As a self-publishing author, one of the biggest challenges you may face is getting new people to learn about you and your book. After all, experience suggests that successfully publishing a book involves 20% of your efforts toward writing and 80% of your efforts toward marketing.
At any rate, on sites such as Paid Content (and even at BEA), book discoverability is a “hot topic” of sorts. In a recent article, they cited statistics from Codex Group to drive home the point that the decline of available brick-and-mortar booksellers has contributed to increased difficulty for authors to get new readers to discover their books. It seems that this mainly applies to traditionally-published authors. Why? Well, the decline of the brick-and-mortar booksellers seems to level the playing field, so to speak. With more readers turning to eBooks and online book shopping/browsing, this allows authors who have self-published to have a reach similar to that of authors who typically enjoy a strong bookstore presence.
How amazing is that? All authors have an equal opportunity for reader attention. Who would imagine such a possibility? Self-publishing authors can now use online book marketing methods — such as virtual book tours, social media, and videos to enhance their online visibility and increase reader interest in their books. Even something as simple as sprucing up their Amazon sales page can help.
At this point, I’m not understanding all of the fuss, unless you don’t want the playing field to be leveled…What are your thoughts?
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ABOUT ELISE L. CONNORS: Elise works as the Manager of Author Support of Outskirts Press. She also contributes to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com. Elise and a group of talented book marketing experts assist not only published Outskirts Press authors, but also all authors and professionals who are interested in getting the best possible exposure for their book. |
Self Publishing Advisor 
Well Elise I have to agree with you regarding 80% marketing that is a fact of life. It is tough for most authors, as they are authors because they like to write, and to move off that skill takes a lot of effort. I coach authors how to get on TV and getting the authors over into the promoting effort is always hard at first. Of course once they see the rewards, it is a whole different story. OK, thanks for the good thoughts. Edward Smith.