Francine Craft

You And The City

Recently Marlive Harris, owner of the prestigious GRITS Literary Service, university instructor and ardent chuch worker, reminded us all that book clubs and other venues like libraries and independent bookstores, are innundated with thousands of books each year.  Be smart about how you approach any one of them. Your success depends on it.

Approach all these places with due respect, but libraries will probably be the easiest of all to deal with.  They’re there to help the public and they’re geared to giving service.  So, they’re likely to give you an ear.  Please make it an effective effort.  1) Don’t act as if your book is the only one on the horizon. 2) Sit down and briefly sum up the salient parts of your book that will interest library readers. 3) Whatever you do, never knock another author’s book or compare  it unfavorably to yours.  4) Be sure to give good rates to libraries, as well as to other venues. 5) Put your best foot forward; it doesn’t belong in your mouth. Be pleasant, but don’t take up undue time.

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Big City Taxi

I’ve been surfing the internet to find places to suggest you visit to learn a bit more about self-publishing.  It has become a burgeoning field, but there is the good, the bad and the ugly and you need to know who fits where.  Sorry, it’s something you’re going to have to decide for yourself.  Just don’t forget, always check with Better Business Bureau (BBB) office in your city.

I begin with Google.  Ask specific questions about those considered best in the field and you’ll get good answers.  It’s simple.  www.google.com.  You’ll get so much information your head will swim.  Tired of that?  Try looking at a few of the numerous individual sites such as  http://www.bookwhirl.com.  Sooner or later you’ll find one you can live with.  Don Harold, one of the owners, is a pleasant, courteous, helpful person to deal with. They can help with your marketing. There are scores of  others  and such luminaries as Harlequin are getting into the act. 

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Flowing Water

This is an even more enjoyable blog for me to write because my message  is to take care of yourself and the writer in you.  I think more than anyone else, we’re driven.  These fantasy people move into our heads and if we aren’t careful, they’ll run, and sometimes ruin, our lives.  Which one of us hasn’t come awake in the middle of the night with characters demanding to be written about — now.  This can be a wonderful thing, because it doesn’t last forever.  Just be certain you get the total rest you need afterward.  Listen to your body and find out just what that is.  We’re also finding out that daily naps are good for us.

Food and exercise come next.  Put yourself on a lifetime eating plan that gives your precious body the nutrients it needs.  Scientists have found that the human body does best on a sparing diet.  Don’t deprive yourself, just eat what you like wisely.  And exercise is just as important.  Talking with others, I’ve found that when we find exercises we like to do, we stick with them.  Anything from calisthenics to belly dancing is just dandy.  But don’t overdo.  This is about taking care of yourself.

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You And The City

As you probably know, book clubs have exploded into every nook of our country.  Ranging from a few to many participants, these are readers who band together and take their books seriously.  Oftimes they have favorites, but most are willing to give all authors a chance.  Remember, they want to be helped and/or to be entertained.

To find out about book clubs, again google with all your might.  Always start with a specific question, then winnow those headings with still more specific ones.  (And this also holds true for independent book stores and libraries.)  I put in “Give list of book clubs in (give area)”.  That came back with many pages of listings.  On the first page was info giving me available lists of book clubs, and I chose one that was very helpful.  You get the idea.  Just check to see that it’s a current listing.

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Purple Passion

Maybe you know by now that the big-boy brick and mortar bookstores like Barnes and Noble and Borders won’t carry your self-published book.  That’s because they’re dependent on major publishers, so it’s understandable.  But all online bookstores will carry you, including those named.  It’s up to you to see that you put out a well written, well edited and well proofed product.

And now to market!  Bring your adrenaline up?  It should, because this is another of the most important things you can do for yourself.  Earlier, I spoke of making friends with librarians.  This is a lifetime thing, you know.  And next door to it is contacting independent bookstores.  They’re still out there and many of them are hungry for good books you’ll help them sell as a partner.

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