So I may have been mistaken. I was thinking that I would be a while before I could release another poetry volume… Except for the fact that I have been writing… I just had no organization. I have a few poems still out for other publication and I did not want to use them until I knew what they were going to do.
I have been writing and not putting the new stuff in folders. So when I told y’all I was not releasing soon… Well it felt like a failure. I don’t like that. So I started organization. I decided that I don’t want to release heart drops yet. That title and cover feel better for love poetry, which I don’t write often. So I will be releasing Poetic Reminder instead. More info later this week. Hopefully including a preorder link.
Ok… You have a manuscript written and ready for publishing… Now what? Here comes what I think is the hardest part of it… You have to build up interest. If you are a introverted shut in like me, you don’t do well with face to face. Personal sales are always going to be better. People always find it harder to say no in person.
Still, it is not hopeless. Eye catching promotions with a good blurb, a good cover with a intriguing title…. These are essential for a online sales campaign. Setting up a preorder helps too. (I found that out the hard way. Impatience is a flaw… Lol)
So you start with the title and cover. You have a blurb (it is the description you wrote for the back cover). This is enough to start doing some promo images.
I have recommended Canva before, it is free to use. Premium only opens fonts and images that are locked. Having recently dealt with new authors learning about this, I think that the advice most need is to experiment. You want easy to read and pleasing to the eye.
The images above are examples of promo images. These were all done for Fae Corps Through the Sunshine anthology. Note that the text is eye-catching but readable. All include the story blurb, the cover, and the author picture and name. Each is a little bit unique with a common theme. You can do multiple images, that is ok. You should share to each of your social media outlets and try to get your friends to do the same.
Some of the marketing is understanding your ideal reader. Not everyone is your reader. If you try to please everyone you will fail. Like Serena… Her ideal reader for her books is generally one who enjoys a good dark side. Horror and dark fantasy that is blunt in how it deals with the story. One that doesn’t shy away from a little gore. The story in Through the Sunshine is a little lighter for her usual. My reader is usually children or those who love poetry.
You also want to consider the world stage. This affects the reader greatly. Right now people are clamoring for escaping from the mess of the real world.
So you have the reader in mind…make an image to appeal to that person. For example… For Serena’s The Death of Neverland I searched for bloody journal… Added the book cover, some text to invite curiosity, and the link to buy the book.
Note that the link is in red to make it more visible. Be careful with colors. You need for people who are color blind or visibly impaired to be able to read it without trouble. Brighter colors in fonts often hamper such. Also bright yellow and white background colors can be painful.
Hope that this helps. Do you have any questions on marketing? (Another thing to look for is blogs that are willing to post book promotions. I do on occasion. So does Functionally Fiction who also does book reviews.) Reviews are your biggest promotion. Many readers will base their choice on reviews.
Hello lovelies! Today is a coffee with lots of cinnamon creamer kinda day.
April has been exhausting. I tried to do the daily post thing, I really did. However things in the world at large have made life a bit harder on me then I expected it to. I am often a shut in. I only really go out to the grocery store. So initially I didn’t expect the stay at home order to really change things for me.
Then social distancing started making it to where stores were closing and the ones staying open were limiting hours. I usually go at night to avoid crowds. I don’t do well around mass amounts of people. People have noise and odors. They like to touch other people…all things that can cause me issues. So I have had to adjust. And it is exhausting.
I am not one that wants things to go back to where they were…not while the threat of pandemic lingers. I also however am not one who is comfortable with all of the liberties that the government is taking during this fear. I am just someone who is dealing with the changes, and the anxiety it is causing and saying that this is how it is affecting me.
Upcoming , on a better note, Fae Corps anthology Through the Sunshine should be available for preorder in two weeks. If you look over on the blog I have been posting the blurb promos that the authors have been making. We still have a couple of authors who have not done an image yet. We will post them as they are made. Coffee House Writer’s anthology is in the editing stage. I will let you know when I know more on it.
Did y’all catch Serena’s Interview on Chat and Spin Radio? It was last Saturday’s Episode part 3 (3B). I feel like it went really well. You can’t hear how nervous I was. Or at least I didn’t. lol. Anyway, the station is a decent internet radio station out of the UK. They do a lot of author interviews, and are quite fun. Go check them out.
I got the good news that Creatives Rising may be back up soon. The editors paused their magazine due to major life changes (Like a move) and posted that they are just about to start up again. I look forward to being a part of that again in the future.
With all that is going on in the world, I feel like I maybe should hold off on publishing new poetry volumes. I have been writing, but slowly. I normally do around three volumes a year…but I am thinking that I may only get one this year. We will have to see. I am also super busy with Fae corps this year as well. It makes a difference in the time I have to write. Also I have added Coffee House Writers. With all of the additional responsibilities, I think that promising more than I will publish when I have enough poems to fill a volume.
I am hoping to release Serena’s Kingdoms of Sin this year. I will release another Dylan story (Dylan and Zombie Hotel) this year. I am waiting for the Illustrator to be available. I do not know if Dylan will have any other books. He might. I like the character. \
I do not know how the world situation will affect my blogging, as my mental state affects how structured I can be, however I am going to try to keep my normal routine here.
Below I have found several “call” lists… Each place is different… Before you submit your writing look into the place, read the requirements… Read their previous issues. It is important to see how they treat the submissions. You also want to be sure that you are a good fit. Expect to be rejected. It happens, even to the big names. It sucks… But it is helpful if you take it as a way to improve your writing.
Also keep any email correspondence as many places are busy and replies do not come quickly. You will want to keep track of what poetry you send to who so as to not duplicate submissions.
For emerging poets, this contest only accepts submissions from authors with fewer than two full length collections out at the time of submission. The winning poet will be awarded $3000 and publication on Palette Poetry. Second and third place will win $300 & $200 respectively, as well as publication.
Lyrics – All along it was a fever A cold sweat hot-headed believer I threw my hands in the air, said, “Show me something” He said, “If you dare, come a little closer” Round and around and around and around we go Oh now, tell me now, tell me now, tell me now you know Not really sure how to feel about it Something in the way you move Makes me feel like I can’t live without you It takes me all the way I want you to stay It’s not much of a life you’re living It’s not just something you take it’s given Round and around and around and around we go Oh now, tell me now, tell me now, tell me now you know Not really sure how to feel about it Something in the way you move Makes me feel like I can’t live without you It takes me all the way I want you to stay Ooh, ooh, ooh, the reason I hold on Ooh, ooh, ooh, ’cause I need this hole gone Well, funny you’re the broken one But I’m the only one who needed saving ‘Cause when you never see the light It’s hard to know which one of us is caving Not really sure how to feel about it Something in the way you move Makes me feel like I can’t live without you It takes me all the way I want you to stay, stay I want you to stay, hooh
My 2cents – this song speaks of longing for company, of loneliness. Right now I feel like this is a relevant and relatable feeling. It is a scary time for all of us, globally. Pandemic and isolation…it’s just a level of panic and uncertainty that has a lot of us disabled.
Please, even if you are having issues, try to stay in until this is under control. Isolation is the world’s best shot right now. Stay home and stay safe.
As an artist and book cover designer or as a poet. If you want me to create something for you email me to get a price. (Mine are really reasonable.) Patti.Mouse@gmail.com
Ok. April is likely to be a very busy time. National poetry month usually sees me posting poetry posts on here daily as I do the P. A. D. Challenge. I also plan on doing a daily prompt for the Fae corps Blog. It is also going to be when we are starting a call for submissions on two different anthologies. Fae Dreams… Poetry, art, and short stories with a theme of goals, plans, and dreams. (We recieved one too many submissions for Through the Sunshine and offered a guaranteed spot in this to the author). And Nightmare Whispers, a group of horror stories. This one is a tribute to where we started.
I am working on editing the stories submitted for Through the Sunshine, and compilation of Birchwood Grove Gazette. We are doing the basic edits… Then we give the author time to do their own edits. After we recieve the polished story we finalize the formatting of the final anthology. We have to get it all ready by the middle of May for release in June.
My partner and I discussed delaying Fae Dreams. We may still. I have to see how things go. I don’t know yet how ambitious we are going to be. We have ideas for a thriller themed anthology as well, though the title and cover have not been forthcoming from our muses so far.
I am proud to claim that the above covers are my creations. I think that I am really getting better at this. Keep an eye on the Fae Corps Blog, as that is where any official announcement will be. This is mostly me doing mental meandering.
Hello lovelies. Pardon me if I am less active today… Yesterday I was deathly ill and today I am still… Weak.
Today I am mostly doing water, because I am trying to rehydrate. But I hope that will not stop you.
So much upcoming. Before I start with the upcoming….I have a question to ask… Have you read any of mine or Serena’s published work? Have you left a review? If not, why? Those reviews really do help me and Serena to know that we are doing this writing thing right. It may not seem like much but it really does help.
Now, as to the upcoming… I am working with formatting on a faerie anthology for Fae Corps. It’s a mismatch of information that we used for the Birtchwood grove blog we did a few years ago.
We have a deadline coming up for the through the sunshine anthology. It is looking like it will be amazing… The stories so far are great. Our deadline allows for a first draft submision. We will be helping with editing.
I submitted to Indie Blu(e) publishing’s upcoming anthology and await the decision on whether or not I will be included.
I have been accepted for 4 poems in the coffee house writers anthology. There is an amazing amount of talent included in this anthology.
I have working on my volume Heart Drops, and I have decided that I will be doing more in Dylan and the pet zombie’s world. I have already discussed with my illustrator sending the next volume to her in March. I have to spend more time with Dylan.
Serena is still working with the kingdoms of sin. She is also involved with a short that I may be posting here at some point.
Patreon is seeing a more regular posting schedule. Saturday I am posting patreon people. This is where I point to more interesting people on patreon. Monday is patreon possibility. I discuss diy projects. This week I was talking about bookmarks.. Wednesday I do wishlist. This is where I discuss tools and other supplies and why I want them. Friday I am doing a free for all where I will be posting what ever strikes my fancy.
There is a lot more upcoming as this is only the first month of the year. So stay tuned.
Pattimouse 