give new authors a chance

michaelhillier · 07-15-2011, 09:41 AM

I´ve got 3 books out as e-books - on Amazon and through my own website [Promotional Link removed - MODERATOR] but it´s very difficult to sell them if no-one knows they are there. How do other authors manage - I would be grateful for advice as I am a complete novice to this sort of thing

mr ploppy · 07-15-2011, 12:37 PM

Give one or more of them away on Feedbooks, Smashwords, pirate sites, anywhere else you can think of. Put adverts for the others at the end.

I wouldn't pay to read anything by someone I've never heard of, so that would be the only way you could reach someone like me.

emilyward · 07-16-2011, 03:01 PM

Find book bloggers who will review your book. They generally have a lot of followers and will get you some publicity.

Make sure you're on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and other social networking sites. Don't spam, but make yourself available.

Google "book promotion" or "book marketing" and I'm sure you'll find lots of tips.

William F · 07-28-2011, 03:37 AM

Get the Smashwords book marketing guide. It's free and filled with ideas that will get you started.

caleb72 · 07-28-2011, 06:10 AM

When you're posting in forums like this, make sure you have a nice signature linking to where people can find your work. I would have no clue where to find you at the moment.

Anke Wehner · 07-28-2011, 07:13 AM

Addendum to caleb72's adivce: this forum has a limit to who can have signatures. I think something like "at least 10 posts and/or one week since the account was created", something thereabouts. So taking part in a few discussions might be a good idea.

But even before that you can enter other contact info, most importantly your own website, and also your Twitter username in your profile, so that at least people who want to look for it can find it. (It's under "User CP" - "Edit your Details").

OneandonlyDoc · 07-28-2011, 11:07 AM

Isn't there a way you can promote through sites like GoodReads, too? I've only recently signed up for my GoodReads account, so I'm still getting the hang of the site, but I did notice that they do giveaways.

If you're willing to pay a few pennies, you could always try things like Project Wonderful to publish ads targeting a specific audience. For example, say you've written a book that targets sports fans, you could choose to run an ad campaign to publish an ad of a size you choose on sports sites, paying a specific amount for the whole ad run. I found it through webcomics I read and now use it to advertise my fiction serial.

Otherwise, like the above posters suggested, I would find book blogs and ask them to review your book. Offer copies for free. Use word of mouth. Tell your friends and family on Facebook and ask that they help you get the word out.

And read the Smashwords Marketing Guide.

VydorScope · 07-28-2011, 08:29 PM

Absolutely give your first book away free. Maybe your second to. Post it EVERYWHERE you can. Are you active in any forums already? Are you active in any clubs, organization, or otherwise? Mention it there. Follow the advice of the others in this thread, but the bigest thing to do is give your first book away for free.

Many people with e-readers go and browse the free books and try what ever looks interesting that is free. Very few will ever pay.

DArenson · 07-28-2011, 08:54 PM

Write a great book. Write a great blurb. Get a great cover. Then just chip away at it -- contact bloggers, send the book to reviewers, hang out on facebook and twitter, hang out here at MobileRead.... Do a little something every day. If people like the book, they'll tell their friends. Word-of-mouth is one of the best ways to sell ebooks.

OneandonlyDoc · 07-28-2011, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DArenson

Word-of-mouth is one of the best ways to sell ebooks.

Or books in general, IMHO.

VydorScope · 07-28-2011, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneandonlyDoc

Or books in general, IMHO.

or ANYTHING in general.

michaelhillier · 07-29-2011, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caleb72

When you're posting in forums like this, make sure you have a nice signature linking to where people can find your work. I would have no clue where to find you at the moment.

not sure how to do that - put my website address on my first post but it was removed. Am I allowed to give my blogsite address?

michaelhillier · 07-29-2011, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Absolutely give your first book away free. Maybe your second to. Post it EVERYWHERE you can. Are you active in any forums already? Are you active in any clubs, organization, or otherwise? Mention it there. Follow the advice of the others in this thread, but the bigest thing to do is give your first book away for free.

Many people with e-readers go and browse the free books and try what ever looks interesting that is free. Very few will ever pay.

Have got my first three books on amazon and on my website in different formats at 99c each. I was told that was the minimum price you could have for your books on Amazon

VydorScope · 07-29-2011, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michaelhillier

Have got my first three books on amazon and on my website in different formats at 99c each. I was told that was the minimum price you could have for your books on Amazon

That is correct. 99 cents is the bottom price for Amazon... but not for Smashwords, and through them you can get it free on B&N, Apple, Sony, etc.

jbcohen · 07-29-2011, 09:34 AM

All great advice, the best advice that I have been able to come into contact with is that some new authors will appear at book stores or other store openings to talk about the art of writing. They will mention their own works at the tail end of the conversations.

Another advice that I have heard of is its more in terms of positioning in the writing universe. Millions of readers are always looking for new authors to pick up on and will notice you becuase you - a) write the type of books they like, such as dectives or thrillers and 2) becuase you appear similar to an author that they know or 3) you appear to have a niche to write about. The last is probably the best way that I know of to get noticed, find something that is unusual or new in litterature and explore a new facet of litterature. John Grisham got noticed becuase he was wrting about lawyers in a period that lawyers were not typically in books. James Rollins was noticed becuase he started writing about federal government black ops in an era where that was not generaly written about. Fins something original to write about: a police detective that get the killer (not generaly written about these days as the books typcially talk about amateur and non-police getting the killer).

Why is Robert Langdon popular? (he is the main characters in a recent book called the Da Vinci Code) Becuase he is a symbologist which is unique in modern litterature. Why is Jack Ryan popular? Becuase he is a federal government civil servant which is odd in moern litterature.

Find something new and unusal. Dig through what you know, what you have done in the past, there has got to be something that you know about that could be adapted into story form. For example - in the real world I am a network administrator and that can be adapted into a story line as network administrators are often defense against cyber crimes and if a terrorist decided to use the internet to take down the US's finanical markets a network administrator would be the first on the battle field.

07-15-2011, 09:41 AM	#1
michaelhillier Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: kindle/sony	give new authors a chance I´ve got 3 books out as e-books - on Amazon and through my own website [Promotional Link removed - MODERATOR] but it´s very difficult to sell them if no-one knows they are there. How do other authors manage - I would be grateful for advice as I am a complete novice to this sort of thing Last edited by Dr. Drib; 07-15-2011 at 10:04 AM.

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07-15-2011, 12:37 PM	#2
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	Give one or more of them away on Feedbooks, Smashwords, pirate sites, anywhere else you can think of. Put adverts for the others at the end. I wouldn't pay to read anything by someone I've never heard of, so that would be the only way you could reach someone like me.

07-16-2011, 03:01 PM	#3
emilyward Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 296 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Oregon Device: Kindle	Find book bloggers who will review your book. They generally have a lot of followers and will get you some publicity. Make sure you're on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and other social networking sites. Don't spam, but make yourself available. Google "book promotion" or "book marketing" and I'm sure you'll find lots of tips.

07-28-2011, 03:37 AM	#4
William F Pirosopher Posts: 55 Karma: 166972 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: kindle, pc	Get the Smashwords book marketing guide. It's free and filled with ideas that will get you started.

07-28-2011, 06:10 AM	#5
caleb72 Indie Advocate Posts: 2,863 Karma: 18794463 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: Kindle	When you're posting in forums like this, make sure you have a nice signature linking to where people can find your work. I would have no clue where to find you at the moment.

07-28-2011, 07:13 AM	#6
Anke Wehner Addict Posts: 249 Karma: 177956 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Germany Device: PRS-650	Addendum to caleb72's adivce: this forum has a limit to who can have signatures. I think something like "at least 10 posts and/or one week since the account was created", something thereabouts. So taking part in a few discussions might be a good idea. But even before that you can enter other contact info, most importantly your own website, and also your Twitter username in your profile, so that at least people who want to look for it can find it. (It's under "User CP" - "Edit your Details").

07-28-2011, 11:07 AM	#7
OneandonlyDoc Fearless Writer Posts: 210 Karma: 375317 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: In a mitten! Device: Kobo Wifi	Isn't there a way you can promote through sites like GoodReads, too? I've only recently signed up for my GoodReads account, so I'm still getting the hang of the site, but I did notice that they do giveaways. If you're willing to pay a few pennies, you could always try things like Project Wonderful to publish ads targeting a specific audience. For example, say you've written a book that targets sports fans, you could choose to run an ad campaign to publish an ad of a size you choose on sports sites, paying a specific amount for the whole ad run. I found it through webcomics I read and now use it to advertise my fiction serial. Otherwise, like the above posters suggested, I would find book blogs and ask them to review your book. Offer copies for free. Use word of mouth. Tell your friends and family on Facebook and ask that they help you get the word out. And read the Smashwords Marketing Guide.

07-28-2011, 08:29 PM	#8
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	Absolutely give your first book away free. Maybe your second to. Post it EVERYWHERE you can. Are you active in any forums already? Are you active in any clubs, organization, or otherwise? Mention it there. Follow the advice of the others in this thread, but the bigest thing to do is give your first book away for free. Many people with e-readers go and browse the free books and try what ever looks interesting that is free. Very few will ever pay.

07-28-2011, 08:54 PM	#9
DArenson ebookworm Posts: 268 Karma: 100026 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Canada Device: Kobo, Kindle	Write a great book. Write a great blurb. Get a great cover. Then just chip away at it -- contact bloggers, send the book to reviewers, hang out on facebook and twitter, hang out here at MobileRead.... Do a little something every day. If people like the book, they'll tell their friends. Word-of-mouth is one of the best ways to sell ebooks.

07-29-2011, 09:34 AM	#15
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,029 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	All great advice, the best advice that I have been able to come into contact with is that some new authors will appear at book stores or other store openings to talk about the art of writing. They will mention their own works at the tail end of the conversations. Another advice that I have heard of is its more in terms of positioning in the writing universe. Millions of readers are always looking for new authors to pick up on and will notice you becuase you - a) write the type of books they like, such as dectives or thrillers and 2) becuase you appear similar to an author that they know or 3) you appear to have a niche to write about. The last is probably the best way that I know of to get noticed, find something that is unusual or new in litterature and explore a new facet of litterature. John Grisham got noticed becuase he was wrting about lawyers in a period that lawyers were not typically in books. James Rollins was noticed becuase he started writing about federal government black ops in an era where that was not generaly written about. Fins something original to write about: a police detective that get the killer (not generaly written about these days as the books typcially talk about amateur and non-police getting the killer). Why is Robert Langdon popular? (he is the main characters in a recent book called the Da Vinci Code) Becuase he is a symbologist which is unique in modern litterature. Why is Jack Ryan popular? Becuase he is a federal government civil servant which is odd in moern litterature. Find something new and unusal. Dig through what you know, what you have done in the past, there has got to be something that you know about that could be adapted into story form. For example - in the real world I am a network administrator and that can be adapted into a story line as network administrators are often defense against cyber crimes and if a terrorist decided to use the internet to take down the US's finanical markets a network administrator would be the first on the battle field.

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