Switching from writing, to marketing can be difficult for many self-published writers. Writing is solitary and has an inward focus, while marketing is social and has an outward focus.
However, unless you are writing just for yourself, family and friends, book marketing of some kind is a must. (Note: for writers of genre fiction, the consensus marketing advice is: ‘write another book’.) Below is a wide variety of book marketing tips and resources.
1. Build a book marketing Plan
You will need to build a book marketing plan at least six months before your publication date.
- Create a manageable timeline of tasks.
- Choose a way to organize tasks and deadlines (options include: journals, wall charts, online tools like Workflowy, or a combination of methods).
- Keep goals realistic. (Many authors begin with zero sales expectations ––they write just for themselves and that’s okay.)
- Begin with pre-launch book marketing tasks: build your network, get reviews, and find endorsements, research the best way to reach your specific target audience.
- Prioritize tasks based on your strongest and weakest skills. Brainstorm ways to take advantage of your strong skills and improve your weak skills. For example, perhaps you have a big social or professional network ––prioritize that in your marketing plan. When it comes to improving your weakest areas, begin with the easiest. For example, it could be something like improving your author photo (see tips below). Next, look at how you can improve any difficult marketing barriers (e.g. fear of public speaking) you might have.
2. Identify your Marketing blocks and barriers
Many authors have hidden barriers when it comes to book marketing and promotion. Here are the most common (with more detailed tips in the topic sections below):
- Self-promotion avoidance – you have some kind of discomfort with marketing ––e.g. you feel it’s pushy to self-promote, or that creativity should not be sold.
- Imposter syndrome – you doubt your own abilities.
- Marketing phobia – you have high anxiety about marketing tasks.
- Public speaking fear – many writers practice public speaking to get comfortable with public speaking in order to improve their book promotion efforts.
- Post-publication blues – you run out of energy after you finish your book.
- Shiny object syndrome – you are always wanting to start a new project rather than toiling to finish an older project.
Despite the challenges, many writers are able to market their books with gusto and grace ––and not make people run for the hills when they see them coming. Your goal is to engage, not be obnoxious, and not spam people. Check the list below for inspiration and ideas from other writers.
3. Book Marketing Tips for self-published authors
- Reedsy- book marketing mistakes
- Advantages of ebook subscriptions
- IngramSpark – Book Promo for the Digital World
- Alliance of Independent Authors – Book promo
- BookBub – Examples of promotion
- Creative Penn – Book promotion tips
- David Gaughran – Book selling 2024
- Anne R. Allen – Use “Look Inside” feature
- Jane Friedman – Strategic use of free ebooks
- Long Reddit discussion on marketing self-published vs traditional
4. Effective Author Branding
Author branding helps readers find you, especially if you write in a specific genre. Marketing materials, website design, author photos are all part of author branding. To show both your style as an author, and your professionalism, it is important to create a unified look for all your media and marketing materials, For inspiration, check out this example of a quality author website and photo. In addition, here are some resources to guide your author branding:
- Author Branding Tips by Mark Coker
- Steps to Building an Author Brand by Joanna Penn
- Author Branding Examples at Lulu.com
- 10 Author Branding Blunders by Author Media
If you need more branding help, check Author Services on Fiverr (International) and the Alliance of Independent Authors Services Directory.
5. book blurb Tips
Blurbs are a short description of your book for your back cover and sales page and are an important part of your book marketing strategy. Get it right, and it will help on your book sales. Get it wrong and it will hurt sales. For example, think of your own reaction as you browse books. Does the blurb give you an idea of the type of book and a reason for reading it? Does it have something that hooks your attention? Check out these book blurb resources:
- Elements of a great book blurb
- Reedsy – Writing a blurb for your novel
- Anatomy of a blurb
- Writing a blurb that sells
- Additionally, you can try AI such as ChatGPT to get ideas and examples of how to improve your blurb.
6. Author photo Tips
A poor quality author photo can give the impression of poor quality writing and will likely hinder sales. If you can, invest in a professional author photo. If you can’t afford this, ask another writer or trusted friend to help you choose (or create) the best possible photo. (However, do not use a wedding photo or other special occasion photos.) Follow these author photo tips:
- The style of your author photo should align with your writing genre/style. For example, if you write crime fiction, don’t use pastels and soft romantic visuals.
- Avoid distracting objects and backgrounds.
- Usually, it is highly recommended to wear solid colours in classic styles rather than loud patterns or trendy styles.
- Avoid awkward poses, expressions (e.g. staring up or down), or if the photo seems off balance.
- Also avoid cliché writing props (e.g. laptops, bookshelves, and typewriters).
- Finally, look at examples of bad author photos , good author photos and other examples of styles and quality.
7. Author Bio note
Your biographical note is also an important part of author branding. It can be difficult to get right. You might end up writing way too much about yourself, or not enough. Here are some helpful resources:
- Anne R. Allen- How to write a bio
- Bio Tips for new authors
- Reedsy – Write a killer bio
- Kindlepreneur – Make an amazing bio
- What you need in an author Bio
- Examples of Author Bios
Public Speaking For Authors
Public speaking can greatly increase your reach as an author. For introverted writers, this can be a huge challenge, however, it’s worth the effort to manage or overcome this fear. There are ways to do this. For example, Toastmasters Clubs offer a non-threatening environment for you to practice speaking skills. Additionally, there are also many online resources as well as books and podcasts such as How to Own the Room.
Email marketing for Authors
Unlike social media, an email list is a book marketing tool that you control. While email lists are a great way to engage with readers, you also don’t want to break any laws. Before you start your email marketing campaign, check Canadian Anti-Spam Laws and U.S. Email anti-spam rules. Here are some more tips and resources:
- Why authors need an email list
- Author websites and email lists
- Email marketing tools list
- Get new subscribers to your blog
Substack & other platforms for writers
There are many new ways that writers and other contect creators are connecting to readers. With traditional social media now flooded with content, many writers are finding have a smaller more engaged audience is a more effective use of their time. Here’s info on a few of the options.
Professional Book Marketing & Publicity
Some authors, in specific stages in their career, will hire a professional book publicity company. If you have a polished writing project, this may be the right option. Although it is a big investment, it can be a key marketing strategy.
- Reedsy – Freelance book marketing specialists
- DigiMarketing (Canada)
- PageTwo Services (Canada)
- JoJo’s Author Services (Canada)
- The Self-Publishing Agency (Canada)
- Books Forward (US)
- Author Marketing Experts (US)
- Cameron Publicity (UK)
- Book Funnel (UK)
- Publicists & Promoters for Book (US)
Book Marketing author Inspiration
“I always found self-promotion really difficult, but I realized that if I didn’t toot my own horn that nobody would do it.” ––Melissa Leong, best-selling ebook author
“No one can sell a book more than the author. I was initially a reluctant communicator and loathed public speaking, but I had to learn to embark on such endeavours for the sake of reaching out to the markets. Now there is nothing I enjoy more than engaging with readers about literary matters.” Siphiwo Mahala
“We continued in that vein – me writing, they pitching. … And my publicist reported regularly on progress, chatted through ideas, gave good guidance and editing and feedback.” — Self-published author Lesia Daria (UK)
Social Media for book marketing
- How authors use Instagram
- BookTok on TikTok
- Pros & Cons of book marketing on Youtube
- Goodreads author promotion
- Find book bloggers
- Some writers use online writing platforms to build an audience. However, there are risks. Before taking the plunge, first check author advice by Alexa Donne.
Author coach Matthew Ashdown describes how authors can get in their own way when it’s time for book marketing in this video.
“[Become] the kind of person that people trust and want to buy from, versus the person that people cross the street to avoid.” – Matthew Ashdown
Note: Links and information are for research purposes and therefore do not replace professional advice. In addition, accuracy of third-party websites cannot be verified and links do not indicate endorsement.
Updated November 2024 by 3PennyPublishing – Victoria, BC, Canada; researching and sharing self-publishing resources with writers since 2010.