| The biggest mistake most novelists make when | | | | meeting, do a Q&A for their member |
| promoting their books is believing that it's all about | | | | publication, or offer a discount to members. |
| book reviews. Wrong. Book reviews are valuable | | | | 3. Leverage what you uncovered while writing |
| and securing them should be on any author or | | | | your book. Did you learn about a period in history |
| publisher's book promotion to-do list, but your | | | | or a specific region? Use this knowledge as a |
| novel deserves more widespread, long-term, and | | | | springboard for publicity. The author of an |
| ongoing exposure than it can get through reviews | | | | historical romance novel set in New York's Hudson |
| alone. It deserves to be talked about month after | | | | River Valley, for example, can write and distribute |
| month - as long as the book is available for | | | | a news release announcing the top romantic and |
| purchase. | | | | historical attractions in that region or pitch a local |
| Here are six tips for helping you see the publicity | | | | newspaper or regional magazine on an article |
| and promotion value in your fiction so that you | | | | about the area's most romantic date destinations. |
| generate the ongoing buzz your book deserves: | | | | Your goal is to be quoted as an expert source |
| 1. Find the nonfiction nuggets in your manuscript | | | | because this would require using your book title as |
| and use them to create newsworthy material for | | | | one of your credentials. |
| relevant media outlets. Is your heroine a jilted | | | | 4. Support your book with a good Web site |
| wife starting over in the workforce as - let's say | | | | designed by a professional. Your Web site has to |
| - an account executive at a high-flying packaging | | | | be as good as your writing. It also has to contain |
| design firm who finds love with her client at a | | | | information that convinces us that your books are |
| consumer products company? You've got publicity | | | | worth buying and reading. It doesn't have to be |
| opportunities with the packaging and marketing | | | | slick, but it does need to be very well-written, |
| trade magazines. Is she a radio jock? The female | | | | attractive, useful, and enticing. We will assess your |
| morning drive time personalities would love to | | | | ability to tell a good story by your ability to |
| interview you by phone. | | | | communicate on your Web site, so the writing is |
| What about locations, products, or services in | | | | crucial. |
| your novel? A story set in a national park or a | | | | 5. Get social. Focus on one or two social |
| convenience store gives you news pegs for | | | | networking sites - Facebook now has more users |
| exposure in the relevant trade magazines. A | | | | than MySpace - and master the most effective |
| character's obsession with a little known beverage | | | | and appropriate ways to use them to promote |
| brand could get your book into that company's | | | | your book before spreading yourself too thin on |
| employee newsletter. If you're writing your novel | | | | several sites. Once you understand how the |
| now, work in some nonfiction nuggets you can | | | | process works, expand to others and use new |
| capitalize on later. | | | | technology tools and resources such as those at |
| 2. Use your content to identify promotion allies. Is | | | | TweetDeck and Ping.fm to streamline your |
| your protagonist an athlete in a wheelchair? | | | | information sharing across your networks. |
| Connect with groups such as the National | | | | 6. Share the love. Help us connect with you by |
| Wheelchair Basketball Association or the National | | | | blogging about your writing process and |
| Wheelchair Softball Association. What about the | | | | experiences. Get excerpts up on your Web site |
| professions of the people in your book? Does it | | | | and read portions to us via podcasts so we can |
| feature a secretary? Contact the Association of | | | | get a feel for your writing and decide if the story |
| Executive and Administrative Professionals. | | | | is appealing. Give us enough online - on your Web |
| There's an association for just about every | | | | site, blog, and through podcast download sites |
| profession. | | | | such as iTunes - to convince us we'd like your |
| But don't just send them a note that says, "I've | | | | book. |
| written a book your members will love." Send a | | | | There's no question that promoting fiction is |
| copy of the book with a letter outlining | | | | harder than promoting nonfiction - but because of |
| promotional possibilities and what's in it for them. | | | | that, it's also more rewarding. |
| You might offer to speak at their national | | | | |