Marketing And Publicity Tips For Self Promotion

By Gloria Jennings

If you write a book, chances are you want it to be successful in order that you are able to continue writing for a living. When you just start out, it may be difficult to be able to afford public relations services to promote your book. So how do you get your work known on little-to-no budget?

Some authors have realized there is a great need for information about writing books. They have therefore, cleverly, written books about how to advertise the book you have written. The tips in the books may or may not be useful, but what IS useful is how you have learned about their book in the first place. Make your own web page and fan site. No one needs to know that you do not have dedicated fans doing this for you. Write a blog. Make a funny video and put it on YouTube. Advertise on your social networking sites. Make your technology (especially free technology!) work for you.

If you are a small town author, it is all the better. Living in a big city gives you access to the biggest publishers and agents, but writing a book there is no great news for anyone. In a small town you are far more likely to be noticed. The newspaper will want to interview you, the local news station will do a story on you, book stores may want you in for a book signing. Take advantage of every single one of these opportunities, because they will not come around again.

You want to give just enough information about the book to make people interested. Do not talk too much about it or give anything away. Be a professional and think about the business of you. Every story or interview is just like a job interview. Do not say anything off-color or make stupid jokes. You do not want to risk alienating a single person. Make sure you are well spoken but do not try to sound 'too smart' and risk sounding like an idiot when no one has any clue about what you are talking about. Not everyone knows critical theory or the Laconian or Derrida point of view. Keep it simple and entertaining.

You must play on everyone's memories of you. Talk about the town's influence on your writing, or your high school, or other local celebrities in order to give a place pride. Be humble. Remember that people will know your parents or remember you from school and will be eager to see what you have done.

Do not be afraid to put up fliers and do television spots. Network as much as you can, cash in favors, and do not burn any bridges. You will need as much help as you can get in moving your publicity up to the next level. - 29184

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