You finally published your book, and holding it in your hands for the first time is such a thrill. Mission accomplished! Right?
Yes. You should enjoy it, savor it, and bask in the attention. Because the next phase of authorship, called The Promotion Train, is about to leave the station on the 13 ½ platform and you’d better be on it!
Promos, Promos, Everywhere!
Once you have your books in the marketplace, your work has just begun. Ideally, your promotion efforts should begin way before your first book is published, but that’s a whole other post. If you are traditionally published, this may also apply to you, because most publishing houses won’t do all the promotion for you. Establishing your brand and connecting with readers is important, no; it’s crucial, for any author. But since I’m indie and that is where my experience lies, this post is slanted in that direction.
I was inspired to write this post because tonight, for the first time in months, I took a few minutes to sit on my deck with a glass of wine and just be (see it on Instagram, under Renee Regent). I actually relaxed. I can’t even recall the last time I did that. Before I started writing to seriously pursue publication, I sat on my deck as often as I could. But writing a three book series for indie publication requires dedication, and a ton of time, and I am happy I accomplished that.
To Help You Navigate
I’m in the process now of learning what it takes to promote and sell those books and to gain readership. I’ve blogged for years, and have been active on social media, but having books published means switching gears in a few ways. And it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the possible ways to promote yourself and your books, so I wanted to mention a few things I have learned so far:
-Take a breather now and then. You can’t do it all, all the time. If your stress level takes the fun out of writing, step back, even if it’s just a few hours, or a day. Being frazzled means you won’t be effective.
-Don’t neglect your S.O. (significant other). Whether that is your husband, boyfriend, your best friend, your mother, or your cat or dog, remember to make time for them. Writing is a business, yes, and it requires your attention. But so does your support network, the ones who were there before you wrote the book and who will be there after your big success. Or your quiet retreat into retirement. In any case, don’t neglect your loved ones for the sake of promoting your book. The book is going to outlive all of you, anyway.
-Research before you try. There is a proliferation now of groups for promotion and companies providing author services. Some are wonderful, some are predatory, and some are ineffective. Talk to other authors, read blogs, search keywords on Facebook. I belong to a Yahoo Group of authors who regularly discuss marketing they have tried. If you try something, don’t forget to let others know if it works or not. Pay it forward.
-Remember everyone’s path is different. This is so easy to say, and not so easy to follow, but I believe it’s true. Just because another author seems to be on the fast track, or another seems to be doing everything wrong, the two can’t be compared. So many varied factors that play into an author’s success. Yes, there are trends and best practices to follow, and you should seek those out. But remember, your path is your path, and no one else’s. Celebrate the successful and help to support everyone who is still finding their way.
-Don’t be afraid to fail, and don’t take success for granted. We all come to the writing table with different skill sets, and we all have something to learn. And the wheel goes round and round….
I’m so glad I took a moment to step back, because I was getting a bit frazzled. I love writing too much to give it up, but I don’t want it to drag me down, either. What about you? Have you felt overwhelmed with all the choices for promotion? How do you determine what to try?
Happy Writing!
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