Friday Speak Out!: Easy Book Marketing for Authors Who Hate Marketing

by Linda Strader

I haven’t met an author yet who loves the marketing aspect of book promotion. Certainly I don’t. I’ve never been particularly outgoing, nor social. Not that I’m a recluse, but I’ve never been one to talk (which in my world means brag) about my accomplishments. Simple compliments throw me, to the point that I often pretend I didn’t hear them.

However, I knew that if I wanted people to know about my book, which I did, I was going to have to get them interested long before it was published. How to do this? I had a Facebook account, but never used it. I didn’t have many friends, and certainly not on Facebook. I needed to meet people beyond the few friends I had. I mean, seriously, how much promotion could a few people help me with? I decided to explore further.

I discovered Facebook Groups. I’d no idea these existed. I decided to join a few that were focused on writing, as well as my other hobbies, including gardening and art. To my surprise, I found people quite sociable and friendly, to which I responded in kind. I never mentioned my book, but once in a while a post would come up that opened the door for me to talk about myself. And what do you know? People were interested to hear about me, my book, my life…which I reciprocated, because it was fun to share.

What I’ve discovered is this: if you want people to buy your book, you need to connect with them on a social level. Sending out a gazillion emails that essentially say “Buy my book!” will not work. Neither will the accumulation of hundreds of email addresses of people you don’t know in order to blast them with book release news. You wouldn’t stop a stranger on the street and whip out a copy of your book saying, “Hey, want to buy my book?” would you? That’s essentially what you are doing.

It took over a year, but I made not only new friends, but important connections that led to guest blog-posts, interviews: written, video, and audio, as well as speaking opportunities, and book signing events. All of these resulted in over 150 pre-orders for my book, and not just in the U.S. New friends and connections from all over the world wanted a copy—all by me simply connecting and being friendly with people I met online.

Never discount the importance of a connection. That one connection might not be interested in your book, but maybe they know of someone who would be. People “share” with others online, and your news is spread even farther. It’s all good. You can do this! I know you can.

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Originally from Syracuse, New York, Ms. Strader moved to Prescott, Arizona with her family in 1972. In 1976, she became one of the first women on a U.S. Forest Service fire crew in the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson.

Summers of Fire: A Memoir of Adventure, Love and Courage is her first book, released on May 1st, 2018 by Bedazzled Ink Publishing. She is currently working on a prequel.

In addition to writing, Ms. Strader is a landscape architect, certified arborist, and watercolor artist. She currently lives in the same area where her Forest Service career began.

Blog address: https://summersoffirebook.blogspot.com/
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/LindaStraderauthor
Twitter: @desertplantlove
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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