Once you have a website up, you are blogging regularly and promoting your blog far and wide, you have started sending out review copies and you’re doing a few speaking engagements and book festivals, it’s time to add to your agenda.
Along the promotional path, you have probably become aware of a few ideas that worked for you and your book or you’ve heard about some activities you want to try. After having established a bit of a comfort zone with book promotion, it is time to start expanding.
Do more of what you are already doing, of course, but add things such as contributing to newsletters in your topic/genre. Do a blog tour. Comment at other related blogs. Bring in name people connected to your field/genre to post at your blog—guest bloggers. Seek out bookstores and other outlets in your area and while you travel and offer your books on consignment. Arrange for local radio interviews and submit articles in regional magazines to bring attention to your book at these locations. Start your own newsletter.
Does it sound like you are free to go back to your job or writing once your book is a book? Not if you want to sell copies of your book. Follow this guide and sell maybe 200 to 1,000 or more copies of your book, depending on the nature of it and the scope of your audience. Or go back to work—and many an author can confirm this—do nothing more than get one write-up in the local newspaper after your book comes out and you will sell maybe as many as 10 copies.
You do the math. You make the decision. Are you ready to take on the huge, time-consuming, energy-draining responsibility and commitment of producing a book? If not, I’d say keep working, save your money and hold off publishing until you are financially and physically ready.
In the meantime, I keep writing books that include my knowledge and expertise after 40 years in the business and including advice and anecdotes from many other professionals.
For a greater understanding of the publishing industry and how to successfully navigate it, read Publish Your Book.
If you are ready to start planning your marketing strategy, order a copy of Promote Your Book.
If you realize you should be out there talking about your book, but you lack confidence and knowledge about how to get started, how to write a speech, how to rehearse and deliver one, how to handle visitors to your book festival booth, how to become a workshop leader at appropriate conference and more, read Talk Up Your Book.
All available at amazon and most other online and downtown bookstores. Also order them here:
http://www.matilijapress.com