Showing posts with label giveaways. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giveaways. Show all posts

Monday, August 3, 2015

How to be an Indie Author 7: 44 Marketing Tactics

This is the seventh post in a series about self-publishing from ideation through sales. To check out other posts in this series, click here.

Last time I finished up publishing by going over the special considerations of print-on-demand. This time, I'm going to talk about selling books, specifically, techniques indie authors can use to market their books.

[insert noun here] sells books.
First let me start out by saying, I have no goddamn clue what I am doing. None. I devour EVERYTHING on marketing I can find. I subscribe to a variety of newsletters for just this purpose. I ask everyone I know for advice and suggestions. So far, it remains a mystery to me.

That said, I recently decided to make some major changes to my marketing efforts and while on that journey have had some failures and made other mistakes. And I have so much more to do. One thing, which comes up again and again in marketing articles and blogs I read is know your target audience. This will make everything else either worth it or a waste of time. This is not a simple thing. You should create basically a character - as if you were writing about them. You should know everything about this person. Where do they live? Where do they hang out? Who are their friends? Gender? Age? Education? Socio-economic status? Religion? Everything.

I have been, historically, terrible at connecting with the demographics who would be interested in my books (I think). As part of my new marketing efforts, I'm going to revisit these questions and re-evaluate my current efforts. It's okay. I know I've made mistakes in every aspect of the publishing process and I've made the most in marketing.  I also have a lot of things left to try (So many options for awesome!).

Now you're wondering, why would you read about marketing from someone who has no idea what they are doing and hasn't tried just as many things?

*Smirks*

Because then you know what didn't work for me (or what I have yet to do - which is honestly a lot) and maybe you can do it better. When you go through this stuff, write to me, and tell me what worked for you. Seriously!

Please note, I am listing all these things because they DID work for some authors. They may work for you (especially if you're dialed into your target audience). You may have a better handle on things than I do or did. You may understand social media better, or have more evangelizing friends than I do, or have books in an easier to sell niche. Also, it should be stated that I am incredibly, notoriously, impatient. I may not have given enough time for things to work. Maybe I could have tweaked one thing and it would have been enough. I don't know. Regardless, in no particular order, here is the list of things you can do or places where you can go to market your book as an indie:
  1. Blog - not sure how many sales I've gotten through my blogs - I think they don't really reach the same demographics as my books. I'm not sure how I feel about that...one way or another. I think this works best if you have a devout fanbase or write specifically for your demographic/brand.
  2. Tweet (has been a mixed bag for me). It's fun, and if done well, can generate interest, or at least buzz.
  3. Instagram (haven't done this) - this is a good place if you take a lot of pictures and are trying to reach female millennials.
  4. Tumblr (haven't done this) - some people have turned their tumblrs into book deals. Not sure exactly how this works, but tumblr has a book liaison person so, it happens regularly.
  5. Google + - I get a lot of profile views and infrequently get +1s for my blog posts, but I don't know how helpful it has been as far as sales.
  6. Facebook - I think this is more for people who are committed fans as opposed to recruiting new ones. Because of the way FB pushes page statuses v individual statuses, I've read it's better to go with FB ads, but that requires money, which I don't have to allocate to this right now. 
  7. Podcasting (haven't done this yet but want to, especially do a series from certain character perspectives)
  8. Build a quiz based on your books (just did this, not a lot of info yet). I think it's a fun idea, and it takes very little time. So, there you go.
  9. Word of mouth - i.e. get a few friends who LOVE YOU and LOVE YOUR WORK to sell FOR YOU. When I find a few myself, I'll let you know how it works out.
  10. Reviews - ONE OF THE SINGLE BEST WAYS TO SELL and also, one of the hardest things to get. I've heard PR reps say, give out 50 copies, get 10 reviews back. These you really need to track down - which has worked for me to get a few, but I don't have a lot of data yet on how this plays out.
  11. Write reviews for similar work - haven't done this because honestly, I'm not altogether sure how I would set it up. The plus here is people funneled to your blog or post who are primed for that type of content. The downside is, well, you need to have time to read books.
  12. Write guest posts and articles on related content - this is something I just started doing since May. I've been doing about a guest post every two weeks. I'm not sure how that will impact sales, but I'll let you know once I have more data.
  13. Have a game or app based on your book - haven't done this yet, but I want to. It sounds fun and could definitely create some income streams depending on how you package it.
  14. Blog tour - this is another one that tends not to lead to direct sales, but it does get the word out a bit more and opens you up to more guest posting opportunities. So it might not spike sales, but it tends to help in the long run...however I've never done it because most blogs in my niche do not like indie authors and or won't do ebooks. If you have paperback copies, they are more likely to review.
  15. Speaking tours - this is something I'm working on for THRIVE especially, so I can't give any feedback about how it pans out because I haven't started yet. That said, I expect this to be a good way to sell books and collect email addresses. Plus, you know, you get paid after six months to a year of paying dues.
  16. Newsletter - I've read this is a huge thing that you need to have, and I'm just starting now, so again, I can't say how this works. The plus to this is you can send out updates when you'll be in town or when books are on preorder making it more likely for people to purchase books.
  17. Vlogging - again, something I want to do, but haven't been able to because of time commitment. I think pretty faces and funny expressions go a long way to selling books.
  18. Amazon Author page - I just fixed this myself, so again, not sure how this will pan out. I think indie authors need to be on Amazon because it is such a major retailer. Whether you choose to be on KDP Select is another question (I'm not, but I'm adamant about having my work on multiple platforms). I think having this will make a big difference, but I need more data.
  19. Website - This is a recent addition because until May 2015, I didn't have the funds to make this happen. If you don't have a website, you should at least have a free blog. However, there are cheap WYSIWYG HTML hosting services, like Wix, so really, even if you're tech challenged, you can have a nice site. Again, I don't really have enough data on this to make a pronouncement one way or another, but I think it is a good thing to have a central location where readers can find you online.
  20. Ecourses - I am IN LOVE with this idea. I have no idea how it will impact my book sales, or anything, but I want to do this SO BAD it hurts. Especially for THRIVE and SIX DEGREES. Maybe even a writing workshop. There are a lot of platforms out there on how to do this, and honestly, I think there are so many options for format, there's no excuse not to do this *if it works with your content.*
  21. Streaming video - haven't done this, but I hear it's the next big thing. Periscope seems to be winning the platform war in this, but Meerkat is another option.
  22. Make art - seriously. Visual interpretations of your work, especially in sci-fi and fantasy are great sales tools. I think DeviantArt is probably the place to make this happen and or disseminate. It's something I want to do, but haven't had time.
  23. Bublish - haven't been able to do this because you need to fit certain criteria, but it seems to work for a lot of people.
  24. Wattpad - hasn't led to many sales for me, but I do have several first chapters up (of older editions). Some authors swear by this, however, so you may as well try it.
  25. Patreon - I want this work so bad, but I'm not sure how long it takes to get anything going. I think the biggest thing for this to work is to have some seeders to give you a little social capital. Also, I think being clear about branding is important for this to be successful.
  26. Serialization - I have a LOT of work in the works. *Sigh* So again, this is one thing I want to do, that has worked for a lot of authors, but I haven't tried it yet (maybe on Patreon?).
  27. Giveaways - I've done a lot of different giveaways at different times. It hasn't led to many sales or reviews thus far. In fact, I'm not sure what the point is of giveaways, unless it is the first book in a series of pageturners. Use at your discretion.
  28. Contests - this is different than giveaways. Contests might involve winners pitching you a story they want you to write or getting a main character named after them in the next book. I think this is a good idea, but I'm not sure how much of a fan base you need initially to make the buzz spread. This might be for people with a second or third book, or it could be for someone who has a good set of evangelist friends.
  29. Fan fiction - I've been told this is a REALLY good way to go. Pay homage to a series or a genre fav, and you're golden. I think this only works if you are actually a big fan and or you're trailblazing with the book in question (see: Wicked). Personally, I'm not sure I qualify in either of those categories....
  30. Book launches - this works if you have your book set on preorder like 12 months out, and you have a team of people who are committed to selling you. I didn't have either of those things, so it didn't really work out for me. Note: The biggest mystery to me is finding true believers and or evangelists. If you have that on lock down, MESSAGE ME IMMEDIATELY! We need to talk!
  31. Trailers - I've heard from multiple sources this is a waste of time and money....but...some people are determined to do it. I never have because of the former.
  32. Advertising - I've read this is essential. I've also read it is a waste of time and money. I have no idea who is right. Some people this works for, others it doesn't. If you have the resources to commit to this, go ahead and try it. Facebook retargeting ads are supposed to have a super high conversion rate. Do a test run and let me know how it goes.
  33. Free - give out some content for free. Some people swear by this, others are adamantly opposed. I haven't had very much luck when I've done this, so I can't say it was particularly worth it. I think the goal with free is to get reviews. If you don't get those, then....that sucks (unless it's the first book in a series, but that has been overdone).
  34. Author/influencer blurbs - I've read of people having some serious success with this. If you know a famous author in your genre, or have a connection or whatever, try and get a blurb for your book and PROMOTE THE HELL OUT OF THAT SHIT. Ahem. I haven't done this, but there are a couple of authors/influencers I would die to have quotes from.
  35. Get in a magazine - an essay, a short story, whatever.  I haven't been able to break into this yet, and it supposedly takes a lot of effort to convince the first magazine to take a risk on you (even if you follow all the advice columns). I have gotten a lot of kind rejections. That said, I think I'm closer now than before, mostly because of the guest posting I've been doing. I'm going to cross my fingers on this one and hopefully something hits me on the head.
  36. Send press kits - if you live in a place where media outlets might actually publish your press release, do this. Even if you're not sure they will, do this. I haven't had any luck with this so far, but it's worth a try.
  37. Hand sell - I've heard this works really well. If you have a stack of your paperbacks in your car, and have a good pitch or charisma out the butt, this will probably work for you (Shit, I really need to get a stack of my books in my car!).
  38. More books - I've read it's good to have an entire library of books available for readers. I have a ton of books published, and many more planned. I don't know how well this works if you don't have a few beloved fans in your arsenal.
  39. Coverart - if your books aren't selling, redo it. I just did this, and I'll let you know how it works out.
  40. Categories - if your books aren't selling, redo them. I just did this, so I'll let you know what happens.
  41. Jacket summaries - if your books aren't selling, redo them. I did this a little bit, but I think other things need to be at work for this to help sales along.
  42. 2nd Editions - if your books aren't selling, rewrite them. I just did this with KHLOE ALWELL and when I'm finished editing ANDREW, I'll do it for the entire ROLLINS PACK.
  43. Sell your soul - write a sellout book. I think there is something to this, but I still think you need other things in place for this to be successful. I'll let you know when I finally get BELOW THE BELT onto Amazon.
  44. Stop worrying about it and just write - I've read this works for some people. I'm personally unable to do this...though I've tried.

*********************
Did I miss anything? Let me know if you have any special techniques or strategies that worked for you. Also, when you try the above, TELL ME WHAT WORKED! I want all the juicy details!

Saturday, July 5, 2014

Goodreads Genre Group Blog Hop

I am thrilled to say that tomorrow begins a great blog hop in which I am participating! Its theme is "travel." Seeing as I have been flying and roadtripping since I was a toddler, I couldn't pass up the chance to join the fun! Below I have included the list of participating blogs and dates when they will be posting.

PLEASE make sure to check out some of the posts! And of course, check out mine on July 12th too


GSRG July Blog Tour Giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway

Genre Specific Review Group Blog Tour Stops: July 6 - The Consulting Writer Author Susan Day Michelle Abbott's Blog Author George Thomas Clark July 7 - Marilyn Peake's Blog Author Jo Grafford July 8 - Plain Talk BM Author Domino Finn Author Stephanie Ward July 9 - Author Melinda Brasher July 10 - Author K. Chrisbacher Author Tim Stead July 11 - Author Jayne Blue July 12 - The Consulting Writer Author Alexis Donkin

Monday, June 30, 2014

Throw That Book: Celebrate Freedom

Freedom. Glorious freedom.
Liberation.
Independence.

Tis a gift to be free. Yes...or is it?

I'm not talking about the holiday coming up. I'm talking about the liberation of books.

FREE OUR BOOKS! BOOK LIBERATION!

A tweep of mine recently had her books show up on a piracy site and as many would be, was upset by this.

The first thing I thought?

I wish one of my books had enough attention to be on a pirate site.

Yes, I would probably lose some money on that book...but...I might gain some fans.

There is a tension between possession of a creative product and accessibility. I think of Louis C.K. who put up a special, DRM free, and had a tip jar situation. He made a bunch of money even though he didn't require payment. Was it a question of demographics? Celebrity? Product itself? Or was it simply the fact that he ventured to trust people enough with his craft they were so moved to support him despite its free price tag?

I have in the past made books free as well as had give aways. I have also given free chapters and of course, my ZEPHYRS short story has always been free. I don't have a tip jar, though I wouldn't mind listing a book on NOISETRADE (can I please?). All my books on Smashwords are DRM free. I did that because I want to trust people and encourage them to support art because it is good, brings them joy, and they want more of it.

On the one hand, if I was on a pirate site, I can see getting mad. On the other, would I be doing my job if my books weren't free somewhere...somehow? Probably not.

So while I don't require payment, I do expect some kind of compensation. PR will do nicely. Money would be good too. :-)

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

LOVERS & RIVALS Giveaway!

Time to enter to win a copy of LOVERS & RIVALS! I'm giving away 3 copies leading up to a giveaway of BOOK 3 in the series - LILITH & AMMON! Check out the summary below and share with friends who love fantasy!
 
Going from eleventh grade botany to a Sidhe ruling council meeting isn't a typical course of events for most teens, but it's all part and parcel for Khloe Alwell.

Sixteen year old Khloe had her world turned upside down. Not only has she discovered the Otherworld and her heritage within it, but her family stands in the middle of the ancient and often violent division between Seelie and Sidhe. Now Khloe must struggle to learn the ways of her father's court, deal with heartbroken boys, navigate a strange relationship with her weapons instructor, and come to terms with the truth of an ancient prophecy. She will have to decide whether she will choose to go her own way, or follow her destiny as a leader of the Otherworld.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Quick Update

If you follow my author page on Facebook or Google+ profile,  then you already know I had my baby on Labor Day (yes, I know).

I will try to get winners picked for THE BROTHERS giveaway tomorrow (or today...my time is a little off these days). The other giveaways are necessarily postponed...as is publication of SIX DEGREES.

I'll give further details in my next post as to what to expect going forward.

Thanks for humoring me in this whirlwind time!

Saturday, August 31, 2013

The Writing Nitty Gritty

First of all, make sure you enter to win a copy of book 1 in the KHLOE ALWELL series, THE BROTHERS. You have nothing to lose, and a fun book to gain. Seriously.

Now that we've covered that and you have a second tab open in your browser ready to enter my giveaway, we can get on to business. And let me tell you - I have been busy.

Not only did I publish another book (BELOW THE BELT), upload a bunch of my ebooks to Goodreads (I'm going to set it up for you to purchase directly after reading a sample. To check them out, click my Goodreads widget in the sidebar!), but I also just completed my author interview on Smashwords. I probably should have asked and answered these questions myself a long time ago, but...I didn't. I don't have that much foresight. Luckily Smashwords does. I really recommend taking a look at my interview to learn more about the inner workings of my writerly brain. Then go ahead and browse the author interviews. I did that myself and found some really interesting stuff on there.

Smashwords authors are quite a wild mix. There are people like me who went straight to independent publishing and then there are people who came out of the Big Six publishing world to do something different (and every combination and iteration in between you can imagine!). It's also interesting to see the questions authors post and their specific paths (which vary greatly).

If you ever wanted to become an author (or just write a memoir), reading interviews of authors will be a helpful exercise. I guarantee it.

Now, if you've forgotten, let me remind you to enter my giveaway. Really. You should. Next week there will be a giveaway for book 2 (LOVERS AND RIVALS), followed by a giveaway for my brand spanking new book 3 - LILITH AND AMMON. You could win the whole series! But don't wait to enter - you have through Monday! Good luck!

Thursday, August 29, 2013

THE BROTHERS Author Q & A

In an effort to share with you a bit more about the process I went through to write THE BROTHERS (the book giveaway this week!) I thought I'd put out a little question and answer. Enjoy!


Where did you get the idea for this book?

This is a little weird, but bear with me. I think the idea for this series has been simmering for over 10 years. I actually know a set of 3 brothers from my high school who were direct inspiration for the Grechs in MANY ways (Though if you met the real life brothers, you'd realize they are not the Grechs. There are just some similarities.). The real people who inspired the Grech brother characters were/are an awesome group of people and I found them fascinating. Still, I couldn't just write about three brothers. I needed something else. Well, I've always thought that if I held my hand out at just the right time, at just the right moment, I might be able to push through to the other side of reality – to something more or different. This is an ancient idea that comes up in many myths and legends around the world. The Scots call places where you can see through this veil “thin places.” Just because we can't see these things, doesn't mean they aren't there. From that idea, it seemed a short step to a girl with connections behind that veil and Khloe was born.

What traits and other tidbits do you share with your main character?

Ha! Khloe and I have probably too many similarities. The outfit she wears in the first chapter is actually one I wore quite often in high school. We both sing. We both paint. We both have dark hair and hazel eyes. I wrote her this way because as a little girl I hated how many main characters, dolls, actresses were blond or had blue eyes. I wanted someone who looked like me – so I wrote Khloe to look like me. As far as her lack of confidence in her appearance, I think that is not just something I shared with her as a teen, but something that most teenage girls (and women!) struggle with regularly, even when they're gorgeous. Beyond that, I think Khloe's less snarky than I am and my family has always been perfectly in tact.

Did any of your inspiration for this book originate in your real life experiences?

The high school is actually based on my high school in Albany, NY. Anyone who went to Albany High will probably recognize pieces of the school in the descriptions of the place. The town is just a generic New England town. There are tons of little places like this in New England where I spent many nights performing in music venues or days exploring museums or other little known attractions. The mythological references come straight out of descriptions of myth and legend.

What made you decide to self-publish?

I wanted to finish something myself. This was the first book I wrote and the first I published. I have said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm an impatient person and I like to wait for no one. Besides, the idea of doing all this work just to have it shaved down to something not remotely resembling my vision for the story was unappealing. I like keeping creative control.

Are there any specific authors whose writing styles or subject matter inspired your book?

I mentioned it a few times, but this series heavily draws from myth and legend. I've always loved the old stories – from pretty much everywhere. Researching ancient cultures and specific myths, gods, and goddesses was one of the most enjoyable parts of writing THE BROTHERS. There is so much overlap between different cultures (like thunder gods – seems everyone has a thunder god) it made the concept of different ethnic Seelie easy to create.
 

Do you have another project in the works? If so, what is it?

This is the first in the KHLOE series. As of now, three of the four books intended in this series are completed. Hopefully book 4 will be available next year. I'm over half-way done with the third book in THE ROLLINS PACK, my other young adult series. I also have a couple adult/more mature books that could be stand alones or part of new series (I haven't decided). It's probably going to depend on how popular the first installments become (so if readers demand sequels, I will likely give in!). We'll just have to wait and see.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

THE BROTHERS Giveaway from 8/27 - 9/2

Today you can enter to win 1 of 3 copies of book 1 in the KHLOE ALWELL series (and my first book EVER) THE BROTHERS.

Be sure to enter as MANY times as you like. Several options are one time deals, but many can be done more than once!

Here is a summary of THE BROTHERS:

Khloe Alwell is about to turn sixteen, find her first real friends, fall in love, learn that every legend is true, discover her parents are living a lie, and one more thing. She's not human.

Moving from town to town with her mother who is absent six months out of the year and an mousy academic stepfather, Khloe Alwell never had time to make friends or fit in. Everything changes the September before her sixteenth birthday, when Khloe finds herself in a small New England town starting yet another new school. There she befriends three strange brothers who introduce her to a world where human myth and legend are fictionalized histories of an older more powerful race divided. Drawn to Khloe, the brothers and their childhood friends will help her uncover her parents' complicated past, come to terms with ugly truths that plague all people, as well as discover Khloe's true identity, abilities, and her importance in the world under the veil. 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I LOVE Sharing! or 3 in a ROW!

I have discovered something new about myself - I LOVE sharing my books with people. I don't mean talking about them. I mean, I'm an author. OF COURSE I like talking about them.

No, I mean giving them away.

I really love having book giveaways. They're fun. It makes me happy when I can tell someone they won a prize and I get to give them something they didn't know they'd get. Probably that puts a smile on their face (or at least that's how I imagine it) which puts a smile on my face.

How awesome is that?

Because I love doing this soooo much, I'm going to do a lead up to the release of LILITH & AMMON.

That means for the next couple weeks, you are going to be able to win a copy of each of the available KHLOE ALWELL books.

From TODAY through NEXT MONDAY you can enter to win THE BROTHERS.

The FOLLOWING WEEK you will be able to enter to win a copy of LOVERS & RIVALS.

THEN...as if this wasn't enough awesomeness...you can enter to win a free copy of LILITH & AMMON (which is readable either as a prequel or book 3...however you're feeling at the time).

Yep. In a few minutes I'll upload THE BROTHERS giveaway and you can start entering! Woohoo!

P.S. I'm a little excited. :-P

Saturday, August 24, 2013

5 Books is A-Okay & a Giveaway

I am on a roll! Well, at least it feels that way.

I'm only 20 pages away from finishing my final revision of BELOW THE BELT, my first adult novel (Well, I guess it works for 18-25 year olds, so if they're adults then...yes...it's an adult novel). However, I do still need to finish the cover art (thanks GIMP for all your craziness! Bleh!).

In other news, I still have some formatting/revision work to be done on SIX DEGREES, my world religion curriculum, as well as finishing the cover.

I should be able to finish both of these if I'm diligent by next week.

Then of course there are the two pregnancy books I want to finish before I pop out kiddo. They're each about half-way complete, so I'm not sure how they'll work out or if they will before baby arrives.

Regardless, if I publish BELOW THE BELT and SIX DEGREES, I will have published 5 books this summer. That's not bad. If I can squeeze one or two more out, that would be AMAZING and I would have reached my original Summer Writing Challenge goal. Even if I don't get to 7, I feel like 5 is pretty good.

I don't think I can go back to ANDREW right now (although I have some fans clamoring for the next installment of the Rollins Pack) to actually finish it with any kind of quality (and I'm much more about quality right now than I am quantity...seriously).

That said, as part of the summer publishing EXTRAVAGANZA, let me REMIND YOU to enter my fantastic giveaway for a FREE copy of JEREMIAH (enough caps for ya?)! I'm giving away three so you and two of your best friends could start a werewolf book club. Make sure to share the giveaway with friends and good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, May 30, 2013

My Stay-at-home Mom Plan

Okay. It's official. I have a plan on how I can make staying at home work for me and for us.

Granted, my plan is loose and fancy free, and I haven't worked out all the kinks, but it's there. It is undeniably present in my head.

My plan is comprised of different parts, which over time will work together. It is a process and I expect it to take some time to lead to any consistent revenue, but I'm not going to let impatience blow me off course. I'm also not absolutely certain I will follow this plan. I may decide to throw out huge chunks of it in favor of focusing on one thing over another...we'll have to wait and see.

So what is this much lauded plan? Here goes nothing:
  1. I will complete my Summer Writing Challenge. The books from said challenge will be promoted (Look for giveaways and sneak peaks in the future - that is FOR SURE!). I'm hoping to have some book tours involved, or blog hops, or something. This portion of promotion will take a little bit of work, because I need to connect with a few bloggers to make it happen, but I've been researching blogging networks and I feel confident I'll be able to find a few people interested in hosting something.
  2. I am seriously considering an email/subscriber list type deal, which may involve some free tips/stories/and if I can make connections with products etc, possibly discounts (that would be AHmazing!). I'd like this to be more connected to my writing as opposed to other topics, as first and foremost I am a writer (though my readers seem to be most interested in my perspective on pregnancy...hmm).
  3. I will begin looking for brands/services etc to review (as they relate to content on my blog ONLY - so possibly parenting related, possibly writing related, possibly politically/socially/environmentally related - this is a little open and will depend on how my interests continue to develop.).
  4. I will attempt to connect with products and services that may interest visitors to my blog and possibly sell advertising space in the sidebar.
  5. I am working with another writer/editor to start a webzine type of site which will hopefully lead to another consistent revenue stream through reviews and affiliates.
Already I've started looking into these different areas and I have a few ideas on how to get started. I know it will take some work to get things going, and I know I will probably have some trial and error before I'm able to find things that work well consistently.

As I work through this plan, you'll continue to get updates about my books (SWC posts), see changes to the blog (likely in the next few months), and hear about different articles on other sites. As part of the book launches, I'm also considering putting together some swag (totes...shirts maybe?).

A secondary consideration is separating my blogging into different sites (one for pregnancy and parenting and one for writing and related issues). This is something I am seriously considering because I'll be able to better tailor my posts to my readership (I know this will be annoying at first for those of you who have gotten used to reading pregnancy posts here, but I think it might work better to help to build brands.).

So here are those questions - (and *please* comment!) - would you rather see my pregnancy posts on a purely pregnancy/parenting blog? Would you rather my writing posts were separate? And, how do you feel about swag? :-)

A final question, what kind of giveaways would be exciting to you?

I can't wait to read your comments (twitter mentions are good too!)!