Don't Wait to Start Your Marketing Strategy
Copyright © 2004, Jo Fulkerson
Author of "Sing Me No Sad Songs"
http://www.desertmesa.net

Your novel is finished, you’ve had it edited by a professional
Editor, and you’ve done the rewrites.  What?  You haven’t had
an editor edit your work yet?  This is a must.  There are many
editors advertising in Writer’s Digest.  I have used one in whom
I have the utmost confidence – William Greenleaf.  His website
is http://www.williamgreenleaf.com/ email wgreenleaf@email.com 
Another editing service I have contacted is A-1 Editing Services
– http://www.a1editing.com   I have not used their services as
yet, but they did do a 5-page critique and edit for me at no
charge so that I could get an idea of their work.  I am
seriously considering them for my next novel.

Once you have had it edited and done the rewrites, you’re ready
to send it off to the publisher (or get it set up as an ebook),
and . . .  And then what?  How are you going to promote and
market your newest creation?  Any Ideas?   Let me strongly
recommend a service which I used and with which I have been
extremely satisfied.  Publishersandagents@aol.com is an email
query service headed by Gini Scott.  She works up a solid query
letter for you, emails it to film producers (for scripts) and
agents, as well as book publishers (editors) and book agents. 
You will be amazed at the response you will get from her emails
(they come directly to you from the contacts).  This is by far
better and easier than looking up the contacts yourself and
contacting them each individually.  Let me give you a word of
warning:  Be sure and have your response materials ready.  Your
script treatment, your manuscript, your bio, your synopsis –
all of the materials that these contacts are likely to ask you
to send should be prepared, corrected, and in your files ready
to send when you begin receiving inquiries.

If you decide to self-publish your work, search all of the
information you need to be able to decide where to have the
work published.  POD publishers, such as

* iUniverse – http://www.iuniverse.com
* Infinity Publishing – http://www.infinitypublishing.com
or email: info@infinitypublishing.com
* 1st Books – http://www.1stbooks.com   
* Trafford Publishing – http://www.trafford.com  
* Book Locker – http://www.booklocker.com 

All of these are sources I have contacted and find their
information worth considering.  (For “Sing Me No Sad Songs”
I chose Trafford Publishing.)

Whether you find a regular publisher or self-publish your novel,
or offer it as an ebook, you’re in for a big shock if you
believe you won’t have to promote and market your book yourself.
You will have to do the work yourself.  And if you thought that
getting your book finished and polished was a giant task, you’re
going to find out that the work you  put into writing your novel
was a walk in the park if you don’t get your ducks all in a row
to begin your marketing strategy.

Among the various marketing strategies I uncovered and recently
began using (I told you that I didn’t plan ahead for my book
promotion) are these:

Book Crazy Radio has interviews with authors via internet radio
every Tuesday.  http://www.bookcrazy.net for information

Brian Jud has two book marketing services which are well worth
considering.  I am using one of these right now.)  He also has
an ezine for writers with many promotion tips.  Contact
BrianJud@aol.com for details.

BooksAndAuthors@aol.com has some good book promotion ideas and
services.

Other places to find great promotion information are these
newsletters:

* authorgmooney@getresponse.com

* http://www.writersweekly.com

* http://www.bookcoaching.com  email: Judy@bookcoaching.com

* http://www.digital-e.biz.com  email: birgitt@digital-e.biz.

* Book Promotion Newsletter – contact franalive@optonline.net

* http://www.oncewritten.com


Use your search engine to locate other ezines for writers –
they are an invaluable source of publicity by using your
articles with your signature at the end to direct people to
your book.

Don’t wait!  At least by the time you send your manuscript to
the publisher or get it ready for an ebook, you should be
checking ezines for information about marketing.  You should
gather all the information you can find relating to marketing
– look up websites, contact them all and find out what kind of
marketing tools are available to you and which ones you want
to pursue.

Keep file folders, with all the information you gather, and find
some way to keep track of what each file folder contains.  Then
categorize your folders by subject – Marketing Information, Info
on Publishing, Ezines for Promoting, Comments – Reviews – Press
Releases, etc.  You need to be able to find just what you’re
looking for without going through folder after folder looking
for it.

The important thing to remember – Don’t wait until you are ready
to begin marketing your book to begin collecting information. 
Be ready to start marketing as soon as your book is finished
and ready to be marketed.

In the case of articles, you should write several articles,
polish each one to perfection, and then contact or send them
to appropriate ezines and newsletters.  Send your articles out
every week or two and keep sending them out as long as you
develop new lists of ezines to submit to.  Keep writing new
articles which help others to learn from your experiences and
put your signature at the end of each article.  Your name, a
published article or book, website, etc. should be at the end
of EVERY article you submit.



Resource Box:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Jo Fulkerson is a published author, songwriter, poet
Author of "Sing Me No Sad Songs" Available at
http://www.desertmesa.net
"Secrets of a Publisher Author" available at
http://www.writersline.net
-----------------------------------------------------------------