Yesterday, we talked about the cost of publishing and the importance of hiring certain services along the way. Today, let’s consider your role as the promoter of your book. Should you hire a publicist or buy into the marketing plans offered by your publishing service?
I urge my clients to take as much responsibility as they can for the marketing of their books. As I often say, “No one knows your book like you do and no one cares about it as much as you do.” You are the ideal marketing agent for your book. By the time you finish writing your book, you should know who your audience is, where they are and how to approach them.
As an author who is writing a book for publication, your focus throughout the writing process should be your audience—your readers—and not you. I heard a commentator on the radio yesterday talking about art and artists. He said that artists do not paint or draw for others. They typically produce work that expresses their own joy or pain or whatever. Far too many authors write from the same perspective. They write what they want, what makes them feel good, what they believe others should be exposed to or what others should know or think. And these books are hard sells.
I urge you to write what is wanted/needed, not what makes you feel good. If you can love writing what others want, all the better.
So should you hire help to get word out about your book? As I indicated, I prefer that you approach your audience in person and using your own instincts and knowledge (about your topic/genre and about your readers). Go out and talk to them, submit articles on your topic to the publications they read, provide resources at your website, conduct workshops on your subject, solicit reviews and so forth.
Where you might need help is in writing your promo material. Many authors I meet have difficulty describing their nonfiction book or their story so that it entices potential readers. They miss the mark when it comes to creating press releases and back cover copy. They either give their promotional material too much of a hard-sell for the type of book they’re promoting or they leave the reader out of it. It’s important to speak to the reader when writing promo copy, for example.
Here’s my suggestion.
• Study hard to understand the psychology of book promotion.
• Create a viable marketing plan.
• Do as much of the legwork and actual promotion as you can.
• Possibly hire someone to help create your written promotional copy.
• After about a year of hard marketing, consider whether a publicist could help you to generate more sales through the media, for example or landing more prestigious presentations, perhaps.
Book promotion can be all consuming. There’s a lot of competition out there for authors. So it is imperative, if you want your book to succeed, that you study the process. Read “Promote Your Book” and “Talk Up Your Book” by Patricia Fry. Both available at Amazon in print, Kindle and audio and at most other online and downtown bookstores. If you are new to the publishing industry, please read “Publish Your Book.” It covers all publishing options for both fiction and nonfiction, helps you to choose the right one for you and your project and also goes into self-editing, marketing, distribution, etc.—everything you must consider before entering into this fiercely competitive publishing business.
All of these books are also available here: http://www.matilijapress.com