GIANT Marketing Books Q&A!

Marketing! How do you do it? What do I recommend? I'm answering ALL your questions about how book marketing works as an author. I'm deep-diving into some of these topics, which combine multiple questions I got from all of you.
+TIMESTAMPS+
01:46 How do you build a platform? When should you?
04:16 How important is social media?
05:23 How much does social media impact marketing?
06:26 Do you have any regrets on things you did to promote your book?
07:47 Practical advice for giveaways
09:19 Press Kits (deep sigh)
11:33 The #1 thing you should do to market your book
13:17 Joining debut groups & ARC giveaways
14:26 Starting a newsletter
15:11 Explaining marketing tiers + the TRUTH about how much marketing publishers do for debut authors
18:00 How much marketing did my publisher do for me?
19:48 Should you do a pre-order campaign?
21:59 How do you get into subscription book boxes?
23:14 How important is your platform when you are querying? Do agents care?
24:12 How do you build a brand? How did you decide on your brand?
27:45 How do you market your book?
28:52 Working with bookstagrammers & booktubers
30:11 Paying for online advertising
31:09 What roles do your agent/editor play in marketing your book?
32:55 How does marketing work for international authors (with US book deals)
35:19 Advice about author events
+LINKS+
My press kit: alexadonne.com/contact/press-kit/
NOT EVEN BONES by Rebecca Schaeffer: / not-even-bones
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[@AlexaDonne]

+TIMESTAMPS+ 01:46 How do you build a platform? When should you? 04:16 How important is social media? 05:23 How much does social media impact marketing? 06:26 Do you have any regrets on things you did to promote your book? 07:47 Practical advice for giveaways 09:19 Press Kits (deep sigh) 11:33 The #1 thing you should do to market your book 13:17 Joining debut groups & ARC giveaways 14:26 Starting a newsletter 15:11 Explaining marketing tiers + the TRUTH about how much marketing publishers do for debut authors 18:00 How much marketing did my publisher do for me? 19:48 Should you do a pre-order campaign? 21:59 How do you get into subscription book boxes? 23:14 How important is your platform when you are querying? Do agents care? 24:12 How do you build a brand? How did you decide on your brand? 27:45 How do you market your book? 28:52 Working with bookstagrammers & booktubers 30:11 Paying for online advertising 31:09 What roles do your agent/editor play in marketing your book? 32:55 How does marketing work for international authors (with US book deals) 35:19 Advice about author events

[@telltaletwotones4433]

You mention Twitter being an essential part of a writer's platform, or at least yours! I'd love for you to do a video on that, what's appropriate to put on there, what might hurt you with editors and agents if they look you up (you said they all do). I see some writers being very political and wonder if that hurts their platform if what they're writing isn't political in nature. Should we have an author account separate from a personal one? And so on!

[@angelxxsin]

Thank you for talking about marketing for international authors. Sometimes I feel like we're almost invisible. It's hard to figure out what advice applies to us and whether our physical location severely impacts our chances of getting anywhere in the industry just because we're not based in an English speaking country. It feels amazing to be acknowledged and given specific advice.

[@binihalex8097]

I just bought _Brightly Burning_ on audible because I loved your KZbin tutorials on writing. The reviews are great. Can't wait to listen to it

[@chardellbrown1821]

Years later (even during the pandemic) and this information is still relevant. Thanks!

[@henryyhenryy]

I TOTALLY agree with the points you made about people building their brand around writing advice! 🙌🏻

[@DezCobbs]

I am so glad that there is now an in depth guide to marketing when traditionally published! Well done Alexa!

[@mollykisthart8900]

Alexa I love your videos! Would you ever do a video about how to engage with the writing/book community on Twitter and Instagram?

[@pippajackson3027]

I love your videos so much, Alexa. I’ve watched them for months, but could never comment from my phone for some reason. I appreciate how consistent you are-providing useful, concise and interesting information. I learn so much from you. Thank you!

[@welcometomollysworld]

Woot early squad! Thanks for another great video, Alexa!

[@philbe1111]

Thank you! I literally had this topic grinding my gears in recent days because I have set a deadline to query this fall. So appreciative of what you do! 😉😁

[@Knickygill]

Thank you so much for finding answers for us who are US citizens but live overseas for various reasons. I really appreciate your taking the time to find on that :)

[@PageTurns]

Thank you so much for this video Alexa! It is so informative and useful.

[@KatSperlingBooks]

Thank you so much for this video! My daytime job is also marketing, but I still learned a ton! I'll definetely watch this video again to take notes!

[@lynnestudio63]

This was really cool to watch! Love the video

[@pippajackson3027]

I’ll also say that your channel is responsible for at least one sale of Brightly Burning: mine. I had been in a reading slump and hadn’t even been exposed to new book titles. But i had been watching your videos and wanted to read and support your work. I can’t be the only one who that is true for. It would be interesting to be able to track those trends on a big scale, but also quite difficult

[@soniaballada7135]

Wonderfully informative!

[@alwaysapirateroninace443]

This was extremely helpful! Thank you!

[@malcagottlieb6084]

This was a great video. Thank you so much for this.

[@gigadisney]

Hi Alexa, I am a picture book Author and Illustrator. Even though we are in different genres, the information you are sharing is super helpful! Thank you for sharing such great content.

[@fiphillipsauthor]

Great advice. Thanks, Alexa.

[@victoriareads]

This was really calming actually. Marketing has always felt like a very out-there type of thing, but you had a lot of great steps and tips that helped break it down. Thank you for a super insightful discussion! What are your favorite threads/hashtags/etc that you like to participate in on Twitter (or KZbin)?

[@amandarandomtube4793]

Hey I just read Brightly Burning and I LOVED it! Have you published the character art anywhere, I would love to see them.

[@Luciferwinchester]

3rd! These videos keep me motivated to write.

[@mariealice4850]

me too!

[@simone4696]

great video :) thanks

[@rayrichards892]

Nosebleed gang! I put a humidifier in my office, it changed my life.

[@kaitan7583]

Hi Alexa. I have been really enjoying your insights and tips for would be Authors. Especially in this area of marketing. Thank you! Thank you! A question for you is if I am writing 3 books concurrently (covid lockdown has definitely give me a lot more wonderful creative time), One a romance trilogy, one a middle grade children's book and another a self help non-fiction, would you create different pen names and personas for each different genre with individual websites or would you put them all under one website as your own writing name? I figured if your brand is say a romance writer or a children's fiction writer? Wouldn't you want to brand each one individually? Thanks again. Kai

[@DelilahKStephans]

Question - In addition to being a writer I’m also an artist. Mostly covers but I do pencil drawings too. You said @7minutes that character portraits are something you don’t need to pay for - I agree, but since I do them anyway are they okay to share?

[@absenceofcolour]

Alexa, I have a question. It’s about traditional publishing. When you submitted your work to publishers (or your agent did), were you ever concerned that the publisher would change the title of your novel or that they would make you completely change your ending, or even classify your work under a different genre? I know of someone who signed a deal with a publisher and they changed the title and classified it as an erotic even though she was trying to pass it off more as a thriller. Just wanted to hear your thoughts.

[@joannamiller9446]

Oooh, well, as a Hugo stan, I'd love to see the character art now! Haha

[@missmermade9331]

If I got it right, there is none. Alexa said she had art done for her first book not for Brightly Burning 😊

[@leonacade7863]

@miss mermade I believe it was for brightly burning, because she said her publisher advised her against it. Although brightly burning was not her first written book, it was the first book that she worked with a publisher on.

[@1cakesz]

Very good video

[@DanielLovett]

Hey Alexa! Thanks! I'm writing a book called Christian Mystic

[@julieswahn9887]

alexa, yours is a bright bulb.. i admire you a lot. thanks so much.. really.. for your informative, inspiring videos. they are often a near-godsend. best--julie.

[@LadyofLetters]

Very interesting

[@nicholewolfe1407]

I know you're trad published, but do u have any recommended marketing for indie authors or videos you recommend?

[@hindaalihassan3853]

Jenna Moreci made a good video about it!

[@uinisefaustinafoochong7743]

I want to publish a tell all book but I have a feeling it will piss off everyone I've ever met... any advice??? Using names wouldn't be an issue would it.... the theme is scandal... true stories and blackmail ... I was planning on finding a publisher in New zealand... how many pages is enough for the length of the book??

[@thecaptain7238]

If I refuse to use social media is it still possible to get published? I don't write for the money and I have no interest in making a career out of it

[@Skorpi00007]

Whaaat is an ark????

[@leonacade7863]

Skorpi00007 ARC. Advanced Reader Copy. It’s a free pre-publication edition of the book, usually for advanced reviews and to build buzz :D

[@nidgeontour257]

Why do some authors use a pseudonym? Asking for a friend? lol x

[@tejaswinisureshkrishnan4228]

I've been thinking a lot about social media. I actually have a bookstagram but it has kind of been stuck on the same place for a very long time and there's not much engagement. So I've been thinking of closing that and starting a new account. Because I feel like the bookstagram no longer feels organic🥲