A few months ago, I wrote on Facebook that about 60% of the staff at my current job refers to my work as "doing my magic." It's a variation of an old meme: Something is needed Sara does her magic Profit! At first, I was somewhat flattered by this--"I really feel like a magician, y'all" was my… Continue reading The Laws of (Marketing) Magic
Category: Book Pushing: Marketing and Packaging
How Not To Be: Promo Copy
I actually drafted this post several months ago, but felt hesitant about publishing it while I still worked for my previous employer. I sent it out into the world now mainly because I think it will be of interest to first-time authors, particularly the academic authors-to-be of my acquaintance. The occasion: I was working on… Continue reading How Not To Be: Promo Copy
Trolling Your Thesis
If you are a current or recovering academic, odds are good that you've already seen lol my thesis within the last month--and thanks to each and everyone one of you who linked to it. Reducing years of research and pages of explication into one sentence = academic comedy gold. I'm delighted by the premise as a book pusher, since… Continue reading Trolling Your Thesis
Elsewhere on the Internet: A little help from your friends
Melville House posted Margaret Atwood's rhymed rejection of solicitations to blurb new books, which is great fun. As someone who frequently solicits blurbs for my press's books, occasionally taking quite a long shot to do so, I very rarely get no for an answer and never mind when I do--unless the no started out as… Continue reading Elsewhere on the Internet: A little help from your friends
A few notes on academic book titles
For first-time authors: name your dissertation something plain and boring if you're planning to turn it into a book. A book and a dissertation should not share a title, so if you've got a good one, save it for later! Your "good" title, by the way, should contain information about the book's topic. That may… Continue reading A few notes on academic book titles
How Not To Be: Publicity
I've been a high school teacher and a tour guide for drunken out-of-towners; I've provided customer service to angry, entitled museum members. I've dealt with some tough customers, in other words. Yet I'm continually surprised at some of the rude and ungenerous replies that scholars and authors return to my department's marketing efforts. The worst… Continue reading How Not To Be: Publicity
Sara Davis 