Sabotaged Book Promotion- Where Do I Go from Here?

Unfortunately, my second attempt at an appearance on the radio with Dr. Thompson to promote All About Marilyn was sabotaged by paranoid insecure family members. I don’t know if I’ll get another opportunity like this again. I’m trying to figure out where I’m going from here.

I wish I could get everyone to understand how hard it is for self-published authors to promote books. Most bookstores don’t want to stock self-published books on the shelf, due to their inability to return them. Readers are often wary of self-published titles after being burnt by other self-published titles with poor writing and even worse grammar. Reviews are almost impossible to get. It’s an uphill battle, but three books in I was making progress.

For this book to get the interest of one talk radio show spoke volumes about how strong it was in terms of the quality of the writing and the topic I was presenting. The show targeted the core audience for the book; African-American women. It was my shot at taking my writing to the next level.

And it was blown by insecure people who have no idea how the publishing industry works.

Talk radio interviews are an opportunity for an author to sell their product and themselves. I’d perfected the pitch for this book; I was using it as a platform to get African-Americans talking about screenwriting. There’s a desperate need for more African-Americans to learn this craft. Less than two percent of all the 14,000 screenwriters in the Writer’s Guild of America are African-American. With only 500 writers out of that 14,000 working at any given time, this means less than four people of color are working as screenwriters regularly.

I also wanted to discuss how the lack of black faces behind the camera is affecting what blacks are seeing onscreen. How this shortage of black screenwriters is causing a shortage of material, and how this shortage of quality scripts is leading to a lack of work for black actors and actresses. How a lack of black producers and executives is preventing quality projects from being greenlit, financed and distributed. How black actors and especially black actresses have next to no advocates at the executive level at the six major studios.

I was also going to discuss the drought of quality roles is especially hard for African-American actresses. Marilyn’s story put a human face on all those talented sistas who struggle for work in movies and TV. The story detailed many of the obstacles black women face in the entertainment industry like racism, sexism, misogyny, and studio politics. On the show I wanted to discuss in detail why we don’t see great black actresses in other roles on the movie screen or TV on a regular basis.

Sadly no one is gonna hear me discussing these topics. And they really needed to be discussed in an open forum.

A generation of Brothers and Sistas is growing up with racist movies like Monster’s Ball, Training Day and Precious or poorly made Tyler Perry movies and TV shows as the only images of what it’s like to be African-American. Kids are growing up reading poorly written Street Lit and Erotica believing this is the standard for African-American literature. Instead of our arts taking a step forward with our first Black President, African-American art, media, and culture is taking a huge step back.

I’m really frustrated. I want to bring positive stories to the Black Community. I want to write stories that inspire, uplift and make people think. I want to publish material featuring a diverse array of African-American experiences on the bookstore shelves. But I keep running into roadblocks. From family, and from the black community itself. Everybody’s got money and support for the thugz, ballas, and hustlas and every other black who fits a stereotype, but where are the helping hands for regular hardworking Brothas like me?

I was building strong momentum over the past year from the release of the Cassandra Cookbook into Marilyn’s release. Getting the good reviews, building the network of contacts. Working on my craft to get better at writing. Preparing new titles for future release.

That momentum has all but stopped because I’m trying to figure out a new way to get promotion and sales for my books. It’s hard enough to get books in the hands of readers when they do know about them, harder when they don’t know about them. I’m just wondering where I’m going from here.

Webcomics

When I’m not writing stories or doing research on topics for stories I like to check out what’s going on in comic book land. Since 2008 I’ve been reading a lot of webcomics. These online strips self-published and self-financed by the artists are often better than anything mainstream publishers produce nowadays, and everyone should give them a chance.

Some of my favorites include:

Something*Positive - I got hooked on this strip at my last job and read through two years of in an hour at lunch! It’s one of my favorites!

Girls With Slingshots - Great strip about two girls, a bar, and a talking cactus.

Queen of Wands- An awesome strip by Aerie. It’s finished its run a few years ago, So check out her new strip-

Punch an’ Pie with Chris Daly. Great strip with a lot of laughs!

ShortPacked! Fun strip by David Willis about one of my favorite hobbies- Collecting action figures!

Penny & Aggie- Spent the course of a week getting caught up with this one; Really solid writing and tight storylines featuring complex, three-dimensional characters.

Head Trip Hilarious strip by Shinga. Her artwork reminds me so Much of Disney Animation!

Webcomic artists like self-published authors make their income off their strips and merchandise from the strip, so support them by buying their books or giving a donation through the PayPal links on their sites. Pens, paper, bandwith, food gas, and lodging don’t come cheap, so if you enjoy the strips, help em’ pay the bills so they can keep making more!

Progress report

Unfortunately, my appearance for the radio with Dr. Maxine Thompson was cancelled last night. The show will be rescheduled, and I’ll let everyone know when the new date for the show is, probably by using Facebook or Twitter.

It’s been two weeks since I last posted anything; why I’m just writing a progress report and not a topic for the blog. ....

All About Marilyn seems to being doing well out of the gate. Two months after its release I’m getting great reviews and positive feedback from readers. The book is generating a lot of enthusiastic responses from casual viewers; that’s a plus. When a book excites casual buyers, it shows it’s a solid product. ....

I really want to ramp up the promotion on Marilyn; two months into promotion and I still haven’t hit the streets yet. I’ve only been to one bookstore and contacted one vendor in Harlem. There’s been a lot of rain, snow and sleet here in New York. I’m hoping the weather gets better so I can make the rounds to vendors Uptown.

I’m working on a new headshot. Got a new camera and I’m taking pictures. The headshot on the back of Isis and All About Marilyn actually comes from a Post Office ID card I took in 1999. Yep, I was in a hurry way back when I was self-publishing Isis and rushed to find a headshot. I know it’s a little grim looking, but better than anything else I have in my current album.....

Working on revisions for Book #4. Cut down another 3,000 words so the 97,000 word novel is now 94,000 words. I’m working on cleaning up the book’s layout. I like using bigger fonts like Book Antiqua and Garamond; at the 11 or 12 size because it makes stories easier for customers to read and isn’t so hard on their eyes. I also like White space between paragraphs. Now I have to find a way to make sure it costs out. A $16-$18 paperback is a tough sell at retail, even if it’s 400 pages. With a 55% discount at retail it'd be about $14.00. That's a big hit to the wallet. I want to keep my books affordable.

Still haven’t even sketched up the cover design for this project; but I’ve got some ideas floating in my head. Still crunching numbers on hiring an artist for the cover. Yeah, I know models are all the rage for book covers, but I can’t afford a photo shoot right now. Until I find a new job, It’s gonna be illustrated art. Then again if I can’t come up with a cover concept, I may just go with a plain cover like Catcher in the Rye.

My goal for Book #4 is a fall 2010 release. But I may hold back for an early 2011 release. I really want the quality control to be the best it can be for this title.

I’m still learning more about Book promotion; I’m finding that January is the best time to launch a new book. A lot of the independent bookstores are resetting their shelves and looking for new product. Many of the book clubs are starting their reading lists and looking for fresh titles. Readers have money to spend on Gift cards. Bloggers and shows are looking for guests to fill their schedules.

A real article will be posted up here soon. Eventually. Just working on my schedule...

BIG NEWS! SHAWN'S GOING TO BE ON THE RADIO!

BIG NEWS

Shawn’s going to be on the radio.

SHAWN’S GOING TO BE ON THE RADIO!

Internet Radio.

I’ll be discussing my new book All About Marilyn with Dr. Maxine Thompson on March 29, 2010 at 9:00 on the ArtistFirst radio network. I'm really excited about this opportunity and I’m hoping to make the most of it.

I'm hoping everyone who reads my blogs tunes in!

OOSA Online Book Club Review of All About Marilyn

Here is the OOSA Online Bookclub reivew of All About Marilyn http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=123405176&blogId=530938788

Is it All About Nikki?,

"All About Marilyn" is a brilliant screenplay written by Shawn James. I've never read a screenplay, but Shawn explains the terminology of show business so you are able to read the play with ease. In "All About Marilyn" we are introduced to Marilyn Marie, a star in the teen series All About Nikki. One bad decision Marilyn believes is going to advance her career ultimately ends it. When Marilyn's show is canceled, it just turns out to be the beginning of the end for Marilyn. The play then cuts to present day. Marilyn is struggling to stay a float. Hollywood is a town that worships youth, and there aren't many roles for women over thirty. And for an African American woman over thirty, roles are pretty much non-existent. To top it all off, the very role that made her a household name now is just a hindrance as Marilyn is typecast as Nikki. She's reduced to the occasional guest spot on television shows and extra work, all the while hoping to find a part that's going to resurrect her career. While on set of a movie, it's more of the same as Marilyn is cast as an extra. Marilyn's life takes an unforeseen tragic turn as she's assaulted on the movie set. While Marilyn is recovering, her whole perspective on life changes. She has a new lease on life, and with the help and encouragement of her supportive friends, Marilyn makes a fresh start. With the acting bug out of her system, Marilyn begins to live a life she could have never imagined. Shawn James gives readers unique insight on the harsh realities of the showbiz industry, with rich, multi-dimensional characters the readers share a connection with. Readers also feel the ups and downs and highs and lows Marilyn endures. You can expect big things from Shawn James in the future. All I can say is bravo; very well done. Reviewed by: Anna

APOOO Book Club Review of All About Marilyn

When I requested to review All About Marilyn, some how I overlooked the word screenplay. Imagine my surprise when I opened the package and flipped through the book, as I do with all books when I first receive them. The last time I read anything that came close to this format was written by Shakespeare and called a play. However, Shawn James begins the screenplay with a little background information or what he called “Screenplay Basics.” Did I really need that information to enjoy what I was reading? No!

Marilyn Marie, at one point in her younger years, was a big time actress on a sitcom called All About Nikki. As with most child stars, she has to prove herself later on in order to get a part that is nothing like the character she used to play on television. One day while she was on a production set, her friend had written, a major incident occurs, triggering the change she had been seeking. Marilyn was leaving behind her life as Nikki Desmond, but would Nikki Desmond continue to be a part of her life forever? Will she be nothing but another washed-up actresses?

Mr. James brought drama. I can see how it would be the turning point in movie. If All About Marilyn was written in novel form I could see it then also. I did not expect the ending or any of it for that matter. But I did enjoy what I read. I am not sure if this is a new literary genre, but I would read more. I recommend readers of plays and those looking for a new type of reading experience to give this book a try.

I received this screenplay for review purposes from the author.

Jennifer Coissiere
APOOO BookClub

Support Your Local Self-Published Author

They’re innovative, imaginative and creative storytellers who take the challenge of writing designing, distributing and promoting their own literature. Who are these pioneers of the pen? Self-published authors.

As a self-published author I buy other self-published authors’ books. Why? Because self-published writers are the future of the publishing.

Self-published authors introduce different ideas to reading audiences. In non-fiction self-published writers write about specialized topics in science, entertainment and history. That biography about an obscure historical figure? Produced by a self-published author. That book about a rare event in history? Written by a self-published author. A book about how to pick up ladies? Written by a self-published author.

In fiction self-published writers create fiction in categories considered too risky for mainstream publishing houses. That African-American fantasy novel or Urban Supernatural tale on the bookstore shelf? Probably came from a self-published writer. That comedy novel? Probably written by a self-published author. Golf-themed murder mystery? Probably produced by a self-published author.

Self-published authors created categories of fiction that didn’t exist twenty years ago. Urban fiction? Created by a self-published author. Street Lit? Created by self-published authors. Chick lit? Created by a self-published author. Each of these categories of fiction were described as unsellable by editors at major publishing houses and literary agents until some enterprising writer started selling thousands of copies. Now they’re imprints at many of the same houses that rejected them on the first query.

Self-published authors have big ideas but little resources. Many struggling writers like myself put these books together on shoestring budgets out of our personal savings and sell them out of the trunks of cars, traveling to trade shows or walking up and down the streets of downtown shopping districts. We believe in our projects, and have many more we want to share.

But we can’t produce them without readers. Readers who buy books.

So I’m asking everyone to support your local self-published author. Head over to Amazon and buy a copy of a self-published author's titles like mine. Better yet, go to your local bookstore and have them order a copy, so they’ll stock it on their shelf. If you enjoyed a self-published author’s book, tell your friends. Give them away as Christmas or birthday gifts. Give em’ away at the office Christmas party. The more books self-published authors sell, the more royalties authors make and can reinvest in publishing new titles.