A Fine Line Between Promotions

Recently, I was reading some articles on promotion from a few years ago and the writer said to promote yourself, talk about you a lot. Post to social media, twitter, blog about yourself, include links to your book etc with every post...and it got me to thinking. 

Do I really want to be inundated by the same content from an author every day? 

The easy answer is No, the harder answer is depends. There's a fine line between honest promotion and spamming people. When you get your book contracted, you want to shout it from the roof tops and tell everyone...this is great. However, you also have to remember there are a million other authors out there doing the same thing.  So how do you promote your book(s) without spamming everyone on your social list? 

There are no easy answers and simple tricks. You have to learn to balance it out. There are blog tours where you're doing multiple stops, Facebook events you can schedule, newsletters you can send out...but if you're doing all this without connecting with your readers...are you promoting your brand.

Yes you are, but to the wrong audience and thus it turns to wasted efforts.
So, to avoid the dreaded "Oh my Gosh here she comes - feet scurrying from the room", here are a few tips you can use to help you promote yourself and your brand.


For more on my article, stop by and get a few tips and tricks I've learned about promotion within reason.
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Enter Our Grand Opening Pitch Contest and Be a Winner!

HELLO ALL!  Enter our Grand Opening Pitch Contest and be a winner!

Midnight Frost Books is looking for some scary stuff!  Or thrill us good! We want to chew our nails and jump when the phone rings!  This is your chance to thrill or chill us.  We like thrilling and chilling.  We will be releasing the chosen works for the Halloween sales in 2013.  Wow, 13 what a year to scare your readers.  

This is an opportunity to gleam bright with imagination.  For the next four weeks, in celebration of our grand opening, starting April 22, 2013 to May 22, 2013 we are offering this open Pitch Contest. 

The author’s whose pitches we select will be contacted between June 5 to June 22^ndof 2013. 

As well, all those who take part in the pitch session will be placed in a drawing for a prize.

Midnight Frost Books will be giving away three prize bags.  The winners will receive dark and sinister finger nail polish for you or your friend or friends to enjoy.  Also, you will receive three e books from published authors.  And a small surprise gift to make you smile.  

Words of wisdom:  Be creative and don’t be afraid to give it your all.  Everyone will be considered seriously.  Make us really love it.  We will look and consider any word count. 

Here is what is expected:

1. Each pitch must be for a completed manuscript.

2. If we like it we'll request the full manuscript.

3. It must be an original piece that's frightening, thrilling, chilling, or terrifying, you get the picture.  It needs to be any or all of those things, but have a good story too. 

4. We want to see your hook...so post the first paragraph of your story in the comment section along with your email address and or website url.

5. We respect everyone's privacy and your information will be used only to contact you.

Enjoy writing and good luck,

Midnight Frost Books publishing staff

WHAT LIGHTS YOUR MUSE?

What stimulates your creativity?  Many things can be a person's muse.  For me, it can be many things, such as, the wind blowing in my face, the smell of a cup of Earl Gray, a song on the radio, and a good movie, a handsome man or a fast car or horse. Yeah, I find muses all over the place.  :)  Just searching the internet can be stimulating.  Even things not so pleasant can plant a seed of creativity.  Thus, new stories of fear or horror can spring to life from a news clip or a fairy tale of old.   

For some people, their muse can be emotions.  Anger, love, lust, sadness, or depression, all of these can cause a person to put pen to paper and write great works.  Music can be inspired by these strong emotions.  Probably the stronger the emotion the better to stimulate the mind.  Get those hormones moving within us in conjunction with our brains and pop, bam, wow, you can have a zinger of a story with lots of passion.  . 

Other people can stimulate you as your muse.  A good conversation can trigger ideas to form.  Talking with experienced people who have lived history can tell their stories and plant great ideas for a history themed book. A visit to an antique store or a thrift shop can ignite an idea. 

Often fiction is part of real life or can be pulled from reality and made into a fantasy or tale.  What you know or have heard is a great place to start dreaming.  Anything and everything can be expanded upon in some way. 

Learn what your muse is and foster it.  Write without boundaries, then after it's all down it can be edited.  But allow your mind to go wild with your story, to be free in the words.

Love your muse and allow it to guide you,
Ciara Lake