PR Notes Question of the Week

I would do something web-based, since $1000 is not enough for travel expenses. Not sure how much a professional web designer would cost, but I’d want to set up a cool, interactive site that would attract readers in my target audience. Even if I couldn’t afford to hire a professional, I’d put together the best website I could given the resources I have, and I’d host contests. I’d buy a bunch of copies of my book to give as prizes. And I’d promote it everywhere I could online to try to get more traffic to my site.

Ruth:
I agree that doing things online helps.
What kind of interactivity would you want? I hear the term interactive and I’m not sure what it means in this case.

Also, would you target your readers or the gatekeepers (librarians/teachers/parents for kids’ books, etc.)?

Darcy

Ooh, interesting questions. I hope I will have the opportunity to use these strategies some day. By “interactive”, I mean things like games, coloring pages, and trivia related to my book (I write middle grade fiction). I’m a teacher, and my students love to explore stuff like that on author websites. I would absolutely target the gatekeepers. I’d search for websites and blogs that provide resources for teachers, parents, and librarians, and I’d make sure my website was listed there, and maybe even offer to write guest posts for appropriate blogs. I’d like to hear others’ ideas; I’m just brainstorming here.

Hi Darcy
I’d take the $1000 and go to the National School Librarian and Media Conference with a tablefull of books to sell and bright flyers.
Here in Fayetteville we have a Print Shop that gives special discounts to teachers and writers.
So I’d go directly to the people who might buy the book to show to kids I can’t get to myself.

I would spend at least a bit of money on t-shirts for giveaways on my YA mystery. The cover of my YA mystery has a great graphic: a black, moth-eaten question mark with a skull for the dot at the bottom. It would look great on top of a pink t-shirt.

Kate: Targeting the librarians is indeed a priority for childrens’ and teens’ books.
Do flyers work well? Do librarians really read them and respond?
Darcy

Hey, it WOULD look great on a T-shirt. Here’s a look at it for those who haven’t seen it.

Where would you pass out that T-shirt?
Have you looked at CafePress.com to see if it’s something you could actually do?

Darcy

I’d probably have my t-shirt as an on-line giveaway if I do any blog tours. I’m also going to have a launch party at a local bookstore. A friend of mine has done some very nice, very professinal t-shirts for my daughter’s basketball and volleyball teams. My husband Kurt could probably give my friend the basic graphic.

I’d spend my $1000 on garnering the expertise and skill of a publicist like Barbara Fisch and Sarah Shealy of Blue Slip Media. They worked together as a team of publicists for the Harcourt CA office and have now formed their own business which specializes in publicity and marketing services for the children’s trade industry. From my own experience with them, they’re fabulous to work with!

Mary:
It is true that working with a pro is great!
Darcy