Dispelling The Book Marketing Mystery

 

by Merrill Rainey

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my career as an Author, Illustrator, and Paper Engineer, it is that not one project ever runs the same path.  Some projects need more time, while others zip right through, and sometimes they need a little more hand holding.  Each book I’ve created has had its own individual journey and that includes how I approached marketing them.  When marketing a book, I always look for new avenues to attract people to my work.  Some ways help me find work, and some ways don’t.  When they don’t work, I learn from these experiences and improve how I approach my process the next time around.  Like most things in publishing, there is not one set way to do something, and that includes how to market your book.  So whether you are traditionally published, or independently published, I’ve compiled some suggestions that I have found success with over the last decade to help get my work out into the world.  Marketing is the business of building an audience.  So for our books and our careers to succeed, we need to build that following.  And sometimes it takes a little time to do so.  Hopefully the strategies below will help to dispel some of the mystery around how to market your book!

 

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Make a marketing plan

Marketing plans are so important!  They help you define how you are going to approach getting your book out into the world and how you are going to afford doing so.  When creating your plan you need to think through various things:

1.        How do you plan to get the word out about your book?  Will it be through social media, local advertisements, video media, etc...? 

2.        Decide what events you might want to attend to help you promote.  Will there be a cost associated with doing so?

3.        Make a list of what type of giveaways you might want to create to go along with your book.  How much will they cost?

4.        Will you need to pay someone to help design your marketing materials?

5.        Most importantly, create a budget.  Know how much you want to spend on your marketing plan.  It’s easy to get excited about finding creative ways to market your project, but make sure it’s affordable, and make sure those ideas are worth your investment.  

 

Know what your publisher’s plan is

If you are going to be traditionally published, know what your publisher plans to do to get the word out about your book before you start to market on your own.  If you don’t know the details, ask what their plan is. 

You should know:

⁃           Where they plan to advertise your book

⁃           What their social media strategy is

⁃           If they are sending your work out to reviewers

⁃           If there are ways that you can help support them by supplying materials that they can send to booksellers

⁃           Are they willing to help with booking school presentations, bookstore appearances, and library events

 

The World Wide Web

The number one thing you must have when marketing your book is a website.  You need a place that you can send people to that showcases you and your books.  Your site must include images of your book covers and what your books are about, links to where you can buy them, as well as a bio about yourself.  You can also include any downloadable activities related to your books, and information on if you offer speaking engagements, library presentations, school visits, etc.  It is also good practice to link your site to your publishers. 

Once you are set up, you will want to link your site to different social media accounts.  You’ll have to decide which social media platforms work the best for you.  I know social media is a mess right now, but it’s still the place where publishers share about events, book releases, and other announcements.  It is where a huge part of your audience engagement occurs, so it is still a viable place to get the word out about you and your work.  I’m not a social media guru, but from my experiences, you’ll want to post something at least once a week to keep your audience engaged.

If you have the means to create a book trailer, I suggest doing so.  Book trailers don’t have to be anything fancy.  They just have to give your audience a taste of what your book is all about and where to find it.  You can easily create a slide presentation in PowerPoint or Apple’s Keynote, then export it out as a movie.  Or if you have kids, or grandkids that are tech savvy… let them create the trailers for you.  Then you can post what was created for all to see on the world wide web, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc.!

Note: When possible, I like to link the sales of my book to bookshop.org.  This site allows readers to buy your books from your local independent bookstore, or if you don’t have one, they can choose another store to buy it from. 

 

Mass Media

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that any positive press is good press!  That includes small town local papers to national news.  Once you know when your new book will be released, start reaching out to local media sources; news station, newspapers, parents magazines, radio shows, podcast, blogs, book reviewers etc.  See if they will run an interview or a special section about you and the book or if they will write a review.  From my experiences, news sources are usually more than willing to help you promote and celebrate your book and yourself.  The best things about these types of resources is that most of them are free, and you can normally find who to contact listed on their websites.

Also, if you attended college, trade school, etc., reach out to your alma mater.  Most places of higher education have a magazine that will highlight the successes of their current and past students.

 

In person events

No one knows you or your work unless you are telling them.  One of the most common questions I get from parents is; “My son or daughter is graduating from art school soon.  Do you have any advice for them?”  and my response is always “They need to learn how to sell themselves and their work, and if they don’t know how to do that, they need to learn how.”  Many people in this field are introverts, but you have to break out of that comfort zone to succeed!  No one else knows how to sell your work better than you!

 

So, with that said...

⁃           Participate in as many local events; book festivals, parking lot parties, street fairs, etc. that you can and have energy for.  You definitely want to grow your audience, but you don’t want to burn out doing so.

⁃           Submit to larger national book festivals, you never know whether you’ll be accepted if you don’t try!

⁃           Connect with your indie bookstores.  These bookstores are so important to the book biz!  Ask to see if they would be willing to partner together to host a book launch event. 

⁃           Attend writing and illustrating workshops, classes, and conferences.  Networking is key!

⁃           If you have a book that has a niche topic… are there events in that same topic that you can attend?  The great thing about attending an event like this is that it already has a built in audience, which you can then use to build upon and grow yours.

⁃           If you are presenting at libraries, schools, or events about your book, know your audience and find ways to make your presentation engaging for them.  Engage being the key word here… you have to use a little bit of showmanship to keep the attention of your audience members big and small… Are you using puppets?  Are you doing interactive read alouds?  Or maybe some kind of craft activity that relates to your book?  Also, be willing to adjust on the fly based on the reactions of your audience or any event issues that might arise.  Being flexible and engaging will always help grow your following and lead to more presentation opportunities! 

⁃           Going back to your marketing plan, know what your travel budget is.  Also, know what your time is worth.  Sometimes you can find, or are invited to free events, but those FREE events will come with travel costs to get there.  Sometime those FREE events are great for networking and building your audience, sometimes they are not.  After awhile you’ll know which events will benefit you and your books the most.  A few years back I attended NERD Camp Ohio.  It was a free event, I didn’t get paid to be there, I had to pay for my own travel expenses, but this event ended up being one of my favorite events of the year!  I presented multiple times to teachers, librarians, book fans, etc., and from that event, I was able to acquire a few paid school visits the following year.

 

*Side note: Something to keep in mind while you attend in-person events; whether you sell 100 books or just 1… every in-person event is an opportunity to help build your audience!

 

Giveaways

I’m a big fan of creating new giveaways for my books.  When Roar I’m a Dinosaur launched, I created a mask bookmark that mimicked the concept of this novelty board book.  It showcased what the gimmick of the book was, acted as a toy, and functioned as a bookmark.  When GIANTS ARE VERY BRAVE PEOPLE released I created a GIANT sized bookmarks which were just oversized bookmarks, but again it riffed off of the concept of the book.  One other give away/tradition that I started is creating a new t-shirt design based on my new book.  I would then send these shirts to a more focused audience which usually included my publishing team, bookstore owners, librarians, and other event hosts.

The trick to creating effective giveaways is to know who your audience is that will be receiving them.  You must make the giveaway something that they’ll keep and not just throw away.  Again, it doesn’t have to be something overly creative, just keep it simple, fun, and effective (ie. making a normal size bookmark two inches bigger and calling it giant sized). 

Some giveaways are created for crowds of people and others are created for more focused audiences as noted above.  Looking back at your marketing plan, when coming up with giveaways directed towards large amounts of people, you want to find something where you can get more for your money.  When creating something for a more focused audience, you might want to spend a little more money for a more substantial takeaway.  Remember to not stretch yourself to thin here; do what is within your means! 

 

Here are a few ideas for book giveaways;

⁃           Bookmarks.  Probably the most common giveaway, but the most effective.  Make sure the bookmark relates to your book and gives some kind of snippet of what the book is about.  Showcase any industry reviews, and of course include your website link so they know where to go to order your book.  There are a lot of places to order bulk bookmarks from.  I’ve had good luck with GotPrint in the past.

⁃           Pins and buttons.  Same as with the bookmarks, make sure they relate to your book and if possible directs your audience to your website. There are a lot of venders you can choose from to order or create these, but I’ve always used Sticker Mule and have enjoyed their products so far.

⁃           Activity sheets.  Activity sheets that can be downloaded from your website, or given away at events are a great way for places like schools and libraries to highlight your books and to engage with customers or students.  When creating these, consider things such as: Is there a fun activity you can create that relates to your book? Mazes, word searches, and such are pretty common, but is there something you can create that would be more memorable?  When Color, Cut, Create came out, I created an oversized postcard that had one of the dinosaur paper toys on it.  It also included where you could order the book from.  My hope with this particular activity sheet was that the dinosaur would get built, the builders would enjoy their time doing so, and then they would end up ordering the book so they could do it all over again.  For GIANTS ARE VERY BRAVE PEOPLE, I did a compare and contrast activity using the art on the end pages where the kids would circle what was different in the art.  The end pages at the beginning of the book showed how Bigelow saw his world and all of the things he was afraid of.  Then at the end of the book, the end pages changed to show that Bigelow had gained his courage and was not afraid anymore.  Then, to tie into the message of the book, I left space for them to write down what they are afraid of and what they could do to gain courage to overcome those fears. 

 

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 In March of 2025 my 7th book will release.  So keep an eye out on my social media sites, website, etc., to see how I plan to get MY FIRST TOWN: A Building Block Book out into this world!  Visit my site for or more information about My FIRST TOWN:  A Building Block Book published by Odd Dot an Imprint of Macmillan -> https://littlerainey.com/building-block-books-myv-first-town-fall-2024

 

To find out more about my work check out -> Littlerainey.com

Follow me on Instagram and thread @littlerainey

Bluesky: @littlerainey

X: @littlerainey

Facebook: @MerrillRainey

TikTok: @merrillrainey

 

Looking for someone to design your book or marketing materials?  Email me at merrillr@littlerainey.com for rates.

Looking for an illustrator for you project check out HIA.com (Hire and Illustrator) or check out SCBWI.org (Society of Children’s Book Writes and Illustrators).

10 Dates a Wanna-be Author Should Take

 

by Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton

1.     Make a date to read, read, read.

Read everything you can in your genre.

Read HOW TO books in your genre.

Read reviews of books in your genre.

Read until your genre is as natural to you as your skin.

2.     Make a date to attend writer’s events:

Go to workshops, conferences, library talks, book signings, and writer’s retreats.

Listen. Ask questions. Gather resources. Network.

   

   3. Make a date with a critique group.

Getting feed back on your writing is invaluable.

Don’t argue or try to defend your work. You are there to learn.

      4. Make a date to write a list of things that you know a great deal about.

Write those things about which you are knowledgeable and passionate.

                                              5.  Make a date to collect word lists.

                               If you are writing about the sea shore, make a list of sensorial words

                               that will make your scenes come alive. Gather a list of active verbs, 

                               sounds, smells, everything that equates to the sea shore.

6.      Make a date to play the game of  “WHAT IF?”                 

What if an astronaut met a mermaid in a desert?

What if an anteater and an ant went on a cruise together?

What if a cockroach and a ladybug wanted to change the world?

See if any of these “what ifs” leads you to a new story.

7.  .Make a date to read to identifying why a story connected with you emotionally.

Good stories challenge your heart to see beyond what it knows. 

Use your discoveries to strengthen your own work.

8.   Make a date to edit.

Cut weak dialog, redundant words, and cut text that isn’t moving your story forward.

Be mindful of spelling and grammar.

Stay within guidelines given by a prospective publishing house.

Edit for word length. Research guidelines for the average length of certain genres.

                         9. Make a date to experience the world.

                      Go on a weekly adventure trying new things. 

                      Jot down your reactions.

                      The freshness of “being in the moment”

                      heightens the senses and leads to strong writing.

10. Make a date not to give up every time you hit a stumbling block. 

                 Put in the time to: educate, write, re-write, critique,                                   re-write, submit, rewrite, submit, submit, submit.

     This business is about not giving up. Tenacity must become your middle name.

     Those who give up will never get published. Keep at it and your time will come.

Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton is a prolific children's author. Check out her website: http://www.laurieknowlton.com/           

                                                                                                

 

 

From our Archives: A Reason to Rhyme

 by Gloria G. Adams

We all know that reading to children out loud is important. But reading rhyming picture books to preschoolers can have a lifelong impact on their reading skills and love of books.

Phonological awareness is defined as the ability to distinguish sounds. This is the very beginning of learning how to read. According to Lindsay Knobelauch, M.Ed, CCC-SLP, “Phonological awareness is important because it is a basis for reading. Children begin to read by listening to others read aloud, then recognizing sounds in words, sounding words out for themselves, recognizing familiar words, and so on. By engaging in word play, children learn to recognize patterns among words and use this knowledge to read and build words.”

There are many ways to reinforce this word play to help children recognize rhythms and patterns that lead to word recognition.  One way is to clap out individual words or individual syllables within words. Other ways are to ask what sounds a child hears at the end or beginning of a word or having them blend two sounds together, such as “Pan-da.”

  Try singing the rhymes in a book by using familiar tunes. For example, the picture book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? can be sung to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

 

As a parent or grandparent or a teacher or librarian, make sure you include a lot of rhyming books as you read to your particular kids. Some great titles include the following: Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Good Night, Good Night, Construction Site, by Tom Lichtenheld, and Ah-Choo! by Lana Koehler and Gloria G. Adams. Traditional nursery rhymes, along with books by Dr. Seuss are also good sources.

For musical rhyming based on books, one of the best collections is from The Learning Station. Check them out with YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Music: https://www.learningstationmusic.com/

If you are a writer who wants to write rhyming picture books, read all of the published ones you can find, as well as books on how to write a good book in rhyme. Make sure you know all the different formats of rhyme and stick to them strictly. Rhymes should be exact, especially if you are not a well-published author. And, as always, practice makes perfect and getting your work critiqued is invaluable.

 Whether you read to children or write for them, sharing rhyming picture books with preschoolers is one sure way to help them along the pathway to becoming successful readers and lifelong learners.

 

 

 

Meet Award-winning Author Rachele Alpine

 By Gloria G. Adams

 

Rachele, what made you decide to become an author? Please tell us a little bit about your journey to publication.

 I’ve been a writer since before I could talk…well, kind of!  I had a severe speech impediment, and most people couldn’t understand me.  My mom bought me a diary and told me to write down all the things I wanted to say but couldn’t.  Once I started there, I couldn’t stop and have been telling stories my whole life.  While I took writing classes in college and graduate school, it wasn’t until I was about to turn thirty that I made it a goal to finish a book and put myself out there.  It was the push I needed, and I finished my first book, Canary, right before my birthday. It ended up being my debut novel.

 

I’ve read that you’ve said working as a teacher with teens gives insight into what they care about. Can you tell us more specifically about how those insights inspired ideas for one or more of your books?

 I’ve always loved reading contemporary novels and writing them; it’s what I gravitate toward.  Because I’m surrounded by children all day (and night with my two boys!), it’s the world I know.  I see their struggles, triumphs, things they wonder about, things that worry or scare them, and the things they love.  My mind is always asking “what if” questions and as I live my life around kids who are discovering the world and figuring out who they are, I can’t help but explore the topics that they are, too.  

 

What was the catalyst for your Invincible Girls Club series?

I wanted to write a book about a group of girls who set out to prove that you can never be too young to change the world.  I have so many young readers, and it has always been important to me to write positive and uplifting books like the type of books I loved when I was a kid.  This series was so much fun because not only did it show the difference anyone can make (young or old!), but it also highlighted real-life invincible girls with biographies at the end of the book, and provided ideas for ways that the reader could do amazing things too.   

Tell us what it was like writing with other authors on Best. Night. Ever.  Would you do it again?

It was a magical experience!  

There were six other writers, and to this day, I’ve only met one of them in person!  It’s kind of wild to think that we could pull off writing a book online, but we did and had a blast during the process!

We wrote on a Google Doc and used a three-week cycle. One week you were creating a new chapter, the next week you were providing feedback for someone else, and the third week you were revising your chapter based on feedback from others.  I would literally go to sleep and wake up the next day to new chapters!  I always said it was like Christmas morning and the new words were the gifts! 

I would totally collaborate with others again; sign me up!

 

Do you have a favorite character that you’ve created? Or do you have one in your mind that you haven’t written yet?

I’ve always loved Gabby in the book You Throw Like a Girl.  

The book was based on an experience I had, but unlike me, Gabby did all the things I wished I had been brave and strong enough to do. 

I just love her spunk and love for her family.

 

Can you share a funny or unusual experience as an author?

One of the coolest moments was selling rights for Best. Night. Ever. to Netflix.  They had wanted to do a thirteen-episode series, and it was so cool to see it start to come together.  While it ended up not happening (COVID and other circumstances stalled production), it is still cool to say that my book was optioned by Netflix.  I also found out not long ago that The Invincible Girls Club: Art with Heart sold foreign rights to the Czech Republic.  It’s the only book that I’ve sold foreign rights to, and I can’t wait to see what the new cover will look like, and the book translated!

What are your goals as an author? What else do you still want to accomplish in this field?

 My biggest dream goal as an author is to have one of my books get picked up by Scholastic for their book fairs.  I can’t even begin to describe how much I used to geek out when it was book fair week or a flyer came home.  I LOVED Scholastic Book Fairs and middle school Rachele (and adult Rachele) might self-combust from happiness if one of my books ever ended up in one!

 

Words of advice for MG and YA writers?

Write the books you want to read and don’t worry about anything else.  I write for the younger version of me and try to stay true to the stories I always wanted and couldn’t find.  When I do that, I don’t worry about what others might think, want, or the current trends. 

 

Short and Sweet:

Pantser or Plotter?

I started as a panster, but since I sell on proposal now (have two kids and teach so time management is a must), I am more of a plotter.

Guilty Food Pleasure?

French fries (I could live on them!)

Favorite Hobby?

Knitting (I’m always knitting…when I’m reading, walking, watching TV, hiking…if my hands are free, there are knitting needles in them!)

Dog or Cat person?

Team Dog always and forever!

Who would you like to have dinner with (living or dead)?

Can it be a dinner party?  If so, I’d invite Judy Blume, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jason Reynolds, Curtis Sittenfeld, Beverly Cleary, and John Green.  An eclectic crowd but would love to talk books and writing with them!

 Do you do your best work in the Morning, Afternoon, or Evening?

I used to be a night owl (late, late night owl), but since I had kids, I have found my best writing is done in the early morning.  I need a strong cup of coffee and a quiet house to get those words down before the rest of the world wakes up. 

 

Rachele's book, Operation Pucker Up, was re-released this year with a new cover.

Watch the book trailer for Rachele's novel, Canary: https://youtu.be/j8ZmVorheK4

Learn more about Rachele and her books on her website: https://www.rachelealpineauthor.com/

Introducing Nikki Grimes

 

By Lana Koehler

I first started following Nikki Grimes from an author post that led me to her Facebook page. Her observations of nature and humanity frequently leave me awestruck.

 One thing that I admire is how she is able to weave words into a tapestry of rhythms and sounds to create her masterpieces. Her poetry is sublime.

 Nikki has graciously agreed to take time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions that I always wanted to ask her.  

When did you first start writing and why?

I began writing when I was six years old. Initially, I wrote from a need for mental and emotional release.  As I got older, it became more than that.

  How has publishing changed since you first started writing?

I've been in this business, professionally, for more than 45 years.  In that time, publishing has changed in every way.  In the children's book sector, instead of being driven and shaped by English lit grads, it is driven by MBAs; instead of being predominantly backlist, it is more front list with less dependence on school and library marketing.  Finally, the market is marginally more diverse, but still has a very, very long way to go, on that score.

 Who is your target audience? Has that changed over the years?

I don't have a single target audience.  My catalog is quite broad, including picture books, chapter books, middle grade, young adult, and adult.  It hasn't so much changed as grown, over the years. The particular story I'm writing determines the age-appropriate audience.

Who are your favorite authors? 

My list of favorite authors is too long, too broad, too deep to mention.  That said, I will name three who have influenced me most deeply: James Baldwin, Virginia Hamilton, and Katherine Paterson.

 What is the book you’re most proud to have written?

I am most proud of Ordinary Hazards, my memoir.  I worked on it, off and on, for 39 years, and it was easily the most challenging work I have ever attempted.

  Do you ever collaborate when you write? Who might you like to collaborate with? 

I've collaborated once, with Stacy Wells, on Stronger Than, a book with Heartdrum slated for 2025.  I look forward to doing so, again.  I have a couple of other possible collaborators in mind, but I won't name them.  Let it be a wonderful surprise!

  Do you have a favorite book that you’ve written or read? 

Two recent favorite reads: Why Fathers Cry At Night, by Kwame Alexander, and Kin, by Carole Boston Weatherford—both are memoirs, my favorite genre to read.

  Anything else you’d like to say?

If you care about democracy, if you care about our future, if you care about our children, join the fight for children's right to read diversely.  

 

 Quickie Favorites:

Color: Cobalt blue

Flower: Rose

Food: Gelato

Time of year: In general, Spring.  For travel, Fall.

Saying or quote: Something my grandmother used to say: Use your head for something other than a hat-rack.

 

 

Keep in touch with Nikki:

Facebook: Nikki Grimes

Instagram: @poetrynikki

X: @nikkigrimes9

NikkiGrimes.com

 

Marketing a dead tree in a vast forest

 

 By Glenn Somodi, award-winning author and illustrator of the Olly & the Spores book series

 

My book is a dry, dead tree in a vast forest. It is kindling, nicely bound into a 6” x 9” x 1” pile, just waiting for a ‘spark’ to set it ablaze.

Know that I am not one to burn books literally, especially in this day and age. But, deep down in my soul, I know my marketing efforts will work, and the spark will come, setting the world on fire. I hope it will happen while I am still around to enjoy the warmth.

I started very naïve, much like many new authors. My book must be different from the two million new books released yearly. I thought I would write a book, publish it, and someone would fawn over it enough to tell their literary peers to place it onto a favorites list. Or maybe it would appear on that little round table at the entrance to my favorite bookstore with a sign that reads something like, “A must-read, sure to be a classic.” I thought at least I would get front-and-center placement in my hometown’s library–they would surely be proud of a hometown writing hero. And I have a large family, so surely I could count on each one buying a copy of my book.

None of this has happened as I imagined–although it’s not for lack of trying. I only sold eighteen books at my last book launch, and five of those sales were made to family members and close friends. I can proudly say that at least my books are staged in a little shrine my parents built by the front door of their house in The Villages in Florida.

But I am not one to be dissuaded by any of these failures because I have always been an optimistic person. I believe good things come to those who wait, but I add another caveat to that belief. You can’t just do nothing and wait. You must do everything possible to give your creation the best chance and then wait.

So why listen to me blab on about book marketing if I have only seen failure to date? Because I view book marketing as a long-term investment, and mine is beginning to reap the rewards. The sparks are there, and it is exciting to watch for smoke.

That’s what I want to share with you: a peek at all of the metaphorical lighter fluid I have thrown into my book. The money and time I have invested, or sometimes wasted, on creating an anticipated little spark.

To help other authors who share my passion, I have compiled a list of my successes and failures, hoping it might help others find their spark with less work and investment.

 

A look at some of my little ‘sparks’

 I have to confess my intentions when marketing my books. I am not looking to become a millionaire from my writing. I surely wouldn’t turn those millions away, but I just want my stories to be enjoyed, to create a different kind of spark. I want a young boy or girl to come up to me at a book signing and tell me how Truffle the Spore made them laugh or how Olly and Em’s adventures with the animals in the woods made them want to hike in their local park. I would like their childhood to be like mine, filled with glorious imagination.

I recently had this happen at a book signing with a young girl named Anya, and it made every sleepless hour and dime I have spent well worth it. She knew my characters like they were her friends, and she was shaking when she talked about how she loved each of them, especially Em, the female protagonist. I felt like I created a hero for Anya.

A friendly teller at my bank, Corrine, follows my book releases and buys each one. Her eyes light up when I enter the bank, and she makes it a point to share my creations with her coworkers. Her first question is when the next book is coming out or what events I’ll be doing. She surprised me at my second book launch and bought some books for her nieces.

These little conversations and actions are worth more than any money and prove that my investment has succeeded. I still get goosebumps thinking about these experiences.

 

Where I’ve thrown water on the fire (the mistakes I have made)

 

Book Marketing Scams

There are so many scammers on social media and they just inundate my feeds and mailbox. At the start of my marketing endeavor, I almost signed on with a book promotion company in Texas. It would cost me a lot of money, enough that I did extra due diligence to ensure it would be well spent. I emailed back and forth with the company, and they seemed legitimate. They responded quickly, easing any fears that I had. They even had some very successful authors listed on their site, and they seemed to be able to prove their worth. But, my instincts were triggered for some reason, and I looked up their address and found it to be an apartment complex and not what looked to be a legitimate office space. So, I decided I would contact some of their clients. It turned out that the clients did NOT use them and had no clue who the company was. When I called the company to speak with a real person and ask about this, they acted offended that I would question their business tactics. Be aware and do your due diligence before spending money with a book marketer.

 

Trying to market to everyone and reaching no one

My book is intended for kids, young adults, and adults alike. That’s how I wrote it–something a middle grader, tween, and parent might enjoy. Think Harry Potter Volume 1 or Bridge to Terabithia. It’s tough to market a middle grade book, especially when trying to reach the real buyers (the parents). I made all of the mistakes of marketing 101 with my online ads:  marketing to everyone, trying to cross audience ages to get more buyers, and spending money on ads that weren’t targeted to the right market. I needed to decide precisely who my book was for and concentrate on marketing to that group. I’ve since found tools to help me do that, and I mention them later in this post.

 

Picking the incorrect categories and settings when publishing my book

You’ll laugh at me for this, but I accidentally marked my children’s book as having adult content because the grandfather gets murdered in the first chapter (not graphically, mind you). I wanted to be honest about it. I realized after the fact that they meant adult content, such as sexual or graphic death scenes. Once I clicked that checkbox, it was almost impossible to reverse course. It took me a bit of wrangling with KDP support to remove that black mark of death. I also chose some categories that were inundated with other books where there was no way I would stand out in the pack. In my successes section, I mentioned an app I used to avoid this mistake.

 

Create the perfect conditions for a spark

 Reviews

People want to spend their money on something they can trust. They will hesitate to take a chance on your book if you have no other readers or reviews to prove its quality. I continue to use a service called Pubby to gain quality reviews quickly. I can get between 5-10 reviews every week, many of which are verified purchase reviews. The service has a monthly fee of $20 with a free 10-day trial. It requires you to search their online library and buy a low-priced e-book version of a book on Amazon, but the cost is well worth the well-written reviews you get in return. The idea is pretty simple. You earn ‘snaps’ for reading and reviewing other author’s books. You can then trade in those snaps for reviews of your book. They have a 30-day money-back guarantee, and you can cancel anytime. It’s a great way to get reviews of your book on Amazon before you launch the book to the world. I have tried to use family and friends to get reviews, but it is tough to wrangle everyone to spend time reading and reviewing unless they are avid readers. You also won’t get an honest review most of the time.

Book awards

I know it’s a bit cheesy to look for praise in the form of a logo or stamp on your cover, but book awards offer credibility and a shiny sticker that makes your cover stand out. If others have invested time in your book and found it worthy of acclaim, it must have some value. That’s what readers want to know when they compare your book to others. However, realize that there are so many book awards you can apply to, and they usually cost money ($60 - $120 per category entered). Many of them are just schemes to get your money. Research the available awards and pick the respectable ones. Look at your favorite authors in your genre and see what awards they have won. Reedsy offers a list of respectable awards.

Create a consistent brand

Make sure marketing materials look professional and that your colors, logos, and images present a consistent voice that reflects the quality and content of your book. Ensure you set up profile pages on Amazon, Goodreads, and Reedsy. When you create marketing materials, try to stick to your brand colors and images so that users will notice those elements and think of your book whenever they see them.

Websites and email addresses

You need at least an author website and, if possible, a book website. Hire a good photographer to take professional author headshots. Find a domain that makes sense and is not difficult to remember. Avoid domain names with hyphens, abbreviations, or names that have nothing to do with you or your book. Stick to a .com domain because people assume it is a .com when they type in a website address. Purchase an email that ends in that domain name. If you plan a book series, ensure the domain can fit all books under that domain name. Set up a subscription management service (I use Mailchimp) to collect subscriber names and emails for future announcements or campaigns. DO NOT try to just collect email addresses on your own. Some laws require you to offer subscribers an easy and instant way to unsubscribe, and you don’t want to run into any legal issues.

Start on the right foot

I use a great tool called Publisher Rocket. It allows me to see the many hidden book categories on Amazon.com. It shows me which categories have the least competition, allowing me to position my book as one of a few vs. one in a million. It also allows me to see popular books and discover their categories. It does the same with keywords, letting me know what keywords other publishers use to find readers. You can find out more on their website, but it does an outstanding job for authors wanting to market their books and understand the Amazon market. It even tells you the monthly income of each book on the market so you can see what is selling and what is not. Check it out here: https://ollyspores--rocket.thrivecart.com/publisher-rocket/

Create a sell sheet

These are also called dealer sheets, pub sheets, one sheet, fact sheets, or info sheets. They help retailers and libraries to position your book in their establishment. There is a great article and interview about these on the Ingenium Books website.

Go on tour

I’m not talking about tour buses and nights at Motel 8. I’m talking virtual blog book tours. For around $300 plus the cost of shipping ten books and goodies to avid readers/influencers, you get great bang for the buck. Tour companies handle all of the logistics for you, too. They find the right readers with large followings on their blogs and social media accounts. Once a date is set for your tour, you mail out your book and fun goodies and sit back and wait. The blog owners agree to read and offer a full review of the book and then post videos and pictures of them opening your book during a determined week. This content gets posted on their blogs and social media, and the reviews are posted to Goodreads and Amazon. You get backlinks, publicity, and access to all their followers throughout the week. It’s more fun than work, and some of these reviewers have even asked to get copies of my second book and be on my next tour.

Be giving

Offer your books as free gifts to parents who need presents for their children at Christmastime. I met some wonderful families and young readers this way. I also received some attention in an article on Cleveland.com, although that was not my intention. Donate books to your local libraries and schools to promote reading. Find a book club for kids and give them your book to read. If you have a talent, teach a class related to your book. Donate your book to a Little Free Library in your town (https://littlefreelibrary.org/). I taught a class on watercolor painting to children and adults with special abilities (a mushroom character was the painting subject, of course). I had a blast with the group and gave away my signed books and art supplies to the best artists of the day. 

It’s about who you know

Make sure you get your books into all of your social circles. Post a news release to your alma mater. Many colleges have lists of authors like mine does at Ohio University (https://www.ohio.edu/alumni/get-involved/connect/bobcat-authors). Remember to send it to your high school alum organization, announce it through your church newsletter, or on your company’s employee website. You never know who it might reach.

Take advantage of the free sales channels

There are many free or inexpensive places to sell your book, and each offers another chance to gain awareness and backlinks even if the sales don’t roll in. I recommend places like Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Craigslist, and local newspaper classifieds. Post a flyer at your local library community bulletin board.

Be your very best press team

Send press releases to your local papers and news stations. Ensure you offer a link to high-resolution images of your author photo, book cover, and marketing images so they can use them in a story if they decide to publish it. Making these items readily accessible means less work for them and more of a chance of getting your story picked up. If the book is set in a different town, send releases to that town, too. Make the press releases specific to each media contact. In the release, highlight parts of the book that would be unique and interesting to that town or media entity.

Get in front of readers whenever you can

Research and sign up early to participate in book and craft fairs. Contact your library or a local bookstore to do a book signing event. Even Barnes & Noble allows local authors to set up a table to sell books if the store carries them (even just online). Offer to do guest blogs or interviews on websites that review books in your genre.

 Socialize with fellow authors and grow your craft

Join literary organizations and learn from fellow authors what is working for them regarding marketing and book sales. Locally, I am a member of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI.org) and Literary Cleveland (litcleveland.com). Attend their events, workshops, and social gatherings and ask questions. You will meet some great peers in the industry who struggle with similar challenges.

Giveaways

Goodreads has a great giveaway promotion tool that handles everything for you. It costs $119, but readers must add your book to their to-be-read list to enter your giveaway. My books cost about $4 to publish and another $4 to ship. So, I give away six books and pay $168 out of pocket for the giveaway. I received great reviews from readers who won, and many bought my second book. I reached about 2,400 readers interested in each giveaway.

Always be prepared

Always have a signed book or book sales card because you never know who you will meet. What if you bump into a famous screenwriter, the head of a publishing company, or a book review columnist in a coffee shop today? Always have materials at the ready.

Try your luck with influencers

When writing my book, based in Littleton, Massachusetts, I learned that Steve Carrell lived nearby and was a mailman in that town for a short period (he hated the job). I also learned that he and his family own the nearby Marshfield Hills General Store (https://marshfieldhillsgeneralstore.com/). I sent him copies of my first book, hoping he or his family would enjoy it. Ironically, my book has a character who is a mailman with the last name of Carrell. I haven’t heard back, but I know my book is in their store or Steve’s home, just waiting to be read. 

 

I am a big fan of Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black’s book and their movie, The Spiderwick Chronicles. I learned they live 20 minutes from Littleton, Massachusetts, so I also sent both a copy of my book. Tony was gracious and returned a hand-drawn illustration and a bunch of art. Holly Black is on her new book tour, but I am sure she will respond once she returns. You never know who will take an interest in your book and mention it in a conversation. Who knows, maybe they will see the creativity in my story, mention it to a producer, and Olly & the Spores will be the next big movie.

School visits and lesson plans

I met the fantastic Florenza Lee (https://florenza.org/) at an author event last year, and she had some great ideas for me. She urged me to look into creating a curriculum around my book (activities, puzzles, and lesson plans that tie in with my book). Having a curriculum opens opportunities to get into schools and apply for literacy educational grants at the state level. I am in the process of doing this with my first school visit planned for this May. The school already purchased 165 books for my visit–one for each sixth grader.

 

Ready to kindle the fire?

Stop thinking of marketing as instant sales. Think of it as an investment in your branding and awareness strategy. Everything you do will create exposure or backlinks to your book. It may not be today or this week, but it WILL pay off someday. Everything you do exposes the kindling and increases the chance that a spark will catch fire with your book.

Some fires that will make you feel warm inside

 A lady named Chelsea Banning had a book signing, and 37 people said they were going. Only two showed. “Kind of upset, honestly, and a little embarrassed,” she tweeted. That tweet somehow found Margaret Atwood, Jodi Picoult, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, and other famous authors, who replied and tweeted their failures at book signings. These renowned authors helped Chelsea’s book sell out overnight.

After rejection, Dr. Seuss was walking home to burn his manuscript when he ran into a friend from school. That friend was an editor of children’s books and insisted on reading it. The book was published, and Seuss became wildly successful. Seuss would say later of the chance meeting, ‘If I’d been going down the other side of Madison Avenue, I’d be in the dry-cleaning business today.’

Hugh Howey decided to leave traditional publishing and self-publish, writing when not captaining a yacht or working on computers. He used Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) to publish a $0.99 digital novella titled Wool, and it succeeded, doing much better than any of his previous stories. Well before any print edition rolled off a press, “Wool” had sold more than 400,000 e-books and was optioned by Hollywood.

Stephen King published his first novel, Carrie, which 30 publishers rejected. Publisher Doubleday eventually picked it up, and the book became a huge bestseller. It was adapted into a popular film in 1976, launching King to fame.

Even JK Rowling Turned Down By 12 Publishers Before Finding Success with her Harry Potter Books. She has sold over 450 million books worth over $1 billion. Can you imagine being one of those publishers that turned her down?

  

About Glenn...

Glenn Somodi is an award-winning author who writes stories in the short space between lying down and dreaming. The stories are written over many nights, replayed, and rewritten in his head for enjoyment. His mission is to find anyone who enjoys reading the stories as much as he enjoys creating them. 

Inspired by some of his favorite childhood movies, like Star Wars and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Somodi writes stories filled with magic and adventure that might spark the imagination of others. He calls himself a "spark generator."

 Book awards include a Readers’ Favorite Book Awards Silver Medal, a Page Turner Award for Best Middle Grade Fiction, and a Bookfest Winner for his audiobook. It was also a finalist in the International Book Awards.

 His book series, Olly & the Spores, started with his first book, Olly & the Spores of Oak Hill, published in November 2022. The second book, Olly & the Spores of Sapphire Creek, was released in March of 2024 and is already gathering praise and good reviews. He is currently outlining his third and final book of the series.

Check out Glenn's website: https://glennsomodi.com/