Tidbits & Tidings Weekly: Find Agents, Authors, Writers: Issue #1

Sneak peek on book marketing research and some personal stuff too

Tidbits & Tidings Weekly: Issue #1

Tidbits & Tidings is my newsletter exclusive on Get Your Book Seen & Sold that gives you a sneak peek into my book marketing research and some of what I am up to outside the book marketing world. The issues will be number for your tracking.

You will get the first glimpse of potentially explosive book marketing ideas before I write about them formally, plus a peek inside my crazy brain – where my mind leads me on books, ideas, and some personal stuff cause hey…

You never know where the big ideas could come from ~ Tess from the movie, Working Girl

Book Marketing Tidbits & Tidings

• I purchased a print subscription to Writers Digest magazine this week.  I bit the bullet. I am a sucker for a magazine to flip through and I needed to subscribe to a book industry publication.  Writers Digest also has an online version of their 6-month a year publication.  I’ll keep you posted if I find it worthwhile. note: I have no affiliation with Writers Digest

• I have a speaking gig coming up on September 24th for a local organization called – Bucks Book Fest.  They are hosting a Writer’s Workshop as part of their weekend event - they also happened to book Elin Hilderbrand to speak - quite the “get.” My role at the Writers Workshop is to MC the Q&A between the audience and the two literary agents who are speakers.  I’ll share any juicy stuff next week.  BTW, if you are local, tickets are still available. That’s me on the right!

• In my conversations with the publicist for Bucks Book Fest, I learned a new resource that you might want to check out. Skillshare is a resource that teaches classes on all kinds of things. The publicist mentioned that she learned how to use CANVA to create promo images for Instagram posts, Facebook Posts, BookBub Ads, Facebook Ads, Amazon Ads… you name it. As an Author promoting your book, it would be super helpful for you to learn how to create a promo ad for your book. I find Canva difficult to use and Skillshare could make the difference.  If you check it out and have any luck with it, let me know.  I’ll do the same.

• Note: Marketing Plan Alert!  Most localities have a book festival-type organization that runs programs every year to encourage and help authors and aspiring writers.  Do some research to find what your community offers and consider reaching out to participate or to attend their upcoming events.  It is a great way to network with like-minded writers.  Make the outreach and attendance/participation part of your book marketing plan.  Consider the friends you make as potential reviewers and/or beta readers.

• I interviewed Kate Brenton about her Sit & Write Master Class (where I will contribute) that starts in October and runs through January.  Kate and I promoted the Class with WOW – Women on Writing.  WOW may be a great Book Promotion opportunity for you. WOW offers a very reasonaby priced email blast to their tens of thousands of subscribers as well as ads and interviews that highlight, in this case, your class or event.  They are VERY easy to work with and helpful.  An author could include a book launch blog tour with WOW as part of their Book Marketing Plan.   

Spots are still open, btw, for the Sit & Write Master Class. Info at the Link.

Popourri: What Am I Doing/Reading this Week?

Last year I took voice actor class.  I thought that maybe I could create a side hustle with my voice.  The class I took, Voice Coaches, produced a demo of my voice …ahem…talents. This week, I got a chance to use my new voice skills to record an audio book of my first book – It Gets Easier and Other Lies We Tell New Mothers. John Fachet, owner of Sweet Creek Studios in Ottsville, PA did a great job producing, btw, if you are in the market for an audio studio.

I read the book for the audio version…which by the way, is super fun but harder than I thought – truly a skill – and I came across a fabulous quote from Martha Graham. 

Perhaps YOU need to hear it this week:

There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost.” 

Finally for this week, I got to cuddle my new grandson.  He is truly addictive.  I encourage any and all grandparenting advice!

Thank you for reading, more next week.