For book/ebook authors, publishers, & self-publishers
Top Ten Tips for Self-Promoting Authors
I've been marketing authors (and some publishing companies) since 1982 - I got started when publishers kept dropping the ball in promoting my own books - and this led to a useful side business. Since then, I've also taught writing-for-publication at the college level and I've even owned a literary agency for about a dozen years.
Based on this experience (and to help me screen out/screen in potential clients), I've put together several blogs that describe my techniques for promoting authors ...
http://barnettonpublishing.blogspot.com/2004/11/top-ten-bottom-line...
This one is aimed at authors who want to promote themselves - I use it in three ways:
1. I use it to help authors who want to do their own book promotion - it gives them some useful ideas that I'm glad to share
2. I use it to screen out authors who are looking for a publicist but who have very different views than I might have (by letting them know my approaches, we can avoid "mistakes" and 'surprises")
3. I help authors who think they want a publicist to realize that they might be able to do the promotion themselves (i.e., they don't need me to succeed)
My goals in offering information on what has worked for more than 25 years include:
a. Authors I encounter have the benefit of my experience and strategic thinking - without having to pay for it - especially if they believe they can do it themselves (but who aren't sure how).
b. Authors I encounter can determine if they want to work with me - or not.
c. Authors I encounter who still want to work with me after reading my ideas do so from an "informed consent" perspective.
I have other information available, free and without obligation for authors, and it can be found at: http://barnettonpublishing.blogspot.com/
I hope this helps some folks on the list - more important, I hope my approach to book marketing and promotion will prove helpful to YOU.
All the best
Ned
Based on this experience (and to help me screen out/screen in potential clients), I've put together several blogs that describe my techniques for promoting authors ...
http://barnettonpublishing.blogspot.com/2004/11/top-ten-bottom-line...
This one is aimed at authors who want to promote themselves - I use it in three ways:
1. I use it to help authors who want to do their own book promotion - it gives them some useful ideas that I'm glad to share
2. I use it to screen out authors who are looking for a publicist but who have very different views than I might have (by letting them know my approaches, we can avoid "mistakes" and 'surprises")
3. I help authors who think they want a publicist to realize that they might be able to do the promotion themselves (i.e., they don't need me to succeed)
My goals in offering information on what has worked for more than 25 years include:
a. Authors I encounter have the benefit of my experience and strategic thinking - without having to pay for it - especially if they believe they can do it themselves (but who aren't sure how).
b. Authors I encounter can determine if they want to work with me - or not.
c. Authors I encounter who still want to work with me after reading my ideas do so from an "informed consent" perspective.
I have other information available, free and without obligation for authors, and it can be found at: http://barnettonpublishing.blogspot.com/
I hope this helps some folks on the list - more important, I hope my approach to book marketing and promotion will prove helpful to YOU.
All the best
Ned
Views: 42
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by padma narayanswamy on
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HI
I am Padma here . I visited your blog . Thanks for the ton of information .
I have also written a screenplay and and I have posted in many websites in
search of an agent or production house I hope to get success . Anyway as a scriptwriter I
want to know what type of script will achieve success ?
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Permalink Reply by Ned Barnett on
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Padma
I've never heard of anybody scoring an agent by posting on websites; and I know that most production houses won't touch an over-the-transom screenplay or anything by an unproduced screenwriter without you first signing a waiver. I suggest you peruse some screenwriting books or magazines that have agents listed, and write them a short and businesslike pitch letter; do the same with production houses (you can find them in the latest Hollywood Creative Directory, published by Hollywood Reporter) - and be sure and offer to sign a waiver.
My experience with agents (I had one, and I was one) was this: I networked with writers and was referred to an agent by a client - that impressed the agency. When I was an agent myself, I found I had to screen out the unprofessional wannabe screenwriters and focus on people ready to be produced. It's a tough world out there.
Go to screenwriting conferences, network with more successful screenwriters - and, once you've made friends with some of them, ask them to refer you to their own agents.
Good luck
Ned
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HI Ned ,
Thanks a lot . I did not reply earlier as there is internet problem in
Asia . I post on websites so that I can network and get info from friends like
you
padma
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Permalink Reply by SusieSunshine on
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Hi, Ned
I couldn't get the first link to work. It said no page found. I am visiting the other link. Thank you for sharing with us!
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Susie
I'm not sure why that link didn't work. This did: http://barnettonpublishing.blogspot.com/2008/02/for-self-promoting-...
Also, you can reach all of my book promotion blogs at the second link.
Ned
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Thank you, Ned. I did go to your site and bookmark it. I look forward to reading what you have there. Thank you for taking the time to address the link issue.
Susie
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Thanks for this suggestion, Inez; while I haven't had this comment before (and this material has been "out there" in one form or another for four years), I'm always wide-open to new suggestions and observations about both content and format.
The material on the blog was adapted from (and expanded from) a series of talks I gave, which seemed to do well in the "Top Ten" format - but, as you suggest, this may not work as well in print format.
Bottom line: when I take it the next step (i.e., expanding this and putting it book format for publication) I'll certainly think hard about formatting this in a way that is more reader-friendly.
Thanks
Ned
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Permalink Reply by Peter N. Jones on
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Thanks for the info Ned. I would have to agree with Inez, because the info is posted as one long post it is hard to keep track of it all as you have to scroll a lot. Perhaps you could do several posts for each sub-topic. That will also help your SERP results and get your blog more exposure (both because you can target more/different keywords and search engines like updated content and active blogs). However, you would have to watch it since this has already been posted any reposting will get your blog slapped with a "duplicate content" tag by Google and will lower its rankings.
Anyway, thanks again for your keen insights.
Cheers.
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