You’ve written your book, rewritten it, rewritten it, had it edited, cover designed, beautifully produced and published, it looks gorgeous. Nobody is buying it.
I have been self publishing since 2012 (only 3 books so far) but surprisingly maybe I’ve never before had to find a marketing stategy, perhaps because my first two books are non fiction.
I have however read everything there is to know about marketing, becoming an entrepreneur, building a platform, creating your brand and all those other ghastly business-oriented terms. I have also discovered some useful things, such as:
- Marketing that works for one author doesn’t necessarily work for another.
- Marketing that works for one kind of book doesn’t always work for another.
- Non fiction is easier to market than fiction.
- Above all it’s vital to find a strategy that you are comfortable with. If you are physically unable to accost people in the street or tell everyone you come upon from bus drivers to checkout people about your book (as am I), then don’t. Think of something else.
- Try and make it fun.
To this end I am for the first time trying some online promotion sites for my 1920s novel The Unlikely Adventures of Claudia Faraday, beginning tomorrow, December 19. I’ll be blogging about my progress.
Patsy Trench
[email protected]
