Marketing with a coauthor

Hello

This week a coauthor on one of the projects I'm working on was in town. It was a great time together. The best part is that we were able to have fun while making progress on the book.

So today I want to share some marketing tips for those of you who coauthor books. Consider how tese tips can be applied to your overall marketing plan.

1. Have marketing epicenters.

By this I mean both of you should be hitting the marketing of the project together AND independently. For me and my coauthor the epicenters are geographical. He is in Texas and I'm up by Toledo, Oh. Therefore we're each able to build separate markets while working on our joint project. If you both live close together then your epicenters might be social. Maybe one of you is a homeschooler and the other is in to scrapbooking. There are two separate 'areas' that each can market in.

2. Have a united vision.

Nothing will destroy a collaboration faster than if one person feels they're doing everything and the other isn't contributing. Make sure there is clear, open communication and both of you are committed to not only WRITE the project, but to market it. Now if want to do a division of labor where each works in their strengths [maybe one is a blogger and the other is great at public appearances] then do that. Just make certain each feels that the other is working with them.

3. Have a contract

I believe firmly in putting it in writing and being specific! I was very uncomfortable at first about doing this when I was working with people I know well but it is to protect my friendship as much as any financial issues that may arise from the books. Kathy Ide has some great examples at The Christian PEN. [And that website is a GREAT resource if you'd ever like to check it out.]

4. Have Fun

I tend to be very business minded when it comes to my writing. I take it very seriously and am focused to a fault. My coauthor, Tony, balances that. He is helping me focus on the relationship aspect of writing. My other coauthor, Nora, is great at helping me believe in myself when things get frustrating. By working with these two other people on different projects every aspect of my writing life is growing.

5. Help each other

Always remember, in marketing, writing and life it isn't always what someone else does to help US-we also need to focus on what we contribute to bring out the best in the marketing skills of our coauthors. With Nora it is bouncing off ideas of how to maximize the opportunities she has. With Tony "The Duck" Brown, it is about taking his expertise and applying it to marketing books rather than concerts. I hope that I'm able to use what I know to build both of these people up. It's not about my ego, it's about the projects. Sometimes I'm nearly invisible because that's what the project dictates. Other times I'm front and center. In music there is always a lead singer and there's the Harmony. Know your place on each project and you'll have a far better marketing strategy.

So whether you're flying solo or working on a team, create a marketing plan that capitalizes on the giftings, opportunities and the strengths of the project.

Your Coach for the Journey, Tiffany Colter

Finding GOOD information

We live in the information age.

I'm sure most of us can't believe that 10-15 years ago the idea of a world wide web and text messaging would be inconceivable. Look at us now...When was the last time you were OFF line WITHOUT your cell?

That's what I thought.

We also have Tvo, pop-up blockers and scan buttons in our cars. We can quickly find what we want to know and elimate any information we don't want.

This makes effective marketing even more important for a writer. When you are working on a project who is the person most likely to read this book? I know many writers WRITE their book to a target market but how many people go so far as to market to that audience?

How do you learn how to do these kinds of things? You must know where to find good sources of information. I strive to make this an excellent place of information to help writers grow in their writing as much as their business of writing. Go look back in my archives of 2007 and begin reading forward. There is a wealth of FREE information I want yo to have to help you build your writing.

In addition to that I have a number of favorite blogs down the right side. Writer's Rest is a great place of solitude where you can relax as a writer. Randy Ingermanson's blog is great because of the number of interviews he does. Chip MacGregor's is AWESOME because he is a top agent who answers your questions everytime he posts. Michael Hyatt's blog "From Where I Sit" is a great look at our business from the CEO of a major publishing house. All of these places come together to help you build a strong writing business.

I think it is important to find two or three blogs that you can read each week consistently. Obviously these blogs will change over time and I'm thrilled to have been one of your selected blogs for now. I realize that my audience is shifting often as new people find us. I also know there are a good number of people who have been with me since almost the beginning.

That is what you want to develop as a writer. You'll have readers who will wait for each of your books. You'll have some who recently discovered you. You'll also have some who stop reading your stuff [and you hope who tell friends of some of your previous books that they enjoyed].

So consider what three blogs will help you right now as you are in this phase of your writing career then take the time to read and apply their wisdom. Then seek to make your platform [whatever it is] something that will attract others to your work on a regular basis.

It has been a long few days. My girls were in their dance recitals last weekend. I'd encourage you to check out the new photo on the bottom right of this blog.

I have to go!! I have an important meeting in the morning.

Your Coach for the Journey, Tiffany Colter

Going, going, gone

I've noticed something about people in general.

Most are quitters.

As those of you who have been with me since the first of the year know, I used to be a leader in Direct Sales for a home party company. Anyone who has worked in that line of work begins to notice patterns.

You have an excited new person who is ready to "work until they're making the big money". They come to trainings, they call their leader, they call as many potential customers as possible.

Then something changes. You don't see them as often at the trainings. They're not returning phone calls or emails. They're not reporting in or asking questions.

Then one day they're gone.

They quit. Many times you don't know why.

Surprisingly I've also begun to notice this among writers. They are excited about their story. They sit down with their laptop and write a page, then two, then ten.

But somewhere after the first draft they decide it is too hard and they quit. They give up.

Or they decide that their work is too refined for the common man and they keep it to themselves.

Either way, they stop just short of their goal. They never reach their fullest potential.

They GO through the first level of effort. Learning some craft and maybe going to a conference. They join a couple of clubs, buy ink and paper and create their lovely office. They stare at a blank computer screen.

Then they're GOING. This is where they decide it is a little hard. They're "Going" to write something tomorrow or they're "Going" to attend conference some time. They're "Going" to really focus as soon as the kids go back to school in the fall. They never do anything-they're always "Going" to do things [I've been to this spot more times than I'd like to admit].

Then they're GONE. They give up. They decide they weren't called [and some aren't], it isn't for everyone or they just don't have time. They stick the paper in a drawer, sell their writing books at a garage sale and tell everyone why it is too hard for anyone to write.

I'm not trying to be negative at all. It is reality. All of us want to give up sometimes. I heard Liz Curtis Higgs [a woman who has sold over a million books I think] speak at a conference a couple of years ago. She said that once she considered all of the hours she spends writing, editing, marketing and promoting each book you end up making pennies per hour. PENNIES.

There are a very few who rise to the top-many do not. There are also a fair number who make a living writing.

You need to take advantage of every opportunity to improve your craft, build your platform and work on marketing. You will never excel if you put forth mediocre effort.

This is not to discourage anyone, only inform. If you want to be at the top then know that you will need to do more then write one draft of one manuscript. It will take effort and focus.

But then Everest wasn't conquered in a day either. I love the challenge.

I have to go, there are mountains to climb.

Your coach for the journey, Tiffany Colter

Writing a group blog to build a platform

So what are some ways to write a group blog?

I have recently started writing as part of a group of other writers [and aspiring writers] at a blog called "Writer's Rest". I've only been blogging with them for a couple of weeks but I have learned a number of things that may help you all become more effective bloggers-even when you have limited time.

How do you start a group blog?
First, decide what the topic is and find a small group of other people who'd like to write on the same thing. This doesn't need to be writing related!! Just something that interests you.

Next, communicate.
Cath West helps organize Writer's Rest and she uses Yahoo Groups to do it. We each schedule on the calendar when we're going to blog so we don't have empty days, and so we don't have two bloggers on the same day. I think it is an EXCELLENT idea. We also swap marketing ideas, chat and work on ways to improve traffic.

Appoint a leader
You need to have one person in charge of layout, scheduling and the "contact person". Make sure you find one and that they are reliable. There won't be much involved but having that one "go to" person will prevent lots of chaos.

Support each other
Make sure that you are reading postings for other people on your blog. Learn from each other, grow together. You can develop wonderful friendships from connections like this.

Market the site
What better way to practice the lessons you're learning here about marketing than by actually applying them to promote your own blog!! There are many ways to drive traffic to your blog or website. Start doing some of them. Get a feel for what works and what doesn't.

Use it to build your own platform
Writing as part of a group of bloggers can help you build traffic to your site in a few different ways. There will obviously be people who follow each blogger over to the new site. There will also be people who find this site through search engines. In order to promote this joint blog as well as any individual site you have make sure you include links to your site [and from your site to that blog] as well as occasionally talking about your own blog/website on the group blog. This does not mean an infomercial but if you blog twice a month on the group site feel free to make an announcement about something going on at your main site. If it is something that will be of interest to your readers, let them know.

So are there any "group bloggers" out here who'd like to make a comment? Tell us some of the good and bad about group blogging. We'd love to learn from you.

I have to go now, I have reading to do.

Your Coach for the Journey, Tiffany Colter

How often do I have to post a blog?

I get this question every time I sing the praises of blogging.

Really the best way to build a readership and become an effective blog would be to post at least three times a week.

For someone who simply can't be chained to a blog every day I really think the best way to do it is the way I do it: schedule your blogs.

I write all my blogs on Sunday night and schedule them to be posted throughout the week. This offers me the flexibility to do what needs to be done each week without making my readers suffer.

The best part is that I can change the scheduled date if I need to add a new bit of information or if I learn something exciting that can't wait until the next week.

Working with a group of bloggers is also a great way to keep content relevant. Tomorrow I'm going to show a few different ways to do that.

But for those of you who are bloggers share how you find time to blog. How often do you blog?

How often do you visit blogs? How often do you like to see updates?

Is a newsletter an effective way to market my writing?

This week I wanted to address some questions that I have received over the last few months about ways to best use the time we have to market our writing.

Each of us has a limited number of hours in the day so trying to fit everything in can be overwhelming.

While I can't answer this question for you, I am going to give you some pros and cons to help you make an informed decision on how to best market your writing.

Using a Newsletter: Pros
I have to say, for a person who may have a limited amount of time each month a newsletter can be a great way to keep in touch with their target audience without the level of time commitment of a blog. Newsletters are often completed once a month and sent out to a database of subscribers.

Since a newsletter is monthly there is room to go in to more depth explaining techniques, news or other things that are relevant to your target readership. Furthermore, programs like Constant Contact and Feedblitz offer low cost options with professional quality.

Using a Newsletter: Cons
Before I began blogging I started by trying my hand at a monthly newsletter. While it was easier for me to write only once a month, I also felt a need to write a rather long newsletter which included interviews, market research and book reviews. Furthermore, when I heard of a great idea I had to make sure it fit in the overall flow of that month's issue. Sometimes I felt my information was stale by the time it reached the readers.

Finally, I still had to find ways to market my newsletter. I had it posted to a website but since the website didn't change much, there was no real draw to my newsletter.

Any opinions out there? I'd love to hear from those of you who use a newsletter, read newsletters or don't. Is a newsletter an effective way to build a platform?

Something a little different

How funny is that??

Last week I take a week off and I find out that I was listed as a great place to learn!! It was such an honor to have my name among greats like Randy Ingermanson, Mary DeMuth, Susan May Warren and Gail Gaymer Martin. BUT I DIDN'T even know I was there!!!

So all these great people who found out about me must have wondered what was so great about a blog that never got updated. Oh well...it happens.

But today I want to tell you about a book that is coming out on Tuesday that I'm really excited about. The book is called The Hunted and it's by Mike Dellosso.

As you all know, I have very few author interviews on my blog. This is primarily a place for YOU to learn how to market your own books. However, I am making an exception in this case because Mike is fighting a real live enemy! Cancer. Since my husband is coming up on his 2 year anniversary cancer free [YEAH] I have a special place in my heart for a person who is finally reaching a dream [publication] when something like this hits!

I believe being a writer isn't just about what's in it for us, but it is also about building up other writers when they need it.

Mike would usually be out promoting his book and working to get it in front of others-but then this diagnosis hit. So just like others did for me, I want to support Mike. I'd encourage you to check out the first chapter of The Hunted. And send as many people as you know over to check it out. It is one of the most intense openings I've read in a long time and I'm really excited to read the whole book. If you like the book, help spread the word.

All of us are writers. All of us would hope that our fellow writers would step in during our moment of need.

So today, instead of our own marketing, let's help another writer market his book.