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!
What about having people come up with songs or poems that might be used in character in the setting, and either (a) working one into a novel or short story or (b) simply sharing the best N via your web site and giving them some prize? Obviously permission to do that would have to be a condition of entry to the contest.
Not as cool as being recorded, but much cheaper.... (And if someone comes up with a truly wicked song that would really annoy Toby, putting it in the mouth of a character and watching her react might be loads of fun....)
...point. The web-site bit, then, maybe. Being quoted on the author's website might be cool enough in its own right, tho. (Especially if you offer a link to their web site, for artists who have one. For that way lies additional promotion of their work.)
thoughtful
February 14 2009, 02:15:01 UTC 8 years ago
February 14 2009, 07:29:08 UTC 8 years ago
Not as cool as being recorded, but much cheaper.... (And if someone comes up with a truly wicked song that would really annoy Toby, putting it in the mouth of a character and watching her react might be loads of fun....)
February 15 2009, 15:49:53 UTC 8 years ago
February 15 2009, 18:21:27 UTC 8 years ago