It’s Sunday afternoon, and it’s raining cats and dogs. Which makes this afternoon even more melancholic than Sunday ones traditionally are. So, I decided to get some work done, hoping to forget the sad weather outside (on the upside, the garden badly needed some watering. This is me seeing the silver lining in everything).
I ran into this post on the London Book Fair on the Creative Penn, which really sums up some book marketing tips that most of us already know and/or are trying to do. I will go through the most important ones, along with my thoughts:
- Write for an audience and stick with it. In other words, build a brand (name, cover design, fonts, genre etc) and promote it as your unique selling point. This means I am already in the wrong, because apart from fantasy and sci-fi, I have written also children’s books – which I am having illustrated and plan to publish late May. Apparently, authors should undertake new genres when they are already known for their main genre and have acquired a fan base. I will let you know how my approach goes!
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The next one is to write, write, write – most people need at least ten books before they start making a living as an author. Obviously, this needs a lot of work and dedication – and I think that my wife, dog and two cats will probably have some objections of their own, which I will have to take into account!
- Start your an email list, and use at least one means of social media. I’m not terribly fond of email lists, but I may have to reconsider. As for social media, I’m already on Facebook, Twitter and Linked in – not to mention this very blog.
- Allow time in the market: patience is usually a virtue of mine. Well, often. OK, Not so much. Still, I know all about organic growth – I am a web developed with over 20 years of experience, after all. During all of which time, I’ve been telling my clients, “your website will need time to become popular, be patient”. Now that I have to endure said patience and serenity, I can’t believe how hard it is to actually follow my own advice –I think that next time I will be much more understanding towards my clients!
- Work, work, work: apparently the idea of a ‘9 to 5’ writing schedule is not going to work. You need to work and pursue your efforts pretty hard. Then again, it’s Sunday evening and I am writing a blog post, checking at the same time whether a client’s website is up and running (they’ve been having some server-related problems).
- Connect with other authors (and be kind and helpful with them). It ties in nicely with one of my favourite sayings; that you need to help 100 people succeed before you, too, deserve success. Still, I’m overwhelmed me at how many authors I’ve met in the Indie scene have been nothing but supporting and caring towards me – and how there doesn’t seem to be competition. So, I’ve grown to love this sense of community!
Read the original post on the London Book Fair 2014 on the Creative Penn.
Reblogged this on Becoming an Independent Contractor in Public Health Research.
Reblogged this on WRITER'S BLOG and commented:
Book Marketing Tips – reblogged this from Nicholas C. Rossis
Reblogged this on Dropped Pebbles and commented:
Some excellent points to consider when marketing your books…
Reblogged this on theowlladyblog.
Thank you so much for the reblog! 🙂
Do your ten books all have to be within the one genre too? Im not so sure on this point… surely if you write within other genres you are increasing your marketability, as you are presenting yourself to a wider audience. I am a reader as well as a writer, and I certainly read widely across ALL genres, as I suspect most people do… why typecast and limit yourself? As an Indie you can do pretty much what you want… Id love you to prove this point wrong.
Erm, I really don’t know; I’ve been wondering the same thing. Perhaps Charles can tell us (he’s about to publish his fifth story, but I’m not sure whether it’s in the same series or not).
I agree wholeheartedly with you that we should not be so quick to limit our freedom. As you know, I’m preparing my children’s book for publication; a completely new genre for me, but one I love writing in. Therefore, I, too, would love to prove this point wrong! 😀
Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog….. An Author Promotions Enterprise!.
Thank you so much for the reblog! 🙂
Reblogged this on Book World Marketing and commented:
Joanna Penn has always been one of my favorites! “you need to help 100 people succeed before you, too, deserve success”
Thank you for the reblog! The Book World Marketing contains some wonderful posts on the subject; I’m honored you included mine as well. 🙂
Reblogged this on How To Ebook.
Thanks for the reblog Sylvia. As you’re quite the book marketing expert, I’m glad you enjoyed the post! 🙂
Great post Nikola! Your dog is so cute it’s unreal. It must be hard when it’s time for walkies and it starts pestering you LOL. 9-5 writing is just not possible for indie authors who much be marketers as well. Perhaps J.K. Rowling is luckier than us on this respect. I have no qualms following the same tactic as you. I have a children’s book and some chicklit in the piplelines plus a touch of non-fiction too so I’ll have one hell of a go confusing people about what type of writer I am LOL. Let’s show them how it’s done, that’s what I say 🙂
Meli? She just… sits there… staring at you, with those puppy eyes of hers (she’s 10, the little monster, but still has puppy eyes).
Whatever you do, it must be working, as you made it to the finalists in the Indie Author Land competition – congrats! Yea! 😀 I read all about it on https://effrosinimoss.wordpress.com/2014/04/14/another-success-for-the-necklace-of-goddess-athena/
Great advice and great original article. I love that saying about 100 people. Chuckled at the 9-5 thing too, I’d be consider myself very lucky if I had that much time for writing. I get 11-2 most week days during term time. On the up side, only six more books to go until I can start beating myself up for not making a living. Mwahahahahahargh! I so get you about the patience thing. I have very little, myself.
Cheers
MTM
Well, I’ve still got 8 to go, so… 🙂
Until I’m done with the beta reader’s feedback and final edits, you and me both. 🙂