Instructor: Mindy Stockfield
Length: 1 day intensive, $200
Saturday, April 25, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

As an aspiring published author, did you know you should be marketing your book, even before you finish it? How can you position your book and your career as a published author to be setup for success in a digital age?

Who should consider taking this workshop?
This class is intended for those who would like to learn how to build their profile as an author even before they become published.  Discussion includes the basics of book marketing from a publisher’s POV.  This involves the sell-in and sell-thru process to retailers as well the nuts and bolts behind media pitches and author tours.  Writers gain an understanding on how to contribute to the marketing and complement the strategy and approach to elevate their book.  Best practice case studies are shared to provide context.

In addition, students will workshop ideas around establishing their own platform as an author.  They will learn how to build a following (digital and in real life) and an audience that will make them more marketable to the publishing community as they pitch their book.

What will students take away from the class
The students will leave the class with context around how a book goes to market.  This will give them an understanding of the steps involved and how an author can contribute to the process.  They will be given the tools to know what questions to ask when they sign with a publisher and showcase how they can be proactive in increasing book sales.  As a more educated and committed author, students will learn how to gain more support from their publisher.  They will learn how to create a positioning statement for their book as well as a positioning statement for their profile.  Students will leave with a written document that serves as a future vision for their platform (so they can build toward it), goal setting for their social media profile plus partnerships and relationships they plan to establish.

Mindy Stockfield has held senior positions in publishing, entertainment and media with a focus on marketing, and digital. She has led critical launches for a number of new and culture-defining initiatives utilizing some of the latest approaches in digital and social media. Coming fresh from working several years at Scholastic as Senior Vice President of Marketing, Creative, and Digital, she has driven these A-list publishing brands including: Harry Potter, Dog Man, The Babysitters Club, and Goosebumps as well as helped to build the careers of emerging authors.  In addition, she has worked with top authors and talent including Mitch Albom, Caroline Kennedy, Maria Shriver, Michael J. Fox, and Jamie Oliver.  Prior to Scholastic, she held prior senior roles at MTV, Disney, and Cartoon Network.  She is currently consulting for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt trade publishing and Cricket Magazines. In addition, Mindy serves on the adjunct faculty at NYU’s Center for Publishing program.