| Why, you may ask, must I promote my book? I will tell | | | | magazines, and window displays. There are also |
| you the reason with a pitiful picture I saw in an | | | | television and radio ads. And as you have seen in the |
| aquarium exhibit. An imprisoned young rainbow trout | | | | previous chapter, there are a lot of free and paid ads |
| was looking out embarrassingly through the open | | | | available for you in the Internet. |
| mouth of an Alaskan northern pike! Pity the small fish in | | | | 3.Autograph PartiesYou, your publisher, or bookstore, |
| the belly of the big fish! | | | | may arrange autograph parties, or book signings. |
| And that is the situation in life. The human tritons are | | | | Most book signings are well publicized and attended. |
| swallowing up the human minnows! | | | | So, it is necessary for you to have sufficient quantities |
| It is no wonder then that any where you look, 20% of | | | | of books to go round. And remember too that apart |
| the people are getting 80% of the best things in life. Or | | | | from autographing books, you have to pose for |
| put another way, 80% of all good things belong to 20% | | | | photographs with your guests. And see that the |
| of the people. Or, one person succeeds out of five! So, | | | | pressmen are there to publish the story. |
| 80% of all best - sellers today are written by 20% of | | | | 4.Grant InterviewsPressmen are always looking for |
| the writers. And, out of about five writers, only one | | | | celebrities to interview. Yes, be press friendly; grant |
| have written a best - seller. Where are the other four? | | | | interviews. But note that you have toknow what to |
| William Blake said: "Better strangle an infant in its cradle | | | | say before granting interviews. Also, note that the |
| than act unacted desires" Out of five writers that | | | | interview is a means of letting the public to know more |
| thought of writing, only one wrote. Out of five people | | | | about you, and your works. So, give answers that will |
| that wrote, only one got published. And out of the five | | | | help your readers understand you better. |
| that got published, only one became a best - seller. | | | | You will have to know, however, that it is not |
| That is the principle of life: Only those who back their | | | | necessary for all your readers to agree with your |
| desire with action, succeed. For nobody has " the | | | | views. So, you have to accommodate their opinions. |
| power to curse the darkness" someone says, "unless | | | | After all, it is a free world. |
| he has the courage to light a candle", | | | | Although, what you say is important but more |
| So, if you have written a best - seller, and you fail to | | | | important, is how you say it --how you answer |
| promote your book, it will die. You will become a | | | | questions. So, the non - verbal language - gestures and |
| minnow in the belly of the triton. We shall now discuss | | | | facial expressions, is as important as the verbal |
| ways to promote and market your book for best | | | | language. You should not be answering "Yes," while |
| results. | | | | your body language is saying "No" (There are some |
| 1.Keep WritingYes, because that was what gave you | | | | people that mean "Yes" when they say, "No") |
| fame and fortune in the first place. This will help you | | | | Then your personal appearance in an interview |
| keep in touch with your readers. | | | | matters. How is your grooming and dressing? Are you |
| You have to write and publish articles, reply critics and | | | | a natural, confident speaker? Are you an aggressive |
| answer your readers' mails. It is not easy. But now you | | | | or sober person? |
| are a man (or woman) of the world. And you have to | | | | It will be nice for you to pay positive attention to these |
| maintain your status symbol. | | | | aspects because you are going to be seen or heard |
| What about writing a new book? Of course, your tight | | | | by hundreds, thousands, or millions of people. |
| schedule does not prevent you from writing another | | | | Therefore, appear in an interview well groomed and |
| book -- another best-seller. You see, that's the problem | | | | dressed and show in a confident tone, that you are |
| with best-selling authors. | | | | the master. But there is one secret -- don't give |
| If you have written a best - seller, your readers will be | | | | everything away; (are we contradicting ourselves?) No. |
| eagerly waiting for another, perhaps a sequel to the | | | | Because you have to keep the newsmen coming! |
| first. And it must not be any less interesting than the | | | | 5.Give TalksPrepare and give good talks to large |
| first. So, you have to beat your own record! No mean | | | | audiences. You should have mastery of your topic, |
| task. But not to worry. If you did one, you will do | | | | and in giving the talk, you should know that your |
| another. | | | | personal appearance, gestures and audience contact |
| 2. Continue to AdvertiseYour publisher would already | | | | are very important. You may also take questions at |
| have been doing this. So you may or may not bother | | | | the end of the talk. But the most important thing is that |
| about it. Publishers use advertising methods that are | | | | you will get paid for promoting your book! |
| most effective for their situations. If you are a self | | | | These things are practical. They have worked for the |
| publisher, you may have already known what is | | | | 20% who have tried it; but the 80% who know all the |
| working for you, and what is not. Some common | | | | things on earth that don't work have continued to live |
| promotion methods are through catalogs, sales to | | | | miserable, wasted, lives. But "you can do what you |
| bookstores, libraries, schools, organizations, and other | | | | want," says B. Catland. And he added a proviso: "If you |
| institutions; book reviews in newspapers and | | | | don't think you can't''. |