How NOT to Promote #MFRWAuthor

I remember, from back when I watched television, a cable show named "What Not To Wear." The British version featured two snarkily delightful women. The American version gave us Clinton and Stacy, who had their own version of snarky, with a softer tone. The idea was the hosts would completely revamp the victim's  guest's wardrobe, to give said guest a more fashionably correct look. I sometimes felt they were attempting to reduce individuality in their guests but that's a matter for another time. Like watching a train wreck I found myself clicking on that show no matter when it aired.
Along the same lines I've observed author self promotions for several years and more than once I've wanted to force encourage those authors to take a clear look at how they were presenting themselves

BUY  MY BOOK

LOOK WHAT I DID

Over and over and over. If they belonged to multiple Facebook groups I saw their not so clever promotional announcement numerous times in the same day. And after a while I ceased actually seeing it, I simply deleted as soon as it showed up.
Slightly more subtle authors would insert links to their own books in replies to another writer's blog,whether relevant or not.
All of this adds up to the same feeling I got from the kid who sat behind me in the school auditorium and insisted on kicking the back of my chair. Distracting me from his actual message, which was probably somewhere along the lines of "Hi, I'd like to get to know you better." Another potential romance lost in the dust of miscommunication.

To avoid this, what do we NOT want to do?
Don't shove your book into every conversation.
Don't put your notices on automatic share across the virtual universe.
Don't self promote where it's not allowed.
Don't put your links into someone else's blogs or discussions unless asked.

What SHOULD we do?
Funny you should ask.
If you're not already an MFRW member, join and take advantage of the many offers to help you promote your book.
Become a part of Triberr so you can help promote others while they help promote you.
Invite other authors onto your blog (you do have an active blog, right?) so you can promote their books.
Have an active blog. Write from your heart and your convictions, whatever those might be.
Respond to other blogs that interest you with comments relevant to that blog. If it's a blog hop, all the better then you can get name recognition multiple times.
Join blog hops, write clever blogs relevant to the hop theme. Here you can mention your book, without  making it the entire blog.
Write a good book. Then write another good book. Keep that promise to your readers that they will find happiness in your words. 

Notice, none of these suggestions have you pushing your book? Instead you are gaining name recognition for yourself. You are NOT one book, you are an author of many wonderful books.

Seek, Teach, Share, Learn, SUCCEED

thoughts shared from  Mona Karel

Blog Hop Coordinator

In addition to occasional curmudgeonly outbursts, Mona writes Romance both normal and paranormal as a way to share her daydreams with the rest of the world. When not writing she wraps her world around her Salukis, her home in the New Mexico high desert, and photographing the quirky, the unusual, and the just plain gorgeous. 

#MFRWorg Author-to-Author: Writing Tips @RobinGlasser1 #MFRWauthor

MFRW Author Robin Glasser shares some advice to improve your writing.

Besides being an author, I’m also an editor, which makes writing difficult because I’m constantly editing my work—one of the main reasons it takes me so long to write a book. A good exercise I learned from one of many writing groups is to keep paper and pen by your bed. As soon as you wake up, start scribbling. I've covered oodles of pages this way, some of which were real gems!

Read a lot.

Try to write something everyday. If you find yourself staring at a blank page and nothing's happening, promote your book on Twitter, Goodreads, LinkedIn, for examples.

Join a writing group for feedback and sympathy. If one’s not available, start your own in the library. I did and it was great fun plus I learned a lot too! Oh, and read what you've written aloud or have someone read your pages back to you. You’ll be amazed by what your ears pick up that your eyes might have missed!

I try extremely hard to avoid clichés and write lines that will stand out. Michael Chabon, another author I admire, always has some memorable phrases sprinkled throughout his books. One description that comes to mind (paraphrasing): “his face was like a sagging front porch…” I mean, how visual is that!

ABOUT Robin
Recovering copywriter, Robin Glasser has written for a variety of magazines ranging from Readers' Digest to Penthouse Letters, where she wrote a column called "The Red Hot Woman." Her poetry has been published in Upstairs at Duroc and The Riverside Poetry Review. Ms. Glasser's novel, MY LIFE AS A CONCUBINE, is based on her experiences in Paris or as she likes to call it, The City of Merde, and has been re-released from Smashwords and is available in paperback and as an ebook. Robin guarantees MEN AT WORK, her fully-illustrated book of poetry, will put twinkles in your eyes and sparkles in your pants. Don't forget to watch her fast-paced peepshows based on these tongue & cheeky poems at http://www.youtube.com/msrobinglasser. You can get a copy from robinglasser@yahoo.com. Her latest novel, THE BRAIN EXCHANGE, is available at Smashwords, Amazon, and virtual bookstores near you. She now reads at various venues in New York. 

The Brain Exchange

Erotic SciFi Suspense

BUY LINK

Abandon your beliefs and let your reality run wild. Imagine being fully aware inside a body of the opposite gender. Now imagine the best sex you ever had. Would this just be different? Or better? Or the best ever?

CONNECT with Robin
http://www.myspace.com/robinglasser https://www.twitter.com/RobinGlasser1
http://www.authorsden.com/robinglasser http://www.youtube.com/msrobinglasser

MFRW Should Stand for Marketing for Rockin' Writers #MFRWorg #MFRWauthor

MFRW 

What does MFRW mean? The letters stand for Marketing for Romance Writers, but so many of us are now writers of every type, perhaps we should remarket ourselves as Marketing for Rockin' Writers. We are a peer-oriented mentoring group open to the entire literary community. Ask your marketing-related questions, or request help, advice, or opinions. You can learn how to create a professional image and use it effectively, as well as ask for opportunities to join other authors in promotional efforts. You can learn the business aspects of writing on our site. The best part? Hearing from people who've been helped by what we do.

Here's an email I received today. (One of our rules is to use the Yahoo group for business oriented questions, and never to self promote.) The letter is from Kath Boyd Marsh, a new writer of children's books (MG = Middle Grades).

I don't want to violate the self promo rules, so I'm writing this off the list serve. But I really need to thank MFRW. Almost three years ago I was ready to quit. Then my critique partner, Ally Shields, told me about you, and I took a weekend workshop. I didn't give up. The next thing I knew I found the courage to submit to a publishing house's contest. And that December I found out I had made the semi finals in two categories in CBAY's writing contest. While I did not win, the publisher continued to work with me on the MG ms. How great was that?

December of 2013 I got the nerve to send her an additional ms. And she liked it! She worked with me on revisions all last year, and then last month offered me a contract to publish my very first book!!! My MG fantasy is scheduled to release in April of 2016!! I'm an author!!! (says so on the contract!)

And I know it goes back to finding this group of sharing and wise authors!! Even if I don't write in your genre, there is no better place to feel the hope.

Of course now I'm going to pay even closer attention to Marketing! Get my own website, newsletter, tweet, … Isn't that great?

Tarthian Empire
Companion

Sincerely,

Kath Boyd Marsh

http://kath-lettersfromearth.blogspot.com/

---

And that, folks, is why Marketing for Romance Writers is here. Join us!

About the Author

Kayelle Allen is the founder of MFRW. She is also a best-selling, multi-published, award-winning author. Her unstoppable heroes and heroines include contemporary every day folk, role-playing immortal gamers, futuristic covert agents, and warriors who purr. Her upcoming book, due out March 16th is Tarthian Empire Companion, an illustrated World-Building Bible and Guide to Writing a Science Fiction Series. http://kayelleallen.mobi/companion/

#MFRWorg BLOGSforWRITERS @Write_Practice

Authors don't have endless hours to read every blog out there on the world wide web. Still, there are some blogs out there that are not to be missed. In our BLOGSforWRITERS feature, MFRWorg highlights blogs definitely worth your time.

The Write Practice is a blog that promotes the daily practice of writing. Their posts are always helpful and sometimes quirky. With so many other writers commenting, there's a community feel as writers learn from one another. CLICK HERE to visit the blog.

The Business of Writing: That Stupid Cover Letter

First I want to apologize for not posting last month. Something came up that got in the way of my post but I’m back and ready to talk about that cover letter.

* This image is from my pinterest account

To me the cover letter is harder to do than the synopsis. How do you sell yourself on one sheet of paper? Even if you are cold submitting via an e-mail you still need to keep it short and sweet. Your letter should be an intro paragraph, your book blurb, your accolades and a closing paragraph/sentence telling them you can’t wait to hear from them.

I was also told if I met an editor at a conference and we hit on something personal like she/he likes cats, or she/he grew up where I did, that I should put that in the intro paragraph so the editor would remember me. The biggest thing that was drilled into my head was to send that submission as quickly as possible after the editor requests it.

All the advice was great but it didn’t help me when it came time to write one. I didn’t even know how to start one.

Dear editor – if you have their name use it

Intro paragraph – I would mention that I am multi-published and who I’m published with. I would also mention that I write lighthearted erotic romances and my writing style resembles authors like Johanna Lindsey.

The second paragraph – I’d then add my blurb

The third paragraph – I’d mention the contests my books have finaled in, I’d also mention any special review I might have had – something that was a little more than a five star review although if you have 5 star reviews you can mention those as well. I would also mention I was a member of RWA and the positions I held I would also mention MFRW and any volunteer position I have. In my case I would also mention I work with a publisher.

Last paragraph would be the thank you for your time...

This is very basic and if anyone has something they do that works for them please post it. The more we know the better those letters are.

Barb:)

Barbara Donlon Bradley wears many hats. She’s a mother, wife, care-giver, author, and editor. She’s a senior editor for Melange Books, and writes for Phaze and Melange books/Satin Romances with over twenty titles under her belt.

Website: http://www.barbaradonlonbradley.com/

Publisher: http://www.phaze.com/author.php?author=21

Blog: http://barbaradonlonbradley.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barbara-Donlon-Bradley/118673448173249

Twitter: https://twitter.com/barbbradley

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/barbaradbradley/