Marilyn Meredith Offers Marketing Advice for Authors

 Marilyn Meredith is the author of over thirty published novels, including the award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, the latest Raging Water from Mundania Press. Writing as F. M. Meredith, her latest Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel us No Bells, the forth from Oak Tree Press. Marilyn is a member of EPIC, three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America.
Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com
Follow her blog at http://marilymeredith.blogspot.com/

Marilyn borrows a lot from where she lives in the Southern Sierra for the town of Bear Creek and the surrounding area.

Here's What Marilyn Has to Say About Marketing:

Marketing is as Important as Writing the Book
by Marilyn Meredith

Today, some publishers are asking for your marketing plan right along with your query. In fact, I know one publisher who only accepts manuscripts from authors who have strong marketing plans.

So what does this mean for authors? While you’re writing your book you should be thinking about how you plan to market it. As an author who writes for a small press, I do some things differently than an author who is with a New York publisher.

Over the years what works to market your book has changed dramatically. Though there are still writers who are going on book tours, I don’t plan to many regular bookstore stops. I do have a couple of bookstores where I’ll give a talk usually to writers’ groups who meet in the store. So my plan will include scheduling a visit to those stores.

What I’ve found works better, at least for me, when selling books face-to-face, are craft fairs and book festivals. I always keep on the look-out for those and have a couple of regulars I always attend. This fall I’m trying a new festival that’s in the Northern part of the state. At Christmas time, the art gallery in the next town has a craft fair and I’ve been invited to sell my books there.

Libraries can be good venues too. Giving a talk about any aspect of writing is always welcome. Some libraries even sponsor author events.

With every book I plan a book launch in local places. This year, because my latest Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery, Raging Water, is set in the mountain community of Bear Creek which has a strong resemblance to the town I live in, the launch will be held in the Springville Inn. Of course there is a Bear Creek Inn in the book. I plan to serve a cake decorated like the book cover.

One very special aspect of this launch is the fact that someone I based an important character on will be the guest of honor.

Then there’s the online promoting, something that takes a lot of time but is very important. I like to do blog tours for all of my books—and that’s what I’m doing now. I’m always happy when the blog host asks for a particular type of post. Planning your own blog tour is time consuming from finding the blogs that are willing to host you, coming up with a contest that might keep readers moving from blog to blog, and writing something interesting and unique for each blog.

Once the tour begins, it’s up to you—or me, in this case—to let people know where you’re going to be each day and ask them to visit and leave a comment. You can do this on all the listserves you are a member of, and of course on all the social sites you’re a part of like Facebook, etc.

If you have other marketing ideas, do leave them in a comment. And remember, the person who comments on the most blogs during this tour will have a character named for him or her.

About Marilyn's Latest, Raging Water: Deputy Tempe Crabtree’s investigation of the murder of two close friends is complicated when relentless rain turns Bear Creek into a raging river. Homes are inundated and a mud slide blocks the only road out of Bear Creek stranding many—including the murderer.

Contest: The person who leaves comments on the most blogs will have his/her name used for a character in my next book—can choose if you want it in a Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery or a Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel.


Important SideNote From Marilyn - I know there are some people who like to read a series in order, but let me reassure you that every book is complete. Though the characters grow through each book, the crime is always solved. Here is the order of the books for anyone who wants to know: Deadly Trail, Deadly Omen, Unequally Yoked, Wing Beat, Intervention, Calling the Dead, Judgment Fire, Kindred Spirits, Dispel the Mist, Invisible Path, Bears With Us, Raging Water.

Contest: The person who leaves comments on the most blogs will have his/her name used for a character in Marilyn's next book—can choose if you want it in a Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery or a Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel.

You Can Visit Marilyn Meredith at her website: http://fictionforyou.com
and blog http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com


Please be sure to welcome Marilyn and Leave a Comment!