 December 28, 2011
In This Issue:
Buzzing Around Hi Sylvia,
We made it through those December holidays, didn't we? I hope you were able to find moments of joy and peace in what can be a hectic time of the year. For me, the joy came from another Christmas with my mother, who has had some medical problems recently. We had a nice family celebration at her house, which is two hours east of mine. And, as in years past, my youngest daughter and her friends had their annual holiday cooking making party at our house a few days before Christmas. I make the sugar cookie dough before they arrive and they do the rest. The nonstop noise, chatter, squealing, and laughter is a very therapeutic break from the other traditional holiday activities. I hope you're approaching the new year with hope and optimism. We've got another chance to get it right, eh? Happy new year! Cheers, Sandy
Be Opportunistic:
Quirky January Holidays Bring Publicity OpportunitiesI use the second newsletter of the month to encourage authors to think opportunistically when it comes to building book buzz - to look for opportunities that can lead to media and other exposure. One way to do that is to create a holiday...but an easier way is to take advantage of a holiday that someone else has created. There are many special days in January just waiting for a smart author to use them to their advantage. Here are some of the more interesting holidays followed by book categories that could be appropriate. These are just a few suggestions - I'm sure you can come up with more book categories for each holiday! Run up the Flagpole and See if Anyone Salutes Day: Business Festival of Sleep Day: Fitness, mental health Humiliation Day: Self-help, humor Cuddle Up Day: Romance, self help Bubble Bath Day: Motivational, self help, children's Male Watcher's Day: Romance, men's health, chick lit Houseplant Appreciation Day: House and garden Peculiar People Day: Fiction Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day: Children's, humor, self help National Pharmacist Day: Medical, health Make Your Dream Come True Day: Motivational, self help, inspirational Dress Up Your Pet Day: Children's, fashion Ditch New Years Resolutions Day: Self help, humor, motivational National Hugging Day: Self help, motivational, inspirational, mental health National Handwriting Day: Business, education, psychology Compliment Day: Psychology, self help, children's, business Fun at Work Day: Business, motivational, management Inspire Your Heart with Art Day: Education, art, self help, motivational, inspirational Get more January holidays at http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/january.htm.
Tip of the Month:
What's In Your Author Press Kit?If you haven't created a press kit for your author website yet - or even if you have and wonder if it includes the "right" elements - you might be interested in my guest column for the FriesenPress "Fearless Self Publisher" blog. "8 Press Kit Elements for Your Author Website" outlines what you need to know, and my companion commentary on my own blog features online press kit examples that might inspire you. One of the social networking specialists at FriesenPress reciprocated by writing a guest post on my blog about "How to find your book's target market with Twitter advanced search." Many authors have found it helpful; I think you will, too.
Education:
Register for February 2012 "Book Publicity 101: How to Build Book Buzz" E-courseWe're now accepting registrations for the "Book Publicity 101: How to Build Book Buzz" e-course that runs January 30 - February 24, 2012. Both sections - one for traditionally published authors and the other for those who have self published - emphasize the planning, strategy, tools and tactics needed to get - and keep - your book in the news so that you sell more books. (The course for self-published authors includes a section on how to announce a book's publication and generate reviews.) You'll leave the class with your own book publicity blueprint, tools you can use immediately to get media exposure, and a solid understanding of how to get attention in both traditional and social media worlds. The class is taught online in a forum format. There are no scheduled meetings or sessions - you work at your own pace according to your own schedule. For information on the original course, "Book Publicity 101: How to Build Book Buzz," go to http://buildbookbuzz.com/how-to-build-book-buzz-workshop/. For information and on the self-published authors course, "Book Publicity 101 for Self-Published Authors: How to Build Book Buzz," go to http://buildbookbuzz.com/self-published-how-to-build-book-buzz-workshop/. Purchase "How to Use LinkedIn to Sell More Books" Audio ProgramWe're still getting great feedback on our LinkedIn for authors teleseminar last month! That's because LinkedIn is quickly becoming the virtual water cooler for people who want to learn about and read your books - whether you write nonfiction or fiction. As the second largest social network in the U.S. and the world's largest professional network on the Internet, LinkedIn offers you more than 120 million members in more than 200 countries. You can't afford to ignore this resource any longer! Its unique features can help you be even more targeted and effective with your book promotion efforts than you can be with either Twitter or Facebook. In this 75-minute recording and bonus two-page handout, LinkedIn expert Wayne Breitbarth, author of The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success, shares his LinkedIn book sales secrets for the first time with authors. Learn more and purchase the audio recording at http://buildbookbuzz.com/linkedin-audio-program/. It's a great value.
About SandraSandra Beckwith, a former publicist who has won several national and regional publicity awards, teaches authors how to generate long-term media buzz for their books. She is the author of three books on publicity, conducts publicity workshops, and writes frequently on small business marketing and management topics. Please visit her book publicity site and publicity blog to learn more. Need a writer's conference speaker or workshop presenter? Sandra's workshops at the American Society of Journalists and Authors annual conference, the University of Wisconsin Writers Institute, and at other industry conferences share priceless how-to information you won't get elsewhere. Contact her at sb@buildbookbuzz.com for more information. Build Book Buzz is a free e-newsletter published twice monthly by Beckwith Communications. Please forward this newsletter to anyone. To subscribe, visit www.buildbookbuzz.com. We do not share our mailing list with any individual or organization for any reason. Build Book Buzz
www.buildbookbuzz.com
Sandra Beckwith, Editor & Publisher
Phone: 585-377-2768
Email: sb@buildbookbuzz.com | 
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