Blogger: Kathleen Y’Barbo, Publicist
Location: The Woodlands, TX Publicity Office
Weather: Cloudy and 75 degrees
Last week I talked a bit about the Marketing Monster, that huge scary thing lurking in the shadows that promises to pounce without warning.
Many authors not only have the blessing of multiple contracts but also the responsibility of daytime employment. Often carving out even one extra hour is a daunting proposition. I submit that hour each week –more if you can manage it–just might do more for your career than almost anything besides writing the best book you can.
So, how to claim a sliver of your time to tame the beast known as marketing and publicity? Here are two of my favorite ideas:
If you’re a full-time writer and thinking about blocking off a specific day and time each week to do marketing, why not try Tuesday? I’ve found Tuesdays to be the best day for sending out press releases and E-blasts, perhaps because the week is young and the recipients have miles to go before Friday’s deadlines. Also, I find mornings better than afternoons for reaching media. Aren’t you better before lunch than after?
If setting aside a particular day–or even half a day–isn’t an option for you, keep a list of PR to-do items at hand. You would be surprised what you can accomplish even in 10 minutes. Start out by listing 5 items to complete before bedtime and make it a game to see how many of them you can check off before the deadline.
What about you? How do you carve out time to let the world know about your book?
I read this great idea for separating time into “blocks” as you suggest–it was on the blog of Susan Wise Bauer (my idol, in terms of multi-tasking her way to publication) and it really helped me get my novel written, five children and grad school notwithstanding! Here’s the link to her idea: http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/the-raving-writer/the-color-coded-schedule/