A Blogger's Challenge: Privacy Vs. Authenticity

Out here on the Fire Escape, I strive to be authentic, a word defined by Merriam-Webster as "true to one's own personality, spirit, or character." We could use that definition to apply also to an author's voice, and I'm convinced that blogging should offer a sample of that voice.

In this blog, however, I don't share too many details about my private life. I almost never mention church, friends outside the children's book world, or family members (with two exceptions: pets and parents).

The dictionary goes on to discern a difference between authentic and genuine:

Authentic can also stress painstaking or faithful imitation of an original (an authentic reproduction, authentic Vietnamese cuisine). Genuine implies actual character not counterfeited, imitated, or adulterated.

The blogs of authors Meg Cabot and Laurie Halse Anderson resound with personality that can't be imitated, and they talk frequently about their families, inventing on-line nicknames for their children and husband. I'm wondering if sharing more of my day-to-day life might make my own blog voice more genuine.

But what happens when I face a time of suffering or grief? How do I blog about that? Last year author Grace Lin (YEAR OF THE RAT) walked that fine line with courage and grace (she was named well), serving as an example for the rest of us. Thank you, Grace.

So here's my question: how do you balance authenticity with privacy in an on-line journal?

More Marketing Tips From Mitali

Author Karen Whiting interviews me on the helpful WE CAN! PROMOTE OUR BOOKS blog.

May The Force Be With Your Book

Here are some nice mentions and reviews of First Daughter: White House Rules. Thank goodness for library and web love when it comes to books that don't get too much attention at big chain stores.

I have to confess that it's a guaranteed downer to visit one of those name-brand bookstores. Inevitably, even though I know I shouldn't, I wander over to the teen lit section and discover the place on the shelf where my First Daughter books coulda-shoulda have been, especially in an election year.

My hope, like that of many other authors, is in jedi indies with their handselling power, and in the force, a.k.a. net buzz, which might actually decide to be with us.

On Blogging: Tips For Newbies

Taylor Rogers, Publicity Assistant at Charlesbridge Books, interviewed me for a course she's taking on marketing at Emerson College. With her permission, I share my answers to her questions about promotion and blogging with my Fire Escape visitors.

1. Why did you decide to start blogging? What purpose does your blog serve?

I love to rant and rave about all kinds of things, and I've always kept a journal. I also wanted to ruminate on my way of seeing things as an immigrant writer in the children's book world. I started the Fire Escape for fun and continue to write it mostly because I love it.

My blog's goals are to (1) SERVE educators, parents, and young readers who might be interested in reading and writing "between cultures," (2) PROMOTE books by other authors trying to stay afloat in the huge sea that is publishing, (3) INFORM visitors about my own books and events, and (4) INTRODUCE readers to my voice and heart.

2. How often do you blog? How often do you think it's good to blog?

I blog 5 days a week, M-F, at least one post a day. Providing fresh content is important, and this frequency is quite easy for me to maintain. I take breaks during vactions and holidays, but always let visitors know when I'm returning. That being said, I don't think daily posts are a requirement for everybody. Regularity is, though, so if you post, maybe do it weekly -- every Monday, for example -- so your readers know when to come back for new content. If I were posting once a week, I'd call my blog something like Mondays with Mitali, to send a message to readers: "TUNE IN EVERY MONDAY!"

3. Do you receive galleys or review copies? If so, how many? How many do you blog about?

Yes. A lot. Probably 10 books a month. I blog about 2-3 of them; the books I love and feel are relevant to my niche.

4. How important do you think blogs are to publicizing a book and why?

For one particular title, I'm not sure a blog is helpful. It wouldn't hurt, I'm sure, but I think blogging at best is an avenue to promote yourself as a professional rather than pushing a particular title.

As an author trying to establish a "brand name" in the business, a blog is a way to present yourself as a trusted voice; to give readers insight into your life and dreams and writing and thinking. The culture is hungering for intimacy and authenticity, and a good author blog can provide both. You don't have to share too personally if you're a private person, but you can still be authentic or funny or insightful. After all, we're writers, right? That's what we're supposed to be doing with words.

5. How has your blog helped you in your career as an author?

I'm not a big name and was previously known only marginally as a "multicultural" author. The blog has given me a chance to introduce my humor (or so I call it), views, and vision more widely; I'm convinced it's brought down walls, erased preconceptions, and opened hearts and minds to my voice in fiction. I've also made lots of contacts in the industry via the Fire Escape with other bloggers, authors, editors, and librarians.

6. What do you suggest to authors who want to tap blogs as a publicity outlet?

First of all, you have to ENJOY it or it becomes the pet you never should have bought but still have to feed. If blogging sounds more like an onerous chore than something that might be fun, go back to writing your next great novel, which is perhaps an author's best publicity outlet.

Second, pick your blog title carefully. "MITALI'S AUTHOR BLOG" is not as interesting (I hope) as the Fire Escape theme I use to define my virtual presence, trying with that image to convey my perspective of life from the outside looking in, and to present myself and my books as a safe place from the heat.

Third, try to make it look as professional and snazzy as possible. Blogging tools are amazingly easy to use, but if you need to, why not pay a graphic design student a bit of a stipend and credit him/her on your blog?

Fourth, practice the habit of leaving comments on other blogs and try to make them as pithy and encouraging and relevant as you can on the fly (no pressure), linking back the comment to your blog. Remember, this platform is a showcase for your voice -- it's the perfect way to convince people that they should read your books because you're making them think, laugh, or feel something intensely via your blog. Comments, too, should be in line with your voice.

Fifth, always think about serving others -- the golden rule works as well in cyberworld as in the real world.

If all this sounds too intimidating, consider teaming up with a few other authors to create a group blog. The best group blogs have a unique niche or focus that brings readers back daily or weekly. Last but not least, as in all things, don't set the bar too high, keep it simple, throw perfectionism out the window, and pat yourself on the virtual shoulder like crazy.

Bunches of Book Trailers

Here's a list of YA book trailers compiled by Jonathan Hunt of adbooks:

AIRMAN by Eoin Colfer

INTO THE WILD by Sarah Beth Durst

THE OPPOSITE OF INVISIBLE by Liz Gallagher

LEONARDO'S SHADOW by Christopher Grey

GREETINGS FROM NOWHERE by Barbara O'Connor

FIRST DAUGHTER: WHITE HOUSE RULES by Mitali Perkins

I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME by Lisa Schroeder

MEGIDDO'S SHADOW by Arthur Slade

THE HARROWING by Alexandra Solokoff

PROJECT 17 by Laurie Stolarz

HALLOWMERE by Tiffany Trent

PARROTFISH by Ellen Wittlinger

Wonder how many of them, besides mine, were completely homemade and cost nothing. Well, at least you can compare the amateurs with the pros.

Talking Politics With Teens

If you have teens in your life, you know how challenging it can be to discuss politics without someone melting down (usually you) or tuning out (usually them). Here are five habits to practice, all deduced from the school of hard knocks, while trying to engage young adults in the campaign.

Be teachable. A conversation isn’t about one person sharing knowledge and information with another. That’s better known as a lecture (or so I've been told). Listen to teens, allowing them and others to inform your opinions.

Be honorable. It’s okay to take issue with a candidate’s positions, but disparaging his or her character is a definite turnoff to teens and twenty-somethings. To everyone, in fact.

Be flexible. Your candidate isn’t Jesus. Teens appreciate hearing how we disagree with the person we support. Give them the grace to do the same, and don't take differing opinions personally. Endorsing your candidate's opponent doesn't mean a young person is repudiating your authority. Although it might.

Be controversial. Surprise and provoke them once in a while by saying something radical, starting with “I totally disagree with _____” or “I 100% agree that ____.”

Be passionate. Caring deeply about an election is contagious. Young people who watch us thinking deeply and talking freely about our opinions will be more likely to do the same. And they’ll be more likely to vote now and in the future if they remember us faithfully trekking to the ballot box during primaries and elections.
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Mitali Perkins (mitaliperkins.com) is the author of two novels about a candidate’s daughter, First Daughter: Extreme American Makeover and First Daughter: White House Rules (Dutton). Her main character, Sameera Righton, described by Publishers Weekly as “an intelligent, witty and prepossessed heroine," is keeping track of the hype around the REAL First Kid wannabes at www.sparrowblog.com. To learn more about the novels, visit firstdaughterbooks.com.

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Pajama Promotion: Ten Tips For Writers

As my book launches tomorrow (First Daughter: White House Rules), I've been doing my best to get ready from the comfort of my cozy study. For any writers out there, I want to share ten ways to spruce up your online presence in anticipation of a book release:

1. Create a web page for your book to grab potential readers.

2. Syndicate your blog(s) at Feedburner (bloggers should do this, too).

3. Invest in an ad via Google Adwords (see mine below) and on Facebook -- make sure you pick keywords carefully.

4. Use AddThis to put social networking buttons at the bottom of every post.

5. Generate a Facebook Page for the novel.

6. Create a widget at Springwidgets to display your blog on your MySpace page, the sidebar of other blogs (note my sparrowblog content to the right) and/or on your website.

7. Import your blog(s) into Amazon.com so that the content shows up for all your titles.

8. Create a widget featuring your book(s) at Adaptive Blue for your sidebars -- see mine as an example to the right.

9. Set up Google Blog Alerts with keywords related to your novel and write a two-sentence blurb that you can cut, paste, and personalize on a blog post dealing with those keywords, like I did over at the Los Angeles Times and at MSNBC.

10. Make a book trailer (see mine below) using Animoto, Jumpcut, Quicktime Pro, or Apple iMovie and upload it to YouTube, Google Video, Facebook, and MySpace TV.

I know everybody might not be as geekily inclined as myself but some of these things are so easy even a purely right-brained person can do them.  And they're all free, except the ads, which can cost a lot or a little, depending on your budget. Oh, and you have to pay for Quicktime Pro or iMovie but Animoto and Jumpcut are free.

At the very least, get yourself to MySpace and Facebook and sign up right now. Then come to my session on Pajama Promotion for Dummies at the New England Society of Writers and Illustrators Conference on April 12, 2008, where I'll explain how to do these things and more.

My Google Ad

First Daughter (Dutton)

Check out two fast and funny 

tween novels by Mitali Perkins 

www.firstdaughterbooks.com

Book Teaser / First Daughter White House Rules

First Daughter 2 Book Trailer / Take Two

Here's a teaser for First Daughter: White House Rules, my novel from Dutton releasing January 24, 2008. Do you like it better than the first one?

Five Tips For Writers About Publicists

... from Kathy Carlton Willis, reprinted here with permission:

A good publicist should customize a plan for your campaign that fits with your project, your goals, and your personality. It should not be a one-size-fits-all publicity plan. Ask for a written plan, and also ask for activity reports as they go along. This can come in the form of written reports, verbal reports, or forwarding you notices of "hits" (PR results).

Some publicists can also help with image consulting and/or author branding. If youiare interested in this aspect, ask about it when you interview publicists. They can also help with your speaker kit, event kits, and sometimes even speaker booking.

Ask if they coordinate blog tours.

Your publicist will love you if you brainstorm with her on your campaign, and are open to both small and large PR opportunities. The goal is to create a buzz via grassroots viral spread of your name and your book's name. The more your name shows up online, the higher-up in the search engine your project will show up. That's just one of many reasons why to accept as many PR opps as possible, and (your publicist can help) make sure they're a good match for your goals.

Don't have unrealistic expectations about your publicist or PR campaign. Many (writers) assume they will get on Oprah if they hire a publicist. They assume their sales will soar. There is no rhyme or reason in this industry. Sometimes we will get a national interview, but the sales numbers don't increase like we hope they will. Other times, there are several small PR opps, and sales surge. It just takes the right timing, gentle follow-up with media and reviewers, and perseverance.

Author Visits: Jumpcut Vs. Animoto

Okay, so I animotoed my author visits, but here's the jumpcut version:



Which video is better? FYI, jumpcut was much easier to use.

Publicist Wanted: Must Work For Food

I'm thinking about setting aside a chunk o' change to hire a publicist — unless I can find one who lives in the Bay Area and agrees to be paid with pots of my mother's cooking. Here are some questions for authors with experience:

1. Who is your publicist?
2. Does s/he promote you the package or a particular title?
3. How much did it cost and what did you get?
4. What has s/he accomplished that you know wouldn't have happened otherwise?
5. Is s/he a California-based marketing guru with a penchant for vindaloo?
   

Email me at mitaliperk at yahoo dot com if you want to avoid leaving details about names and money amounts in the comments. I'll compile (respecting confidentiality and anonymity, of course) and post the info somewhere down the road.

BookScan Versus Amazon

Book promotion guru Bella Stander recommends that authors forget about sales rankings on Amazon, and de-stress over the NYT's recent announcement that the Giant's no longer revealing stock numbers. She suggests having an agent track your books via BookScan, or better yet, stick to the old-fashioned way -- frowning over those twice-a-year, mysterious royalty statements.

Book Trailer: Take Two

Get the YouTube version here.

Sparrow's MySpace Campaign

Over at Sparrowblog, Sameera's trying to friend all the presidential candidates on MySpace. In the process, she's given one of them Sparrow's MySpace Freedom of Speech Award and another a MySpace Ding.

She's also hoping to get adds from any and all of the First Kid wannabes. After she posted something about the Romney brothers probably singing in perfect harmony, one of them -- Josh Romney -- answered with a comment on Sparrow's MySpace site:

I had a chance to read the blog and really enjoyed it. All four of my brothers are campaigning for my dad and we are all really enjoying the experience. By the way, we do not all sing in key, I can assure you.

Sameera's blog is also already getting as many hits as mine. I think she's forgetting she's fictional and starting to run amuck.

My Debut on MySpace

With my return to the teen lit scene in June, I've been advised to get a MySpace page, so if you're there already and want to befriend me, go here. Or maybe you want to add my main character, Sameera Righton; if so, go here. Sameera may also be facebooked, if that's your social networking preference.

Children's Books: Hobby or Profession?

"I write books for young readers."

"Oh, really? But do you have a job?"

This type of conversation has taken place one too many times since I started writing children's books as a career. That's why I'm delighted when a professional clarifies our vocation for the masses. Check out the trailer author Jackie Davies created for her next book, The Lemonade War (Houghton Mifflin, April 2007). Just when you were kvetching about how only big names get big bucks to promote their novels, a real pro goes out and makes it happen.

Three Cheers For Blog Buzz!

Here's an updated list of bloggers who've read Rickshaw Girl:

• PlanetEsme
• MomReady
• The Edge Of The Forest
• Reader's Rants
• Gather Around A Table With A Good Book
• MotherReader
• Literary Safari
• InfoDad
• A Chair, A Fireplace and A Tea Cozy

I'm thrilled, addicted, and craving more, because I completely agree with Gail Gauthier's shout out to cyber-reviews.