Getting Your Book Noticed – How to Promote a Self-Published Book

Self-publishing a book is not easy. On the contrary, it’s rather difficult and overwhelming. You are totally in charge of designing an attractive and professional looking cover design, making sure that your book’s interior layout is likewise professional and up to the industry standard’s, you must edit and proofread your book extensively to ensure proper grammar and spelling, and most of all, you have to write a great story about your topic! After this lengthy process, most authors will find themselves exhausted and ready for a break.

Well, it doesn’t come just yet. Now you will need to put all of your efforts and energies into one thing: promoting your new book. Unless you have the money to hire a publicist or a marketing firm, you’re on your own here too. Try not to be discouraged by this news, since the internet is such a breeding ground for opportunity and I’m happy to tell you there are endless ways to generate buzz for your book.

The following list are the top questions that most first time self-published authors have on their minds after reading that:

• “How do I get attention for my book?”
• “How much does it typically cost to get my book noticed?”
• “Who should I approach for promotion opportunities?”

1. The answer the first question is very broad. This can depend a lot on what your particular subject and format actually are. For example, if you’re promoting a self-published ebook then you will probably want to devote most of your marketing efforts to online ventures. For print books, in person events and touring may be better options.
2. The answer to this will vary significantly depending on where you are featuring your book. To be honest with you, online buzz and attention from the media should never cost you anything. These things should be free, because the organization or person hosting your book has decided it is noteworthy enough to create an engaging story which will mutually benefit them as well as yourself. The only thing which is really worth paying for to promote your book (in my opinion) is press release distribution. You should definitely start out your marketing plan with a concise news/press release and pay a professional company to distribute news about your book to media outlets. This usually has surprisingly positive results, but only if your story is captivating enough to catch people’s attention and your press release was written sharply and to the point. Never pay to have your book reviewed!
3. The answer to this will be specific to the type of book you have written, but there are some general answers that will help all authors. First and foremost, connect with other writers and authors! Network with your contacts and grow your social network to find new opportunities. Think of any organizations, clubs, associations or businesses that might be interested in the subject of your book/writing. That can be a great way to land a public speaking opportunity, or snag an invitation to do a book reading. Book bloggers are a great source of attention for books online also. Always be sure to read their review policy thoroughly before contacting them to pitch your book to them. Make sure they accept your genre and then write them a personalized email with a brief synopsis of your book’s plot, and a polite request for a spot on their to-read and review list. Find websites, podcast shows, online radio shows, local newspaper columnists and pitch your book to them also. Just always remember to make sure you are sending your pitch to the correct person.

As you can imagine, these few questions are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to marketing your self-published book. However, try all of the ideas discussed here and you will have made considerable progress in gaining some publicity and exposure for your new book. Best of luck to everyone!

Ashly Lorenzana is a self-published author of a memoir, and works as a freelance writer online as well. Her specialty is marketing copy, particularly press and news releases. If your company or business needs a punchy and memorable piece of writing to catch the attention of the media, Ashly’s press release writing service is the ideal solution for any small to medium sized business. Her list of clients have used her freelance writing services for everything from editing to article marketing, web research and note organization to branding and naming suggestions for new products and company slogans. Visit her site for more info: Article Marketplace

Author: Ashly Lorenzana
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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