So as I sit here, a safe seven months from my release date, I'm watching various friends and acquaintances as they madly dance through the steps required to promote and advertise a new book. It's important, especially for newer authors, to do something beyond just saying 'I have written a book and my mommy says it's awesome' when they have something hitting the shelves. (Although 'I have written a book and Seanan's mommy says it's awesome' seems to carry a surprising amount of weight for everyone but me. Does anybody else out there have a tattooed, foul-mouthed mother who'd be willing to fill that particular role for me?)
So the question becomes, what works? Book giveaways are obviously good things, but also somewhat self-limiting, as I sort of want people to buy things. (Oddly enough, I don't feel like earning back my advance all by myself.) Competitions are also good, providing the prizes are interesting -- and heck, prizes are just lovely things to offer. So what do you think would be a good idea? What kinds of promotion would you like to see? We have seven months to put even the strangest of plans into motion, so sing out!
Which will be awesome, and I'm very excited. I know that not everyone will like my book -- not everyone likes my albums, and those are much less time-consuming for the person buying them -- but I'm really hoping that all the people I know will enjoy it. If only so they don't have to offer the equivalent of 'your baby has a head.'
thoughtful
February 10 2009, 23:02:14 UTC 8 years ago
February 14 2009, 02:13:14 UTC 8 years ago
February 14 2009, 05:20:55 UTC 8 years ago
Of course, you'll be getting my review of Rosemary about 3 days after I get a copy anyway :)
February 15 2009, 06:32:44 UTC 8 years ago