Publishing News Roundup Series: How to Market When You’re Not Good at Marketing
by Maureen Crisp • April 17, 2017 • Follow
Published in News • No comments
Writers are amazing at what they do. The struggle with self-published authors is how to do the other things that come along with publishing your book.
By other things, we mean illustration, sales, and most importantly-marketing. Marketing is essential for a self-published author’s work to be bought, read, and appreciated. But how does one market successfully if they know nothing about marketing?
Marketing The Writer
This week all the different ways to market seem to be discussed everywhere. Authors are always stuck when it comes to marketing. Marketing is a mindset and suits an extroverted personality. A lot of authors are introverted so marketing books can be a real trial let alone marketing themselves.
Kris Rusch responded to a question about author newsletters this week with a thoughtful blog about why she feels uncomfortable about them. You might feel the same way.
Anne R Allen also was thinking about author marketing mindsets and wondering if a blog was a better way than a newsletter.
Donna Galenti explores some of the rookie mistakes that authors make when they first try to market themselves. Tip. Start before the book launch.
Writers know how to write but do they know how to write marketing copy? Joanna Penn has a great interview with Joanna Wiebe on tips and tricks to help you write marketing copy for your books.
Sonja Yoerg wrote a guest post for Writer Unboxed unpicking the love-hate relationship many authors have with Goodreads. Is Goodreads your friend?
Buffer had an interesting article on Google Plus for marketing. People often forget that this website is a direct link into a Google search engine.
Chris Lavergne’s publishing business is directly to young mobile professionals. He explores the way his business has been growing in a great article on Techcrunch. Short books are the way to go… and Print is for luxury books with an appropriate mark up. This seems to be flying in the face
of publishing accepted practice so how come his business is expanding in leaps and bounds? Porter explores what Chris is doing and offers his perspective on it.
of publishing accepted practice so how come his business is expanding in leaps and bounds? Porter explores what Chris is doing and offers his perspective on it.
Alison Morton recently wrote on the Alli blog about what constitutes a marketing success. Are writers guilty of only seeing traditional publishing bestseller numbers without understanding what a break even point might be. Maybe it’s not too hard to get a bestseller after all.
In The Craft Section,
Common writer entry level mistakes– Larry Brooks- Bookmark
Writing habits we can’t fix– Jami Gold- Bookmark
How to right size your book– Anne R Allen
5 qualities of a brilliant story– Roz Morris
Writing voice lessons– Paula Munier- Bookmark
The biggest reason for storytelling– K M Weiland
How to write when the going gets tough– Litreactor
April – a month of story ideas- Scott Myers- Bookmark
Improve Book Descriptions– Jane Friedman-LBF17- Bookmark
25 habits that will make you a writer.- Bookmark
How to avoid the telling trap– Marcy Kennedy
In The Marketing Section,
Sorting out your media book pitch– The Book Designer- Bookmark
How to promote a series– Bookmark
10 ways to increase your book sales– Karen Dimmick.
17 ways to use ibook author right now– Bradley Metrock
Get over your marketing resistance– Author U-Bookmark
Joanna Penn’s keynote at LBF17 on making money with your books- Bookmark
To Finish,
Are we guilty of snobbery when it comes to Book Marketing? Is our mindset a build it and they will come attitude? Does it work? And what about the writers who think that other genre writers are somehow a lesser breed? Mandy Hager, one of New Zealand’s best writers for Young Adults puts her finger right on a problem that many writers pretend they don’t have. Are all writers equal? Is it a fault of marketing?
Maureen
@craicer
About Maureen Crisp
Maureen Crisp has been writing her weekly publishing roundups for over seven years. She is a traditionally published children's author as well as indie-published. She lives in New Zealand and is heading the team organising the 4th National Conference of Children's Writers and Illustrators. She is currently trying her hand at writing a children’s book series if she can drag herself away from forever tweaking her Mars novel or obsessing over space.