Self-Marketing for Authors: How to improve productivity

Pressing the “publish” button should be the last thing on an author’s check list when it comes to worrying about a new book, right? The truth is that, regardless of the type of writing you are publishing, whether we are talking about non-fiction, prose or poetry, the work of a writer almost never ends with the publishing process.

In an era where books are regaining their once treasured value, where eBooks are easy to publish and distribute to readers from all corners of the world, an author needs to have a marketing strategy in mind, a strategy that can cater to his or hers needs, and also attract the interest of readers and, why not, business partners. Turning to self-marketing for help is a well-known trick among the publishing industry, more and more writers are embracing this new trend, and the results can be quite impressive if you follow a few easy steps and custom-tailor the promoting strategies in order to fit with your desired results, and also with your audience.

Did you write a non-fiction book that can help people achieve their goals and better understand how a certain industry works? Are you a trained professional looking to let others benefit from your knowledge or expertise with the help of the published word? Are you a creative person looking to express the realm of your imagination through a book? Independent of the content of your writings, once your book is out there, self-marketing can help you become an important voice in the literary and book publishing world or in your industry, which is why increasing the productivity of your promoting strategies is of utmost importance. Here are some essential tips and tricks that can help you be successful at self-marketing, without having to sacrifice all your free time.

Create a Realistic Plan

We all want our books to become bestsellers, we all want our writings to be the talk of the literary world, we all want our knowledge and expertise to help as many people as possible through our books, but most of the times, these results are not a given, they do not simply materialize by only publishing a book; sometimes they need a meticulously-drafted plan in order to become a reality. Drafting a plan before undertaking any self-marketing strategy is a wise decision which will help you save a lot of time, and also increase your productivity without affecting your personal life or taking too much of your free time. Go through all the means of promoting that you plan on using for your book, create a calendar, and make sure that you are not leaving out any important steps. As long as your plan is realistic and covers all the desires that you have from a book-promoting strategy, your efforts will be rewarded.

Get Your Book Reviewed

Reviews are what truly sell a book. Although it is important to have a great cover, although it is a must to properly edit before publishing, what really makes an impact for the readers is a well-written and sincere review. Turning to friends and industry acquaintances for help is a way to go, but in today’s crowded book market you will need more than a review or two if you want to get the attention of your reader, which is why you should consider sending your book to a free or paid reviewing service, to review bloggers, or to book-loving communities. This will not only help you by increasing the number of your reviews and offering you a reader’s perspective on your writing, but it can also help you make new connections, and develop a meaningful relationship with your readers. Also, getting in touch with other indie authors and writers and engaging in review exchanges can be helpful, plus it will allow you to discuss with people who are struggling with the same situation, ask for advice, or share success stories.

Be Active on Social Media

Social media networks are rapidly turning into go-to platforms for all book lovers, regardless of the niche, since they provide a faster and more honest mean of communication, whether with other book lovers, or even with their favorite authors and writers. Digital marketing studies for the book publishing industry show that being present on social media, interacting with your readers, and posting news about your writings can be much more productive than maintaining a website or simply communicating by e-mail, reason for which social media is becoming an important ally for self-marketing strategies. Aside from the conventional social media platforms, consider joining book lovers’ social media networks, such as Goodreads, as it can help you get your book noticed a lot faster, especially if you engage in book-promoting activities, such as offering giveaways or submitting your writing for review in readers’ groups.

Engage with Your Local Book Lovers Communities

Even if we are living in a digital-driven world, local events still play an important role in our lives, and can help a writer promote his or hers book, without having to turn to expensive digital marketing and public relations campaigns. If you are not familiar with such communities in your area, visit local libraries and browse the web for book-related events in your neighborhood. In urban culture, book reading, book signings and book clubs are still extremely popular, and create a greater writer-reader bond than any social media platform can ever create.

Last but not least, the most productive strategy for authors and writers, and which can go a long way in terms of increasing your productivity, especially for future projects is to learn from mistakes and to be open to new ideas, whether we are talking about improving the format of your eBook based on received feedback, or following different steps on the path to turning your book into a bestseller.

Stay Productive

The status of writers is changing faster than we can imagine, new technologies pave the way for new means of publishing and book promoting, while the visible increase in the number of readers is demanding a much more meaningful engagement from writers, and also makes it easier for people who are new to the book industry to get recognition. Keeping up with all the changes does not have to be hard, as long as you dedicate a fragment of your time to these “technical” issues, and remain open to new paths.