Does anyone have any suggestions on how to promote a novel over the internet?

Question

I'm looking at self-publishing a novel in the next few months. It's a bit like the Naked Lunch except funny. It's quite bizarre, quite obscene and quite geeky. Does anyone have suggestions on how I might promote this?

Answer 1

One, don't listen to legal advice from people on YA! (Gods, why do people answer questions they have no clue about.) The poor man's copyright, i.e. mailing it to yourself, is not recognized as proof of copyright. I've added the link to the official U.S. copyright site for copyright information.

Second, WHY are you self-publishing? Sef-publishing is an extremely difficult venture if you do not already possess the business and marketing acumen to do it (which you don't, seeing as you are asking for advice from strangers on YA). Have you even tried to go the traditional publishing route first?

Particularly if you don't have an ISBN and a distribution plan (i.e. is your book going to be available in bookstores or on Amazon), you are facing an uphill battle. There are tens of thousands of books published each year. With no budget for advertising, no marketing knowledge, and no distribution, you'll be lucky to sell 20 books (and those will probably be to friends and family).

1. Self-published books are not considered "real" publishing credits, and cannot be used for membership into most of the major literary guilds or listings (such as Poets & Writers, the Horror Writers Association, etc).
2. Most publications refuse to review self-published titles. So you won't be able to generate publicity this way.
3. Bookstores generally won't stock self-published titles, because the discounts aren't high enough and they are non-returnable.
4. Self-publishing costs a lot of money. Even if you use a service like lulu.com with no upfront costs, you still have to pay for an ISBN, comp copies, galleys, proofreading, editing, cover art (unless you use a stock cover, but i don't advise it), advertising (even internet advertising can get very expensive.) And on and on.

I run a small press. I spent over $3,000 last year just on marketing. That doesn't include paying freelancers, taxes, equipment and software costs, cost of printed books, etc. Now yes, I did make a profit, but I have years of experience with marketing and I understand the industry. Do you have $3,000 available to invest in your book?

Answer 2

free:
1. Have a click party. its then a bunch of people get together on line at the same time to go to web sites and vote for the best ______ (fill in the blank) at different websites. then you all just keep clicking so you can get to the top
2. make a website that is about the book- put in a blog and add in anything that could get people into it, like an every week drawing or anything else. get your web site on google and other things
3. talk to local places and ask if they will let you do a reading of your book.

some cost:
1. donate a few of your books to your local library ( to get it’s name out there)
2. put up posters of your book around anywhere you can.
3. give away items with your book's name on them like tee-shirts and key rings.

Answer 3

Word of mouth. Use your e-mail sig-tag to promote your book and the site on where to buy it.

Join groups that advertise and promote books!

Answer 4

First of all, mail the novel to yourself in its entirety for infringement purposes...then make your attempts, however they may be...
When you do recieve your own novel in the mail, do not open it...your protection is stamped and legal with a validated date posted by the govenment..
Otherwise, your guess is as good as mine...wish you the best of luck...I'd like to read your novel sometime

Answer 5

Same way other people promote books, bands, and movies, through Myspace and sites like it.

Answer 6

You could always open a yahoo group,and invite friends.