Arlene Hayes
I am busy learning about marketing. Okay – hands up – I’ve just started. So don’t ask me anything yet. Marketing is something I never thought I would need to know about, and it’s something that never interested me in the past, so I never took any notice of how it was done. Marketing nowadays has the added elements of computer skills, social media and networking. It is very difficult to learn about a subject that doesn’t interest you, as you will recall from your school days. You have to build an enthusiasm from level zero to exhilarating 10, and create a flair for something you really don’t want to do.
I could do a course, of course, but there are several reasons why I’ve chosen not to. Reason number1: I have to be at home to look after my daughter. There doesn’t have to be any other reason than that one, but I have several. With hindsight (that wonderful thing!) I should have projected my thoughts ahead of the book releases, and had my marketing plan in place before my first book was released. That would have meant that the book was not released until a later date, but maybe that wouldn’t have mattered in the great scheme of things.
I’m glad that my Conflict Series is complete and out there in the big literary world, but it needs to be marketed in a competent way for it to receive the attention it deserves, as with any novel. There lies the problem for the new author who doesn’t know the first thing about marketing. Cue much learning and cultivation of professional approach! An amateur attempt will impress no-one. Time is of the essence, especially if the timing is somewhat skewed already, for after the novel is published it’s too late to begin an educational course on how to market it. A crash course is required! Thank heavens for the internet.
There are random workshops available from time to time, but there are several valid reasons, as with longer courses, why someone may not wish to attend – work commitments, parenthood, or simply having a shy nature or lack of confidence. If shyness is your problem, I have bad news for you: You’ll have to get over that if you want to promote your book! But maybe that workshop is not for you – take things one step at a time and build your presence gradually. That first phone call to a newspaper or that first email to a magazine or book reviewer will be the worst. You’ll soon get used to it. Remember, they don’t know you, they can’t see you, and you can just pretend to be confident. With practice, that confidence will become real.
But now the author has a constant dilemma – write or promote? I have been trying to do both and consequently not doing a good job of either. I find it difficult to focus on writing a novel while other major projects are occupying my mind. I find it difficult to study marketing, because I don’t want to have to do it. But alas, with great reluctance, I have decided to put the writing of my next novel on hold while I learn how to market my Conflict series. After all, once I’ve learned the core elements of marketing, I can use that knowledge and experience to market all my future books. I’ll know what I’m doing (hopefully!) and I will be able to combine writing with marketing on a daily basis.
With literary agents so reluctant to take on new talent, or unable to recognise it, and almost all traditional publishers refusing to consider the work of an unknown author unless it is presented by an agent, I think all new authors need to educate themselves on marketing, and have a plan in place before their book is launched. An actual book launch is rare for a new author, and I would think it never happens for those without a publicity machine behind them. The new book usually slips out there unnoticed on Amazon; it will not be in the shops for anyone to see.
When I have learned all there is to know about marketing a book, or at least enough to run a successful advertising and promotional campaign, I will write about it, and hopefully help others who are trying to succeed in their writing careers. But until then, I will not consider myself in a position to give marketing advice to anyone. I have read all the general advice that’s easy to find – I have mentioned the usual first steps in a previous column – but that’s not enough. To have a small following of fans who love your books, is wonderfully rewarding, but you have to think big. If you’ve written a good book, you have worked hard and you deserve to be financially rewarded too. We (authors) write because we love to write, but we should not be martyrs to our passion. Get out there and shout about it! (I’m not sure if that, in the literal sense, will be in my future advice!)
My ultimate aim is to get my books on the shelves of every book store in the country (okay – world!) and for them to be Amazon’s best sellers. Too ambitious? No. Aim high. The higher you aim, the more you achieve. It’s not likely that you will achieve your ultimate target – though you never know – but you may get half way, or even better. With the right amount of effort you will get somewhere on the big stage of performing authors, and for most authors that is a satisfactory result. For me; I’m already there, on that crowded stage, but I can’t be seen, hidden at the back. I need to move to the front and take a bow, and hope for that standing ovation.
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