Vertical Promo: How to Market a Christian Poetry Book

Poesia courtesy of Flickr

Every day I receive emails and twitter messages from writers regarding marketing and promotion. Usually I answer directly to the person asked, but lately I've been getting the same questions, so I will begin posting the answers here until my site is set to go. I will also post the answer in my Vertical Promo Group (join if you haven't already.) Moreover beginning June 1, I will begin teaching a special group of writers on how to leverage their marketing efforts. Stay tuned for details on that coaching event.

Today I will answer one question:

How would marketing benefit let's say someone that like to publish a poem book of Christian prayer poems?

I think this question means: Should a build a Christian chapbook and if so, how can I market it?

If not I apologize, but this question is what I will answer.

A Christian chapbook by definition can be a collection of poems, songs, psalms, flash fiction that is bound in a book small enough to carry. There are two types that the marketplace is most familiar with: a collection of poetry or a lyrical memoir. A great example of a lyrical memoir is Amy Grant's Mosaic: Pieces of my Memory So Far or poetry like "The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection. " These two forms are familiar to commercial book buyers. However, both do well for authors who have celebrity status or a large national platform. For the newbie poet, these two forms would be a waste in my opinion.

I suggest that the new poet seek to be published in Essence Magazine or a literary journal like Mosaic or Push Cart. Or seek publication through a college press. Or become a song writer. Why? Because:

1. the new author doesn't have a large enough following for poetry book buyers(who are scarce.) and
2. chapbook buyers are scarce

The poet must write down her vision for her art. This will tell her whether the poetry is for commercial or artistic purposes. If artistic, they can build artists books and submit to art festivals with hopes of being picked up by galleries.

If they choose the commercial route, then they need to look at repackaging their poetry.

I'm at my wordcount limit for this post. Tomorrow(please remind me) to tell you how to repackage your poetry for the new buyer for the next installment to this poet's question.

Visit me on Media Candy on Wednesday when author Bonnie Grove will chat with me during your lunch break about book, book trailers and dead people.

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Christian Authors Booksigning Opp with F & F Retreat & Barnes & Noble Orlando

Hey, folks. Happy Star Wars Day! Happy MomsMonday if you're on Twitter today. I'm passing on this new opp for those who haven't registered for the Faith and Fiction Retreat or who don't know what the Faith and Fiction Retreat is about (email me if you need more info.)

For Christian authors, Tiffany Warren the retreat founder and host is opening up more slots for authors through this week only who would like to attend the Faith and Fiction Retreat. You must register this week, because she has to send Barnes & Noble Orlando(the official bookseller for the F & F Retreat) needs the book list by Friday, so that they can retrieve the titles from their respected publishing houses. If you are not with a publishing house, then you still need to register and submit. The B & N will send you a bookseller's agreement (you know how it goes.) Here are your options:

1. Regular Registration ($119) – All sessions, book signing on Saturday (books provided by Barnes & Noble), promotional items placed in registration bags.
2. Full Weekend *Vendor ($250) – Bring you own books, all sessions, items placed in registration bags.
3. Saturday Vendor ($100) – I only have about ten vendor slots open mainly. This will get them a vending table on Saturday, items in registration bags, and all Saturday sessions.

There will be no sharing of Vendor tables. If anyone needs help with travel (roommates, car mates, etc.) contact us. Visit the link to learn more about the retreat and the name of the other authors participating as well as featured book clubs. Hope to see you there in July.

Offer ends this Friday, May 8, 2009

Dee

Win The G-Free Diet for Mother's Day

For years, Elisabeth Hasselbeck couldn't figure out what was making her sick. She asked doctors and consulted nutritionists, but no one seemed to have any answers. It wasn't until spending time in the Australian Outback, living off the land on the grueling Survivor TV show, that, ironically, her symptoms vanished. Returning home, she pinpointed the food that made her sick -- gluten, the binding element in wheat. By simply eliminating it from her diet, she was able to enjoy a completely normal, healthy life. But that wasn't all. Hasselbeck discovered the myriad benefits that anyone can enjoy from a gluten-free diet: from weight loss and increased energy to even the alleviation of the conditions of autism.

In this all-inclusive book, Hasselbeck shares her hard-earned wisdom on living life without gluten and loving it. She gives you everything you need to know to start living a gluten-free life, from defining gluten - where to find it, how to read food labels - to targeting gluten-free products, creating G-Free shopping lists, sharing recipes, and managing G-Free living with family and friends.

She even have restaurant listings with gluten free menus. I was shocked at how many restaurants there are.

Read an excerpt.

Carey has five copies of The G-Free Diet to give away at her The Tome Traveller's Blog. Deadline to participate in the giveaway is May 15.

Happy Star Wars Day!

May the Fourth Be with you! LOL. Happy Star Wars Day. Above is a the movie trailer for the first star wars. Join me and the Force on Twitter today. Hey, @sistagp, @MrFresh, @jawar, @blogdiva. :)