Tag: Kelly Schuknecht

Advocacy in Self-Publishing, Book Promotion, Book Promotion Strategy, from the archives, Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

From the Archives: “5 Ways to Increase Book Sales by Giving Away the First Chapter”

Welcome back to our Tuesday segment, where we’ll be revisiting some of our most popular posts from the last few years.  What’s stayed the same?  And what’s changed?  We’ll be updating you on the facts, and taking a new (and hopefully refreshing) angle on a few timeless classics of Self Publishing Advisor.

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[ Originally posted: June 17th, 2011 ]

I love Amazon!  I frequently search for books on Amazon.  I pay attention to what Amazon recommends for me.  I have a Kindle and often check Amazon’s list of “Top 100 Free” Kindle Ebooks.  As a reader, the choices for “what to read next” are endless.  My “to read” list is never under 25 books.  Readers have so many choices these days, so, as an author, how do you convince readers to choose your book to read next?

One idea is to give away the first chapter of your book.  Everyone likes getting something for free, right?  The first chapter will give the reader a taste of the book and will entice them to want to read more.  There are a few ways you can get your first chapter into the hands (or onto the screens) of your potential readers:

  1. Add a message in your email signature asking your contacts to let you know if they would like to receive a copy of the first chapter of your book.  For those who reply, send them a PDF copy of the first chapter and let them know where to buy the hardcopy if they like it and want to read more.
  2. Put an ad in your local newspaper with a short (1-2 sentence) synopsis of your book, inviting potential readers to email you for a PDF copy of the first chapter for free.  When you email the file to these contacts, let them know where to buy the hardcopy if they like it and want to read more.
  3. Similarly, put an ad on Craigslist (in the “free” section) with a short synopsis of your book, inviting potential readers to contact you for a free PDF copy of the first chapter.  And – you guessed it! – when you send it to them, let them know where to buy the hardcopy if they like it and want to read more.
  4. First Chapter Plus publishes and distributes a monthly e-catalog, which includes the first chapters of print and digital books, and mp3 clips of audio books to over 35,000 opt-in subscribers.  This listing will include the necessary details for where potential readers can find and purchase a copy of your book.
  5. If you’re a blogger, publish the first chapter of your book in a blog post or link to a PDF file where your readers can open the first chapter and read it.  Be sure to let readers know where to buy the book once they’ve read the first chapter and want more.  Author Ian Lurie actually allows his viewers to read the entire contents of his book, Conversation Marketing, online.  See how he does this here: http://www.conversationmarketing.com/internet-marketing-book/

DISCUSSION: What are some other ways that you might distribute the first chapter of your book to potential readers?

– by Kelly Schuknecht

The world has shifted somewhat since 2011.  By that, I don’t mean to suggest that my original points are somehow now invalid––they’re all still great ideas and, except for the newspaper advertisement and First Chapter Plus (which runs about $100 for one month of promotion) they’re free–but I do mean to introduce social media to this list.  Back in 2011, most of the more popular websites (such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) already existed––but they hadn’t yet quite reached the cultural tipping point where they are now at, where a single post can go viral and by force of sheer momentum, alter reality offline, outside of the internet.  This makes for some very good news for you, the self-publishing author, especially when it comes to promotions like free sample chapters.

Here are three more ways to get your first chapter into the hearts and homes and hands of your potential readers:

  1. Take advantage of your existing social media presence (and maybe even beef it up a little).  There’s never been an easier way to spread the news that you have a sample chapter out there waiting to be read than by alerting your followers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, Tumblr, and elsewhere.  Not familiar with one of these social media platforms?  It might just be worth taking a look to see whether it might be of use to you, both for this promotion and for other networking purposes.  Except for Tumblr, none of these platforms can actually serve as host for your chapter’s file––with Tumblr, you can just copy and paste into a text post, and it will preserve almost all of your formatting––but part of their appeal is that they create exactly the right kind of “bite-sized” bits of information that makes for shareable content.  My suggestion is this: upload your .PDF file online or steal your Amazon book listing’s hyperlink, and paste that link into a cute little promotional post for each of these platforms.

    Screen Shot 2016-02-02 at 6.59.08 AM
    Fans will sometimes do the sharing for you, as with this sample chapter to George R.R. Martin’s next book that appeared on Tumblr recently.
  2. Take advantage of the Kindle Store’s automatic sample*––in several ways.  Did you publish through KDP, or Kindle Direct Publishing?  If you did, then 10% of your book is automatically accessible to your readers for free.  It’s worth noting at the outset that one of the downsides to publishing through KDP is that you can’t choose which chapter or what content is made available this way, but such are the hazards of publishing through a large company with little customizability.  If you do publish through Amazon’s KDP, however, take full advantage!  As I mentioned above in point #1, you can grab the hyperlink to your book listing and share the sample chapter’s availability far and wide.  Additionally (or alternatively) you might use the automatic sample as a guidepost to what you should steer clear of including in your own promotion.  If Amazon, for example, offers the first chapter, you might upload a .PDF to your blog of chapter two.  This might prove to be an especially clever move, since dedicated readers will have to access both your Amazon book listing and your personal blog––and doing so increases their exposure to your product, which in turn increases the odds they’ll purchase your book!
  3. Make it visual, and make it embeddable.  Software designer Nathan Barry writes that “moving from a text link to a more visual graphic can double the number of downloads of a sample chapter. That’s expected since it is much more visual and will grab more attention.”  How do you go about doing this?  First, create a graphic snapshot of your book’s cover or first few pages––something attractive that intimates the look and feel of your book––and then use a software app or program like ConvertKit to generate email subscription and download options.  This will create an embeddable piece of HTML code that you can insert into your blog and any other platform that allows for HTML content.

    Authority-Full-Form
    image credit: nathanbarry.com

And there you have it: three new ways to engage your readers with the wonderful promotional tool that is the free sample chapter!

* NOTE: several other publishers, including indie and hybrid self-publishing companies, offer sample chapter options.  You should always inquire after the options by contacting your Personal Marketing Assistant.

 

 

If you have any other ideas, I’d love to hear them.  Drop me a line in the comments section below and I’ll respond as quickly as I can.  ♠

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.
Kelly Speaks, news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 2.1.2016

This week in the world of self-publishing:

In a coup for indie authors everywhere, self-publishing won a favorable mention in a January 28th Newswire article by Doug Crowe.  “Self-publishing helps authors find success on their own terms,” Crowe writes by way of introduction (emphasis mine).  “Authors are able to be at ease when navigating the world of publishing, building their own brands and writing the books they want.”  He goes on to describe the veritable Renaissance in self-publishing abroad, particularly India, and the success of the Espresso Book Machine in diversifying the offerings of important indie-friendly stores, like Powell’s Books in Portland.  “Writing a book is one of the most fulfilling things anyone can do. It’s as important a milestone as getting married and having a child,” Crowe quotes author Radu Balas as saying.  Balas continues:

“In fact, it’s just like having a child. You’ll think about it, wait for it to develop over many months, watch it grow, nurture it, give it everything you’ve got, and then send it on its way – out to the public to live a life of its own, and it will be part of your legacy, something you’ll leave to the world. But just like a child, after you have created it you need to help it grow before setting it in the world.”

And that, according to Crowe, is where self-publishing comes into its own.  One only hopes that Newswire‘s discerning readers take Crowe’s words to heart.

Ever wondered how Andy Weir did it––how this plain-spoken self-published author became a blockbuster success seemingly overnight?  Well, according to Michelle Dean of The Guardian in this January 27th article, “one of the strangest items in the Martian origin story is who first approached Weir for a proper deal. It wasn’t print publishers or film producers. It was a small Canadian audiobook company called Podium Publishing. Run by a pair of friends, James Tonn and Greg Lawrence, the company produces what it calls ‘award-winning quality’ audiobooks ‘for indie-minded’ authors.”  In a market sector that Lawrence describes as an “auxiliary business” in that audiobooks were “tacked on to the end of a publishing deal” without much fanfare, Podium set out to “change that, by working with the sort of writer who was interested in publishing their audiobook independently.”  They’d been witness to the insatiable corporate need for maximum profits, and that just didn’t seem the way to go, especially when authors and their audiobook partners got the raw end of the bargain.  Well, long story short, they contracted with popular audiobook reader RC Bray and purchased rights to The Martian, their first fiction selection.  And the rest is history.  I think it’s worth noting, however, that The Martian‘s success in large part comes down to people being willing to take risks: Weir, by pursuing self-publishing in the first place, and then Tonn and Lawrence by diversifying their company’s selection.  For more information on Tonn and Lawrence’s involvement in The Martian’s road to success, check out the original Guardian article here.

Now that we’ve basked a little in the glory of everyone’s current favorite as far as indie success stories go, how can you go about launching your own book with the greatest possible chance of success?  Well, according to K.M. Weiland of Cultured Vultures in this January 27th piece, the process begins with setting aside fear of failure and the public perception that self-publishing is “so not legit.”  (Note: that line may only make sense when read in American teenage vernacular.)  Once you’ve expunged doubt from your mind, the next steps come easier.  They are, according to Weiland:

  1. WRITE A BUNCH OF STUFF YOU CAN’T PUBLISH
  2. WRITE A BOOK YOU CAN PUBLISH
  3. GET THE BEST HELP YOU CAN AFFORD
  4. GET A WEBSITE
  5. BUILDING A FOLLOWING
  6. LAUNCH BIG OR GO HOME

Weiland follows up each point with a lengthy description of what she means, and they all very much fall in line with what we here at Self Publishing Advisor think of as foundational practices.  For all of those lovely details, visit Weiland’s full article at the link.

We tend to follow the progress of indie, hybrid, and self-publishing companies like Outskirts Press fairly closely, in part because the indie community is small and everyone seems to know someone who works with or has published through their services, and in part because we’ve discovered some rare and excellent gems among their publications.  In a January 26th press release to PRWire, Outskirts announced its latest “Top 10” list, and some of them sound genuinely exciting!  The list, arranged alphabetically, is as follows:

  1. Cool Breeze by Ganelle Gaddy Sutton
  2. The Day I Thought That I Made a Terrible, Terrible Grade by Rosie Wiggins
  3. Elusive Loves; Amores Esquivos by Mirtha Michelle Castro Marmol
  4. Hang In There At Christmas by Brad Myers
  5. How Toxic Are You? by Dr. James Martin
  6. The Legend of the Icelandic Yule Lads by Heidi Herman
  7. The Magic Pouch by Hank Angus
  8. Through Their Eyes by Harshal Mehdi and Aminder Mehdi
  9. The Ultimate Guide for Bank Directors by Catherine A. Ghiglieri and Jewell D. Hoover
  10. What She Feels by Chidozie Osuwa

Ganelle Gaddy Sutton’s Cool Breeze, for example, is a genre-defying look into poverty and life on the streets for America’s most marginalized communities, while Elusive Loves; Amores Equivos is the second book of poetry by actress and author Mirtha Michelle Castro Marmol and may prove, with its bilingual appeal and its lyric intent, to be just as big of a success as her first (Letters, To The Men I Have Loved).  Dr. James Martin’s How Toxic Are You? takes a long hard look at environmental pollution and its effects on the human body, and physicians Harshal and Aminder Mehdi’s Through Their Eyes tackles the complicated intersection of philosophical, religious, and mental concerns in the course of dealing with chronic illness.  And if you are looking to defy cliché but still process loves won and lost (as we all do), then What She Feels by Chidozie Osuwa with its beautiful cover art and unexpected and powerful imagery may prove to be exactly what you need.  To access the original press release, click here.

 

spa-news

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry.This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Monday to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.

Alternative Marketing Methods, Book Marketing, Book Promotion, Book Promotion Strategy, Kelly Speaks, Marketing Your Self-Published Book, Social Media Marketing, Uncategorized

Marketing BASICS : Selling Readers ON Your Book, Not Just Selling Your Book to Readers

Welcome back to my series on marketing B.A.S.I.C.S. here at Self Publishing Advisor, of which this is the fourth installation.  Three weeks ago I got the series underway with this introductory post, followed by an exposition on the “B” in B.A.S.I.C.S. (“Building an Online Presence“).  Last week, I answered the burning question of “What does the letter “A” stand for, then?” with a not-so-simple answer tackling various ways and means of “Ascertaining Your Ideal Reader.”  This week, as you might have guessed, we’re taking a look at the next letter in B.A.S.I.C.S. as we examine just how to go about Selling readers ON your book––and not just selling your book TO readers.  If the distinction seems a touch unclear, consider it this way: there are a lot of reasons why people do or do not buy specific books, and it only rarely can be defined as ONLY a financial transaction.  Ultimately, a book’s larger success can be credited to the author’s creation (and after, cultivation) a fan following made up of readers who really love and connect to the book.

As I mentioned last week, this series emphasizes marketing for new or first-time authors, but this point––this letter “S”––carries a lot of meaning for even the most experienced of authors.  There’s no point in an author’s professional career––even a blockbuster success of a career––where free passes are handed out.  No matter what stage of the self-publishing process you are at, you must continually strive to connect to your readers, and to create a product that is more than just attractive to them––you must strive to create a product, a book, that blows them away.  Each and every time.  This, too, is one of the most important and foundational of steps to crafting a successful marketing strategy.

selling a book

So, how DO I sell readers on my book?

  • Even before you publish your book, build community.  Spread the word!  Launch countdowns and promotions (like giveaways of Advance Reader Copies, or ARCs) on social media early.  And don’t forget to reach out!  Many first-time self-publishing authors find their most passionate advocates to be other members of the indie community.  Why?  Not only do they understand the rigors and narrative of self-publishing, but they’re by and large a welcoming bunch with extensive and generous networks––networks made up, in part, of avid readers looking for their next great book.  You shouldn’t approach the indie publishing community, online or off, as a chance to steal eggs from someone else’s basket, though: humility is a quality that belongs in the self-publishing community every bit as much as it does in fairy tales.  And, seeing a little of themselves in you, many established indie authors will be willing to put in a kind word for you with their readers.  One day, you’ll be able to pay it forward in the same way.

 

  • Share.  You’re not just selling a book––you’re selling the larger narrative surrounding your book, and that narrative intersects with your own life in ways that you won’t always be able to predict.  A key ingredient to selling readers on your book is to follow in Steve Job’s footsteps and be your own product’s biggest fan; your book is a beautiful and wonderful thing, and your enthusiasm for can be positively infectious.  Never be ashamed to share with your readers your passion for what you’ve created, and to do so in as many creative ways as you can think of: radio and blog interviews, posts to Twitter and Instagram and Tumblr and Vine that reveal the “behind the scenes” elements that give a book its own life and render you, the author, into an interesting character in your own right.  (And trust me, you ARE interesting!  You’ve written a book, after all.  You’ve put a piece of yourself out in the world for other people to engage with and respond to.  Whoa.)

 

  • And last but not least: Publish the book that you would want to buy.  If you’re only halfway sold on the concept, execution, or presentation of your book … well, let’s just say that readers are usually looking for the same things in the books they buy as authors really want to see in the books they publish.  Give every detail of the process––from conception through creation to final publication––the same level of care and attention that you might give to a priceless work of art.  The comparison is only fair, as your book is art.  And I, for one, can’t wait to read it.

Thank you for reading!  If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or contributions, please use the comment field below or drop us a line at selfpublishingadvice@gmail.com.  And remember to check back each Wednesday for your weekly dose of marketing musings from one indie, hybrid, and self-published author to another. ♠

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.
Kelly Speaks, news from the self publishing world, self publishing news, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing News: 1.25.2016

This week in the world of self-publishing:

This week’s featured interview was posted to HuffPost Books on January 23rd, courtesy of contributor Rajesh Setty.  In it, Setty speaks with Linda Stirling, author and CEO of The Publishing Authority website.  “There are two ways for authors to keep books in print long-term,” says Stirling:

1. Sell a lot of books without ceasing so a traditional publisher will keep the book in print

2. Self-publish your books

[But] What a lot of writers are unaware of with book sales by traditional publishers is there are many variables to how these books can make enough sales for publishers to keep them in print.

As a result, Setty transcribes, well-known authors profit and midlisters suffer from a lack of creative control in addition to limited rights and revenue.  The solution?  According to Stirling, the answer is simple and easy and one that you already know: self-publishing.  “Bookstores and publishing houses are in business to make money, not to nurture authors,” says Stirling.  “They need to see a return on investment, so if an author doesn’t earn out their advance, it’s unlikely they’ll see another one.”  With self-publishing, however, “none of these concerns need call the presses to a halt. Competition is seen as a plus; promotion is in the author’s hands and can continue indefinitely; and there is no selling window, so writers can go on to make income from their books indefinitely.”

Stirling makes for an excellent self-publishing ambassador and advocate.  For the rest of her interview with Rajesh Setty, drop on by the complete HuffPost Books article.

Good news for Cincinnati residents, writes Sara Gadzala in this January 22nd article for Cincinnati.com: the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County has unveiled new additions to its nine-thousand-square-foot MakerSpace, including an Espresso Book Machine!  The machine, which is only the third in the nation to be made available to the public in a library setting, prints and binds high-quality books so quickly you barely have time to sip your coffee while you wait.  (See what I did there?)  Says Gadzala, library patrons can “Consider it a birthday present for MakerSpace, and a gift to anyone who wants to self-publish or print content from OnDemand Books, which has a database of more than seven million titles.”  According to the team leader of the Cincinnati MakerSpace, their offerings are “much more than a thrifty business tool. Anybody with a library card can make a reservation on the larger machines” even though a reservation is recommended due to high demand.  We’ve written about the Espresso Book Machine before––several years ago, here and here––here on Self-Publishing Advisor, so it’s nice to see this technology being made available to more people.

“Save the Date!” declares the website banner over this January 20th press release published to the Digital Book World website.  If you’re free March 7th – 9th to travel to New York City, you couldn’t pick a better way to spend your time than by dropping by the annual conference put on by BookExpo America (BEA), which self-advertises as “North America’s premiere event for the publishing industry today” and which aims “to engage and educate booksellers, librarians, agents, authors, and industry insiders by delivering insights on the latest trends and unparalleled networking opportunities.”

Conference organizers have just released the program’s schedule and themes, and as it turns out it’s a good year for self-publishing conferencegoers, as one of the conference’s eight “tracks” or themes is dedicated to studying self-publishing concerns: “Within the self-publishing track authors and service providers will explore the opportunities to reach readers, build sales, and establish a social presence with readers.”  That’s some handy information.  (Other tracks include: Children’s Publishing, Marketing & Engagement, as well as Analytics, Tech & Mobile.)  For more information, visit the original press release here, and the conference website here.

spa-news

As a self-publishing author, you may find it helpful to stay up-to-date on the trends and news related to the self-publishing industry.This will help you make informed decisions before, during and after the self-publishing process, which will lead to a greater self-publishing experience. To help you stay current on self-publishing topics, simply visit our blog every Monday to find out the hottest news. If you have other big news to share, please comment below.

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.

Alternative Marketing Methods, Book Marketing, Kelly Speaks, Marketing Your Self-Published Book, Uncategorized

Marketing BASICS : Ascertaining Your Ideal Reader

Welcome back to Wednesdays on Self Publishing Advisor, where we tackle the intricacies of marketing each and every week in the hopes of making your life as an indie, hybrid, or self-publishing author just a little bit easier.  This is actually the third post in a series examining marketing B.A.S.I.C.S.––yes, that’s an acronym! but more on that later––with a particular emphasis on marketing for new or first-time authors.  It all began two weeks ago with this introductory post, and continued last week with an in-depth look at the “B” in B.A.S.I.C.S.: “Building an Online Presence.”  This week, we’re ready for a new letter and a new sub-topic.  What does the letter “A” stand for, then?  Simple: “Ascertaining Your Ideal Reader.”  This is one of the most important and foundational of steps to crafting a successful marketing strategy.

What is this “Ideal Reader” business??

Your ideal reader is not simply the person who buys your book; he or she is the person who falls in love with the world your book creates and actively looks for ways to participate in that world, whether by following you (the author) on social media or sharing your book with others.  They’re not invested solely out of obligation––which is to say, they’re most likely not members of your immediate family or friend circle.  As wonderful as your existing network of relationships is, and as useful as your friends and family can be––as cheerleaders and amplifiers in your marketing campaign––they first fell in love with you and not your book, and that is always going to be a complicated tightrope to walk.

Your ideal reader, on the other hand, is a fan; but more than this, he or she is engaged with your book outside of the text as defined by letters inked on a page or pixels shadowing a screen.  Your ideal reader will slide your book into a back pocket while walking the dog or slip it into the diaper bag when taking the kids to story hour at the library; she’ll talk about it over the headset while duking it out with her friends on the Xbox or he’ll pass his dog-eared battered copy on to a friend or someone will drop it reluctantly by a Little Free Library––not giving it up because they didn’t have a use for it anymore, but rather giving it up because they’re fairly certain someone else might need it very much indeed.  These people are your mediators, your access, and your ambassadors to the world.

What does an ideal reader have to do with marketing, anyway?

As with any product, your book needs someone to buy it.  You can try to move copies by being absurdly wealthy and getting your superPAC to buy and then distribute thousands of volumes to local libraries in the vague hope that people will discover it while browsing and magically translate that discovery into a sudden impulse to buy more copies and distribute them to friends and family––but I’d be lying if I told you this is a time-honored or even remotely effective strategy.  Time and again, authors who meet their own personal benchmarks for “success” (and the word means something different to everyone) point to these sudden spikes or “strategic bulk” purchases as unethical, while grassroots support from middle or low-income readers who actually love your book enough to buy it despite limited resources tends to lead to long-term sustainable sales.  It goes without saying that people who have a personal, political, or financial stake in promoting your book are useful … but they can also unintentionally sabotage your success if they make your book about themselves, or about anything other than untrammeled storytelling.  And in order to find your grassroots supporters, you have to know where they live (so to speak), and the language they use (literally but also figuratively) to share what they love.

How do I track down my ideal reader, then?

Your ideal reader, if you’re an author of nonfiction, can be identified according to what problem he or she is trying to solve––whether that problem is the reader’s dependency on sugar for energy (a dietary self-help book, perhaps) or the upcoming dinner he’s throwing for the in-laws (a Mediterranean cookbook, perhaps) or her desire to fill a gap in her understanding (of particle physics, or a history of bipartisan politics in America, or the internal hierarchy of multinational corporations).  If you’re an author of fiction, your ideal reader is defined as someone who, when looking for new material to read, is drawn to the type of content or genre or characterization or form which you like to write––in other words, your ideal reader is someone whose tastes in consumption corresponds directly with your tastes in production.  There are many other people who might read your book and enjoy it or benefit from it, but they are baptized into the fold rather than the founders of it.

ideal readers self-publishing

Now, your book many bend genre traditions.  It may be so utterly innovative that the usual metrics of comparison––genre, plotting, etc––break down entirely.  And that’s entirely wonderful, even if it makes identifying your ideal reader just a touch more difficult.  If this is the case for you, instead of trying to jam your book into the confines of a neat description, ask yourself: What do I like to read?  What works of art and music and film move me?  Where do I like to go to discover new reading material?  These make for the simplest and most effective path to finding your readers.

 

Once you find your ideal reader, what next?  Well, you make it worth their while to buy your book.  And that’s where next week’s blog post comes in.  Make sure to check back here next Wednesday!  There’s so much more to come.

Thank you for reading!  If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or contributions, please use the comment field below or drop us a line at selfpublishingadvice@gmail.com.  And remember to check back each Wednesday for your weekly dose of marketing musings from one indie, hybrid, and self-published author to another. ♠

KellyABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Executive Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog, kellyschuknecht.com.