Another Look Inside A Dawn Run Hot with Morning (The Poetry I)

In a recent blog post, you got a look inside A Dawn Run Hot with Morning at the "Introduction."  As promised, here is another look inside the book. Glimpse some of the Poetry that will appear in the book's pages. Enjoy!

Dawn

 
As I rise, I ponder
The newness of morning
and the transience of day.
In these quiet waking hours,
a dawn runs hot with morning.
And the day moves
like the warm earth odor of fall
that sits on the breeze
and scatters all memory of summer.
This is the breeze that curls toes
and unfurls well-being.


The Hug


She stood up on the sand, walked in the
direction of the water, spread her arms wide
and embraced the sky.

She turned her head upward, admired each
buoyant cloud, took in the sun’s rays and was
heartily affected by the deeply bright blue of
the sky.

When she was satisfied, she turned back to
her family beaming.

She sat back down on the summer blanket
flush with love.



The Night Moves


The moon is love and the night moves.

Close the door--
aching surprise mounts this eve.
Blessed sun will crawl across the horizon.
Heed your will as the darkness bends strangely toward the day.
Whisper to me the songs of your solitude.

The moon is love and the night moves.


Copyright © 2010 by January Nicole Wilson
 
Now that you have read some of the Poetry, you might be curious to see even more of the Poetry that is inside the cover of A Dawn Run Hot with Morning. Stay tuned. There is yet another look inside to come.

 

The Building Blocks for Effective Book Marketing

Before my first book of poetry, Contemplating Eve, was published, I had fundamental questions about the best ways to promote the book and, ultimately, to sell it to customers. What was the market for poetry? Who would buy the book? How would it be distributed?  I feared that, without a traditional publisher, it would all be up to me.

After doing some reading in varied publishing journals (e.g. Publisher’s Weekly), I became discouraged. The demand for books was flat. Even the best poets could expect to sell only a few thousand books, that is, with a major publishing house behind him/her.

I was a novice, so I looked to my Publishing Consultant for advice. She had 12 years of experience with digital publishing at Gladstone Publishing.  The first piece of advice that she gave me was to be sure that everyone I knew was aware that I had published a book. The second thing I learned from her was that I should construct a website to establish a ready information source & a place to purchase my book for those in my social circle; moreover, I should build a blog to create a buzz around all of this work. Finally, she reminded me that, I should stick to my immediate social circle at the start. 

I listened carefully to her advice. I created a Facebook Fan Page for Contemplating Eve, which includes compelling content for fans, such as, favorite poetry from the book and from established poets, updates as the book developed and background information about the publishing process. I am also building this blog, which chronicles my experiences with digital publishing through lessons learned with the first book and through current adventures with the second. I am constructing a website (a work-in-progress) that will enable customers to purchase the book directly from me (which will mean lower prices for them). Further to developing a strong presence online, I completed my own Author’s Page on Amazon and my book is available for sale on at least a dozen different websites, including Amazon, Gladstone Publishing and Ebay.  

I had a Book Launch to celebrate the release of Contemplating Eve in October 2010. It was held at Rainy Faye Bookstore. To publicize the event, press releases were sent to local newspapers. Full articles concerning the event appeared in the Hartford Courant and the Fairfield County Weekly (print editions). Flyers for the event covered community buildings in two towns. I utilized Facebook and LinkedIn to get the word out.

I have expended a tremendous amount of time and energy on the project of marketing Contemplating Eve. So was it worth it? The answer: Yes, but these investments have and will foster the long-term development of my brand as an author. I do not anticipate a large immediate return, although it is feasible that these marketing efforts account for 25% of sales. That said, I have had greater success using other methods.

The secret to my success (which is no secret really) has been communication through word of mouth.  For me, word of mouth means that when a friend or a family member reads Contemplating Eve and enjoys it, he or she passes the book on or tells a friend, he or she tells a friend and the chain continues from there. It is these recommendations that lead to sales. This is a great form of marketing that has a life all its own. I have found it to be most effective. It accounts for 60% of all sales. (THANK YOU friends and family!) Word of mouth marketing is a great place to start before reaching out to the larger public. 

Word of mouth marketing may involve technologies like email and social media, but these tap into existing social networks (relationships) to be effective. Simply using social media does not sell books; these media are just tools to get the word out there. Find the media that works best for you, that taps into your target market. The reality is for many self-publishers that one may not know who his/her target market is until one's book gets out there and sales take on a life all their own. For instance, I could not have predicted that 75% of all sales would be to women ages 40 to 85. I certainly have sold books to men and to younger women, but without a meaningful, market study, I would have predicted a younger demographic, in addition, to an older one. (Selecting a price point is a topic for a future blog. But, at $25 per book, I priced myself out of the market for younger buyers. I plan to make it up to them by pricing my next book at $10! Find out how and if I am able to manage that in an upcoming blog on pricing.)

To conclude, every self-publisher has a different approach, but keep in mind three key pieces of advice that have been central to my book sales: 1) Make sure everyone you know is aware of your book; wide outreach on land and online is important. 2) Use a website, a blog and social media to get the word out about your work. Be sure to establish yourself as a compelling information source for online readers. 3) Finally, know that the people who know you best will likely be your best customers. And that’s where everything starts.

"The Return" in Semi-Finals of New Millennium Writings 2010 Poetry Competition

Last year, before my poetry manuscript for Contemplating Eve was published, I selected three poems to submit to New Millennium Writings for publication. New Millennium Writings is a prominent literary magazine with writers such as Nikki Giovanni (poet & faculty member at Virginia Tech) as contest judge. I submitted my writing to this magazine because I wanted acknowledgment for my work from the literary establishment  before self-publishing.

Initially, I decided not to publish with a big publishing house because of the lengthy selection process and the high level of competition. Every writer in the world wants to publish with one of the "big 6."  And, so did I.

But, I wanted to publish in six months (rather than three years), to have full creative control and the promise of better than meager royalties. Self-publishing offered just this chance.

I entered the New Millennium Writings contest in order to gain acknowledgment from established writers & editors and to earn greater recognition as an author. Now, a year later, I just learned that "The Return," a poem that appears in Contemplating Eve, earned a place in the semi-final round in last year's New Millennium Writings' annual poetry competition. It was selected, one of few, among 1200 submissions.

The editor of New Millennium Writings, Don Williams, noted this to me as a semi-finalist in his letter:


"The quality in our contests is high, and you should be proud 
of your accomplishment. I am."

I am pleased that I made it so far in this competition. Here's last year's poem:

The Farmer II

The Return

 

We must return
There must be an exodus
We are too rich, too might a force to
Remain here
I want to see the day
A day when the water returns to the sand
The deserts
We are all on loan here.


The Sahara was fertile
Once
Grew tall trees and grasses
It was called the Sahel
I wonder where deserts come from.

Maybe we belong back there
Maybe this is my story
This is my journey
Back from where we left
None by choice

Sold and stolen
Sold and stolen
Sold and stolen
How many times?

I am Guinea
I am woman
I am country
I am money
The puzzle pieces fit together.

And, maybe I am the water
Maybe I make it rain
Flow---
If I word it correctly
If this is so, then
I think I know where I belong.

If I am Guinea and I am water, then
I wonder where deserts come from.

Sold and stolen
Water
An ever so precious commodity
Ever so cheap
Commodity

Commodity fetishism
is a shame now
is it not?
Now, that is justice clearly stated.

And, the deserts miss the rain.

A Look Inside A Dawn Run Hot with Morning

In my first blog post, you learned about the development of A Dawn Run Hot with Morning. Here is a look inside the book. Read the Introduction that will appear on the first few pages. Preview the themes of each chapter. Get a sense of the story...

"Introduction -

Beginning at dawn, this book is a journey through a fall day that is filled with the inevitable ups and downs of life, encounters with love, a celebration of family, and questions about self and identity. The poetry contained here takes a very intimate look at what I hold dear, tried-and-true friendships, laughter and self-respect. Filled with revelations about living and loving, this book is proof positive that life begins at 30.

The first chapter, entitled “Dawn,” captures the magic of a fall morning and introduces the first rays of sunlight, rays of hope, which ignite the heat of “Indian Summer.” This second chapter depicts those elusive, seemingly ethereal last days of summer. 

“Cloud Cover” bodes of a looming storm. The sky is a landscape for emotional disturbances. Thematic conflicts concerning love, self and well-being emerge among these poems. “Rainfall”, cleanses the emotional canvass, brings clarity and gives way to “Rays of Light” and, finally, “Daylight.” The light of day harbors wisdom and answers to probing questions.  Each poem is a moment of reflection, a moment of reckoning concerning hard lessons.   

What follows is a celebration of life. “Sunset” celebrates family. “Nightfall” revisits love and other passions found early in the book. Finally, “Moonlight” looks at the hard lessons come to life, embodied in cheerful portraits of women and other poems.

By the age of 30, we have learned at least one thing: that there are lessons that come only with time. The truth pricks and it takes time to reflect, mend and reckon. As for the profound satisfaction that comes with insight, the feeling is electric. And if you ask me, life begins at 30."

 Now that you have read the Introduction, you might be curious about the poetry that is inside the cover of A Dawn Run Hot with Morning. Stay tuned. There is another look inside to come.

The Making of A Dawn Run Hot with Morning

In terms of process, Contemplating Eve was a lesson in writing, so-to-speak. When writing Contemplating Eve, I wrote without inhibition and simply for the joy of writing. I often used stream of consciousness in order to generate a flow of language and ideas. As a result, the poetry in the book attained a freedom and an energy that defined much of the work. 

By contrast, I took a different approach with A Dawn Run Hot with Morning. I found myself in a different frame of mind with this book—I had reached a new level of consciousness. The result is poetry that is more structured and more stylized. A Dawn Run Hot with Morning has been about taking my time with the creative process.

While writing the poetry for A Dawn Run Hot with Morning, I worked to enhance my style by reading other poets. I read everything from the Iowa Review to The Dirty Napkin (www.dirtynapkin.com). These are literary magazines, which include the work of established writers (and poets), as well as that of up-and-comers. I prefer to stay current by reading these vanguard publications. That said, I do read the anthologies of postmodern American poets, which include the likes of Lawrence Ferrlinghetti and Amiri Baraka.

Book cover Sample

                                                        * Cover art by William Walter Wilson

My favorite poet for the moment is Philip Larkin. His use of nature's landscape as an emotional canvass in his poetry has inspired my work.

I did a lot of writing and a good deal of experimentation to create my new book. I chose 50 of 80 poems, written in the last six months, to include. I experimented with theme, imagery, musicality and structure. The result is a distinct and robust style which is both readable and enjoyable.

Admittedly, there are a few quirks to my writing process. Some writers need utter silence or perhaps light music in the background as they write. I am unique in that I prefer loud jazz music (anything Miles Davis) as I write. Somehow my mind, when forced to make order out of chaos, works that much harder to produce surprisingly concise and cogent poetry.

Right now, I work with two editors: one, a copy editor, who handles the technical aspects of the editing process, and the other, a general editor, who manages matters of style & consistency.  Each plays an equally important role, not only for readability, but for content. 

Working with the copy editor is inspiring in that fixing a minor technical error can transform a poem. Similarly, working with a general editor has been a joy because we discuss matters of content. We frequently get into discussions concerning the artistic and literary merits of my work, comparing my artwork and poetry to some of the best-known and the canonized, as points of reference. He frequently sheds light on a dynamic of my poetry which I had not considered.

The entire process of creating A Dawn Run Hot with Morning has been eye-opening to me. And as I note in the book’s introduction, “As for the profound satisfaction that comes with insight, the feeling is electric.”