We’re winding down the author collaboration. Today I ask six authors to share their book marketing strategy.
What is your favorite marketing tactic?
Laurel A Rockefeller – Author of Queen Elizabeth Tudor: Journey to Gloriana | Catherine de Valois: The Legendary Women of World History – I use twitter a great deal. Some of my favourite tweets are quotes from the individual books which I think really draw you into the story.
Marilyn Brand – USA Today & NY Times Best Selling Author – I can’t say there’s anything about marketing specifically that I’m really drawn to or would consider a “favorite” activity. I love the writing process, though, and I truly enjoy interacting with readers and chatting with them about stories and things in their lives that are meaningful to them. So, I guess I’d lean toward Facebook conversations as a type of marketing activity, since it’s one way fans and potential readers can get to know me more personally and, as a result, come to understand my author brand. In any case, it’s been built organically, and I think that’s an important component of any successful sort of marketing strategy.
Karen -Anne Stewart – Author of The Rain Trilogies | Ash to Steele – Gillian, you know how much I suck at marketing ;). Marketing is my nemesis, my biggest weakness. Usually, I post on Twitter or Facebook. I do love blog tours, though! I’ve had a blast with each blog tour I’ve participated in, and I thank all the bloggers, readers, and organizers for their amazing parts in those experiences! Goodreads is also a wonderful place to market.
Kelsey Ketch – Author of the Descendants of Isis Series – Marking is definitely not my strong point. Unfortunately, it’s also a necessary evil to give your book exposure. Which is why I turn to book tour sites for media blitzes, highlights, and blog tours and email newsletter advertising sites to advertise my sales. There are a lot of great people looking to help you promote your novel. You just have to look in the right place.
Gillian Felix – Author of The Family Portrait Series | Blog Tours: A Win-Win For Authors and Bloggers – Content marketing has been my favorite so far. My most successful piece of content so far has been an article I wrote as Haze—the hot handyman-turned-model in my series. Haze is multiracial and he talked about his challenges while growing up. That article has been featured in many online magazines and retweeted countless times. People really seemed to connect with him. Now, if only I could recreate that magic with the other characters.
Carolyn Howard-Johnson – Author of The Frugal Book Promoter |Imperfect Echos – Persistence.
Playing Favorites
Of all the characters you’ve created, which is your favorite?
My favourite fictional character has to be Lord Knight Elendir from Ghosts of the Past and Princess Anyu Returns. He’s very much a flawed hero and is very real.
My favourite historical person I’ve written about actually is Princess Catherine de Valois because so few people know her story and because hers is this fantastic and courageous love story. Catherine was the greatest role model no one has ever heard of. I also especially just love the way Richard Mann narrated that particular audio book, especially the music.
Marilyn Brand – USA Today & NY Times Best Selling Author
I really loved writing the main characters — Aurora and Donovan — in The Road to You, which is my coming-of-age romantic mystery. They found themselves in several perilous situations during the course of the story as they searched for their missing brothers, but they’d grown up quite differently and their skills/abilities were rather diverse. As a result, they each had very different reactions to the danger that arose on their road trip. It was fascinating for me to get to explore their burgeoning relationship and to write their characters as they grew and changed through the novel. They’ll always be a special couple to me, especially Aurora, whose point of view I spent so much time inhabiting.
Karen -Anne Stewart – Author of The Rain Trilogies | Ash to Steele
Raina! Developing Raina’s character in the Rain Trilogy was one of the most emotional experiences I’ve ever had. She is also my first character, which plays a part in the special place she holds in my soul. Raina is one tough girl, but a lot of her toughness is a quiet strength. She refuses to allow others to tear her down, even though they try like hell to break her.
Kelsey Ketch – Author of the Descendants of Isis Series
Oh, man. That’s a tough one. As much as I loved writing Natti in the Descendants of Isis series, I tend to have more fun writing the male characters such as Seth, Anubis, and in some cases, even Set. In my new WIP, Dark Reflections, I also lean more towards Cole as my favorite, despite the novel being completely in Alana’s point-of-view.
I love all my characters equally 🙂 My favorite character to write would be Savi, she is so evil and readers hate her. I enjoy writing the bad guys and gals, they are so much fun. I have to really get out of my comfort zone to write those types of characters. Because they go against the grain, they stretch me as a writer.
Carolyn Howard-Johnson – Author of The Frugal Book Promoter |Imperfect Echos
I like to write about characters I know in real life, but I combine them to fit my story and I exaggerate them when necessary to make them do what they must in the story. BTW, I don’t think there is any truly fictional character. All authors must write what they have known or observed in some way. Even sci-fi and fantasy.
