While sifting through the archives of several blogs that I now frequent, I came across a number of postings that deliberated the many ways an author can go about promoting their upcoming book. Some of these posts tell horror stories about book signings where the author showed up to find that, not only had no preparations been made for the actual event, but that the bookstore itself had no copies of the book to sell! Seems almost every author has this kind of story to tell, whether it’s a fiasco at a convention, conference, or otherwise.
But those teensy awkward moments aside, such signings, conference attendances and the like are part of the process of getting the word out there…specifically this word: BUY!
Or, if you want to get a little more specific and grant me two more words: Buy my book! (some people would include “friggin” in there, but obviously I only had a three word allowance)
So I’m going to put the occasional post up to reference these articles so that we might share the wisdom of those that have gone before and left little piles of rocks and snapped tree branches to show us the way. The trail can get rocky, foggy, and wolves can nip at our heels…but that’s all part of the joy of writing, right?
First up, a personal favorite who will soon be added to my webpage author list, David Louis Edelman, author of Infoquake (buy itttt…it will eat your brains, but still…buy itttt). Here are his posts.
How I Promoted My Book
How I Promoted My Book, Part 2
This guy is very comprehensive. He breaks his efforts into three categories:
– Promotional efforts that he believes made a difference.
– Promotional efforts that might have made a difference, but who can tell?
– Promotional efforts that made no discernable difference.
The top item that he recommends is, of course, building a website and blog well in advance of a book actually coming out. Woohoo, I’m on my way. You’ll also notice that he talks about trying to get his publishers to put ads into his book. I mentioned both my and his response to this potential future fad of marketing in this previous post. Lots of meaty material and ideas in these articles, so dig in. Read away even if you don’t have a book coming out anytime soon. It’s never too early to plant these ideas and let them set roots.
I see that smile.
I would never, ever, ever do book signings. I’d rather meet with Torquemada and let him apply thumb screws.
Okay, one exception: If I had a slavish and largish group of rabid fans who’d follow me to every signing–sort of like a literary set of DeadHeads–and therefore ensure that I will not be left there alone with stacks of books and no one talking to me except to ask how to get to the ladies room.
Yes. I don’t care if they dress weirdly and have green hair. It’s the devotion and attention to my every whim that would make it tolerable. 😀
Mir<-too introverted for public displays of fiction
Hey, it’d be fun to help out at one of your signings, especially if it meant I got to dress weird and dye my hair green. What better way to get people to wonder what’s going on? Besides, you can also blackmail people, right? You want to know where the bathrooms are, huh? Well, I’ll tell you, but only if you buy a copy of my book! Marketing genius.
The late Cheryl Porter (a romance writer who died too young) used to like to position her signing table right in the path to the loo. That way, she was in the midst of guarateed traffic pattern. Of course, Cheryl had been a very humorous and extroverted gal who could chat up a petrified log.
Mir<--not good at chit-chat
I’ve generally known petrified logs to be well-versed conversationalists, myself. As for where to set up the table…take it one step further. Stick the table in the stall itself. Guarantees their undivided attention once they sit down. Oh! And you could order toilet paper with the cover of your book printed on it.