Hello! I'm having trouble with keeping up multiple blogs, so I'm moving everything to my new website, where you'll find everything Kayla Curry related. I'll be re-publishing the posts from this blog on there over the next few weeks. After everything is republished, get ready for some new content!
http://www.kaylacurry.com
Please feel free to subscribe via email!
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Monday, July 15, 2013
Thursday, July 11, 2013
How to use Google products and Services to your Advantage #1
I'm writing this blog as the first in a series about how to use Google to further your business and make your life easier. We'll start off with a list of helpful services and a short description. These are all free services and most of these and more can be found by clicking on this link: http://www.google.com/intl/en/about/products/
Blogger
Blogger is an easy to use blogging platform that you are able to customize and integrate into your brand. This is the blogging platform I use because it's simple and yet still has the capability to house great gadgets. One thing I will recommend is that you use the Google Chrome browser when using Blogger, there are a few bugs when using some other browsers.
Google Chrome
This browser will make any Google service or product work better and without bugs. It is also just an all around top-notch browser. I've been using it for months now and have only had one issue. Occasionally when using Google Image Search it freezes up and I have to close down the browser completely, but the positive part of this is that if that happens, Google Chrome remembers every tab I had up and asks if I'd like to restore them.
Gmail
Gmail is a great email platform. I also have a Hotmail account, but I do like the Gmail one better. It's easier to navigate, it has an advanced search so you can pull up all emails from a certain person or all emails with a specific key word. No cons yet.
YouTube
This is a part of Google and it's the best video hosting site on the web, hands down. YouTube has limited ads and you can share and embed videos anywhere. Get an account and upload all your videos to YouTube.
Google Drive
I LOVE Google Drive. Google Drive is basically a storage space online, but you can also create documents, spreadsheets, forms to embed on your website and SOOOOO much more! If you don't have it, get it, because they are adding new programs for it all the time.
Google Calendar
Google Calendar is a program that helps you keep track of your many events and important dates. You can make more than one calendar, you can embed it on your website for people to see, and you can have email reminders for marked dates. You can also invite others to your calendar and share it publicly.
Google Earth
Google Earth is great for research and just fun to play around with. I'm sure most of you have popped on there to check out the satellite view of your home and played around with some of its features. I think it's pretty neat.
Google Maps
Google Maps is also a cool feature. You can make your own maps and share them with friends, you can find places easily and map out an entire road trip. I see this program overtaking MapQuest in the near future.
Sketch Up
If you haven't discovered Sketch Up yet, you should definitely check it out. You can map out the interior and exterior of building with this free program. There is a bit of a learning curve, but if you are one of those visual people who need to map out a scene in your book, this is the tool for that.
Google Trends
This handy tool will be useful when predicting publishing trends. For instance, by typing in "erotica books" you can see that this search trend peaked in June 2012 and is now on the decline. By typing in "vampire books" you can see that this trend peaked in November 2009 and May 2010 and is also now on the decline. By seeing where these search terms are headed, up or down, you can tailor blog posts to go along with the trends and you can also write books that may be popular in the near future.
Blog Search
You can use this specialized search engine to comb through blogs that are related to the topics you write about. From there you can follow these blogs, contact the owner and talk about possibly exchanging guest posts, or even search for book reviewers.
Google Sites
This is the website hosting program from Google. I do use them to host my website and I'm pretty happy with it. The features are not basic, but the aren't advanced either. I'd recommend it for a first website. It's easy to operate and can look very nice if you have it set up right.
Google+
This is the social media site run by Google. GET AN ACCOUNT! There have been predictions that Google+ will overtake Facebook and Twitter for the top social networking site by 2015. So, get an account now and by the time that happens, you will be set. You'll have plenty of followers and you will be towards the top of the social network food chain before anyone else. Not to mention, the features are awesome.
Google+ Communities
This is part of Google+. What it is is a place where anyone can post their content related to the community topic. Once you create a community you can make your own rules. It's fun to scroll through these and blog hop. You can also post videos, pictures and plain text. I love Google+ Communities.
Google Hangouts
This program is integrated into the Gmail and Google+ programs. You can host webinars, talk to people by video, organize a group of people for a meeting and so much more. Check it out and see what you can use it for.
There are so many more products and services that Google has to offer, but we'll start with these for now. Soon I'll tell you more about Blogger and we'll go down the list to discover ways to use these free programs available to you.
Blogger
Blogger is an easy to use blogging platform that you are able to customize and integrate into your brand. This is the blogging platform I use because it's simple and yet still has the capability to house great gadgets. One thing I will recommend is that you use the Google Chrome browser when using Blogger, there are a few bugs when using some other browsers.
Google Chrome
This browser will make any Google service or product work better and without bugs. It is also just an all around top-notch browser. I've been using it for months now and have only had one issue. Occasionally when using Google Image Search it freezes up and I have to close down the browser completely, but the positive part of this is that if that happens, Google Chrome remembers every tab I had up and asks if I'd like to restore them.
Gmail
Gmail is a great email platform. I also have a Hotmail account, but I do like the Gmail one better. It's easier to navigate, it has an advanced search so you can pull up all emails from a certain person or all emails with a specific key word. No cons yet.
YouTube
This is a part of Google and it's the best video hosting site on the web, hands down. YouTube has limited ads and you can share and embed videos anywhere. Get an account and upload all your videos to YouTube.
Google Drive
I LOVE Google Drive. Google Drive is basically a storage space online, but you can also create documents, spreadsheets, forms to embed on your website and SOOOOO much more! If you don't have it, get it, because they are adding new programs for it all the time.
Google Calendar
Google Calendar is a program that helps you keep track of your many events and important dates. You can make more than one calendar, you can embed it on your website for people to see, and you can have email reminders for marked dates. You can also invite others to your calendar and share it publicly.
Google Earth
Google Earth is great for research and just fun to play around with. I'm sure most of you have popped on there to check out the satellite view of your home and played around with some of its features. I think it's pretty neat.
Google Maps
Google Maps is also a cool feature. You can make your own maps and share them with friends, you can find places easily and map out an entire road trip. I see this program overtaking MapQuest in the near future.
Sketch Up
If you haven't discovered Sketch Up yet, you should definitely check it out. You can map out the interior and exterior of building with this free program. There is a bit of a learning curve, but if you are one of those visual people who need to map out a scene in your book, this is the tool for that.
Google Trends
This handy tool will be useful when predicting publishing trends. For instance, by typing in "erotica books" you can see that this search trend peaked in June 2012 and is now on the decline. By typing in "vampire books" you can see that this trend peaked in November 2009 and May 2010 and is also now on the decline. By seeing where these search terms are headed, up or down, you can tailor blog posts to go along with the trends and you can also write books that may be popular in the near future.
Blog Search
You can use this specialized search engine to comb through blogs that are related to the topics you write about. From there you can follow these blogs, contact the owner and talk about possibly exchanging guest posts, or even search for book reviewers.
Google Sites
This is the website hosting program from Google. I do use them to host my website and I'm pretty happy with it. The features are not basic, but the aren't advanced either. I'd recommend it for a first website. It's easy to operate and can look very nice if you have it set up right.
Google+
This is the social media site run by Google. GET AN ACCOUNT! There have been predictions that Google+ will overtake Facebook and Twitter for the top social networking site by 2015. So, get an account now and by the time that happens, you will be set. You'll have plenty of followers and you will be towards the top of the social network food chain before anyone else. Not to mention, the features are awesome.
Google+ Communities
This is part of Google+. What it is is a place where anyone can post their content related to the community topic. Once you create a community you can make your own rules. It's fun to scroll through these and blog hop. You can also post videos, pictures and plain text. I love Google+ Communities.
Google Hangouts
This program is integrated into the Gmail and Google+ programs. You can host webinars, talk to people by video, organize a group of people for a meeting and so much more. Check it out and see what you can use it for.
There are so many more products and services that Google has to offer, but we'll start with these for now. Soon I'll tell you more about Blogger and we'll go down the list to discover ways to use these free programs available to you.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
TDE: The Trickle Down Effect Marketing Strategy
Today I'm telling you about a marketing strategy. I either invented it or thought it up without knowing it already exists. I'm sure it does, but let me tell you about it any way. I'm calling it the Trickle Down Effect.
The Trickle Down Effect consists of three levels.
The first level is the "Followers" level. This level is all the followers you have on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and everything else. These followers have minimal loyalty. Some of them may only be following you because you are following them. You still have some influence over them and can tell them about your projects, your books and all that. What you really need to do is connect with them to get them to trickle down into the next level. You can do this by generating interest in you and your books and also asking them to sign up for your newsletter.
The second level is the "Subscribers" level. Subscribers are those who get your weekly or monthly newsletter, read just about every blog post, and ultimately are pretty loyal to you. You have more influence with your subscribers than you do your followers. Eventually, by strengthening the connection you have with your subscribers, you will be able to make more sales to them and turn them into loyal customers. You also need to give them some love by offering little freebies here and there.
The third level is the "Loyalty" level. These are the people who actually buy your books and love them. Loyal Customers will keep coming back for more as long as you treat them good. Keep your books high quality, offer up a free short story every now and then or maybe even a postcard. You should also ask their opinions when you need it. Just keep them happy and you'll find that more and more people are becoming your Loyal Customers.
With that, I'd love the chance to make you happy. If you'd like to sign up for my newsletter, head over to my website at the link below. I'll be giving updates on my projects and giving out free short stories every so often too! If you'd like to join the fun, check it out!
Monday, July 1, 2013
Twitter: A 4 Step Guide on How to Get More Legitimate Followers.
Twitter can be a scary place for beginners, but don't be discouraged if you only have a few followers after the first week. There is a great way to get tons of followers that legitimately want to follow you.
Step 1: Search for people that have the same interests as you. If you are an author you want to search for these: books, authors, writers, reviewer, book blogger, book lover, publishing, and other book related words and phrases. Also search for the genre or genres you write in. The search will lead you to people who tweet about this stuff. Follow them.
Step 2: After you've followed these people, retweet them. By retweeting some of their key tweets, you are both endorsing them and telling them that you care about this stuff too. When you retweet, you will not only get followbacks, you'll start to gain followers who notice that you retweet. These people will follow you in the hopes of getting a retweet themselves.
Step 3: Start tweeting about your own blog posts, books, interests and other stuff. Be sure to keep some tweets personal. Don't over do it on the promotion. Remember all those people you retweeted? They can now begin to repay the favor. Twitter is about the balance of give and take. The more you give, the more you will get in return.
Step 4: Don't forget to have actual conversations with your followers and read their tweets too! Keep the social in social media!
There you have it! If you want real followers who actually care about what you tweet, follow these simple steps and avoid the temptation to buy followers. Most of those are scams anyway.
Step 1: Search for people that have the same interests as you. If you are an author you want to search for these: books, authors, writers, reviewer, book blogger, book lover, publishing, and other book related words and phrases. Also search for the genre or genres you write in. The search will lead you to people who tweet about this stuff. Follow them.
Step 2: After you've followed these people, retweet them. By retweeting some of their key tweets, you are both endorsing them and telling them that you care about this stuff too. When you retweet, you will not only get followbacks, you'll start to gain followers who notice that you retweet. These people will follow you in the hopes of getting a retweet themselves.
Step 3: Start tweeting about your own blog posts, books, interests and other stuff. Be sure to keep some tweets personal. Don't over do it on the promotion. Remember all those people you retweeted? They can now begin to repay the favor. Twitter is about the balance of give and take. The more you give, the more you will get in return.
Step 4: Don't forget to have actual conversations with your followers and read their tweets too! Keep the social in social media!
There you have it! If you want real followers who actually care about what you tweet, follow these simple steps and avoid the temptation to buy followers. Most of those are scams anyway.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Looking for a future publisher? Try mine!
Moonstone is in the queue over at Martin Sisters Publishing. We'll be prepping it for release very soon. Before the second book in the series is released, however, I must give a shout out to my awesome publisher.
Martin Sisters Publishing is a quickly growing small publisher that really cares about the books they publish.
I found this publisher through Writer's Market. If you don't have a current Writer's Market and you are planning on going with traditional publication, you really need to pick one up.
MSP is run by two sisters who do most of the work themselves. They are good at what they do and they are passionate about putting out great books from all sorts of genres. Also, like a true publisher, they take care of all costs associated with publishing and they walk you through the entire process.
You can learn more about them and all the awesome books they've published on their website www.martinsisterspublishing.com. You can also visit and follow their Martin Sisters Book blog which will soon be busy with posts from the authors who have worked with MSP.
Also, don't forget to like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter!
Martin Sisters Publishing is a quickly growing small publisher that really cares about the books they publish.
I found this publisher through Writer's Market. If you don't have a current Writer's Market and you are planning on going with traditional publication, you really need to pick one up.
MSP is run by two sisters who do most of the work themselves. They are good at what they do and they are passionate about putting out great books from all sorts of genres. Also, like a true publisher, they take care of all costs associated with publishing and they walk you through the entire process.
You can learn more about them and all the awesome books they've published on their website www.martinsisterspublishing.com. You can also visit and follow their Martin Sisters Book blog which will soon be busy with posts from the authors who have worked with MSP.
Also, don't forget to like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter!
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Ways to get featured or tweeted!
Hello! I've come up with a new way to help promote you and your books!
There are actually two ways on my Get Featured page over on Paranormal Lounge.
The first is a feature on the Paranormal Lounge blog, and it is for paranormal books only. Just fill out the form and I'll be in touch.
The second is a tweet to my 2,000+ followers on twitter. The tweet can be about any book or writing related subject and you can send me a tweet once per week. The only thing I ask in return is that you follow me on twitter. I will follow you back too, which is a win/win situation.
Both of these services are FREE, but please respect the rules. Do not try to get your mystery featured on Paranormal Lounge and do not send me more than one tweet per week.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you on these forms and can't wait to help you expand your reach!
There are actually two ways on my Get Featured page over on Paranormal Lounge.
The first is a feature on the Paranormal Lounge blog, and it is for paranormal books only. Just fill out the form and I'll be in touch.
The second is a tweet to my 2,000+ followers on twitter. The tweet can be about any book or writing related subject and you can send me a tweet once per week. The only thing I ask in return is that you follow me on twitter. I will follow you back too, which is a win/win situation.
Both of these services are FREE, but please respect the rules. Do not try to get your mystery featured on Paranormal Lounge and do not send me more than one tweet per week.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you on these forms and can't wait to help you expand your reach!
Thursday, June 6, 2013
The Importance of Having a Blog
In the land of book marketing, blogging is an important part of expanding your reach and CONNECTING with readers. Here are some reasons you need to blog if you have a book out:
- It helps you practice writing more. You may not be writing the next best seller, but blog posts are a great way to practice your writing and improve on the craft.
- You can direct people to important blog posts easily on twitter and facebook. Posting a huge article on Facebook is not cool and posting a huge article on twitter is impossible. So, that's why you need a blog.
- You can connect with your readers through the comments field. Also, if they like what they read, they'll come back for more!
- CROSS PROMOTION!! Yeah. If you can host other authors on your blog, they will be mor elikely to host you in return. That expands your reach and your audience!
- It's nice to get things off your chest every now and then. Don't go on a rant every time you post, but sometimes it's okay to let out a little steam.
- You can tackle important industry issues and let people know where you stand.
- It increases your discoverability. The more places you are, the more likely you are to be discovered.
Honestly, I come across authors every day who don't have their own blog, and I find it surprising every time. Up-keeping a blog shows you are serious about expanding your platform as an author. Also, with a blog, you can participate in the upcoming Blogger Book Fair.
If you are thinking about setting up a blog I would recommend Blogger for beginners. The interface is easy to navigate and everything is simplified.
If you STILL don't want to take the time to actually set up a blog, let me do it for you! Check out the details on my fiverr.com gig: HERE.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Blogger Book Fair!!!
Check in to the Blogger Book Fair,
and book your trip to far away places!
July 22-26, 2013
Authors and Book Bloggers,
Sign ups for the July 2013 Blogger Book Fair will close on
June 15 at midnight central time, so get your
registrations in to participate!
As of 5/31/2013, we have:
Authors: 89
Books: 233
Bloggers: 14
If you haven't yet registered, you can find all of the
information on the Blogger
Book Fair page.
Events:
as of 5/31/2013
Art Fiction Gala hosted by Lucie Smoker
Does your fiction promote the visual arts--through featuring
an artist, painting, sculpture, performance art, etc? Then, consider entering
Lucie's Art Fiction Gala.
The Art Fiction Gala is a virtual celebration of fiction
that highlights the visual arts. Dress up in your finest, pick up some
friends--a bottle of wine--and sample mind-blowing fiction that crosses the
line between literary and visual art. Plus a gallery of art featuring reading.
Three Wishes hosted by Kirstin Pulioff
Introduce your characters to the world.
Kirstin Pulioff invites you to ask your main character,
"If you found a magic genie lamp, what would be your three
choices?"
Flash Fiction Challenge II hosted by Thomas Winship
Get ready to exercise your flash fiction muscles.
For the Flash Fiction Challenge II, Thomas Winship will provide
an opening line.
From there, entrants will craft a flash fiction piece of
approx 500 words. Entries will be displayed on Thomas' blog Vaempires during
the BBF, spread out evenly across the five days, in order of receipt.
Snapshot Synopsis Contest
hosted by Fel at The Peasants Revolt
Challenge: chisel your synopsis down to 50 words or less.
Voting will be open throughout the fair for visitors to vote
on their favorite Snapshot Synopsis.
Reader's Choice Awards hosted by Sherri at Shut Up & Read
All books registered for the Blogger Book Fair are
automatically entered into the running for the Reader's Choice Awards. Voting
will be open from July 22 to July 25.
Indie Soap Box Files hosted by Shah Wharton
Take a turn on the Soap Box.
Shah invites speculative fiction writers to write a guest
post about being an indie (or hybrid) writer.
Restrictions: Speculative fiction writers only
Monster Menagerie hosted by Noree at Trip the Eclipse
What's your favorite monster or supernatural creature?
Feature your creature in a flash fiction piece (500-800)
words to be featured on Trip the Eclipse. Visitors will vote on their favorite
piece.
Ways to
Help:
Donate to the
Blogger Book Fair via the BBF
Donation Fund. To help get the word out about BBF, we would like to
place ads on Facebook, Goodreads and other places, but to do, so we need a
little help. We'd also like to have some BBF sponsored giveaways, so money
donated would also go toward prizes. NO MONEY WILL BE KEPT BY ANY ORGANIZER OR
PARTICIPANT.
Spread the word! Share the
Fair on your social media accounts and show off the Blogger Book Fair logo in
your blog's sidebar.
Join us on:
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Announcement and apology!
Hey guys! First of all, I want to apologize for not keeping up with this blog. My blogs have been on hold for now as I regroup and reorganize. Not to mention I have tons of projects I'm working on.
My announcement deals with my new account as a seller on fiverr.com. I have decided to take on some side jobs through this site. Here is a list of my gigs:
The first one is my Virtual Assistant gig. For a limited time I'm doing 30 minutes for $5. That's a great rate, and I will probably drop the time down to 20 minutes some time in the future. I'm trying to build up experience right now. If you'd like to take advantage of this, the gig is listed here: http://fiverr.com/kaylacurry/be-your-virtual-assistant-for-30-minutes
The next one I have listed is my Online Image Consultation gig. This is where you can send me links to all your social media profiles, websites, and blogs. I will then visit each one and compile a report on what you are doing right, what you could improve on and what you could add or subtract. This will help you present a consistent image and help you brand yourself. This gig is available here: http://fiverr.com/kaylacurry/analyze-your-online-image
If you need new marketing ideas, I have a gig for that too. For $5 I will come up with 5 to 10 new and fun ideas on how to market your service or product. Check out the gig here for more details: http://fiverr.com/kaylacurry/give-you-marketing-ideas-for-your-business-or-product
Another gig I offer is advice on how to manage a bad press crisis. Simply tell me what problem you are having and I will help you come up with ways to fix it. This is similar to my online image consultation. If you point me towards the problem, I will check it out and send you a report with advice on what to do and what not to do. See all the details here: http://fiverr.com/kaylacurry/help-you-manage-a-bad-press-crisis
I also have other gigs, not related to marketing. A birthday planner gig and a wedding decoration planner gig. Check out my fiverr page for these and other upcoming gigs. http://fiverr.com/kaylacurry
My announcement deals with my new account as a seller on fiverr.com. I have decided to take on some side jobs through this site. Here is a list of my gigs:
The first one is my Virtual Assistant gig. For a limited time I'm doing 30 minutes for $5. That's a great rate, and I will probably drop the time down to 20 minutes some time in the future. I'm trying to build up experience right now. If you'd like to take advantage of this, the gig is listed here: http://fiverr.com/kaylacurry/be-your-virtual-assistant-for-30-minutes
The next one I have listed is my Online Image Consultation gig. This is where you can send me links to all your social media profiles, websites, and blogs. I will then visit each one and compile a report on what you are doing right, what you could improve on and what you could add or subtract. This will help you present a consistent image and help you brand yourself. This gig is available here: http://fiverr.com/kaylacurry/analyze-your-online-image
If you need new marketing ideas, I have a gig for that too. For $5 I will come up with 5 to 10 new and fun ideas on how to market your service or product. Check out the gig here for more details: http://fiverr.com/kaylacurry/give-you-marketing-ideas-for-your-business-or-product
Another gig I offer is advice on how to manage a bad press crisis. Simply tell me what problem you are having and I will help you come up with ways to fix it. This is similar to my online image consultation. If you point me towards the problem, I will check it out and send you a report with advice on what to do and what not to do. See all the details here: http://fiverr.com/kaylacurry/help-you-manage-a-bad-press-crisis
I also have other gigs, not related to marketing. A birthday planner gig and a wedding decoration planner gig. Check out my fiverr page for these and other upcoming gigs. http://fiverr.com/kaylacurry
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
A to Z Challenge - Day 26: Z is for Zeal!
I'm participating the this crazy challenge on 2 of my blogs. This one and Paranormal Lounge. The A to Z Challenge is a blogging event that takes place every April. The challenge is to write a post for each letter of the alphabet and post nearly every day during April, omitting Sundays.
My theme for this challenge is: Marketing is like war. I'm going to try to stick to that theme as much as possible, but I may have to deviate. Z is for Zeal!
When it comes to marketing, one of the most important things is your attitude. Enthusiasm is everything. here is how to keep being zealous:
Work on posting only positive things to Facebook Twitter and other platforms. If you post a lot of negative statuses, your friends might not know what to do with you. They want to be supportive, but negativity is discouraging. It's like going to work. You can treat your customers badly just because you are having a bad day and you certainly can't unload all your personal issues on them either. I know it feels good to let it out, and you can do that occasionally, but keep it to a minimum.
Watch funny videos and post them on your social media if you want. This will help you stay positive. Other things that help me are taking a break and watching a show or movie. I find that the media gets me down some days. I like to stay up on the news, but reading so much negativity can really take a toll on you.
Remain positive even when it seems like everything is working against you. If you haven't sold a book in a long time, or if you still haven't heard from that publisher, don't worry. Everyone has their ups and downs. The key is attitude. Stay enthusiastic about marketing and maybe think about changing things up a bit.
Zeal helps you connect. It also helps you work through your tough times and brings an even better attitude during the good times. Thanks for coming with me on this A to Z marketing adventure. Still undecided if I'll do it again next year, but it has been fun and I loved getting comments from all you readers. Have a great day!!
Monday, April 29, 2013
A to Z Challenge - Day 25: X and Y
I'm participating the this crazy challenge on 2 of my blogs. This one and Paranormal Lounge. The A to Z Challenge is a blogging event that takes place every April. The challenge is to write a post for each letter of the alphabet and post nearly every day during April, omitting Sundays.
I was sick on Friday night and didn't get my X post done for Saturday, so I combined them in today's post. Enjoy!
My theme for this challenge is: Marketing is like war. I'm going to try to stick to that theme as much as possible, but I may have to deviate. X is for eXplosive! Y is for Yearn!
Sometimes all you need in marketing is an explosive idea. One that will draw attention to you and make a big splash. There is a right way and a wrong way to do this.
The wrong way would be negative publicity. Some celebs are famous because they are always in the news for doing something bad. The only problem with that is their fans and their anti-fans are about even in numbers. You don't want anti-fans.
The right way would be something positive. You want to make people know you for something that can only be viewed as good. That will get you the most fans. It may not make as big a splash ad the negative way, but you'll still gain followers and fans.
What can you do? Well, that has to be up to you. Charity is a big thing, creating something new, throwing an event. You have to figure that part out for yourself, and when you do, be sure to plan very carefully and coordinate so that you can get the most publicity possible.
Getting fans to yearn for your book is very difficult. An explosion could help with that. Yearning for a book is usually what happens when someone reads the first book in a series and craves the next. Since yearning is more of a series thing, it is much easier to do if you write a series.
However, if someone is just hooked on your writing, that can also create yearning. When is the next book by so-and-so coming out? You want people to be asking that question about you.
In order to achieve the book or author yearning, the product must be at it's best. That is all there is to it. Put out a quality product, and you will start seeing people yearn for your next book!
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Want to be a beta reader?
I have two projects that I need to have other people read. If you are interested, please contact me on twitter @KaylaCurry1 or facebook www.facebook.com/kayla.curry1
Beta readers needed for Moonstone: Mystic Stones Series #2 (This story follows another set of characters. If you have not read Obsidian, you can still read this one without spoilers from the first book) (67,000 words) I need 2 or 3 readers for this one.
At a hotel in Richmond, Virginia a chance meeting occurs between Aila Myles and Dorin Dimir. Aila sees Dorin as a hansom foreigner with charming ways. Dorin sees Aila as his next meal.
The only problem? Aila wears a protective ring that keeps her safe from monsters she didn’t even know existed—monsters like Dorin. Unfortunately, the curse he shares with his brother makes it even more difficult to take blood from unsuspecting prey, but as Dorin pursues Aila, he finds that he’s having strange feelings for the first time in over one hundred years.
Dorin and Aila’s affair isn’t as private as they thought. It’s also the concern of his brother and the powerful Vampire Emperor. Can Dorin have his cake and eat it too? Or will Aila prove to be more than a menu item?
Beta readers also needed for a short story. The first in my new Vibe series: Vibe: Grey Apathy. (Sci-fi, mystery/crime, dystopian) (Just under 8,000 words) I need 3 or 4 readers for this one.
Welcome to a world where emotions have become weapons, currency and livelihood. Welcome to Vibe.
Greys feed on apathy. The only problem with that is they sometimes soak up so much apathy, they experience the emotion so strongly that they can't make themselves do anything. Even feeding becomes a chore that may or may not get done. Everyone knows you can't feed on your own emotion. So if you're isolated enough, you could end up drained.
Prism is a detective with problems of her own. She's been off the job for a while, but now she's back and working with a transfer named Atramen on the case of the drained grey. Being a color wheel has its advantages and disadvantages. The power to make anyone feel any emotion you want them to is a pro, but being bombarded 24/7 with the emotions of others is most definitely a con. Can Prism and Atramen find the killer and overcome the obstacles associated with a new partnership?
Friday, April 26, 2013
A to Z Challenge: Not feeling well.
Hey guys. I'm not feeling well tonight, (4/26) which is usually when I do my posts. I just hopped on to let you know that my X post will go up Sunday or along with Y on Monday.
A to Z Challenge - Day 23: W is for Well-known!
I'm participating the this crazy challenge on 2 of my blogs. This one and Paranormal Lounge. The A to Z Challenge is a blogging event that takes place every April. The challenge is to write a post for each letter of the alphabet and post nearly every day during April, omitting Sundays.
My theme for this challenge is: Marketing is like war. I'm going to try to stick to that theme as much as possible, but I may have to deviate. W is for Well-known!
Marketing is all about trying to get people to know your name and the title of your books. The goal is to become well-known. Here are some ways to help with that:
Interact with people whenever possible.
Use your name on all your accounts.
Display the title of your work on all your platforms.
Use the same profile picture and don't change it every month. (Keep it for at least three, but I recommend longer. Professional photos are best.)
Display your book covers on all your platforms.
Host a blog event.
Get your name in the news.
Be active in your community.
Try to get your name or book title on lists.
Cross promote on your blog. (Exchange posts with another author)
Part of getting your name recognized might be using a pen name. Here are the only times I recommend using a pen name:
If your name is hard to pronounce or hard to spell.
If your name is particularly long.
If you are writing for a genre that you wish to keep separate from your personal life such as erotica.
If you are writing for a gender biased genre and your gender is the opposite of what people expect (Horror writers are generally men and readers are more likely to read horror by men, Romance writers are generally woman and readers are more likely to read romance by women. In this case think about using initials or a gender neutral name.)
If you want to write fiction with one name and non-fiction with another name.
Names are very important. For titles I would try to keep them short and avoid long or hard to spell words. Keep "The" and "A" out if possible. Make it memorable! Becoming well-known isn't easy, but it is important to try!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
A to Z Challenge - Day 22: V is for Variation!
I'm participating the this crazy challenge on 2 of my blogs. This one and Paranormal Lounge. The A to Z Challenge is a blogging event that takes place every April. The challenge is to write a post for each letter of the alphabet and post nearly every day during April, omitting Sundays.
My theme for this challenge is: Marketing is like war. I'm going to try to stick to that theme as much as possible, but I may have to deviate. V is for Variation!
In marketing, you need to have a variety of tricks up your sleeve. If you keep pitching the same lines and the same content, people will think you're a broken record. You gotta switch it up a little.
Just put yourself in the shoes of the consumer. It's easy. Just think of that commercial you see between every TV show. It gets old, right? That's why companies only run the same commercial for a limited time. They put up a new one and you've forgotten all about the old one.
As you will also notice, some companies still keep a certain element or trademark from the old commercials. That helps with branding and you can do the same with your promo material and ads. The key is variation with a little bit of consistency.
You also need to have a variety of platforms to put up new promo material. That will help you reach more people and therefore increase your chances of a sale. Always be on the look out for a new platform that can show your work to a large amount of people.
You also need to vary the type of promo material you're putting out there. Images might reach one reader while excerpts reach another. Rotate the type of promo you do. Images one day, an excerpt the next, giveaway another day, and then a book trailer after that.
So, find a way to mix variation with consistency and you'll have multiple promotional tools along with a developing brand.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
A to Z Challenge - Day 21: U is for Unauthorized.
I'm participating the this crazy challenge on 2 of my blogs. This one and Paranormal Lounge. The A to Z Challenge is a blogging event that takes place every April. The challenge is to write a post for each letter of the alphabet and post nearly every day during April, omitting Sundays.
My theme for this challenge is: Marketing is like war. I'm going to try to stick to that theme as much as possible, but I may have to deviate. U is for Unauthorized.
Today I'm talking about one of my biggest pet peeves: Using copyrighted content with out permission. It drives me crazy. It may be the fact that I create my own promotional images and the fact that I sometimes do that as a side-job that makes me so crazy about this.
Okay, lets imagine you are a celebrity. You've had your picture taken millions of times and they are everywhere. Now let's imagine someone taking one of those pictures and using it to promote their product. They are basically saying that you, (as the celebrity) endorses their product. You've never even heard of this product before, yet your face is plastered all over it and you never signed anything saying it was okay.
Now, before you get offended, let's talk about the difference between using unauthorized content and having casting contests or dream cast posts.
Using unauthorized content like photos or images to help promote your book is wrong. Putting your book in an image with a celebrity or image of another book that is similar is wrong. You need permission to do that. It's also against the law. The likelihood that you'll be prosecuted is slim, but that doesn't mean you can do it.
Now, I see casting contests on Facebook all the time and that is perfectly fine as long as the images of the celebs are not combined with the product. If you want to know who your fans would want to play one of your characters in a movie, go for it! But, don't photoshop those images of the celebs with your book. Personally, I don't run those contests. It's a little too close to copyright law and putting words in he mouth of celebs for me. I do have a Pinterest album with my dream cast, but I don't really advertise it. It's more for me than my readers.
I'm sorry to have such a negative post today, but I just feel that I see this way too often. Put yourself in someone else's shoes. If you created content, or took a picture and someone used it without your permission, how would you feel? There are plenty of other places to get images for free or paid. My favorite FREE site is Pixabay.com check it out and make your own ORIGINAL content, or ask for help from your favorite cover designer. There are inexpensive ways to get professional looking content without stealing copyrighted images.
So, if you are an author trying to make it, please be fair and buy your promotional images or get images from the free site I listed. Don't use unauthorized images, please and thank you!
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
A to Z Challenge - Day 20: T is for Tagline!
I'm participating the this crazy challenge on 2 of my blogs. This one and Paranormal Lounge. The A to Z Challenge is a blogging event that takes place every April. The challenge is to write a post for each letter of the alphabet and post nearly every day during April, omitting Sundays.
My theme for this challenge is: Marketing is like war. I'm going to try to stick to that theme as much as possible, but I may have to deviate. T is for Tagline!
Okay, if you're going to sell your book with one look at a poster or piece of marketing material, then you need a good tagline . . . or five.
Taglines are those short sentences that make you curious. One of mine for Obsidian is: Paradise never looked so dangerous. Short, sweet and to the point. now you try. Come up with five taglines you can use to promote your novel. What do you do with them? Here, let me tell you:
Tweets
Facebook statuses
Google+ posts
Bookmarks
Posters
The cover or the back of your book
Your book business card if you decide to get one
Your website
Your marketing images
Any giveaway prizes
To go above your signature at signings
And anything else you can think of!
Here's an example of what I did with one of mine:
As you can see, the tagline paired with the image gets people interested in your work. Movie have taglines, your book should too!! They are just so handy.
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