The creative freedom that self-publishing affords aspiring writers (especially from conventional publishing practices) entails more self-marketing effort. Accomplished independent author J.A. Konrath believes that writers are largely responsible for promoting their books.
“There are 50,000 novels published a year, and four out of five don’t make money. You have to get people to read you, or else you won’t be a writer for very long,” he said.
Here are self-marketing tips from thriving self-pubbed writers who have proven that success in what was once known as “vanity publishing” is real and attainable.
“Don’t let the things you don’t have prevent you from using what you do have.”– John Locke
While the American e-book writer of crime fiction had no formal training as a writer, his gift of imagination not only propelled his writing success but also his marketing strategies. He believes that cost-free marketing can reap good results if you have “enthusiasm, empathy, people skills.”
“There’s always a way to compensate for what you don’t have. If I’m not as smart as you, I’ll have to work harder. If another woman is prettier than you, you might have to be more charming. There’s always a way to compensate,” Locke stressed.
“Guy’s provided me with such great content all year, the least I can do is buy his $10 book.”– Guy Kawasaki
With his bold statement that traditional publishers are having aneurysm from the growing influence of indies, the self-published author/entrepreneur recently published his book APE: Author- Publisher – Entrepreneur – How to Publish a Book co-authored with Shawn Welch. Kawasaki, however, reminds hopefuls that content quality very important. Perhaps such an advice is self-explanatory and surely the first step to attaining marketing success.
“I have beta readers, copyeditors, and an army of proofers and before I publish each book I have to make sure every one of them is available when I need them at the right time to release my book. I also have to make sure I’ve set aside time to design my cover, create my marketing copy and reach out to my readers when the book is released.”– Bella Andre
The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author have sold more over 1.5 million books to date. The figures speak for themselves. Also a full-time wife and mother, Bella juggles her demanding tasks pretty well. Only a disciplined person can pull that off.
Ready to make it big as an indie? The Xlibris Writer’s Workshop is here to guide you in your self-publishing journey from start to finish. Read more writing, editing, and marketing tips at theXlibris Blog.
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Deborah H. Bateman is an Author, publisher, blogger and website designer. Deborah was born and raised in South Carolina, where she still resides with her husband. She has two beautiful daughters and five precious grandchildren. Besides writing and publishing books, Deborah enjoys cooking, interior decorating, and crafts.
I was toying around with the idea of making a series of articles called “101 Self-Publishing Tips.” I dutifully began compiling a list of tips, but after the first few dozen, I realized that a lot of them were not tips so much as thoughts, but still things that I felt were important to mention to those interested in self-publishing. Besides, I don’t know if I am really the one to be giving people tips. That would imply I know what the hell I’m doing. Also note that these thoughts reflect my personal experiences. Your own experiences may differ.
Self-Publish 101 