Teacher and Workshop Leader Rosemary Aubert Shares Her Industry Secrets

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We are so lucky to have those who are experienced writers circulating in our community and holding workshops. Nothing could be more helpful than direct person-to-person exchange with someone who has gone down the path you hope to go down.
Rosemary Aubert is one such person.
I was fortunate enough to attend her workshop on the topic of publicity and promotion at Quattro Headquarters.
She has a wealth of information that you are not going to find anywhere else. She was a criminologist – so she is good at gathering clues and following up on leads.
Aubert talked about how promotion and sales should be fun. She told us it’s an opportunity you’re offering someone – it’s not about forcing anyone into anything. If you’re offering something, you’re already in a better position than asking something from someone. It’s a shift in attitude that makes all the difference.
Every time you come in contact with potential readers, you’re also giving them a chance to get to know you (and you them). Don’t just barrel through in an impersonal, businesslike manner.
Genuine enthusiasm for your book can be infectious. Enjoy what you’re doing and if you’re not – don’t do it. If you’re not having fun – you’re probably not going to be portraying your book positively.
Aubert also talked about selling the benefits, not the features of your book. Features are interesting points about your book – whereas benefits are specifically about how those features will benefit the customer. Hammer home what makes your book different from all the rest.
We also received a crash course on the query letter (a good reminder) and a host of other industry secrets that she generously shared with us.
If you’d like to find out more about Rosemary Aubert’s workshops visit rosemaryaubert.com.
Aubert is an internationally-acclaimed author of the Ellis Portal mystery series: Free Reign, The Feast of Stephen, The Ferryman Will Be There, Leave Me by Dying, and The Red Mass. She has written five romance novels which have been published around the world. She is also an accomplished poet.
Recently, she launched her second poetry book, Rough Wilderness, the imaginary love poems of the French Abbess Heloise whose love affair with the medieval philosopher, Peter Abelard, is one of history's most famous tales of passion and denial (published by Quattro Books).

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