Marketing Your Book

My granddaughter is in the next room watching cartoons under the watchful eye of my 16-year-old.  I could think of no better time to write my blog.  I salute you if you get your book published.  You have achieved something millions of others have only dreamed of doing.  Now it is my duty to tell you your work is just beginning.  It is time to market your book.  You can hire a company to do it if you have the money.  But you’re never going to see that money again.  In the long run, it will still come down to you marketing your book.  Here are some different methods:  1) blogs:  There are many blogs out there specializing in your type of writing.  Every day they need something new to post.  Contact them.  If you contact enough of them, one is sure to have an opening for an interview, excerpt, blurb, character interview, or article from you.  Then they plug your book on their site to all of their readers.  2)  You could do a book review.  Again, you would proposition the blogs about reading your book in return for an honest review.  These are harder to find and usually take a while of waiting in line before they can get to you.  In the end, you get a review and stars next to your book on whatever web site you’re selling on currently.  3) Get your books on the shelf of an independent book store.  This is really a win for you if you can pull this off.  But be careful.  You supply the books but the store sets the price.  In the end you could end up losing money, as was the case with me.  If everything works then see if you can do a book signing.  You will need to buy additional books and assorted print materials from a print shop.  It’s a great way to meet your audience   Also pictures can go up on Facebook and your own web address.  There’s nothing new here.  I didn’t reinvent the wheel.  These are just proven methods of marketing you can do yourself.  Good luck to you