Notes for June 6 seminar  -- book publishing

Mark Kearney:

The second favourite thing for a book author is to walk into a bookstore and see your books on the shelf with all the other authors.  What’s the first favourite thing?

Seeing people buy the book so it’s not just sitting there on the shelf.

So once you’re book is out you can’t be complacent; in fact, this is when the fun begins.  You need to promote, promote, promote.  Depending on your publisher, you may get some publicity in their catalogue, you may get some in media interviews they arrange and that may last for about a month or so after the book comes out, and they may arrange some signings or promotions at the annual book fair in Toronto in June.

Just a quick word before I talk about this – you can negotiate your contact, you will get rejections, you can get help from the Writers Union of Canada and PWAC.  You must query and provide outline or sample chapter.  Finding an agent may be even tougher.

After that, it’s really up to you to promote.  If you have local media contacts, use them.

If you know bookstore managers suggest a signing.  You may not necessarily sell a lot of books but what they do is order in a bunch and display them prominently (handout). If not, go in there and move the books; every author I know does this.  My sense is that even if I only sell a dozen at the signing, people will buy them in the week or two after the signing.  Try as much as possible to do these in around late November when people are buying books.  A signing in June can be deadly – I know; I’ve been there. 

You may get a review or you may get a story about your book.  Either is fine.  Don’t just think locally on that.  If there’s anything in your book or about you that can tie into media coverage then use it.  So, it could be an excerpt from your book, it could be a story about local author has new book, or it could be a straight review.  I find with the London Free Press that it tends to be a story about it. 

I also exploit my roots.  If there’s a news release I’ll tinker with it and send it to the paper in my hometown of Pickering.  That paper has done stories on my books several times over the year and I haven’t lived there in more than 25 years.  Same with Sarnia and I only lived there two years, some 25 years ago. 

Our books have lots of regional Canadian content – so, we again tinker to the media by playing up the regional angles of our books – Calgary trivia, famous names that came from the Atlantic region, Toronto specific info etc.  they’re looking for a local angle too, so give it to them.  Make their work easy. 

The nature of our books allows us to recycle material from our books into articles and quizzes.  The beauty of this is that we get paid for doing the article and are promoting at the same time.  We have tag line about our latest book at the end of each article as well as our website.  Does it sell books – hmm, on occasion.  What it does is keep us fresh in the media’s minds.  We do these kinds of quizzes about once or twice a month –it’s great additional income to what we get from the books. 

By the way, royalties come once a year, usually about a year after the book is out.  You get some kind of advance and then royalty based on sales.  If you’re self-publishing, you have to keep track of all this stuff and double your efforts re coverage.  Great if you can get on the radio, TV or newspaper, but you’ve got to have books in the store or a website where you can easily sell them.  Check out www.lulu.com. 

TV coverage is great – lots of talk shows and I’ve been lucky to get on Canada AM, Breakfast Television, New Day, CHCH etc.  But don’t forget local cable station – their shows always looking for guests and they re-run them.

Most of all if your book lends itself to radio, go for it.  Radio has been our biggest outlet.  We’ve done hundreds shows from St. John’s to Victoria and on many times.  We can fill their time with trivia and quizzes and we keep a good emailing list to stay in touch.  They often contact us. Getting on the Jim Chapman show, for e.g. is a real plus. 

Do speaking engagements if you’re an author.  People have a romance about it and want to know what it’s like to write a book.  You may get paid; you may not.  But always bring books with you.  Canadian Club is a great one.  Did Centennial Hall a few years ago and spoke to 700 people – great for sales.  You can’t be shy because there are so many books out there, you have to stay up front. Always bring books along with you as I have tonight.  Someone may want to buy and I give you a great price and a signed book. 

Remember that there really isn’t a mystery to this.  It’s prep work about knowing publishers’ wants, getting lucky with the right publisher and idea.  Our books don’t have great prose for the most part.  I did have a writing background but really I’m just some schmuck who knew how to play the game properly and who revels in getting most exposure for books.  You can’t be shy if you want to sell.