Promotion

This month we are discussing promotion. It might as well be a four letter word for some writers. Trying to decide what works and doesn't work in promoting your books can be frustrating. Although we write because we enjoy creating stories, most of us would enjoy making more money selling our books. Many writers have grand dreams of quitting their day jobs, or retiring one day, to write full time. Some writers are fortunate, their book catches on by word-of-mouth and book sales take off. That is more the exception than the rule.

Writers are left searching for ways to promote their book without breaking the bank. Bookmarks are popular. Unfortunately, many writers give them out at conferences to other writers and they usually get tossed. I make beaded ones hoping they are less likely to be tossed. Pens with your logo are useful and less likely to be thrown away, but I don't know how many of them result in sales. I do remember seeing Linda Style's name on Emory boards year-after-year and I did buy a couple of her books. The idea is to get name recognition so when a reader sees your name on a book, she'll know she's hear of you.

Social media is another way to get your name out there. I have a Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and two blogs. Facebook and Twitter seems to be mainly writers friending writers. Pinterest allows access to a wide variety of people who may or may not be readers. Your best best may be blog tours and blog hops. You want to focus on blogs that attract readers and readers will come for the prizes on blog hops.

There are two things to remember when promoting your books:
1. You want to focus on reaching readers.
2. You don't want to use up all of your writing time to promote.


Until next week,
happy writing and reading!
Tina Swayzee McCright