What are some free or low cost ideas to promote your book? Is there a good book on the how to promote you own book? Links? Good webpages? (that are free or at low cost) Anyone have any other ideas on how to promote? book signings? reviews? Has anyone been through the process, how is your book selling?
I've been through this in a small way when I self-published my first novel a few years ago, and I would recommend that you focus on drumming up local interest rather than trying to create anything "national". I would contact local newspapers, radio stations, etc. It works best if you actually live in the same area as where your novel is set, which unfortunately wasn't an advantage that I had (my book was set in the west of Scotland where I grew up, but I now live in the south of England). I managed to get a couple of big articles in the local newspaper (in Scotland), and also gave them 5 copies to give away in a Christmas contest in return for the extra publicity. Once that had done its work, I then donated several copies to local libraries up there. Obviously, that doesn't make me money, but getting as wide a readership as possible was always a bigger deal than actual financial profit for me. And I'm pleased to say that, having checked with those libraries a couple of times since then, the books continue to be checked out on a regular basis -so much so that one of the libraries wanted to organise an evening where I was guest speaker and where people could come and talk to me about my novel. I was also fortunate enough to later get a glowing review in a national publication - The Self-Publishing Magazine - which gave sales a minor boost again. I'm now busy on the follow-up, and don't publicise the first book anymore, but it is still available on Amazon and sells the very occasional copy. So I certainly haven't made a financial killing from my writing, but I have managed to reach out to a decent-sized audience.
If you publish through a traditional publisher and agent, you agent will take care of this aspect (although you may become annoyed when he or she schedules you for book signings when you had other plans). The best thing you can do at this point is to write the book, polish the manuscript, and start submitting. Oh, and don't put up a site promoting books that publishers have not yet accepted. Only call attention to your successes. Don't draw attention to books that have not been, and may never be, sold.
Some smaller but successful publishers in the UK like you to have ideas about how to market your book. There is one I am particularly interested in asks for your own ideas. Here in Scotland at least a good library event is worth its weight in gold. A local author speaking at the library can attract 45-90 people in audience (any more our little libraries would burst) generally most of those people will buy a copy, getting interviewed for the local paper helps. I have deliberatly gone down the route of including local place names in my book. Local book shops are always happy to promote local authors if they like your work or you know the owner. And local tourist places are useful for selling your book. I am in the process of creating a website for my book that is going well etc My characters will be blogging. Then there is your facebook account and creating pages etc
in addition to the ones noted above... interviews on local radio/tv talk shows inteviews in newspapers/magazines talks/readings at topic-relevant clubs/ass'n meetings
