Marketing Before Publication? How About Before It’s Written?
Posted By Robert W. Walker on May 26, 2010
Robert W. Walker, Mystery-Suspense-Thriller Author (MSTA)--MUSTA READ!
by Robert W. Walker
1st Turning Point Staff Columnist
Copyright © 2010 Robert W. Walker
In what I consider a bold move, a writer decides to create a journal-type blog that will follow his work in progress. He makes challenging deadline predictions for completing the rough draft and the edited-vetted final: a book in a year, a rough draft in three months.
This has been my plan with my work in progress-to put out there how I write, where I get my premise, how I do research, fashioning drama out of said research, holding research down to backdrop and pulling the human story to the forward stage. The blog gets into details of various tools and instruments used in putting the story together as close to a seamless symphony as one can make it. It speaks of the unique character of this particular book, what special needs are required in this book. The blog appeals to those who wish to see how a novel is built brick by brick, scene by scene, chapter by chapter.
I have had mixed results thus far, but it is early in the process. The first draft has yet to be completed. I set out in mid-February. Mid-May marked three months, so I have run past my initial deadline; the beauty of one that is self-imposed, yes, but there is so much value in having a deadline of any sort. It’s something to shoot for.
How is this marketing? With each blog entry, I announce it on chat groups, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and elsewhere. As I speak about it in my various blogs, I set up a free chapter for download from my website. It has gotten twenty followers, which may not seem like much, but they are avid folks and interested in seeing the book evolve. All the while, I can also speak to the publication date when it begins to loom closer to the time when people can read the book from beginning to end in a neat, orderly, well-edited copy. I can also demonstrate putting this title up as a Kindle Original and market it as such.
Should you do this with your work in progress? I will admit, writing novels has become somewhat second nature after doing some 50-odd novels, but part of the purpose of the blog is to demonstrate just how many ways I mess up and pick myself up and go on in the face of adversity and life in general. I believe anyone contemplating a work in progress can and should give this a try. Why? Because of the rewards that come out of it. Even if no one reads my journal on writing Curse of the Titanic (for which I ran a title contest that ‘failed’ as no title rattled my cage like the one that came from another source)-and even if no one reads your blog about your work in progress, either, YOU will feel wonderful after getting these asides about the process out of your head and on screen or on paper. I do.
We often say our first reader happens to be us. That makes good sense since in the writing we free ourselves to fly. Keeping a journal on a work in progress is quite freeing. Many a writer, like John Steinbeck, who worked with traditional tools, kept journals wherein they railed against themselves and the work in progress to shake it up and strangle it and get what they needed from it to MAKE the story.
It does take time, and at times I wish I had blogged more on the manuscript, but I have to also find the time to WRITE the thing. I have tried to blog every other weekend at the very least, though I began with it once a week. It is rather overdue for an update now, so I am away!
Check out Killer Instinct (for ME fans) and Children of Salem (for HYstery-Romance-Mystery fans)
Children of Salemby Robert W. WalkerAuthor & ebook publisher An eccumenical spy, Jere Wakely returns to Salem Village Parish where it has become obvious to church athorities that this parish is in serious trouble. Wakely works for Increase Mahter. But he is reluctant for many reasons, not the least being that his heart is broken and returning to his boyhood home means he will inevitably run into Serena Nurse Jere assumes that Serena is by now married with children. He had left her without saying goodbye to go off and make something of himself. He has no their love would be rekindled, but it parallels a greater fire—one of terror amid the infamous Salem Witch Trials. A witch hunt in this important election year of 1692 is backdrop to a romance filled with intrigue and mystery; the history is accurate, and the truth is disturbing yet fascinating. |
 Children of Salem by Robert Walker |
I think you’re right; at any given time even the most prolific writer has to decide whether nows the time to write or blog.
When you’re bound to write so many more, novels and I think this is a great sort of experiment wherein you can teach as well as give fans a behind the scenes view. Very cool idea.
I’ve done this with all three of my books. I don’t blog very often - once every few weeks (I don’t have much to say!) so I didn’t feel the blog added pressure at all. In fact, I thought this was a good way to keep me focused and hear from people who, as you said, were cheering me on. The day I got my contracts and releases, they were front and center with the money.
There is absolutely no question about you being a creature of creativity. This is a ‘novel’ idea Rob. Certainly, it is one that deserves serious considerations. Getting the word out builds a fan base and that is the key in today’s publishing world. Your 20 followers talk to 20 more and the word is spread. Keep it up and good luck.
I think this is a great idea. And for those of us who are not up to blogging, perhaps Twitter could be another source. That way we could tell the story behind the story one sentence at a time.
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