Checklists

Once your book is out, or even on the way to being out, you may find these checklists useful   

Create a buzz list

Do this as soon as you know the book is on its way. Once you have the cover and have a PDF or mobi-file you can send for pre-release reviews.  

·         Cover reveal

·         Invite for reviewers

·         Cyber launch 

·         Freebies (grabbing email)

·         Limited offers

·         Prize

Post on:

·         Newsletter

·         Blog

·         Facebook pages

·         Linked-in

Post Production List

This is for if you've published your own book.

·         Register with Nielsen's. If you use Lightning Source or Create Space, they will do this for you.  However, you can give more exact information about your book if you opt to do it yourself.  

 http://www.nielsentitleeditor.com/titleeditor/  

·         British library

http://www.bl.uk/aboutus/legaldeposit/ It is a legal requirement that you deposit one copy with the British Library. Print only.  

·         Deposit libraries ALDL

 https://www.legaldeposit.org.uk/  It is also a requirement that you send five copies to the agency for the legal deposit libraries. Print only.  

·         Add books to web sites

·         Publication list - look at the checklists below. Different types of text need slightly different treatment.

For longer works

PLR Public Lending Right. Register your book for PLR.  Even if you’ve only written a chapter, you can get some PLR. Don’t forget to register for Irish PLR at the same time. 

ALCS Author’s Licensing and Collecting Agency Register here. https://www.alcs.co.uk/  This can be very lucrative as well for any articles you have had published.  

Other web sites Are you a member of a professional organisation such as the Society of Authors or the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators? Are you attached to a university and might they consider this research? 

CV and Publication list Update this every time as you get out get new publications. It’s not a bad idea to keep your CV on Linked-in. Download a copy every time you update. 

Your own web site Not got one yet? There are arguments that say you can have one before you’re published. Certainly as soon as you’re published you should have one. Weebly, One-Com, Blogger and WordPress offer cheap / free solutions. You really want one that you can author yourself, though it’s a good idea to get advice from an expert when you set up the template. And do get a proper domain name.  

Set up a Facebook page You might consider having one for you as an author and then a separate one for each book. Keep it going forever. Have a call to action button on the landing page i.e. a link to where visitors can buy the book.

Facebook reminds you if you haven’t been to your page for a while. 

Blog Consider writing a blog if you don’t already. It might be about writing or it might be about your book. You might keep a blog for posting excerpts of your work. You might keep separate blogs for separate items – I do. You can also share posts with other bloggers and go on blog tours.           

Video Make a book trailer for each publication. This is so easy with Windows Movie Maker or Shot Cut. Post it on You Tube. Take care not to use copyright material. Free pictures are available at: https://pixabay.com/ and free music at:

 http://freemusicarchive.org

Author central Register with

 https://authorcentral.amazon.co.uk/ This is on Amazon and allows Amazon readers to find you.

Good Reads https://www.goodreads.com/ Don't forget to set up an author profile if you're eligible.

Amazon Associates

 https://affiliate-program.amazon.co.uk/ - make it easy for people to find your books. You earn if they click through and purchase.

Postcards and other merchandise. Book covers look so good on a post card. Vista Print:

 https://www.vistaprint.co.uk is a good option.  Look also at Café Press:

 http://www.cafepress.co.uk/

Linked in Post about it and add it to your profile. 

Twitter List Schedule some tweets about your book – don't just say "buy me, buy me". Make it genuinely interesting for your followers.

For short stories

Much as above, with one or two steps missed out. I've listed it all again for your convenience.

 

PLR Public Lending Right Register your book for PLR. https://www.bl.uk/plr/ Even if you’ve only written a chapter, you can get some PLR. Don’t forget to register for Irish PLR at the same time. You will give a percentage here.

ALCS Author’s Licensing and Collecting Agency Register here.  https://www.alcs.co.uk/ This can be very lucrative as well for any articles you have had published. Again, you will give a percentage here.  

Other web sites Are you a member of a professional organisation such as the Society of Authors or the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Are you attached to a university and might they consider this research? 

CV and Publication list Update this every time as you get out get new publications. It’s not a bad idea to keep your CV on Linked-in. Download a copy every time you update. 

Your own web site Not got one yet? There are arguments that say you can have one before you’re published. Certainly as soon as you’re published you should have one. Weebly, one-com, Blogger and WordPress offer cheap / free solutions. You really want one that you can author yourself, though it’s a good idea to get advice form an expert when you set up the template. And do get a proper domain name.  

Set up a Facebook page You might consider having one for you as an author and then a separate one for short stories. Keep it going forever. Have a call to action button on the landing page i.e. a link to where visitors can access the story. .

Facebook reminds you if you haven’t been to your page for a while. 

Blog Consider writing a blog if you don’t already. It might be about writing or it might be about your book. You might keep a blog for posting excerpts of your work. You might keep separate blogs for separate items – I do. You can also share posts with other bloggers and go on blog tours.           

Author central Register with

 https://authorcentral.amazon.co.uk/ This is on Amazon and allows Amazon readers to find you.

Linked in Post about it and add it to your profile. 

Twitter List Schedule some tweets about your story – don't just say "buy me, buy me". Make it genuinely interesting for your followers.

Good reads

Set up an author profile on Good Reads https://www.goodreads.com/ and add each new books as it comes out.  

For an edited book

This is for if you’ve edited the book. Maybe you’ve put together an anthology of short stories by other people for example.

PLR Public Lending Right Register your book for PLR. https://www.bl.uk/plr/ Even if you’ve only written a chapter, you can get some PLR. Don’t forget to register for Irish PLR at the same time. You can only register as an editor if you are mentioned on the title page. 

ALCS Author’s Licensing and Collecting Agency Register here. https://www.alcs.co.uk/ . You can only register as an editor if you are mentioned on the title page.  

Other web sites Are you a member of a professional organisation such as the Society of Authors or the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators?. Are you attached to a university and might they consider this research? 

CV and Publication list Update this every time as you get out get new publications. It’s not a bad idea to keep your CV on Linked-in. Download a copy every time you update. 

Your own web site Not got one yet? There are arguments that say you can have one before you’re published. Certainly as soon as you’re published you should have one. Weebly, One-Com, Blogger and WordPress offer cheap / free solutions. You really want one that you can author yourself, though it’s a good idea to get advice form an expert when you set up the template. And do get a proper domain name.  

Set up a Facebook page You might consider having one for you as an author and then a separate one for each book. Keep it going forever. Have a call to action button on the landing page i.e. a link to where visitors can buy the book.

Facebook reminds you if you haven’t been to your page for a while. 

Blog Consider writing a blog if you don’t already. It might be about writing or it might be about your book. You might keep a blog for posting excerpts of your work. You might keep separate blogs for separate items – I do. You can also share posts with other bloggers and go on blog tours.           

Video Make a book trailer for each publication. This is so easy with Windows Movie Maker. Post it on You Tube.  Take care not to use copyright material. Free pictures are available at: https://pixabay.com/ and free music at:

 http://freemusicarchive.org If you're the editor of an anthology, you may the one to do this. 

Author central Register with

https://authorcentral.amazon.co.uk/ This is on Amazon and allows Amazon readers to find you. You may have to have a discussion with Amazon to get this on to your author page. If you're publishing the book yourself, be sure to get your name on the title page.

Amazon Associates

 https://affiliate-program.amazon.co.uk/ - make it easy for people to find your books and you earn if they click through and purchase.

Postcards and other merchandise. Make postcards. Book covers look so good on a post card. Vista Print https://www.vistaprint.co.uk is a good option.  Look also at Café Press:  http://www.cafepress.co.uk/

Linked in Post about it and add it to your profile. 

Twitter List Schedule some tweets about your book – don't just say "buy me, buy me". Make it genuinely interesting for your followers.

For articles and papers in journals

ALCS Author’s Licensing and Collecting Agency Register here: https://www.alcs.co.uk/ This can be very lucrative as well for any articles you have had published.  

CV and Publication list Update this every time as you get out get new publications. It’s not a bad idea to keep your CV on Linked-in. Download a copy every time you update. 

Your own web site Not got one yet? There are arguments that say you can have one before you’re published. Certainly as soon as you’re published you should have one. Weebly, One-Com, Blogger and WordPress offer cheap / free solutions. You really want one that you can author yourself, though it’s a good idea to get advice form an expert when you set up the template. And do get a proper domain name.  

Set up a Facebook page You might consider having one for you as an author and then a separate one for each publication. Keep it going forever. Have a call to action button on the landing page i.e. a link to where visitors can buy the book.

Facebook reminds you if you haven’t been to your page for a while. 

Blog Consider writing a blog if you don’t already. It might be about writing or it might be about your book. You might keep a blog for posting excerpts of your work. You might keep separate blogs for separate items – I do. You can also share posts with other bloggers and go on blog tours.           

Linked in Post about it and add it to your profile. 

Twitter List Schedule some tweets about your article – don't just say "read me, read me". Make it genuinely interesting for your followers.

Phew

Indeed. How do you keep up with all of that, keep an effective writing habit, hold down a day job and look after a family?

Time management: an easy thing to say, but not necessarily an easy thing to do.

How much of your time should you devote to this? It varies from person to person. Some say 80% of their time should be spent on creative work and 20% on marketing. Some go for a 50/50 spilt. But isn't marketing quite creative as well? It can be.    

It's probably wise to find which is the best time of day for your creative work and which is the best for other work.

I personally try to write for four hours before lunch.  After lunch I spend between half an hour and an hour on e-mails and then I alternate days for my personal marketing projects and for projects that help other people.

All of this is punctuated by water-cooler moments on social media. And I try to get out once a day – be it to the gym, a choir practice or coffee with a friend.

So, you don't have to do all of this but gradually, if you secure more time for your writing life, try three or four things you find easy and add in a couple of others that you know will stretch you. Try to evaluate how effective each strategy is but also bear in mind that the effectiveness isn't always immediately visible.       

Happy marketing!

Get more tips like this here:

Some Professional Bodies You Might Like to Join

The Society of Authors

You have to be published to join but these days they are accepting self-published authors who have significant sales. If you have enough short stories they will accept you. Curiously, if you design web-sites commercially, they will accept you.

There is also an associate membership if you don't quite qualify yet. You can join any of the email lists without being a member. You can also access much of the site without being a member.

They offer:

·         Free vetting of publishing contracts

·         Cheap public liability and indemnity insurance

·         Useful events with reduced fees for members

·         Awards

·         Web space for your books

·         Specific groups for different sorts of writers

·         Listing as an author for the public to see

·         Free membership of ALCS

·         Advice on many aspects of publishing – lots of downloadable PDFs

·         A helpful quarterly publication

·         Regular emailed newsletters for different sections

·         Regional events

They act as a trade union for authors and fight furiously and professionally to look after us. Find out more at: http://www.societyofauthors.org/

National Association of Writers in Education

This is of interest to those who work in Higher Education, schools and colleges, writers who visit schools, all sorts of writers who teach and writers who use writing as therapy.

They offer:

·         A vibrant annual conference

·         Two journals to which members can contribute and benefit from

·         Free public liability insurance for professional members (£10,000,000)

·         Free listing for professional members

·         A weekly bulletin of opportunities 

·         Helpful training courses

·         Processing of DBS checks

·         Reduced rates on all events

Again, you can access much of the site without being a member. Read more here: https://www.nawe.co.uk/

SCBWI

The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. https://www.scbwi.org/ This is the professional organisation for both published and unpublished writers for children. Its headquarters is in the US, but the UK has a very active chapter.

In the UK you can:

·         Join a local regional group – enjoy their events, networking opportunities and crit groups

·         Attend the annual conference at Winchester.

·         Read Words and Pictures, the daily e-zine http://www.wordsandpics.org/  (You don't have to be a member to access this.)

·         List your books

·         Have a profile on the site

·         Join in discussion boards

·         Be eligible for the Crystal Kite award 

The Writers' Guild

This is very similar to the Society of Authors. Both are good for fiction writers. If you write scripts for any media and video games, the Writers' Guild may be more favourable. The Society of Authors is also good for poets, educational writers, academic writers and web designers. Find the Writers’ Guild at: https://writersguild.org.uk/ .

Members benefit from:

·         Support and advice

·         Free events

·         Free and discounted training

·         A weekly e-bulletin

·         Listing in the find-a-writer directory

·         A welfare fund

·         Discounts

·         A pension scheme

·         Contract-vetting 

 Would you like more tips like this? See below: 

Some nitty-gritty matters for making your book visible

If you are published or self-published there are a few other things you should do as a matter of course.

PLR

Public Lending Right - https://www.bl.uk/plr/

Register your book for this. Even if you’ve only written a chapter in a book, you can get some PLR. Don’t forget to register for Irish PLR at the same time. This means that every time some-one borrows your book from a library, you get a small payment or a proportion of one. It varies from year to year and is about 6p with an upper cap of about £6000. On contracts for our anthologies we tell you which % to claim.

This is well worth doing. Several of my books that have been out for many years earn more in PLR than they do in royalties.

ALCS

Authors' Licensing and Collecting Agency Register at https://www.alcs.co.uk/. This can be very lucrative as well for any articles you have had published. Register with them everything you have published.  

They collect money from photocopied and broadcast works. They also collect foreign PLR.

We can't dictate which proportion of the book you can claim – ALCS works that out. They award a generous 30% to editors. 

They charge a modest one-off fee for registering but you don't have to pay this up front. They set it against your earnings.

If you are a member, the Society of Authors pays this fee anyway.

You'll earn at least enough each year to cover your Society of Authors membership fee.

Author Central

This is run by Amazon and can be found here: https://authorcentral.amazon.co.uk/. You can list all of your books here and keep track of sales rankings. How about giving a tweak to each week's lowest ranking book?

Perhaps more importantly it allows readers to find your other books easily.

Occasionally if you are in an anthology Amazon will at first not allow you to list the book. Then you are invited to write to them. They usually respond quickly and positively. We design our books so that it is easy for them to see that you are a contributor.

You can also add multi-media, blog feeds and events to your author page.

Amazon Associates

This allows you to earn money from advertising on your sites. I'm not advocating that you cover your sites with advertising and Facebook won't let you do this anyway. However, you can link to your books and even embed attractive pictures of them into your sites. When someone clicks on that and then buys the book, you earn a small percentage. If they then go on and buy more form Amazon, you earn a small percentage of those sales as well.

I once earned quite a lot when someone bought a copy of one of my books and then went on to purchase several boxed sets of popular TV programmes.

Good Reads Author Programme

Do join this. You have to be approved but it is well worth it. Again you get information about how many people are engaging with your books. It increases your visibility as an author.

If you have a blog you can also link so that it gets uploaded to Good Reads every time you post. 

Join here: https://www.goodreads.com/

You will also get a lot of information about what to read.

They do organise giveaways and you always lose money on this. However when I ran one recently I noticed that in the week after it had finished the sales rank on that book on Amazon went right up. The extra sales more than covered the cost of the books I'd given away. 

Want more tips like this? See below.