Why Authors Have to Help Sell Their Own Books

Writers Can Actively Promote and Market Their Stories

Sep 24, 2009

A solid marketing action plan will attract first an editor, and then readers - and should help writers to make money from their books and associated services.

Once upon a time, writers felt that once they had handed a book over to a publisher, their work was done. All they had to do was sit back and wait until it hit the bookstores, and the money would roll in. (Well, perhaps not roll in... perhaps it would be more of a trickle, via twice-yearly royalty payments.) If they were lucky, their editor would assign a publicist to create an ad or two, and if they were really lucky they'd get help with a book launch.

Those days are pretty much over. Money is tight, and publishers rely on authors to do a lot more of the work promoting their books. Admittedly, with high-speed modems and wireless access readily available, it is much easier for authors to bring the attention of the world to both their books and associated writing services (such as a author talks, writing workshops, critique services and so on).

Online Promotion of Books and Writing Services

Writers have a wide range of options to bring attention to themselves on the Internet. They can:

Blogging software is very easy to use: the most widely known is Blogger, which was bought by Google. Writers can create a blog in just a few minutes. If they take care to make regular, interesting posts and to link to other good blogs and websites, they will gradually build up a following. Readers and other writers will link to their blog, and the number of Google links will grow. Authors can upload photos of their book covers and details of their book launches to a blog. WordPress is another blogging option: WordPress software is very popular and easy to use. Writers can create a blog on the WordPress site, if they'd prefer not to have a website of their own.

Building a website is also much easier than it once was. Authors can use a site that provides ready-built templates when they register a domain name (website name) or build their own site from scratch. XSitePro web-building software is extremely easy to use: a website can be created within minutes, then uploaded to the site where writers have registered their website name.

While not everyone has the time or inclination to do regular posts on Twitter and/or Facebook, it is possible to win a lot of 'followers' who will be interested in whatever the writer does. Via these social networking sites, a lot of people who might not otherwise have heard of an author's books will find out about them.

Forums and discussion lists not only allow writers to network - and therefore find out a lot more about how the publishing industry works - they make other writers aware of the author's existence. A forum post can lead to other writers or readers checking out a writer's blog, and then spreading the word. Finally, don't overlook the power of a book trailer. if a writer can do a good job on a book trailer, this can garner lots of 'hits' and lead to increased book sales as well as a higher public profile.

Admittedly, it will be a lot easier for a talented writer to be taken on by a publisher than one who is competent but not outstanding. However, what happens if an editor is faced with a choice between two manuscripts: one from someone who is active on the Internet and already has a following, and one from a writer who is simply waiting to be discovered? No prizes for guessing... the publisher will take on someone who is interested in actively promoting their own books. It might not be the way a writer wishes the world could be, but that's the way it is.

Offline Promotion of an Author's Work

What about offline promotion? Is there no hope for writers who admit to being a "technical tragic"?

Luckily, people do still take notice of the print media! (Otherwise writers would be in trouble, because e-book readers are still well outnumbered by books made from paper.) Writers can try the following means of drawing attention to their work:

The more action a writer takes to make the general public familiar with his or her name, the more the word will spread. Authors can gradually build up a profile that will not only help to sell existing books, but influence publishers to say 'yes' to the next book.

The copyright of the article Why Authors Have to Help Sell Their Own Books in Resources for Writers is owned by Marg McAlister. Permission to republish Why Authors Have to Help Sell Their Own Books in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.