Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Guest Blogger Wendy Van Hatten

Today, guest blogger Wendy Van Hatten talks to us about marketing.  It's a topic anyone business minded cannot get away from. Wendy shares some tips with us. Read on:

Marketing my books…probably the part I most feared. Sure, I can write an article on most any subject. I can write a book covering subjects from WWII to cats and their behaviors. But marketing?

Yet, what is one the most important parts of your book and its process? Marketing. Unless, of course you are content to sit and write, and sit and write, and sit and write…with no thoughts whatsoever of getting those books out to the public.

First of all, I know I cannot be good at everything I do. Plus, there are some things I just don’t like doing as well as others. There are only so many hours in a day where I can be productive. Do I want to spend them doing what I do best or something where I continue to struggle?

I love writing. But I also love selling my books. There’s something about somebody else actually paying to read what I wrote. But actually marketing those books? Not so much. Yet, how will anyone know what I have written or where they can purchase my books? I must market.

How? Here are some things that worked for me…

Virtual Book Tours: This was something I had no idea about until a fellow author mentioned them. Once I investigated and participated, I was hooked. Many sites all over the world conduct virtual book tours for authors. They send you a list of questions and you answer them. Several have calendars and only feature one author a month or one a week. Some only want specific genres. Research to find out what works for you. Now that I have become familiar with virtual book tours, I am starting my own tour that will appear in my newsletter. Maybe I can help other authors get started marketing their books.

Amazon: My books are listed on Amazon and I have developed my author profile there as well. Anytime I can get my name and my book titles in front of people, I do. When I am working on my next book, I can mention it there.

Website and Newsletter: My website and my monthly newsletter constantly mention my books. Do they work? I do know I sell books, receive inquiries regularly, and even have been contacted by a book store owner to have my books on his shelves.

Other Sites: When I come in contact with someone willing to provide me with an outlet to talk about my books, I grab it.

For me marketing is something I must continually work at. But you know what? I’ve learned to like it and I even learned to develop a marketing plan for each of my books. After all, I market my series of children’s books to a whole different audience than I market my book about Dad and World War II.

A little about Wendy:

Wendy VanHatten left the corporate world and became a published author and editor. Her author website, www.wendyvanhatten.com showcases some of her books and articles and her writing website, www.vhwritingservices.com details her editing and writing services.


She is the editor for Prime Time Living Magazine, a publication for active 40, 50, and 60 year old readers. She has taught courses at the college level regarding health care administration, career writing, effective communication, success for women, goal setting, and writing as a career.

Thank you, Wendy for giving our readers a little more insight into the marketing world.

If you would like to be a guest blogger here at QueenWriter news, please email me at sreina@queenwriter.com and put in the subject line: "Blog me!"

Until next time...

1 comment:

Pa Ul said...

This writer's site must be great to visit or perhaps you might also want to guest blog post?

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