Graphic by Alexis Daria
Let’s face it, romance, in our culture, has a lot of stereotypes around it. People think they know what our genre is about, but in reality, most of them don’t. People assume they know what being a writer involves, but yeah, no.
What kinds of judgments and assumptions have you encountered from others as a romance writer? How have you responded?
Join us to chat about the genre we love on Sunday at 4pm PST / 7pm EST!
~Robin Lovett
In case you missed the live chats during Marketing Month, C.L. Polk (Witchmark, Tor 2018) made Storify links.
Our first chat was about newsletters and author websites. We talked about building your email list, creating newsletter content, and what info to include on an author site.
Check out the Storify recap on Newsletters and Author Websites.
Our third chat discussed ARCs and reviews. We were lucky to have a number of bloggers, reviewers, and librarians in attendance! The conversation covered building genuine relationships with bloggers, utilizing FB reader groups, and the role of publishers in handling ARCs — and how that differs if you’re indie.
Check out the Storify recap on ARCs and Reviews.
Our final chat covered book launch and release day. We asked participants to wear both their reader and author hats while answering. The chat addressed everything from cover reveals to release day buzz, from pre-orders to backlist, and everything in-between.
Check out the Storify recap on Book Launch and Release Day.
Did you make any changes to your marketing after these chats?
If you’re looking for more information, check out our other Marketing Month posts, including a guest post from Kristan Higgins!
We’re thrilled to have an article from Kristan Higgins, New York Times Bestselling author. It was originally published on Romance University, but she’s letting us share it with you here!
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Please no, you’re saying. Not another article on marketing! I know, I know. They’re such a drag (except THIS one, of course). And we authors do so much already. We’re tired!
Don’t worry, my lambs. Organic marketing is different and in some respects, easier, because all it requires is authenticity, an eye for why your readers reach for your books and a little time.
Graphic by Alexis Daria
It’s our last topic for May Marketing Month!
It’s the big day, release day, the day you’ve been working toward for months, even years and . . . What do you do?
There’s so much build up and planning for it. What kinds of plans do you make for a “Book Launch?” Do you have special things that you try to do or recommend doing ? Or is it more of a kick back and relax and let all the hard work you’ve put in do its job kind of thing?
Come share with us your experiences and your questions. See you Sunday at 4pm PST/ 7pm EST!
~Robin Lovett
#RWchat this month is all about book marketing. This week’s guest post comes to us from RWA-NYC president Kate McMurray, author of “There Has to Be a Reason.”
One of the particular challenges of publishing in These Modern Times is that everything changes so fast. We as writers have to be on our toes, because what worked well even just six months ago may not work now.
Graphic by Alexis Daria
ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) and getting reviews is an integral part of promoting our books. The number at the bottom of our Amazon sale page is important, and working with review bloggers is a relationship full of etiquette. How do we get reviews? How do we encourage readers to share their opinions about our work? And then, once the reviews roll in, the good and the bad, how do we handle it?
Bring your strategies and your questions. There’s so much to learn from our fellow rom writers!
See you Sunday 4pm PST/ 7pm EST!
~Robin Lovett
May is Marketing Month on RWchat, and this week we’re talking about giveaways and promo. Check out Kimberly Bell’s take on giveaways, and read on for promo tips compiled by Alexis Daria.
I’m kind of a conference junkie. It’s fun to hang out with other authors, readers, and industry professionals, swapping book recs and writing advice. But as much as I love the social aspect, that’s not the only reason why I’m there. I’m there to learn. My favorite thing about writing conferences is the opportunity to attend workshops and classes led by people who have built up a wealth of knowledge about all aspects of the life and business of being a writer, either through formal education or trial and error. Yes, a lot of this info can be found online, but there’s something special about being in the same room with an author whose career you admire, hearing them speak about their own experiences, and then getting to ask questions.
Before I attend a conference, I set a goal for what I want to learn. In March, I attended the Liberty States Fiction Writers’ “Create Something Magical” Conference with the goal of learning about marketing and promotion. The workshops did not disappoint. Last week, I posted what I learned about newsletters. This week, I’ve compiled some tips on promo from two workshops: “Buzzing Your Book & Building Your Brand,” led by Jillian Stein and Liz Berry (1001 Dark Nights), and “The Six Goals of Online Book Promotions (& the Tools to Achieve Them)” led by Laura Kaye (Raven Riders series).
As you may have heard, May is Marketing month here at #RWChat. We made it marketing month because none of us chat hosts are putting in the effort we ought to be with marketing, so it was time to group think this shit out and get motivated.
(There are a lot of chat topics that make the list because we personally need a push or some inspiration. #sorrynotsorry)
Of all of us, I have the most shame around my lack of book marketing. I have broken some serious records (and banked some serious dollars) in a previous career in e-commerce. I have been a social media consultant to some pretty big brands. And I currently work as the operations manager for an email marketing company.
My shame run so very, very deep.
Graphic by Alexis Daria
Blogs, social media, tours, articles, giveaways, swag, and the ever elusive – word of mouth! The list is endless and really, fitting it into one chat is crazy, but it means everyone will have something to contribute. Not one of us will do it the same and have the same results. That’s why we can’t wait to hear from you about which strategies work, which strategies scare you the most, and which ones you want to learn about.
We have a survey, because we want to know what marketing and promotional stuff you’ve tried – both the successful and the… well, things that didn’t work out the way you’d hoped. Click here to fill out our questionnaire. We’ll be posting results on the blog over the following weeks of . . .
May Marketing Month!
See you next week for promo and giveaways! Sunday 4pm PST / 7pm EST.
~Robin Lovett
May is Marketing Month on #RWchat! Our latest post combines newsletter advice collected by guest contributor Sofia Tate and #RWchat co-host Alexis Daria. And be sure to check out Robin Lovett’s earlier post, “Do I have to have a newsletter?“
At the LSFW conference in March, I attended the “Buzzing Your Book & Building Your Brand” workshop led by Liz Berry and Jillian Stein from 1001 Dark Nights. They had a ton of great advice on newsletters, and the session dispelled a lot of the fear I felt about starting one. On top of that, RT is going on this week, and Sofia Tate (author of the Davison & Allegra series) was kind enough to share her notes from the newsletter session led by Sarah Wendell (Smart Bitches, Trashy Books) and Mel Jolly (Author’s Atlas). I’ve combined our notes below to give you a double helping of tips and tricks to make your newsletter shine. Continue reading
Romance Writers Chat 