Unless the last name is Grimes, Grisham, or Clancy, authors must market their works. Since my last name isn't any of those listed here, I'm building a plan. It's a good one, but boy, it's going to take a lot of time and work to move books. Writing the book, by comparison, seemed easy! Since this is "my" area (I've been writing and executing marketing plans for businesses of all stripes for over 20 years), I thought I could dash off something quick and make it stick. Nothing doing, though.
In an attempt to capture as much information on how to market a novel, I've visited and revisited dozens of websites and several books I own that each have wonderful nuggets on marketing books. The website/blog MarketingFloozy.com is an excellent blog and repository for all things marketing. The author, Pat, is also a Second Wind author, so I know I'm in capable hands when I visit her site.
The book which has held my attention this week is Peter Bowerman's Well-Fed Self-Publisher. While I'm not going the SP route for The Pirate's Bastard, a good bit of what to do in Peter's book still applies. Since my book is truly a "niche" book (historical maritime fiction), I'll be pushing it in less-conventional places, like to historical sites, museums, and associations serving members intersted in the topic. But Peter suggested something that made me go "hmmmm": pushing me to seek speaking gigs at conventions, writers' conferences, and the like. The author status carries some weight in some people's minds, and Peter says it's not necessarily the topic that matters to them. Stay accessible, and the possibilities crop up like weeds.
Really? Now I have to consider how I feel about speaking. Oh, sure, I love to talk (anyone who starts a blog must, I reason). But in front of a room full of people?? I'll have to think about that.
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