Today’s WOW Blog Tour guest post is from Sybil Baker, author of the book Talismans, a book of linked stories about connection and making peace with your past.
You can learn more about Sybil by visiting her website at sybilbaker.com and reading her blog An Ex-patriate's Musings on Writing, Teaching, and Travel.
Promoting your book
It used to be that writers assumed if their book was published by a big New York publishing house, their work was mostly done once the book hit the bookstores. Their publisher might set up a big-city book tour where writers read to packed crowds in bookstores and sleep in four-star hotels. They might appear on a few TV shows and possibly do some radio interviews—all arranged by the publisher’s publicist. And then, after this whirlwind book tour, the writer could sit back and let the royalty checks pour in.
Even if this scenario was actually ever true or even likely, now it is certainly not the case. Whether writers self-publish, are published with a small press, or even a large commercial one, writers must work hard to promote their book. Unfortunately with the quickly changing world of technology, there is no one right or effective way to guarantee sales or visibility.
Using social media to promote your book
Social media outlets such as Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter are tools that many writers wonder if they should use. I do think most writers should have a website that people can go to to learn more about your book. It need not be fancy or expensive, but should have your bio, information about your work, and anything else potential readers might be interested in.
If you are a Facebook or Twitter user, you might want to think about how to integrate using social media into getting the word out about reviews, book signings, or other events related to promoting your book. However, if you are not a big social media user, then signing up for a Facebook account just to promote your book will probably not work well because you won’t be dedicated to keeping up your presence.
Blogging and virtual book tours
The same goes with starting a blog. It’s better to not start a blog at all than to start one that you don’t maintain or continue. A blog requires long-term dedication and consistency, and to be effective, high traffic. I have a blog on writing and travel that I’ve maintained for more than two years, posting once or twice a week. Yet even though I enjoy updating my blog, my traffic count is very small and I doubt that the blog has contributed to selling many copies of my book.
One option instead of having your own blog is to set up a blog tour—either formally with an organization such as Women on Writing, or on your own. It’s important to know what the demographic of your audience will be and find blogs that focus on those areas. For example, I write about women traveling in Asia, so I try to find blogs and other writers that are interested in travel and global fiction. One writer friend wrote a novel about the Iliad, and he has found an audience with people interested in Greek literature and mythology.
Readings, book signings and other opportunities
The more traditional way to sell books is through readings and book signings. Again, with brick and mortar book stores closing, it’s harder to find venues that have and promote book readings. I’ve found that when I read in cities or towns where I know a few people, I have a decent turnout and sell a few books. The few times I’ve read in towns where I didn’t know anyone, the turnout has been negligible, and I didn’t sell any books. Even writers I know who have books with major presses have the same problem, and only read in towns and at bookstores where they know some people who will bring friends.
Be open to opportunities that you might not have thought of. I’ve sold books by being a speaker at women’s clubs and meetings that are interested in hearing my stories about living and traveling abroad. When I was on two-week overland safari through Africa, I discovered that my fellow travelers needed reading material during our frequent day-long bus rides. I had not thought to bring my novel to sell to this captive audience, but I did convince most of the travelers to buy my book, which I then sent them when I returned to the States.
When developing a marketing plan, the most important thing is to remember that you sell books one at a time, and that word of mouth is the best way to promote your book. Encourage readers to post reviews on Amazon, recommend your book for their book club, and pass on their copy to others. Be open to possibilities, but don’t over commit to social media unless you already enjoy it. Remember to think outside the box.
About the author
Sybil Baker spent 12 years teaching in South Korea before returning to the States in 2007. During her extensive travels throughout Asia, she became increasingly interested in the allure and alienation of American travelers and expatriates, and this has heavily influenced her writing. Her fiction and essays have appeared in numerous journals including upstreet, Transnational Literature, and The Writer’s Chronicle.
Her debut novel The Life Plan (Casperian Books) has been called “a screwball comedy for the 21st century, a witty and winning romp through one woman's discovery that life, love, and liberty do not always go according to plan.” She lives in Chattanooga, TN, with her husband. Her website and blog on traveling and writing is www.sybilbaker.com.
