It's the third and final day of the Midwest Writers Workshop! It started with the traditional buttonhole breakfast, where each faculty member hosts a table with a specific topic.

My Buttonhole Topic: Online Marketing and Promotion
I spent a couple hours (over some excellent scrambled eggs and coffee, good job BSU catering!) talking about the basics of online author marketing and promotion. The key points that came up again and again:

• Yes, an author Web site is mandatory if you're publishing a book. At what point does it become critical? When people start to search for you online (e.g., through Google), wanting more information about who you are and what you do. You don't want them to come up empty handed. In some categories/audiences, if you don't exist online, it's like you don't exist at all.
• A Web site doesn't have to cost you money or be flashy to be effective. How can you figure it out? Go to conferences or writers groups and ask others how they did it.
• No, you don't have to blog, but if you do, make sure you maintain it and feature something useful to your readership.
• The time you spend on online marketing/promotion efforts directly relates to who your audience is. For example, if you're a YA author, then you must spend a lot of time being visible online and promoting online. But if you're marketing to a readership that is not Web savvy, then spend less time online (but you're not off the hook—industry professionals and media professionals will still look for you online).
• Social networking is fun, but not mandatory. I recommend trying it, just to eliminate the fear or ignorance factor. You don't have to continue doing it if it seems unproductive or unfun. If you're trying to reach a younger audience, social networking probably is an essential element of your online marketing.
• Effective marketing (whether online or offline) is that perfect combination of (1) your strengths (2) your audience's needs and (3) the best fit for your content. This leads to authentic and worthwhile marketing efforts.

The Times They Are A-Changin'
In the afternoon, I talked about how the publishing world is becoming format- and platform-agnostic, meaning it's all about content, and not the vehicle for the content. Furthermore, there can be more lucrative earning opportunities in other forms of media that are personalized and immediate, such as seminars and events. I quoted Seth Godin before, and I'll quote him again: "The book is becoming the souvenir."

Evening Keynote by Jeff Stone
A remarkable and delightful children's author. Highlights from his talk:

• No. 1 Rule: Have fun. If you don't have fun writing it, no one will have fun reading it.
• Good idea: Write what you know. Better idea: Write what you want to know.
• If you're stuck in your story, do something you've always wanted to do (sail a boat, ride a horse, etc).
• You have to be able to talk about your work and pitch it (condense it).

Finally—I'm Left Speechless
Right before the keynote address, Alan Garinger (from the MWW committee) announced that, in addition to their annual writing awards (Manny Awards & the R. Karl Largent Prize), they were presenting the infrequent and prestigious Dorothy Hamilton Award, which I wasn't familiar with (and I've been attending for six years, so it really is infrequent). As Alan started describing the recipient (a person who had been attending for six years, was a publishing industry insider … well … ) … I am still speechless.




My enormous gratitude to everyone on the MWW committee—Jama, Alan, Ron, Earl, Barb, Charlotte, Cathy, Holly (and I know others I'm missing here, forgive me!)—who are so loving and generous. It's an incredible blessing to be given an award for doing something that I love and cherish immensely. Thank you very, very much. You're all like family.

Postscript (after recovering my faculties!)
Now that I've recovered (a little), here's what I would've said about this very touching gesture. To the MWW committee, to MWW faculty, to MWW attendees (of the past six years): thank you, thank you, thank you. Perhaps you believe you are the lucky ones, but any generosity I've offered at MWW has come back to me a thousandfold. I go every year with an open heart, and I find myself unbelievably enriched upon my return home. Anyone who has attended this event knows what I'm talking about; it has the power to change lives, and I always experience people (writers, faculty, and committee members) who touch me indelibly. Again: Thank you.