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"If you want to be seen, you have to put yourself out there. It's as simple as that." -Karin Fossum.
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Welcome and thank you for joining my self publishing newsletter! About once a month, you will receive an email from me with tips, Q&A and articles you can read to learn more about how to publish and promote your book! (If you're not an author or aspiring author, please click manage subscription at the bottom of this email to change your preferences to ensure you will receive relevant emails.)
You might be asking yourself: Why would I want to read a monthly newsletter from this Stacy person?? What could she teach me?
I self published my first book in 2018 and since then have self published 6 more. I started my own publishing company a year ago. For the past 3 years, I have spent hours upon hours researching every aspect of self publishing. I'm constantly learning and I would love to share what I've learned with you, so stick around! Feel free to respond to these emails with comments and questions!
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What does it take to follow your dreams? Are there certain people who find it easier than others? Is it better to stay with what you’re comfortable with or leap into the unknown?
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My journey from teacher to author and businesswoman...
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This month we're talking about Special Events!
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Getting out into your community is an important part of establishing your author career. What does it take to be successful out in your community?
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You HAVE to put yourself out there! Yes, I know it's hard! I'm an introvert! I get it. But you HAVE to. You have to talk to people, smile at people, make eye contact, introduce yourself, tell them you're the author (even if you have a sign that SAYS you're the author, they still won't get it), and actually hand them a book to look at! Start talking about yourself and your book and ask them about themselves. Make small talk! Be friendly. Don't sit behind your table in your chair the entire time. Get out in front of your table and talk to people. Fake your confidence if you have to. Be brave!
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I have sat behind my table waiting for people come to me and I have literally FORCED myself to get up and approach people instead. Guess which way got me more sales and subscribers? I'm sure you know the answer!
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Once you're all set up, make sure to take photos and even go live on IG and FB! See some of my posts on social media here:
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How do I find events to attend?
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Good places to look are in local Facebook community groups. Search the groups for events or post that you are a local author looking for places to do events. Another good place to post in the Next Door app. You can also google local shops and call and ask them if you can do an event there (make sure you ask if you can sell books).
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Which events are worth it?
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Questions to think about: How much does it cost to participate? What is the time commitment? How far is the drive? How busy will it be? Are you the only seller? How many books do you think you will sell?
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Events that have worked well for me: local boutiques/farmer markets where there are more than one seller. More people come and they tend to be looking to buy local. There may be a fee, but it's usually small and the time commitment will hopefully not be more than a few hours.
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Events that haven't worked well: author signings at local book stores. I'm not famous enough by myself to pull in a ton of people, so I normally only sell a few books.
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Things I bring that I think are necessary:
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a table (folding with a handle, easy to carry)
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a chair (camping chair in a bag with a carrying strap)
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a wagon (heavy duty, fold up)
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a notebook/pens (for collecting names/emails)
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bookmarks/stickers/business cards
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books (I usually bring 30-60 of each)
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table cloth (I bought a fitted one on Amazon, love it!)
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optional but I love it- a personalized table cloth runner (vistaprint)
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change ($1, $5, $10 bills)
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plastic bags (I bring some from the grocery store) for people to put their books in
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credit card reader (I use square- it's free to get one and super easy to use)
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phone/camera for taking photos and posting them to social media! (GO LIVE)
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bright, easy to read signs with clear, discounted prices ("event pricing")
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Want to learn more about local events?
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See you next month! Please comment below with any additional questions you have about local events or anything else you want to share!
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