The modern myth of writing…if I write a book, I’ll become rich and famous. I’ll be able to quit my job. I’ll be able to go on lavish vacations and all the movie deals will come.
The truth for the most part authors all authors aren’t rich and famous. The hard part is not writing the story or even getting published. The actual battlefield is in MARKETING.
There are several questions you need to answer to yourself honestly and without hesitation. The most important one is without a doubt the hardest.
What is your book about?
We’ve all been there. We’ve all had this question. It seems like a mundane simple question with very little teeth. In truth it is the opposite.
You get one sentence to capture the attention of those asking. They want a direct answer that will tell them what the story is about and what you want them to purchase. This is called a log line. Log line is a term used in the film industry to entice producers to read the script. It’s also a useful tool in books. Here’s why.
No one memorizes a blurb. After all hours were spent on writing a blurb that describes the drama of the story without giving away what’s really going on. That’s an entire paragraph. If you’re standing or sitting in front of people and are asked that question, you will lose them with a long answer.
So for each book I write, I come up with a single line that describes the story as best it can. This takes practice and several brainstorming sessions with my beta readers.
For Shine, book 1 The H. A. L. O. Saga,
The story of a girl falling in love and becoming an angel.
The Hunter
The story of a girl finding her destiny while on a quest for revenge.
See the point…they’re small. They immediately grab the attention of the soon to be reader. They don’t give a single thing away about the plot twists but they are enticing enough to grab the attention.
This is the battlefield we are all playing on. If you’ve read my posts, then you know about the poetry I write. Writing poetry is also good practice for this marketing tool. Once again you are breaking things down in the lowest form with the least number of words. Once again you as an author are portraying an emotion…a feeling…painting a picture.
Log lines are useful when on panels and at conventions. You’ll know immediately if you have the right log line and if you’ve gained the interest of the people you’re in front of. Their eyes light up, they want to look at the back of the book. They want to see the inside of it and long to flip through the pages. The interest is peaked. That’s the job on this battlefield.
One of the biggest mistakes I see new authors make is thinking they are competing with other authors. That isn’t true. You’re competing with yourself. WHOA…wait…what???
Yes, competing with yourself. If you cant describe your book in one sentence you’ve already lost the battle because your reader has already moved on. That means stepping out of your comfort zone and speaking clearly. Treat every person you talk to as a friend and nothing less. In this battlefield if you treat them as if they have all day to stand in front of you and listen to you prattle on about how wonderful your book is, you’ve already lost the whole war. Our readers want to be enticed. They want to be our friends…and if you’re like me, some of them become close friends that inspire you to take the next story to the next level.
Readers are more than paychecks. They are our army against the world and they don’t forget. So respect them by not wasting their time. Take the time to really come up with a single sentence describing your work. If they want to hear more after that they will let you know. Also in giving them that respect, it shows them you know what you’re doing. That’s extremely important.
Love and hugs
Peace out
Joann