This is the next to last day of my free ebook offer. Contact me at PLFry620@yahoo.com today (April 19, 2008) or by midnight tomorrow (April 20, 2008) and I will send you a free copy of my new ebook, The Author’s Repair Kit. This book features the Post-Publication Book Proposal. It is designed to help authors breathe new life into their books that may be faltering or struggling in the marketplace.
I’m off to support a client/colleague today. Yup, I’m driving to the big city (Los Angeles) to attend the launching of the first in Diana Zimmerman’s Kandide fantasy book series.
Do you attend book signings, readings and book launch events of your peers, writing club members, colleagues, friends, acquaintances? It’s good practice to support other authors when they do a book signing at a local bookstore, have their books for sale at a flea market, appear at an author event at the library, participate in a poetry slam or present a demonstration at a local store, for example. As an author, you appreciate the support. Offer it to other authors, as well.
If you purchase their books, send them comments after you finish reading them. This could be their first testimonial and they may want to publish it at their website and ask you to post it at their Amazon book page. They may also attend your book signing or reading and bring along some friends.
We’ll all agree that writing is solitary, but what comes after publication is anything and everything but solitary. Once you have a book in hand, you must become visible. You have to go out of your way to get exposure, solicit interest in your book and get the sales. It’s hard work and believe me, as an author, you can use all the help and support you can get. If you make a habit of supporting other authors, they are bound to appreciate it so much that, when it is your turn to produce a book, you’ll be able to count on them for their help and support.
It’s good for authors and it’s a good for humanity.
Keep Writing. Keep Promoting. In fact, I challenge you to try a new promotional idea this weekend. It’s Saturday. I’d like to hear from you Monday morning with a report on your success with a new idea. It might be walking door to door with a wagon-load of books, putting up posters or point of purchase displays at several local businesses, calling people you haven’t talked to in years and telling them about your book, wearing a tee shirt with a pix of your book cover to a large weekend event or using Google to find at least 2 dozen new sites related to the topic or genre of your book and contacting them about a review.
Report back to me Monday and let’s discuss your efforts and your success. PLFry620@yahoo.com. And don’t forget to purchase your copy of The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. If you order the book before May 1, 2008, I’ll throw in a free copy of The Author’s Workbook. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html