To Give Away or Not to Give Away? That is the Question
by Ingrid McCarthy, author of tales for adults & children
Stephen King’s Bold Marketing Move
After Stephen King had written his first novel―so the story goes―he stood in a supermarket parking lot and handed out 400 free copies to shoppers returning to their cars. When I first read about it, I thought: clever clog. I wish I had the guts to do so as well. But then, there was no way that I would hand out freebies to just anyone, for I work hard on each book and feel that I deserve a little remuneration.
A Change of Heart: The Power of Free Advice
However, I no longer think that way. What prompted me to change my mind? It began with giving free advice to aspiring authors: on social media platforms and, especially, at social gatherings and other events. I gently drop a hint that I’m a novelist and, quite often, someone confides that they would like to write, for example, their memoir, but had no idea how to go about it. I hand out my business card with an invitation to get in touch with me, reassuring them that I love to help and that my advice comes without charges. With that advice, I usually end up selling a book or two to a grateful new fan.
Embracing the Giveaway Strategy
When I released my latest novel Anna’s Shadow in February of this year, Stephen King’s giveaway spree popped back into my mind. But standing in the middle of my local supermarket’s parking lot wasn’t for me. Instead, I decided to contact as many people among my friends, fans, acquaintances, and neighbours in my apartment building, offering them either an advance copy or, later, an early released one. Then, when the accolades arrived, I asked readers to write a review and recommend the book to friends and/or their book club members, which they did.
Expanding the Reach: Media and Influencers
I’ve taken the free handout a step further, offering a copy to editors of community newspapers and reviewers in regional magazines which has landed me one interview. Fingers crossed, more will follow. My boldest move was to offer a copy as a thank-you gift to Oprah and the Manager of the Juliet Club in Verona, Italy, because both women, in an article that appeared in Oprah Magazine, inspired me to write Anna’s Shadow, a historical novel which has since its release won several prestigious awards. I received an answer from the Manager of the Juliet Club and a copy of the novel is now on its way to Verona. Fingers crossed that Oprah will say ‘yes’ as well.
The Benefits of Generosity in Writing
I realize that my situation doesn’t apply to every writer. That said, free advice and personal giveaways do open doors. Feel free to do as I did. Perhaps, one day, I may even be so courageous as to stand with a box of novels in a supermarket parking lot, not at my local supermarket, but one way across town. In the meantime, I reach for the moon and the stars. It’s free.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ingrid McCarthy is the author of The Osis Fantasy Trilogy for children and five dramatic novellas for adults, a post-WWII childhood memoir I Stood Among the Ruins and Cried, and a murder mystery novel V for Vanished. The German translation of her novella Theodor’s Choice (Theodors Entscheidung), became the bestselling book in the German language history category on Amazon in April 2018. Her flash fiction story The Artist appears in the 2022 Anthology This Will Only Take a Minute-One Hundred Canadian Flashes (Guernica Editions).
Under her pseudonym, Rose D. Franklyn, she has written four romance novels in the Sex and The Seasons series. Her novels are available on Amazon.
In June 2022, she received an award from Femmes Remarquables Ottawa Distinguished Women and the City of Ottawa. The award is in recognition of her 33-year fundraising efforts for community and charity projects in Ottawa through the former New Edinburgh Players, a theatre she founded in 1980, and for her children’s fantasy trilogy, which she read to children in elementary schools and the Ottawa Public Library, each time encouraging students to read and write.
The author is fluent in four languages (German, English, Spanish, French) and is also an accomplished watercolour artist. She lives in Ottawa, Canada.
Learn more about Ingrid McCarthy and her work at: www.ingridmccarthy.com
Anna’s Shadow
Sofia Rossi, a Canadian-Italian orthopedic surgeon on leave from Doctors Without Borders and staying with family in Verona, is volunteering at the Club di Giulietta ―Juliet’s Club ―to answer letters written by star-crossed lovers seeking advice in matters of the heart.
“Memories have huge staying power,” Sofia writes in answer to Luke Miller’s letter. “Without them, life would lack colour and vibrancy.”
When Luke Miller, a man in his late seventies, unexpectedly arrives in Verona accompanied by his son to take matters in his own hands, Sofia, who is recovering from a traumatic experience during her past assignment in the Congo Republic, finds herself suddenly drawn into an adventure that affects not only her own life but also the lives of the people who begin to cross her path.
Inspired by true events, Anna’s Shadow is a dramatic, yet uplifting story: a search for a missing woman that will take the reader from present day Verona to Verona in 1945 under German occupation, to post-war Switzerland, Germany and Canada, and explores the question of coincidence, destiny and fate.
Great article and a wonderful jumping off point for a discussion regarding the difference between sales, marketing and promotion of a published work. With three novels and two books of poetry out there, I am a firm believer of give-aways. I will gladly give a copy (or multiple copies) of any of my works in order to build my audience and have done so for years. An organization’s fundraiser that is looking for items for a silent auction or a prize drawing at a community building event is always worthwhile, as long as (and here comes the caveat) as long as my name is prominent, that the name of, not only the work being given away, but the names of all of my other books is named, and that this give-away is promoted by the organization as well. (I always make that a stipulation of my participation in any event). I promise to cross market/cross promote their event on eBlasts from my website and on my Substack and LinkedIN presence and on my social media pages. I also give copies of my works to media outlet hosts willingly. The only distribution outlet that I shy away from with regard to give-aways are “Influencers”. I am very wary of that category of marketers; I feel that social media is flooded with these InstaGram/Tik Tok stars and the value that they bring to any kind of product growth is questionable. I have a saying: “I will go to the opening of a paper bag to promote my writing” which means being a guest at small book clubs, small book stores, am happy to do a reading at local libraries, being on local cable shows and or podcasts. Give-aways aren’t the same as losing out on sales; they should be considered gaining in marketing.