Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Promotion & Me - the Awkwardness by Leslie Langtry




Why promotion is scary...

First, let me say that for this week, 'SCUSE ME WHILE I KILL THIS GUY is available for 99 cents on Kindle! Check it out at dailycheapreads.com.

That's it. That's all I've got. I'm not a whiz at promotion. And my day job is Public Relations and Marketing for a nonprofit. That may sound bad. I'm not really clueless. At least, I hope I'm not.

I can promote events and services like a pro. I've had sell-out crowds at events for work and one of them was voted "Event of the Year" by the community. I can make you laugh and I can make you cry. But I don't know the secret to schilling my books.

Apparently, my books are good. Everyone from the Chicago Tribune to Publisher's Weekly says they are. But I still find it weird to toot my own horn.

I've heard that this is a woman thing - that men have no trouble throwing their egos (among other things) out there for all to see. Maybe that's true. But it doesn't make sense. I'm an OMG-off-the-charts Extrovert. I love public speaking. I performed in an improvisational comedy troupe in college. I love talking to folks at my book signings. So why can't I do this?

Part of it is that with all this technology - social networks, websites and blogs, I'm a bit overwhelmed. I know that online promotion can be a full-time job for authors when they KNOW where to start and what to do.

And if you are one of those authors, I am in awe of you. So I have this suggestion - you should write an ebook on how you do it and sell it online. I'd be the first in line to buy it. And then I might get this figured out.

6 comments:

  1. Hi Leslie. I so feel your pain. I'm an introvert and don't like tooting my own horn. That said, I think you've done a great job here. You got the word out about your book. I'll look for it on Kinlde!

    ~Sara

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  2. Thanks Sara! My two critique partners are that way too and we always try to do signings together.

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  3. 'SCUSE ME WHILE I KISS THIS GUY - what a great title!

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  4. I think part of the reason why it's so hard is that social media is changing so quickly! It can be a full-time job ... but then when does the writing get done? And I agree - great title!

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  5. This is so funny! I work in promotions too for television and I hate doing it for myself, but now as an e-book author I have to. I would buy that book too.

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