Dude, Where's Your Marketing Plan? A Writerly Wednesday Post

I'm 40 days away from my book launch--exciting, no?

But also slightly terrifying. Because this means I have to get more serious about marketing, and having a marketing plan to work from. When Double Vision sold, I started writing down all kinds of brilliant and out-of-the-box ways I could get the word out. Like making an awesome animated book trailer series. Writing articles for parenting magazines. Tweeting a story. Being on Oprah's book club--sure, she doesn't exactly feature my kind of book, but you never know.

So now I'm at the point that I have to turn these fantabulous ideas into an actual plan. Which means about three quarters of them will go in the I-wish-but-it's-not-practical/too-expensive pile (like the Oprah thing). And then there are additions, like sending out postcards. Making giveaway packages. Last week, I got my first invitation to speak at a YA/MG event in a nearby city--cool, right?

Lesson learned: ideas are great, but unless you create an action plan to go with it, they're just air. This marketing plan business is a lot like writing a novel, turns out... Like Yoda said: "Do, or do not. There is no try."

How about you, writer friends? Any recommendations on successful marketing for this newbie?

If You Could Write For TV, What Show Would It Be? (Writerly Wednesday post)

Oh, how I love TV. I know, that's not very classy for a writer to admit, but it's true. I read a lot, but I can so enjoy a good TV show (preferable with a healthy dose of snacks).

Here at the Bradley house, we're all about Leverage. There's a good heist, great characters, and a big dose of humor--when I hear the Leverage theme song, I smile. And it's just about PG enough to watch with my tween posse, so big fat extra points for that.

The show's new season begins this weekend. Can't wait to see what they've cooked up for us this time. 

Which got me thinking yesterday... How cool would it be to be able to write an episode? No way that'll ever happen, and the writers of Leverage do just fine on their own--but a writer can dream, no?

If I could choose any TV show to write for, it would probable be Leverage.

How 'bout you, writer friends?