Guest blogger: Nike Chillemi

Perseverance Pays Off. Actually, Yes, it Does 

by Nike Chillemi

Maybe it's because the summer is over and autumn always seems more serious somehow. Or it could be because it's been a whirlwind for many an author getting the kids back to school. Whatever, I'm hearing lots of authors complaining they're tired, very tired. Mostly tired of the constant marketing.

This is especially true of authors with books out through small Christian publishing companies and ebook publishers. The marketing never seems to stop. 

It seems to gobble up a lot of time, even taking over lives. When it looks like it's getting to that point, it might be time to pull back. In my humble opinion, it's time to pray about it. You might get a go ahead from on High and start the whirlwind again. Or you might not and then have to seek out what God's plan for your marketing is.

However, just as the tired voices of authors sing in often not so harmonious unison, there are other voices coming from publishers, agents, and editors who echo that perseverance pays off. All authors have to market their books. Period. Even if you market twenty-four/seven, you might not be able to make your book a New York Times Best Seller. But if you don't market it, it will sell a lot less than if you did. 

Nike Chillemi

Also, if you've been marketing your tome and it's been doing satisfactorily in sales, you'll notice as soon as you stop, the sales fall away. So, marketing efforts are directly related to sales volume, even if that volume is low. Without the marketing it would be lower still.

As a published fiction writer with an ebook series out, I find my publisher can't compete with the big guys in terms of marketing budget. And as all indie authors know, many of the national and global outlets promoting books do not accept publicity releases from individual authors. 

Like it or not, those are the facts, and most of us small fries don't like it. So, what small guys like me have to do is painstakingly build a reader following.

How do we do that? We can join with other authors in marketing efforts. I've found two of the most effective for indies and small fry Christian authors are the Grace and Faith Author Connection. They publish numerous articles on marketing strategies for the indie author. They also have a daily Tweet Document so members can tweet for each other and they post media sources. 

You first need to get in touch with Staci Stallings to join. The Facebook link is: https://www.facebook.com/nike.chillemi#!/groups/gracenfaith/

The John 3:16 Marketing Network has what is called a "launch." This is not the same as launching a newly released book. The Network will "launch" a book that has been out a while or one just coming out. A "launch" takes time, coordination, and effort, but others in the network will assist you. Many members' books have climbed to best sellers in actual sales on the day of the "launch." 

You first need to get in touch with Lorilyn Roberts. The Facebook link is: https://www.facebook.com/nike.chillemi#!/Christian.Book.Launches

The Grace Awards has tip-toed into marketing with its bi-weekly Tweet Chain (a place where members tweet for each other) and it's Prayer Chain (a place where members pray for each other). This is done in the Grace Awards Facebook group. You simply join the group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/228634957153779/  The Grace Awards Exchange is a Goodreads group where members discuss crafting excellent Christian fiction, controversial topics in Christian fiction, and much more. The link is: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/33583-grace-awards-exchange

Since I'm talking about marketing, let me take a moment to shameless promote my latest release PERILOUS SHADOWS (Historical Romantic Murder Mystery, late-1940s ~ dead coed, news professionals hunt a killer, secrets ~ sweet romance, warm intimacy, sophisticated themes presented tastefully).

Pioneer newspaperwoman Kiera Devane is on a mission to prove a woman can do a man's job, as she hunts a young coed's killer? Ace radio broadcaster Argus Nye lost one love to a murderous fiend and his pulse races as he tries to protect Kiera from herself as much as from this killer.

Purchase Links:

Amazon/Kindle. http://is.gd/W2Hm2N

Barnes and Noble/Nook. http://is.gd/RJF2zy

Author Bio:   Nike Chillemi has been called a crime fictionista due to her passion for crime fiction. She was an Inspy Awards 2010 judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery category and a judge in the 2011 and 2012 Carol Awards in the suspense, mystery, and romantic suspense categories. She is the founding board member of the Grace Awards and its Chairman, a reader's choice awards for excellence in Christian fiction. She writes book reviews for The Christian Pulse online magazine. BURNING HEARTS is the first book in the crime wave that is sweeping the south shore of Long Island in The Sanctuary Point series, published by Desert Breeze. GOODBYE NOEL, the second book in the series released in December, 2011 won the Grace Award 2011 in the Mystery/Romantic Suspense/Thriller category. PERILOUS SHADOWS, the third in the series released in July, 2012. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers (Ning).