What is the best way to promote a self published book?

Question

I have previously self published, But Promoting is not as easy as I thought it would be. Got any information on the subject?

Answer 1

Most websites with forums, chats, etc. have rules forbidding self-promotion, including self-published books. Depending on whether anyone reports spam, you can lose your posting privileges or account.

Self-published books do poorly on ebay, the publisher’s website, and the author’s own website.

Marketing a pay-to-publish book is damned difficult. Many of the avenues open to traditionally published authors are not available. Chain bookstores won't host signings or carry copies (although some will order them for customers).

Newspapers, magazines, TV, and radio don't want your press releases and won't do interviews.

The library system won't accept free copies.

Writing- or book-related conventions won’t let you set up a sales or autograph table, don’t want you on their author panels, and forbid you giving away promotional material.

About the only marketing I've seen have any effect for self-published authors is active participation at forums and chats and real-life organizations dealing with the subject of your book. Naturally, this applies far better to non-fiction. Find your niche market and determine where online they hang out. Some sites may allow you to discuss your book *if someone asks about it* (but will ban you for bringing it up more than once). Some may allow a link to a point of sale in your profile, or to your blog or web-page which in turn links to a point of sale.

You'll sell a few more copies than you might have, but overall, like most self-published books, regardless of quality, total sales will probably remain below 100 copies, probably closer to 50. More often, the number hovers somewhere around 2/3 to 3/4 of your total number of friends and family members.

That's why self-publishing is a waste of your time, effort, talent, and money. Consider it an expensive lesson learned and write another book that you can get published in the 'real' way.

Answer 2

Start off with the local newspapers in your area. Ask for a press release. Mention that you're a self-published writer in the area. If you live in a decent sized town, there should be more than one newspaper, so ask for press release kits from all of them.

Find out if any of the local radio stations or tv stations have special shows that talk about events in the community, and what you can do to get on these, to promote your work. If there's a local college/university that has their own tv/radio station, this would also be a good place to start.

www.wga.org -> Writers Guild of America, West
www.wgaeast.org -> Writers Guild of America, East may also have suggestions.

Lastly, you may want to consider looking into the local chamber of commerence.

Oh, and you may want to consider getting a Myspace/Facebook or similar to establish your professional self seperate from your regular, if you don't already have one. Despite the 'bad press' you may hear, these sites are great for indy talents (bands, artists, and writers) to establish a fan base! What you can do is, periodically, release small teasers of the book in a blog. At the end of the blog, provide the information the people need to buy it.

Finally, if you have time, consider "video blogging." If you don't have a web cam, I suggest you do so. Use this to not only talk about your book, but other things. Talk about movies, fashion, or whatever else you have an interest. Then, at the begining, end, or both, plug your book. Use this, to upload the vid to myspace/facebook, as well as youtube and yahoo video.

Use what I suggest at the begining (press release kits), but once you're done with that, don't stop. Start promoting it on social networks, in groups on yahoo/msn/google (things for writers, self-publishing, etc), and the vid sites (doing the same as with the social groups and submitting brief samples like with the blog).

Hope some of these help.

Answer 3

That's because self publishing isn't the way to go. The average self published book sells about 100 copies or 2/3 as many friends and family as you have.

You asked what was the BEST way and here it is. Hire yourself a marketing specialist. Even traditionally published authors do it. It costs money, but it is really the best way. They can come up with a proposal for you and a whole list of ways to promote.

However I must tell you that it doesn't always work. I know of a woman who refinanced her house for over 50K to self publish and promote a children's book. She is about to lose her house.

Self publishing is by and large a huge financial black hole. "Uncle Jim's Theory" about publishing is the best advice you will ever get. Money should flow toward the author not away from him. In self publishing, that doesn't happen. Only nine self published books have made it to the best seller list. I can only remember 2 of them - Wayne Dyer and The Celestine Prophecy. Both authors lived out of their cars for months going from bookstore to bookstore giving away free copies to the store's buyer (at their expense!) to convince them to stock the book.

If you go to Preditors and Editors and Absolute Write Water Cooler's Bewares and Background Checks, you will find that there are many people like me who speak out regularly about self publishing. I would also be willing to bet that the company you used is listed there with a ton of complaints.

This is Persi's Theory - If you believe in yourself and in your book, you owe it to yourself to spend at least twice as long trying to sell it traditionally as you did writing it.

If you go to my profile, you will find many good Q and A regarding self publishing starred, but I assure you that the news is not good.
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They're, Their, There - Three Different Words.

Careful or you may wind up in my next novel.

Pax - C

Answer 4

you can use that
https://books.google.com/partner/?hl=en_US&sourceid=gp&subid=US-HA-google_bookspartner&utm_campaign=google_bookspartner-us&utm_term=book%20marketing&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=cpc

but ummmm i would get a myspace make a banner for your book send it to tons of people and see if they will put it on there myspace and or see if theyre friends like it

write and entertaining introduction so they would keep reading keep them in mystery then they will keep reading it
or going by what i like in books and keep reading

but hope that helps some