# Any Advice Strictly About Promotion?



## Paul DeYoung (Feb 15, 2017)

I finished my first ebook, went with Amazon, and am about to launch a website.  I'm a first time writer trying to promote a science fiction comedy I wrote using only free and/or opensource software.  It also has 20 images I created myself. 

My main question is how to promote?  Setting up social media seems obvious but at the end of the day is better for something that already has momentum.  What are a few ways to promote my book without a huge expense?  I don't even care about making money - just getting it noticed would be fantastic. 

Thanks ahead of time for the advice.


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## Olly Buckle (Feb 15, 2017)

My old mate Dave Reynolds used to work in advertising, when I asked him such things he would cite the bloke who wanted a job on his firm. He turned up at 8m outside the offices the day before the interview dressed as superman and handed out a copy of his cv to everybody who arrived for work, he got the job. The lesson was 'Be original and different', plus he was targeting his audience, not always easy. Last year when I started my website I had a bunch of cards printed nd when I went to the Hay literary festival went round putting them on tables in the food hall, I got a whole lot of visits from that. My logic was that if people took the card they probably had some interest, better than handing them out at the gate, and it seemed to work; the response from random flyers is about two percent, I must have got about eighty percent. There must be places where sf fans congregate, both on line and in the real world.

Finish making your ten introductory posts here and become a full member and you can create a signature with a link that will show on every post you make, the challenge then is to make reasonably meaningful posts that encourage people to follow you up   You will also be able to post a few bits of your stuff here, that could work as a teaser, it might also result in some good advice and 'spots', remember the most experienced authors still employ editors to read through for them, the best of us miss glaring errors from time to time.

Good luck, I understand only too well that feeling that I have written something worth reading and most people simply don't get round to opening it. It is excellent when you find a real fan, makes it all worth while, so keep at it.

All the best, and welcome to the forum, Olly.


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## Paul DeYoung (Feb 16, 2017)

Thank you.  Your advice reaffirms what I was starting to think, which is that nothing beats a face to face connection. I "drew" 20 images for my book using only GIMP and a laptop.  I am going to get the best ones printed out and set up at the first and second Friday art walk events here in town as well as just doing some good old fashioned pavement pounding and talking to local artists and fellow writers. I was wondering about making flyers or something for my website so it was good to hear that you got a response that way.  The two things that I think people might interesting about my book is that it was created only using free software that is available to anybody with an internet connection and that it has more art than a book usually does.  I was thinking of really selling those two points.  Also I wrote it to be a complete escape for anybody who just wants to take a little mental vacation and laugh a bit. I figured at a time when every news story has toxic potential it might be a welcome change.  Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.  Every reply is incredibly encouraging.  I will definitely keep posting on this site - really a cool place.


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## PiP (Feb 16, 2017)

Hi Paul,

And welcome WF. 

RE: your comment


> The two things that I think people might interesting about my book is that it was created only using free software that is available to anybody with an internet connection and that it has more art than a book usually does. I was thinking of really selling those two points.



I am going to be honest and say those two points would not tempt me to buy the book unless it is a cookbook, gardening, travel, childrens, How To....etc... When I buy a fiction book the two things that grab my attention are the title and the cover. IF either or both grab my attention then I dig deeper.

Have you read the various questions Q & A's on our Marketing forum? Also, I suggest you read our WF member interviews and check out their experience of marketing books. Success and failures.

My concern is that  if you are relying on your website to market your book how are you going to attract visitors to your website? Like books there are millions of websites out there. Or is it just a landing page so you have something to print on your flyers.? Have you created a FB page?

I'll see if I can find any useful articles for further reference


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## Olly Buckle (Feb 16, 2017)

Re, 'pavement pounding';  Mark Twain started off selling his book door to door, I have considered it, and if I were younger and a bit more eager for fame and noteriety I would probably get out there, though I don't know how you could do that with an e-book. Have you looked at Lulu self publishing? It can be handy to have a few 'hard' copies to show around, and POD means you don't have to go mad and get lots.

Flyers?  They have a dismal rate of return if handed out, I had a good rate firstly because I was in a place where my audience predominated, secondly because I allowed them  to help themselves, so if they left the card on the table it was there for the next person.

Glad you are liking the site, I have been here years and still keep finding interesting corners.


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## moderan (Feb 16, 2017)

Put the ebook on a tablet, develop an elevator pitch, sell the thing to anyone who has a tablet or phone. I get between a third and a half of my sales that way. Get the book up on the screen, put it in their hands, let them feel the weight, see the words, make the pitch.
Being a writer instantly gives you conversation fodder. 
"Oh yeah? What have you written?"
"Let me show you."

Cab drivers, my physician and all of his assistants, people in checkout lines and bus stops. The guy at the next table at Wendy's who wants some salt.
My public


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## TKent (Feb 16, 2017)

Your number one challenge is making sure that you put out a decent book!  Another challenge is pure numbers. How the hell do you get that book in front of the masses. Here are a few things I've done. 

1. Giveaways are a good way to get your book out - 

- LibraryThing.com has an option for "non-publishers" to do giveaways. 

- If you are doing a print book, then Amazon & Goodreads are also good ways. It isn't "free" as you would have to pay for the print book and shipping, but by way of example: on goodreads, I did a giveaway of 10 books (could have just as easily been 5 or maybe even 1) and 700 people added the book to their "to-read" shelf after the giveaway was over. That is 700 people who now know about the book. I expect that some will buy it.  Amazon, I gave away 1 book and 524 people entered. That means 524 people know about the book.

- Kindle Direct Publishing will let you do giveaways of free ebooks once every 3 months if you are letting them sell your digital book exclusively. 

- There are a bunch of Sci-Fi/Fantasy bloggers, make a list. Reach out and pitch your book for review - many are fine with free digital versions of your book. 

2. This is kind of out there, but Meetup.com has hundreds and hundreds of book clubs, many are specifically sci-fi and fantasy. I've actually gone out and pitched my book to book clubs offering a free digital version. You can send a message to the organizer via the website and be sure to search for book clubs within "any miles" of your location or it will limit it to a certain number of miles.

3. KBoards has various places you can post announcements of "freebie" books, or heavily discounted books.

As you can imagine, there are thousands of self-publishers and real publishers vying for for the time of consumers and bloggers and professional reviewers alike. Make sure that your first impression is with a book that is solid, well-edited, and has a professional looking cover. Otherwise, they may remember you next time and not even open your email.

ETA: There are actually millions of books, so maybe even "millions" of self-publishers  

ETA2: Goodreads SAYS that they will soon have an option for "digital" giveaways. This would be superb!


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## Paul DeYoung (Feb 16, 2017)

First off you guys are all top notch for your responses.  I really appreciate the help.  I'm definitely going to check out everything listed. My book is on Amazon and I'm not looking for any profit. I have the price as low as Amazon will allow. All I am really hoping is to find a little work writing because my body is starting to fail a bit and I am having trouble working construction. I have been plugging my book to everyone I meet and sending free copies to anybody with an email.  I think my cover is catchy but it's hard to tell. I don't want to violate the advertising rules here so I wasn't sure if I could post the cover or not for y'all to peruse. 


By pavement pounding I was only planning on visiting places that would allow me some free sort of promotion.  I'm going to target my part of town where the is an art scene and put up small posters and set out a stack of cards promoting the book and my website. I also have a FB page.  

My my first lesson in all this was that the internet seems cool for reaching those already looking for you but nothing beats person to person. Thanks again for the response, I'm sure I didn't respond to half of what was posted but I am going to persue every bit.


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## Olly Buckle (Feb 16, 2017)

> Re, 'pavement pounding'; Mark Twain started off selling his book door to door, I have considered it, and if I were younger and a bit more eager for fame and noteriety I would probably get out there, though I don't know how you could do that with an e-book.





> Put the ebook on a tablet, develop an elevator pitch, sell the thing to anyone who has a tablet or phone. I get between a third and a half of my sales that way. Get the book up on the screen, put it in their hands, let them feel the weight, see the words, make the pitch.



I guess that is how you do it, just knock on the door and show it to them same as if it was a paper copy. I am a very twentieth century man sometimes.


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## kpierce (Jun 30, 2017)

I would suggest that you join groups about books, authors, and writers. Ask the admin if you can share your ebook. Also, you can have a publisher to help you with the promotion. But you should have promoted your ebook when you're still writing it.


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## Jack of all trades (Jun 30, 2017)

> But you should have promoted your ebook when you're still writing it.



This is a very common piece of advice, and I disagree with it EMPHATICALLY.

In order to promote it while still writing it, you need to set a firm launch date. Unless you want to look incompetent.

Having a firm launch date before the WRITING, not editing, means sacrifcing quality of writing. You might write yourself into a corner and not see how to get out of it. With the launch date looming, you might choose a preposterous "solution", that no one could possibly believe, and create a reputation of being an idiot writer.

Having a firm launch date before EDITING is done can box you into taking cheap or free "editing", and publishing a less than professional book. And once you have a reputation of being lazy or sloppy, it's hard to overcome.

Having a firm launch date before the COVER is done forces you to take what you've got and hope it works. 


In order to build a professional image, and garner real readers who look forward to your next book, dot your i's and cross your t's BEFORE setting a launch date or promoting your book.


On the other hand, if you just want to say your a published author, and don't want to try to build a loyal readership, do whatever you like.


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## olive12 (Aug 2, 2017)

I think building a network - both face to face and digitally - is the best way to go. Reach out to everyone you think will be interested in the book (including bloggers, reviewers, writers, social media accounts, etc.) with a press pack and then hopefully start a dialogue from there. 
This is the enjoyable part where you get to meet like-minded people, so have fun!


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