Blog Tour: Paper Hearts: Some Marketing Advice by Beth Revis

When Justin from Justin's Book Blog asked me if I wanted to be part of a blog tour on writing craft books I was like: "No can do. Not in April. I have a gazillion and six deadlines. I don't even have time to read my email this month!"

Then he said it was for Beth Revis. I don't know if you've ever met her, but I have and she's amazing. She's not just a successful bestseller, she's kind, supportive, down-to-earth, and funny as all get out. I'd been meaning to read her craft books for forever because she's also really smart and I knew I could learn from her. So since I already had Paper Hearts on my TBR and I have five books releasing over the next two years that I'll need to market and promote, I decided I couldn't pass up this chance to help a friend and help myself at the same time. I started with Book #3--Paper Hearts: Some Marketing Advice. Read my review of the book on Goodreads.

Today it's time for Tip #3:

Beth: There are hidden costs to every promotion you do. If you’re mailing prizes, the hidden cost is shipping—and for international shipping, that adds up. If you’re selling books at a convention, the hidden costs is the travel and other expenses to get to that convention. But beyond the hidden costs, consider the actual, up-front cost of what you’re doing. 

A traditional publisher can expect to make a few bucks per book—so if you’re spending $5 for swag to give away to everyone who buys your book, you’re actually losing money. It’s fun to develop swag and find prizes, but make sure you’re doing it in a cost effective way. I say this with full knowledge that I have always gotten swept up with making swag and gifts for readers, but I also say this with the experience of spending more money than I’ve made on a hard day’s work at a convention. Make a budget and stick to it.

Paula: Now Beth is going to answer a couple of commonly asked marketing questions and just for fun, I'm going to give you my answers too (Spoiler alert: Beth and I think a lot alike!)

1. What can young writers do to start building their platforms now?

Beth: Focus on writing. Focus on craft. Don't worry about platforms*. Unless you are literally a celebrity with hundreds of thousands of followers, no one cares about your platform. Agents and publishers are checking out your social media only to make sure you're not completely crazy and that you know how to professionally** use social media. So yes: use social media--if you want to. Work on creating a professional online presence. But don't sweat it. The book matters--nothing else.

*The one caveat: if you're writing nonfiction, you do need a platform. You have to prove your audience and expertise if and only if you're writing nonfiction.

**By professional, I don't mean pay a bunch of money for sleek designs. I mean don't be racist, sexist, hateful, or otherwise crazy pants. Treat social media as a professional cocktail party--don't say it if you wouldn't say it to your peers or in front of your mom.

Paula: I agree completely when it comes to focusing on the writing. It's really easy to let perceived promotional responsibilities eat up all of your writing time. I spent a lot of yesterday making fun graphics for an upcoming e-book sale instead of working on my deadline book. #BadPaula As a published writer, it is expected I will do a decent amount of promotion, but if you don't already have self-published books available for purchase or a signed contract for a future traditionally published book, you have plenty of time to build up an online following later.

I would also add, consider keeping your personal social media and your professional social media separate. I don't use social media in my private life--I have a Facebook profile that is never updated, but that's it. However, if you're going to make an FB as an author, make a separate page, even if at first it seems like no one is reading it. Make a second Twitter account and get in the habit of putting the writing-related stuff there. What's appropriate for your friends and family to see and read isn't necessarily what you want a bunch of strangers having access to. If you make this decision at the very beginning, you won't run into issues where you're scrambling to delete potentially awkward posts later.

2. Any advice on finding the line on what counts as too much self-promotion?

Beth: Lisa and Laura Roecker once told me that they only talk about themselves (i.e. self-promo) after they've talked about someone else and/or someone else's book. That's the best rule of thumb I keep in the back of my mind as I do self promo--whenever I've talked about myself, I talk about
something else.

The problem is, the people who need this advice tend to ignore it. There's a group of people who feel like they have to use social media 24/7 for self promo. They're basically spam bots. And the only thing you can do is block them and hope that one day they figure out that this isn't how social media works.

On the other hand, there is a smaller subset of authors who are so worried about being perceived as spammy that they never self promo. And if that's you--that's fine. It's not bad to keep your social media promo-free. But it's okay to mention you're a writer and have a book out. And it's okay to
mention the same thing three or so times a day--because the reality of the situation is that the vast majority of social media users only use a few platforms and are only only a few times a day. So if you tweet about your book once in the morning, once at noon, and once at night, you're probably reaching different people every single time. It feels like a lot of self promo, but it's not.

Paula: This question resonates with me so much because I often worry that I'm becoming a spambot. When my first book came out, I refused to even do Rafflecopter contests or give entries in exchange for Twitter follows or GR TBR adds because it felt so slimy. Reality check: An entry for a follow or RT is how a lot of promo activities are structured. It is expected, accepted practice in the industry. You don't have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable, but the number one promoter of your book should be the person with the most invested in it, and that's YOU. So if you're not going to do these things, you need to come up with other things to do instead because your publisher will want you to do some online promotion.

I actually have different strategies for different social media. For Instagram, I generally try to keep my self-promo posts to one out of every three posts (so about once a week) or less. I might go up a little for my release month, but then I'll drop lower in the periods between books. I enjoy Instagram and often post pictures of cats, nature, funny things I come across, and other people's books. My Facebook might be a little heavier ratio of self-promotion, but that's probably because I don't like FB as much as the other platforms so creative content is harder to come up with. Also, due to FB's current algorithms, most of my posts are seen by fewer than 10% of the people who have liked my page, so I feel like the chances of people getting spammed via FB are very low. Twitter is my main social media activity and the bulk of my tweets are me talking to other people, sometimes about books but often about TV shows or celebrities or national parks or cats.

Like Beth said, you can tweet the same thing three times a day and probably hit different audiences. One thing I do that keeps me from feeling like a spambot is to use Tweetdeck to schedule almost all of my promo tweets ahead of time. Right now I'm running a Goodreads giveaway for The Art of Lainey and a pre-order incentive for Girl Against the Universe. When those activities went live, I scheduled three tweets the first day (including one in the middle of the night for my international readers for the pre-order.) I scheduled two the next day, one the following day, and then a few more sporadically over the next couple of weeks, mixing up early morning and late night and weekend. The end result of scheduling promo tweets is you can get a good mix of coverage and tweet variation without having to worry about oversaturating your feed.

Like anything else, there are caveats to using scheduling--you might feel like a real heel if everyone else is tweeting about a recent tragedy and you're tweeting "Pre-order my book and get fun stickers!" But again, I think most people on Twitter understand that tweet scheduling is a normal business practice. Another good way to find out if you're overpromoting is to ask your followers. I've asked people if posting on FB every day during release week is too much or if they are seeing too many retweets during RT contests on Twitter. Finally, I would recommend against retweeting or reposting every positive review of your book, and definitely don't tweet the same reviews over and over. The #1 reason I unfollow/mute people is because they spam me with the same positive reviews of their books day after day.

ETA: The #2 reason I mute people is when they use the DM function in a spammy way. Resist the urge to send an auto DM to every follower, even if it's just thanking them for following you. That's unnecessary spam. And if someone follows you on Twitter, they can find your blog/FB/Tumblr/Pinterest/Book-buying links if they want. Sending all this stuff in a DM is irritating to a lot of people (or to me anyway ;D)

Wanna check out the Paper Hearts series from the beginning? Learn more at BethRevis.com

Paper Hearts, Volume 1: Some Writing Advice on Goodreads

Purchase Paper Hearts, Volume 1: Some Writing Advice
Amazon – Kobo – Barnes & Noble – The Book Depository

I hope you've enjoyed today's content for the Paper Hearts tour :) Follow along with the rest of the tour at the Paper Hearts Tour Headquarters, and/or follow Beth Revis on Twitter! And don't forget to enter the giveaway for signed copies :)

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Using comparison titles: an author's perspective

I am interrupting my Finding Happiness as a Writer series to bring you these feelings about comparison titles. Why? Because I want to, and it seems like many of you have strong feelings.

Disclaimer: These are my thoughts. They are in no way the thoughts of my publishers and I have no behind-the-scenes knowledge of book marketing or promotion. TBH, I don't even know the difference between the marketing and promotion and publicity and sales departments and who does what. I might use those terms incorrectly in this post--please feel free to correct me if you know more about any of this. It's all the Department of Mysteries as far as I'm concerned.

I'm writing this partially because I answered a question on GR that was like: "Is Liars, Inc. like Pretty Little Liars because I hate that book and one of the reviews said it was and now, I don't know if I want to read it..." [paraphrased]. In hindsight I realize this probably wasn't a question for me and by answering it I might've come across like a crazy-eyed authorzilla and scared the question-asker even farther away from my book. But I'm the only one who has read the shiny finished copy of Liars, Inc. and sometimes no one answers those questions and *nibbles on nails* *mumbles to self* Anyway, sorry if anyone thinks my response was out of line. I'll try to exercise more self-restraint in the future ;-)

But the whole thing got me thinking about how comparison titles can be helpful or harmful, which got me thinking about how outraged some people get when they find a comparison doesn't work for them. Here's what I think: using comparison titles appropriately is an efficient and effective way to market and promote a book. For the most part, comp titles are used to position a new book in a very crowded market, not to trick you into reading something you don't want to read. Note: I have fallen prey to flap copy fraud and cover fraud, so I'm not saying no publisher ever tries to trick you into reading something you don't want to read. But in general, I give them the benefit of the doubt.

The first thing you should know is there's a difference between catalog copy and flap copy. Catalog copy is usually written by sales/marketing. Flap copy is usually written by editor/author. What ends up on Goodreads, Amazon etc. might be either one or a blend of both. Here's the catalog copy for LIARS:

Here's my flap copy, what many people (including myself every once in a while) incorrectly refer to as a blurb.

Things to note:

• The catalog copy is shorter.
• The catalog copy contains the comparison titles.
• The catalog copy even has a different author bio.

My understanding [again, correct me if I'm wrong] is the catalog copy, which is also what is on Edelweiss/NG/the ARC/in the physical and digital publisher catalog, is geared toward sales reps, corporate buyers, booksellers, and librarians--not bloggers. Reps, buyers, booksellers, and librarians see hundreds of titles every month. They often have to make decisions about buying and promoting books without reading them, so comp titles are invaluable. Bloggers are an important part of the industry, but my understanding is bloggers don't often recommend books they haven't already read.

It makes sense that the catalog copy is shorter, because the people mentioned above have to make decisions about hundreds of books in addition to a lot of other job responsibilities, so publishers try to appeal to them quickly. Also, catalog copy has to fit in a physical catalog where space is limited. Comparison titles are a good way to get across a lot of information in a few words.

But why do publishers insist on using the same famous books and authors over and over? 
The whole idea of a comparison title is: [New book] is for fans of [something most people have read/seen.] Something different like [New book] is for fans of [underperforming midlist title] and [obscure 1990s TV show] helps no one. Neither Harper nor I are trying to say I am every bit as good as Gillian Flynn or that my book deserves a movie, etc. [Although I think a movie would rock :D] But if Harper said "In the same vein as [well-written mystery book that only sold 400 hardcovers nationwide], bookstore buyers might look up those sales numbers and be like "Yeah...we'll take a pass on this one."

So when you see "For fans of The Hunger Games...", please do not assume the author or publisher are delusional narcissists who are shopping for yachts. This is simply a business decision, much like a cover. You can't expect publishers to be like "For fans of The Hunger Games...who don't mind a more confusing plot and not quite as well-developed characters." If they don't sell books, they don't make a profit. When in doubt, remember that publishing is a business, and if you like having lots of books to choose from, publishers need to be able to sell them and make money.

Also, comparison titles are meant to convey that two books are similar in plot, theme, prose style, pacing, etc., and therefore should have overlap in readership. Publishers aren't saying that YA Debut Book #234 is THE SAME as Divergent. Or that YA Debut Book #234 will appeal to EVERY fan of Divergent. Etc. Although, reality check, some people will decide that YA Debut Book #234 is a great readalike for Divergent. Some people will like it even better than Divergent. Just because YOU didn't, doesn't mean that publisher was a no good dirty bad publisher for using it as a comp title.


Comp titles to appeal to readers/bloggers:
Another thing to know: When you go into a big bookstore and see a display table of "For fans of John Green and Rainbow Rowell" or similar, that placement is called "co-op" and is often paid for by publishers. Endcaps and table displays move copies, and bookstores are smart enough to know this limited space has financial value. Not always, mind you. If I were a bookseller I'd try to hook up the books I really liked. But again, publishing is a business, and before you clutch your chest at the unfairness of it all, realize that if things were done differently you might have fewer books to choose from.

But maybe you're thinking comp titles totally don't work. Let's do an informal test using my personal comps for my future titles/WIPs:

• VICARIOUS DUOLOGY: for fans of All Our Yesterdays, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and the movie Inception
• BAD LUCK CHARM:  for fans of The Art of Lainey and Since You've Been Gone
• JACK OF HEARTS: for fans of Huntley Fitzpatrick and The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
• SECRET PARANORMAL WIP: Before I Fall meets the TV show Dead Like Me
• SECRET NA WIP: For fans of Boomerang and [...I need to read more "fun" NA. Please recommend titles in the comments :D]
• SECRET ADULT WIP: for fans of Tess Gerritsen and Orphan Black

Chances are, one of those descriptions made you go "Ooh." But if not, just because comp titles don't work for YOU doesn't mean they don't work. There are a million "pre-reviews" on GR likes this one:

Ocean's Eleven meets Game of Thrones . . . hmmm, let me think . . .



More thoughts from my muddled brain:

1. Rule Number One of book promotion is to have a solid product. If readers find merit in your story, if they feel your prose was crafted with care, then even if the comparison doesn't work for them, they can still enjoy your book. If your book is a "a rough draft hurriedly revised to capitalize on a hot trend" book that marketing has blinged out with a foil cover and is pimping as for fans of The Hunger Games, Divergent, John Green, 50 Shades, The Bible, The Anarchist's Cookbook and carne asada fries [did I miss anyone?], readers will see through that.

2. Creating expectations with bestselling comp titles can be dangerous, but not as dangerous as promoting your book in a way where it doesn't get read. Bad reviews don't scare me (too much), but the idea of no reviews is terrifying.

3. But even bestselling comps should be chosen with care. If every contemp is compared to John Green and Rainbow Rowell and Sarah Dessen, and every dystopian to Divergent and The Hunger Games, it becomes totally meaningless.

4. But if Rule Number One is followed, I don't believe any marketing comparison is setting a book up to fail. First of all, those comps aren't usually printed on the finished book so they don't affect in-store sales. Second, the idea is to entice readers to read. And like I said, if the book is solid then even if the comparison is a reach, the reader should still enjoy the book.

5. If you're someone who sharpens up your snark and reads a book with the sheer intent to expose how fraudulent the marketing plan is...um, okay, that's your right. But try to remember books are written by actual people, not marketing departments. And then maybe go look at some kitty pictures or something.

Do you need a snuggle?

6. Then again, I do believe authors have a responsibility to advocate for their books and question uncomfortable comparison titles or flap copy/cover art that is misleading. I have a friend who asked her publisher to remove a reference to The Hunger Games because she felt it wasn't a legit comparison. They complied.

7. "But if your book is good then you shouldn't need to compare it to bigger books." I see this proposed a lot and it's kind of circular logic since no one will know how good your book is if they don't read it. Hundreds of books get published every month. Really awesome books sometimes fail just because not enough people find out about them. It would be great if every book got trailers and print ads and book tours and heavy promotion, but less than 5% of books get those things. And if you think publishers should give every book those things, then what you're saying is you want a lot fewer books to be published. Marketing money doesn't grow on trees.

8. Bloggers are an invaluable but small segment of the reading public. In addition to marketing for booksellers and librarians, marketing departments create promotions for the "average reader." The average reader does not read 250 books a year and they don't write hundreds of critical reviews. They don't care as much about instalove or love triangles because they are not forced to deal with them multiple times a week. They are not as jaded when they see "For fans of Divergent and The Hunger Games" used in marketing materials.

9. "Well does a book NEED to be compared to other books?" a friend asked me earlier on Twitter. I say probably yes, for the aforementioned reasons that have to do with sales reps and librarians and booksellers. Also I asked a sales rep and she said yes too.

10. That said, I do think comp titles that are too broad, way off base, or that spoil the ending of a book are unfortunate. Compare something to We Were Liars and the savvy reader looks for twists. Compare something to The Fault in Our Stars and we look for, well, you know.

On a related note, I think a lot of readers have no idea just how few copies some books sell. This article cites that The Cuckoo's Calling had sold fewer than 500 copies in six months before JK Rowling was outed as the author. Here's Abby McDonald's blog about How Dangerous Girls sold less than 450 hardcovers in its first year. Those kind of sales figures generally don't make your publisher money. You write enough books that don't make your publisher money and you end up out of a job. Marketing books, selling books--these things are tough. If something like a comparison title can help a book/author find an audience, and success, isn't that a good thing?

What are your feelings on comparison titles? Discuss, but try not  to bash individual titles or authors. I'm not going to censor people, but please remember those are my friends and colleagues you're talking about.