The Writer's Workshop To make sure that your book reaches its audience, sells a large number of copies and makes you famous, and fodder for People magazine, you will need to devote time to promotion, a dirty word amongst many writers, but one that is essential to accomplishing all of the above.
Even if your publisher bankrolls most or part of the promotion, you should make sure to get involved in the process, because it’s very likely you know better than they do who is the audience for the book. And if your publisher puts few resources into promotion, then you will have to get involved to make sure to get the word out about your book.
I’d like to give you a brief overview from an author’s perspective of how best to use your precious time and money to launch your book.
COMING UP WITH A PLAN
–How much money can you and your publisher put into promotion? Do you have an advance for this? Don’t put yourself in debt to do this, but even $1000 can make a big difference.
–How much time can you spend on promotion? A month? Three months? A year? Three months is probably a good time line for most authors, as this is the window most magazines and newspapers use in deciding whether to review a book.
–Be realistic. It would be wonderful to generate as much buzz as possible, but it’s impossible to get all of it. Pick the low-hanging fruit, ie. Local media, niche media, friends and colleagues.
–Come up with a reasonable plan prior to the release of the book. Once it comes out, you may be overwhelmed with readings, interviews, emailing, etc., so you won’t have the time to look farther ahead. You can always modify along the way though, especially as you learn what are the best venues, the possibilities of getting paid for reading and speaking, and publications most interested in your work.
I’ll have more on organizing a book tour in future blog posts. It’s a wild ride!
