The Future is NOW!

Okay, so I am participating with dozens of other Young Adult Science Fiction authors in a newsletter campaign that starts tomorrow!

We are banding together to talk to fans of YA sci-fi, and we're doing it through our newsletters. Most of us -- me included! -- will be offering our YA sci-fi novels for FREE or a REDUCED PRICE tomorrow, Friday, March 13!

Not only can you get some amazing YA sci-fi novels for very little money, but we're giving away 2 Kindles and a load of cash in gift cards.

The ONLY way you can get access to the free and reduced price books and enter our giveaways is through one of our newsletters. You can sign up for mine here.

I don't send a newsletter very often. Once a quarter, or a little more often if I have news. Never more than once a month.

So sign up today, because this HUGE celebration of YA science fiction is happening tomorrow!!

Oh, and you can join us in our public Facebook group to talk about YA sci-fi and stay connected with your favorite YA sci-fi authors!

My 2014 Goals, Inspired by Ali Cross

Okay, so it's the beginning of a new year. A new calendar year. I've decided to write a few goals down (mostly because I read this post by my good friend Ali Cross, spent at least 30 minutes feeling like a loser, and then decided to make my own--much less impressive--list), and I also decided to share them with all of you. Lucky ducks!

(I actually do a lot of goal-setting in August, when the new school year begins. I live my life from August - July most of the time.)

But anyway, here are some of my publishing and life goals for 2014:
Life: Continue my physical wellness pursuits. I've lost 20 pounds, which is a direct result of my healthy eating and gym attendance. I'm going to continue doing that.

Publishing: Successfully finish edits on RIFT, a YA time travel I'm currently revising for my agent.

Life: Renew my teaching certificate. I kinda have to if I want to keep my job, so...

Publishing: Draft 2 new books. I have one started, but the second? I think I'm going to have to pull up my 30-ideas-in-30-days file and see what I've got in there...

Life: Master 10 recipes for my pressure cooker. I've made a few things now--pot roast and pulled pork--and I think I've got the pulled pork down. It was delicious. The pot roast... not so much. Needs some more work there.

Publishing: Edit/polish 4 already-written novels and prepare them for either submission or self-publishing. Don't be impressed. All 4 novels have been through quite a bit of revision already. Maybe one more round? Maybe two...

So those are the goals. I think they're pretty do-able. I also have a couple of marketing strategies. I've been sort of, I don't know, burned out (?) on marketing in the past several months. I'm honestly just not sure what works and what doesn't, and I'd rather spend my time writing. Thus--

Marketing Strategy #1: Write and publish more books. 

That's it. I'm not worried about posting on Facebook or twitter or tumblr a certain amount of time or every day. I'm looking to be more spontaneous and authentic.

So I'm going to spend my time writing, polishing, and publishing more books. Right now, I only have one scheduled (ELEVATED, February 18), but I may put out another one in the fall.

Marketing Strategy #2: Post entire works and excerpts on Wattpad.

Possession is already there, and I'm going to be uploading part of both SURRENDER and ELEVATED, as well as a new fantasy.

Marketing Strategy #3: Use my established newsletter.

I checked, and yeah. Not a good year in 2013. I think I sent 4 newsletters--the last one in June. So I'm going to try to be better about doing the newsletter thing, but I'm not going to go crazy. I'm thinking quarterly is a good start. I've already done the redesign, and the first newsletter went out yesterday.

And that's it. I hope to have a couple of books out this year, maybe some news of a deal (fingers crossed!), and most of all, a renewed enthusiasm to be an author in 2014!

Did you post goals for 2014? I'd love to go visit your blog and see them, so link me up in the comments!

The Basic+Plus Marketing Plan For Those Who Are Nearing Wealth

Ha ha ha! But didn't you know that every author is like J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer and we're all r-i-c-h?! Well, now you do. {--sarcastic font

But today, we're going to talk about the marketing you might do beyond the basic plan. Remember that plan had bookmarks, postcards, and a blog tour on it.

This plan includes those three things, but has additional features.

1. Swag item. Here is where you can step up your swag -- if you'd like. I print stickers. For POSSESSION, I bought an image and used it in promotions, giveaways, buzz-building, and as stickers.

I'm doing the same thing for SURRENDER. You want to see?

I can print 500 stickers for $27.30. This year, I got smart and put my website on the sticker. Last year? Not so much. Live and learn.

Cost: Low $, low hours.
Uses: Give them out with every promotion, blogger swag, include at book signings, slap on any book-related package you mail. Use the image in your online campaigns too. Last year, the Tagged image was used in my newsletter campaign (see #2 below) and as an avatar campaign on Twitter.

Don't like stickers? (Though it's hard to beat 500 at $27.30...) No problem. Find something else you can use with your book. Some ideas:

• Pin buttons
• Water bottles
• Wrist bands
• Candy
• Moo cards (I'll admit, I bought these too... maybe I am J.K. Rowling!)
• T-shirts
• Jewelry
• Bottlecap magnets

2. Newsletter Campaign.

If you haven't started gathering names and emails for a newsletter, you probably should about the time you're querying agents. You can use this opt-in audience for promotion, and there are several sites that you can use to create your newsletters for free.

I use MailChimp, and I love it. I haven't paid a dime for it. You can sign up for my newsletter here. Now that we're getting closer to the release of SURRENDER, there might be some goodies for newsletter subscribers only...

Cost: $0, 1-2 hours/month. (Seriously. I can put a newsletter together in under 30 minutes.)
Uses: Run giveaways, exclusive to newsletter subscribers. Keep readers up-to-date with your books, deals, news, etc. Use images from #1 to run book content-specific promotions. Talk about other books. Advertise ARC sign-ups (which, BTW, you can sign up for an ARC of SURRENDER here).

The possibilities are virtually endless, and with a free price tag and very little time investment, you should consider a newsletter.

Caution: Don't be a spammer. If you say you're going to send a newsletter once a month, don't send one once a week.

3. Goodreads**. I think Goodreads is a great place to reach readers, because well, that's where readers hang out. The biggest pro for Goodreads? The ARC giveaway. Remember that you're going to use your ARCs for review purposes, and there's no better way to get a crap-ton of people requesting your book than to run a Goodreads giveaway.

Cost: $0-10 (mailing cost only), low time.
Uses: reach readers where readers hang out, giving away a prize people want, building buzz.

All you have to do here is spend a few minutes listing the giveaway. (Oh! Look! There's an ARC giveaway of SURRENDER going on right now!) Goodreads even picks the winner for you, gives you code for widgets, the works. You are responsible for mailing out the book. If your publisher is sending the ARC, your monetary investment is zero. If you are, you'll have to pay for shipping (but you can put your sticker on the outside of the package...)

Goodreads gives you the code for widgets too.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Surrender

by Elana Johnson

Giveaway ends April 30, 2012.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

So there you go. The second tier above the Basic Marketing Plan.

Well? Can you set up a newsletter? Order some additional swag? List a giveaway on Goodreads? What else would you implement into this marketing plan?

Next week, I'm going to talk about additional ideas to market your work exclusively online. **I'm also writing a separate post about Goodreads and Facebook ads, both of which I've purchased and used. So stay tuned for that!

Story of a Girl

December 2007: Girl is about to turn thirty. That's right. The big 3-0.

Girl decides to write about the first three decades of her life.

Girl likes this writing thing.

Girl writes, girl writes, girl writes. A whole book, she writes.

Girl researches, girl researches, girl researches.

Girl queries, girl queries, girl queries.

Girl waits, girl waits, girl waits.

Girl discovers blogging.

Girl blogs, girl blogs, girl blogs.

Girl queries, girl writes, girl waits.

Girl blogs. Girl shelves first failed novel.

February 2009: Girl enters ABNA 2009 with a new novel. Makes it to the quarter-finals.

Girl screams. Girl celebrates. Girl finds much needed confidence.

Girl rewrites, girl rewrites, girl rewrites.

Girl queries new novel.

Girl waits.

Girl blogs.

Girl revises, girl revises, girl revises.

Girl queries.

Girl waits.

November 2009: Girl signs with the amazing Michelle Andelman at Lynn C. Franklin.

Girl screams. Girl celebrates. Girl finds much needed confidence.

Girl writes.

Girl blogs.

Girl rewrites another novel while waiting and blogging.

Girl checks email, checks email, checks email.

Girl waits. Blogs. Breathes -- involuntarily.

February 25, 2010: Girl gets an email.

Opens it.

Girl can't breathe. Black spots crowd her vision.

Phone rings.

Girl snaps to attention. Looks at caller ID. It's a 212 area code.

Girl shoves peanut butter M&M's at girl kidlet and races upstairs, locking the bedroom door behind her. (Super parenting there! Nominate girl for mother of the year!)

Girl talks to agent.

The email is really true.

Girl.

Has.

Book.

Deal.

Girl screams. Girl celebrates. Girl might faint.

From Publisher's Marketplace: Elana Johnson's CONTROL ISSUES, set in a brainwashed society where those gifted with mind control best join the powers that be, but one rebel girl tries to beat them at their own game, to Anica Rissi at Simon Pulse, by Michelle Andelman at Lynn Franklin Associates (NA).

(Girl blogs.)

Girl gets gifts from editor:

Girl wonders what's better than books and chocolate.

Oh yeah.

Sleep. (Girl sleeps. zzzzzzzzz)

Tell the Truth Tuesday

First, dude, you guys! Did you see Beth Revis's amazing news?! No? Okay, skip my lame blog today and get over to hers! She sold her book -- or should I say bookSSSS!!

Truth: This is the most amazing news, like, ever!

Truth: Beth is amazing.

Truth: This was not going to be my post today. But my other post was uber-lame.

Truth: This post is about my, uh, unconventional email habits. Try not to fall asleep.

Truth: I email myself stuff. Links for my newsletter. Blog posts I need to come back to when the firewall at work isn't blocking them. Whatever.

Truth: I usually can't find those emails later.

Truth: So I created a folder for them.

Truth: I almost never come back to the blog posts with videos once I get home. Or anything else I've emailed, really.

Truth: I'm still emailing them to myself.

Truth: I'm a bit disappointed that sometimes the only email I have is from myself. It's not like, "Ooh! Email!" or anything. It's just lame. Because it's from my-freaking-self.

What's your truth today? I'd like some email that isn't from myself, please. *grins*

Things to Celebrate

Okay, so today's the first day of my monthly newsletter. I hope you got it. It will go out on the last Friday of every month at 9 AM EST (some of you thought I was kidding with the schedule thing, didn't you? Um, nope). And every first Monday of the month will be a book discussion. I think this will really bring us together as blogging buddies. Or maybe it'll bomb and I'll quietly fade into the great black abyss...

Anyway, February's book is The Dark Divine by Bree Despain, so meet me back here on Monday to discuss.

March's book choice is...announced in the newsletter. I really hope you got it. Oh! And the contest details were revealed in painstaking detail. Painstaking. Sort of.

Celebratory point two: as of today, my ebook is 25% off. The sale will go through February 28. Discount code: 25percentoff. Order here.

Numero Tres: I won some blog awards.

Thanks to Corra McFeydon for this one.

I'm giving it to: Elle, Carolyn, Kerri and Brandon.

And then I got this one from a few different people that I'm embarrassed to say I can't remember. (Hey, if you went to such lengths to stuff your inbox, you'd understand why I can't find the emails. I think Emma was the most recent.) I'm supposed to list 10 things that make me happy.

1. Eating out.
2. Reading good books.
3. My kidlets.
4. Listening to the rain fall.
5. Long showers.
6. Loud music.
7. Driving fast.
8. Peanut butter cookies.
9. Stroking YA covers at Barnes & Noble.
10. Blogging.

I'm passing it on to: my critique buddies. Ali, Jenn, Stacy, Christine, Suzy, Bethany, Danyelle, Beth, Mandy, Windy


And I got this one from Lorel Clayton. Thanks!

I'm giving it to: Lisa, Karen, Scott and Holly.


Tiana gave me this one:

I guess I have to answer these questions with just one word:

Your Cell Phone? Old
Your Hair? Short
Your Mother? Kind
Your Father? Hardworking
Your Favorite Food? Pizza
Your Dream Last Night? Dreams?
Your Favorite Drink? Gingerale
Your Dream/Goal? FinishEH
What Room Are You In? Kitchen
Your Hobby? Writing
Your Fear? Dogs
Where Do You Want to be in Six Years? Here
Where Were You Last Night? Home
Something You Aren't? Alone
Muffins? Okay
Wish List Item? iPad
Where Did You Grow Up? Newton
Last Thing You Did? Blog
What Are You Wearing? Glasses
Your TV? On
Your Pets? Nonexistent
Friends? Chatty
Your Life? Happy
Your Mood? Melancholy
Missing Someone? No
Vehicle? Runs
Something You Aren't Wearing? Socks
Your Favorite Store? Amazon.com
Your Favorite Color? Yellow
When Was The Last Time You Laughed? Critgroup
Last Time You Cried? Lastweek
Your Best Friend? Dr.J
One Place You Go To Over and Over Again? Library
Facebook? Farmville
Favorite Place to Eat? Olivegarden

I'm giving it to: Angie, Nisa and Jaime.

Got any exciting news to share? A promotion? Finish a chapter? Sent a query letter? Let me squee! with you.

Bad Poetry -- Just For You

Dear Bloggy Friends,

I've written songs for you
Comments galore
I spilled about my writing origins
And much, much more

Holy crap, I'm writing poetry
Something I swore I never did
See? That's how wicked amazing you guys are
I'll do whatever you bid

I love living the impossible
I love how you endure my rants
I love hearing your innermost thoughts
Hey, I even like your pants

Thanks for clicking over here
Thanks for being my fabulous friends
Thanks for leaving your comments
I hope this journey never ends

Elana

By the way, I've been having brainwave after brainwave for my newsletter. And at the risk of sounding snooty, I think it's gonna rawk the house! Sign up if you haven't yet!