Is Swag Really Worth It? #authorproblems

One of my favorite pieces of author swag: I Read YA tote and button

Yesterday I was walking on the beach with a friend whose debut novel is coming out this summer and we were brainstorming how to help market her book. While chatting, I thought about so many friends who had also pondered the question of swag, and whether or not it's worth it.

In a nutshell, after talking to tons of authors, reading blogs, etc. here are the most common comments I've found on the question:

The beach that inspired this discussion

* Swag doesn't sell books, and it is rarely worth the cost
* Making swag can be a therapeutic way to feel like you're in control of your career when everything feels out of your hands in the very stressful season after last-edits and pub date
* Most authors cut WAYYY back on swag after a debut novel when they realize the cost/benefit ratio is not in its favor
* Bookmarks are the most popular swag item, and many people actually do keep/use them. 
* Bookmarks, bookplates, and postcards are nice to have on hand for school visits because kids who don't have money to buy a book that day can meet you, get it signed, and many do go buy the book later or Instagram a picture with you.
* Many authors feel far more comfortable having swag when they visit places because it's nice to be able to hand a bookseller, school, etc. something
* The second most popular swag item is the button--especially for YA. There are several book people who collect them at conferences, and they're easy to throw out to an audience. cheapbuttons.com is a popular place to have them made.
* Popular buttons generally have a fun/funny short slogan or picture
* Stick to one image because people will want one of each & it gets expensive
* Buttons or any swag that does not have your name or your book's name fails the primary purpose of swag which is to have target audience keep it & REMEMBER YOU.
* Character trading cards, etc. that have no real-life use are quickly thrown out.
* Candy is popular, but gets eaten quickly so you are forgotten quickly
* T-shirts are expensive and often don't fit well
*  Themed-swag can be fun as long as it is cheap, something a person will actually keep/use, and has your name or book title on it.
* My personal favorite swag item I received was a recipe that came with a cookie baked by the author from a cooking-themed novel. She told the story behind the cookie in her panel discussion, and I ended up buying several of her books later because I felt like she connected to me personally.
* Everyone loves a good tote bag at conferences like ALA/BEA, but they are expensive.
* Pens seem to be popular as well, but unsharpened pencils get tossed out easily
* Sometimes you can talk a local indie bookstore into putting your swag into all of their pre-orders when it ships so you don't have to worry about shipping
* Swag is cool for hype/giveaways, but you have to be careful because shipping costs add up really really quickly.
* Bookmarks, stickers, and temporary tattoos ship the most easily. 
* Many teens think temporary tattoos are a little young for them, and they get used up/thrown out so some avoid them as swag.


Some additional reading:

http://sherryficklin.com/swag-what-to-bring-to-your-book-events/

http://www.marissameyer.com/blogtype/blog-highlights-brainstorming-book-swag-10-fun-ideas/

 https://www.pinterest.com/lorikingauthor/author-swag/

http://thehelpfulwriter.com/author-business-cards-book-cards-and-general-author-swag/

 http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/2015/10/some-thoughts-on-swag.html

https://dailydahlia.wordpress.com/2014/07/08/an-unauthorized-guide-to-being-a-debut-author-part-ii-arcs-swag-and-self-promotion/

https://twitter.com/brokeandbookish/status/607179818749317120

12 easy ways to support your soon-to-be-published author friend

I've had a number of friends recently ask what they can do to help as I get ready to launch my book next year. So I thought I'd write a post about it. :-) That, and over the past year I've had several friends release books and several more that are coming in 2015, and I've realized that there are lots of little things you can do to show your support and help spread the word about their books both before and after publication.

Of course the operative word here is support - while publishing a book is exciting, it's also nerve wracking and scary. Your writer friend is putting something they likely spent years developing out into the world for others to critique, and that can sometimes leave them feeling naked and vulnerable. So if you only do one thing, be supportive and remember that publishing a book doesn't mean overnight success.  It's hard, stressful and often scary work.

How you can help before the book launches:

1. Add their book to your to-read shelf on Goodreads.

Whenever you add a new book to a bookshelf on Goodreads, an alert goes into all of your Goodreads friends' news feeds, making this a great, low-involvement way to help build awareness for your friend's soon-to-be released book.  It takes less than a second and won't cost you a thing, while giving them some much needed additional exposure.

2. Vote for it on Goodreads lists.

Goodreads' Listopia has a list for just about everything - from "the best YA books" to "where for art thou grass," a list dedicated to covers featuring grass on the front (no joke).  Any Goodreads member can start a list, add a book to an existing list, or vote for an already added book to move it further up in the rankings.

To find out which lists their book is on, search for the title, click onto their page, and scroll about halfway down to the section "lists with this book."  For each list that includes your friend's book, click the "vote for this book" button next to the cover image. And viola!  You've just helped potential readers discover your friend's book.

3.  Post their cover to your social media sites.

When the cover for my debut was released in September, I was blown away by all the support I got from my friends.  I posted it to my Facebook and Twitter accounts, and within hours I had dozens of friends sharing it on their pages as well.  It was minimal work on their end, but it meant the world to me not only because of the extra exposure, but also because of the outpouring of support.

4. Retweet their promotional tweets.

A simple retweet goes a long way, and only takes a second.

5. Like the author's Facebook page.

Ditto to liking their author page - liking their page is an easy way to show support, and more likes also helps them establish legitimacy when potential readers stop by their fan pages.

How you can help after the book launches:

6. Buy their book (don't ask for a free copy.)

This one is always a little touchy, but here's the thing you may not know: your friend is only going to get about 10 copies of their book.  That's it. And every book they give away to a friend is a book they can't use for promotional purposes.

That free book they just gave you could have been used for a Goodreads contest that would have resulted in 50+ new readers.  She could have sent that copy to a local library to ensure her book gets added to the new release lists, or to a local independent bookstore to drum up interest in a book signing.

I get it. We all love to get free things. But it's important to remember that book publishing is a business, and publishing houses don't give authors very many copies for a reason. If your friend has any hope of making it as an author she's going to need to sell books, and every sale counts.

7. Review their Book on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.

When it comes to book sales, word of mouth is the name of the game.  And every positive review helps increase your friends book sales.  It's also not just the star rating that matters, but the number of ratings.  It helps legitimize the author and their book.  A review is a gift that keeps on giving, and the more places you leave it, the more exposure you'll give.

8.  Reserve a copy at your local library and/or ask your local library to carry it.

When a library starts to get a long list of reservation requests for a book, it can lead to them ordering

more copies of that book.  Or, in the case of new authors and/or smaller publishing houses, the library may not even carry it until they start to get requests for it.

9. Ask your local bookstore where it's located.

This drums up attention for the book, and could even lead to a staff member selecting it for their monthly staff recommendations section.  And if your friend is with a smaller press, the book store may not have a physical copy in the store. If enough people ask about it, it could lead to them ordering the book and even displaying it in a prominent area of the store.

10. Recommend it to a book club.

If you or a friend belong to a book club who reads within the genre your friend wrote, why not pick their book for your monthly meeting?  You could even invite the author to the discussion for a live or Skyped Q&A session.

11. Recommend it to your friends.

What's the number one way you've discovered a good book?  Probably through a friend's recommendation. If you read and liked your friend's book, there is no greater gift than encouraging others to give it a try. That, and #7.

12. Be a supportive shoulder to cry on.

Publishing a book is scary.  These days simply having a publishing deal does not guarantee success - far from it in fact. There are over one million books published each year, which can make the task of promotion and breaking through the clutter feel damn near impossible. Your writer friend will be inundated with examples of other, more successful writers. They will receive negative reviews. They may not outsell their advance. Their second book might not get picked up. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is to simply be a supportive friend, and even if that doesn't feel like much, know that your friend will be eternally grateful.

If you liked this post, check out even more ideas from the blog Writers In The Storm here which was the inspiration for this post.

What are some other ways you've help your newly published friends promote their books?

If you've ever done a fundraiser, then you can promote your book

Congratulation!  You've done it!  NaNo is over and it is time to start editing, but before revision, it might be a good idea to think about marketing.  That's right marketing.  It is never too early to start "selling" your book.

For some of us, writing is the easy part, but "selling" ourselves is a bit trickier.  So, what to do?

Well, if you've ever done fundraisers, then you already know how to promote products.  I found this out recently.  I won a signing competition allowing me to perform as a Tenor at Carnegie Hall.  The catch?  I have to pay my way.  That's when it hit me.  Fundraising and promoting books are pretty similar.  Here's what I learned:

1. Start early - get the word out there to create interest in your project so people have time to think
    about it.

2. Establish goals and timelines

3. Try many methods - social media, online, cold calls, etc.

4. Promote

    * Post signs, flyers, and posters
    * Write a press release to the local newspaper, radio station, and television station

5. Use friends as network

6. Have a party or book launch

7. Be professional

8. Be friendly.  Smile.  Be ready to talk about yourself.

9. Set up a table at a craft fair, library fair, grocery store, and the following:

     * Stand so that you are easy to see and approach
     * Bring a blown up poster that can be seen from far away
     * Decorate table to attract interest
     * Have giveaways like bookmarks, pens, or candy

These are jus a few examples.  What works for you?