Book Promotion Tour - The Myrk Maiden Trilogy
Hello! I'm Alyssa Charpentier, a self-published author and the creator of the Myrk Maiden Trilogy. I am seeking funds from interested readers/supporters who want to help the Myrk Maiden series enhance its visibility, gain exposure, and potentially broaden its fanbase.
Until this point, I have funded every aspect of my books' releases, from developmental editing, cover art, character art, social media ads, travel, and more. Now, I am interested in collecting funds for promotional purposes.
What does this mean?
The publication process is deeper than simply creating and uploading the product to Amazon. (This is the part I take care of, which includes purchasing the necessary editors, artists, etc., to make the book a reality.) When an author finishes a book, they must then promote it to increase its chances of finding homes with readers. This is where things get tricky... and expensive. (See attachment for an example.)
What you would be helping me fund are any number of these events and activities:
- Paid exposure packages - this is where an author pays a fee for having their work receive promotion on popular reader/reviewer websites, which increases the likelihood that a reader selects their book and becomes a fan. (Examples: BookBub, Reedsy, etc.)
- Blog tours - this service is used when an author is releasing new material and trying to build excitement over it on reviewers' websites. With my work being in a series, I will need to promote both the first and second installments on a blog tour to ensure people pick up the first book and continue the series afterward. (Without a sequel, people will be less inclined to read the first book, and without the first book, of course, no one will care about a sequel!)
- Bookstagram reviews - the author pays a "Bookstagram" (book Instagram) influencer to read and review their books on their page. This increases visibility, as the Bookstagrammer's followers have the opportunity to see and possibly look into/read the book being promoted.
- Book reviews + perk packages - these are reviews from professional critics, avid readers, or other established entities. The ones I would be submitting to would include perks for purchasing the review service, such as the books being entered into a newsletter or contest, promoted on social media, sent to librarians and other reviewers, etc., because the author paid for/received a review. (Ex. Indie Reader)
- Social media promotion packages - there's a trusted reviewer entity that offers "tiers" for social media promotion that I've been looking into, and they'll even create their own graphics and things for you before they share your book with their followers. Neat!
- Author interviews - this is when an author pays a popular blogger or reviewer to interview them and create a page on their site for the author. It increases search engine discovery on the web and gets the author's name "out there" more.
- Book interview - promoting a book on a blogger/reviewer's social media or personal website, wherein an author answers some questions about the book to drum up interest in potential readers browsing the page.
- Character interviews - the Myrk Maiden characters are reasonably wild, so I believe they could hold their own in a promoted character interview!
- Hiring a publicist - I would be footing most of the bill for this, but if I have some funds left over and none of the other options help, I can always hire a personal PR assistant!
Let me answer some of your questions up-front:
Q: "Is this necessary?"
A: No. It is not required to publish Book #2 in the Myrk Maiden Trilogy or be an author. However, self-published authors are always encouraged to promote their work whenever they have the opportunity, as, without promotion, one's chances of growing their readership are slim.
Q: "Is my money guaranteed to help you as an author?"
A: No. Your money will be used to purchase promotional services, but there is no guarantee they will generate results. What you are paying for is the possibility of increasing my series's exposure.
Q: "Will you use my money to do anything other than promote your books?"
A: No. All proceeds from this GoFundMe will go directly toward promoting the Myrk Maiden Trilogy. On my honor, I will not make frivolous, useless, or unrelated purchases with your generosity.
Q: "Isn't promoting your books your responsibility?"
A: Yes. That is why you should participate in this crowd-fund solely at your discretion and budget. It is not your job to help anyone with their creative projects or business endeavors, but we certainly appreciate it, and it helps.
Last Q: "What do I receive in exchange for donating?"
A: No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or promotions are offered in exchange for any donations made to this GoFundMe.
Thanks and blessings to everyone who participates. Please do not feel inclined to donate if you are tight on personal funds or are experiencing financial troubles. Don't feel "inclined" to donate at all if this doesn't strike your interest. I appreciate any funds I may receive from your generosity, and I pledge to use them wisely and responsibly for the potential growth of my writing career.
If you have any questions or concerns, contact me on social media.
Thanks again! ~Alyssa C.
(IndieReader promo package + price)
Organizer
Alyssa Charpentier
Organizer
Blue Ridge, VA
