Category: bittersweet

This is part of the Bittersweet Book Launch case study, where Dan Blank and Miranda Beverly-Whittemore share a yearlong process of launching her novel. You can view all posts here.

We began this blog a year ago to track the launch of Bittersweet, and find ourselves at the end of the initial launch period we outlined. Yes, Miranda is currently on the west coast for some book events, and she will OF COURSE be continuing to spread the word about Bittersweet, and connect with readers. Last Friday, we ran a Twitter chat to discuss the book and other summer reads.

We had lunch last Wednesday and talked about what lies ahead. Bittersweet continues to sell well and take on a life of its own – a life with READERS. Beyond that, there will likely be the paperback release of Bittersweet, and the 2016 launch of her next novel, June.

For this blog, we will be pausing, at the very least, as Miranda and I assess what we have accomplished, and what is still left to create.

If you have ANY questions for either of us, please feel free to reach out: Dan and Miranda.

Thank you for sharing this journey with us!
-Dan

This is part of the Bittersweet Book Launch case study, where Dan Blank and Miranda Beverly-Whittemore share the yearlong process of launching her novel. You can view all posts here.

I feel like the way we run this blog is the opposite of what one would expect when considering talking about a book launch. In other words, we are talking LESS here now that we are firmly in the book launch itself. The fear for many writers is usually that they don’t want to feel like the launch period is spent shouting “buy my book!”

Clearly, Miranda is busy with some readings & events, plus traveling to Ohio to research her NEXT book, among other things.

But more than that, the book is now in readers’ hands. And that is what is so thrilling for me to see – the EFFECT of publishing the book. That this is now about the relationship between a reader and the story.

On Amazon there are 127 reviews.
On Goodreads, 829 ratings and 238 reviews.
On Barnes & Noble, 13 reviews.

That the narrative around sharing this book is now personal and individual and between friends.

Love that.
-Dan

This is part of the Bittersweet Book Launch case study, where Dan Blank and Miranda Beverly-Whittemore share the yearlong process of launching her novel. You can view all posts here.

Miranda & I spent the past couple of days wandering around Book Expo, which is much how this launch project began. On my other blog, I reflect on the difference a year makes: “New York Times Bestselling Author” (and other things you would like to have permanently attached to your name)”

In that post, I also outlined three agenda items that she and I were to discuss over lunch on the High Line in NYC:

• New ways to connect with readers. Note: this is not really about promoting the novel to new readers, but instead about engaging with folks who have already read Bittersweet. In other words: to create new ways to talk with readers, instead of just having them be represented as some sales figure. Oh, and I’ll be honest here, these types of activities do tend to encourage the best type of marketing: WORD OF MOUTH marketing.
• Thinking mid-term as to how she can keep connections going with readers and those who supported Bittersweet once the “launch period” has run its course. We have no idea when that will be, but we know we need to setup the channels and practices now.
• Talk about her NEXT book, and the long-term preparation for that.

I am so excited to be framing these next steps! Will share details soon.
Thanks.
-Dan

This is part of the Bittersweet Book Launch case study, where Dan Blank and Miranda Beverly-Whittemore share the yearlong process of launching her novel. You can view all posts here.

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That headline says it all. Congratulations to Miranda! Here is the full NYT list, and a screenshot:

This is part of the Bittersweet Book Launch case study, where Dan Blank and Miranda Beverly-Whittemore share the yearlong process of launching her novel. You can view all posts here.

There has been so much going on in Miranda’s life, and the life of Bittersweet, in the past week. And today. And tomorrow. I checked in on this blog, and found that so much of it wasn’t – perhaps couldn’t be – represented here.

The book lives in bookstores, libraries, bookshelves, warehouses, and so many other places:

Reviews that are popping up in both obvious, and less obvious places. This one, shared with Miranda on Facebook:

The most important thing that you don’t see are READERS, and their experiences with the story & characters that Miranda created in Bittersweet. Some do share their experience with the book on Amazon, Goodreads, and many other places. Though of course, many others don’t. They are private moments. That what Miranda created is now something that exists in tiny corners of people’s minds and their experience of this world.

Many of these things can be shared on social media, and sometimes are. Yet, even with Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, there is still so much you don’t see.

And yes, there are “behind the scenes” conversations that Miranda & I chat about, things that seem to be happening that aren’t represented in any of those social feeds. Which simply illustrates the opportunity we have to be better at sharing, and in the limits of these networks to effortlessly express real-life in 140 characters.

I absolutely love how the book’s launch is also a social event for Miranda through social media. That the process encourages connections, enthusiasm, and seeing that thing that is often opaque: how a story spreads.

Thank you.
-Dan