Hello everyone,
So this week sees the release of my latest novel, 'The Wilds'. It feels good to get a new novel out into the world, but of course now I am faced with the seemingly impossible task of promoting the book.
There are scores of books available on Amazon that tell you how to market you're books for guaranteed success. I know this because I have bought a lot of them myself. It seems to me that the only guaranteed way to be a success on Amazon is to write a book about how to be a success on amazon.
I of course try all of the different approaches set out in these book. ; blogs, Facebook, twitter, goodreads, press releases yadda yadda yadda!
My first book 'Beneath' was relatively successful on its first few months of release. Hitting the number one spot in it's category three times. This was more luck than judgement on my part. It was my first novel and I had little idea what I was doing. The thing is I have been unable to replicate that success with my subsequent releases.
It would appear to me that paid advertising and public appearances may be the key. However, if you are in the position I am, low income family with young child, it is not feasible to do these things. I am scheduled to be making public appearances this year, but as of yet don't have enough money to order copies of my books to sell and sign.
So is there an answer, or is self publishing merely a past time of those with the money to back it up? Personally I think there is some truth to the latter part. The vast majority of self published books are non fiction book written by people successful in that particular field, who can afford to market their books to a specific niche or need.
Fiction, however, does not, and should not, fit neatly into niches, and the only need it satisfies is the need to be entertained. This makes knowing where to market your book very difficult, because there are infinite possibilities.
What I have found out is that the cheapest way to market your books is to engage with people. If someone writes something nice about your book on Facebook, or twitter, you need to take the time to reply, and form a friendship with those people. If you do that, they are guaranteed, pretty much, to buy your next book, and to recommend you to their friends, and defend you from the attacks of trolls.
Engage in your community, I recently donated some copies of my books to the local library. Tomorrow I am going there to talk to a group of year 11 students who are studying horror at a local secondary school. I doubt these kids will have much money to buy my book, but if I can engage with them, and inspire them, then this is something that will stay with them for life. It is playing the long game.
Contact whatever local media you have, they will more than likely be willing to cover your story, it will more than likely get you a few sales, but it will also get your name out there in people's minds for free. Brand recognition. People might read an article about you in the local news paper, then in six month time stumble across your book on Amazon, and think oh yeah I remember that guy. And buy it.
As I say, the odds are stacked in favour of those who have the money to promote their work, but don't be disheartened if like me you can't afford it. Keep writing, keep plugging away, engage with people online and in your community, and slowly you will get there. A writing career is not a sprint, it's not even a marathon, it's an unending race around the world. Those who stop to talk to people will get bigger cheers at the end of the day.
