Branding, Keep It Simple Sister!

Today Lisa M. Campbell, one of my favorite guest bloggers, offers some well-thought-out advice on branding. If you're a genre writer, you should pay attention.

Nowadays you can't have a serious discussion about writing and book promoting without hearing the word brand thrown into the conversation.

What is branding, and why is it necessary for writers to use this technique? Take a moment and think of your favorite authors. What is it about their stories that keeps you into a repeat customer? Why do you search for one particular author first, before checking out someone else who may write in a similar manner?

When I began writing historical romance, I defined my style simply, Where romance begins…. I wanted readers to understand no matter what dramatic, treacherous or humorous events occur in the plot, I would never shortchange them on the romantic development of my main characters. Where romance begins…, is the tag line upon which I build my particular brand of romance.

Eventually I branched out to paranormal erotica under the pen name Marie March, and soon realized the WRB tag line, while perfect for my historical novels, didn't necessarily speak to the unrestrained sexual element of my shorter works. I needed a tag line that packed a bit more oomph, something that set my paranormal erotica apart from others writing in the genre.

If you look me up on MySpace, I bill my erotica as stories that feature sinister, yet sexy vampires, earth and sky Faeries, Fallen Angels, and nubile Nymphs with a heat rating that falls anywhere between sensual and scorching. Although this description reads well for MySpace, how could I begin to translate everything into a succinct memorable tag line?

After some thought, I whittled down the above descriptor to three words--you read that correctly. Remember, a good rule of thumb is KISS! Keep it simple sister! Think of any annoying television jingle and you will understand why the rule of three works. For example, one magazine ad that sticks in the corner of my brain is, got milk? It's certainly clear what the advertisers are pushing, and with two simple words, the entire dairy industry is represented.

In the end, branding plays a large part in an author's success; it's what initially draws a reader to your work. Staying true to your brand is what the reader expects, and ultimately, the reason that keeps your readers coming back for more.


Learn more about Lisa M. Campbell and her wonderful writing at:
www.lisamcampbell.net
Where romance begins…
www.myspace.com/lisamcampbell
www.twitter.com/darceezgrl
www.myspace.com/mariemarch
sin~sational romance!http://www.celticqueens.blogspot.com

Face to Facebook

Recently I've been trying to respond to some of the most frequently asked questions, on the theory that if one new author asked, a dozen more want to know the same thing. Here's one about social media:


My publisher is pushing me (and rightfully so) to make better use of Facebook, but I find I'm reluctant to do a big promo push when I have so many personal contacts and communications on my profile (young family members, church friends, etc.). I know that I can do an "Author Page" (like a fan page, although it doesn't have to be called that), but I think maybe I should have an Author Page, and Author Profile, and then a whole separate profile for personal contacts and family networking, etc. Do you have any advice?


I understand your conflict concerning Facebook. I think it’s good to separate “social” networking from “business” networking.

I personally have only one Facebook page but as you can see if you visit it, there is very little there about my personal life. My page was created primarily as a marketing vehicle although I hope it’s a friendly one.

Authors who really ARE social on Facebook should establish a separate author fan page. Your profile and postings should be oriented to your writing, and it’s a good place to keep people up to date on your writing career.

Each Facebook page should be established based on a different email address. After you set up your Author page you should send a notice to all your friends at the original page suggesting they become a “fan” as well, at the new page. I would also suggest that you place restrictions on your original Facebook page so that no one can access the information unless they know your email address. That way, strangers who are looking for you on Facebook will flow to your fan page, and only actual friends will be checking out your personal page.

When you have free time, you can go to the profile of each of your fans and friends and message their friends with something like, “We have a friend in common – XXXX - and I’d like to be your friend too.” I did that until I got to 500 and now have people finding me (I currently have 640 friends.)

Just be sure on your new page that you work in some personal stuff that’s writing related: how you feel about the manuscript you’re working on now, who you met that inspired you, etc. Even on your writing site, people want to know YOU, not just your stories.

The Price is Right

A couple of months ago, Amazon.com practically went to war with Macmillan over the sale price of e-books. I think a lot of publishers were unhappy with the $9.99 price point that Amazon established fore-books, thinking it was too low. They didn't want book buyers getting used to such a low price for literature. And this was when Amazon paid those publishers half the hardcover price for each sale. Why wouldAmazon set themselves up to take such a loss? One can only guess that they had their eye on Kindle sales.

On the other hand, publishers set the price for books on the iPad, and publishers get a 70/30 split. When Amazon took down the buy buttons for nearly all Macmillan titles. That's harsh.

Presumably Amazon wants e-book prices to be as low as possible to lure more people to buy Kindles. The more people who buy Kindles, the more people who won't buy e-books in other formats. And if you look at sales figures, it appears that the less expensive an e-book is the more copies sell. So, since, Amazon AND readers want e-books to be cheaper, smart publishers are pushing farther and farther in that direction.

Echelon Press is one of those smart publishers. To test the waters, Echelon has reduced the price of my flagship novel, Blood and Bone, to a mere $3 for the month of April. If you own a Kindle, this is your chance to read my best selling Hannibal Jones mystery and get hooked ona great detective series. Download it now while this reduced pricelasts, at http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Bone-Hannibal-Jones-ebook/dp/B001IDZ59O/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

And if you want to support this crazy experiment, please pass this link on to everyone you know who owns a Kindle. I'll let you know the result at the end of the month

Coming Soon - A Thinking Person's Guest Blog

Hey guys and gals,

Want a free book signed by the author?

I’m excited about hosting an international blog book tour for Resolution 786. American author, Mohamed Mughal, will be joining our blog from 23-25 March 2010 to answer questions about his novel and about his approach to writing. Mohamed will answer up to three questions from blog visitors during the dates noted above. The first visitor to ask a question receives a free signed copy of Resolution 786!

You can read more about the novel and the author in the interview posted at http://www.harfordneighbors.net/index.php?section=1&subtype=136&id=2732 .

Remember, this is an international book tour so if you miss Mohamed on my blog, you can still catch him in Germany or the U.K. at:

21-23 March 2010, “Onions and Tea” by Inna Selipanov, Germany, http://www.onionsandtea.blogspot.com/

22-24 March 2010, “Not-quite-a-blog” by Imran Ahmad, United Kingdom, http://unimagined.typepad.com/unimagined/

This should be both fun and an interesting insight into another writer's process. Stay tuned!

Let’s Get it Started

While I was teaching my most recent class on writing basics I mentioned the importance of the first line of a novel. Today’s readers expect a writer to hook them fast and keep their attention. I spend a lot of time agonizing over the first sentence of a book and I know a lot of other writers who do the same. But when questioned, I was hard put to clearly define what a good lead sentence is or how to create one. What will let the reader know what kind of book to expect, create suspense that draws them in, yet doesn’t leave them feeling lost and confused?

In my on line search for enlightenment I came upon an entire web site dedicated to first lines. The Opening Lines section of Wikiquote is almost a class in itself, an extensive lesson on how to grab the reader at the start of your book. The lines are laid out alphabetically by book title and just in the A section I found great examples of opening with humor:

"Dirk Moeller didn't know if he could fart his way into a major diplomatic incident. But he was ready to find out. " - The Android's Dream by John Scalzi

Profound, thought provoking starts:

"All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." - Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.

And beginnings that tell you what the whole book will hinge on:

"Who is John Galt?" - Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

I’ll admit that I’m also partial to openings that make you want to know why:

"Ten days after the war ended, my sister Laura drove a car off a bridge." - The Blind Assassin, by Margaret Atwood

I was surprised to see just how many of these familiar books opened with a description of the weather, something I’ve been told is a bad idea. Of course the most famous bad writing example starts there: “It was a dark and stormy night.”

Anyway, I found the pages to be a fun read, and I think others who enjoy short works might enjoy trolling thru these opening lines and if they work, you might be looking up the books too.

BTW, I am particularly proud of the opening line for my short story, “A Little Wildness.”

"Sometimes Hannibal thought he could actually hear trouble coming."

I hope it convinces others to check that little story out at Echelon Shorts.

Schizophrenia and the Writer;or What's that pervert doing behind the tree?

I'd have to be crazy not to share this cute but oh-so-true guest blog from top notch historical fiction author Lisa M. Campbell. Take it away, Lisa!

E.L. Doctorow once said, "Writing is a socially acceptable form ofschizophrenia." As a reader, I never understood. Now, as a writer, I agree with part of that quote, as I tend to live inside my head more often than not. I'm just not certain the way I go about the writing process is socially acceptable.

Merriam-Webster dictionary describes schizophrenia as "a psychoticdisorder characterized by loss of contact with the environment, by noticeable deterioration in the level of functioning in everyday life."

In the beginning, I had a problem with Doctorow's assertion until I dissected this statement and realized his quote wasn't too far off themark. After all, those of us who write fiction, and romance inparticular, spend a lot of time shaping characters, situations, and places in our imagination, agonizing over their fictional lives fordays, months and sometimes years.

Now, before you shake your head in complete denial, check your concentration level the next time you study a couple sharing a passionate kiss. Ask yourself this question. Were you a bit more interested in cataloguing hand and lip placement for the upcoming first kiss scene in your manuscript, rather than giving the couple a passing glance? Uh-huh, thought so. Now that I have your attention, ask yourself another question. Do you find yourself falling off chairs, or skulking around corners to eavesdrop on private conversations for the sake ofc haracter development? What interests you more, the topic of the discussion, or the emotions behind it? If you have answered at least one of these questions, you, my fellow writer, are completely uninvolved within your external environment. Mmm-hmm... shocking, is it not?

A solitary person, I shy away from such behaviors in my un-writing life,and yet, I have no problem indulging in these dubious traits for the sake of my story. Therefore, I can safely assume this is writer's schizophrenia taking over. Now what, you may ask? Well, the next step should be admitting there is a problem, and finding a solution to correct the behavior before you wind up in an arraignment hearing.

Unfortunately, it's difficult to pin down such inappropriate actions ifyou're unaware of them. Enlisting the aid of family and friends is a proactive first step, though I have to admit my own husband isn't always useful in certain circumstances. He's a great help positioning himself between my subjects and me when he sees I'm sidling closer to a group, notepad at the ready, to record outbursts and the like. However, he's more than eager to parse a few love scenes when I want to confirm positions or pacing. In this instance, he supports my schizophrenia one hundred percent---and in the end that is all any of us wants; one special someone who understands, accepts, and supports the schizophrenic side of a writer's life.

Playing to the Room

Today's guest blogger is Lisa M. Campbell, who writes Celtic romances... MOST of the time. Lisa has some interesting ideas about how to decide what to write.

Those of us who write undoubtedly have a passion for it. Why else would we put ourselves through the difficulties of creating a cast of characters with seemingly insurmountable problems?

As an author of historical romance, I have noticed the high volume of paranormal books lining the shelves of our local bookstores. Publishers and readers alike clamor for these stories and though the saturation level is high, there doesn't seem to be any sign the genre is tapering off. Moreover, it's not just brick and mortar stores packing them in. E-book sites all over the internet display page after page of paranormal titles and what once thought a fad is now a cornerstone of the billion-dollar a year romance industry.

No doubt, it sounds as if I'm opposed to such books. However, I write erotic paranormal under the pen name Marie March and have four titles due out this year. As well, I eagerly await the next Sookie Stackhouse adventure from Charlaine Harris, and the last installment in Karen Marie Moning's Fever series. What I enjoy about these authors is their ability to create stories in which I'm able to suspend my disbelief and immerse myself in an all too real fantasy-world.

This brings up the question of writing strictly for profit or playing to the room. Should an author who stands out in his or her own category write to a specific market? From what I have read and heard, most Editors view this as a no-no. Yet, how many publishers out there, big and small, have calls out for paranormal manuscripts above anything else? With werewolf, vampire and shifter stories in demand the conclusion may be any submission will have a better than average acceptance rate. Such logic will set anyone up for disappointment and failure.

As a romance writer, you have to enjoy reading what you set out to write. With a paranormal, you have to believe in the unbelievable yourself otherwise the rudiments of your story just won't work. Therefore, I believe success in any form of writing depends on the blend of two essential elements…your talents and interests.

Lisa M. Campbell's author info:

http://www.lisamcampbell.net/ - Where romance begins

www.myspace.com/mariemarch - sin~sational romance

www.damselsatthegate.blogspot.com
www.celticqueens.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/darceezgrl
www.heetr.com