Tip du Jour: You Are the #1 Pitch Person for Your Book by Robin Newman

Nobody else knows your book as well as you do, and nobody else will be as passionate about your book as you are. Even if you’re the most introverted person in the world, and that’s why you chose to become a writer, once your book is out, you become the #1 pitch person for your book. You need to talk up your book to EVERYONE and ANYONE! I’m not just talking librarians, booksellers, teachers, colleagues, and friends. Don’t forget journalists, pediatricians, pediatric dentists, politicians, babysitters, ex-boyfriends, frenemies, and what the heck, might as well include your favorite funeral director and the recently deceased to the list. (Let’s face it. Of all people, these folks could benefit from a funny picture book!)

So, what does one have to do? Good question.

-         Think outside of the box. What’s the craziest way you can market your book?

-         Be one with your character and enjoy being silly. If you write about bunnies, you’d better enjoy wearing bunny ears! 

-         What kind of cheap cool swag can you come up with to help market the book?

-         Make a book trailer. It’ll cost you, but it’s money well spent. (You can use it at school and bookstore visits, conferences, etc.)

-         Prepare a teacher’s guide for your book. Make it easy for teachers to figure out how to incorporate your book into their curriculum.

-         Don’t be a stranger at your local bookstore.

-         Be sure to support your fellow authors and illustrators. (It’s not just about you.)

-         Don’t be afraid to fail. If you don’t try, you’ll regret it more than your fear of failure.

It took me eight years from start to finish before I finally held a copy of The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake. That translates to:  

96 months

or 417 weeks 3 days

or 2,922 days

or 70,128 hours

or 4,207,680 minutes

or 252,460,800 seconds

But who’s counting?

All that effort deserves that you put your best foot forward in pitching your book. In the end, remember to also have fun and enjoy the moment.

My books:

 

The Case of the MissingCarrot Cake, illustrated by Deborah Zemke (Creston Books 2015), is an early chapter book mystery about two hardboiled mouse detectives working their beat from a shoebox on Ed’s farm. They are MFIs, Missing Food Investigators, and on their seminal case they’re on the hunt for Miss Rabbit’s missing carrot cake. (Note the names of the animals have been changed to protect the good guys.) For ages 5-9.

The teacher’s guide and book trailer are located on my website:

 http://www.robinnewmanbooks.com/Books.html

The Case of the MissingCarrot Cake is available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and at your favorite local indie.

Click here to watch the Trailer on You Tube:

The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake

https://youtu.be/wrDGOcVg_NE

HildieBitterpickles Needs Her Sleep, illustrated by Chris Ewald (Creston Books 2016), is a fractured fairy tale picture book about a witch whose quiet neighborhood has been turned upside down by the sudden noisy arrival of the big bad wolf, the old lady living in a shoe, and other fairy tale characters. What will poor Hildie have to do to get a good night’s sleep? For ages 4-8.

The teacher’s guide and book trailer are located on my website:

http://www.robinnewmanbooks.com/Books.html

Hildie BitterpicklesNeeds Her Sleep flies onto bookshelves April 12, 2016.

Hildie BitterpicklesNeeds Her Sleep is currently available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and at your local indie.

Click here to watch the Trailer on You Tube: 

Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep

https://youtu.be/WDvzxiV0OwE

A bit about Robin:

Robin Newman was a practicing attorney and legal editor, but she now prefers to write about witches, mice, pigs, and peacocks. She lives in New York, among many noisy neighbors.

Please come by and say hello!

Website: www.robinnewmanbooks.com 

Twitter: @robinnewmanbook

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/RobinNewmanBooks/339179099505049

And please e-mail me at robin@robinnewmanbooks.com, if you’re interested in having me do a school visit.