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Well my husband has finally done it. He has finished his book! He is trying to go the self publishing route and I was wondering if anyone had any advice as to how to market his book? He has made it available on Amazon (and also put it in the lending library for Amazon Prime members) and we have pimped it to all our friends and coworkers. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
Unfortunately, this is the problem with self-publishing: There's no mechanism for getting out the word. I recently hammered at a friend until I talked him into shelving his novel rather than self-publish.
I think the first question your husband needs to be asking himself is: What is my book about and who is the audience?
I don't know what Amazon Prime is, but logic would indicate that the more that people borrow it, the less that anyone will buy it.
Is it in ebook format? There are free programs out there to put it in ebook format and then it can be sold on Amazon or Nook. Some people I know are making money doing this.
I have the same problem of unable to market my book. Although it is available on Amazon and in ebook form, but it is unknown. Unfortunately, I dont have the cash for promotion and not savvy about facebook etc.
If you have the cash, you can buy publicity such as speak on radio talk show, etc. If you are IT savvy, you can also do blogging etc.
I've been self-published for over thirty years - successfully, and that includes music and photography, as well as novels and other books.
Cida is right; you need to find your target audience and then set your sails.
TV talk shows are enormously helpful, but you have to find the right kind of show, the one best suited to your material. If your husband is writing about gardening then a gardening show would be best, and so on.
Don't talk to receptionists and the rest of the people at the bottom of the ladder. You must find out who produces the show(s) and contact them directly, and know why (as in have an angle) you would be a good guest on their show. Find out what their agenda is. Find out the producer's interests. Find out what his executive assistant likes and doesn't. Some of this info can be gleaned from the Net and the rest you can get with a few well-placed phone calls.
Think of a name for your publishing house/company, and after registering it, use it to approach prime time TV shows. Expect it to take several weeks to a few months to book your first guest appearance, and if you have to, start small, as in local. Small is good if you're not comfortable in front of the camera, as that way you can goof up locally, LOL, and by the time you reach bigger audiences, you'll be a pro.
Put up a simple Web site and showcase your husband's book. If you need ideas you can look at my site and that of other authors and decide what best suits you.
TELL EVERYONE!
Don't forget your local newspaper(s). They're always looking for local artists and will invariably do a one-on-one interview with your husband, which will alert your area to what you're doing. If you live in a city then so much the better.
My husband and I were both with major record labels before we went 'Indy' (Independent) but didn't like the creative restrictions placed on us there. As for writing, I won the Brooke Bond Award in Britain (it's like the National Book Award here) when I was eleven and have been singing, playing, and writing all my life. We didn't choose to be independent because we were unknown, we weren't, we chose to be independent because we wanted artistic freedom, and thirty-five years later, I wouldn't do it any other way.
Once your husband has an interested audience, make sure you have an e-zine - a monthly newsletter that permits you to maximize what you're doing. If you want more info on that read the News page on my site. This way, you'll have a foundational readership that you can reach every year, thus insuring a steady income, which you'll need until you get going.
In my experience, determination and perseverance always prevail - God Willing, so go get 'em girl, and may God bless your efforts.
Thanks for advice! His is a fantasy book. He made if available for free for a few days on Amazon, and a ton of people down loaded. Hopefully they will actually read it too and then tell their friends.
Thanks for advice! His is a fantasy book. He made if available for free for a few days on Amazon, and a ton of people down loaded. Hopefully they will actually read it too and then tell their friends.
No one has mentioned Facebook or Twitter yet. There are a LOT of writers who have their own pages, or fan pages, on FB. And nearly all the ones I know of network and post any info about each other's books coming out. Blogs are great, too. Since it's a self published ebook, by all means use the web to spread the word!
And for all those who don't much follow these things, NPR had an interview with Amanda Hocking very recently. She started with a blog and switched to self publishing on Amazon. I have no idea if she has titles for the other ebook formats, but she's been spectacularly successful.
No one has mentioned Face book or Twitter yet. There are a LOT of writers who have their own pages, or fan pages, on FB. And nearly all the ones I know of network and post any info about each other's books coming out. Blogs are great, too. Since it's a self published ebook, by all means use the web to spread the word!
And for all those who don't much follow these things, NPR had an interview with Amanda Hocking very recently. She started with a blog and switched to self publishing on Amazon. I have no idea if she has titles for the other ebook formats, but she's been spectacularly successful.
Mm-hm, I forgot to mention Face book, Twitter and You Tube (sorry about that), which we link to from my Web site, and we also have a discussion forum which has been going strong for about twelve years now, so we make sure that we interconnect and network in every way possible - and let's not forget Linked In. All of these entities are terrific networking tools.
To be honest, I don't have time to personally manage my Face book and Twitter accounts, or even my discussion forum, but I do try to drop in once a week or so - it helps, as does putting up a new video or two on You Tube monthly.
I like to come here when I have a spare hour or so; it's a nice distraction and I like the people on CD.com. I suppose you could call it my personal indulgence, which I believe we all need in our lives if we're to stay sane.
When you write novels and produce an annual CD, DVD, and four calendars, as well a run a global orphan ministry, twenty-four-hour days pass with startling rapidity and it's nice (when it's possible) to chat with people who have something interesting to say. (I'm hopeless at 'small talk' and couldn't be less interested in it.)
I'm sure your husband's book will do well, but it's work, it's a lot of work - the writing is the FUN part!
May God bless you, Fireflychick; I'll keep you in my prayers.
Mahrie.
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