You can’t walk through WalMart or browse through an online bookstore without catching a glimpse of The Shack. This 256 page novel was written by William P. Young, a former salesman, and self-published with the help of two business associates. Once copied and bound at Kinko’s, The Shack is now a New York Times Bestseller.
Published under an imprint, Windblown Media, created by Young and two former pastors, The Shack had a $300 marketing budget. The three embarked on a viral marketing campaign (word-of-mouth, church-to-church, blog-to-blog) to get copies out.
The moral of the story: as a self-published author, you’ve got to know your readers, discover how to reach them and start spreading the word.
Not every self-published author aspires to be like Young, and for those who do, the chances may be one in a million. However, The Shack proves that traditional publishing is not the only path to success for authors.
Next week we’ll discuss viral marketing tips you may find helpful for your book.
Good luck and have fun!
Kelly Schuknecht
selfpublishingadvice.wordpress.com
Self Publishing Advisor 
you just never know what is going to hit