19

Sep

Marketing Your Published Writing

Writing is a four step process. Firstly you need to write. That’s the obvious one. If you haven’t written anything forget about the other steps. Secondly you need to edit. Proofread it yourself and possibly pass to others to check for anything you have missed. You don’t want your book to be riddled with spelling mistakes when released. The next step is publishing. You need to find a publisher who will give their time and care to your work. Alternatively you can self publish in print or as an online e-book. When your book is finally on the shelves (real or virtual) you need to market your work. Unless you already have proven success as a writer your book is not going to automatically sell overnight. Probably. Therefore you need to sell your book to others by promoting it.

Here are some tips in marketing your book:

The media. Contact local television and radio stations. It is possible they will invite you onto their programme for an interview. Similarly contact local newspapers. They are always in need of a good story and what better than one of their local townsfolk becoming a published author. Sell yourself to the audience. Explain what inspired you, share extracts from your work, leave the audience wanting more.

Social media. In this internet savvy age there is now more scope than ever before to market yourself. Sites such as Facebook are a great way to share your achievements and interact with your audience. A lot of celebrities interact with their fans through social media and it earns them a lot of respect. Do the same. Just because you have published a book doesn’t mean you are suddenly better than everybody else. Be approachable, answer questions, encourage feedback. Get to know your readers.

Your Author Page. There are a lot of book marketplaces online, such as Amazon, who are set up to sell your book with a click of a button. Therefore you need to attract readers by telling them more about yourself. They don’t need to know your life story (save that for your autobiography) but create something that is short and concise. The same applies to your book description. Create something that will capture people’s attention. Give them a reason to click the ‘Buy’ button.

Book readings. Celebrate the release of your book with others. Contact local book stores and writing groups to organise readings of your book. This again is a great way to have personal contact with your public. In your readings choose extracts that are going to leave the reader wanting more. Don’t give away the plot but tell the reader just enough to encourage them into buying your book.