I tried www.copy.ai today — an artificial intelligence content generator. I've been sceptical about such tools and this is the first time I've tried one out. I was shocked at how good the results were!
It was almost impossible to think that the content was created in just 10 seconds by an AI tool. And it made me think what does this mean for the travel writing industry...
🤖 Do you think AI-based content generators are going to replace travel writers and storytellers?
Curious to see what you think. Do you use an AI writing tool in your content creation process? Or are you completely against them?
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Hello Travel Massive friends,
I am working on an article for MSN about ways to promote your book.
Who in our community has a book that you love?
I have interviewed a dozen book PR people and I have learned so much for my upcoming book. I would love to do an article about tips from the road for your book.
THANK YOU!
Happy and Safe Travels, Lisa Niver
Me! Check out my guide to Route 66! www.amazon.com/Best-Hits-Route-66-Essential/dp/1493036904
Congrats Amy!! What helped you promote your book? What do you recommend?
Hi Lisa, I just published my first book. I'm using a network of influencers I am lucky to have and then relying on my marketing skills from my 9-5 job. But it's not easy. Just grinding away and learning the tactics as I go. Luckily, the reviews are awesome, so that is helping me build ads using that reader feedback. This is the link if you are curious:
amzn.to/3Y4cAkp
Hi Tim! I would say you are doing AMAZING!! I see this:
on AMAZON--WOWOWOWOWOWOW!
#1 in Sydney Travel Guides
#1 in Melbourne Travel Guides
#1 in Great Barrier Reef Travel Guides
CONGRATS!!
Tell me more about what does it mean to build ads using reader feedback--do you mean you are doing an ad spend on Amazon w/ the reviews or on Facebook? Whatever you are doing Congrats on being #1 in THREE categories!!
Hi Lisa, Thanks. I guess you always hope for more sales, but I just started a month ago. And it's great to hear a little positivity! So thanks. Definitely cool to be tops in those "guides" categories, especially when the book is more travel humor and stories, with just a bit of guide book angle. Regarding using reviews, what I meant was I took some of the best reviews and made instagram posts and Facebook posts out of them. I did try one little Facebook ad, just to experiment, so will maybe do more. But people gave some great quotes in the reviews like "If Jerry Seinfeld owned Lonely Planet - this would be his guide book" and said I am "a young version of Bill Bryson with a looser tongue." So I am going to make some social media posts from those to drive some interest. Happy to chat if you drop me a direct message or email me on my website. TimSweeneyLive.com. Hope this helps.
My award-winning travel narrative, Places in Time: Reflections on a Journey, has an introduction with tips on how to travel discreetly so you see more. legacybookpress.com/places_time/
CONGRATS on your book!! What did you do to promote your book?
Hi Lisa,
Well, I read in person at various venues in the San Francisco Bay Area including a launch party at Book Passage. Also, it's been reviewed by various outlets including Publisher's Weekly BookLife and US Review of Books, Foreword Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle etc. The book was named Best Travel Book of the Year by the North American Travel Journalists Association and took the Gold for Travel Narrative from the Western Region of the Society of American Travel Writers. I've had a lot of fun promoting it with live readings. It's in its 4th printing now. I also have taught and will continue to teach travel writing so I have a small, but built in readership!
Best,
Maxine
Thanks Maxine! That is very helpful. CONGRATS on all your success, events, awards! WOW
Congrats!!
I've made good money from multiple books over several editions. The low-leverage things like book signings and speaking that I tried in the beginning paled next to using my platform of blogs and newsletters to get the world out. If your book is focused on a subject you've already built a tribe around, one that people have already shown they are interested in, it is much easier to get those warm leads to buy a book than to try to convince the general public. I've also done well appearing in the media, appearing on podcasts, and doing a little bit of targeted advertising next to similar books on Amazon.
THANK YOU Tim!! and thanks for including me in one of your books. That is very helpful to hear what worked for you and what did not. THANK YOU!
I've written 2 successful travel cookbooks ; ) the 1st was through a publisher and the 2nd I self published: healthyvoyager.com/products-page/healthy-voyager-cookbook/
CONGRATS on two books!!! What things helped promote your books the most? What made you choose to self publish the 2nd book?
Thanks! I loved the way my first book came out with the publisher but they SUPER dropped the ball with promotion and sales and screwed me on a HUGE QVC deal so I bought the rights back and published the second edition on my own ; ) I used to be a publicist so I pitched myself to plenty of print and tv media (publishers do none of that unless you're Stephen King or a big celeb). I also leveraged my website readers, show watchers and social media followers. My first book came out in 2011 so print media was still very good for book promo. Nowadays it's all social
I have written FOUR travel guidebooks with my name on the cover and edited about 30 others for Fodor's, Michelin. Learned a lot from promoting all of them, in diffrerent ways. email me evelyn@evelynkanter.com to arrange an interview - note I leave Sat/12th for two weeks out-of-country with limited online access.
You are a GLOBAL BOOK EMPIRE! WOW! What has been the best way you have promoted your books?
Hello, one of my favorite travel books is The Negro Motorist Greenbook. This when it came out was a guide I remember my family talking about using as a guide for African American road trippers. I believe the author is Victor Green.
Hi Jackie! Have you ever written a story about your family using this book? I have an editor who I think would publish for you
Hi, I never written a story about my family using the book. I just remember how difficult it was for them to take a simple trip.
My book Secret Connecticut: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure sees a spike in purchases after I do media. The greatest bumps happened after my two times on the state's most-listened-to morning radio show. When librarians read about my doing a presentation then they reach out to me to do one for their library--I get paid for the presentations, plus I can sell my books to the audience. I have had good success with that, so calendar listings and articles that librarians see also help sales a good deal.
HI Stasha! My friend just did a book with Reedy press. I hope they are great to work with. That is so AWESOME that the radio show led to a PAID presentation! The library PAYS?!!? I had no idea that was even a thing....WOW
I'm not super active on this platform so I hope this posts correctly. I'm your huckleberry for this query. I've been a book publicist for 26 years; I own www.prbythebook.com; and a travel writer for 21 yrs. How can I help?
Marika! I think you are my huckleberry! I will check out your website NOW! Thanks so much.
Here's my current favorite travel book: prbythebook.com/experts/kathy-elkind/
Hi --looks like the book comes out later this month
Pub Date: August 15, 2023
I guess you have an early reader copy!!
Wishing her good luck on publication
This is fun to read about these travel books! We created a great resource for authors who want low-cost guidance on their book publicity: www.AuthorToInfluencer.com -- I hope this is helpful!
Hi Marika! What a great resource. Thanks for sharing!!
Hi Lisa,
I have just self-published my first book, Soul Truth. It came off the back of eight years as a travel blogger and feeling as though some of those stories deserved to become evergreen. I turned the experiences into a memoir about my journey from the confines of the corporate stockade to a life of location-independence and personal growth while weaving in my values of advocacy, sustainability and connection.
Writing the book was the easy part. I have found promoting the book to be quite challenging. Especially as a self-published author without disposable funds to put towards PR agencies etc.
What helped was getting out to bookstores and creating events around my book. E.g. a launch in Sydney, Kathmandu and London. Like most things, a personal approach always prevails, especially when it comes to storytelling. :)
Hi! I love that you launch has been a launch in Sydney, Kathmandu and London. I am working on LA, NY and Philly! I think I need to expand my cities to require a PASSPORT! Happy Friday and congrats on your book!
THANK YOU to everyone for sharing about your books and promotion strategies! I am interviewing a few book PR friends for an article. I will post here when it is live.
Hi Lisa.
Happy to chat. My travel memoir was published my Murdoch Books in 2019. It's called Backyard to Backpack: A solo mum, a six year old and a life-changing adventure. It did well and is still selling. Let me know if you would like me to answer any questions. Evie
Hi there. In case you're still looking for this, I have a number of folks in my network including myself who've published travel books.