Marketing Strategies for Writers [Paperback]

Michael Sedge (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1999

A wizard at promoting his own work shares with other writers the aggressive guerrilla tactics needed for winning in today's highly competitive marketplace. The book details the skills and strategies writers must master to sell themselves and their work, from researching the marketplace to becoming lecturers, teachers, and experts in a particular field, to networking with editors and publishers, pitching to radio and television producers, and exploring the Internet. This invaluable guide takes writing careers to new levels with these top-of-the-line resources. Michael Sedge is the author of The Writer's and Photographer's Guide to Global Marketing and several other successful books, plus thousands of articles. He works and lives in Naples, Italy.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael H. Sedge is owner of the Strawberry Media Agency in Naples, Italy, a company that produces editorial packages (articles, photos, illustrations) for more than forty publications around the world and syndicates in Canada, Holland, and Asia. He is the author of more than 2,600 articles that have appeared in publications throughout the world, the novels Death Watch and The Oracle, the screenplay The Vatican Diary, and several nonfiction books, including Ascent to Failure. He publishes the quarterly Markets Abroad newsletter, where he shares his knowledge with readers about international newspapers, magazines, and book publishers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Allworth Press (November 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581150407
• ISBN-13: 978-1581150407
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,976,712 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Must" reading for serious writers seeking publication., March 4, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marketing Strategies for Writers (Paperback)

Michael Sedge, owner of Strawberry Media Agency and guru of marketing strategies great and small, has his finger on the pulse of struggling writers and authors everywhere because he has been there. Sedge has been able to parlay his writing skills into an impressive global business and shares his tricks of the trade in this fascinating volume.

Sedge focuses on, very simply, how to sell writing. He dubs his game plan "guerilla marketing," and he creates an orderly universe out of a terrifying and confusing market. He offers a powerful litany of ideas for: researching the marketplace; smoozing with secretaries and others who are in support positions; anticipating markets based on current events, dates, and trends; using personal style to create markets; maximizing profits and minimizing work; how to create publicity packets; and many other useful tips to new writers.

Sedge throughly understands image, and scatters examples of how to seem larger than life in order to better promote oneself:

"Distancing yourself makes everything more profession, more `big league.' If you are requesting information about John Hendricks, founder and CEO of the Discovery Channel, would you expect to receive it directly from Hendricks? Of course not; he is much too busy for that. The company has a public relations office for such things. This is the exact image you want to present for your business."

Marketing Strategies For Writers is a bible for marketing. It is the type of book that should occupy the same space as the best writing books in a writer's collection. Sedge writes with humor, the earnestness of an excellent teacher trying to impart pearls of wisdom, and genuine compassion for the plight of writers everywhere. He gives writers hope with his abundant wisdom and optimism; and he prods and emphasizes with interesting tales of his own success.

Sedge is someone who should be listened to, as he has produced an incredible 2600 articles, several books, and tapes and scripts. His agency handles photography, marketing, writing, editing, and anything else that is required within the publishing field. He is truly the guru of marketing...and writing.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mike Sedge is King of Guerrilla Marketing!, December 3, 1999

By 

Nancy Hendrickson "Writing Strategist" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marketing Strategies for Writers (Paperback)

Although I've written three books and scores of articles, my marketing skills are far less honed than my prose. When I saw Mike Sedge's new book, I bought it without hesitation, hoping the information would help me increase my sales. It did---and if you are a published writer, or working towards publication, Mike's book is a MUST READ.

From Chapter One, Mike paints a telling picture of why it's critical for writers to constantly market themselves and their work. Working smarter, not harder is the guerrilla writer way of life. The smart writer doesn't sit around waiting for work--he (or she) goes out and aggressively grabs it. Mike's book will detail how.

This book deftly puts us in an editor's shoes. By understanding what the pile of mail stacked on editors' desks contain, the savvy writer will be able to make their query or submission shine. Guess what? If you're a competent writer who gets the facts right and delivers the goods on time, you really don't have much competition. And once again, this book tells how to get to the top of that pile.

As a writer, it never occurred to me to expand into other areas. After reading this book, I've developed a new marketing plan, to include actively seeking speaking engagements and radio appearances.

If you are looking for nuts and bolts answers to questions like: Should I submit e-mail queries, or how do I get more work from editors after my initial contract, you'll find them here.

Mike's guerrilla marketing has changed my approach to marketing my work, and helped me make more money with less effort. After I read his book, I used some of his ideas and quickly sent off two queries one Sunday afternoon. Three days later I had bagged both assignments. His advice helped me win a $300 assignment for a job that took me an hour. Not a bad rate!

If you're serious about being a writer, you need this book!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Should be in every serious writer's library., December 5, 1999

By 

Dorothy Pedersen, AFDD Communications, (Grand Valley, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marketing Strategies for Writers (Paperback)

I put some of the suggestions in Michael Sedge's "Marketing Strategies for Writers" into action, and within four days received positive feedback from an editor!

Michael Sedge gives practical, down to earth, useable suggestions on how to sell your writing, and then sell it for more, in Marketing Strategies for Writers.

The book is easy to read with print that is large enough to be gentle on the eyes, and text broken up with nifty, short, highlighted quotes from various experts and authorities (such as Tim Perrin, Executive Director of WritingSchool.com).

Sedge's material is mostly original, and not the usual fluff regurgitated. He makes the drudgery and terror of marketing seem exciting, and provides names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses from his files to get your efforts kick-started.

His willingness to divulge which of his marketing efforts failed is reassuring. If it didn't work for Michael Sedge, and a similar effort hadn't worked for me, I felt I wasn't such a flop!

If you really want to sell what you write, buy this book now, before it sells out!