Get the Publishers to want you! How Linore did it.

I am very excited to have Linore Rose Burkard, author of Before the Season Ends, today. Linore did an amazing thing. She self published a book that was so successful that she was picked up by a Royalty publishing house. Now she is working on a multi-book deal. I am proud to call her friend. I asked her if she would tell us a bit about how she did it.

WCC: You are not only a writer but you also speak on marketing your writing. This has served you well because you have great reviews of your craft and also great book sales. What are a few of the things you've done to really help launch your books? What would you suggest that a writer do while they're in the process of submitting manuscripts to really help them build their platform?

Linore: Every writer should begin by establishing a web presence, and I've got an article about that posted HERE called, "I've Submitted My Work--Now What?" But even if you haven't finished your first book, yet, it's never too early to begin with a blog and by joining online groups. Some of the things that have worked best for me are getting book reviews, touring the blogs of readers and writers, and trying tohelp others with good suggestions, recommendations, and information when it is asked for on email groups that I belong to. When you help other readers or writers, it enhances your own image, so it's a win/win situation. And, by offering good resources or references you also become known as a "go-to" person; someone who is knowledgeable. This goes a long way with online exposure.

WCC: Your books are Regency Romance. For other authors who like to write in historical settings what unique ideas do you have for marketing these kinds of books?

Linore: Since so much of marketing takes place online, today, I recommend doing an in-depth search for your ideal readers. For historical writers, this means finding out where other readers and writers of historical romance hang out on the web. Check Shoutlife groups (Christian), or MySpace, Facebook, and YahooGroups, etc. You find these groups by entering keywords into the search engines, like "readers", "historical" "historical fiction," "book lovers," etc. Enter every pertinent keyword you can think of until you find a list of groups. Then, begin to introduce yourself and learn their rules for posting. Eventually, when they recognize your name, or know you, they'll be happy to learn of your new books or free resources, and you'll gain readers. Which reminds me, creating and having free resources for readers is the best way to offer something of value to others without having to "sell" yourself. Let your work speak for you, and if they like it, they just might decide to try your book(s) as well. I have a number of great free resources on my website, which you can look at to get an idea of how to make your own. Here

WCC: I believe that your book was first released as a subsidy published book but then it was bought by a royalty publisher. How did that happen? How are you able to sell the same book twice? When do you suggest a writer go the subsidy publishing route? Why did you do it?

Linore: These are a lot of questions, and each one could be addressed in length! Briefly, however, I went the subsidy route because I had a lot of confidence in my book, and I like to exert a lot of control over my own projects. But using a subsidy publisher is NOT the same as selling your book. Actually, it's the opposite: you are buying the service of publishing, in order to then sell your book to readers.

I became an author for Harvest House Publishers after my editor found me on the web, and saw that my book had garnered a lot of rave reviews on places like Amazon. I still owned the rights (and anyone considering subsidy publishing should be careful to retain the rights) so that I could sell it to Harvest House when my editor asked to see the book. So, first I would say that you must write the best book you are capable of, and don't even consider self-publishing, or seeking a publisher, until you've finished it. I also don't recommend self-publishing unless you are widely known,or have well-known friends who will help you, and are prepared to devote yourself to marketing full-time. People think, "If I write it, they [readers] will come." It doesn't work this way unless you're already a big name.

WCC: You do workshops of writers; could we see the topics that you teach about?

Linore: My speaking topics are posted on my website Here.

WCC: Thanks so much, Linore. I knew you'd have great advice!

Linore: My pleasure, Tiff.

Linore said she'd stop by and answer questions from people who left comments in the comment section so leave a note for her.

Tiffany Colter is a writer, speaker and writing career coach who works with beginner to published writers. She can be reached through her website at www.WritingCareerCoach.com
Learn more about Tiffany's Marketing techniques on her main blog.
Common-sense money management is free at The Balanced Life website.
Read Tiffany's award winning manuscript "A Face in the Shadow" on her fiction blog.
She writes a blog for the Christian writer Tuesdays at Writer's Rest.