Why do you have to be as much a marketer as a writer? ✍️ (updated!)

If you're about to publish your first book, it's time to sharpen those marketing skills! Let people know about your book, what it's about and most important of all, why they should read it.

1. Make your front cover pop! Realistically, marketing begins with the cover. Make it eye-catching. If it grabs the reader, they're more likely to investigate further and see what the book is about, which brings me to...
2. Create a back cover teaser. Your job is to make potential readers want more! Choose spicy words and descriptions to captivate them. Authors often find this tricky. How do you sum up your book in a few words, create intrigue without telling too much? 
3. Send out a press release with a cover photo. Start with your local media, smaller newspapers, free newspapers, radio, and television stations. Send it everywhere! Not everyone will open your email, but you never know who will or if your cover will catch their eye. 
4. Change your signature at the bottom of your emails. This allows anyone you send an email to know that you're an author, the title of your book, and even add an image of the cover if you can.
5. Post on social media. This is one of the best tools in your toolbox. Social media is FREE and a great way to let people know about your new book. Be creative. Present the cover, share reviews, events, and news with your readers and friends. Have a page or account dedicated to your writing life so people can find you and learn about your book.
6. Videos are nice. Not everyone is crazy about recording videos, but I find it helps to let people learn about you, your books, and it's another way to capture attention. It also allows you to discuss your books while increasing your confidence and make you more comfortable talking about your writing in interviews and events. 
7. Ads are doable but expensive - so look for deals. You can pay next to nothing for ads, or you can pay through the nose. Be careful who you're dealing with too. There are a lot of scammy, suspicious people out there. I receive an email from sketchy companies attempting to sell me marketing packages every week. 
8. Bookmarks are the best! I have bookmarks made with all my covers on them and where to find me online. Remember, bookmarks travel, can be shared, and are just fun to give out. 

Of course, there are many other things you can do to get your book out there. Traditionally, many authors have book signings or book launches, while some might choose to speak at their local library. 

Remember that marketing is a big part of selling your book. It doesn't matter if you're the most famous author in the world or an indie author of your first book, this is an essential part of the process. If you aren't sure, research online, see what other authors are doing and check out books on the subject. Good luck! 

I just published my first book! 😄What do I do next? 🙀 (Updated)

I've had people approach me after publishing their first book because they're unsure of what to do next. Many authors spend so much time working on their book and figuring out various details that they sometimes feel uncertain of how to proceed once the book is out.

When you're new to the industry, it can be stressful trying to figure out what is and isn't a good idea. I would be cautious of any site that guarantees more followers or gives you over-the-top promises (at a price) to promote your book. I've personally never paid for any of these services. I have had them approach me repeatedly, often hounding in emails and phone calls. I would avoid giving books away in exchange for reviews because even though people may agree to help you out, in my experience, many don't follow through. I also wouldn't recommend you pay a large amount of money for marketing. There are lots of free resources that I would try out first and see how it goes. And speaking of which, here is my list:

1. Press release. Don't know how to write one? Look it up online. Where do you send it? I would send it to your local media, free newspapers, and places that deal with writers or the arts. You may or may not get a lot of bites, but regardless, you're showing off your new book, and you never know who's paying attention.

2. Social media. I think that is a given. I'm having a love affair with Twitter, but I also use and enjoy Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Rumble. Make sure you post regularly, reply to comments, shares, etc, and be consistent.

3. Create a website. It can be super professional, but there are also a lot of free sites out there you can try out. It simply gives people a way to find you online.

4. Try to get your books into libraries, especially in your area.

5. Join Goodreads. Create an author profile and share your books. Follow other authors, start a list of books you want to read, and there's also an option to have giveaways. 

6. Get reviews. This is often easier said than done, but it helps you out.

7. Work with other authors. Sometimes you can exchange books and write a review for each other. Of course, you can always be creative and think of other ways to promote one another.

8. Videos. Join YouTube, Rumble, TikTok, Facebook and talk about your book so people can learn about it. I would also recommend writing a blog. This gives people a chance to learn about your book and you too.

Of course, these are just a few ideas. Some people like to introduce their books at library events, book launches, etc. 

The one thing I spend money on is having bookmarks made. I include images of my covers with links to my website and social media. This is a terrific way to connect with new readers, and who doesn't love a free bookmark?

How to make your book stand out on social media 💻 (Updated)

Sometimes you have to be very creative when promoting your book. Depending on the subject matter, your resources, and the expected audience, you might want to consider various methods to capture some attention. Although the media is probably the best way to get noticed, it's sometimes easier said than done. Taking out ads, purchasing bookmarks (although I find this a great form of marketing), and giving away books in hopes of getting reviews can get very expensive.

The beauty of social media is that it's free. Sure, you can pay extra for ads, but that isn't necessary, and if you choose to do so, it's inexpensive. However, for today, let's focus on the free stuff, and I will throw a few ideas at you on ways to show off your book!

First of all, I'm not an expert. I'm just giving you advice from my own experience as an author. Most of what I do is just experiment and see what works. Here are a few things I do:

- Share images of the cover with quotes from the book. This quote could be a jarring comment by a character, a line that stands out, or even a portion of the synopsis. Essentially, you want to give the reader an idea of what they are in for if they get your book. 😉

- Share an image of a review. This shows potential readers what other people are saying about your book.

- Share a blog or YouTube video where you talk about your book. People want to learn why your book stands out.

- Share some images of your most recent newspaper articles (as well as the links) discussing the book.

- Take pictures of your books in various settings; someone reading it, you holding a copy, an animal staring at it with interest. Use your imagination. This is great for Instagram users.

- Answer people's questions. This could be inquiries about your book or a writing question. 

- Announce when your books are in local libraries, bookstores, etc. If you can, take a picture too.

- If you have an upcoming book signing, interview, etc, highlight this on your social media and build excitement about the event.

These are just a few ideas off the top of my head. Sometimes new authors may find themselves overwhelmed and unsure of what to do, so I hope this is helpful. 

Make sure to reply to people who take the time to comment on or share your posts. Last but not least, try to be consistent with social media. If you are too busy to post every day, you can usually find tools online to schedule ahead. 

Social media should be fun and interactive...so be cool! 😎