Tidbits & Tidings: Get Book Reviews, Pitch Techniques, Resource to Record Interviews
Sneak peek on book promotion tools and some personal stuff too
Tidbits & Tidings Weekly: Issue #2
Tidbits & Tidings is a weekly summary that gives you a sneak peek into what I am researching in book marketing and what I am up to outside the book marketing world.
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
** Review Opportunity: I’m reading The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St James . (enjoyable so far) I found out about this book from the website CaffeinatedBookReviewer.com The caffeinatedreviewer accepts submissions to review your book. If she decides to review it, she posts it on her site and social media. Check out the link and her submission requirements. Focus carefully on the genres she prefers and her specific instructions to submit your book. She mentions that her reviews are 6-8 weeks out. I reached out to her to ask if she only accepts
Book Reviews are book promotion. When a reviewer reviews your book, the cornucopia that results is fabulous. Most importantly, a review is promotion for your book. But there are more ways you can use a review:
· Link to the review on your social media
· Use the review quote on your Amazon, BookBub, and Goodreads book and author pages
· Use the review quote on an “endorsements” page on your website
· Use the review quote on an “endorsement” media kit page (for use in pitches)
· Use the review quote on a “praise” page for your next book
**New Resource: Record a quick video for your Audience. Post it to social media – F/B, Instagram, etc.
Loom is a FREE software App that you can use to easily record videos and share them. I am researching the use of Loom to record a lesson for use in the upcoming Sit & Write Master class that I wrote about last week. More information is below if you are interested in the class.
Back to Loom. In fairness, easy to use is a relative term, right? I do know how to audio edit because of the work I do with the radio station and my podcasts, so some of the “recording” ideas are transferrable but I needed something a little more simple to understand than what was offered on the Loom site so I googled and found a 13 minute tutorial that made sense to me. Josh Hall is a podcaster and website designer. His video summarizes recording on Loom and was a big help. Here is the link:
https://joshhall.co/loom-beginners-video-tutorial/
What Am I Doing/Reading this Week? Popourri
Promotion: Pitching - I reached out to the author of Mary Astor’s Purple Diary by award-winning writer/illustrator Edward Sorel to ask if he would like to record a Zoom interview for the talk radio show where I contribute, WDVR, Let’s Talk, 89.7 fm and my podcast Stories & Strategies for Women.
I devoured Mary Astor’s Purple Diary. The lesson here is that you never know unless you ask. When you pitch your book or story idea or interview to promote your book, the first step is to reach out with sincerity and ASK! You will be shocked at the results when you ask.
How did I find out how to contact Mr. Sorel?
I looked for the books publisher and searched on the publisher’s site for the publicist for his publisher. I sent a pithy email to the publisher.
The subject line is super-important: Radio Interview Opportunity for Mr. Edward Sorel
The body of the email included the title of the book as the isbn #. Why the isbn #? Because a publicist generally handles many authors and titles…make their life easy and include the isbn so that they can quickly look it up. Another trick that I use is to send a few of the questions I would ask the interviewee. Why? I want to show that I am no slacker…that I did read the book. Two, I want to make sure that I am a good for fit for them.
Mr. Sorel’s publicist promptly responded to my email and will ask Mr. Sorel if he would like to Zoom record an interview with me. Yay! I’ll keep you posted if he accepts.
Local Bucks Book Fest Writers Workshop Event – Tickets Still Available
Tickets are still available if you are local for the Doylestown Bucks Book Fest Writers Workshop
I’ll be there to MC the Q&A session with the two literary agents after each of their presentations. One agent will speak to publishing options and one will speak to pitching agents.
At $30 / ticket, it is a great way to meet other aut
hors in the area, evaluate your decision to publish, or to start to pitch your manuscript! It is being held at Delaware Valley University on Saturday, 9/24, from 9:00 to 12:00. Plus, you can purchase tickets at the door! If you have questions you would like me to ask in your stead, include them in the comment section and I will report back.
Sit & Write Master Class – Spots Still Available
Also, seats are still available for the online Sit & Write Master Class that I mentioned in last week’s post that runs from 10/1 through Jan 2023. Kate Brenton is your guide and I complement her with book marketing lessons and one on one help. Intake interviews are being held through the end of September. Mention the Get Your Book Seen and Sold Substack in your intro email or call with Kate for a discount on the class.
More next week… Thanks for reading and share with your author and aspiring author friends.