Fellow blogger, Lauri Kubuitsile, led me to this excellent article, “Should I Tweet?” It’s not specifically about Twitter, but it is about the importance of marketing within the literary world. Let’s face it — the job of a writer today is twofold: (1) write the best damned book you can and (2) become a marketing whiz. I think anyone who has ever written a book and gone through the incredibly difficult process of actually getting someone to publish it will tell you that that job was easy compared to finding a way to market it.
This article really hit home and I urge you to read it. To be honest, it didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know, but it did confirm it. And it assured me that, actually, this marketing hyperactivity really is nothing new. It has always been this way, from Dickens to Walt Whitman. But I have spent most of the past few months marketing A Clash of Innocents as fast as my little fingers could type. It always feels like an uphill battle. Nonetheless, I’ve come to know that regardless of how wonderful and proactive your publisher is — and Ward Wood is wonderful and proactive — it is the writer who must ultimately sell his/her book. The fact that the two jobs require such divergent skill sets is unfortunate, but it doesn’t mitigate the truth of the situation. We all know what it takes to write. But what does it take to market? Here’s my list:
* Creativity: Be as creative in your marketing strategies as you are in your writing
* Nerve: Don’t be afraid to talk to strangers and don’t be shy about putting your work into the hands and under the eyes of everyone you can meet
* Computer Literacy: embrace the internet and all its networking functions They are the wave of the future, not to mention the present
* Time Management: Decide what works most efficiently for you and spend most of your marketing time doing that rather than using the scatter gun approach of doing a million little things
* Realistic Goals: understand what you can realistically expect from your publication, in terms of money, career advancement, professional development, and then learn to be happy with it
* Energy: It will take lots of it.
* Honesty: Both with yourself and others. Be who you are and do what makes sense for you, as much or as little as that may be. Everything else will then fall into place.
Can you add to the list?
(PS the photo above is me at the London Book Fair ’09)
Nice post, Sue.
In the UK I suspect you also need reassurance that it’s not wrong to talk about yourself and push your work. In principle I’m a shameless self-publicist, but even I get twinges of ‘they’ll think I’m pushy, I’d better not’. Be bold.
Absolutely, Brian. we need not to be embarrassed by our efforts.
Sue I’m learning so much from how you are marketing your newest book. You’re doing a great job and all of us must take some lessons from you.
Yes, Brian, you need to get past humble. This is YOUR book in any case.
Thanks, Lauri. It’s an uphill struggle, but one we all have to take, eh?
Decide what works most efficiently for you and find out what works (which might not be easy). Sending out review copies may be expensive and (sales-wise) a waste of time. Trying to convince a bookshop to take copies may be stressful and a waste of time.
Try killing 2 birds as often as you can – when you send out invites for a book launch, remember that the invitation is also an advert for the book.
A friend or spouse might enjoy doing some parts of marketing that authors might feel to vulnerable to try.
Don’t restrict yourself to literary marketplaces – if your poetry book’s about farmlife, try selling it to farmers.
Litrefs: Yes! Yes! This is one of the hardest, I find. Discovering which works most efficiently for you. Also, not restricting yourself to literary marketplaces. That’s key! Thanks, and thanks for stopping by.
Litrefs – The books sent out for review are normally sent out by the publishers. We do send out about 50 books for review, it is expensive, and of those books sent a lot won’t lead to a review.
We’re taking more time to find out who definitely wants to review the books as this will make the expense of review copies more worthwhile.
Promoting to bookshops has also been a massive effort, and has resulted in support by quite a satisfying number of shops so that was surprising and heartening. The bookshops are partly encouraged to stock a book if press articles are also appearing so my tip is to work on the two together. Local newspapers and radio are very supportive, and local bookshops will often stock the books to go with media coverage.
It really works if authors back this up by going into their local bookshops, as many as they can find in a reasonable radius from their home, and offering their own author signed copies on a sale or return basis. Our authors have all managed to do this, and bookshops will often put signed copies on a main table or even in the window.
Every author loves to have books in traditional bookshops – and a reasonable percentage of books are sold this way. But most sales are people buying from online booksellers. So Sue’s ideas for blog tours and writing interesting articles linking to her book sales are important.
We shouldn’t be too modest as Brian says, but people want to read something interesting in online posts – not just ‘join my fan page’ or ‘buy my book’ which so many do. Writers are especially good at coming up with posts we’re tempted to read though – like Sue’s one here! I think Sue is a great example of how to approach marketing as an author.
I’ve never had to market anything, but it looks like it takes a lot of effort. Worthwhile though too.
I think a problem in the UK is that some books are sold so cheaply. The playing field isn’t level. Independent publishers and booksellers suffer. Legislation should be passed so that all books cannot be sold for say less than £7.99 and book offers, such as three for two, should be stopped.
Oh that must the the picture I took then? Are you promoting my photography career for me?
I always think I should keep a note of posts like this for the day (if there ever is one) when I might need it.
Thanks for the info Adele. I know of publishers who only send out PDFs as review copies nowadays.
I managed to get a local lit mag into bookshops long ago, but since then the independents have shut down and the biggies have become more centralised. I’m more involved with poetry than prose. I can’t see a poetry pamphlet pushing the latest blockbuster aside.
I’ve heard of people making steady sales at outlets like cathedral shops, etc. But as you say, it’s worth trying lots of different routes. A mention in the TLS or Woman’s Hour might sell half a dozen copies but a chance Talent Show at work might clear the loft of a box or 2.
People don’t tend to want PDFs as review copies, even when the post to their country is unreliable.
The other problem with that is that review copies are normally sent to an editor, who then sends it out to a writer. I write reviews myself this way.
Writing reviews isn’t the best paid work, although I’ve always enjoyed doing it, but I don’t think I would unless I had the book. Wouldn’t want to spend more hours on computer.
It’s heartening to know some publishers can save costs this way and that some publications will review from PDF.
Thanks for your great piece. I absolutely agree. 12 months ago I thought that it was enough that my books and poems were in the world, believing they would magically find the audience they deserved. I was wrong. I think you need to do everything you can as a writer to get the word out there, facebook, twitter, the whole thing. Thanks for spreading the word, Anthony Wilson, http://www.anthonywilson.posterous.com
Anthony: Thanks so much for coming by. I’ll also have a new poetry collection coming out in February, and I’m learning that, just like pop stars,it’s all about personal appearances. We also have to take the time and expense to get the show on the road. I just checked out your website. It’s nice to now know of you and your work.