Warning: Some Violence and Much Strong Language.HE WROTE: In The Desert
In the lobby of a hotel that's in the desert. Just finished doing one-on-ones with various authors. Looking out at a half-dozen agents and editors doing their one-on-ones.
Enough said.
It always strikes me as well, not good, when someone says: "Well I rewrote my entire book from third person to first person because some agent last year said . . . ."
Because usually the change is for the worse. That's not to say don't listen to feedback but advice given during a fifteen meeting one-on-one should not lead to a radical revision of the novel unless the advice resonates with what you feel as an author.
Speaking of resonating the bar just opened. I'm moving from here to there, hoping the wireless internert connection holds.
Made it to bar unscathed. And on-line. There's like a fifty foot circle in the lobby where you can get wireless. Of course I just found the connection in the room where I can get high speed after spending last night on a phone line connection. I'm a little slow sometimes.
Jenny has the master of Agnes while I toil here in the desert. I told her I want it back on Monday. We shall see.
We got our book tour schedule, sort of. At least what city. Jenny's already arghing and sighing but bearing up. Going to be like in Special Forces where I would wake up in some forest and try to remember what country I was in. Here it will be a hotel room and wonder what city.
We sent some marketing ideas to our publisher this morning. One was a 'viral e-mail'-- no, not that kind of virus. An email containing a discount coupon on the book with a two week window to redeem and asking each person on our mailing lists to forward it to ten people. Unfortunately, that simply can't work out logistically. So we are trying to figure out what we can do in that email to get the same effect.
Ok, there's a guy on TV lifting the rear of an old VW van as part of some strength contest. Men. Very simple creatures.
I'm very tired. Presenting and doing one-on-ones is exhausting. I know Jenny feels the same way. When we're on the road doing the Bob & Jenny show we're going to be pretty wiped out when we're not on, which leads to politely saying 'no thank you' to offers of going out for dinner or whatever. Hopefully no one gets offended. It's not that we don't like you, well, maybe you, over there, we don't like, but the rest of you, no. We like you. We really do. And just to prove the media training worked: DON"T LOOK DOWN; Romantic Adventure; She Wrote He Wrote.
Ok.
11 Comments:
Bob, you must be tired because it is hard to toil in the "dessert" unless it's a giant cream pie. I think you are in the "desert" and I hope you get some rest soon!
What about sending out an email with a discount code for an online bookseller and you can say that it's for a limited period (but you wouldn't have to specify, and you could monitor takeup as it happened). Or would that not work logistically because you don't think enough people would get the email soon enough?
What about trying to get a tie-in deal with Lacoste, because Moot looks a bit like their logo? No, maybe not.
How about an email witha discount on a cherrry hoodie whith a receipt mailed in from ythe first week of sales? Thats the big weeek right???
And the hoodies should be slouchy and oversized, maybe french terry so they can do beach duty.
Or there could be a he wrote/shewrote tee.
Profits to the charity of therapy for you two poor travelling fools........
Had to laugh at the "It's not that we don't like you, well, maybe you, over there, we don't like, but the rest of you, no."
Love the coupon idea. Too bad it didn't work out.
Your travel schedule looks AWFUL. I get tired just reading it. I think people will understand the "thanks, but no thanks" to invites, especially if they have seen your schedules.
Get some beer and some sleep.
All day, all Bob, all the time.
Bob is great; Bob is good; Bob needs a break.
As the writer who WAS in the process of revising her novel from third person p-o-v to first person p-o-v (hey, it's a good writing exercise--it's helped me develop a plot with more depth).
I knew something wasn't working in the book, thought maybe a shift would help, Bob says not. I'm going to read Bob's book and start over, or stick the manuscript back in the drawer and visit a different working draft with new perspective.
Guess I needed that Bob session last summer before I attempted to appease an agent who asked for my manuscript, then said 'too little character development' and 'too many characters.'
I'm just wondering if Bob might be taking the name of this conference too literally: Wrangling with Writers.
No rope burns yet, I really appreciated his succint manner and his patience. I have a much clearer sense of direction after attending his seminars.
Thanks Bob. Maybe one of these days I'll sort out the mess and get it right.
No coupons, if you ask me. Writing is a noble profession--at least some of the time--well maybe occasionally. Hold your ground and don't discount yourself. People will buy your book based on the writing inside (and the cover art).
What if your email had a link to a printable coupon, and the link was configured to print with a date two weeks after it was accessed? Waldenbooks does the separate link thing- and as far as the coupons, yes please! I can't afford hardbacks unless they're on sale, or have a discount... and I really don't want to have to wait a year for the paperback. (which reminds me... Bob, which of the Atlantis novels come first? Are they stand-alone, or connected? My local bookstore didn't have them in stock, so I have to order them... and I wondered which one to start with.)
How about virtual signings like Suzanne Brockmann does for her books, and a countdown? Just an idea--or a coupon in this book for the next one?
That's my limit, I am the queen of 'no idea' in marketing.
It must be exhausting doing talks and one-on-ones, but the writers you are helping will appreciate it 10-fold and hopefully the karma will pay back with bells on :) I realise that isn't why you do it--that just makes all the pubbed writers out there helping the unpubbed so much more special.
I'd buy a T-shirt that says "Brain Full."
For an ARC of Don't Look Down, I'd make him and Jenny a t-shirt that says Brain Full. Or anything else they can think of. :P
"Presenting and doing one-on-ones is exhausting. I know Jenny feels the same way. When we're on the road doing the Bob & Jenny show we're going to be pretty wiped out when we're not on..."
Sounds like you're a couple of intraverts with a snappy line of patter. You have to take care of yourselves, because this tour is going to be grueling.
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