How To Market Yourself And Your Book
You finished your book and you’re ready to release it to the world. But here is the major question:
How are you going to market it?
There are millions of books that are published each year, and it is easy to get lost in the shuffle. Marketing is a challenge for writers because a good chunk of writers are introverted are introverted by nature and marketing is a process that requires a lot of extroversion, or the process of getting your book out there to the world. There is also a disconnect between art and commerce, where writing is the expression of one’s vulnerable self while marketing is dressing everything up in a package that’s supposed to appeal to a wide audience. That, and many writers assume they are done just because they have their book fully written, edited, and published.
Thankfully, there are ways to balance the desire to create your book and the desire to sell the book that you created.
An important aspect of marketing is networking with other writers. This is a good thing because even authors writing in different genres have common interests. Networking should also extend to potential readers who may have an interest in the writer’s book(s). In the age of social media, marketing should be done in person and online. Networking can help people find you and your book.
An important part of marketing is that you need to know your audience. Your book can’t just be “for everyone.” Every reader has different tastes and you will need to market based on those tastes. An online platform such as a blog or website helps to establish legitimacy to your author brand and there are a variety of social media applications that writers can take advantage of. Additionally, getting a mailing list will help inform readers about your current books as well as current ones you are writing. Using a site like Substack serves as a newsletter application that can reach out to readers.
A key element of marketing yourself and your book is that if you have your book published, it helps to have reviews. The higher review score, the more likely people will check out your book. This is where Advance Reader Copies, or ARCs, are helpful. They are helpful before you publish your book and you can give them to volunteers who can read your book and give you a review score after they are done. Reader copies can also be given out after the book is published. It is usually a good idea to give reader copies away before the publishing date.
Marketing yourself and your book is not easy. Marketing is one of the most challenging and most grueling parts of being a published author, but it can be done. The key is to never give up and to work smarter, not harder in the marketing process.
– MPLWG
Additional Resources:
University of Georgia – What Authors Don’t Know About Book Marketing
The Creative Penn – Overcoming the 7 Marketing Struggles Every Author Faces
Author Marketing Experts – Top 10 Challenges Authors Face When Marketing A Book – And The Solutions
Reedsy Blog – 12 Marketing Mistakes To Banish In 2023
Helping Writers Become Authors – How To Market Your Book-When You Hate Marketing