I’m so excited to bring back the Tea with Me posts. It’s so much fun getting to know people and to be able to help them where I can. Welcome to our newest round-table sit down. Grab a drink, pull up a chair, and let’s get down to business.
Cindy: Do specific marketing efforts actually do anything useful or should I just focus on writing the next story?
Ralene: This is actually a 2-part question, so you’ll get a 2-part answer. Yes, specific marketing efforts do make a difference, but which ones are a matter of knowing your target audience and yourself well enough to bring the right marketing plan into play. That right there is a whole 3-part series of blog posts, though.
But ultimately, the best marketing for you is getting your next book out there. Authors need to balance their time between writing and marketing, with a weightier balance on writing. That’s why, with marketing, you need to work smarter–not harder.
Cindy: How many Muppets does it take to change a lightbulb?
Ralene: After thorough research, I have determined that the answer is none. Either they don’t have lightbulbs in the Muppet Kingdom, or the glow from the TV screen is bright enough. (No muppets were harmed in the development of this answer.)
Robert: If you do plot arc critique, what do you do if the author isn’t receptive to your take on their work?
Ralene: Sadly, not everyone in the world agrees with me. I think life would be so much better if they did, but, alas, it is an imperfect world we live in. So . . .
Honestly, if I were to find an author who isn’t receptive to my take on their work, I don’t know that there is much that I could do. I do know that I would not argue with them. If they ask for examples of something I said, I’d be happy to point that out, but I’m not going to argue every little point just to get my way.
And if they aren’t receptive to anything that I suggested, then I would just assume we weren’t the ideal team to begin with, wish them the best, and move on.
Do you all have anything to add to my answers? Join in the discussion now!
Also, would you all like to see the Tea with Me posts once or twice a month?
Have a great weekend!
Twice a month!
Thanks for stopping by, Mary!
The trick to marketing is figuring out what works for your idiom. I have not yet figured this out. I’ve done different things when each of my books came out. As near as I can tell, nothing I’ve done has a significant impact. *shrug* Keep trying!
// Hey! Someone actually answered one of my Muppet questions!
I know, it’s frustrating. The better you know your target audience, the easier it is to find them and create a marketing strategy that will reach them. Keep it up!
And, hey, you asked about the muppets–I had to come up with SOMETHING!
http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130102032559/muppet/images/b/b9/TheMuppetsKitchen-GameDay-Muppets-Y-Games-OpeningCeremonies.jpg I found proof that there may just be lightbulbs in the Muppetverse. But I’m thinking the answer is still “none,” because they probably have “people” for such mundane things as changing them. 😀
This made me smile. I agree that marketing for writers call for a unique balance in how to use time. Good answer to Robert; some editors and writers just do not have the right synergy.
I am leaving Muppetland alone ….