Methods For Getting Started With Low Budget Book Promotion

by Ashley Halsey

Being a successful author doesn’t only mean writing good books. It means selling them too. The book world is a complex, almost cryptic one in which no-one has really cracked the algorithm for sales success. All sorts of different books sell, and sell well. There certainly isn’t a problem with the industry itself, in spite of the doomsday predictions that accompanied the arrival of the kindle and the development of modern technology. But, it can be very difficult to know how to get your book out there, most of all when you don’t have much money to promote it with. Well, if this sounds like you (and if you’re the average author it probably does) then read on to learn a few tips for book promotion on a budget. It’s time to show your hard work to the world.

Social Media

First things first: you can’t have a conversation about marketing anything in the contemporary era without discussing social media. Social media is an incredible resource that has to be used. You’d be shooting yourself in the foot to ignore what is the biggest gift for authors light on cash to promote their book. “Social media can simply achieve so much for you, without even spending a dime. Build up a network, interact with readers and authors. Find people to give advanced copies to. Attract the attention of editors or publishers. There are simply so many benefits to take advantage of that it can be hard to say what is best about it”, says Zoe Talbot, writer at Writinity and ResearchPapersUK. Get involved as soon as you can. Spread across multiple platforms all linking to one another and start sharing your book.

Social Media Advertising

Not only is social media probably your best friend on the ‘free’ end of your promotion efforts, it’s even valuable if you’re looking to spend money. Social media advertising allows you to create hyper-focused advertising campaigns that can reach thousands and thousands of people for as little as $30. If you don’t have much money, these adverts will allow you to do an immense amount without burning through your bank account. Almost all platforms have this ability but Instagram is probably where I would recommend that you begin. There’s a colorful community of book enthusiasts and an excellent paid promotion market for you to start using to your benefit.

Utilizing Influencers

Ok, last social media one I promise. As if the first two points weren’t enough, there is a third, incredible resource that social media facilitated: the influencer. Influencers are people who have somehow acquired a large following on social media. You can use influencers by getting them to talk about your book on their page to expose it to their large following. “There are influencers in all sorts of different industries, the book industry included. You should try, at first, sending your book to them for free and seeing if you can get some unpaid shout outs. Failing that, influencers will do a great deal for your book that makes paying them worth it”, advises Mark Cherry, marketer at DraftBeyond and LastMinuteWriting.

Build A Website

It’s a great idea to have an author website that you can showcase your work through and even sell your book through. It isn’t difficult to get a website and designing one yourself or with a tech savvy friend is easier than ever before thanks to sites like Wix and Squarespace. Design it nicely and link all of your socials to and from it to build your own network.

Do Guest Blog Posts

Getting your content on other peoples’ sites really helps elevate your profile in the world of the internet. It seems like you are doing the blog a favor by writing for it, but you also get the chance to spread the word about your work, to attach your name to the post and, in most cases, to put a link to your website as well.

Conclusion

Most promotional techniques for authors without real marketing budgets involve using the internet. It doesn’t matter what your book is about, there are always ways for you to take advantage of the range of incredible opportunities that the digital world provides.

Ashley Halsey is a writer, working at LuckyAssignments,  GumEssays writing on all sorts of topics relating to travel and personal development. She spends most of her spare time traveling with her family and gathering information for her latest piece of writing.     

Michael Tougias On Adapting His Own Work For Younger Audiences

Today’s guest on the podcast is Michael Tougias, the author of many true rescue stories, including The Finest Hours, which was adapted into a Disney film. His latest, Into The Blizzard has been adapted for middle grade readers from his adult non-fiction book about the Blizzard of 1978. Michael joined me today to talk about the difference between seeking publication with fiction versus non-fiction, and the challenge of adapting his own work for a younger audience.

Listen to the Episode Now

Debut Author Lani Forbes On Work Life Balance

I'm lucky (or cunning) enough to have lured yet another successful writer over to my blog for an SAT - Successful Author Talk. SAT authors have conquered the query, slain the synopsis and attained the pinnacle of published. How'd they do it? Let's ask 'em!

Today’s guest for the SAT is Lani Forbes, a middle school math teacher and proud science nerd. Her debut novel The Seventh Sun releases February 18, 2020.

Are you a Planner or Pantser?

I’m a plantster haha! I am definitely one of those writers that has a foot planted firmly in both camps. There are certain aspects I plan. For example, I usually have general character arcs in mind as well as major plot points I want to hit. I always have my emotional climax planned. As a fantasy writer, I always have my magic system and my world as detailed as possible beforehand too. But sometimes as I am writing, the story takes a different direction. I always try to follow where the emotional thread is leading because to me, that’s where the heart of the story is. After I finish, I always go back with my Save the Cat beat sheet and make sure I hit the appropriate beats at the right times and adjust the structure as necessary.

How long does it typically take you to write a novel, start to finish?

My first novel took me about two months to draft and then several months after to edit. Now, I find that I edit as I go, so it can take me three or four months to finish my first draft, but it is a lot cleaner. I have definitely found that the more I learn, the slower I write. I also don’t feel like I ever really “finish” because I’m constantly tweaking it until my publisher tells me I can’t anymore!

Do you work on one project at a time, or are you a multi-tasker?

I am definitely a multi-tasker. I have several projects I’m working on right now. I get so excited about so many different ideas that I tend to flit from one project to the next like a honeybee in spring. I’m also a very emotional writer, having to be in a certain mood to write certain stories. If I have a deadline though, I can buckle down and get the job done. Once I get deep enough into one story, I have to keep going until it’s finished.

Did you have to overcome any fears that first time you sat down to write?

Imposter syndrome is such a powerful and terrifying thing. So is mom guilt. I am a mom of two young children, and I felt so guilty taking any time for myself to sit down and write. I had to learn to balance the needs of the family with my own needs, but sometimes that guilt creeps back in. I always remind myself that I have to be the healthiest version of myself to be the best mom I can be, and writing is essential for my mental health.   

How many trunked books (if any) did you have before you were agented?

I am actually one of those rare writers where my first book published is actually the first book I finished. But don’t get me wrong, I started probably four other projects and got a few chapters in before I realized they weren’t going anywhere. I used those false starts to learn and grown, and when I finally finished my first book, I polished it until it shined before I took it out on submission to agents.

Have you ever quit on an ms, and how did you know it was time?

I had so many story ideas that I would keep notes on, but I seriously started writing two different manuscripts that never made it past the first few chapters. Both of them I gave up on because industry professionals told me they wouldn’t sell. The first was a dystopian YA novel and the second was a different YA fantasy that didn’t have a high concept. I was so disappointed at first, but I picked myself up and kept writing. I know you are never supposed to write to the market, but I also think being aware of what is and what isn’t selling is just being smart.  

Who is your agent and how did you get that "Yes!" out of them? 

My agent is the wonderful Samantha Wekstein at Thompson Literary. I signed up to do a “Ten Minutes with an Expert” through Manuscript Academy and picked Samantha because she said that she loved epic fantasies like Leigh Bardugo and Sarah J Mass, which are two of my favorite authors. She critiqued my query letter over the phone and asked me to send her a standard query. She was working for Writers House at the time, so I submitted a traditional query to her there, and she requested the full manuscript! I had eight other full requests out when I got my first agent offer, so I notified the other agents. That is when Samantha offered too. I knew I wanted to work with her immediately because I could tell how much she loved my story and I knew we had similar tastes!

How long did you query before landing your agent? 

I started querying in January of 2017 by sending out about ten queries. I didn’t get a single bite. Every time I got a rejection, I would alter my query letter and send out five more queries. I kept a list of agents I wanted to query, and which ones had responded. I continued to study the art of writing a query (including paying for several professional query critiques). I started getting partial requests and knew I was getting closer. All in all, I sent out about 30-40 different queries and had ten full requests by the summer of 2017, about six months after I started. I ended up signing with Samantha in July of 2017.

Any advice to aspiring writers out there on conquering query hell?

Cold queries DO work. If your query is good enough, it will get an agent’s attention, but PLEASE study how to write a good query letter. Tension and emotional stakes are huge. I read books and articles, attended workshops, studied successful query letters, etc. I also studied the agents themselves. Make sure you know what they are looking for and what they aren’t. I made so many mistakes at the beginning, not knowing etiquette especially (goodness I have some embarrassing stories), but every time I got a rejection, I promised myself to send out five more queries. I would make changes and learn every single time. I remember reading a fantastic article that talked about how as soon as you start getting requests and personalized feedback, you’re getting closer. Don’t give up, keeping learning and growing and using whatever resources you have at your fingertips. There are SO many out there!

How did that feel, the first time you saw your book for sale?

I haven’t gotten there yet as my book comes out next month, but holding my first ARC in my hands was the most surreal experience. You dream about seeing your words in print for so long and to finally see it in person…there really aren’t words. It’s just so fulfilling and emotional! I will probably drop dead when I see my book in a bookstore for the first time (which is okay because I already have book two written haha!).

How much input do you have on cover art?

I actually had a lot of input. The cover artist, Kathryn English, was incredible. She invited me to private Pinterest board for brainstorming and invited me to pin ideas of styles or images. I knew I wanted a black background with a golden sun, but she added the obsidian dagger with the intricate gold and jade details, and it turned out more beautiful than I could ever have imagined.

What's something you learned from the process that surprised you?

The biggest thing that surprised me was how LOOOOOOONG everything in publishing takes. I had read about it and knew that things took a while, but I was definitely surprised to find out that it wasn’t exaggerated! Patience is definitely a virtue to have in publishing, and it is so worth it! My biggest advice for putting up with the waiting is to keep working. I never stopped working on my next project and it definitely helps.

How much of your own marketing do you? 

I have an amazing marketing team at Blackstone Publishing, but I also try to help out as much as I can. I think it’s important to work as hard as they do. I know visibility is so important with marketing, so I am always trying to share and interact as much as I can on social media or local events. I have my own website and I do try to keep it updated with fun information, blog posts, and exciting news to share. You can also sign up for my newsletter there. I also have Twitter and Instagram and a Facebook page.

When do you build your platform? After an agent? Or should you be working before?

If you are trying to publish non-fiction, I think a platform is more important, but with fiction especially, there is nothing more important than WRITING A GOOD BOOK. That is first and foremost what writers should focus on. A platform can always be built, but you can’t build a platform around something that doesn’t exist.

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

This is such a tricky question. Everyone I have asked says that it doesn’t build your readership, but I know I have found many of my favorite books based on recommendations of others on social media. I love bookstagram, and if I keep seeing a book pop up on my feed, it definitely makes me curious to check it out. I think visibility and exposure is important and social media can definitely be a tool to help, but it doesn’t have to be the only tool.