Marketing Yourself for Writer and Illustrators

I am going to talk about how I market myself as an illustrator, however writers can do the same. Just adapt the “recipe” to meet your needs.

I have a basic, black portfolio that showcases 10-15 of my best works. In the inside pocket, I keep tearsheets (8.5 X 11 sheets of printed examples of illustration), business cards and brochures. I might even put a few bookmarks in as “take aways” for the editors to remember me by.

My website acts as my online portfolio. It showcases more work that I would be able to in my portfolio. I like the website idea because it gives me a medium to tell a little bit about myself. This gives my viewers a chance to feel like they “already know me.” The site is designed to reflect my personal style and I have kept it clean, simple and easy to navigate.

Find something to Blog about. Give personal tips, review top websites on a particular topic, post samples of your art each week, Keep viewers coming back for more! Sometimes I participate in www.illustrationfriday.com. It is a site that gives you a particular topic from which to work from. Then you can post your piece for others to see during that week. Every Friday is a new topic. I used this to build my portfolio the first time around. I had a good time with it!

Design a brochure with samples of work from your portfolio. Not everyone will look at your website no matter how many times you tell them to. Much easier to hand them a flyer! Excellent leave behind for a portfolio.

Consider having some mailers designed. 3-4 mailings per year of new work to book publishers gives them a good idea of what you can do for them! They love getting samples of work. They will file your examples for future manuscripts that they think will fit.

Business cards and / or bookmarks are great leave-behinds and continue to work as TOMA (Top of Mind Awareness).

CHILDREN’S WRITERS & ILLUSTRATOR’S MARKET is a resource that lists all publishers of books, magazines, etc., editors, contact information and submission info. You can find this at Barnes & Noble, at the library in the resource section, etc. The publication comes out yearly and is a must in marketing to publishers.

SOCIETY OF CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITERS & ILLUSTRATORS (SCBWI)
http://www.scbwi.org
A membership based society that is nationwide. “The SCBWI acts as a network for the exchange of knowledge between writers, illustrators, editors, publishers, agents, librarians, educators, booksellers and others involved with literature for young people.” SCBWI puts on several big national conferences every year and also locally within your area. I would recommend looking into the society. Book publishers tend to give more consideration to members of the society for writing and illustrating before others who are not members.