Clarendon House Publications

NEW RELEASE FROM CLARENDON HOUSE PUBLICATIONS!
Poetica # 31: An Inner Circle Writers' Group Poetry Anthology
https://www.clarendonhousebooks.com/anthologies
There is a common assumption among poets and readers generally that ‘There is no market for poetry.’ I hear this regularly.

This idea arises because, in the big world of publishing, poetry is seen to be a private, highly subjective affair which correspondingly does not sell well. Personal tastes, obscurity of form, and lack of poetic craft all add up to poetry being ‘shoved into the corner’ and usually only self-published or produced as a vanity piece.

This is a shame. There are a great many good poets out there: thousands of voices whose passionate visions of reality are not finding a proper outlet. Without channels to transmit these visions to readers, they can eventually fall silent.

The effort of this series of Poetica anthologies is to contribute to the creation of a market for poetry throughout the calendar year. The idea is that, by providing a regular, published venue for poetry from all over the world, poems as media for the communication of important and heartfelt ideas and reflections will gain in respect and become more widely acknowledged. Voices will be heard; channels will be opened.

Poetica # 31 features the work of Dawn DeBraal, Gabriella Balcom, Tim Law, Thomas R Bates, Christine Karper-Smith, Kelli J Gavin, Justin Wiggins, Lawrence Sherman Cohn, Mark Kuglin, Jim Bates, Debby Hackbarth, Trish Parkinson, Theresa C. Gaynord, Linda Sparks, Kerri Jesmer, Gareth Macready, the Birch Twins, Suranjit Gain, Andrew Cyr, Anahit Arustamyan, Linda M. Crate, Mike Turner, Irma Kurti, John Grey, David Painter, Valerie Fuqua, Kelli J Gavin, Michal Reiben, Catherine A. MacKenzie, Mark Pearce, Joseph C Ogbonna, Sultana Raza, Peter Kenny, Craig Richard Tickner, Tony Fyler, Jacek Wilkos and DJ Elton.

Grab a paperback or Kindle version here:
https://www.clarendonhousebooks.com/anthologies

Once a book is launched, there are some actions that will count in making it a success, and some that will be a waste of time.

The ones that are usually a waste of time include:

1. Pasting a direct link to your book all over social media.

This probably sounds like something that you should do, based on the conventional myth that the number of people you can get to look at your book determines how many people will buy it.

But just ask yourself: How many such links from other authors do you have the time to look at? And, even if you do click on them, how many times do you go ahead and buy that book?

The answer is probably less than 1% to the first question, which means the percentage for the second question is infinitesimal.

So what makes you think that other people respond differently?

Spamming social media, whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or wherever, with a simple book link, or a post saying ‘Like this’ is like walking down a crowded street with a placard round your neck saying ‘Kiss me’. The probable result is that people will ignore and avoid you - and if you persist, they will take the time to note who you are and ignore and avoid you more.

It’s annoying and counter-productive to do this - not to mention time-consuming.

2. Pay for ad campaigns on social media.

This is just like doing the above, but on steroids. Yes, you may get one or two sales, but the overall effect will be that thousands of people will either have blocked your ads or come to associate your name with irritating promotional material. And the whole operation has cost you money.

Don’t do it.

So if these things are out of bounds, what the heck are you supposed to do to get a book out there and getting sales?

The World of Marketing 6: Actions To Take That Really Count Once a book is launched, there are some actions that will count in making it a success, and some that will be a waste of time. The ones that are usually a waste of time include: 1. Pasting a direct link to your book all over social media. This probably sounds like something that you should do, based...

I have argued that the central reason why you’re not being a writer right now is that you don’t place enough importance on it, and that’s true. But that alone, as a statement, doesn’t quite give you the whole picture.

The reason why you’re not placing enough importance on writing - given that your heart burns to write - is that you are giving importance to other things.

Those ‘other things’ fall into two categories: those things which you distract yourself with when you know better; and those things which Life forces upon you, like family obligations and the need for food and shelter, which you can’t quickly rearrange.

This checklist will hopefully help you to clarify which activity is which and what importance they take in your life…

No Time to Write? Here's Some First Aid... I have argued that the central reason why you’re not being a writer right now is that you don’t place enough importance on it, and that’s true. But that alone, as a statement, doesn’t quite give you the whole picture. The reason why you’re not placing enough importance on writing - given t...

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Writers trying to sell their books often fail at converting prospects to readers because of one simple aspect of the marketing process: they are going for numbers.When you’re at the mercy of numbers, it can seem as though marketing is impossible. Prospects, whoever they are and wherever they may be, seem to be in control. You are the hunter, pursuing your quarry, without a clue of where to look, except on the wide open plains of Amazon, perhaps.To get control back, you need to free yourself from the tyranny of numbers.The first step is to identify what makes a good book and to present one to the world emblazoned with your prospect’s hot buttons in an enticing blurb and a triggering cover. That’s all covered in my books How Stories Really Work and my e-book Marketing for Writers…
https://www.clarendonhousebooks.com/single-post/the-world-of-marketing-5-the-tyranny-of-numbers-1

The World of Marketing 5: The Tyranny of Numbers Writers trying to sell their books often fail at converting prospects to readers because of one simple aspect of the marketing process: they are going for numbers.When you’re at the mercy of numbers, it can seem as though marketing is impossible. Prospects, whoever they are and wherever they may b...

Continuing on from yesterday's article, here are some more perhaps slightly unpalatable truths…

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Here are some of the things that I have learned about marketing which can be stated - in no particular order - without a great deal of background information. They are not necessarily palatable things. Some of them may come across as blunt or assertive. But they are observations that I have made after many years in the marketing business and I offer them for your use…

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NEW RELEASE FROM CLARENDON HOUSE PUBLICATIONS!
Travels with a Barbarian 3: The Warrior and the Countess
by Andrew and Helen Birch
https://www.clarendonhousebooks.com/andrew-and-helen-birch

Tasked with dangerous deeds by the distant Empress Dan’ Nor Chang, Skarr of Tor Fell and her ever-loyal companion Lady Elina Greypepper find themselves traversing land and sea from the legendary Spice City of Barazaar to the hazardous Gaussian Islands - and then on to Castle Wetskull, where deadly horrors lurk which threaten to engulf the whole world…

When trapped and facing her greatest foe alone in the dark, with her companion enslaved by the Chained Legion, will Elina’s courage fail her? Or will she discover what it means to be a true battlemage?

Get this thrilling third book in the fantastic Travels with a Barbarian series now!
https://www.clarendonhousebooks.com/andrew-and-helen-birch

One of the deepest lessons of being a successful writer is to do with where to place focus.

I don’t mean the focus that the writer puts on his or her work, though of course that’s linked. I mean the unspoken, often unconscious focus behind or around that…

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A writer recently asked me this question as part of my coaching programme:

I sent a promotion to a cold list offering a free e-copy of my latest book. I had half a dozen or so people click the link to check out the book but nobody went ahead and actually bought it. What did I do wrong?

The solution is pretty straightforward. But keep in mind that there are four types of prospect for your book(s), which we’ll cover in a moment.

If I’m talking to a cold list, an offer like ‘Get my free book’ sounds good to me — but for the person at the other end of the line, it feels risky and burdensome. In fact, whether or not somebody downloads your book comes down to two things: the amount of burden they perceive versus the amount of reward they think they’ll receive.

How do I know that?

The World of Marketing 4: Cold Marketing A writer recently asked me this question as part of my coaching programme: I sent a promotion to a cold list offering a free e-copy of my latest book. I had half a dozen or so people click the link to check out the book but nobody went ahead and actually bought it. What did I do wrong? The solution....