Monday, February 17, 2014

Human Behavior and Realistic Characters, Marketing Ideas, Amazon, and Birthdays

Today it’s my turn at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group website with “Create Realistic Characters by Studying Human Behavior.”

Some other interesting publishing news:

Book Business Magazine has a regular feature, Brian Jud’s Beyond the Bookstore. Last week he posted an article - How You Can Come Up With More Marketing Ideas. There were ten tips, including “Stop selling your books. Start selling the benefits that people receive from buying your books.” That one is so true! And not just for books - if you are marketing yourself to the media, you have to take the same approach.

Forbes posted some interesting stats and figures about Amazon, including the fact that 14 employees are required for every $10 million in revenue generated. (In comparison, bookstores require 47 employees.)

And thanks for the birthday wishes! I had the typical 48-year-old’s birthday:

Despicable Me Minion Cake

Homemade Despicable Me Minion Hat from Friend

Singing and Talking Olaf from Frozen from Husband

That's normal for someone my age, right?

37 comments:

Jemi Fraser said...

Totally age appropriate!! Absolutely love the cake and the goodies! :)

Bish Denham said...

Keeping that kid inside alive and well and happy is important! Sounds like you had a good time.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Cute cake.
And no wonder bookstores aren't making money.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Happy Birthday to you! Love the cake, hat, and Olaf!

And...Amazon fascinates me. It really does. So much of its practices seem exciting and cutting edge. I can't wait to see what they'll do next.

DMS said...

Your birthday looks totally fun! Looks like it was a happy birthday. :) Happy Belated!

Interesting information about marketing, and Amazon/bookstores. Thanks for sharing!
~Jess

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Elizabeth, some days I'm scared to see what they will do next.

Thank you all for letting me know it's okay to be a kid still.

Jay Noel said...

Wow. Amazon is all about speed and efficiency, isn't it? Blows away bookstores BIG TIME. That stat is startling.

I will check out Brian Jud's article for sure.

Happy Birthday!!!

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Are you sure my daughter isn't your daughter? She shares all your tastes. Can't count how many times we watched Frozen.

Stephen Tremp said...

Perfectly normal. Enjoy! And thanks for the link to Book Business Magazine. On my way over now to check it out.

Karen Lange said...

Happy Birthday! Looks like you had a great celebration. :)

Anonymous said...

The Amazon stats are interesting. They have a sensational business model.

Anonymous said...

Ps - and happiest of birthdays!

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

Happy Birthday, Diane!

I love the idea of promoting benefits, not the book or individual! Thanks!

Mary Montague Sikes

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday Diane and many more to come.
Yvonne,

Carol Kilgore said...

Sounds fun!
Happy Birthday late!

Jo said...

Lovely presies and cake. I am envious. I'm a lot older than you ans would love such presents. Me I have to arrange my own dinner party.

H. R. Sinclair said...

Love your style!

J E Oneil said...

That hat is so cute! I hope I'm that cool at 48. And wow. You look more like you're 38 :).

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Absolutely normal. I say this with a sigh of relief, as my #48 is just a few months away. Happy 48th, Diane. It's a good number. May it be a fantastic year.

xoRobyn

Steven said...

Perhaps bookstores should stop trying to sell books and instead sell the experience of hanging out in a bookstore, going to events there, etc. You can't hang out in Amazon or attend author events, etc. Sorry, that's my marketing mind working.

Love the cake, by the way!

Natalie Aguirre said...

Glad you had a good birthday. And thanks for the interesting marketing info and about Amazon. Amazing they can use so few employees to make so much money.

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday! From the pictures, looks like your birthday was fun! God bless you.

Jennifer Shirk said...

Oh, happy BIRTHDAY!!!! Love the cake! Totally normal. :-)

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Susan, your daughter has good tastes.

Mary, benefits are the best way to promote anything.

Jo, you need to tell Matt to get on that next time.

JE, thank you!

Robyn, you have nothing to fear.

Steven, that makes sense to me.

cleemckenzie said...

Absolutely normal and totally desirable--all gifts and definitely the cake.

Loved the marketing tip!

Robin said...

Clearly you are among the Young At Heart. That is a good thing:)

Michelle Wallace said...

It's very important to tap into that inner child... keeps frumpiness at bay... LOL (and grumpiness too...)
Happy Birthday!
Hope you had a WONDERFUL DAY!
Writer In Transit

shelly said...

Happy birthday! You look like you enjoyed all the minions.

Anonymous said...

Happy belated birthday. Great pics. Looks like you had fun.

klahanie said...

Hi human, Diane,

My human is way older than you. He would of wished you a happy belated birthday. However, he's gone for a nap.

Oh, I note you are over at the "I Was Seeking Gary" site. I create realistic characters by studying other dogs' behaviours.


Pawsitive wishes,

Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar!

Denise Covey said...

I'm glad you had such a super-dooper birthday, L Diane. Love the pics.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you had a good birthday, and no, you're never too old to be a kid and young at heart :)

Misha Gerrick said...

Love the cake!

It's scary to think how much Amazon's making, on the other thing, it's good for us writers too. :-)

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Thanks so much, everyone.

Arlee Bird said...

Happy Birthday!

Great marketing article. I'm saving that link.

Lee
Wrote By Rote
An A to Z Co-host blog

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Diane .. happy birthday - that sounds like a fun blogging time! Great cake - hope it tasted as good as it looks; while the minion hat is just lovely ... and the Singing and Talking Olaf from the beloved --- I guess makes sense - you look happy!

Have a great year ahead .. cheers Hilary

Rhonda Albom said...

Happy belated birthday! Love the new hat, it looks fabulous with you amazing hair. Thanks for the marketing tips too.