by Patricia Gilliam

Created on: June 28, 2010

Promotion for your book needs to come from a combination of online and traditional techniques.  You don't necessarily need a lot of money to get your book off the ground, but it does take patience and persistence to get long-term results.  Here are a few suggestions I've used personally for my novels:

1)  Start With People You Know

Let the people in your everyday life know that you're a writer, and most of your family and friends will be happy to give you word-of-mouth promotion for you.  Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter are useful as well, but don't become dependent on them as your only means of promotion.

2)  Offer Free Chapter Previews of Your Work

This is important if you're new in  your genre and gives readers an opportunity to learn more about you and your book.  A free online preview of a few chapters won't harm you, considering readers browse chapters in traditional bookstores all the time.  In my case, I've been able to sell previous books by allowing access to the rough draft of my current book.  Most writers don't go that far, but I can say that sales have come from it.  This will depend on your publisher and how you publish as well.

3)  Speak to Bookstore and Library Mangers in Your Local Area

The worst thing that could happen is you may get a "no" to an offer to do a book-signing or event, but in most cases people in these industries are happy to meet you and want more information.  Don't be afraid or nervous to talk to them.

4)  Have Your "Elevator Speech" Prepared

An elevator speech is short summary of what you do or what your book is about.  This will be a question you'll get asked a lot, so have it clear and defined.

5)  Develop A Presence Online

Whether it's through writing articles or having your own website, you need something about you to appear when readers search for your name.  Amazon provides authors with their own page as long as your book is on their system, and Facebook has a set-up for public pages as well.  Make sure your bio on these websites contains information about your book as well.  If you have various articles spread across multiple websites, compiling them all into one website is helpful as well.

I hope you've found these tips helpful!  Good luck, and best wishes on your book's success!

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