Market Your Book Your Way

I'm not a gangly overconfident marketer.  I'm introvert.  Yes, I have friends I can be my silly self with, but I don't translate that as an outgoing author.  So, the hang yourself out to dry method of marketing doesn't appeal to me. 

 

People enthusiastically saying "Get out there!" or "You have to expose yourself to get noticed" is against everything in my nature.  

How can I win if I go against my very nature?  The wonderful thing about marketing is, many methods work.  I would rather introduce myself, not expose, not take off all my clothes and announce "I'm here", just a pleasant hello, a smile, see, I'm friendly.  Come approach me because I am not the one to bust in a circle of friends and start asking questions.

 

Maybe you are boisterious, loud and obnoxious and can handle the in your face marketing.  That's okay too!  Sometimes, I don't mind that type of approach, however, I'm not the type to do that. 

 

"Oh, but that's how you have to..."

 

No.  I don't have to anything.  And there are people out there who would appreciate my type of approach.  The here's my book, it's about...(30 seconds of calm explanation) and if your interested it's available...(10 seconds of naming places).

 

What I'm getting at is don't let people jostle you into marketing you don't feel comfortable with.  There is every type of marketing out there.  Marketing is another way of saying creative introduction to a product or service.  

So if you're not the outrageous blaring signals type of person, don't worry.  You can use your own style of marketing.  I'm not saying don't market, I'm not even saying don't be aggressive.  I'm saying do what is natural and go with it. 

 

But, if you don't market, don't expect a huge response. 

How To Write A How To Article

Pet peeves.  This is one of them.  

I love How To articles.  For the most part they help.  But every now and again I come across a How to article that is so vague, non-descriptive and "fluffy" that I don't get it.  

Maybe that day was an "off" day, but really if you're going to tell me how to walk in a straight line I need more in a How To article than it saying--walk in a straight line.  

So here is my guide lines:

1. Have specific bullet points so you can focus on the "how to".

2. Get to the point.  Fading into obscure ideas blathering about non-specifics, not helpful.  Here's a clue--if the paragraph making your point is more than three sentences, your blathering.

 

3. If you need more than three sentences for a point--it should be it's own subject article.  Which gives you ideas for other posts!

4. If your bullet points needs bullet points then these things need there own how to posts. 

Can you tell all of these four points is saying the same thing in different ways?  

BE SPECIFIC! 

So many times I'll click a link that says how to...

Great catch, but then ten points that don't give specific's doesn't help me.  Telling me not to write poorly does not help.  How about specifics.  Here's how to not write poorly: 

1. Take out these words in a sentence: was, is, the, an, as, that, then, when, just, like, (there are more, but these are repeat offenders).

2.  If you must have any of the words above consider making two sentences, rearranging the sentence or reconstructing the sentence without any of those words.  If this is still not possible, it's possible they are needed, keep them.  

3.  To be clear and understood, use short sentences.  Where there is "and" in your sentence replace the "and" with a period.  Rework the two sentences to make sense.

That's just the start of How To Not Write Poorly.  But also, writing well and writing poorly is subjective.  So next time you think of using the How To...tag line, think about the vague notions you bullet point and think of all the nifty posts you can do by being specific!  

 

 

Hiking: Los Angeles, CA: La Tuna Canyon Park

Thank you Donald Weller for editing this panoramic!

This two hour walk felt like coming home from a long stint away from family.  You start your ascent by the 210 fwy that crosses over La Tuna Canyon.  After 1/2 a mile you have choices.  You can explore the back roads that follow the freeway.  Or you can take the right "Y" upward.  I stuck to the main fire road on the right. 

 

You can make this hike more difficult by taking left forks.  All in all you'll get to the same place.  Now I went to the top and turned back, but you can go down the other side of the mountain and wind up in Burbank .  The trails go everywhere in La Tuna Canyon so you can spend a whole day walking.  I didn't, but you can!

 

Bee warning!  There is a honey collection station.  I had three buzz-by's and a handful of curious bees circling me and Emma.  I'm not allergic or afraid and once up in elevation the ratio from bee to butterfly switches. 

 

Black butterflies with yellow and orange striped wings passed me so much I thought where's the convention?  

Yes, dogs on leashes are allowed.  Bring your own turd bags and be prepared to take them home.  There isn't a disposal at the trail head.  

Summary: This trail is perfect for someone wanting a long hike but not a challenging one.  It's up hill, yes, but I didn't find it extreme.  I watched a lady that must have been 94 on a trail bike peddling up the hill, so...after walking it myself and seeing that, I don't classify this trail extreme.  The view at the top is panoramic!  Highly recommend!  Bring extra water and your puppy for this one.  Best time to go is in the afternoon.  The hillside is such that it's mostly shade after 4pm.

 

Here's the stats:

 

Miles: 4.5

Speed: 2.4 mi/hr

Climb: 463 yrds

Time: 2 hours (to the top and back)

Dogs: On leash
Notes: Bring extra water, go during the afternoon 

The Secret Of Coffee

The true secret of coffee is temperature.  

Scald the beans and you have crappy coffee.  This applies to tea as well. 

Now, my dad wants his coffee to remove the layer of morning mouth, which is way too hot.  He likes crappy coffee.  Or he might not care what it tastes like.  Just as long as the shoe-bottom taste of his mouth is gone.  Which has it's own merit.  Because crappy coffee breath might be better than breath that wrinkles plutonium.  Wow.  Mom--I'm so sorry. 

 

There is also a time as to when to drink coffee.  Unless it's iced, drink it at the perfect temperature for you and don't dally.  

I've also found that hard water/soft water makes a difference. I think of hard water as "mineral water".  Not really the same as mineral water -- those minerals are not there intentionally I don't think, but hard water makes coffee taste bitter.  Soft water tends to make coffee taste sweet.  

And then there are the fru-fru coffee's we drink to lessen the bitter taste.  Whatever your prefrence DON'T BURN YOUR BEANS!

Marketing Strategies Of A Not Yet Published Author

As a writer I'm always looking for new methods, expressions and ways of marketing.  I like to bring what I've learned to my peers.  

I've learned, when you find a method to your madness, stick to it!  

I'm not outgoing.  I don't have the gumption to go up to a crowd and hock.  What I do have are written words.  I can express myself on paper.  But marketing takes a savvy of prescribed instruction and self creativity.  

Marketing isn't going to work unless you buy into your own plan.  Yes, a murder-mystery dinner set against the theme of your book might be brilliant!  Unless you're not sold on the idea.  

Before you buy that next book on marketing, use yourself as a marketing tool and think about what things you'd like to do to promote your book.  Because marketing is in essence creative expression of an item or idea you're excited about. 

TMI

That dream you had as a kid -- the naked one standing in a room full of strangers/peers?  

Yeah, that can become a real life situation.  

When people start calling you boo-boo-snooki-nu-nu and ask what position your going to try tonight to redeem yourself from last night...ouch.  Maybe you don't go into sexual detail, but when we're frustrated, social media can be an outlet.  

Just maybe put those exploits in a journal capable of being marked personal or private, as in your eyes only. 

Also, why do you want to break that level of trust?  Is it going to improve your relationship?  How is everyone knowing about your exploits going to help you?  Are you expecting a shrink to give you answers?  You risk people giving you even worse advice or pointing and laughing.

My point being the 24 hour rule.  Don't DO anything until 24 hours have passed.  You'll avoid embarrassment.  This rule has saved me many a time.   

 

Untitled Poem

In my dreams I have spiraled in eternity.  I have lived forever.  I have seen lives lived for many and few years.  I can feel the years I've lived each moment lasting till the universe collapses on itself, giving in to the chaos that threatens order.  

I have been a demon, an angel, a wizard, a cranky bemused detective that roams the streets every night searching for purpose.  I have been that man, that woman, that child.  

In hours time I've carried through ordeals that have lasted weeks.  This is what it means to me, as a writer.  To see, observe, identify, classify and experience.  It is also what it means to me to be a reader.

You Are A Super Hero!

You have superpowers.  You are a super power.  You have Googlefoo or twitterpow or fbsavy.  You have green light karma or photographic memory.  We all have powers taken for granted. 

Saying we're all special -- the same as saying we're not?  

Bullshit.  Every superpower is different.  Just because we all have superpowers doesn't mean we're not special.  But people forget what a miracle it is to live.

When your superpowers are on, you change lives.  Your not a super hero every moment of the day.  Your a super hero in moments of a day.  

You have the power to make people smile, laugh or feel good inside.  You have the choice to go about your business, but you stop for the lost puppy getting into traffic that NO ONE ELSE seems to be able to catch.  

Claim that as no super power.  Screw you.  You just saved a dog and a mom with her newborn from imminent collision and death.   

The world isn't driven by angels or some unnamed force.  It is more terrifying and freeing than any of us could know.  Free will is the power of responsibility.  We have it.  People drive karma, life paths and destiny.  We are the super hero's.  

What we need is to use the power more often.  Awareness is a super power.  Use it to discover what other powers you have.  

Dedicated to United Airlines Flight 93. 

Distracted

In the beginning, there was me.  

Then, you came. 

 

After you came, I set goals.  I fall on them sometimes. 

 

Sometimes, I don't know what to say.  Sometimes, I have too much to say.  Sometimes, I can't even stop by to say hi. 

 

Here's a puppy: