I recently had someone email me asking how he could most effectively promote if he had no time at all to promote.
I know there have got to be plenty of writers in the same fix. If you’re new to publishing and you start researching how to market your book, you could end up very overwhelmed, fast.
The problem is that our books don’t sell themselves. It’s fine not to do any promo, but we can’t expect to be making money if we don’t.
I asked the writer how much time he actually had. If he really had as little as he said (which was basically no time), I figured he could at least:
1) Be part of a group blog in your genre with a large cast of contributing writers. There’s a big if with that, though. IF you have a decent bio at the bottom of the post, links to your website, and preferably a book cover or a headshot to go along with your post every month. I’ve seen it all with group blog posts. I’ve seen bylines that only had first names. I’ve seen no attribution at all. I’ve seen bios that were so cutesy that they gave no promo info at all…never linked back to a website or a buy-link or a book page. I’ve searched on Twitter for authors of posts and came up with several writers and had no idea which was the blogger. Pointless for someone who is trying to promote by spending the little amount of time they have in blogging.
2) Guest post. Guest posting on a blog with good traffic (frequent commenters, a lot of followers) can bring you some new readers. You can decide how frequently this guest posting will take place. I know some writers who have a regular gig contributing to some sites…they’ll have a guest post every month or every couple of months. Again—it’s important to make sure your bio, links, and cover are on these posts.
3) Goodreads. This can be an intimidating place for writers because it’s intended as a reader community and you’ll run into rough reviews there sometimes. But it’s also a good place to go where the readers are. So often in our promoting, we’re networking with other writers. Set up a profile there and link to your book. It doesn’t take long. If you have a print copy of your book (even from CreateSpace, etc.), then you can enter your book in a free giveaway there. Just decide how many copies you’ll give away, if you’ll open it to international readers or domestic only, and the dates that folks can enter the giveaway.
If you think you might have a little more time…but not much more:
Choose a social media platform that isn’t too intimidating for you and post updates regularly there. You don’t have to be on them every day and you don’t have to spend gobs of time there when you do log in. You can choose how frequently you do it—twice a week? Once a week? You can even use a free program like SocialOomph to automate the process…but then you’ll need to respond to any comments for your updates, so automation only goes so far. Twitter and Facebook are all about interaction. Well…except if you’re what’s considered a “broadcaster.” I’m a broadcaster on Twitter—I send out tweets but don’t interact on my page. On Facebook, I engage in conversations. Google Plus is another option, although you can’t automate there.
The catch: although you’re promoting, these updates you post don’t need to all be about your book. The key is developing a brand for yourself and raising your online profile. So post a variety of different things—cross-promote a friend’s book, share a news story (perhaps one that even ties in with your book’s theme somehow if you want to tie-in), even…well, post pictures of your pets. I hate to say that, but honestly, we’ll get a lot less scorn and a lot more love on social media from readers if we post pictures of our cat instead of asking people to buy our book.
Blogging? I love blogging and having my own blog, but it’s probably not effective for someone on a real time crunch because you should post at least regularly…once a week at minimum I think.
That was my advice, but I’m interested in hearing yours. If you only had a small amount of time to devote to promo, how would you spend it?
The idea of promoting isn’t a time issue for me. It’s an intimidation issue. And I was in marketing for 30+ years before I began writing. Oy! These are wonderful ideas, Elizabeth. I only hope I get to implement them, meaning I finish this book and get it published!
Thank you for mentioning the new website! Your Writer’s Knowledge Base was one of the first thing we included on the site. And we intend to keep working on it and adding to it every week. (And we all have a short bio, links, and book cover listed.)
Those are all things you can do with no time to promote. But everyone has some time available. You spent time writing the book, didn’t you?
Elizabeth – I know just how the author of that email feels. Promoting takes time and energy. I have found it incredibly helpful to automatically stream my blog posts to my Linked-In, Twitter, Amazon Author, Goodreads and Facebook accounts. That way I’m a regular presence all over the Internet. Getting profiles on those places is free, and that way, all I really have to focus my ‘online time’ on when I’m extra-busy is my blog.
Alex–I’m excited about the new site! Thanks for putting it together.
That’s what I think, too–just take that 20 minutes a day or whatever you spent when you were writing the book to promote it. (I guess unless you’re using that time to write book two…)
Hi, Elizabeth,
I too mumble about the limited time I have to do promotions, but I’ve tried some of your suggestions above. If we hope to maintain any kind of visibility as writers, then it’s important to do at least one thing per day, no matter how small.
The writing community is such a helpful one, and although it can be a huge time suck, mingling with our peers rather than our readers, I just learn so much. Being involved in various promotional activities with them is not about promotion so much as support.
Goodread frightens me.. I have to remind myself I’m there as a reader (and therefore have the right) as well as an author. :)
The nice thing about marketing, as someone mentioned on the Kill Zone blog, is that we’re all long-tailed authors now. Our books don’t get pulled off Amazon after six weeks–they stay up forever. So we don’t have to go nuts with marketing if we don’t want. Which is fine with me!
J.L–Very good approach. Take it small–I don’t ever do anything big. Just a little bit each day and we don’t get lost in the sea of books.
Karen–You will! And you’ll be great at promo. You’ve already nailed it–just keeping your name out there, which you do with your blog.
Kessie–Good point! And I appreciate that approach since with so many releases, I don’t have the time or inclination to make each release An Event. For me it’s just a branding thing.
Hi Elizabeth
Thanks for the post. I think the first idea is great. I have a blog, and after six months or so, settled for posting almost entirely fiction, short stories, sometimes serialised, sometimes one-offs.
I’d love for the blog to become a hub for other science fiction and fantasy authors to post their stories, which is sort of what you’re suggesting.
I also agree with some of your other commenters, that if you had time to write the book, you can certainly find time to promote it. The problem is, writing is so much more fun than promo! :)
thanks again
Mike
Margot–That’s what I do, too. I completely automate Twitter (although the curation side of it takes forever).
Shah–Definitely! I much prefer hanging out with writers, although I never know how that works in terms of promo. Seems to work well for branding, though. And you’re right–a tremendous amount of support there.
Goodreads is sort of like walking in a dark alley. I don’t look at my book pages there–I only do giveaways through the site.
Elizabeth, thanks for this post. This is an issue I know MANY of us have, including myself. I’m full-time military, full-time husband, and full-time father, and I therefore barely find time to write, so I happily welcome any advice!
I will also put in that I have heard “the best way to promote your book is to write more books,” and I definitely see the logic there too. (And with my time constraints, that’s the way I’m leaning most of the time.) I guess the idea is that if one of your vast library picks up fans, it’ll inspire readers to try more of your books. If your first novel isn’t a big hit, or even your third, but your fifth book is, then now you have four more already written for those new fans to start on.
For someone short on time, I think your best bet is to:
1) Identify someone else’s platform that has an audience who would want the type of book you’ve written
2) Contact the owner/operator of that site with an offer that provides compelling value to that audience.
The main idea is this: Getting someone to endorse your book to their audience carries far more weight than anything you can ever say.
Maybe that would mean guest posting or contributing to a group blog like Elizabeth said. Or that could mean finding a book review site for your genre.
Much easier to get this opportunity when your relationships are built over time, but results are just as effective if you can convince the right person to give you a chance, which is why it’s viable for someone short on time.
I love the person to person connections – much harder online than in real life. Just this morning I got two book signings by being out and about and talking about my books, but where I struggle is online. But like conquering the writing – published quandary – I will conquer this one too! Just like any other challenge – you dig deep and learn and then you just do!
Yay for Alex’s new web site! What a great community there.
Thanks for the promo advice. All if it does take time, for sure.
J. D. –That’s the BEST way to promote and I’m glad you mentioned it. I figure that I own enough real estate on Amazon at this point that a reader can’t help but trip over my book now….*if* they’re looking for the type of mystery that I write.
With your schedule and commitments–I congratulate you for finding the time to *write!*
Jason–I’ve never thought of it that way. You’re absolutely right. So if you post on a very influential person’s site in your market, it acts as an unspoken endorsement. Even better if your post has some sort of giveaway at the end, or a call to action of some kind.
Michael–You’ve nailed it–it’s not fun! I can only do subtle promo because it really makes me uncomfortable to market (I was actually forced out of a sales job once when I was right out of college).
Yolanda–I have to hand it to you because in-person is really difficult for me and online is easy (I’m behind a computer). I rarely do signings…can probably count on one hand the number that I’ve done. Scary stuff!
Julie–He does have an amazing community, doesn’t he?
Thanks for the excellent suggestions, Elizabeth! You’re so generous with your info, resources, and time. Writers are so lucky to have your blog as a constant source of great, up-to-date advice on writing, promoting, managing your time, etc.
I’m sharing this on social media and with my writer clients.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for the fantastic advice. You are a wonderful source of guidance!
Enjoyed the post and comments. Goodreads has worked for as well as library websites. I’m on Twitter a lot. Found this article here.
Great advice, Elizabeth. I’m going to look into the book giveaway on GoodReads. I’m on GoodReads, but don’t do anything there.
Jodie–So are you, Jodie! Thanks for sharing and for visiting my blog.
Helen–It’s easy and free (well, besides the postage for sending the book and the cost of the book itself). And I’ve found that it does generate reviews and purchases.
historywriter, can you share what you meant by “as well as library websites”?
Thanks!
jeannequigley–Thanks!
historywriter–Thanks for coming by!
Jodie–I’m hoping historywriter will come back, but I’m thinking she’s referring to WorldCat: http://www.worldcat.org/
Thanks, Elizabeth! :)
Hi Elizabeth – JD has it right – write more and as you say you now have lots of Amazon real estate out there…
I don’t know if you saw Jessica’s recent post about a Facebook interview – “How to conduct a live FB author interview” – posted 7 October … that seems a good alternative ..
Cheers Hilary