Writers: Marketing your book-traditional or newer methods? (+BQ)?

[Gemi]

So, I've been talking with my hubby about this interesting way to market our novels online and I was wondering if you guys plan to create new ways to market your books or if you'll use some traditional methods.

The problem non-published writers have is that they have no platform (visibility/reputation of author), for the publishers to work with since they've never been published. So publishers often turn down new writers b/c they don't have a pre-established platform. It's sort of a catch 22 b/c you need a reputation to get published but your reputation as a writer typically comes AFTER being published.

Anyway, the typical forms of marketing (which have irregular results per author/case), are:

A) book signings (which usually prove useless to new authors)
B) speaking engagements
C) submitting pre-written interview questions w/ answers to interested news mediums
D)blogs, author/social networking websites (like facebook or other author's sites).
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1)So would you choose any of these traditional methods? Why or why not?

2) If you aren't adept at public speaking engagements and choose internet publicizing, how would you set yourself apart from others? (Don't need to give actual ideas just what you'd do to be different)

3) Have you thought up an innovative way to market your story?

4) Would you market before you published your book so as to build anticipation or wait until after publication (assuming you already had a deal with a publisher)?

BQ: Have you ever owned a pair of polka-dotted undies?
BQ2: Would you eat hairy spider for $100,000 if the venom was removed?
BQ3: Have you ever felt embarrassed licked stamps/envelopes in front of people? lmao
BQ4: How would you react if you saw someone picking their nose in the lane next to you if you were sitting at a traffic light?
@Joss: It's not a myth. Of course there are exceptions to the general rule. Every author will tell you that you won't hit it big, for instance, with your debut novel but there have been rare cases where this has happened. But as it stands, publishers will be far less inclined to publish a writer if they don't have an author platform or aren't capable of marketing their material (some writers refuse-for instance and many amateur writers expect the publisher to do it all). So for fiction it's also important that the writer has begun to establish a name for themselves prior to publishing (by story submissions in magazines, competitions, etc). This is especially true for non-fiction writers, as you said-because they need credentials to be considered "experts" on the topic they're writing about.

I just wanted to point out that this isn't false. Expectations may also vary per publisher but don't claim this isn't true because the fact of the matter is that it happens a lot. And the reason i
is due to the fact that the book publishing industry is dwindling due to the economic recession, changes in consumer fads (less people reading), etc. So publishers are now more concerned about risk liability in terms of taking on an unknown/un-established author than they were 40 years ago. But if the new author has a platform established already, they're chances just increased exponentially.

[cathrl69]

1) Honestly, I'd go with whatever the publisher suggested. I'm a lousy public speaker, though, so I'd definitely make sure they knew that.

2) I'm not sure I want to. I mean, think about it. Do you want to say to avid readers "my book is nothing like anything else you've enjoyed" or do you want to say "if you liked that, maybe you'll like mine too"?

3) I think I'll concentrate on writing it just now. Like I said, I'm not a marketing expert. That's what publishers are for.

4) See above. I know I'm only an amateur writer, but I'm a totally clueless publicity person. If I had a deal, I'd expect them to tell me when I should be doing things.

BQ: Yes - still do.
BQ2: You mean if it was cooked and prepared for me and presented as meat? Yes. I'm not sure I could face being given an actual entire spider to eat, though. Not good with spiders.
BQ3: No - why would I?
BQ4: I'd just look the other way.

[Angela P]

1. In my experience, A B and C are pretty useless to new authors. People go to see established personalities, not unknown newbies. It's the same catch-22 you find with publishers. D provides a platform that is more likely to attract a few people for less money, but it's hard to shout over all the Internet noise.

2. Interacting and being genuine makes a HUGE difference. I've purchased books simply because the authors were nice. On my blog (linked in resources), I'm trying several different approaches. I'm paying forward attention by posting art from new artists. I'm posting flash fiction to give people a sample of my writing style (plus it gives me extra writing practice, as a bonus). I plan to incorporate some multimedia elements.

3. I have some ideas. My main approach is to be prolific and publish free/low cost e-books. Lately, it seems that the successful authors have a huge back list.

4. I would definitely market it to build anticipation. Starting after it's published is starting behind the curve, I think.

If you aren't on Twitter, you should look into it. There's a terrific writer/publisher/agent community. We have a weekly discussion of book marketing techniques under the hashtag #bookmarket. Past transcripts are linked in resources.

BQ: Nope.
BQ2: Ew! Big fat hairy no.
BQ3: People still use enveloped and stamps? lmao
BQ4: Hey, that's me you're laughing at!

[RedStar]

1. If you mean how will I market my book after I have a publishing deal, then I will talk to the publisher, which will have a PR plan for the book, and discuss what they intend to do to market and promote the book and what I can do as an author that will complement that. I'd certainly have a website and a blog, and I'd certainly make myself available to speak or do readings at suitable events, among other things.

I actually work in media relations, so I draw up PR plans for things and secure media coverage for them every day. But there is absolutely no point in me just randomly going off and promoting my book if that clashes with the PR plan that the publisher already has for it. For example, the suggestion you gave for doing soft features with the media could actually wreck your chances of getting a much better, more in-depth interview in a newspaper or magazine that the publisher's PR officer could have arranged for you. So, if you were going to deal with the media yourself in that way, you would certainly need to talk in some detail with your publisher and their PR officer / marketing exec to be sure that what you were planning would fit around their PR ideas, rather than inadvertently sabotaging them.

If you've self-published, of course, your publisher couldn't give a flying f*** if your book sells or not, because they already have your money, and you won't get the necessary PR/marketing support you'd need to promote your book. Frankly, very few media outlets will even review a self-published book, let alone carry interviews with the author, and very few events or bookshops would ever allow a self-published author to do readings/signings/speaking engagement there, because a self-published author is without credentials. If someone pays to publish their book, all that proves is that they had money in their pocket: that doesn't make them a credible prospect as a guest speaker at an event.

2. Despite being shy, I actually am adept at speaking engagements because it doesn't actually involve having to make conversation one-to-one, so I'd be happy to do them. I would also have a website and so on, though.

3. I have ideas in mind - how could I not, I work in PR! - but see question 1. I'd discuss it with my publisher's PR officer first.

4. Again, I'd discuss this with the publisher's PR officer and agree a strategy with them.

BQ: Yes.
BQ2: Probably not; I'm phobic about them. Maybe if I was allowed to put in a blender with the ingredients for a smoothie I would. There's no way I could just eat it whole.
BQ3: Er... no.
BQ4: I wouldn't react at all. If someone wants to pick their nose in their own car, it's really not affecting me. They can do what they like.

[Joss]

"The problem non-published writers have is that they have no platform (visibility/reputation of author), for the publishers to work with since they've never been published. So publishers often turn down new writers b/c they don't have a pre-established platform."
-- GAWD! This has got to be one of the BIGGEST MYTHS in publishing. Probably started by vanity publishers. This is only true for NON-FICTION, and it makes sense that if you're writing a non-fiction book that you at least show you have credentials to be writing expertly about the topic! This IS NOT TRUE FOR FICTION. It is proven many times every year by debut authors with no publishing background, yet they get agents and get published by large publishers. I know, because I follow them on Twitter! Good Grief. If you're (general "you") finding it hard to get published then it's 99.9% your book and not a catch-22 situation -- unless you're writing non-fiction - and the catch 22 is usually non-fiction writers with no platform ("platform" is more than just having a built-in fan base).

"So publishers often turn down new writers b/c they don't have a pre-established platform."
-- NO! Publishers and agents turn down new writers because they can't write to save their lives! Seriously. There are too many people writing novels that can't even string together a grammatically correct sentence and then there are even more writers who want send in their manuscript before it's ready (they might need to continue honing their writing skill or do more editing).

My answer to your questions: A combination of both. The days of writers being able to write a book in solitude and hand it to their publisher and not have to promote it are over. We'll never get those days back, especially with the type of social media we have that easily lets authors connect with readers and the fact that many readers are now expecting this. Authors have to be more engaged with their readership if they want to build their fan base. There are many ways to promote yourself, and you can easily do a blog tour where you guest post on different websites to help get your name and book out there. In fact, I got an ARC from an established author - Advanced Reader Copy for anyone who doesn't know - and one of the promotional tools the writer was going to use was a blog tour. If you get your name out there you can also start an in-person tour. Signings and readings can be held locally if you can get local media attention for it; many journalists and newspapers and tv news and bookstores are happy to promote local authors by doing interviews and hosting signings.

You're not going to get anywhere if you don't have so much as a blog, facebook fan page, or twitter account. Those are a must for any new author because that's how you connect with readers and give them a way to interact with you.

1) I'd actually probably on do online methods if it came down to it. I might do some book clubs if anyone asked and maybe do some speakings at local schools and libraries. I wouldn't go on a tour though - assuming I'm lucky enough to have that choice.

2) My book is what would set me apart, otherwise, I do it how every other author is doing it - by commenting on blog posts (many people click on your name and go to your website and it can also get you in with the blog owner who might let you do a guest blog post if you're familiar to them). Being active on Twitter. Having giveaways. Making sure my facebook fan page is up-to-date. Making sure my publisher knows what I'm doing and can Retweet to it's thousands of followers on my behalf (happens a lot).

3) No. I'd just use the methods that every other author uses since they've proven successful.

4) Yes. In fact, publishers will expect this. Even if it's creating twitter, facebook, and blog accounts and promoting the book and yourself by those means. You'll also need a website because that's another form of promotion.