Pinterest: An Introverted Marketers Dream Platform

If you’re not currently familiar with the marketing potential of Pinterest, you ought to be. It’s not only one of the most powerful social media platforms on the planet, it’s free, easy, and great fun to use. All of this and it was recently reported that over 300 million people worldwide are using Pinterest! My friends, it’s time to join the Pinterest parade. We all stand to benefit by doing so.

Infront.com defines Pinterest as being a “social media network that allows users to visually share, and discover new interests by posting (known as pinning) images or videos to their own or others’ boards (a collections of  ‘pins’, usually with a common theme) and browsing what other users have pinned.” In a nutshell, users find or create images that represent their interests. These images are then posted on their personal Pinterest platform, intentionally creating a display to be shared by other like-minded users. A savvy marketer adds valuable content to their pins, helpful information that ultimately guides users to purchase their books and services.

I’ve been using Pinterest regularly since 2016 as a platform to showcase books I’ve had the honor to create teacher guides for. Since January of this year, I’ve made a concerted effort to use Pinterest strategically as part of my book launch marketing plan and, I have to say that, I’ve been thrilled with the results. Using Pinterest in this way has broadened the reach for both the Guides by Deb projects and my debut picture book. With time and patience, whether you’re pre-published or a super star, Pinterest can do the same for you, too.

As I see it, there are basically two approaches to using Pinterest as an author or illustrator – one being to create a visual representation highlighting aspects of one’s works in progress. Is your protagonist a mountain climber? Then find and post breathtaking images of the heights she scales. Are you deep in research focused on the brilliance of butterfly wings? Or, are you steeped in a scientific breakthrough or a historical setting of some sort? Whatever your interest, Pinterest can support it. Create themed boards, search the web for stunning images, and pin to your heart’s content. Then invite those who visit your website to stop by your Pinterest platform to be wowed by your masterpieces!

The second approach involves a more systematic plan to attract specific users to one’s platform. In my case, I want educators and homeschoolers to discover the books and guides offered on my website. I also desire to invite those individuals, as well as female athletes and organizations that serve them, to purchase my book. In order to do this, I consistently post and tag what are called “rich pins” that consist of valuable content – blogposts, podcast episodes, videos – that, hopefully, users will find to be informative.  Truth be told, using Pinterest in this strategic way does require more planning and some additional tech background, but I’ve found the end result to be incredible! My once little, lost and lonesome www.guidesbydeb.com website is now host to a large number of hits every single day!

So what do think? Are you ready to give Pinterest a whirl? Create an account. Make some boards. Share some pins. Join in the fun!

Debbie Gonzales is a career educator, curriculum consultant, former school administrator and adjunct professor, and once served as the SCBWI RA for the Austin Chapter.  She's the author of six “transitional” readers for New Zealand publisher, Giltedge, and the forthcoming non-fiction picture book Girls with Guts: The Road to Breaking Barriers and Bashing Records (Charlesbridge, 2019). Deb creates teacher guides for new releases and is the host of The Debcast, a podcast dedicated to the tenacious spirit of the female athlete. Deb earned her MFA in writing for children and young adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Subscribe to her podcast on iTunes and/or stop by www.debbiegonzales.com or www.guidesbydeb.com to check out her painlessly promotable content.

Want to learn more? Come to the SCBWI-MI Shop Talk in Ann Arbor for Pinterest Basics for Authors and Illustrators this Saturday, Sept. 14th, 10am - noon.

Debbie Gonzales will give an overview of Pinterest, show you how to manage your own Pinterest platform, and teach how to use a Content Calendar to manage your professional social media. Read more about this free workshop at: https://michigan.scbwi.org/events/scbwi-mi-ann-arbor-shop-talk-11/

Coming up on the Mitten Blog:

It's time for our quarterly Ask the Editor feature where editor Katherine Gibson answers your questions about publishing for children. See you Friday!

Painless Self-Promotion: Lessons Learned from a Debut Book Launch

Girls with Guts: The Road to Breaking Barriers and Bashing Records launched on May 14, just a few short weeks ago. Since then, I’ve been out and about celebrating my debut in several public events – and I have enjoyed every minute of the experience. I’ve also learned a few things along the way, three tips that you might find to be helpful, too.

Tip #1 – Just Roll with It:

I’ve learned that presenters have little to no control over the environment established in the venue. For instance, one of the launch events was held in a shopping mall. Not inside a quaint little shop or a quiet corner of the mall, mind you. No. Instead, rows of seats and signing tables were staged smack dab in the middle of a well-trafficked area without mics, to boot.

The original plan was present in an intimate “story time” type of setting. Uh…that just wasn’t going to happen. So, instead, I punted. Rather than performing a word-by-word recitation of the story, I (loudly) summarized each page, all the while moving in and out of the group in an animated fashion, engaging the kids by attempting to pull them into the story. In the end, the event was a rousing success! Kids were happy. Parents were smiling. Tons of books were signed. It was fun!

Tip #2 – Let Opportunity Lead:

One of the bookstore events was scheduled to be held mid-morning on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, and weather was simply glorious! Bright sunny skies. Warm gentle breezes. The perfect day for a walk in the park, OUTDOORS. Well, as you might guess, the attendance numbers were low. Some things are just not in our control, right?

Rather than being bummed about the crowd size, I used the opportunity to genuinely focus on the terrific folks who chose to come by to support my debut author journey. I studied the color of their eyes as we talked. As a result of being grateful and enjoying the moment, I met a kid blogger who has twice posted about the book and I found out about a cool program for teachers hosted by the store, one in which I can serve as a presenter!

Tip #3 – Be Self-Sufficient: 

I’ve discovered that, though there seems to be a great deal of energetic enthusiasm surrounding the promotion of the launch, the bookstore staff may not share in the buzz. The event coordinator was out of pocket when I first arrived at one of the events. The first person I spoke with worked in the cafe’ and (understandably so) seemed to have little interest in helping me set up. She kindly directed me to podium and then I busied myself making a nest. I pulled out my computer and swag, tidied up the podium, and arranged the stage as best I thought it would function well. After some time, the event coordinator arrived and, together, we cheerfully made things happen. In the end, all went well.

Overall, this book launching experience has left me consumed by a deep sense of gratitude. I’m thankful for the kind souls who have made it priority to attend each event, appreciative for those behind the scenes who have organized all the moving parts and humbled by all the love and support that has come my way. I can’t wait to do more of them!

Debbie Gonzales is a career educator, curriculum consultant, former school administrator, adjunct professor, and once served as a SCBWI RA for the Austin Chapter. Deb currently devotes her time to writing middle grade novels, crafting educator guides with Guides by Deb, producing The Debcast (a podcast dedicated to the empowering spirit of the female athlete) and various freelance projects. She’s the author of six “transitional” readers for New Zealand publisher, Giltedge, and the non-fiction picture book Girls with Guts: The Road to Breaking Barriers and Bashing Records (Charlesbridge, 2019). Deb currently serves as board member for the Michigan Reading Association. She earned her MFA in writing for children and young adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Learn more about Deb by accessing www.debbiegonzales.com.

Did you miss Debbie's previous Painless Self-Promotion posts? Click on the links below to read her entire series:

• https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2019/02/painless-self-promotion-book-trailer.html
• https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2018/11/painless-self-promotion-creating.html
• https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2018/12/painless-self-promotion-confidence-by.html
• https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2019/01/painless-self-promotion-unassuming.html

Want to learn more? KidLit 411 devoted an entire section of their website to resources for marketing and creating a platform: http://www.kidlit411.com/2014/01/creating-platform.html

Coming up on the Mitten blog: 

We're heading into a more relaxed schedule for the summer months, but we still have plenty of posts ahead, including a new Featured Illustrator, Hugs and Hurrahs, and much more. Follow our blog and never miss a post - simply enter your email on the right sidebar.

Happening now: 2019 Summer Art Show

Congrats to the SCBWI-MI illustrators with artwork featured at the Saline District Library! Shutta Crum is the guest speaker for the reception on June 23rd, and the artwork will be on display all summer. Please spread the word and visit if you're in the area:

Painless Self-Promotion: Unassuming Authenticity – A Case Study

Recently, I had a fabulous conversation with a long-time author friend about the notion of authenticity and its connection with visibility in the marketplace. We wondered if it were possible for an author or illustrator to be a genuine individual while achieving the notoriety of being a well-respected, highly successful published professional. If so, how is this done? Being that my pal and I share a broad and talented friend base, we explored how several of our colleagues have done it. One individual became the primary focus of our chat, an unassuming and humble writer who has risen to epic prominence in the Kid-Lit industry. This amazing artist, whom we’ll call Mary, once said that she “just lets things come to her.” I dare to disagree with that statement. Good things come to those who have worked for them. Mary is, and always has been, a diligent soldier. Let’s consider how this unassuming celebrity has rightly earned her place in the limelight.

First of all, Mary is a master of the craft. A master, I say. She’s been at this business of writing for a long, long time. Along with enjoying an active and happy life surrounded by family and friends, her writing time is sacred and disciplined. She’s dedicated to crafting thoughtful prose that emotionally resonates with young readers. I know this to true. I’ve witnessed her struggle. Her beautiful words, so effortlessly read on the page, are hard to come by. Knowing Mary, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Not only does Mary employ the earnest effort required to be one of the finest writers of the industry, she’s incredibly humble about her success. Community matters to Mary. Even though her work is lauded by The Hornbook and Publisher’s Weekly, she’s a regular at local SCBWI meet ups. She mentors fledgling poets and writers online and in formal sessions nationwide. She is fun to be with, supportive, and highly intuitive. A newbie writer would be wise to take heed of Mary’s suggestions. She knows her stuff. Mary’s unassuming dedication to SCBWI and its members has contributed to the authenticity of her visibility in the industry in big, big way. 

So, you see, Mary’s accolades and prominence have not merely “come her way.” She’s worked hard for them. She’s devoted to the craft of writing and faithful to those who have supported her successful journey. In doing so, she’s become known as one of the most talented, prolific writers in the industry today. Mary’s visibility is founded on sincerity and authenticity…something we all should aspire to emulate.

 My key takeaway from my conversation with my dear friend is that the establishment of “unassuming visibility” is a long game. There are no shortcuts to be found. Mary’s diligence proves this. We “pre” or newly published artists should take note that lasting visibility in the marketplace requires a steadfast commitment to the development of one’s craft and obligation to one’s community. This business of starlight celebrity does not happen overnight. Instead, we have to be true to our stories and to supporting one another – always and forever.  

Debbie Gonzales is a career educator, curriculum consultant, former school administrator and adjunct professor, and once served as the SCBWI RA for the Austin Chapter. She's the author of six “transitional” readers for New Zealand publisher, Giltedge, and the forthcoming non-fiction picture book Girls with Guts: The Road to Breaking Barriers and Bashing Records (Charlesbridge, 2019). Deb creates teacher guides for new releases and is the host of The Debcast, a podcast dedicated to the tenacious spirit of the female athlete. Deb earned her MFA in writing for children and young adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Subscribe to her podcast on iTunes and/or stop by www.debbiegonzales.com or www.guidesbydeb.com to check out her painlessly promotable content.



Coming up on the SCBWI-MI Blog: Hugs and Hurrahs! We want to trumpet your success! To be included, please email Patti Richards your recent writing/illustrating/publishing good news no later than January 23rd.

Painless Self-Promotion: Confidence by Debbie Gonzales

Confidence: When a Disaster Becomes a Directive

Self-promotion isn’t for the faint-hearted, that’s for sure. Not only does the task seem overwhelming −  what with blogs and vlogs, e-newsletters and Instagram, podcasts and Pinterest − it’s scary to put oneself out there! Truth be told, none of us are experts in this field. We’re all stubbing our toes while learning about this stuff. Each of us have strengths to build upon and challenges to conquer. There will be times that our confidence will flounder. Let me tell you of a time that mine fell flat.

Believe it or not, public speaking gives me the heebie-jeebies. I get a weird, putty-like blockage in the base of my throat just thinking about it. Yet, we all know to succeed in this book business, one must befriend the microphone. There’s no way around it. So, rather than shy away from the podium, I jump at the chance to speak. And when I do, I over-prepare by practicing until I’ve got the message down pat. However, there once was a time when preparation did not pay off and my presentation literally left me with a raging case of PTSD.

If something could go wrong during that nightmare of a presentation, it did. Tech trouble. Scheduling snafus. Awkward podium arrangement. No connection with the audience. My voice locked up. When I finally regained to ability to speak, I rushed the presentation so much that I was done twenty minutes early! All of this in front of a crowd of close to two hundred people. I was utterly humiliated. The disaster left me two options – quit or try again. I chose the latter.

You see, we all have aspects of this self-promotion platform-building that feels awkward and uncomfortable. I want to encourage you to lean into those areas. If I can do it, you can, too. When my spirit was damaged, I relied on my SCBWI-MI family to build me back up. I reached out to several of the Shop Talk leaders and volunteered to do a talk about the book publicity work I was engaged in at that time. They didn’t know that I was actively licking my public-speaking-disaster wounds. And, guess what? The presentations went well. Now, you must grab a hook to get me off the stage!

Friends, if you desire to establish or raise your visibility, start with your SCBWI community.

• Volunteer to write an article for The Mitten.
• Put together a presentation for your local Shop Talk meeting.
• Post shout-outs about good things that are happening within SCBWI-MI on social media.
• Share announcements and posts from the chapter’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. 
• Respond to messages posted on the chapter’s listserv.

Doing so will not only help to make your name more recognizable within the community, you’ll gain confidence every time you do.

Who knows… We might need to use a hook to get you off the stage, too.

Debbie Gonzales is a career educator, curriculum consultant, former school administrator and adjunct professor, and once served as the SCBWI RA for the Austin Chapter.  She's the author of six “transitional” readers for New Zealand publisher, Giltedge, and the forthcoming non-fiction picture book Girls with Guts: The Road to Breaking Barriers and Bashing Records (Charlesbridge, 2019). Deb creates teacher guides for new releases and is the host of The Debcast, a podcast dedicated to the tenacious spirit of the female athlete. Deb earned her MFA in writing for children and young adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Subscribe to her podcast on iTunes and/or stop by www.debbiegonzales.com or www.guidesbydeb.com to check out her painlessly promotable content.

Coming up on the Mitten Blog: a Book Birthday, a Writer Spotlight, and a break for the holidays! But first, here's an important message from our SCBWI-MI Mentorship Coordinator, Ann Finkelstein:

Attention Picture Book Writers!

SCBWI-MI is happy to help you with your New Year’s Resolutions.

Resolution 1: Figure out your membership status. (so easy)

If you are pre-published, you are an associate member.

If you are published, it depends on the publisher.

If your publisher is on this list of traditional publishers, you are a PAL member.

If your publisher is not on that list, you are a full member.

To check your official membership status, go to www.scbwi.org and click the Member Search box at the top right hand corner. Enter your name to look yourself up. If your listed membership status is not correct, contact SCBWI by email and explain the situation.

Resolution 2: Finish and polish your favorite picture book text. (significantly harder)

Remember we’re setting a limit of 600 words. We did this to save wear and tear on our super-secret, superstar judges and to increase your chances of publishing the manuscript.

Resolution 3: Apply for one of the SCBWI-MI Novel Mentorships (super easy)

The submission window for the PAL mentorship with Kelly DiPucchio is April 1-22, 2019.

The submission window for the non-PAL mentorship with Lisa Wheeler is June 3-24, 2019.

For additional information go to the SCBWI-MI website mentorship page. Click on  the submission instructions link to download a pdf of detailed instructions.

Make sure you apply for the correct mentorship! SCBWI-MI can do wondrous things, but we cannot yet turn back time – if you miss your submission window.

We will accept 30 applications for each mentorship, so don’t wait until the last minute to apply.

For questions, contact SCBWI-MI Mentorship Coordinator, Ann Finkelstein.


Last but not least, the SCBWI-MI Merry Mitten events wrap up this weekend at Pages Bookshop in Detroit: