Writers in the Storm

by James Preston

Writers deal in words, but often those words need to paint a picture in the mind of our reader; they need to see what’s happening. Let’s talk about why that’s important and then about a different way for you to accomplish that visualization in your novel, through Storyboarding.

I remember driving to Mammoth Mountain for a ski trip with my friend Steve, who had brought a book on tape (ok, actually a CD). It was a Tom Clancy novel, one that I’d read before so I knew what was happening and it should have been just fine.

Instead. I nearly drove off the road. Highway 395 vanished and I could see the interior of that atomic submarine, the periscope, the dials and switches and the result was I learned that I can’t drive and listen to a story.

In my newest story I almost got to the end, writing a big action scene on the roof of a building, and the nasty thing got out of hand. Where were my characters standing? What could each one see? This is a first-person story, so what could my hero see and how did that change when he moved?

It seems like there are two issues here. Seeing in your mind what’s happening, and translating that vision into words. Issue Number Two — translating your vision into words — is the subject of other excellent essays here on Writers in the Storm. Issue Number One is what we want to talk about today.

If anybody had asked if I knew what was going on up on that roof, I would have said, “Why, sure. I’ve had it in mind for weeks.” Then I had to really figure it out and I  discovered I wasn’t as clear as I needed to be. One answer is storyboarding. 

What is storyboarding?

The term comes from Hollywood. Storyboards are sketches that allow directors to see the scene and to communicate what they want to the cinematographer. I would suggest that some form of it, simplified of course, can be of value to novelists. 

Some of us can draw, some can’t, and then there’s me. With a lot of practice I have hopes of working my way up to “pitiful.” Technology to the rescue! There are at least five drawing apps for the iPad that are free. I checked out one called Autodesk while I was working on this essay, and it’s excellent, with way more features than I’ll ever use.

Side note: if you decide to try it, do go through the tutorial! There are things to learn.

Technology to the rescue part 2: the camera on your cell phone. Remember film? I do. In my first photo class on Day 1 the instructor said to think before you shot “because film and developing were expensive.”

Those days are gone! Want to write about a crowd scene at a farmers’ market with booths selling everything from avocados to zucchini? Find one, snap as many pictures as you want. The new rule is: when in doubt take the shot.

Back at your desk delete the ones that you don’t want and use the others to visualize your scene. Trapped inside because of the lockdown? Not close to the kind of scene you have in mind? Just Google it. More scenery than you can ever use. Of course, you’ll have to imagine the young woman showing her seven-foot, tattooed, alien warrior boyfriend around, but, hey, that’s your job.

Steps to Storyboarding

1.  Create blank boxes. Think of a comic strip before any of the frames are filled in. For free ways to get started check out sampletemplates.com.

2.  Beneath each box add a brief description of what’s happening, specifically what you want the reader to see. If you are working in first-person your job is a bit easier because the reader is behind the hero’s eyes.

3.  Sketch. Who’s standing where? What’s in — and not in — their field of vision?

That’s it. Three steps. Keep it simple so it doesn’t eat your time like the dreaded social media.

Maps and Building Plans

Closely related to storyboarding is drawing a building plan. I created several for my most recent story because a lot of it is set in a hospital that’s attached to a much older structure and it was easy to lose track of where various rooms were and how everything connected. I did top-down and side views, sketching on graph paper, and, while none of the results are worth framing, they helped me.

F. Paul Wilson has a series of supernatural thrillers called the Repairman Jack novels. I’ll never forget reading one that’s set in part on Maui. Now that island is one of my favorite places; there’s nothing not to like about it. Over the years we’ve been there many times, so I know what it’s like, right? Wrong! Wilson saw the landscape better than I did, and his descriptions made me see it the way he did. His description of the red dirt of Maui made me see it forming hills and cultivated fields.

As writers, we need to see, then we need to put what we see into words. Storyboarding can help. Pencil and paper or tablet application, the act of drawing what your characters see will help you see it. Trust me on this: it doesn’t have to be art you want to hang on your wall; mine is suitable for lining a cat box but it’s the act of creating it that’s important.

How many scenes out of the eighty or hundred that make up a novel should you storyboard? IMHO as few as possible. Yeah, I know, here I am writing about how cool storyboarding is and now I’m saying do it as little as possible. The problem is the obvious one: while you’re creating that sketch you’re not typing dialogue. I suggest using it to get a scene straight in your head, like I did with my characters on the roof. What I learned when I did that exercise was that things were getting crowded and my hero would not be able to see everything.

Exceptions

You knew this would come up, didn’t you? I don’t know if these exceptions prove the rule or not, but it’s important to understand that they’re out there. Some stories do not lend themselves to sketches of who’s standing where. Two that come to mind are epistolary novels and dialog-driven stories.

Epistolary novels bring a special set of problems. Look at Stoker’s Dracula. Sure, you can have descriptions but not only are they through the eyes of the protagonist— they’re also how Jonathan Harker would write them down In his diary or in a letter to Mina. Does storyboarding apply? Maybe, but remember the scene description is at arm’s length.

Dialogue-driven stories.  The best example I can think of is the Fletch books by Gregory Macdonald. Skip 90% of what anything looks like just and get on with the story. Man, I wish I could do that because it cranks up the pacing to escape velocity. No storyboards necessary.

And in the End

In a very funny western called Cat Ballou the Lee Marvin character shows up drunk and his friend says, “Your eyes! They’re all bloodshot!” Marvin responds, “You should see ‘em from this side.” That’s the point of this essay — you need to see through your character’s eyes and then get it down on paper.

We deal in words. We’re the gunslingers of the keyboard. And when you finally get it, when you lock in and that scene reveals itself to you and you can’t get the words out fast enough, well, there’s nothing else like it. Nothing on earth.

Now it’s your turn. Take a scene from your current WIP and sketch it out. Paper & pencil, software, it doesn’t matter. Just give it a shot and see what you think. Did it help?

About James

James Preston writes the multiple-award-winning Surf City Mysteries. His most recent work, however, is not part of that series. It’s a novella called Buzzkill, a historical thriller that Kirkus Review said is “enriched by characters who sparkle and refuse to be forgotten.” His work is collected by the UC Berkeley University library as part of their special collection, “California Detective Fiction.” Remains To Be Seen, James' newest Surf City Mystery, will be launched in the fall.

For more about the stories, check out his web page, www.jamesrpreston.com. He can be reached at james@jamesrpreston.com.

by Penny Sansevieri

There isn’t a secret formula for executing the perfect book launch. There are numerous factors in play that are constantly changing, from news and popular culture, to the publishing industry, to what just plain work in marketing and promotion. But the real “secret success strategy” to book sales is very straightforward: give readers what they want! The challenges arise because reader expectations are a moving target.

As authors, it’s important to be flexible and adaptive to these changes and have a clear idea of how they play into our own marketing plan.

But while change is inevitable, there are still some key strategies I’ve tested and one, in particular, I want to share today. Though it won’t guarantee success, it has worked well for me and the authors I collaborate with, and I hope it can help you too.

The Latest Trick for How to Launch a Book

I say “trick” but this is really not a new concept. I’ve been testing it, however, and it’s worked so it’s new for me to promote so wholeheartedly.

I want to focus on the WIIFM (what’s in it for me) marketing principle that every single author needs to get intimately familiar with.

Increasing engagement, increasing your followers, increasing your newsletter sign-ups, increasing sales, increasing reviews – these all require that you give your audience something worth their time, effort, and loyalty.

That’s just the reality, and when you think of yourself as a consumer and not as the author on the receiving end, I’m sure you’ll realize the truth of this.

Understanding Who Your Buyers Are

Figuring out how to launch a book the right way, specifically, if you want to push for pre-orders and that lucrative bestseller ranking, means you need to figure out a WIIFM offer that will really resonate with your target buyer market.

This is a great brainstorm, in general, for your ongoing marketing and not just for how to launch a book with more success. I’ve written about bonus content and special promotions before, and this plays heavily off that concept.

If you write non-fiction, your offer should be a bonus that supports the topic of your book or the problem you’re trying to solve for your audience. Yes, you could do something only semi-related but you’ll miss out on the psychology behind helping them make the easy choice to buy.

If you write fiction, this gets a little trickier sometimes. If you already have a strong follower and fan base of people you know will buy your next release and you just want to push them to do it in a shorter time period to improve your seller ranking, you have a lot more options for the kind of bonus content you can offer.

If you are a new fiction author and don’t have a lot of return buyers, you have to be careful to not offer something too brand-centric. Meaning, if people don’t know they love you yet, offering them something super specific to your story or characters may not be a big enough draw.

How to Launch a Book with this Strategy

Now, how to launch a book with a killer WIIFM concept!

It’s not as top secret as you’d think. Essentially, what you need to do is set up a very strong, short-term promotional plan to get the word out about your pre-order period and the bonus content buyers can get for purchasing your book before the release.

Yes, some of you are thinking, “That’s the big secret? Easier said than done.”

But it’s really not that complex:

1. Figure out a solid WIIFM offer. In fact, think of 2-3 and get some feedback from friends or colleagues that understand what you do and who you write for.
2. Figure out the logistics of confirming purchases and delivering the bonus.
3. Plan out how you’ll get the word out – create a mini marketing plan and schedule.
4. Shake off any fears you have of bothering people!

We all get busy but most of us mean well. I tell authors this all the time, especially when it comes to figuring out how to launch a book or build up reviews, you have to remind people multiple times – and most of us actually appreciate it when there’s a limited time to act.

Bonus Tip:

Be genuine and grateful. Make it as personal as you can. Don’t sell people, make them an offer they can’t refuse, let them know you’re doing it because you appreciate their support. And plan to send thank yous or a follow up of some sort to ensure you don’t let these newly interested and invested readers fall to the wayside.

By understanding your buyer market, you’ll gain a clear insight into how you can connect with them and what will motivate them to buy your book. Using the WIIFM strategy effectively communicates this understanding and leads to a fan base that will stick with you. Start brainstorming what you can offer today!

Do you have questions for Penny? Or fabulous marketing tips that have worked for you recently? Share them down in the comments!

About Penny

Penny Sansevieri, CEO and founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc. (AME) and Adjunct Professor at NYU, is a best-selling author and internationally recognized book marketing and media relations expert. Her company is one of the leaders in the publishing industry and has developed some of the most cutting-edge book marketing campaigns.

To learn more about Penny and AME, visit www.amarketingexpert.com.

Top Photo by memyselfaneye--331664 at Pixabay.

by Eldred "Bob" Bird

Most authors spend more time than they expected pondering their author platform. With the world slowly beginning to open up again it’s time to look at the other side of the coin—the Offline Platform. Take a look here for a refresher on what makes up your Online Author Platform in Part 1. If you are ready to reconnect in person there are plenty of opportunities to grow your brand.

 The Three Legs of Your Offline Platform

The offline author platform is supported by the same three legs as the online platform—visibility, authority, and reach. Let’s take a look at how each one plays out in the real world.

Visibility

Visibility relates to how easy you are to find. In this age of social media and the internet, it’s difficult to think in terms of our visibility in the physical world. How do we make ourselves stand out?

• Get in front of the readers.

Book launches and signings at your local bookstore are a great way to get in front of readers, but not the only way. Check out book fairs as well. If you can’t afford a table, talk to other writers and offer to share a table and split the fee.

• Get in front of other writers.

Writer’s conferences and workshops are not just for honing your craft, they’re a great place to network with other writers, editors, and sometimes agents as well. You never know who you might meet, or how they might help to boost your writing career (like asking you to guest post on an award-winning writer’s blog!).

Remember to always have business cards in your pocket, ready to hand out to your new contacts. If you don’t have cards, get some. They don’t cost much and will give you a good return on investment. Hand them out to everyone you engage with and remember to ask for their card as well. Check out this article about networking by John Peragine.

Do you belong to a local writer’s group? Talk to the organizer. I cut my teeth as a presenter by getting up and speaking to a group I’ve belonged to for several years. The familiar faces made it easier to dip my toes into the waters of public speaking.

Also consider presenting at conferences, both local and national. Chances are you’ve picked up some knowledge along your writing journey that others will benefit from. Write a proposal and submit it to the conference organizers. The worst that can happen is they say “no.”

• Talk to bookstore owners, managers, and employees.

Building a relationship with your local bookstore, be it an independent or chain, is always a good move. Remember to be kind, be a good listener, and above all, don’t be obnoxious. You’re selling yourself, not just your books. Visit the libraries in your area as well. Talk to the librarians about your work and offer to get involved in some of their events.

Authority

Authority asks the question, “What is it that gives you credibility in your space?” This is especially important if you write non-fiction. People want to know why they should read your book, rather than someone else’s.

• Are you published?

Whether traditional or self-published, having your work out and available in the real world makes a big difference. If your books are on the shelf in bookstores and/or libraries, so much the better! Publication in journals and magazines boost your authority as well.

• Have you attended or taught workshops?

Education, be it workshops, or college courses, carries big credibility. While a degree (especially for fiction writers) isn’t required, it can open a lot of doors. Having an MFA under your belt shows a major dedication to the craft.

Teaching classes and workshops raises your credibility even more. Make sure to mention your past teaching experiences when putting together a proposal for presentations.

• Do you have any awards?

If you’ve won awards for your writing it says you’re someone worth listening to. Make mention of them in proposals, bios, and any promotional materials you hand out at workshops and appearances. You worked hard for those awards, so flaunt them!

Reach

Reach is exactly what it sounds like. It’s about your ability to reach your target audience. Reach is not just about getting your name in front of people but getting it in front of the right people and getting them to respond.

• Have you done interviews in print media?

While circulation has dropped for the big newspapers, a lot of small local ones are still going strong. Community-focused papers are a great way to get exposure in your own city or town. Many are happy to feature local writers and artists. That leads us to the next question.

• Do you have a press kit?

When setting up an interview or sending a press release to the local media, it’s a good idea to include some information about yourself as a writer. Usually done in digital form these days, your press kit should at the very least include your bio, your headshot, a bibliography of your work (with cover images), and your contact information, including email, websites, and social media. You should also include other promotional images and logos if you have them.

• Always have promotional materials on hand.

We’re talking about business cards, postcards, bookmarks and other swag. When making an appearance, always have something you can put in people’s hands. Check out this WITS post by Sherry Ficklin to learn more about using swag to extend your reach.

• Do you use physical mailing lists?

It may sound “old school” to do physical mailings, but it can pay off. Get postcards printed and send them to libraries and bookstores. Emails are easy to bypass, delete, or lose to a spam filter, but a physical card in someone’s hand is going to catch some attention.

Some Final Thoughts

In the current technology-driven landscape, it’s difficult to separate your online and offline efforts. The simple truth is you can’t. Each effort supports the other, creating a much stronger overall author platform. Your online presence is going to help you get those real-world bookings. Likewise, your offline efforts help you make connections, build credibility, and may even give you fodder for your online content.

You may not be ready to step back out in public quite yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start planning and booking those appearances now. Be cautious, be confident, and be bold. Potential readers are out there waiting to hear from you!

What in-person efforts have worked well for you, or someone you know? What do you wish you'd done differently? Feel free to ask questions down in the comments - we have a great community of platform-builders here!

About Eldred:

Eldred Bird writes contemporary fiction, short stories, and personal essays. He has spent a great deal of time exploring the deserts, forests, and deep canyons inside his home state of Arizona. His James McCarthy adventures, Killing Karma, Catching Karma, and the soon to be released Cold Karma, reflect this love of the Grand Canyon State even as his character solves mysteries amidst danger. Eldred explores the boundaries of short fiction in his stories, The Waking Room, Treble in Paradise: A Tale of Sax and Violins, and The Smell of Fear.

When he’s not writing, Eldred spends time cycling, hiking and juggling (yes, juggling…bowling balls and 21-inch knives). His passion for photography allows him to record his travels. He can be found on Twitter or Facebook, or at his website.

Top Image by Nattanan Kanchanaprat from Pixabay