What Reviews Can Tell Us

During the first few weeks after my first novel's release, I would check reviews on Amazon and Goodreads almost daily. At first, all the feedback was from people I knew-family and friends who bought the book at my launch party. No big surprises there: 5 stars from my mom, all my cousins and the ward members who had to face me on Sunday. "Great book, loved it, couldn't put it down, and-- I know the author!" was what most of it conveyed, and although that kind of stuff is easy on the ego, it doesn't tell me anything about what could have been better and is not very helpful in convincing OTHER people to read the book.

Then the first wave of reviews from people I didn't know started coming in. Finally comments that offered opinions that I could see as unbiased and helpful with my writing. Most were positive, and a general consensus emerged: A good story, a little slow at the beginning, but gripping by the end, with well-developed characters and some surprising turns toward the climax. Some readers weren't willing to give it more than three stars, but couldn't really put their finger on why it wasn't better for them. I suspect some were reading outside of their favorite genre, or were expecting a romance and got a coming-of-age story instead. As will happen with any book, comments ran the gamut from "the best piece of LDS fiction I have ever read!" to "...a rookie effort and it shows...could have cut 100 pages and it would have been better."

So what am I to think about my reviews? Does my average rating of 4.07 stars from 23 text reviewers on Goodreads tell me my book is good? Not really. I suspect that's close to the average rating for ALL books. It probably wouldn't have been published if it didn't resonate with a majority of the people who picked it up, and most published books do if they're marketed to the right demographics. When I go to the pages of those Goodreads members who gave me 5 stars, I find that many of them give 5 stars to EVERY book on their shelves.

The most useful reviews, of course, are those that function as constructive criticism from avid readers who care enough to lay out exactly what they liked and didn't like about the book. More than anything, I want perception and opinion. I want a review that tells me what the reader felt while reading and what struck him or her as unrealistic or undeveloped.

Although it appeared in a major LDS internet site and says not one negative word about my book, this review, published just this past week, is probably the most annoying of all. Posted as a "book review", all it does is summarize the plot. That's right, the article is completely devoid of any opinion whatsoever. Either the writer was afraid of hurting my feelings (which I greatly doubt), or she simply does not understand what a "book review" is supposed to be. Worse, she spoils the ending of the book in a way that leaves nothing to the imagination (do not go there if you have not read and have any intention of reading The Rogue Shop).

It's all worth sprinkling liberally with grains of salt. You'll learn the most from those reviewers who clearly took the time not only to read but to think about what they read, and have enough distance from you to remove any filters from their honest perceptions. Of course, I'll never complain about my mom and everyone else who gave me an enthusiastic 5 star review. Those are the people who will benefit most from my magnanimous generosity when I get a seven-figure advance on my next runaway bestseller.

Writer's Conference Synergy

Last Saturday I attended a writer’s conference in American Fork organized by the American Fork Arts Council. Maybe I should say “participated in”, rather than “attended”, since I was busy in every session. I was apprehensive at first, when I was asked to give one ten minute speech, sit on four panels, and give another 40-minute presentation all on one day. Did having one novel released through a small market publisher really qualify me as an “expert” on the topics I’d been given?

The first two people I met at the conference didn’t make me feel much more confident. The first was a professor of English at Utah Valley University, and the second was Dene Low, author of Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone (Houghton Mifflin) with an M.A. in Creative Writing and a PhD in Rhetoric and Composition. Other hyper-talented and educated people with multiple publication credits and plenty of conference experience surrounded me. I wondered if maybe they thought they had invited that other Mike, Mike Knudson, who spells his last name differently and has a successful line of children’s books. In fact, maybe that Mike would walk in at any moment and ask what I was doing in his chair.

When my time came to speak, the lady conducting introduced me and showed the audience my book. Whew, they did know who I was and what I’d written and they still invited me. I stood up and spoke briefly about my 20-year journey to bring The Rogue Shop to light, with a focus on that “writing monkey” that I never could get off my back. I ended with the exclamation “Embrace the Monkey!” which drew laughter and applause. Now I felt at home. These were good people.

At lunch, I sat next to a nationally published novelist and an accomplished poet and was able to carry on a competent conversation with them. Midway through my ham-and-swiss, one of the ladies from the book sales desk came over to inform me that the stack of books I had brought were sold out, and did I have any more? Sadly, I didn’t. I had also sold through a big stack at “Write Here in Ephraim” three weeks before, but I still hadn’t learned my lesson: When participating at a conference, there is always a chance you will become suddenly and temporarily famous within a 20-yard radius of your person. Always bring more books than you think you should. My speech in the opening session had branded me the “The Monkey Guy”, and had created a demand for my book that I couldn’t meet on the spot.

In the first afternoon session, I faced a group of a dozen or so writers with Jennifer Fielding, Acquisitions Editor at Cedar Fort. Our panel was entitled “What to Expect during the Publishing Process”. The writers had great questions and despite very little preparation and absolutely no comparing of notes beforehand, I think Jennifer and I did a fine tag-team job of answering them.

The final breakout was the one that scared me most. I had been asked to speak on my blog series “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Novelists” for 40 minutes. Intelligent people piled into the room and filled the chairs. More came in, bringing chairs from the other room. They all wanted to be Highly Effective Novelists, and they were looking to the “Monkey Guy” to tell them how. Signed copies of The Rogue Shop sat on several laps. The least I could do is be somewhat effective at delivering the message. I had prepared my notes well and did my best. Within a few minutes I realized there was no reason to feel uncomfortable. Writers are the least judgmental of people, and conferences are one place where we see each other not just as literary entities but as human beings. All the flaws and quirks of personality are on display, and although we may be at various places of success with our writing, we’re all on the same road. That’s the joy of a small, live writer’s conference.

At the end of the day, I felt much better about accepting future invitations to such events and participating as much as I can. It’s not that my delivery or presentation has become any better, or that I’ve become more of an “expert” than I was before. It’s just my newfound knowledge that writers, as a group, can be trusted with the fragility of a rookie presenter’s confidence. Those that see me as a little further down the road want to be where I am, and those already well ahead of me are happy to see me coming along behind them. Writers have no secrets about writing – we liberally share the best of what we’ve learned, because sharing is what literary expression is all about. Despite the business reality that we all compete with each other for a limited market share, writers don’t see it as a zero-sum game; We’re all determined to create our own niche, our own market, and it doesn’t have to come at anyone else’s expense. This spirit of synergy, devoid of competition, is what draws us all along toward our dreams. Writing is a solitary endeavor, but we don’t have to do it alone.

Anatomy of a Successful Book Signing

After several signing engagements with The Rogue Shop, I've learned a thing or two about what what makes a successful appearance. There are several things you can do to prepare that will increase your chances of placing more copies of your book in loving homes. Then there are the things that are out of your control, but can have a big influence on the outcome.

PREPARATION

You'll want to show up at the store about a week before to introduce yourself to the manager and hopefully get a poster with your book cover and the time and date of the event posted right on the front door. Create events on Facebook and Goodreads and invite everyone you know via email. If the event is in a smaller town, it shouldn't take much effort to get an item in the local newspaper.

YOUR TABLE

The store should provide you with a table and chair, and maybe a tablecloth. Bring your own, if you have one that better fits your theme and color scheme. Have plenty of bookmarks or pencils or other promotional items on hand. If possible, have your setup close to the front door, facing it. You'll want to be in a position to greet everyone who comes in with a big smile.

YOUR PRESENTATION

Are your prepared to answer the question "What's it about?" in a compelling way? This should be the shortest and strongest of pitches. If you hit those who approach your table with "It's YA dystopian fantasy about monsters that eat kids for lunch," you might get some blank looks. On the other hand, "It's an exciting and scary story about a world where a small group of brave kids discover that they are being raised as food for giant alien invaders!" might grab more interest, especially if you say it with enthusiasm. Hand them a copy of your book and smile. Even if they aren't in the market for your book themselves, they will scan their brain for ANYONE they can buy it for before they hand it back to you. If they do walk away, make sure they have a bookmark and a friendly "Thanks for stopping by!"

THE EMPLOYEES

The bookstore manager and employees can be your greatest allies. If you make the effort to introduce yourself to all of them, and talk to them during the slow times, they will warm up to you and make an effort to direct customers your way. Bring them a small gift, even as little as a fun-size piece of candy, to show your appreciation. Go out of your way to be pleasant and you will be invited back regardless of the sales numbers.

My first signing was at an LDS chain store, the largest in the area. The date scheduled was the day after their new catalog, in which my book was prominently featured, hit mailboxes. It was a Saturday afternoon and there was plenty of traffic in the store. I was prepared and had everything set up the way I like it. Unfortunately, the store's manager was NOT prepared. She only had 5 copies of the book in stock, and they sold out within 15 minutes. I spent the rest of the time passing out bookmarks and listening to the life stories of a couple of older people who needed a listening ear. I listened, because I had little better to do.

My third signing was vastly different. It was the same chain, but the store was much smaller, located in a strip mall well off the main road. The manager told me it was one of the chain's least busy stores. However, she was much better prepared than her counterpart at the other store. She had ordered in 20 copies of my book and had featured it on the "New Releases" shelf right inside the front door. I came in a week prior to give her my poster, but she already had one up announcing the event. When I arrived on the Saturday of the event, she had already sold 7 copies, so there were 13 left. She or her employee at the cash register greeted EVERY customer who entered the store and asked, "Have you met our visiting author, Michael Knudsen? He's right over there!" This being a small, low-traffic store, only 12 customers approached my table during the 2 hours of the signing. But get this--every single one bought a copy of my book. That's right, 100% presentation to sale ratio, not one person walked away empty-handed. I credit the store manager's enthusiastic attitude and salesmanship for much of the result.

We'll all have some bad ones and some good ones. Sometimes, you'll strike out after the best efforts at preparation. Other times, you'll sell book after book and wonder where they all came from. The best thing you can do is prepare and show up with a burning knowledge that your book is well-worth the price being charged, and only available for a limited time. Sell yourself and people will feel good about taking a piece of you home with them in the form of your book.

Style and Substance

Read the following two descriptive passages and decide which one you like best:

It was completely dark. Thunder rumbled as clouds slowly filled the valley and threatened rain. Suddenly, a lightning bolt flashed down from the sky, striking somewhere nearby, and a loud peal of thunder followed.

The night was moonless. Clouds growled and climbed over one another as they filled the valley. A jagged shard of liquid light shot from the underbelly of the roiling mass and touched down nearby, like a door to a much brighter world cracking open before slamming shut again.

In discussions I’ve had with readers and writers of LDS fiction lately, several of them have noted the same thing. Something is missing from many of the books currently being published, something that makes them not quite up-to-par with fiction published in larger market or at the national level in most genres.

Imagery.

What I’m hearing is that readers are not consistently seeing the kind of emotion-evoking description that they find in the highest quality writing. In many cases, manuscripts are being accepted because they tell a good story, are well-written, and follow the general rules of fiction. They just don’t have the spit-polished “dazzle” that lights up what readers consider to be “great writing”.

In the first of the passages above, the description is pedestrian. There’s nothing new or interesting about any of the words. Almost all of them are everyday terms that could be used in a middle-grade book without anyone scrambling for a dictionary. It describes a thunderstorm in a way that’s been used a thousand times. The word “suddenly” may be one of the top 10 most overused words in all fiction.

The second passage is more original. We don’t normally think of clouds as associated with verbs like “growl” or “climb” but they create the picture. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a lightning bolt described as “a jagged shard of liquid light”, or the image of a lightning bolt as a cracked-open door to another world. The words used are not obscure or overstuffed with syllables, but they are fresh and seldom used in this context.

How do we improve our descriptive images without adding substantially to our word count or alienating the reader with obscure words? One answer is to read more high-quality published fiction. Reading is how I best acquire new words, not by repeating vocabulary lists or perusing the dictionary. Of course, occasionally I’ll run across one that I can’t decipher from the context, and have to look it up. I’m okay with that as a reader. As a writer, I should stick with words that I already own, however limited my vocabulary may be, and not scramble for reference books. Too much word research could result in inappropriate usage that puts off editors and annoys readers. Researching words while reading, on the other hand, is more like a basketball player doing layup drills and practicing free throws: It gets me ready for the game.

While drafting, I don’t worry much about word choice. Since I’m going to re-write and revise several more times before submission, why bog myself down debating between “green” and “verdant”? But on that final or next-to-final run-through, you can bet I’ll be searching my cerebral archives (not Webster, if I can help it) for the best descriptive words in each sentence. I’ll look for simile opportunities to replace flat description, and strong verbs to replace weak adverbs. I’ll ask myself questions like, “Have I already used this word too many times? Is there another word or phrase that says it better?” I’ll often use my word processor’s “search” function to count how many times a certain word or phrase appears, and that task has saved me much of the embarrassment of repetition.

Of course, you might disagree with my assessment of the two passages above. You might be thinking the second passage is TOO wordy, and that the first one is better for most readers in most situations. In a recent review, my first novel was criticized as being "weighty" in its description. I’ll admit, I love words, and if I’m not careful I’ll use most of the ones I know in every story. I may not be your best role model when it comes to this subject.

How do you feel about your own vocabulary, and the way you use it? Do you always have a dictionary and thesaurus nearby, or do you trust what’s in your head, at least in the drafting stage? What processes do you use to make sure you are creating the best imagery possible with your word choices?

Ready to Launch!

An important part of the marketing campaign for my first novel is the launch party. Without a track record or an established reputation as an author, I need to make the release of this book an event to be remembered, a LAUNCH in every sense of the word. It's not just a celebration, it's a marketing kickoff that will have an impact on long-term book sales. In this post, I'll detail the things I'm doing to prepare for the party. My next post on Dec. 15th will be a post-mortem on what worked and what didn't at the party, scheduled for Dec. 13th.

First of all, who to invite? For me, the more the merrier. I am mailing out about 100 invitations to family and friends, and will get an invite to every home in my ward. I'll leverage Facebook, blogs and email lists to get the word out as far and as deep as possible. It all starts right here -- YOU are invited!

Next, the venue. Can't hold it at my house (too small) or at the church (against Church policy). I don't want to impose upon relatives who have big houses, and I'm operating on a budget here, so hotels and restaurants are out. Eventually, the perfect place was found--a nearby city park with an "indoor pavilion", a 2,000 square foot room with a fireplace, round tables, folding chairs, restrooms and kitchen facilities. We were able to rent this place from 5pm-10pm for about $60.



It looks big and empty now, but on the night of the party it will be filled with gorgeous holiday decor, music, and food. I've had two 20"x30" posters of the book cover made (best deal is at Costco - $8.99 each), one to go behind my signing table and one by the buffet table. There will be several Christmas trees, and one of them will be covered with promotional bookmarks (nextdayflyers.com will make you 1,000 full color glossy bookmarks on cardstock for about $60) using ornament hangers.

What about food? Unless you are independently wealthy, expect your book to be a New York Times bestseller, or expect a small crowd, feeding everyone dinner is probably not an option. We're planning to serve various hors d'oeuvres and treats as light refreshments. The party is open-house, so people can have dinner before or after they stop by.

We want to make it fun. There will be some nice door prizes we will award every 30 minutes, giving people some incentive to hang around and enjoy each other's company. The story and cover of The Rogue Shop involve formal wear, so I will be in a full tuxedo and my family will be in matching red, white, and black semi-formals. Everyone else can come as they are, we're not enforcing the theme! We found some cute little tux and bow tie favor bags at Zurchers, and the table coverings and balloons will all match nicely (my wife is in charge of this, so it is guaranteed to be nice).

How many books to have on hand? A hard question, and no matter which number I choose, I'm bound to either run out of stock halfway through the party, or wind up with a big pile of unsold books. We opted for cautious optimism with 100 books. If we run out, I have an "I'm sorry" flyer with instructions on how to order the book that includes a drawing for those who buy it elsewhere within 72 hours. Other handouts include an intro to my "WOMBAT" marketing program and a "For Your Consideration" flyer linking to the Whitney Awards website.

Will it all come together like I dream it will? Meet me back here on the 15th and I'll have a complete rundown. Meanwhile, if you'll excuse me, I need to go get fitted for my tux.

The Rogue Shop - A Book Release Celebration

Monday, December 13, 2010 6-9pm Open House

500 E. 8680 S. Sandy Utah

5 WOMBAT points for attending party, 1 point per adult guest you bring up to 5 more.

Open Season on Wombats

It's great to see the promotional efforts the authors with upcoming releases are making. I have to chuckle over all the questions I've had to field about the references to Australian marsupials on my website and blog lately. Curiosity has been rampant about my mysterious "password protected" pages.

As of Monday, my WOMBAT RECRUITING site went public and the news is out. I'm not talking about cute little mammals from down under; I'm talking about marketing my book. WOMBAT, you see, stands for Word of Mouth Buy And Tell, the natural, organic way that we have been creating exposure for our books in this market for years. Blog tours, reviews, interviews, Facebook and email blasts, launch parties, posters and bookmarks have long been staples in getting the word out, and I'm sticking with those standbys for my campaign for The Rogue Shop's December 8th release. The difference is, I'm trying to stimulate even greater enthusiasm by offering some attractive incentives.

I've seen authors give away a book or two, and one recently offered up a Kindle to the person who generated the most buzz for her book. I'm trying to build a small army of WOMBAT warriors who really like or are anticipating my book, so I'm throwing out up to $255 in amazon.com gift cards to those who really take this show on the road.

Most of us know we're not going to get rich anytime soon writing fiction for our little market and publisher. We do, however, want as many people as possible to read our books. In order to maximize that potential, we need to make ourselves visible on this vast sphere of noise called the internet and make it clear that we have something worth buying. The investment in these prizes is well-worth it to me if a select group of individuals will take a few minutes and help create this visibility with me.

How well will this work? I have no idea. It's an experiment, and I'm willing to share the nuts-and-bolts and results with my fellow Cedar Fort authors so we can all learn something. If it does have a positive impact, I'll be happy to reciprocate and participate in similar programs for you when your time comes. If all goes well, I'll put more books in readers' hands and you get more blog traffic and followers - setting you up for more book sales down the line. Oh, and you may very well walk away with a gift card worth up to $50, too. This is not a random drawing -- it's purely based on the number of points accumulated with your activities.

Go to http://michaelknudsenauthor.com/676-2/ to find out exactly what kind of WOMBATical activities I'm talking about, and how to earn the rewards. Meanwhile, in the comments let's invite some of the established authors to tell about the things they've done that resulted in more sold books, or in positive buzz. Have online advertising, blog tours, or video trailers worked for you? There are no trade secrets here; we're all in this together!

By the way, if you haven't seen Don Carey's utterly charming video teaser for Bumpy Landings (even if you have, like Inception it gets better with repeat viewings), go directly to Monday's post on this blog!

psst, Don -- do I get another point for that?

Hail the Fortress

I'm pleased and honored to join the "Writing Fortress" of Cedar Fort authors. At first I just admired this group from afar, later I started visiting some of the authors' individual blogs, then I actually started commenting. Because of this blog, I've been able to "virtually" run into first-time novelists like myself with releases over the next 60 days including Maggie Fechner, Don Carey, and Cheri Chesley. I look forward to meeting them all in person in the near future.

Our publisher, in my opinion, has provided us with some unique opportunities. Their willingness to take a chance on new authors is obvious, and in my case they took on a book rejected by all the other market publishers. In fact, their initial response to me was also a rejection, but it included enough useful feedback that I was able to revise and resubmit it within a month into something they could accept. My experience with the editors and designers has been nothing but positive. When I browse through local bookstores, I can always pick out the CFI books before I even see the logo. They're the ones with the artful, textured covers and varying sizes that stand out in contrast to the books by the largest fiction publisher in our market whose books, let's be honest, have a certain sameness to their look.

I've been a writer in hiding. By the age of eight I was creating my own picture books, my drawing talent nonexistent but the stories themselves flush with a vivid, adventurous imagination. This ease with words continued through high school and into college, where I majored in English and had dreams of taking the Nobel prize in literature.

Alas, real life intervened and I realized that there was a bit of competition for the Nobel prize. Also, I would need to get a job that paid real money if I was going to support my growing family. I parlayed my college degree into a career in business and kept little more than a pinky finger in the literary world (besides reading hundreds of books, which was always a habit) for many years.

Then in 2009, I realized that middle age was less than a stone's throw away and I had no published work. With massive determination, I temporarily abandoned the massive multi-volume epic fantasy I'd always dreamed about, and decided to finish the little story set around a Salt Lake City formalwear shop that had haunted me for 20 years. On January 1, 2010, the manuscript was in the mail to 7 publishers, and I held my breath.

I exhaled about a minute later. Otherwise I would have asphyxiated, since two months elapsed before the first response. No, No, No, No, No, No, Maybe -- If you'll consider making these changes. Thankfully, the requested changes did not interfere with my theme or my voice, and I gladly made them and resubmitted. then on May 11th, the email came from Cedar Fort. I sat and looked at it on my laptop, unable to make sense of it, as if an unknown species of insect had somehow crawled into the LCD screen and died there, an enigmatic specimen that could not be fathomed by my limited mind.

Fathom it I eventually did, and life rolled onward, though for me it was changed forever. I've discovered a community of writers, who share not only my talent but my religious beliefs and standards. These are some of the finest people I've met, online or off. I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you on a bi-weekly basis, and will continue to enjoy that socialty that we all need as we struggle through the travails of giving birth to luminous new works of fiction!

Michael Knudsen

michaelknudsenauthor.com