out Sandra Michell’s marketing timeline.
• Make Post cards, mail them to the 12 book stores closest to you, and ask them to buy your book Write something like: Hi, I’m a local author. My book is coming soon. Please consider buying it. Send postcards to schools and tell them you do  presentations on “xyz.” Put your book cover on front, leave the back blank. Include ordering #, intro, title, and publisher.
• Send invitations to book signings to everyone you know or can get an email/address for.