It was sticky, swampy hot in a way that only D.C. can be during the summer months. (I am sorry, but unless if you are from New Orleans, you’ve got nothing on our humidity.) It was the kind of weather where people retreat into the air conditioning to eat salads and read books that only require a few brain cells to get through.

Yet I was standing outside in this heat. For more than a half hour.

Why?

Wonder Woman 1984 was filming near the National Archives.

And it was dope.

Extras were sweating in leopard-print jackets and other 80s ensemble. My favorite was a guy who kept waving a hockey stick (let’s go Caps!). They were carrying protest signs to only be interrupted by people dressed as the National Guard. It had all the trappings of an amazing scene: smoke, paper being flown about, and lots of motion. Still, the best part was all the 1980s cars lining the street (some were even on their sides).

The most uniquely D.C. part of the experience was that my friends and I were unsure if the protest signs hanging on the cars and trees were part of the set or leftover from another real protest. (We think it was probably for the movie, but you never know around here.)

People kept stopping in front of us as we stood on a wall to see the action. They would ask, “What movie are they filming?” When we told them, they would stay to watch. The crowd was huge. 

I know what you are thinking: What does this have to do with my book?

Everything.

Okay, maybe not everything, but there is a marketing lesson here. Why was everyone lining up to watch an unfinished product? I mean, Gal Gadot and Chris Pine weren’t even there.

Because people love seeing what happens behind the scenes.

If you want people to get excited about your book, tell them about your writing process. Share your writing playlist. Tell them about the angst of getting through writer’s block. Give your readers a link to your writing Pinterest board. Discuss how you developed your characters. Detail what the editing process is like.

Worried that people don’t care? I can tell you that my most popular posts are the ones about my own writing process. People want to learn about how their favorite books are made (or get tips about writing from someone else’s process). That’s why all the popular books have bonus materials on how the book was made.

Also, by sharing about your writing in real time, you are priming people to buy your book. That way, when you publish your book, people won’t feel like it is coming from nowhere. People will have heard about it and are excited to celebrate with you by purchasing it. They will feel like it is their book a bit because they watched its creation.

How about you? Do you have a post about your book or writing? Share it in the comments below!