Marketing. Urgh. Is there a word that writers hate more? (BTW, my official most hated word is “fecund” – it’s just ick and sounds nothing like what it means…. but that’s another story.)
Marketing and self-promotion don’t come easily to most writers. We’re not really wired to stand up and shout about how awesome something we’ve made is, and then ask for money.
Fortunately, that’s not what marketing is.
Marketing is actually really simple, not gross, and can be fun. But to understand how that works, we first have to understand what book marketing truly is.
Marketing is taking steps so readers get the chance to see your books and then giving them the choice to buy one. It’s explaining to a potential reader how this might be the book they want to read.
And there are countless ways to do it.
Some authors go in for paid ads. Some don’t.
Others like paid newsletters. Some don’t.
Some use social media. Others don’t.
Some write tonnes of books and rely on a constant presence of new releases for visibility. Some don’t.
Some writers use email newsletters. Some use Substack. Some don’t use email.
Some writers give away heaps of free work.
Some writers use other forms of content marketing, like blogs or podcasts.
Some writers use visual art.
Some writers hold stalls at in person events like markets or conventions.
Some writers stick signs on their cars and drive around.
The ways to market a book are endless, and if we approach marketing and selling with the same innovative spirit as we write our books, it ceases to be an icky obligation and becomes a fun and creative way to form relationships with our readers, and find more readers in the same process. And yes, make more money.
Where does your joy take you?
What feels right to you?
Where do your strengths take you?
What’s possible?
If you’re a writer who really just wants to write, then perhaps the lots of books and content is the way for you.
If you love data and the stuff of the algorithmic realms, then ads might be the best option for you. If you love getting out into the world and chatting to people, having your face in front of people, consider events, videos, and podcasts.
If you like doing quirky stuff, get out about in your town and get your book seen in unusual ways – leave samples on doorstops, put up enigmatic flyers, put bookmarks inside library books. The options are limitless.
Where do your aversions take you?
If you’re not much of a talker, then perhaps avoid those heavily verbal channels like podcasts or videos.
If you hate social media, then don’t even try to go there.
If you don’t like public appearance, then stay online.
Just because a massive portion of the internet is run by people shouting about the right and best ways to market things (and they always seem to shout, don’t they?), it doesn’t mean their recommendations are going to work for you. And marketing that doesn’t work for you will not sell your books.
Further, marketing that doesn’t work for you is likely going to prevent you from writing your next book too because chances are you’ll be too burned out from pushing up against a marketing strategy that you hate to have any creative energy left for the part of the job that truly matters.
How do you find books to buy?
From loud, shouty ads? Or from reading things or listening to real people talk about things you’re interested in?
Write your stories, make your books. Tell stories about your stories in a way that feels good and authentic to you. That’s the truly best way to market your books.
