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

Marketing or Pushing?

Someone called me a pusher in jest today...because I market my book. My novel is with a small press. I'm doing 99% of the marketing as are many authors these days. I said to the person if I don't market how will readers know about the book. That shut them up quick.

What I encountered is a sentiment among certain writers that marketing is something awful. Yet, when I went to the writers conference a month ago publishers and writers said the burden of promoting a book is on the writers shoulder.

I should probably write an article or two on why some writers consider marketing beneath them...yet it's what the publishers want us to do.

A friend who is will St. Martins told me that she does 99% of the marketing. Sure, they arranged a couple of tours. But she does all the leg work and all networking and stuff to build her name.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by NikkiNicole on March 26, 2008 at 6:56am

Good job, June. Its definitely up to the author to make things happen for their books.

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Permalink Reply by carol stanley on April 22, 2008 at 4:33pm

Today...unless you are James Patterson, Laura Ingraham, Paris Hilton, Madonna...etc... you are out there marketing your heart out. There are too many avenues, and many books to read. Just the books on marketing are overwhelming. So it is important to keep up the daily energy of seeking marketing avenues for a specific time each day. I devote at least two hours a day...now in research and ...since I have just gotten a few copies of my newly published book I will hit the streets...So keep working...carol

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Permalink Reply by Kymber Lee on April 22, 2008 at 8:17pm

I relate to this issue. I've been doing my owning marketing for nearly a year now. I'm finally getting some speaking engagements and booksignings in different towns. I'm a firm believer that if you don't toot your own horn no one will.

Keep pressing and you'll get there.

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Permalink Reply by Tammy Varner Hornbeck on April 23, 2008 at 8:42am

Hi Julie,
I understand what you mean. My first book, was with a royalty paying publisher (Publish America), and there is practically no marketing help on their end at all. All they did was put my book on a book list, that is it. My second book (both are Christian Poetry, by the way) is not in much better shape, I just have it posted on 4 sites: mine, the publisher (LuLu-a POD publisher), the Christian website that worked in conjunction with LuLu (Author-Me.com), and a site that used some of my pieces as devotionals (done through Author-Me): www.worldsundayschool.com. Anything else is up to me, and I have no education or experience in marketing. I haven't a clue what to do to market my books. Therefore, I have a pretty slim chance in catching the eye of a traditional publisher. You said you do your own marketing? Could you give me some ideas?

I'd be so very grateful!

Tammy