by Susan Fenn

Created on: October 30, 2009

How to market your novel before it's published

What is required of an author to market/promote their book has changed enormously over the years. Currently authors are required to be witty, charming, superb in their craft, and above all marketing suave. As an author, the internet is the greatest marketing tool available and you don't need a college degree to use it for the benefit of promoting and marketing your novel (before it's published!).

1. Create an author's website.

Creating a website all about you (the author) and your previous accomplishments, honorable mentions, and a brief bio is essential to building a writer's platform. A writer's platform helps to build a clientele. Having your platform in place before publication is essential to selling your novel once it hits the shelves. This has been beneficial for many authors, including those with six and seven digit incomes.

The best part is that you don't have to be literate in computer language to build one. You can use one of many free web building sites, such as Webs (www.webs.com).

2. Use social networking sites

Myspace (www.myspace.com), Facebook (www.facebook.com), and Linkedin (www.linkedin.com) can be used to build a relationship with other novelists, agents, publishers, and most importantly readers. You can use the sites to bolster your latest chapter. Leaving enticing blurbs about your current chapter in your "what are you doing now?" section increases public knowledge of your novel while "hooking" them, before you've completed writing it.

3. Create a main character blog

Everyone wants to know how to blog and how to make their blogs work for them. It isn't any different with writers. The greatest part of being an author (even if this is your first novel) is you have an exciting, personable character to write it for you. Use your character's voice to pique the interest of your reader base and to increase the weight of your novel. Not only will this exercise keep your mind and creativity fresh it will also expand your knowledge base of your character. This ensures that your character is a living entity in your and your reader's minds. There are many free blogging sites. You just need to keep the topic consistent with the premise of your novel.

This concept works well with all writing venues, including scripts, short stories (where there is a repeating character), and novels. (www.blogger.com)

4. Meet and speak with writers groups, critique groups and book clubs

How is the best way to promote

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>