Are you promoting your novel? Or are you sitting around waiting for people to notice it? Are you more interested in writing the next story than promoting the one you’ve just published? This is pretty typical. It’s not a good idea, but it’s typical. And this is also the reason that way more books fail in the marketplace than succeed. This is why so many novels go unread and unnoticed, because there is no one promoting them. The fact is, when a book is not promoted, it will die.
Books, especially in this fiercely competitive publishing arena, must be touted, advertised, flaunted, plugged, publicized in order to be noticed. If no one knows the book exists, they won’t be buying it or borrowing it or even stealing it. It won’t be noticed and it won’t be read, making your efforts in writing it for naught.
Do you enjoy pursuing activities for naught? I wouldn’t think so. But if you write a book, go to the trouble of self-editing it, hiring an editor and getting it published, why wouldn’t you take the next majorly important step and introduce it to your readers? Why would you keep it a secret? Why wouldn’t you expend at least as much time and energy getting word out about your book as you did producing it?
For many of you, it’s because you just didn’t understand the publishing business. You didn’t know that books need to be promoted; that the number of books in the marketplace is growing as compared to the number of readers; that no one will know about your book unless someone tells them about it; that it is the author’s responsibility to promote his or her book.
I’d like to invite you to read my books, Publish Your Book and Promote Your Book. Every author should have booth books at his elbow throughout the writing and marketing phases of their projects. I recommend that you read Publish Your Book before you even start writing your novel, nonfiction book or children’s book. But it is never too late to get the education provided in this book. Study Promote Your Book early on, as well, in order to gain a clear understanding of book marketing and how to pursue it with regard to your particular book.
If you care about your book’s health, you will heed this message.
Publish Your Book, http://www.matilijapress.com/PublishYourBook.html
Promote Your Book, http://www.matilijapress.com/PromoteYourBook.html
Also available at Amazon.com in print, Kindle and audio and at most other online and downtown bookstores.