Storytellersunplugged

Self promotion has always been an important tool in my quest to find new readers for my work. When I started writing in 1994, the internet was just making itself know as a means for communication and promotion. A couple of years later, it seemed the only way to network with writing friends and associates between the few conventions I’d made certain to attend. As a result, I now travel many trodden paths—for example, my Yahoo mailer, and message boards such as Shocklines, Horror-Web, and Horrorfind.

But where else does one find new readers OUTSIDE of the horror writing circles? In other words, people who DON’T know me. Strangers. That Richard Laymon fan that may be sitting across from me on the subway. Man, there are millions and millions of them out there—so, how do I reach them?

When I have time, I do horror writing searches through the Yahoo or MSN member directories, and send e-mails directly to potential readers introducing myself. You’d be surprised how accepting these people are having received a piece of personalized spam from some published horror author, one whose books are on the shelves of their local bookstore. There are the friend/network sites too, such as Friendster and HI5—you can set up a free webpage on these sites, then search out horror readers, and send them notes. Many, many people respond enthusiastically. This is how I’ve been able to build an e-mail list of nearly 1500 people. I also post on non-horror writing boards. The IMDB boards are a great way to find horror fans, but as well, I post on music boards, art boards, anywhere where you can get your name and title in front of people’s faces.

But…the internet, as great as it is, is not the only way to gather readers. Sure, there are booksignings, but the folks that show up are those who pretty much know all about you already. So, how do you find some NEW people to read your books?

Here’s what I did:

I wrote to my college alumni office, then sent them a press kit, then sent them copies of my books as they came out. After a few years of trying, someone in the alumni office finally called me. They asked if they could do a story about me in the alumni newsletter. Circulation: 35,000. Yeah! Free publicity! After that story ran, I received about 15 e-mails from former students who went out and bought the book. I can only assume that many more picked up a copy as well. Add a mention in my fraternity newsletter (and a visit to my alma mater Geneseo State with my pockets stuffed with business cards), and I gained quite a few readers. I also contacted my industry newsletter (I work on the Off-Price apparel industry) and they ran a story on me and my writing. Circulation: 25,000. I received a TON of feedback from this, as many of my clients read this little magazine.

Sending out press kits is another option, but it’s a hit-and-miss game (in my experience, mostly miss). When Atmosphere was published, I sent out about 100 press kits (that cost me in total about $250) to newspapers, TV Stations, local rags. You know what…no one responded, not even the tiny little local papers. I followed up with a ton of phone calls, and after all was said and done, I landed a three minute interview on a local television station, which was good fun, but I’m not too certain I sold that many books. So, being an author wasn’t all the fame and fortune I thought it was going to be—frankly, I thought I was going to be embraced. Instead, I was shunned.

So, I tried something else, mostly for fun. When Deep In The Darkness came out, I bought a case of 100 books from my publisher. I sent them all out to people I wanted to have them. All my favorite authors, my favorite actors and actresses, directors, producers, to all my favorite bands, to Howard Stern and to Opie and Anthony. As a result, I got a number of signed thank you letters back (a personalized letter from Clive Barker!), an e-mail from actress Liza Snyder, and even a sexy signed photograph from actress Lisa Arturo. Did I gain any readers from this? Perhaps a few, but it tickled me to death wondering if Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater was reading my book on the tour bus in Japan.

This summer, I took the biggest long shot of all in trying to promote my work. I wondered, what would happen if I got on a reality TV show? Man, can you imagine the books I’d sell? I’d always been a fan of SURVIVOR, so I went to CBS.com, printed out the lengthy application, filled it out (took me a couple of days), filmed a three minute video of why I would make an excellent SURVIVOR contestant (mainly, I talked about being a published horror novelist, and that I would scare the competition away; heh.). I felt kinda silly doing it, but that’s what they wanted, so I did it, and sent it in along with the application. A few weeks went by, then a month, then almost two months. I was figuring that my tape got lost in the big pile of approximately 60,000 applications they get for very season, while the producers solicit Hollywood agents for that perfect face and body they might be looking for.

But then, I get an e-mail.

It’s from an assistant casting director for SURVIVOR. The gal claimed that a NY casting director had reviewed my tape, and was wondering if I’d be interested in auditioning for Big Brother instead. Big Brother…I’d never watched it, but wow, if they thought I’d be good for the show, then I figured the show was good enough for me. I wrote back with a very enthusiastic “YES”, then picked up the season three DVD set on EBAY. In a matter of minutes, I was the biggest BB fan on planet earth. I studied the four corners of the internet, trying to learn as much as I could about the show. What I did discover, soon enough, was that it was Survivor with a house, and a shower, and food. Yeah, I could do that, even for three months.

Problem was, another month passed, and I had no word as to what would happen.

I was just about ready to give up on my grand plan to promote myself to the world, when I get another e-mail.

It’s from CBS.

They want to see me…

Next month: PART 2