Summer is ...

Writing conference and Book festival Season!

I enjoy visiting book festivals and taking part in writing conferences, but I must confess, my enjoyment diminishes somewhat when it is this hot!  I am not a hot house flower, but someone who prefers the cooler weather of autumn and I have no objection to crisp frosty mornings either!

I am delighted to be one of thirty attending authors at the 3rd UK Indie Lit Festival, once again being held in the Kala Sangam Arts Centre in Bradford.

The event takes place on the 28th July from 10.00 to 5pm. No matter what your reading preference, there is something for everyone including an International hub with USA best selling author Kendare Blake and DL Gallie from Australia, appearing via video link.

There are workshops, readings and a Prize Draw. Best of all, it's a free event, although you do need a ticket available from Eventbrite or the UK Indie Lit Festival website.

On the 12th August you'll find me on the Sheffield Authors stand at the South Yorkshire Festival being held at Wortley Hall, nr Sheffield.  This promises to be a fun day out for all the family with craft, garden and book stalls.  There's even free donkey rides and face painting to keep the child entertained.  Once again, this is a Free event, but there is a small charge for parking, which is limited, so be sure to get there early!

If you live near Bradford, Sheffield or Barnsley, do come along and say hello.  You may just find that elusive Christmas present for someone with the most discerning taste!

UK Indie Lit Festival, Bradford, 23rd July 2016

I am delighted to announce that I am taking part in the first UK Indie Literature Festival being held in Bradford, West Yorkshire, on the 23rd July. Organised by Follow this Publishing in conjunction with Cillian Press, this aims to be an annual event.   

Over 25 authors, covering various genres, will be in attendance, including International best selling authors Kendare Blake, CJ Rutherford, Roger Gordon, and Bridget Allyson who will be appearing via Skype.

This is a FREE event, and will feature author-led workshops and readings. Attendees will have the chance to:-

• Meet Authors

• Get their books signed

• Enter competitions to win signed novels

• Snap a picture with authors

• Hear music that inspired the writers and watch book trailers for the latest releases

The event will run from 9am-5pm and tickets are available from Eventbrite

Author Swag and Freebies...

I’ve been thinking a great deal about promotional items for authors as I’ve recently signed up to appear at two multi-author signings. This raises two questions: ‘What do readers expect in the way of ‘author swag/freebies’ when attending such events?’ and ‘Which items will hit home with them?’

Whenever I’ve given a talk to a group, presented a workshop, or attended a local literary festival, I have always provided bookmarks, postcards and ‘signed by the author’ stickers to grace the cover of any book sold. 

But are these the best promotional items and do they garner any sales? And how many of them end up in the bin.

Unless you have a proven sales record and are a multi-publisher author earning big money like James Patterson or J K Rowling, most publishers no longer provide a budget for such items; in fact, all promotion is often down to the author.

Paper promotional items are relatively inexpensive form of swag. So how do you go about providing the perfect bookmark or postcard?

Anyone with access to a computer and printer can produce a bookmark; but bookmarks that say everything about you as an author and your novel. These need to look professional if they are to connect with the reader and seduce them into buying your book. So don’t use a stock image, use the cover of your book, tagline and website address.

Most likely you will wish to hire a designer, but don’t panic, you’re not going to have to pay huge agency fees. A quick search of the Internet reveals many sites and graphic artists offering such services, but before you sign up or part with your hard earned cash, ask to see samples of their work.

 I recall the first writer’s conference I attended in America some years ago. The conference bag was crammed full of bookmarks and postcards. Did any of them fly home with me? Only those for novels I was interested in reading. The rest ended up in the bin. 

Paper is cheap and ‘everybody’ uses it. So if I can consign fellow author’s bookmarks and postcards to the dustbin, what chance do my own paper promotional items have of making it home with a reader?

These days however, it seems that anything goes when it comes to author swag/freebies, especially at conferences and large events such as the Romance Writers of America annual conference.

• ·      Pens
• ·      Mugs
• ·      Key Rings
• ·      T-Shirts
• ·      Tote bags
• ·      Coasters
• ·      Fridge Magnets
• ·      Notepads
• ·      Computer Mouse Mats
• ·      Chocolate
• ·      Lip Balm
• ·      Small bottles of hand cream/sanitizer
• ·      Badges

The list is almost endless.  While there is no doubt some of the items on the above list are useful, (especially tote bags for all those books your reader buys) but do they really say anything about YOUR book?

All these items cost money, and when the average author earns around £11,000 annually, finding something that readers will think is clever, and which entices them dig into their wallet to purchase your book, are difficult.  Setting a budget for such items is essential, as no author would wish to spend more than they are likely to earn in sales at such an event.

So, not only does my promotional item have to be unique and say something about my book, it has to be relatively inexpensive and useful. Before you empty your savings account and splash out on 250 T-shirts, pens and mugs etc, (remember, the more you buy the cheaper the individual cost per item), work out who your audience will be and where you are going to use your promotional items.

Rather than just handing out postcards at my next signing event, I am going to place a sticker on the back of some with the message ‘Email me and request a free copy.’ It will be interesting to see how many requests I receive. 

In the meantime, I would love to know what other authors provide by the way of swag/freebies. What do you use as give-aways? How have they supported your sales?

Writers Conferences - how to get the best nourishment.

Back in July I was fortunate to attend the Romantic Novelists’ annual conference in Caerleon, South Wales. This is the first genre specific conference I’ve attended, and while I’m no expert on the conference scene, I was keen to mingle with my fellow romantic suspense authors, listen to industry professionals and agents.

My conference pack offered a cornucopia of workshops, agent appointments, and industry panels, and I was hard pressed to choose which suited my needs best. Was my time best spent listening to a published author share techniques for developing your story hook? Or would it be better listening to a lecture on time management? All of which made me think what advice I would give to a first-time conference attendee.

Often when you sign up for a writers conference, which let’s face it, aren’t exactly inexpensive, few details, other than the venue and date, are available. The name of the keynote speaker and details of the workshops and agent appointments are sent with the conference pack after you have paid the fee. Personally, I find this a little disconcerting. After all, you wouldn’t order dinner in a restaurant without first looking at the menu or go to the movies without knowing what was showing.

So, when attending a writing conference whether genre specific or not, you need to focus carefully on what’s available. If you have any doubts on whether the conference will be suitable for your style of writing and genre, contact the organiser before you pay the fee. He or she should be able to give you some more details, even if the some of the speakers are yet to give details of their workshops. Select the sessions that fit your needs. For example, if you’re struggling with the plot of your novel, your time is best spent in a session dealing with the technique rather than pitching the idea for your as yet unwritten novel. Know the content of each session before you arrive at the conference venue.

Conferences, especially those in the USA, are filled with editors, agents, publishers and booksellers. Take time to talk to them, although I don’t recommend accosting an agent in a lift and pitching your book. But do listen to what they say. These are industry professionals. They know how the market works and what is selling and what is not. Ask any well thought-out question and note down the answer. Many presenters offer hand-outs, a list of key points from their session.

Take time to meet your peers and identify a potential mentor/critique partner. He or she can give you feedback on your writing and help you when your plot stalls. A good mentor will not write your book for you, but should give you constructive criticism.

Don’t be afraid to approach published authors and ask them how they did it and where they get their inspiration. Many are willing to share such information when asked politely, but again, pick your moment with care. No one wants to be cornered in the ladies room!

Avoid comparisons. Comparing your writing progress with that of other delegates serves no useful purpose and will only depress you. Remember, every published author was once like you, only dreaming of seeing their writing in print. And besides, just because someone boasts about their completed a manuscript there is no guarantee that it will be accepted for publication.

Finally, enjoy yourself. Most conferences present opportunities to socialize and make friends.

Readers Groups

Gone are the days when most authors could sit back and let their publisher sell their book. Nowadays, new and established authors often get little marketing help, and the prospect of doing it yourself can be daunting. But with a little perseverance and a little practice it can be fun, especially if you enjoy talking to people, as I do.

I’ve been fortunate; every Borders Books store I have approached has agreed to host a book signing event for me. So far, I’ve met readers in Batley, Leeds, Cheshire Oaks, York, Inverness, Liverpool, Warrington, and Stockport.

And while the shoppers might have co-operated, sadly the same can’t be said of the weather. I’ve roasted in York, and been rained on in Inverness. The British weather has an odd affect on shoppers. When it rains, they seem to flock to the stores in droves, and conversely, when the sun is shining and there’s no need for raincoats and umbrellas, they stay away!

Everyone I’ve met has been charming, which makes my job of engaging them in conversation and telling them about my book and the writing process, a pleasure.

Surprisingly, everyone who purchased a copy of The House on the Shore during the signing in York lived in Scotland, and what’s more, within fifty miles of where I used to live in Keith. Even more surprising, was the encounter in Inverness with a gentleman who at one time taught at Queen Mary Grammar School in Liverpool – my first grammar school. And while in a restaurant that same evening, I bumped into the guy who cut my hair during my twenty years of living in Scotland! It just goes to prove what a small world it really is.

But occasionally, you do meet strange people, for example, the child who just stood in front of the signing table and stared at me for what seemed like hours in Barnes and Noble in Dayton, Ohio, and the pleasant gentleman in York who wanted to tell me what was wrong with our current government here in the UK (as if I didn’t know!).

What if someone asks seemingly endless questions about writing a novel and the publishing industry, or just wants to stop and talk about the weather, before walking away without purchasing a book? I smile and remind myself that an author event, be it a book signing session or an author talk, is a means of a creating a presence – getting your name out there and interesting people in your work. Any sales they generate are a bonus. And if you're very lucky the local media might take an interest.

So, if you happen to be in Glossop on the 1st May, come along to the Labour Club, Chapel Street, at 2.30pm, where I shall be giving a talk as part of the Glossop Literary Festival, and see if I can’t tempt you into buying a book!