For book/ebook authors, publishers, & self-publishers

Learning the "Biz"

When I first decided to pursue a writing career I had these grand visions of being in a cabin on a lake somewhere and spending my days under a tree writing, then once a year or so I'd toss the manuscript into the mail to my agent and return to the tree to write some more. I had my first book published 3 years ago and I've been in a perpetual state of shock ever since! The little secret your English professor doesn't tell you is that in order to be a published author you also have to be very active in marketing and publicity for your own book! Yikes! I've been a child care provider for almost 20 years, which I have loved, and now I'm suppose to know how to produce a "marketing plan?" I've felt very lost for awhile, but after reading everything I can on the subject, including John Kremer's books, I think I'm starting to get it. The scarey thing now is that the more I learn about book marketing, the more I see that I need to do - and the less time I seem to have for writing! I closed the doors of my daycare, Patty Cake Preschool, just two weeks ago. It's a scarey step to start being a full time author and speaker, but exciting too! The problem is I have this PILE of great marketing ideas I've found in my research, and I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever get it all done. Just when I got my website the way I liked it, and a blog, and started to post articles, releases, etc., then I hear that putting something on myspace and youtube is the way to go! I'm almost afraid to read my publicity newsletters - I know they'll have great leads/ideas in them and then - that "to do" pile will be growing again! I'll have to use some of my previous experience I think - I've taught dozens of toddlers to walk and talk - one step/one word at a time. So, I'm off to ask my teenager how to create a myspace site and we'll go one step at a time from there!

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Comment by Patricia Dischler on July 24, 2007 at 9:15am: Glad to see I'm not alone in feeling swamped by marketing! I've tried everything from the mass emails/mailings to the knock-on-one-door-at-a-time thing and I'd have to say that it's the one-on-one that has paid off the best for me. Because my two topics (child care and adoption) are very personal and the agencies that would buy the books are NO budget, the mass marketing doesn't seem to reach them. It's the personal contact that really works. The best way to do this is speaking at their conferences. I get to network with many people in the field and my workshops/keynotes always result in big sales. Once I get an agency to buy my book, I end up with a repeat client since they typically give these out to clients. I'd love to find a mass marketing idea that really paid off though - any ideas anyone?
Patricia

Comment by david b mclaughlin on July 20, 2007 at 4:06pm: Hi Patricia,
Great article. Can you share with us which of the marketing ideas has been most effective in selling books?

There are thousands of ideas, but what actually has worked for you?

Thanks in advance!

Comment by Louise Lewis on June 27, 2007 at 10:06am: Hi Patricia!
I just joined Book Marketing and "Learning the Biz" was the first article that jumped out at me. I wanted to simply say thank you for the sanity check. You see, I am now promoting my debut (self-published) book "No Experts Needed: The Meaning of Life According to You!" and I , like you, have read tons o'stuff about marketing, promotion, etc. Overwhelming to say the least. I like your advice: one step at a time! Thank you!
Louise