tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post224714634487182859..comments2024-03-22T05:18:29.555-04:00Comments on Romance Bandits: What's in a Brand?Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02217492654108300014noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-45612320433131744002007-06-28T01:42:00.000-04:002007-06-28T01:42:00.000-04:00Never fear, Jo-Mama!I'll bring my handy-dandy rand...Never fear, Jo-Mama!<BR/><BR/>I'll bring my handy-dandy random number generator to our critique session on Sunday afternoon. And I'll even let you pull the lever. ;-)<BR/><BR/>ACLoucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02217492654108300014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-60742417824114464402007-06-28T00:25:00.000-04:002007-06-28T00:25:00.000-04:00It's 9:30 California time, so before everyone chec...It's 9:30 California time, so before everyone checks out, I want to thank Brenda for her great post and insightful responses to all the questions! Isn't she great? And she's a wonderful person too! Thanks, Brenda.<BR/><BR/>The winner of Brenda's book will be announced on Sunday (as soon as AC tells me how to randomly pick -- tee hee).jo robertsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16824237193217632098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-17306644015348507402007-06-27T23:38:00.000-04:002007-06-27T23:38:00.000-04:00Brenda -HeHeHe - see - my branding is working. Ac...Brenda -<BR/><BR/>HeHeHe - see - my branding is working. Actually, I should abandon the witty & seductive thing and go with - "I'm the person you see on the street and think you remember but in fact you never met in your life."<BR/>I've been a member of TGN since 1998, so you could know my name from there. I won the GH last year - I was the one with adding machine tape instead of a bonafide acceptance speech. I'm presenting the Long Historical GH this year, so you'll definitely be able to put a face to the name then. But I'm so flattered that I sound familiar. You made my evening.<BR/><BR/>DonnaDonna MacMeanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10310857800824141312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-26402911963694073032007-06-27T22:37:00.000-04:002007-06-27T22:37:00.000-04:00Hi Heidi--Sounds as if you're helping me promote. ...Hi Heidi--Sounds as if you're helping me promote. Thank you so much! There's NOTHING (no replacement whatever) for word of mouth. That's the best way to promote, bar none.<BR/><BR/>You make a GREAT point about trying too hard to be catchy or witty. I really believe you have to be yourself. Show people where you're different, appeal to the right audience, but always be yourself.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for joining us!<BR/><BR/>BrendaBrenda Novakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00336692270825207840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-39743240787870026682007-06-27T22:35:00.000-04:002007-06-27T22:35:00.000-04:00Donna--I've been wracking my brain for your first ...Donna--I've been wracking my brain for your first name. You're familiar to me, but I can't remember why or how. Do you know? Is it through the Golden Network? The auction? Anyway, even the title of your book sounds familiar to me, so we must have corresponded about it at some point. Great title. I'm looking forward to reading it!<BR/><BR/>I apologize for all the typos in my posts, ladies. I'm usually more careful. I have a book due tomorrow and am SO behind, but this blog is addicting and I keep switching over for a quick fix. LOLBrenda Novakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00336692270825207840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-44927205286623432762007-06-27T22:33:00.000-04:002007-06-27T22:33:00.000-04:00Hi AC--I can tell already that you'd a lot of fun....Hi AC--I can tell already that you'd a lot of fun. Thanks for chiming in. I'm glad you enjoyed the blog.Brenda Novakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00336692270825207840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-23766361202179226782007-06-27T22:31:00.000-04:002007-06-27T22:31:00.000-04:00Brenda, I so love visiting in Stillwater with your...Brenda, I so love visiting in Stillwater with your books. In fact, when we have down time at the hospital, I log on to your website and watch your trailer. Everyone loves it and several have gone straight to the bookstore to buy the books. <BR/>I'm straddling the fence on the brand thing. If it's good and it fits, then I'm all for it. But, I've seen a few catchy lines that seem too contrived and it turns me off worse than a drunk at the bus station. Thanks again for the entertainment.heidihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12486089654224483478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-30184223369054892792007-06-27T21:12:00.000-04:002007-06-27T21:12:00.000-04:00Brenda -Thank you. My "witty and seductive" histo...Brenda -<BR/><BR/>Thank you. My "witty and seductive" historical is THE EDUCATION OF MRS. BRIMLEY due out in October as a Berkley Sensation Mass Market. Check out the absolute fabulous cover in the sidebar or the blog. I'll be in Dallas. Like Christine, I don't know if I'll be exactly witty or seductive...but I will be the one with the BIG grin on my face.<BR/><BR/>DonnaDonna MacMeanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10310857800824141312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-63356153015794529272007-06-27T18:29:00.000-04:002007-06-27T18:29:00.000-04:00LOL, Christine!Whatever do you mean? Your wit and ...LOL, Christine!<BR/>Whatever do you mean? Your wit and charm are always apparent!<BR/><BR/>And I agree, Caren, the Bandit blog is sooo much fun AND educational too! Like TODAY!<BR/><BR/>Thanx SOOO MUCH, Brenda for hanging out with us! I feel like I've attended an excellent workshop on author branding. And all from the comfort of my own desk chair. ;-)<BR/>I'm with Kate, you MUST be twins to get all the things accomplished that you do! <BR/><BR/>KEEP IT UP, Girlfriend!<BR/>ACLoucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02217492654108300014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-59646490776020072512007-06-27T17:45:00.000-04:002007-06-27T17:45:00.000-04:00Dorothy--Great tips. I could take some advice from...Dorothy--Great tips. I could take some advice from you!Brenda Novakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00336692270825207840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-50037461639310406382007-06-27T17:44:00.000-04:002007-06-27T17:44:00.000-04:00Hi Christine--Funny is always good. But it's hard....Hi Christine--Funny is always good. But it's hard. Trying to be funny and falling flat is a real danger. I think it's important to be yourself, because it's the only way you can remain consistent. I wouldn't suggest becoming the voice of your main character because you're looking at a career in writing, which extends beyond one book or even one series. You may want to write dark and dramatic stories one day (like me--LOL). You can be different from your characters and still be engaging. The most important advice I can give on this is to be very honest about who you are. Honesty will never get you in trouble, never goes out of style and always appeals to people. Show them what's good about YOU. Part of you goes into absolutely every book, so you are representing your work at the same time. :-)Brenda Novakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00336692270825207840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-36626626584121474602007-06-27T16:46:00.000-04:002007-06-27T16:46:00.000-04:00Ooh, ooh, am I too late? Brenda, it's 6am in Austr...Ooh, ooh, am I too late? Brenda, it's 6am in Australia, so I hope you'll forgive my tardiness if you're still with us. Thank you so much for all your wisdom. This has been a fantastic learning experience for a newly published author.<BR/><BR/>I wasn't entirely sure what my brand was going to be until all my author blurbs came in for Scandal's Daughter (out in September from Berkley Sensation). Almost every one of them said three things: sensual, witty, charming. So, I'm happy to go with those!*bats eyelashes in a sensual, witty and charming manner*<BR/><BR/>Brenda, if you're still there, what do you think about carrying the authorial persona into blogging, etc? Obviously, someone like Jenny Crusie is as funny as her books. I, however, am not always witty and charming.LOL Do you think readers expect and like you to have the same voice in person as you do in books?Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-69144215439738166752007-06-27T16:38:00.000-04:002007-06-27T16:38:00.000-04:00Oops, how rude. Thanks for being here, Brenda! ;o...Oops, how rude. Thanks for being here, Brenda! ;o)thewriterslifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09408434848838447115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-38205287662187543572007-06-27T16:36:00.000-04:002007-06-27T16:36:00.000-04:00What I do is concentrate on getting my name, websi...What I do is concentrate on getting my name, website and blog into the search engines. I don't bombard people with my services...they find me instead, which I think works better because this way, you are coming off as a commodity that they want instead of something someone else tells them they need. If you have optimized your website and blogs with your key search words, people will come to you. It's a little trick I've learned over years and years of trying to find ways to get people to buy my books. Virtual book tours are a good way to advertise your book without actually looking like that's your intention. It's like those people who come to your door trying to sell your product. They look like they need your business. If you can come off as not appearing needy, you have just conquered a major step in learning how to pump up your books.thewriterslifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09408434848838447115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-53222619888442812912007-06-27T16:19:00.000-04:002007-06-27T16:19:00.000-04:00Thanks, Tawny. I'm glad you'll be there.Anna--EXAC...Thanks, Tawny. I'm glad you'll be there.<BR/><BR/>Anna--EXACTLY. I guess I couldn't said that and saved myself a bunch of typing. ;-) It's a longer, slower build with series. With single titles, you can appeal to the press on an individual book basis much easier, so you sometimes get a little help there, too.Brenda Novakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05074126134924458160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-45731785292129827942007-06-27T16:01:00.000-04:002007-06-27T16:01:00.000-04:00Aggressive Promotion, Saturday at 3:15. I've alre...Aggressive Promotion, Saturday at 3:15. I've already got it marked to attend, Brenda! It looks fab, I can't wait to hear it.Tawnyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14076851566613018105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-56366969426291703282007-06-27T15:55:00.000-04:002007-06-27T15:55:00.000-04:00Thanks again Brenda! I owe you a drink in Dallas f...Thanks again Brenda! I owe you a drink in Dallas for all your hard work answering my questions! It's such helpful information.<BR/><BR/>I'm like Caren, as an AYU, I've got my website as my main tool.<BR/><BR/>It sounds like for category, it's all about longer term gain and building the author brand, as opposed to ST which can be about both book and author.<BR/><BR/>Thanks again!Anna Sugdenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02015356374453032571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-22305162758777823492007-06-27T15:47:00.000-04:002007-06-27T15:47:00.000-04:00Caren--Group blogs are awesome for that reason. I ...Caren--Group blogs are awesome for that reason. I think they get old, though, which is why so many of the really popular ones are (sadly) shutting down (squawk being one of them).<BR/><BR/>Tawny--Once your brand is in place, it's a constant effort to get it out there. It takes continual work and continual creativity. You have to keep your web site as interactive as possible, and you have to keep it updated. You also have to think of other fun ways to get your name in the public eye. I'm actually teaching a workshop on this. If you're coming to national in Dallas in a few weeks, definitely attend. (I'll be teaching it with friend Rachelle Chase, who is really creative. And we'll be holding a drawing among the attendees for a paid registration to the conference in SF next year.)Brenda Novakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05074126134924458160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-9510644614091835962007-06-27T15:38:00.000-04:002007-06-27T15:38:00.000-04:00Hey Brenda *waving* Thanks so much for coming by ...Hey Brenda *waving* Thanks so much for coming by and sharing such fab wisdom :-) Your answers have me thinking a lot - especially the one about category promotion (as a new Blaze author, its always on my mind).<BR/><BR/>I *think* I've branded myself in terms of my site, my writing, etc... they are all on the same page- so to speak LOL. But the question is always how to take it further. Once the brand is in place, where do you take it?<BR/><BR/>Thanks again for being here!Tawnyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14076851566613018105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-32884508025044056702007-06-27T15:29:00.000-04:002007-06-27T15:29:00.000-04:00Thank you, Brenda, for your thoughtful answers! I ...Thank you, Brenda, for your thoughtful answers! I figured the to brand or not-brand thing probably boiled down to personal preference. <BR/><BR/>I've chosen to do what's easy. Update my website once a quarter or so (hey, I don't have new releases, so I go by the seasons) and blog. My personal blog gets much less attention than this group blog, though, because the group blog is so much easier! *g*<BR/><BR/>It makes me queasy to think about building two or more brands. Ack! You multi-genre people are made of stern stuff.Caren Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-62403192362750160922007-06-27T14:45:00.000-04:002007-06-27T14:45:00.000-04:00Hi dmacmeans! Congratulations on your debut. The t...Hi dmacmeans! Congratulations on your debut. The tag line makes it sound great. What's the title? What publisher are you with? I'd like to look for it.Brenda Novakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00336692270825207840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-39688282367510302922007-06-27T14:43:00.000-04:002007-06-27T14:43:00.000-04:00Promoting series books is much more difficult than...Promoting series books is much more difficult than promotiing single titles, for several reasons. The first is shelf-life. You have barely a three-week window when your book is on the shelf. A single title is on the shelves for around six months (if you have good distribution and a good buy-in). It's much easier to promote something that is visible and readily available. Selling a book that readers have to hunt for after the fact asks them to do a lot more work, and the harder it is on the end consumer, the less likely they're going to be to put forth the effort. <BR/><BR/>It's also harder to affect the sales of a series book because the publisher (Harlequin) is so good at doing their own branding, and they're branding the line as a whole. They're (typically) not doing things to make the individual author stand out. They don't send out press kits or buy ads for individual series books. Their marketing goals for this type of book are understandably different. So you're left with the whole ball of wax. <BR/><BR/>Another formidable problem when promoting a series book is public perception. When a reader sees a series book, she typically has one of two reactions. She's familiar with them, has read them and loved them and is willing to try another one. Or she's convinced of the stereotype that "those little books" aren't as good a quality as a single title. Overcoming this resistance can be very difficult, but Harlequin has wisely set up a widespread sampling program that is doing a lot (I hope and have faith) to dispel this misconception. Still, in the current market, you face this resistance. I've found that it's much easier to convince someone to try my single titles than to convince them to try one of my category books. That doesn't mean it's impossible--just more difficult.Brenda Novakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00336692270825207840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-7266048276358057982007-06-27T14:07:00.000-04:002007-06-27T14:07:00.000-04:00Hi Brenda! So glad to see you joining the bandits...Hi Brenda! So glad to see you joining the bandits for the day. My first book, an historical, - oops - a "witty and seductive historical" is coming out this fall. I just wanted to 1) say that I love your books and 2) remind everyone attending the Golden Network's dessert reception that hears me singing to remember it's branding, and obviously not talent. (Big grin)Donna MacMeanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10310857800824141312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-16642383121427719952007-06-27T13:38:00.000-04:002007-06-27T13:38:00.000-04:00Thanks for a great answer, Brenda! (and all your g...Thanks for a great answer, Brenda! (and all your great answers - I'm a gut instinct marketing person too, despite my former career *grin*) I agree with you 100%!<BR/><BR/>I think it's interesting that you've created a new series that features characters with the kind of strength, commitment and motivation you show - can't wait to read it. That's exactly what I wondered about when I asked the question. As I said, I know you don't do it for yourself, but I think it inevitably has to feed back.<BR/><BR/>I also think it's intersting that you don't promote your Category work in the same way as your ST's. As a (hopefully) future category writer, do you think there is a difference in the impact promotional work can have category vs ST?Anna Sugdenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02015356374453032571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-22700441395839379502007-06-27T13:37:00.000-04:002007-06-27T13:37:00.000-04:00Let me step in to say something about Brenda's auc...Let me step in to say something about Brenda's auction. The first year, she raised about $34,000, the next year, around $62,000 and this year a whoppping $141,000 (sorry, Brenda, if my figures are off), so the event really has had a spiraling effect, which is marvelous.jo robertsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16824237193217632098noreply@blogger.com