My novel 'Imogen's Chance' was released one week ago (April 1st). Since January, I have been very busy putting together a blog tour. Basically, a blog tour is comprised of several guest posts on various blogs, all within the same period of time. It is something I have seen other authors manage successfully. I've enjoyed participating in theirs but have never had one of my own before, so I decided that now was the time.
It has taken quite a bit of coordination. Some of the bloggers had only one date in April in which they could squeeze me in, so I had to take it. Others were able to let me choose my own preferred date, so that clashes were minimal. I managed to put together a tour which is more or less evenly spaced throughout the release month of April.
Parts which were challenging
1. Trying to answer all of the interview questions so that the posts were not repetitive
I wanted a blog tour in which every stop along the way is distinct from all the others. If I received questions from several bloggers which were similar to each other, I'd try to come up with different answers that nobody had read before. A couple of questions I can think of were along the lines of 'What are you working on next?' or 'Tell us something about yourself which may surprise people?' or, of course, 'What is Imogen's Chance all about?'
On the whole, I found the questions to be fairly varied. Some bloggers keep a stash of their own personal, standard questions which they send to every guest.
2. Getting all of the questions and guest posts finished in time.
I was overwhelmed that so many bloggers and fellow authors were willing to give me a plug. It was so heady that I'd accept every offer. It turned out this meant a lot of thinking and writing. The workload reminded me of schooldays, long ago, when I was always battling to get my homework submitted on time. Everything else, such as keeping up my regular blog and working on other writing, had to be put on hold. Getting ready for this blog tour turned out to be my life for several weeks. I still haven't finished all of them, although I'm getting close. It's been a bit crazy around my place.
3. Wondering whether I'm annoying old friends.
The necessary announcements on social media of each new post have been coming thick and fast so far. I'm trusting that the regular people who see my posts on Facebook or Twitter will understand that this is the nature of things for this month. Even though they may get tired of the sight of front cover, and Imogen's pretty face, by the time Easter has finished, they are still celebrating with me.
Parts which were great
1. Making new friends.
I'd never met some of these friendly bloggers before. I'm happy to have been introduced to several blogs which are brand new to me, and I've now got links to their blogs so that I can follow future posts. I'm anticipating news of several interesting books in the future. It's been lovely to see that each of the blogs I've been a guest on have their own unique character.
2. Having to dig into my heart of hearts for answers.
Some interview questions have been challenging, to say the least. Coming up with honest answers has helped me learn more about what makes me tick. Some of the insights were things I would never have necessarily tried to put into words.
3. Being able to meet new readers.
The theory behind a blog tour, of course, is for news of a new book to cover as much ground as possible. Each blog has its own loyal followers, maximising the number of potential readers who will learn about my new novel. It's been a pleasure to meet them, respond to their friendly messages, and even post giveaways to some of them. I love to think that just as I'm making new friends, others are learning about a new author whose books may fit well on their shelves.
It's been a rewarding experience, the challenging parts included, and I'd recommend putting a blog tour together to anybody else with a new release.
Paula Vince is an award-winning Christian novelist from South Australia. She writes contemporary dramas with elements of romance, mystery and suspense. She believes that nothing has the potential to make as much of an impact as a well-told story.
My blog tour for Imogen's Chance is well underway. If you'd like to have a look or join in, the link is here.
