After A Book is Printed

Now the author can relax? Right? Nope.

By the time a book is published, the author should be deep into marketing the book. How else will anyone know it’s out there waiting to be read? Are people sharing my bookmarks and information with others? Only if I make them and myself available.

Most authors wish they could wiggle their noses and…poof…the world would know about the book, be rushing out to buy it, and be writing reviews. After all we’re one of only 300,000 books (or more) published each year in the U.S. Why wouldn’t everyone know about our fresh offering?

Like many of my friends who write, I’m interested in writing stories but not strong at promoting my books. True, I know a few authors who excel at marketing; they’re the ones I turn to for advice and support. Still, authors are on their own to “get the word out”. That’s where our friends come in. We appreciate their support and hope they tell their friends about our books.

Before I started writing, I didn’t realize how important it was to share my impressions with my friends and online. It truly is word-of-mouth that sells books. These days, I  write reviews and post positive comments on Goodreads and on the author’s pages. I’m expanding my support by mentioning them on other social media sites. So, the bottom line is, let the author and your world of friends know when you enjoy a book. Share ideas and times when we can speak with your book club or if you hear about a fabulous place for us to use for a book event. We appreciate your support as our friends and as our book ambassadors. Thanks!

Stay tuned! Next week, I’ll share ideas on writing a pain-free  review.