Okay, so today I'm going to discuss publicity a little bit from an author's point of view. I hope what I say makes sense.
First, I believe publicity is important. I blogged about this recently, but the fact is that books are treated differently as far as publicity money from your publishing house goes. So what's an author to do?
Their own publicity.
If you didn't know this, let me tell you: Authors must do some of their own promotion. Now, I can't tell you what to do or how to do it, I just believe that authors cannot ignore the business side of writing. And the truth is, if you want to keep writing, you have to sell books.
The trickiest part of doing your own publicity is expanding beyond your borders. I still haven't quite figured out how to do that, but joining the Campaign has helped. I'm meeting new bloggers I've never met before. Reading their blogs helps me make connections.
But second, publicity should not overshadow what writers do. And writers write.
So as an author with a book out there in the big, bad world, I'm treading a delicate line with writing on one side, and publicity on the other.
Today, I'm going to give a few tips on what you can do for authors. (On Friday, I'll give you some tips for doing publicity in a few minutes each day.) These are things I'm honored people take the time to do for me and my book.
1. Blog about the book. If you loved the book (or even if you didn't!) blog about it. Books are discussion items, meaning the more they're talked about, the more popular they become. If you read, say, POSSESSION, and liked it, tell your friends!
You can do this in person, or on twitter, or your blog. I'm always shocked when I see someone has blogged about my book. And shocked in a good way, because they've taken their time to A) read my book and B) tell someone about it.
2. Write a review. There are a plethora of opportunities to do this. And don't be afraid to leave a less than stellar review. Books will always have bad reviews, because it's such a creative arena. EVERY review is good publicity for the author.
3. Be a "ground team player." This sounds weird, I know, and it sort of goes with #1. But talk to people who can make a difference: librarians, teachers, booksellers. Tell them about the books you like, and would like to see them read/stock.
In my attempt to support other authors, I talk a lot about books here on my blog (Bookanista posts every Thursday!). I buy a lot of books. I give them away. I try to attend as many author events as I can. I'll admit that I'm terrible at leaving reviews... I need to work on that.
In order to enter to win this ARC, you must BLLuRT (Blog, Link, Like, Review, Talk) for one of your favorite books! You can do that anytime before September 11, and you must fill out THIS FORM by September 12.
BLLuRT's for Michelle and her book:
- Michelle's blog
- Follow Michelle on Twitter
- Buy THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER on Amazon
- Michelle on Facebook
- Add MARA DYER to your Goodreads
- Become a fan of Michelle Hodkin on Goodreads
What do you think about publicity? No matter what stage you're in right now, have you thought about what publicity efforts you'll do for your books?