WRITERS MARKETING ESSENTIALS BY RITA KARNOPP

Give this some thought:

1.     Your books never really die—they live forever on the internet.

2.     An old book is a new book to anyone who has not read it before.

3.     If a book is good - no one really cares if it’s old.

     So what this mean is you can promote your book for as long as you want. There will always be new readers out there, and it’s just a matter of reaching them. Have a plan for success, and keep doing things that will eventually build your success.

     A website: It’s a simple thing, many are so easy to maintain, you can do it yourself. You can choose free sites or choose one for under ten dollars a month, like I do.  

     Giveaways: Word of mouth is your best advertisement’ is a cliché I will use. Giveaways are a great way to spread the word about an upcoming book release. Choose key people who would be good to spread your word to the right readers.

     A newsletter list: Many writers believe this is vital. Collecting email addresses is not an antiquated strategy. Proof - I collected oodles of MySpace friends, but then MySpace faded into obscurity and this would not have happened to me with email. So collect those addresses, and spread the word when your book is about to release. 

     Blogs: Blogs are a great way to engage with your readers. Another great strategy is ‘joint blogs’—blogging alongside other authors to expand your collective reach and narrow the work load.  Keep in mind that content is key – or you will lose your audience.  Variety is important since you don’t want to have five writers blogging together about the top five keys to choosing character names—blog about ideas and information that readers care about.

     Newsfeeds: Establish yourself as a go-to source on your topic. Set up a Google Alert (google.com/alerts) so that every time your topic is mentioned, Google will send you an email notification. Then, provide those on your blog. Before you know it, people will come to you for information and that will lead them to your books.

     Share your expertise: Write articles on different topics related to your novel. For instance, if your thriller takes place in Montana, pitch an article on something that hasn’t been written about it before—and, of course, at the end of the piece, include your byline with your name and book.

     Pinterest: If you haven’t found Pinterest yet – you must.  Pinterest is a social network based on visuals. People basically post images that they like, and then others repost them on their pages, disseminating the image. But authors can take it a step further and create a Pinterest board for one of your characters. When someone reposts your content, they’re spreading your authorial brand.