“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” ~Mark Twain
Thanks to all the *generous backers for my Pubslush memoir campaign, I reached my goal and now am listed on the Pubslush website as a “Successful Campaign.” Both an honor and a thrill!
It also has been a lot of hard work, with moments of misgivings and excitement.
Like any writer, I’m used to the hard work of focusing on goals and communicating a message.
And like many others, I tend to shy away from self-promotion activities that scream “Me, Me, Me.” I’ll put it right out there, it feels awkward to ask others for money.
So, how did I go from feeling like a self-promotion-phobic writer to being someone who embraced this campaign and joined in the excitement of its success?
- I had to change my focus from asking for money to reaching new readers and spreading the message of my memoir.
Marketing Expert and Author Sandra Beckwith of Build Book Buzz says it best in this excellent post “Are You a Shameless Self- Promoter?” :
“You’re doing a public service when you do what it takes to get the word out about your book.”
Let me share with you what I think influenced the success of my campaign which hopefully will help others:
*Plan your campaign very carefully, using the Pubslush checklist that is provided to you ahead of time. Pubslush is a program that focuses on books and the staff are very supportive and accessible.
*Email family, friends, established followers ahead of time to explain the campaign and provide links to the Pubslush site.
*A short video is advised to introduce yourself and let people see you and hear what you are offering for their contributions.
*Be realistic about the rewards you are offering. You want to make sure you are able to fulfill them.
*A strong social media presence will help you spread your message. It is recommended that you publish something related to the campaign 3-5 times per week across your social media channels.
* At the midpoint in the campaign, you can offer bonus rewards of your choosing to encourage participation in the campaign.
*Engage with your backers throughout the campaign in the form of personal email thank yous.
What are the benefits of the Pubslush campaign?
Through the process of developing my campaign, I was able to hone in on and refine my message of hope, resilience and courage in finding freedom from emotional abuse. It helped me get into the marketing–mode.
As a result, I have been able to promote Ever Faithful to His Lead: My Journey Away From Emotional Abuse before its official publication in July.
It helped me to gauge interest in the book and spread the book’s message.
It opened dialogue with readers to allow me to fine tune my message and my book.
The conversation has already started. I have met new readers, engaged in meaningful conversations and extended my reach to my target audience.
Where will the money go?
The $2500 raised will go toward fulfilling the rewards and for promotional materials. I had already spent money on professional editors, writing conferences and author platform resources before I started my campaign.
My parting tip on participating in a Pubslush campaign:
Most of all, have fun.
You are introducing your book and its message to the world and you want others to feel as excited as you do about its success.
Enthusiasm is contagious!
Blog Shouts-Outs to my backers!
Dawn Marie Helin, Michael and Patricia DiCerbo, Ceil Drosky, Marian Beaman, Dan Blank, Shirley Showalter, Barbara Techel, Susan Weidener and the Women’s Writing Circle, Victoria Noe, Mindy Rivenburgh, Cyd Madsen, Joan Z. Rough, Sarah Freeman, Linda Hoye, Dick and Lynne Stannard, Justine Schofield, Paula Wozniak, Louise Carlini, Ted and Cate-Russell-Cole, Dorothy Sander, Linda Joy Myers, Madeline Sharples, Dave and Leigh Ann Gilson, Wayne Pooler, Sarah Provost, Lisa Walrath, Ann Boland, Danny VanLeeuwen,Brandon Pease, Gary Pease , Dave and Hattie Gilson, Kathryn Wagoner, Cynthia Morris, Kathryn Pease, Patty Valletta, Mona Schultz, Bianca Pacheco, Paul and Barbara Hebert, John and Mary Sue McCullough, Christina Stark, Jim and Jean DiGiovanni, LaTanya Nelson Davis, Fran Gully, Debra Lobel, Karl Sprague, Sonia Marsh, Pat McKinzie, Clara Bowman-Jahn, Tom Pease Debra Eve, Patty Hall, Karen Leahy and Joe Bunting.
Thank you all for joining me in introducing and spreading the message of Ever Faithful to His Lead: My Journey Away From Emotional Abuse!
How about you? Would you consider participating in a Pubslush Crowdfunding campaign?
I’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments and questions below~
ANNOUNCEMENT: Congratulations to MaryAnna! Your name was selected in a random drawing of commenters to receive a copy of Pamela Koefoed’s memoir, JoyRide: Life, Death and Forgiveness.
This Week:
Tuesday, 06/17/14: I’ll be over at Joan Z. Rough’s blog with a guest post on” Why Vulnerability is a Gift in Memoir Writing.” Hope you’ll stop by and join in that conversation,too.
Thursday, 06/19/14: ” Basic Punctuation Every Beginning Writer Needs to Know by Nikolas Baron” of Grammarly
Next Week:
Monday, 06/23/14: “What a Nonagenarian Javelin Thrower Can Teach Us About Memoir Writing by Debra Eve.”
Congratulations, Kathy! That’s wonderful news!
Sandy
Hi Sandra, Welcome! Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing in my good news. Your post on “Are You a Shameless Self-Promoter” was exactly what I needed to hear. 🙂
Kathy
Hi Kathy and congratulations on reaching another goal. I think I once referred to what I saw as “Nurse genes” in you and here is yet another example. You are organized, committed, (is dedicated different?) and succinct. All qualities of a great nurse (practitioner, too) and of a successful writer. You asked if I’d consider participating in a Pubslush campaign and I thought this might be a good time to explain why not. (to myself as well as others). In a word, I’m tired. I’m finding with each passing month I’m more and more resistant to learning something new and Pubslush came out of the blue so quickly for me that it took my breath away. That was a lovely thing in my 20s, even in my 50s (losing my breath). These days, it’s a bit disconcerting to be breathless; too many other possible explanations at hand. So, I doff my hat to you in your willingness to continually expand your knowledge base. Today, I am embracing my inner Ludditte (a social activist of the Industrial Revolution era who spurned any technological innovation). Cheers
Thanks,Janet. I’m honored by your kind and generous comments. I had a very positive experience with Pubslush but one has to really feel committed to the process for it to work. I totally respect how you are choosing to “embrace your inner Luddite” at this time. Half the battle is knowing ourselves well enough to make decisions that align with our wants and needs. There are many ways to get it done. Yes, we need to keep breathing as we march to the finish line. Cheers back to you!
Truly so happy for you, Kathy! I know how hard you’ve worked to hit this milestone. This is so encouraging for so many! I’m thrilled to see all the support you’ve gotten as it gives me hope, as well as, many others that this is very do-able. You truly deserve this! You are AMAZING! I’m saving these tips for when I’m ready to embark down this road. Thank you again for sharing so much with us.
Aww, thanks Barbara. I appreciate your support and words of encouragement very much. Pubslush has been great choice for me and I’m happy to share lessons learned. I’m so happy you found the tips helpful. I’ll be happy to talk with you when the time comes for you to make a decision.
Thank you! I appreciate this and YOU! 🙂
PS: I’m teaching a 3-part Self-publishing series this fall in our area. Do you mind if I include this post as a resource? I just realized it would be a good idea to include this as an option for writers.
That’s fantastic, Barbara. Brava! Absolutely, feel free to link the post and let me know how I can best help you promote your self-publishing course.
Thank you, Kathy!
You are most welcome,Barbara!
This is great news, Kathy! Congratulations. I’ll stop over at Sandra Beckwith’s site momentarily. Now you are in marketing mode and in the end sprint before launching your book. It never ends but one does get used to it.
I’m not sure if I would be able to do pubslush as I want to be traditionally published so would try that first. If after months of trying to find a publsiher I don’t succeed then I might try this. I need to know what the benefits are against self pubslihing. Pubslush versus self Publishing, that kind of thing.
I will be trying my hand in something totally new as I Switch genres from picture books to memoir. And now I”m on a blog break so when I come back in September I will totally have to start all over.
For you! Go girl!
Thanks,Clar! Sandra’s post is exactly what I needed to hear and her website is a treasure trove for book promotion tips. Marketing-mode is definitely a new adventure with a steep learning curve. BTW, Pubslush works with publishers, too. My memoir will be traditionally-published by a small press and we worked together on the campaign. You can always email Justine Schofield at justine@pubslush.com or Amanda Barber at amanda@pubslush.com to discuss further.The Pubslush staff are very helpful and accessible. Enjoy your blog break and genre-switching activities. I’m sure you are bringing many skills from writing children’s books to writing a memoir. Best wishes!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Kathy. You’ve given me much hope!
You are most welcome, Debra. I’m happy the information has helped you. I’m looking forward to featuring you as my guest on 6/23. 🙂
Congratulations, Kathy! I also turned to Sandra Beckwith for tips and she gives great advice.
Thanks, Pat! I follow Sandra and agree she gives great advice.