WOW Wednesday: Nicola Furlong on Promotion that Begins with a Killer Query

by Martina Boone

Today’s guest, Nicola Furlong, writes mystery novels, develops interactive children’s books for the iPad, blogs about and publishes e-books (epubbing.com), creates podcasts about genre writing (The Novel Experience) and produces book trailers…when she’s not playing hockey, growing blue poppies or eating chocolate fudge. She has also written a gardening guide for the West Coast and has adapted two of her novels to screenplays; both were optioned for television. She lives in small town on southern Vancouver Island, but you can catch her at her website: www.nicolafurlong.com and at: www.epubbing.com.

Promoting Your Book Starts with Your Query

by Nicola Furlong

One of the most rewarding parts of being a professional mystery writer is helping aspiring writers get published. I teach a variety of writing courses at a local college and interview other published authors to discover their tips and tricks of the storytelling trade as part of my podcast, The Novel Experience.

Today, I thought I would highlight the key elements of two areas of every writer’s life that are always top of mind: Query letters and Marketing.

Writing Killer Queries

Writing good queries is hard; it’s both art and craft. A strong query is:

An advertisement for your book
Brief
Punchy
Personalized for a specific editor or agent
Hooks reader’s interest
Writing style suits the book
Leaves reader wanting more

The four basic elements of a killer query letter are:

First Paragraph:
Opening line pitch: two sentences or so that hooks reader’s interest, written in the style of the book.
Second Paragraph:
Three to five sentences providing more information about the main character and his/her character arc, the central plot and the length and style of the book.
Third Paragraph:
Two to three sentences about you, such as your qualifications, the reason for writing the book, the possible audience/markets for the book and why you are the one to write and how you plan to promote it.
Final Paragraph:
Two sentences to ask if they wish to receive sample chapters or the entire manuscript and to thank them for their kind consideration.

Six Clues to Self-Promotion

Competition’s fierce, so you’ve got to have F.L.A.R.E.:

Fresh, original
Loud: both voice & appearance
Articulate for panels, interviews
Respectful to audience, reviewers, booksellers
Endurance to survive

You don’t have to have lots of money. Just follow my clues for shameless & successful self-promotion:

1) Swallow Your Shyness & Be Bold. (Fake it if necessary!)

Must master public speaking, some acting helps
Start small: local clubs, book signings & build to Oprah

2) Get Your Ducks in Order

Write a snappy press release for media & online
Get professional photo
Seek marvellous reviews & cover quotes
Invent an interesting bio; you’re a creative writer, remember?
Use hooks—like a book’s locale, where you live or work—to generate interest

3) Get the Word & Book Out

Press releases online (e.g., Prweb & Prlog) & to local TV, radio, variety of newspapers
Review copies to review web sites/forums/chats, newspapers, bookstores, TV & radio
Create book trailer & upload
Create bookmarks, postcards, business cards or flyers with book information
Send to your mailing lists: bookstores, libraries, reporters, fans, relevant organizations
Give bookmarks etc., to friends, family, strangers
Write articles for related magazines, blogs & newspapers
Comment on relevant websites, blogs & newspapers

4) Get off Your Duff

Scout out opportunities: readings, book clubs & guest blogging
Attend relevant tradeshows & sell books
Visit bookstores, offer to sign stock or do book signing
Join groups (local, professional, online) for information and promotional opportunities
Attend conferences & conventions; be a panellist
Teach others

5) Wow the Web

Email signature includes book info & buy link
Entertaining & informative web site: excerpts, bio, reviews, places to buy books
Blog your head off (WordPress, Blogger, etc.)
Attend chat rooms and social networking sites (Facebook, GoodReads, etc.)
Join specialty list serves
Share links with other web sites

And, last but not least:

6) Wear Bright Colours & Funky Shoes

Something to chat about
Stand out & be noticed

I really hope that some of my ideas will help you realize your writing dream of getting published.

Nicola

Nicola is the author of two stand-alone mysteries, six inspirational cozies from the Church Choir Mystery series, an iPad interactive children’s book, a multi-media online thriller and two non-fiction writing primers.

Martina Boone

Martina Boone is the award-winning author of the romantic southern gothic Heirs of Watson Island series, starting with COMPULSION from Simon & Schuster, Simon Pulse and the Celtic Legends Collection of novels set in Scotland, Cornwall, and Ireland beginning with LAKE OF DESTINY. She’s passionate about improving lives through literacy and the love of books, and she runs the Compulsion For Reading program to distribute books to underserved schools and libraries.

She lives with her husband, children, Shetland Sheepdog Phinney, and Zoey the lopsided cat, and she enjoys writing contemporary romantic fiction with a hint of magic set in small towns and beautiful places. When she isn’t writing, she’s addicted to travel, horses, skiing, chocolate flavored tea, and anything with Nutella on it.

Post © Martina Boone and/or Adventures in YA Publishing. All rights reserved.

Posted: Aug 1, 2012

Category: Imported from AYAP

Tags: WOW Wednesday

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The first slide is an animation of a science/magic room in a castle. A cartoon character of a mad-scientist looking man in in the foreground says: “Hello! Dr. Frankenstein here to say, Well Done on kid lit zombie week! I’m an expert at reviving the dead, and let me assure you, with a little spark, you can bring dead projects to life. Especially if you dig up parts from other dead things. I’ll even let you have a sneak peek at my laboratory’s store room to consider potential parts for your dead project. If you see something with a yellow glow, that means you should click it. Have fun!”

He points to the right side of the screen and a new scene slides in of a castle science/magic storage room. There are various cartoon Frankenstein body parts scattered around. Some of them have a yellow glow. If you click on them, the images below appear (I’ve added alt text to them, so I hope it works).

The Heart of your story is the main character. The protagonist is the beating core that truly brings your story to life. If your MC doesn't make kids (and their grown-ups) care within the first few pages, your story will flatline. </p>
<p>Your main character needs to be:<br />
• Relatable enough for kids to see themselves<br />
• Unique enough to stand out in the slush pile<br />
• Active enough to drive the story<br />
• Memorable enough to survive multiple readings at bedtime</p>
<p>Where do you find this amazing donor heart? It might be the very thing you loved so much about the manuscript you want to revive. It might be the younger sister from your shelved YA novel. Or maybe it’s the hilarious kid you blogged about meeting at a school visit. Find a character beating with potential and place it in the center of your story.<br />

The Brain of your story is the theme or central message. The theme is the big idea that controls everything else. Picture books are more than stories - they're tiny life lessons disguised with humor and heart.</p>
<p>But your theme needs to be:<br />
• Subtle enough not to trigger the dreaded "didactic" rejection<br />
• Clear enough for a four-year-old to grasp<br />
• Universal enough to speak to both kids and adults<br />
• Fresh enough to prevent agents and editors from responding with "Not another sharing/bedtime/first-day story!"</p>
<p>Check your other dead manuscripts to see if there is a recurring theme, something that really seems to be speaking to you. Find the bit of poetry you scribbled on the back of a receipt to see what theme inspired it. Reread the pep talk you texted your critique partner at 1am. Pick the theme that will drive your story, giving it purpose, direction, and deeper meaning.<br />

The Legs of your story is the plot. Not to be confused with a grave plot.🤪 The plot is what keeps everything upright and moving, as well as providing support for all the other elements. You have very few words to use in a picture book, so you need to do a lot with each plot point.</p>
<p>In general, your plot should:<br />
• Hook readers fast<br />
• Build tension that a child can follow<br />
• Create page turns that feel natural<br />
• Wrap up in a way that satisfies</p>
<p>You can borrow a plot twist (a leg) from one manuscript and the opening (the other leg) from a different manuscript. Consider if the subplot of the middle grade novel you trunked would work better as a picture book. Or maybe your Facebook post about a disastrous camping trip could become a story for kids. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other until you have your storyline.

The Arms of your story are the side characters.

The Torso of your story is the setting. Setting helps a story breathe and connects all the elements of the story. It isn't just where your story lives, it's what makes your story ALIVE. It's the difference between "this happened in a park" and "this happened in that park, the one with the twisty slide that burns your legs and the creaky swing that sounds like a baby crying.”</p>
<p>Your setting should:<br />
• Make your character's world feel real<br />
• Contain your story in a way that makes sense to young readers<br />
• Connect different scenes and moments organically<br />
• Give your illustrator enough room to add visual subplots</p>
<p>Half-finished manuscripts are a great place to dig up settings, since you worked out the place details before the plot petered out. Or maybe you had to cut a second fantastic location from your chapter book. You can also revisit the detailed caption from your Instagram carousel documenting your tour of that delish candy shop. Disinter a robust setting that can house all of your story's vital organs.

After you press the Click When Done circle button, the lights flash with the sound of electricity buzzing. Then the screen goes black and lightning zaps across the screen with the sound of thunder.

The screen then lights up to show the storage room, and all the Frankenstein pieces have been assembled into the whole monster. An upbeat song plays in the background. Then a speech bubble pops up with the words, “I’m alive! I’M ALIVE!” Then the screen goes to black.

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