Finding Author Success: Discovering and Uncovering the Power Within Your Manuscript
What a wealth of information. And I am thrilled to have Debora Riley-Magnus today, offering a glimpse into her book “Finding Author Success: Discovering and Uncovering the Marketing Power Within Your Manuscript.”
She covers everything from creating a Book Business Plan to how to use your 25-word pitch. 99% of every strategy Magnus’ book offers cost nothing…free…nada. After all, if your budget is zero, then you need to stick to that budget, but you still have to budget your time. Deb also encourages the need to think outside of the box and find new ways to grab attention.
Enjoy the Podcast with Deborah Riley-Magnus —
The Podcast:
Business Plan
One of the most overlooked aspects to being an author is creating the author Book business Plan. In Deborah Riley-Magnus’ book “Finding Author Success” she states that authors need to be aware of the industry.
Today’s author faces an industry that no longer markets and promotes them and the key to being an author is selling books. If no one is going to help you sell those books you need to know how to do it yourself.
Writing is a Business
Understand that writing is a business. And what does a business do? They prepare a business plan. If you don’t look at your writing as a business, and treat is as a business, then you won’t succeed as an author. Just as you plotted your book – the characters, language and plot twists – you need to plot your goals for author success. Look to where the ‘reader’ hang out: where is your target market?
There is one major caution and that is being mindful of your target audience — yes, you need other authors and writer to bounce ideas off of. But the truth is, authors don’t necessarily buy other author’s books – “I have over 3,000 friends on Facebook. I couldn’t possibly buy” every book.
Cultivate Readers
The goal when marketing is to focus on targeting readers. Where do they hang out? What is unique about your book that you can use in your marketing? This uniqueness leads us back to your manuscript and the very powerful 25-word Pitch.
More in the Podcast:
The 25-word Elevator Pitch
These little 25-words are the core to everything and must convey:
- the genre,
- the target readers,
- and what the story is about.
Notice that ‘the story’ is third. It is imperative to know who your target audience is and the genre for marketing purposes. That little 25-word pitch will be used for a lot of queries such as reviews, request for interviews, or for speaking engagements at a group or organization.
Author and Book Platforms
- The Author site is your business office.
- The Storefront is your Book site – the excerpt, the fun and exciting part of your product – because on there you are talking to your readers.
Cross-Marketing
Once you implement the obvious marketing strategies, take your marketing one step further. For Example: If your book is a murder mystery where the body is found in a garden, then consider marketing to Gardening Clubs; use flower seeds instead of bookmarks; consider speaking at a Gardening Group.
There is something in your book that will connect with readers…you just have to find it.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Questions? I’m here and I’d love to answer them!
Deb Riley-Magnus, author success coach
Author Bio
Deborah Riley-Magnus is an author and an Author Success Coach. She has a twenty-seven year professional background in marketing, advertising and public relations as a writer for print, television and radio. She writes fiction in several genres as well as non-fiction. Her non-fiction, Finding Author Success: Discovering and Uncovering the Power Within Your Manuscript is being released on November 5, 2011. She’s lived on both the east and west coast of the United States and has traveled the country widely. She is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and just returned after living in Los Angeles, California for several years.
Finding Author Success: Discovering and Uncovering the Marketing Power Within Your Manuscript can be purchased from:
