I received a note from a gentleman writer who says he is a senior (like so many of us). He read my piece, “You, too, Can Become a Published Author,” at the Suddenly Senior website.
I find it interesting that some articles seem to live forever and that seems to be one of them. Another one that attracts a lot of interest is my piece on conversation skills.
Anyway, this writer wanted to know, what so many others wonder, how to deal with the common dilemma for seniors who want to have their works seen, without having to spend their time promoting, and who are unwilling or unable to spend big bucks to have it done for them.
Here’s my response:
You and I have lived long enough to know that you get out of a project (or a relationship or membership in an organization, etc.) what you are willing to put into it. And that is pretty much the long and the short of book promotion.
If you want to open a bakery and share your wonderful baked goods with the community, you would not simply continue baking in your kitchen and hope that someone smells the aroma of the cinnamon buns wafting from your open window and show up with money in hand to purchase one. You would need a store front (which you have provided for your books via your website). You would need a way for people to purchase the buns. And you would need to spread the word about your baked goods so people would know about them. Make sense?
Of course, the wider you “advertise” the larger your sales. If you tell family members and a few neighbors, you will have one level of sales. If you run an ad, open a storefront, run ads, go out and talk to lots of folks about your business and maybe put up a few posters around town, more people will know about your cinnamon buns and more people will show up with cash to purchase them.
As you suggested, I know many seniors who are not interested in promoting their books in any big way. Those who survive in this incredibly competitive business are those who have found ways to promote their books. I’ve written articles on how to promote books and stay within your comfort zone. You might be interested in reading some of them. Here are links to a few:
http://www.matilijapress.com/articles/5-ways-to-promote-your-book.htm
http://www.matilijapress.com/articles/bookpromobasics.htm
Some promotional tactics bring more results for some people. You might enter your book in a contest, win it and get free publicity. You can spread the word about your book by commenting on other people’s blogs. Since you like writing (isn’t that why we get up in the morning?), you could submit stories to appropriate magazines as a way of making your book(s) known to your audience.
Of course, you don’t have to promote your book(s) at all. But how in the heck will you be able to justify the time you spend writing if no one is reading them?
I would like to hear from some of you who resist promoting your books. What are the results of that decision? Also, I’d like to hear from authors who have discovered interesting and effective ways to promote their books without stepping outside their comfort zones.