Just picked up on Facebook and you'll likely see this post again. The author had the courage to talk real numbers about her NYTimes bestselling books. You can see the royalty statements and get a sense of the timeline in getting paid for book sales. It takes a long time for an author to get paid for sales, especially when there is little or no advance. I fully understand why authors have to write three books a year to make any kind of a living at writing. You'll also see why gauging the results of a blog book tour to actual sales is virtually impossible. Click here to read the article.
Bookmark the Genreality blog - there is lots of good writing information there. Today's post talks about the daily routine of writing.
Senin, 09 November 2009
Rabu, 04 November 2009
The Numbers Game
It's all about numbers and how to read them - this is how you gauge the success of your book promotions. I'm not talking about your royalty statement and check, which is the final and ultimate success determiner. I'm talking about statistics. Here are a few you need to get to know:
Your blog's hit counter is important, because it measures who is visiting the very foundation of your blog book tour - your blog. There are several free counters you can use. I like Sitemeter, others use Statcounter, and still more swear by Google Analytics. Get into the habit of using your hit counter daily. Read the reports that each offers. Your first goal is to create a blog that gets at least 100 hits per day. Then you're set up to use your blog as a launching pad for your impending blog book tour. A hit counter is how you track your own progress when building your blog.
Also track your amazon rating, from the time the book is listed with them, throughout your tour, and for months after. The numbers are not accurate, but the change is what indicates whether your promotions are effective. For example, if your title rates in the top two million, but moves to a ranking of 57,000 during your blog book tour, clearly the tour is having an impact at least in the world of amazon. com. Try Title Z for an easy way to track your title's ranking.
Next, we'll talk about another statistic - the visitors at your host blogs, and why this is all-important to the success of your tour.
Your blog's hit counter is important, because it measures who is visiting the very foundation of your blog book tour - your blog. There are several free counters you can use. I like Sitemeter, others use Statcounter, and still more swear by Google Analytics. Get into the habit of using your hit counter daily. Read the reports that each offers. Your first goal is to create a blog that gets at least 100 hits per day. Then you're set up to use your blog as a launching pad for your impending blog book tour. A hit counter is how you track your own progress when building your blog.
Also track your amazon rating, from the time the book is listed with them, throughout your tour, and for months after. The numbers are not accurate, but the change is what indicates whether your promotions are effective. For example, if your title rates in the top two million, but moves to a ranking of 57,000 during your blog book tour, clearly the tour is having an impact at least in the world of amazon. com. Try Title Z for an easy way to track your title's ranking.
Next, we'll talk about another statistic - the visitors at your host blogs, and why this is all-important to the success of your tour.
Senin, 02 November 2009
Will a Blog Book Tour Sell Books?
Authors often ask if a blog book tour will sell books. How will they know?
The short answer: you won't. In all fairness, how will you know if your live tour and any other promotion is selling your books? Yes, if you are present at a book signing and fans buy, you'll know about those immediate sales. You could set up the same scenario by buying some books at cost from your publisher, and being the sales point for your blog book tour. Then you'd know.
Still, the tangential sales won't be reflected. Maybe the reader will return to the bookstore after payday. Maybe the blog book tour stops were intriguing enough that a reader adds the title to their amazon.com wishlist. How will you know? Especially since your royalty check won't arrive many months down the road. You likely won't see amazon.com sales reflected for 18 months. So it's almost impossible to relate any of your promotions, online and live, to your cash flow when it finally arrives.
The bottom line: every bit of promotion you do raises your name profile and that's really the goal.
Next we'll talk about other statistics worth tracking to gauge success.
The short answer: you won't. In all fairness, how will you know if your live tour and any other promotion is selling your books? Yes, if you are present at a book signing and fans buy, you'll know about those immediate sales. You could set up the same scenario by buying some books at cost from your publisher, and being the sales point for your blog book tour. Then you'd know.
Still, the tangential sales won't be reflected. Maybe the reader will return to the bookstore after payday. Maybe the blog book tour stops were intriguing enough that a reader adds the title to their amazon.com wishlist. How will you know? Especially since your royalty check won't arrive many months down the road. You likely won't see amazon.com sales reflected for 18 months. So it's almost impossible to relate any of your promotions, online and live, to your cash flow when it finally arrives.
The bottom line: every bit of promotion you do raises your name profile and that's really the goal.
Next we'll talk about other statistics worth tracking to gauge success.
Minggu, 01 November 2009
Bolstering Your Enthusiasm
If you need a little help with enthusiasm, whether tackling daily blogging or starting your NaNoWriMo adventure, take some hints from the newest editor at The Blood-Red Penci blog. Here is a list of affirmations that can keep you inspired from day-to-day. You just need to stay optimistic - that's half the battle!
You might also want to check Craig Lancaster's three posts from last week. Craig is on a blog book tour for his new release, 600 Hours of Edward, which was his first NaNoWriMo attempt in last year's contest. It's quite a story.
You might also want to check Craig Lancaster's three posts from last week. Craig is on a blog book tour for his new release, 600 Hours of Edward, which was his first NaNoWriMo attempt in last year's contest. It's quite a story.
Sabtu, 31 Oktober 2009
National Novel Writing Month and More
The first month of our blog book tours class is always a blog-a-day challenge, and when your blogging starts to flag, a contest is often the way to get the juices flowing again. It doesn't have to be anything formal. I challenge you to blog daily during the month of November!
This month is also National Novel Writing Month, and so it's a good time to make a daily blogging commitment to prime the pump for your daily NaNo writing. Why not join me in a quick morning blog post before you start on that new novel? It's amazing how quickly a good habit is rejuvenated.
For those of you who want a little more support, we have a nice group of blog book tour alums gathering over at the BBT Cafe. Join us over there for discussions, brainstorming, promotion, or any of a number of group projects. You don't have to be a seasoned blog book tour vet to benefit from the camaraderie.
This month is also National Novel Writing Month, and so it's a good time to make a daily blogging commitment to prime the pump for your daily NaNo writing. Why not join me in a quick morning blog post before you start on that new novel? It's amazing how quickly a good habit is rejuvenated.
For those of you who want a little more support, we have a nice group of blog book tour alums gathering over at the BBT Cafe. Join us over there for discussions, brainstorming, promotion, or any of a number of group projects. You don't have to be a seasoned blog book tour vet to benefit from the camaraderie.
Minggu, 23 Agustus 2009
Rabu, 24 Juni 2009
Blog Power
Literary agent, Nathan Bransford, asks his blog readers where they heard about the book they are currently reading. Read the comments if you want to know the power of blogging! Click here to leave your own comment.
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