"Ugh! I hate marketing! There's nothing but suspicion and rejection!" Many writers feel this way about marketing.
Yet, writing requires, even demands, it. We've got to face up to it, somehow. Shyness, feelings of guilt, and repulsed or apologetic attitudes should not get us down!
Why is it important to readjust attitudes about marketing away from shyness, guilt, or apology? You've heard the expression "times have changed." Book publishers used to publish fewer books than the mountain published now. They once set up book tours and signings for their select family of writers. Today, the publishing family has changed. While some authors are treated as close kin, others are treated a bit like distant relatives. That leaves more up to the author.
Most writers today must study and learn how to be part of active marketing of their works, ongoing. This now even includes Social Networking sites like:
Marketing books is now far more than a six-month effort. Every book's marketing life span should be at least one year to 18 months, starting several months before the book is released. Hence, writers that do not readjust attitudes about marketing do not get much exposure, which means low readership.
Toastmasters - Authors must strive, including perhaps joining Toastmasters f or speaking experience or studying book marketing through libraries and conferences.
John Kremer - The best way is to commit, jump in, and find good expert advice. Many book marketing experts, such as John Kremer , make money marketing their books so they can help writers learn marketing plans that work.
SPAN - The Small Publishers Association, has been around a while, helping authors and small press publishers like my company.
How can a writer handle marketing as a professional skill deserving respect? It becomes easier to think and convey marketing as something that deserves respect when shyness, guilt, and apologies are dropped. Marketing is a professional area of the writer's life that does not have to be cold, calculating, self-serving, or dishonest. It does not have to use trickery.
Honest marketing works. This comes through if the writer as marketer remembers to keep it simple, personal, friendly, and real. This can become easier through study, trial and effort, willingness to endure suspicions of others, along with continued work to find what works. This includes what reassures and tries to answer doubts.
Marketing involves personal skills, starting with looking outward, to the audience, rather than inward, to one's own reluctance about "marketing," which is really "getting out there."
Pat Brannon,a children's author I know, finds her key audience in schools. Of course. And schools touch not only children but also teachers and parents. Parents and teachers are always looking for uplifting, wholesome, and outstanding books for children. That is what Pat gives, and when she visits schools she adds dramatic effect in her presentations, and that just adds to the fun. All of this is "marketing," yet Pat has made it a very personal outreach to an audience she really cares about.
How do you help others get over suspicions or even revulsion about your marketing efforts?
Can your reading and buying audience be suspicious of you if you give a lot of yourself and enjoy writing and bringing joy, entertainment, or help to others? Almost all writers whose work is worth the ink have a sense of wanting to reach others, to connect, and to communicate. Writers are not heartless and money-hungry people. They would be in another profession. They love what they do, as you and I know, as writers.
Every writer must find a way, uniquely and fitting with their personality, to convey genuinely to editors, booksellers, and their reading audience that they love what they do. They must come out of their shell, the closed office or corner where writing happens. They must physically-as well as in print, audio, and digital format-touch the lives of their readers.
One deep desire - One big test for many writers is to show their deep desire to connect with readers. Writing that sincerely reaches out, connects, draws people always works. It's the best, in my view. It links writer and reader in special ways. Whether it's a poem, a news column or opinion piece, a commentary or informational report, the same applies as for book writers. The person unseen on the other side of the writing, seeing it, holding its medium whether print or iPOD, and reacting with feelings and interest is every writer's point of interest. That is the desired contact.
If you wish to call marketing something else, that's fine. I've called it "reliable and true communication about something of value." Let's add "enthusiastic" communication to that list, too! How can shyness, guilt, or apology remain when you have something of real value to share? That's not something to dread. That's something to get excited about that makes the hard work of doing it worthwhile.
(c)2009 Jean Purcell
Jean Purcell is a book publisher and writer. Her first book was Not All Roads Lead Home under her pen name, Jane Bullard. Her web site is http://www.opinebooks.com and her Writing and Publishing Nonfiction Books blog is at http://janebullard.blogspot.com/ Sign up for the free Opinari Quarterly for Christian Writers, Publishing Professionals, Book Lovers, and Reviewers on her web site.
Joel, marketing is hard for me too, yet not as much as it used to be. It does get easier. The hardest part for me is "getting out there" for real, in public, especially lining things up! I guess many writers share the same feelings. Thanks for your comments!
» left by Pat Brannon from Amory, MS (10 days 3 hours ago.)
Doing my full monologue in character is quite out of character for me. Most folks would find that hard to believe with my extroverted personality. I've definitely had to step out of my comfort zone to do my school presentations, but it's all worth it when students and staff get that "aha" moment and you know they got the message that you intended for them to get.
Pat, you are a role model for writers that are ready to move out of THEIR comfort zones! I think what you are doing with children can be transferred to adult presentations re: humor, fun, and shared enjoyment.
» left by Deirdre from Boston (10 days 1 hour ago.)
Jean,
This article is SO TRUE and very helpful. As an author, I have found that marketing is where most authors stumble; it is not what we are comfortable with, as we connect so much with our creative side. But without an author's marketing efforts, the creative side will never be known to readers. Very important article; thank you for the reminder!
Oh dear - you struck a chord here. I will definitely print this one out. Very good ideas and helpful suggestions - you forgot one - the case of dynamite needed to get most of us off the START square.... thanks Jean, Marijo
Marijo, I love the term "START square." Let's think what might be the dynamite! I know economic concerns get lots of writers off that spot, such as Mary Higgins Clark, mystery writer. I know there are others. I read that Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol during a time when he felt he was in a big slump and was a bit depressed about it. The story came to him on a snowy walk one evening and he ended up paying his unexcited publisher to publish it for it grabbed him so much! Maybe we are not excited enough about our themes? Or what?
What else can do it? I think this is an intriguing concept, that START square. Thanks for commenting.
Jean, great article. I definitely relate to the reluctance to 'get out there' and market my work. Can't say I've found a way to get past that...yet. :) I suspect part of the problem is that many, if not most, writers are like me in that we express ourselves better in writing than verbally. I'm really not sure how to get past that.
Hi, Joyce, I'm learning about ROI, the return on investment principle. I think what we think we should do is not necessarily the best, including certain book signing events. I once too a train with a friend to an event and the bookseller had not used our materials. Neither had he advertised in any other way. PLUS, he put me in the basement! He was very excited, with coffee, cakes, etc. If only I had known how important to settle the details together before hand. Not one book was sold on that event. I did have a good time personally, but the ROI re: the book, the center of the trip, was a loss except for the painful experience. Authors also dread the tag that we are "self-selling." It is hard to get around that one. I am searching more and more to see how the simple things work best, such as the people we know, the places we've liked and connected with before, and those that have been interested in previous writing we've done, plus organizations, associations...all the things that are part of our regular lives as well. I don't think authors can successfully "hard sell" and I continue to hope that being ourselves naturally, with preparation, is the key. It's still a learning process for me, too, and every new topic or genre shapes the plan. Thanks so much for commenting!
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
You are a member of Jean Purcell's Fan Club!
tweet this!
