As authors are increasingly encouraged to use blogs for book reviews, interviews and other coverage on their book tours, there is the question of what to do when no one is home on the blog.
The more popular the blog, the less likely there is an e-mail address for an author to send a pitch. Even more challenging are the blogs that only allow episodic, if at all, comments (i.e., www.dooce.com).
There are ways to send a message. First, for the blogs with no e-mail address, send comments. Get known by the community of this blog. Often, the comments can have the same resonance and readership as an essay or review, so make your comment well done.
But for the blog with closed comments, google the name of the blog and author for other places where his or her address can be discerned.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Codes, passwords
Mr. Obie Joe is willing to bet that many publicists are well on the vanguard of fighting Alzheimer's Disease. If remembering sets of numbers and letters, repeatedly, yet without connection, is a memory booster, than any publicist even lightly enmeshed in online publicity is covered.
Just this week Mr. Obie Joe and the missus calculated the number of usernames and passwords for our clients needed for sites like Amazon; Shelfari; MySpace; FaceBook; B&N; and the numerous other author blogs and web sites.
About 45. Is it any wonder why the password of "abc123" is so popular?
Just this week Mr. Obie Joe and the missus calculated the number of usernames and passwords for our clients needed for sites like Amazon; Shelfari; MySpace; FaceBook; B&N; and the numerous other author blogs and web sites.
About 45. Is it any wonder why the password of "abc123" is so popular?
Taking a bit of your fans home with you
Before heading out for your book reading/signing/performance/panel discussion or whatever, make sure to pack your Sign-In Sheet.
What's a Sign-In Sheet you say? Whether it's a clipboard with a single sheet, a spiral bound notebook, or an Leeds officially sanctioned and ruled ledger, the Sign-In Sheet asks audience participants to leave their name and e-mail address. Some authors also ask for mailing addresses, but most have found that to be unnecessary. The e-mail addresses are what you want, as you send out news of your next appearance, essay or project to people who already like you. And who already are interesting in forwarding the e-mail to their friends to tell them about you.
There's some controversy as to where to place the Sign-In Sheet at an event. Some authors discreetly place it at the back of the room, with the hopes audience members will take the hint. Other authors place it on the signing table, as the author signs your book, you're told to sign your name, too. Possibly the most aggressive method witnessed by Mr. Obie Joe included a publicist walking up and down the aisle getting people's names.
We recommend a combination: at the reading's conclusion, tell people to please sign the Sheet at the back of the room, or on the table.
Because a connection this magical should never end with just one evening.
What's a Sign-In Sheet you say? Whether it's a clipboard with a single sheet, a spiral bound notebook, or an Leeds officially sanctioned and ruled ledger, the Sign-In Sheet asks audience participants to leave their name and e-mail address. Some authors also ask for mailing addresses, but most have found that to be unnecessary. The e-mail addresses are what you want, as you send out news of your next appearance, essay or project to people who already like you. And who already are interesting in forwarding the e-mail to their friends to tell them about you.
There's some controversy as to where to place the Sign-In Sheet at an event. Some authors discreetly place it at the back of the room, with the hopes audience members will take the hint. Other authors place it on the signing table, as the author signs your book, you're told to sign your name, too. Possibly the most aggressive method witnessed by Mr. Obie Joe included a publicist walking up and down the aisle getting people's names.
We recommend a combination: at the reading's conclusion, tell people to please sign the Sheet at the back of the room, or on the table.
Because a connection this magical should never end with just one evening.
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