Weekend Thread: Book Therapy
Your chance to ask me anything about book publishing.
Confidantes,
Welcome to Book Therapy!
This community is for paid subscribers, and the goal is to create a safe space where you can ask questions about the publishing industry/process, book publicity, and marketing. It’s also a space where you can share what you’re worried about in book publishing.
Please post your questions in the comments, and I will answer them throughout the day & weekend.
PLEASE READ THE RULES:
-If you are asking a question about YOUR book, please tell me a little bit about it, or my response will be, “It depends on the book…”
-I cannot answer questions via email. Please post your questions in the comments. You'll need to be a paid subscriber to do that.
-I can only provide ADVICE when I respond to specific questions, not definitive answers.
-This is a forum where questions are asked. It is not a forum to write lengthy commentary about your book or the publishing industry (or political beliefs, etc.). If you reply to someone’s question, do so in a helpful way.
-Be respectful to me and others. Everyone’s experience is different. Be kind. Unkind comments will not be tolerated.
-If I don’t know the answer, I will tell you and try to provide a resource where you might find it.
-Please don’t use the comments to self-promote. That’s not what this thread is about.
-There’s no such thing as a stupid question. We don’t know what we don’t know!
-Please be patient. I’ll pop in and out to answer you.
-The more context you provide, the better response I can give you.
-Please allow me the weekend to answer your questions. The deadline to post a question is Sunday night. After that, you’ll have to wait until the next edition of Book Therapy.
Please limit your questions to one comment so I can keep track of them and be fair to others who have questions.
-I have the least experience in YA and kid’s books, so I don’t feel comfortable advising that territory.
-This is a community effort so others may chime in with their own knowledge.
Ready? Go!
-Kathleen

I’m curious about creative marketing strategies you’ve seen lately. I’ve seen authors offer writing workshops to people who buy 5 (or more?) of their books. I’m inspired by community-building approaches like that, that go beyond a “book club”. What local and virtual ideas are people trying?
A long time ago I was thinking of doing some Meta ads and I put $35 in my account and then chickened out. So this money is still sitting in there. I’m 6 weeks out from my book’s release date (2.10) and I’m thinking of doing some FB and IG ads since the money is still there. What do you recommend? A “vibes” or tropes post? A book trailer (I have one)? What ads have you seen work even a little bit in the past, if any?