I often hear authors say that they would rather be writing than promoting their book. But of course if you want to sell any books, you'll have to promote them! In today's guest post, author Ellen Cassedy shares some terrific insight on how authors can embrace book promotion.
3 Joys of Book Promotion
If you like to write, book promotion can be a joy, not a chore.
Why? Think about it.
Writing a book is about proudly having your say, joining in the conversation, being heard.
It means expressing in words who you are, what you think, how you feel, what you imagine – and sharing all that with other people.
Isn’t that exactly what promoting a book is all about, too?
So if you say you love writing but book promotion is not for you, I sympathize – to a point. But I don’t agree.
Here are three ways I’ve found to take joy in book promotion:
Start before you publish. Long before I found a publisher, I sought out opportunities to be heard about my journey into Jewish Lithuania, past, present, and future. I gave talks at synagogues, libraries, and Jewish cultural centers. I wrote articles for newspapers and magazines. These opportunities were energizing and inspiring. They gave me a chance to test out the best ways to communicate what I had to say – which helped me write a better book.
Target your “super fans.” In the run-up to publication, I made a list of the people I most wanted to read the book. My list included not only people I knew (family, friends, mentors, people who’d read drafts) but also people I didn’t know –writers and thinkers I admired; scholars in the fields of Holocaust studies, European and Jewish history; tolerance leaders and public officials. The first book promotion task I gave myself was to inform these people about the book. Reaching out in this way felt as important as writing the book in the first place.
Embrace the challenge. My book promotion plan requires me to communicate my “message” in lots of different ways. I have to – or, as I see it, I get to – write articles, op-ed pieces, guest blogs, website copy, press releases, e-mail blasts, Facebook messages, and tweets. I have to – that is, I get to – craft book talks and conference presentations, give interviews, and succinctly describe my book to people I run into. All of which involves solving problems, finding the right words, expressing myself to the best of my ability. Just like…writing a book.
About the Author
Ellen Cassedy’s book, We Are Here: Memories of the Lithuanian Holocaust (University of Nebraska Press, 2012), begins with her personal journey into the old Jewish heartland and expands into a larger exploration. See her Tips for Writers at www.ellencassedy.com.
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