Writing has an inward focus, but marketing is the opposite: sharing your creation and connecting with the outside world. Many writers have trouble with this stage of the self-publishing process for various reasons. Some have a deep reluctance to promote themselves, some are simply shy, others are overwhelmed by the huge amount of book marketing advice. Generally, you should use your strengths and start by focusing your marketing strategies in those areas. Also, get someone to assess what your weak points are, then fix the easy problems first (e.g. a bad author photo), and make a plan to tackle the more difficult ones (e.g. fear of public speaking, or needing a new website). You can also go to writing workshops and events and talk to other writers about their marketing experiences. You will also need a way to get organized, plan a timeline, and keep track of tasks, ideas and deadlines. Everyone has a different system. Some people like big paper wall charts, others prefer digital methods (e.g. Workflowy –– see review of it and other similar tools here).
Marketing is also offered by self-publishing companies.
Book Marketing Advice (for self-published authors)
ALLi – book marketing page
Creative Penn – promotion tips
Paul Jarvis – book launch check list
PW – building and using email list to market your book
Greenleaf – your Amazon Author Central page
David Gaughran – digital book marketing basics
Judy Cullins – book marketing 101 articles
Book Marketing Companies
Cameron Publicity (UK)
IamSelfPublishing (UK)
Smith Publicity (US)
Self-Published Author Experiences (marketing)
Melissa Leong Self-publishers can’t afford humility
Mark Dawson (UK) Build a fanbase and use Facebook ads
David Penny Facebook ad experiment
Lesia Daria on hiring Cameron Publicity
Beverly Ackerman self-publicity a major time investment
Steal My Book! – Peter Montford piracy as publicity
Social Media
Why do writers shy away from Twitter?
40 hashtags for writers
Twitter etiquette for writers
How authors use Instagram
Q College Digital Marketing Courses (Victoria BC)
Goodreads – Author Promotion
Marketing for Writers who hate Promoting
Share your Writing
Wattpad – Building an Audience
Wattpad – Revenue for Writers
Canelo – Online publisher
In this video, Matthew Ashdown, talks about his experiences in coaching new authors and how authors sometimes get in their own way when it comes to marketing.
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Note: Links and information are for research purposes and do not replace professional advice. Accuracy of third-party websites cannot be verified and links do not indicate endorsement.