We need more action on this forum. Marketing is something we all have to do, whether we're trad published or go indie. So let's start a new thread on marketing methods. I'm not thinking links from wildly successful authors with thousands of dollars for advertising. I want to hear what you're trying where you are now. Let's share how we're trying to sell our books, whether we're convinced what we're doing will work out or not. If you're like me, marketing gives you the willies. We all need encouragement to do it anyway. Where are you with marketing? What looks promising? Your stories, let's hear them!
Here's where I am (3/18/23): I've had a Facebook author page since April of 2020. I didn't post much because I thought it had to be all Important Writing Milestones and I didn't have many of those. I was stuck at 63 followers for years. Then last month I came across this lecture by Shawn Inmon on YouTube, from this last November's 20 Books to 50K conference in Las Vegas: I've listened to it several times since. The most important lessons I gleaned from it? "Make friends with the algorithm." Post consistently, on all sorts of topics your followers might be interested in. Build your followership over time. You might not see a single reaction until you've posted to crickets for 364 days. Keep going. I decided a month ago to try this. I've posted every day since February 15th. Already my follows are up to 77 with one Recommendation and the engagement is up tremendously. It's not impressive, as these things go. I haven't sold any books out of it yet. But it just may bear fruit. In connection with this, I started following Shawn's page. A personal reminiscence he put up inspired part of the poem "Drowned Places" I entered in February's poetry contest here on WF. I didn't want to violate his privacy, so I emailed him to ask his permission to publish it, on my own Facebook page and in a book I'm compiling. He not only gave permission, he asked my leave to post the poem (his portion of it) on his own Facebook page. He did, this past Friday, and it's gotten good reactions. No, I haven't gotten any new followers out of it yet. But the possibility is there. I haven't spent a dollar on this effort. It may ultimately sell books, it may not. But the fact I'm doing anything consistent in the way of marketing is exciting and a little scary. EDIT--- Hot damn! Shawn Inmon himself just started following me, and he only follows 43 pages vs. 4.9K following him. Now I'm really under pressure.
Catrin, just remember pressure makes diamonds. Try posting some prequels to your work there, and drum up interest that way.
You mean on my FB page? That's an idea. It might get a little long . . . though maybe I could post a paragraph or three there then link to the rest of the prequel/reader magnet on my website. I'm already posting my poetry on my FB page, which gets favorable reactions. Anyway, let's hear what others are doing for marketing too.
Scott Sigler recorded several of his books, then posted them on podable at a chapter a week. Which gathered him a large fan base. This approach to building his fan base got him a contract with traditional publishing.
I don’t mean this to sound patronishing, but I think this excellent and well done to you for venturing into unchartered waters. Reiterative trying>failing>learning is the Tao. That’s true about consistency btw. It’s also important to set a clear aim at the outset against which your progress can be evaluated. Myself, I (try to) write psy-fi. I’m also a photographer and a musician, so my plan is to combine the three media to relay some kind of multi-sensorial narrative. For example, using image editing to create depictions of dreamt worlds, or making captioned videos with soundscapes that enhance the mood. Perhaps each character will have an aural identity.
Marketing without paying for ads might be very hard, but rewarding when you succeed. I intend on trying to recite short stories on a Youtube channel together with paintings that I have comissioned showing in the background. All this to drum up interest in my main book which is set in the same world as the short stories. Think I will start by uploading some short stories and see how it goes. If everything is crickets, I may consider paying for directed ads. I am fortunate enough that I have savings just for these things. Other people may buy houses or cars, I will buy paintings and commercials for my fictional universe, which I, for now, consider more important than a big home. I have never in my life done a commercial, so it will be new territory for me. Anyone who have done commercials who can give some tips and tricks?
I think the thing is to be consistent and persistent about it. Like don't give up if it's only crickets for the first month.
So.... start a facebook page specifically for your writing, follow a bunch of authors/lit groups on facebook, and hope for the best? ...Probably better than what I'm doing, honestly.
More or less. I deliberately haven't done any out and out marketing yet ( won't till my WIP is ready to release), but I'm forging relationships with other authors who hopefully will recommend the book once it's done.
