Guest post: "Promotion for Writers," by Beverly McClure

I want to write. Isn’t that what writers are supposed to do? Well, maybe once upon a time all writers had to do was write. Times have changed. Today, writing isn’t enough for most writers. Now, if you’re already famous for some reason, if people know your name, you can probably get away with very little promotion. Your famous name will sell your books. Unfortunately, if you’re like me, no one except my family, friends, and former students have ever heard of me. So that means if I want people to read my books, I have to let them know they’re published. There are a lot of ways to do this. I’m trying them all and still don’t know which ways are best. I’ll share with you what I do.

One: Blogging. I have two major blogs and some for my different books. On Blogspot http://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com, I promote not only my work but the work of other writers too. I post book reviews, cover reveals, guest posts, interviews and whatever an author would like to say about his/her book. Once a month, I also post for a group I belong to that links to hundreds of writers, The Insecure Writer’s Support Group, started by Alex J. Cavanaugh. We post about our insecurities and encourage each other. Sheri Larsen’s baby is the Rebel Writer’s Creed that helps us evaluate how we’re doing each month.

Wordpress is my other blog. http://beverlystowemcclure.wordpress.com. Here I talk about my work, my editing, awards, when a book is coming out, and things like that. I also have tips for writers and excerpts from my books, along with videos and other information I hope readers will enjoy. I also have links to my blog for my YA novels and for my MG novels.

Two: Facebook is another place where I promote my work. I have three pages there, one a fan page. I post about my work, about other writers, and also about my life. I talk about my cats. I post pictures of the sunrise, birds, and my cats. I wish other writers Happy Birthday. Basically, I keep in touch.

Three: Yes, I tweet on Twitter too, for my friends and me. Good Reads, Library Thing, and Shelfari are some of the places where I post reviews for others and have a few friends.

Four: And don’t forget personal promotion too. Book signings at bookstores and libraries, craft fairs, and school visits are where you can show off your work and find new fans. Even if they don’t buy your books then they’ll remember you and perhaps buy them later. I give away little finger puppets to the wee ones, bookmarks, pencils, and other stuff that fits the theme of my books. SCBWI and other conferences (though I’ve only been to a couple) are great to meet editors, agents, and publishers. Check for Online Conferences which often are free and have a lot of information.

I’ve probably left out something very important here, but I can’t think what. I’m always looking for new ways to promote my books.

Happy Promotion to You.

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Title: Pirate, a Blockade Runner, and a Cat
Genre: Paranormal
Author:  Beverly Stowe McClure
Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing
Purchase on amazon

Thirteen-year-old Erik Burks’ life is falling apart. When he discovers a lace bra in the glove compartment of his dad’s car, his mom leaves his father and drags Erik from being king of the hill in Texas to the bottom of the pits in South Carolina. No Dad, no baseball, no friends, just Starry Knight (a girl who reads minds) and her equally weird brother, Stormy, the twins that live down the block.
Just when Erik thinks life can’t get any worse, while hanging out at the beach one evening, he and the twins notice lights radiating from the lighthouse. Stranger still, a ship materializes in the moonlit harbor. Curious, the twins and a reluctant Erik investigate and discover the ghost of a blockade runner, a cat, and a pirate who prowls Charleston Harbor, and the fun begins.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

When Beverly Stowe McClure was in eighth grade, her teacher sent her poem “Stars” to the National High School Poetry Association, and she was soon a published writer in Young America Sings, an anthology of Texas high school poetry. Today, Beverly is a cum laude graduate of Midwestern State University with a BSEd degree. For twenty-two years, she taught children to read and write. They taught her patience. She is affectionately known as the “Bug Lady” because she rescues butterflies, moths, walking sticks, and praying mantis from her cats.
Most of the time, you’ll find Beverly in front of her computer, writing the stories little voices in her head tell her. When she’s not writing, she takes long walks and snaps photos of clouds, wild flowers, birds and deer. She also enjoys visiting with her family and teaching a women’s Sunday school class at her church. Her articles have been published in leading children’s magazines. Two of her stories are in CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL ANTHOLOGIES, and she has nine novels published, two of them award winning novels at Children’s Literary Classics and other competitions.
  





      

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