Practically Painless Promotion
Author: Tanya Michaels
Original Publication Date in Love Notes: November 2004

Selling to a publisher is fantastic...but only half the battle. You also want to sell your book to the reading public! (For this article, I’ll be breaking down the “public” into three groups — general readers, booksellers and other writers.) There are a gazillion ways to approach promotion, just as there are authors who insist promotion is useless and we should simply focus on writing. My personal philosophy is that we should promote ourselves as much as individual schedules and resources allow, and pair that with writing the best books we can.

Web sites:
Get one! Okay, we all operate differently and there are no absolute rights or wrongs...but get one! A Web site works for all three target groups I mentioned, and anyone else with a modem. Most of us don’t have the skills or budget for a site as impressive as say, Sherrilyn Kenyon’s, http://www.kinleymacgregor.com/sherrilyn/ (one of my favorites), but you can start simple. My first site was very basic, using space that came free with my e-mail package. Low-techsites can be effective, especially if they: 1. provide a glimpse of the author’s style or a behind-the-scenes look (for example, the “soundtracks” Ms. Kenyon lists for her books), and 2. are updated regularly. You don’t just want hits, you want return visitors.

Obviously, you need current release information, but other extras also can draw traffic. I often visit Jane Sullivan’s site, http://www.janegraves.com/index2.htm, for fun (“links of the day,” interactive features, and humorous pet photos/commentary) and Stephanie Bond’s site, http://www.stephaniebond.com/, for her fantastic library of informative articles. Some authors use the increasingly popular “blogs” (Web logs, or journals which can be updated daily or weekly.) Giveaways are another attraction, as long as you don’t impoverish yourself by offering huge prizes every month. Many fans are happy to win signed books. I once even held a drawing for autographed cover flats because everyone commented on how much they loved the artwork. Consider cross-promoting as well. If several authors collaborate, they can offer larger prizes and maybe reach new audiences. Speaking of joint efforts, see if you can get a Web page through your publisher, or chip in on a site with authors in your chapter or sub-genre.

Booksellers:
It just makes sense to promote to people who have daily interaction with our potential customers. One way to do this is through Romance Sells. For those who aren’t familiar with the publication, it’s an affordable way for RWA® members to get a cover, book description and other information in front of thousands of booksellers and librarians. Also, did you know that 15 Waldenbooks employees nationwide have been designated as romance-friendly experts? Even if you can’t afford to do major mass mailings, you can probably manage to send bookmarks to 15 stores. (Author Lorraine Heath has generously compiled their contact information, which you can find through her “Favorite Links” page.)

For local booksellers, call around and try to arrange stock signings — where you go to a store, meet the staff and autograph inventory copies. This is less pressure than an actual book signing where you could sit for two hours without making a single sale. (If you want to schedule a formal book signing, or the bookseller asks you to do one, consider banding with other authors to make it an “event.” You won’t be sitting alone and miserable, customers are more willing to stop and peruse the books, and there’s that cross-promotional opportunity again.)

Readers:
Reaching individual readers is a daunting task, but ads are one option (just to give you an idea, space in Romantic Times BOOKclub can run authors anywhere from $300-$3,000). I think word-of-mouth remains our best tool and that we should do whatever we can to help create buzz. If your publisher doesn’t send out advance review copies on your behalf, you can print homemade ARCs and mail them to publications or review sites. (Remember to keep postage costs, as well as all receipts from your promotional expenses, for tax deductions.) Investigate some of the many review sites available and decide if any seem appropriate for your work. Remember to contact them sooner rather than later. While specific policies vary, they’ll need time to assign someone who can read your book, write a thoughtful review, then get it edited and posted by your release date.

Maybe some reviewers won’t adore your book, but you can still work your name into a reader’s subconscious if she sees you mentioned in a dozen places. Also, even if you don’t get the highest possible rating, you often can find a good sentence to quote on your Web site or use on bookmarks. One place to put (properly attributed) quotes is on your book’s Amazon page. At http://www.amazon.com/publishers, you can add all kinds of promotional information such as a back cover blurb or message from the author.

Fellow writers:
Most writers got started with a love of reading, so, in addition to its other benefits, RWA provides opportunities to reach our prospective audience. (Ads in the Romance Writers Report range from $100-$800.) You can build name recognition by speaking at chapter meetings or writing conferences, if you can afford some travel and aren’t terrified of talking to large groups. Then there’s Plan B, which can be exercised in the comfort of your own home — newsletter articles! Most editors are delighted to receive submissions, and did you realize articles are often reprinted elsewhere? Your piece on rejections that entertained your chaptermates  might also gain you a new fan in Boise or Yuma.

I’m not suggesting these steps are guarantees for best-sellerdom. For that, I think you need great stories, publisher backing, strong buzz and, let’s face it, luck. However, your efforts may create ripples, gaining you a little name recognition or impressing your publisher into giving you
additional support. So decide what you can realistically do and, meanwhile, keep writing those great stories.

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Harlequin author and MCRW member Tanya Michaels (Going All the Way, January 2005, and Spicing It Up, June 2005) enjoys speaking to groups about writing but loves that newsletter articles don’t require makeup or pantyhose.
 

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