There's No Business Like Show Business

Promotion.

Don’t bother trying to run; it won’t do you any good. We’ve touched upon this topic several times here at Romancing the Muses, most recently just a few weeks ago when Jacquelyn had over a guest poster to discuss the nature of the beast. Unless you’re one of those people who loves pushing their product out into an already saturated market, promotion is likely the bane of your existence. It’s certainly the bane of mine. And yet, with every release, you have to ask yourself: “How can I expect people to buy it if I don’t let them know it’s there?”

When you’re a relatively unknown author, even if you do have a handful of past publications to your name, you can’t rely on notoriety to sell your book for you, especially in a market where every story has been written eighteen different ways, and that’s only since yesterday. But here’s the kicker: good promotion is like fine dining – it usually ain’t free. You’ve heard in order to make money, you must spend money. In order to clean up, you need to make a mess. That’s the way it goes. You spend on bookmarks, collectibles, gift cards for giveaways, shipping and handling, hard copies, conventions, and so on. What you pay might triple what you make, but in the process you gain readers, fans, meet fellow authors, develop business contacts, cultivate groups, and so on. The payoff might take a while to see, but I promise it’ll be hard to miss.

The best promotion, however, is being available. Twitter, Facebook, emails, blogging, etc. Make yourself the person everyone wants to meet. And, of course, writing. Developing a backlist is essential. Write so much a reader can’t visit a new website without seeing a new upcoming release with your name on the cover. Try to conquer the fear of over-saturation. Make that your challenge, and I can damn well guarantee you’ll see results.

I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and dog-gonnit, people like me.

I got into a Twitter discussion on Friday about when it was appropriate to begin marketing your material. Over the past two years, I’ve had five releases and, despite doing very little marketing on my own (being the newbie I was) have enjoyed a moderate amount of success. No, not everyone knows my name, and those who do, I think, are more likely to go, “Oh, yeah, I’ve heard of her.” Definitions of success vary across the board, and the sort to which I’m referring falls mostly in the “hey, I made a bit of money and got several good reviews!” category.

All this being said, I’m fairly certain that, had I done a bit more marketing—had I even known where to begin—I would have fared a little better. As everything in life, though, you take what you learn based on experience and interactions and apply them toward future endeavors. Therefore, with any upcoming releases—hell, any upcoming anything—I plan to be vocal. Will Project A be contracted? Well, of course I don’t know that now, but I’d like to think it has a shot. Either way, getting my name out there in the blogoverse, posting excerpts, sharing progress, and yes, doing a bit of self-promo even before I have something to sell will help both generate an audience for my work and boost sales once it does hit the bookshelf.

Some people may see this as overly-confident. I prefer to think I’m hopeful. I’ve also witnessed, over the past few months, how an author with no releases can amount public opinion, reader interest, and respect even before having signed a contract. There is an author I know on Twitter whose debut publication was released in January. She worked her butt off getting acquainted with other authors and keeping potential readers posted on her progress. Before she had anything to sell, her name was all over the place. And because I am also published at her house, I know her release was an instant best seller. That’s not to say you can’t sit back and hope everyone falls in love with your blurb (that’s what I did, after all), but of the two options available, I’d go the other way. You have little to lose.

Authors don’t just market their work, they market themselves. You have to have confidence in order to put your work on the line. Therefore, I encourage all authors, established and aspiring, to get their name “out there.” Befriend other authors, chat with readers, talk about yourself and your work and listen when others do the same. There’s very little being open and friendly can do to hurt your chances with success.

You Probably Think This Post Is About You

In this industry, self-advertising is a big key to success. New releases are issued every week by numerous e-pubs, and unless you have a built-in audience, it’s easy to disappear in the mass. For a new author, this can be incredibly overwhelming, and likewise, it can take a few publications before you get the swing of how to promote yourself and your work.

Here are a few ways a new author can get their name “out there”:

1) Set up a Twitter account.
2) Set up a FaceBook account.
3) Create a free blog.
4) Create a website.
5) Contact other authors.

There is nothing more rewarding for an author than being approached by someone who has read what you’ve written and enjoyed it. It can forge truly rewarding relationships within the writing community.

Another way to get your name out there is to offer free writing samples. Aside from synopses and blurbs, offer some free short stories or glimpses into an upcoming work.

You are the key to your success. What you do or don’t do will determine your future in the publishing world.