Today we have a real treat. The Borrowed Book's own Lisa Ludwig is here to talk to us about her writing life. Pull up a chair and enjoy!
How many books do you
have published? What are a few of your latest titles?
I have 9 books published so far, with one more coming out
later this year. So exciting! I can hardly believe that not so long ago, I was
hoping and praying for that first contract.
My newest series is called Edge of Freedom. It’s Historical Suspense from Bethany House
Publishers. Book one, No Safe Harbor,
came out in 2012, book two, Dark Road
Home, in 2013, and the third book in this series, Tide and Tempest, released this month.
The series is about an Irish immigrant family who’s
desperate and bloody past follows them to America. There is romance, danger,
political intrigue—and of course, a whole lot of suspense! I have loved working
on these books.
What are the chief
lessons you’ve learned about the writing life since you sold your first book?
They say necessity is the mother of invention, and of
necessity, I have learned to be very disciplined in my writing. There are very
few months when I don’t have a deadline looming, whether it's contract
obligations, editing and revisions, or something else. That means I need to
guard my time and approach my writing with the same energy and dedication I
would any full time job. Fortunately,
my family is very supportive, and they all understand that when I’m working,
they need to pitch in and help at home. They almost always do.
What are the chief lessons
you’ve learned about promotion?
Wow…I never realized how much promotion I would have to do
when I sold my first book. That in itself is a full time job. Here are a few
things I’ve learned along the way, though I should note, most of these lessons have
come by hitting bumps in the road. LOL!
1. Be
ruthless when creating your influencer list, and only add those people who will
be faithful to the obligation they have signed up for. Yes, we all want to give
our friends free books, but in the long run, your influencers are there for a
purpose, and that is to help you sell books.
2. Give
your influencers easy to understand tasks. I have a list of about fifteen
things that I ask my influencers to do, like posting reviews, advertising on
Facebook, and tweeting. Also, try and make it easy for them to accomplish. I provide
the links to places where they can post reviews. I compose effective tweets for
them. I draft Facebook messages with hyperlinks and photos, etc. The easier the
task is, the more likely they are to complete it.
3. We all
think when we start out that we need to go big on promotion when really, it’s
much more effective to build a name for yourself locally and let your career
blossom from there. I have a friend at one of our local newspapers who told me recently
that she wanted me to be “as big as Stephen King” because she felt like she
discovered me. Don’t you know that lady is invested
in my career! That’s invaluable promotion and it has led to several newspaper
articles, speaking engagements, and even a spot on the evening news.
What are the most
effective means of book promotion you’ve tried?
A few things that have worked? You’ll be surprised. Most of
them are not writing related!
2. Contact
your local libraries and offer to donate copies of your books. My local library
has a large display with my picture and all of my books featured simply because
I am a local author. I know…we want to sell
books, so how does a library help? Think about it. Who goes into the library?
Students, teachers, readers, and here’s one I bet you didn’t consider…voters.
All our local elections are held at the library and once a year, they walk into
that library where my display is front and center.
3. I write
historical suspense, so I created a list of organizations that I thought might
be interested in hearing me speak—like the Historical Society, the Daughters of
the American Revolution, and the Sertoma Club. All responded positively, and
all of them agreed to let me host a book signing afterward.
What are the least
effective promotional activities you’ve tried?
To be honest, book signings are hit or miss. I find that if
I combine them with a workshop or special promotional event (like a drawing for
a Kindle or gift card for anyone who buys a book), they work a little better.
Otherwise…
Also, I’ve learned to be choosy about online interviews.
Unless a blog has a large following, writing articles for them can rob me of
precious writing time. To solve this, I write about four “spare” blog articles
a year, and keep them on hand. Then, if someone asks me to appear on their blog
I can be gracious and say yes if they
will allow me to do a guest post rather than an interview.
What’s your favorite
way to connect with your readers?
I love social media because it allows me to correspond with
readers in real time. My favorite is Facebook, because not only to readers get
to see what’s happening in my life, I get to see what’s happening in theirs!
What’s the craziest
promotional gimmick you tried?
LOL! This is just between me and you, right?
Once, I entered a hog-calling contest because I thought it
would draw attention. Boy, did it.
What’s the funniest
thing that happened during a promotional activity?
Oddly enough, it’s not the above. LOL!
I love multi-author events because it allows the
participants to interact. Once, a friend and I were taking a break from signing
books and we decided to get a cup of coffee. While we were waiting for our
drinks, we started talking about possible plot scenarios, and remember…I write
suspense.
My friend’s story was set in Louisiana. Because I live just
across the border in Texas, she asked me if I knew of any good places to hide a
body. I asked if she wanted the body found. She said yes, but not right away. I
told her she had to be very careful not to bury it too deep in the swamp
because the alligators would…you know…eat it, before the police could discover
its whereabouts.
And right about then, Starbucks lost an employee. I saw him
eyeing us two seconds before he hit the back door.
Did you see God open
any doors you never expected in the promotion of your books?
Always! I taught a workshop in the Dallas area a few years
ago. It was a small group and lightly attended, and I really wondered if the 6
hour drive to get there had been worth my time. Later, one of the women there
contacted me to say that she was the ministry coordinator for a very large
church and wanted to know if I would be willing to speak at their Spring
Conference. It was amazing, and it reminded me that God always uses those
things I give to Him.
What are your top
tips for new authors promoting their first book?
I think I’d have to say be prepared to work hard. Second,
set aside time before and after your book’s
Links to Lisa's webs/blogs
Don't forget to stop by tomorrow when you can enter to win a free copy of Lisa's latest release, Tide and Tempest!
That Starbucks story is hilarious! I wonder if he showed up at the police station, freaking out, ranting about two ladies burying a body in the swamp! ;)
ReplyDeleteLOL! Honestly...one of these days, I'm going to be explaining to the FBI that I am just a writer. Really. I write.
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa, so enjoyed your "visit" on this site, each time I read something about you, my pride increases in your accomplishments as a writer. I was fortunate to visit with you recently at your sister Lori's home in Ludington, MI so glad to have been invited to that Gracia Family gathering. May God continue to bless you with the gift He has bestowed upon you and may you always praise His name, for it is Holy. Love, Tia Lali
ReplyDelete