Book Promotion Tip #1:
Use Facebook and other social media to build anticipation for your book. Document your progress from the sale of your manuscript (or in my particular case from the invitation to write the manuscript), through the release of your published book. And don't just document--express your excitement! It's contagious!
Here's a look at the Facebook posts I wrote related to my latest picture book, A SISTER MORE LIKE ME (Disney Press 2013), over the course of ten months, starting with my trip to the Disney studios in Burbank for an early screening of FROZEN, the Disney movie on which my book is based, and ending just before the book came out. I didn't write these posts as a promotional tool--I was simply sharing with my FB friends what was happenening in my life. The posts became a promotional tool because they built anticipation for the release of my book.
If you're on Facebook every day anyway, using it as a way to build anticipation for your upcoming book is fun and easy. If you also have Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+ accounts, you can use those too. I tend to get overwhelmed with too many social media options, so I usually stick with Facebook.
Notice the inclusion of photos, cover images and links to blog posts, related websites, movie trailers and posters--and also a link to pre-order the book. Visuals and videos can make your posts stand out and draw great attention.
November 13, 2012
On my way to a screening in Burbank of a new feature length animation coming out from Disney next year--I've been asked to write a picture book to tie in to the movie! I had to sign a non disclosure agreement so I can't say anything except what I found online--it's called FROZEN and is loosely based on The Snow Queen fairy tale. That's it! The invite came out of the blue and I am so excited!
Back in the airport in Burbank, headed home. Had breakfast in the ABC Commissary--did not see anyone famous. The Hotel Amarano had a large Harry Potter cast painting behind the front desk. The Disney Animation Theater had a wizard's hat on its roof. I fly in and out of Burbank all the time, but this was a new side of the city for me--there is magic in the air! Saw the screening, sat next to a Disney background artist, exchanged cards. Now--what to write?!
So here's my Disney Story. [With a link to my blog post, "Hollywood, Here I Come!"]
My editor at Disney approved one of the four ideas I sent her over the weekend for the FROZEN picture book. Now the studio has to approve it. And then I have two weeks to write the text--yikes!
Just hit the "send" button to Disney--completed picture book draft attached! The studio approved my concept last Monday and said they wanted to have input on the story development, so I guess you could say they're my critique group, especially since I can't share my work with any of my regular critique partners... Fingers crossed that I am headed in the right direction--otherwise, it's back to the drawing board.
Finally got editorial notes on the Disney draft--2 pages single spaced! It's not entirely back to the drawing board, and the specifics are no surprise--I already had a sense of the manuscript's weaknesses--but I have a lot of work to do! Meanwhile, I'm going to take a nap. I always have my best ideas on waking...
Despite dealing with Mom's illness and hospitalization and hosting six siblings in a small, two-bedroom house in the last week, I somehow managed to submit my Disney project rewrite to my editor today, meeting my deadline! Thanks go to my sibs, who gave me eight hours away from the house yesterday. Fingers crossed that this draft works well enough to send on to the studio...
Just emailed revision number three to my editor. I'm getting closer to what she wants--fingers crossed this one is in good enough shape to go to the studio for input and I get a chance to rest! (Three and a half hours sleep last night... I'm too old for this!) Now I'm thinking ice cream, a hot bath and a warm bed... Mmmm.
Woo-hoo! My manuscript is on its way to the studio with no editorial changes to the text except for the brilliant reordering of two scenes. (Thank you, Kelsey!) Now we wait for feedback from them to see if more changes will be required. Quite the process... Now I can start thinking about Christmas!
Good news from the film producer just in time to help me relax and enjoy the holiday--he likes the manuscript! He read it quickly and has not yet "scrutinized" it, so I may (probably will) have more work to do in January, but the initial okay is one major hurdle cleared. Yay!
I just did an amazon search for my name because my cousin wanted to know when my next picture book is coming out. So according to amazon, it's set for release on September 3rd and is already available for preorder! Who knew?! The Disney movie it's based on (FROZEN) is set for a November release, so I assumed they would come out at the same time. At the moment, the title is listed as "FROZEN Picture Book." My working title was "A Sister More Like Me," which may or may not be the final title. I'm happy to have it closely associated with the movie title, though! Hoping that connection will translate into sales numbers! Six months to publication--amazing.
Got a PDF with the layout and sketches of the Disney book today! The illustrator, Brittney Lee, is one of the artists working on the film. Here's a link to her blog so you can see her style. (LOVE it!) Have a little more work to do on the text by tomorrow, but it's very do-able. I hadn't read the text since I sent it off in December--and I not only still like it, it made me cry. (In a good way!) So exciting! [With a link to Brittney Lee's website]
Edits all accepted by my editor. Now the package goes to the studio for their approval. They may still want changes based on changes made to the movie since I saw the screening in October. It will be interesting to see the final product--book and movie both.
Just sent a draft of the second Disney book to my editor. So nervous! Will she like it as much as I do? Will I have to start over with a completely new idea? I've had plenty of ideas and manuscripts editors didn't like! Will this be one of them, or will I get lucky? Fingers crossed!
Sent off another round of revisions for Disney Book #1 this morning. Sitting on my back deck in the sun, having just finished a late breakfast of Santa Fe salad and a baby Corona. (They call it a Coronita.) On this afternoon's agenda: weeding, planting annuals and taking Mom for a ride. It's a beautiful day again in Ferndale!
Just had a call from my Disney editor and found out why I haven't received any feedback yet on FROZEN Book #2--she's leaving Disney for Amazon Children's Publishing--tomorrow! (Two Lions, Amazon's imprint for picture books, chapter books and middle grade; she will be in charge of all three.) This is good news for me: Book 2 will move to another editor at Disney, so I'll retain contacts there, and my current editor will look at the three books I have ready to send when she settles into Amazon. Things are looking promising!
Just sent another round of revisions off to Disney for Book #2. We're getting close--I think we may make our goal of approval from the studio by the end of the month. One more day to meet deadline!
Just had the best email from my editor at Disney: "Hi Barbara, I just got back from my meeting with the filmmakers. They had a couple of comments on the manuscript: 'We love it. You either get the character of Olaf or you don't – you clearly did.' Aren't those the best comments ever???! Thank you so much for all of your work on this project!" So pleased!
Just discovered the trailer for the movie my two Disney books are based on! The snowman, Olaf, is the focus of Book Number Two. [With a link to the movie trailer]
A poster for Disney's Frozen! My tie-in book comes out October 1 and features the two sisters, Princess Anna and the Snow Queen, Elsa. [With a Disney FROZEN poster image of Anna and Elsa]
Wish I'd found this on my birthday--which, happiest of coincidences, was also National Ice Cream Day! Olaf, a very special snowman, is the featured character in my second tie-in picture book for Disney's Christmas movie, Frozen. It's scheduled to come out with the DVD--not sure when that will be. Olaf's SO cool! [With a Disney FROZEN poster image of Olaf]
And here's an introduction to the movie's characters! [With a link to "Disney's FROZEN: Meet the Characters]
Seven weeks before release of my first Disney book, A SISTER MORE LIKE ME. Just saw the cover for the first time on Amazon! That's Elsa, the Snow Queen, on the left and Anna, the little-sister-princess, upside down on the right. (Typical Anna pose...) Hope to get an advance copy soon--
Here's the link for pre-ordering:
http://www.amazon.com/Sister-More-Like-Me/dp/1423170148/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375812267&sr=1-5&keywords=barbara+jean+hicks
Here's the link for pre-ordering:
http://www.amazon.com/Sister-More-Like-Me/dp/1423170148/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375812267&sr=1-5&keywords=barbara+jean+hicks
[With an image of the cover]
My editor promises that I will have copies of my new book from Disney Press on Tuesday, October 1--fingers crossed! In anticipation of its release on that day (and in honor of the Happiest Place on Earth!), I'll be wearing a princess crown to Happy Hour at my favorite Bellingham wine/martini bar that afternoon. If you're going to be in B'ham and want to help me celebrate, send me a message and I'll tell you where and when to meet me. Be sure to wear YOUR princess crown! [With an image of the book cover]
I just ten minutes ago got my advance copies of A SISTER MORE LIKE ME and got my first look at the book--the inside illustrations are as great as the cover--and the cover has GLITTER! What fun! Thanks Disney editors, designers, and especially my wonderful illustrator, Brittney Lee.
Here's a new trailer for FROZEN. The movie has changed a LOT since I saw a screening last October, but it's still gorgeous, touching and funny. Can't wait to see it! Can't wait to see an advance copy of my book for it! Go, Sisters! [With a link to the movie trailer]
My book was released four days after that last post--and then started a whole new cycle of using Facebook as a promtional tool. Stay tuned!
Barbara Jean Hicks is a regular guest contributor to Tales From the Rushmore Kid. She is a credentialed teacher in K-12 English/Language Arts and the award-winning author of seven picture books for children, including AN AMAZING SNOWMAN (February 18, 2014, Disney Press), which along with A SISTER MORE LIKE ME is based on characters from the 2013 Disney animated feature film FROZEN.
Comments