Join me for free webinar 5/17, 7:30 p.m.

I did a lot of interviewing over a long career as a print journalist. But it was rare that I got interviewed during that time. Answering the questions, I’d learn later as an author, is a lot different than asking the questions. I think of the interview as a cousin to public speaking. With either, you’ll do better if you know your subject, drill down to a few key messages, and if you practice, practice, and practice some more.  This is important and the time to think about it is long before the interview. So Tip 1 – stop thinking like a novelist and start thinking like a reporter.

More in a free webinar Thursday, 5/17 (and repeated on 5/31) that you can sign up for at this site.

Team Bella at 2011 NY BookExpo

All self-publishers reach a tricky point where decisions have to be made about spending money. Paid advertising is expensive and as alluring to the aspiring author as Eve was to Adam. We should all pause to remember how that one ended.

A cottage industry has sprung up populated by clever pitchmen (and women) who will get you noticed – for a fee. They know how badly you yearn to be a popular author and will happily create your press release, book trailer, web site and a dozen other slick products.

Some are better than others, and frankly, without some good publicity, even the great classics of yesteryear might have been colossal trees that fell unnoticed in the forest.

Today’s writers have the luxury of social media tools that enable direct contact with millions of prospective readers. While posting is lightning fast, sales can be painfully slow. While you’re waiting, Eve is smiling from the corner with that luscious apple. So tempting, right?

Bella’s path to market has been relatively low cost. Last spring, however, there was a huge book expo in New York City. I took the plunge and invested about $2,000 in a booth on Writers’ Row at the Javits Center, where 25,000 visitors passed over three days. The “visitors” were folks from the book, movie and other associated industries.

In this free webinar, I will talk about my experiences and explain why I’m headed back to New York in June for a second bite of the (Big) Apple.

If you’ve fallen into that trap, hop over to http://www.wordle.net/, where you’ll find a free tool that can help break mental logjams, plus produce dazzling graphics.

Wordle lets you create word clouds. Simply plug in text or your blog URL, punch go, and the site whips up a stunning visual suitable for studying, framing or both.

Reached an impasse in your scene? Think about the big themes you’re trying to convey, throw in the characters and locations, and let Wordle run free. Seeing the words in a new way might jar loose some ideas.

Need a confidence boost? Plug in the text from five good reviews and turn on the word blender. You’ll be amazed as what pops up.

Also cool: Wordle has a randomizer, so you can easily create several variations of the same cloud in different fonts and colors.

I created the graphic accompanying this post (and several others) in minutes, then got some digital nails and stuck them on my Pinterest boards.

How have you used Wordle or similar tools?

So how do you distinguish yourself? Writing a world-class novel is just the beginning. I hope you’ll join me on March 28 at 7:30 p.m. for Part 2 of a live webinar on how I’ve marketed my novel. In Bella, a married reporter violates journalism’s most sacred tenet by becoming entangled with a widow trying to uncover the secret behind her husband’s death in Afghanistan.

The following are comments from Part 1 of Messaging Strategies for Authors:

-          “The level of detail about how he uses social media has encouraged me to become more involved in setting up more professional sites. He has done such a marvelous job with all the Bella sites that I can see myself making a success of my own.”

-          “The Google Maps idea was original. I’ve never heard of it and feel it is very relevant in today’s market. Thanks!”

-          “It was all good – a framework for marketing my book in the media.  I have a section on social marketing in my book on job search.  Steve gave a very practical overview on all the sites.  Seeing his web pages with all the pictures was the best!”

I hope you’ll join me on March 28. Sign up here: http://bit.ly/livewebp2