K.C. Blaze's Blog, page 4

What to Do After a Negative Book Review?

I have been doing a lot of research and book reviews, both good and bad have made several appearances in my findings. Book reviews serve several purposes but the most important is its power to spread the word. Having book reviews are important for word of mouth marketing. People trust the opinions of fellow consumers after all. However, honest reviews are not just helpful to the buying public. It is also a great way to gauge your consumers interest. I have been going over some of the reviews authors in my genre have received but I have focused more on the negative ones as a way of learning what my audience is looking for. My findings have been a great help. This article will discuss why negative reviews are more helpful to the writer than the positive, how to get over a negative review and proper responses to receiving one.

Negative Reviews Are More Helpful To A Writer

Yes, you may believe you have written the next NY Times Best Seller however, even some of the great authors of our time didn’t get raving praise from everyone who read their work. Though you’d like everyone who read your novel to fall instantly in love and lavish the review section of Amazon with a blazing five stars it may not happen that way. Negative reviews are not something to take offense to. (if written with constructive criticism) But even if you receive a horribly written, highly offensive review it still holds some value. As a writer you want to always become better at your craft. You did this not by receiving praise but receive negative reviews. Sure it may hurt and you can tell if the reader is being hateful for no other reason then waking up on the wrong side of the bed but I promise it serves a purpose. During the research I have been doing to help discover how to make a life changing amount of money from e books I have looked through my competitions negative review pile. The information I have found was golden. I learned that my reading audience don’t like books that have tons of foul language, they don’t appreciate sex scenes that read like porn and they don’t like a cliff hanger that doesn’t imply a sequel is just around the corner. I took notes on all of their upsets and decided to write my next story with all of this information in mind. In general people love to say that others are ‘hating’ on them simply because their opinion is unfavorable.

This isn’t always the case though, haters do run rampant don’t get me wrong but everyone isn’t riding on the hater train. If you receive multiple bad reviews citing the same problems with your work then it may be a very noticeable problem you should fix. This especially true when readers are referring to things like editing. If you receive reviews that mention things like story line, lack of character development or even plot then take heed and learn as well as grow as a writer. Your audience is letting you know they want to fall in love with the characters, they want the story to flow learn from it. Good reviews are great but they don’t show you your weaknesses. They give you a false sense of having none. They are great for  ego boosts, confidence builders or validation but negative reviews may take you further.

How to Get Over a Negative Review? 

Negative reviews sting and some can hurt like hell. They stick with you even after the first run of your book has come and gone. The best way to get over negative reviews is to better your craft. Take away the valuable feedback and come back stronger and better with your next book. Don’t take them personally. I’ve learned through my review research that some reviewers leave ridiculous reviews and low star scores for very silly reasons. Some reviewers gave a great writer a three star review because the book was so good but ended with a cliff hanger. To me this is beyond silly. If the book was juicy, held your attention and have you yearning for part two then it is a definite five star. Most people don’t really know the makeup of a review. It is a brief summary of the product and your experience with it.

The Proper Way to Respond to A Negative Review

The best way to respond to a negative review is to not respond at all. Remain professional at all times. Remember not all readers will share the same view. If the reviews are based on editing that’s easily fixed. You can always re-edit and re post your story however, you can and must never stoop so low as to respond negatively to a reviewer it most certainly will backfire on you. I’ve seen this happen where an author lash out at the reviewer or have friends lash out at the person who spoke negatively on their work and the reading community in turn left more negative reviews and starting telling other readers not to support the authors work. This is the worst thing you can do for your literary career. If you choose to respond to the comments say something nice like “I want to first thank you for taking the time to read my work. I would like you to know that I have heard your concerns and plan on addressing them in my future works.” This will show the reader that you are not only humble but also professional as well. People will take you seriously and they tend to look favorably upon those that take the high road.

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Love Don’t Love Nobody

HOT BOOKS NOW PRESENTS:  LOVE DON’T LOVE NOBODY BY: SWEET PEA

 

Love Don’t Love Nobody Synopsis:

Abandoned as a child for the price of a hit by her drug addicted mother, Shauniece finally overcomes her fear of  “Can a man really love me?” 
Things couldn’t be better when she and her best friend Alasay both find their ”Mr.Right’ But it all ends when Shauniece’s boyfriend betrays her by sleeping with one of her enemies from high school.

Alasay’s boyfriend Lucky just graduated from high school himself, possessed with an evil so deep within that he would go on a killing spree slaughtering everyone that gets in his way. Even the people who cares about him the most. 

Set in South Central Los Angeles, Love don’t Love Nobody shows a woman’s search for unconditional love and the price she has to pay to get it. 

 

Visit Hot Books Now for more info

Hot Books Now is the digital home of the urban suspense and hip-hop fiction books written by Sweet Pea. Each page-turning novel is sure to entertain fans and new readers alike, fans say they can’t wait for the follow-up to her first release, Love Don’t Love Nobody. The next book in the trilogy will be The Seed. Sweet Pea is a talented writer, dedicated to creating unique novels that her fans will love and dedicated to making her way in life by supporting her family through the books she loves writing.

 

How to Make Money as a Writer?

The competition may seem overwhelming if you’re trying to make a living with your books. However, it isn’t impossible. I have been doing some research on successful indie-authors and have learned that it is a numbers game. When deciding to become an author the first thing you must decide is if you are in it for the long haul. There are plenty of people who feel they have one good story to tell and there is nothing wrong with that. But if you are like so many of us looking to generate life changing income from your work then read on. I am going to discuss a few different things I have noticed that has made so many people successful indie authors. When I discuss success, I am not referring to fame as an author, I am referring to a person’s ability to create monthly income off of their books. I am currently doing a study (which has been keeping me away from UFN) and will share my findings once I have reached major milestones I have set in place.

Pick One Genre And Stick To It

Many indie authors have chosen a genre and write multiple stories under that genre. It would make since for you to select a genre you are either passionate about or one that you’re familiar with that is also popular. Writing for profit is a trial by error field. Some of the most popular genre’s at this time is Romance (pick a sub-genre) to narrow it down, Sci-fi (shifter stories) Erotica is hot all year around. What ever your taste write about it. The reason it’s good to build your author brand using that one genre is because you make more money, you’re more visible to the masses and your work is much easier to find in search results.

Make More Money By Writing More Books

This seems like it should be common knowledge but what many new and self-published authors don’t know is that you make more money with your books by having more books to sell. The bulk of Traditional publishers sells don’t come from the one in a million “who knew” New York Times best selling author believe it or not. It comes from having a large catalog of books for readers to choose from. I have been writing under a pen name for the last two months to test my theory. I have published six titles under Amazon’s KDP publishing platform. I have sold over sixty copies of my books so far, which is a great feat. I plan on writing more than 100 books before next year under my pen name and will publish a special article showing all results. By doing the bulk publishing method you will learn a few things.

What is more popular (genre & sub-genre)
What price points work best for your work
What your audience likes most/or not like

Writing is a gamble so you have to learn how to ride the waves. Increase your odds by adding more titles to your catalog and you will see more sales come in, which means more income for you.

Learn From Your Competition

To make more money as a writer you must learn how to mirror your competition effectively. We all have our own unique writing style because we all see the world differently. You should never view your literary competition as the enemy. They are the fire that keeps your pilot lit. Learn from your competition by seeing what they do. I don’t mean copying their story ideas but check out their page length, check out how well they create a description for each of their titles. See which of their titles are making it the top 100 or even the best seller’s list. Create more stories in the same genre. Eventually your titles will appear in the people who bought this also viewed this section of their books.

Read Negative Reviews

This small piece of information can save you a great deal of publishing. I look at the reviews from my competition but I spend more time reading the negative reviews. To me you learn more from what the reader say they hate then from what they love. Usually when a person loves a review they are talking about specific elements unique to the book however in the negative comments they are giving you real feedback that is invaluable. If reviews are stating there were to many grammatical errors, to much foul language, no set plot, lack of character development. Those are all things you can keep in mind when you are creating your stories. Create for your readers and they are more likely to come back for more and spend more money on your next titles.

This is part one of a series of articles. I am actively researching out more ways to become successful as an indie author and will be sharing more of my findings as I go along. If you enjoyed this tips please remember to subscribe to Urban Fiction News in the upper right hand corner. If you liked the text press like and remember to share using the social media buttons below if you believe someone else can benefit from it.

Author Media Kit: Necessary?

There are a few reasons authors need to have an Author Media Kit. Your professional persona may depend on it. Though being a successful author seems glamorous to the unpublished writer it requires more work than can be imagined. Not only are you far from finished with your novel you are really just beginning. Below is a list of reasons why having a media is necessary and what they are actually used for.

What is a Media Kit? Media kits are small pamphlets letting media outlets know who you are and what you do. The information required on a media kit is usually a bio including a picture a book summary and a picture of your book’s cover. You will also want to put purchasing information as well. Make note that you are available for interviews, guest blogging etc…

Why Do You Need a Author Media Kit Outside of making you seem more professional and also setting you apart from your competition a media kit can open doors for you. Only imagine contacting a journalist and they take a moment to respond with a “You sound interesting, please shoot me over your media kit and we will take it from there.” If you don’t have one you will ultimately lose out on an opportunity. Like everything else in life you need to be prepared for everything. Author kits are great for  summing up what makes you an interesting story in just a few pages. Media kits can be sent to bloggers, journalist (magazines/newspapers) radio and television personalities. If you are self-published you have the distinct disadvantage so your kit needs to look like a million bucks. Not only that you have to have a better than average product to give them as well. It’s the first impression and often will either make the viewer interested or bored so make it great.

Designing Your Author Media Kit

There is not to much information for media kit services online these days but authors are able to attempt this on their own. Don’t design your media kit for yourself but for the media. If it is basic in appearance or boring to you then 9 times out of 10 it will be to them as well. You only have a small window to impress so make it pop. Stay away from neutral browns, blacks or grays but try not to be so colorful it distracts the reader. You need to strike a good balance. Remember a media kit is the perfect time to sell yourself. Sell your work, any achievements you or your work has accumulated. Let them know of  your availability, whether for interviews, reviews or appearances. Media kits are the representative of you and your work and the premise on which media outlets will make a decision.

I hope this information was useful and that you are able to use it when trying to set up interviews or reviews for yourself. Don’t forget to like this article if you enjoyed it or share with friends using the links below.Thanks again

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Author Spotlight: Eric Jerome Dickey Author of A Wanted Woman

Urban Fiction News is honored to present the Iconic New York Times Best Selling author  Eric Jerome Dickey as a Featured Author. With little need for introduction, you may all be familiar with his earlier work. Books like Sister, Sister, Milk In My Coffee, Cheaters, Liars Game and Friends & Lovers are all permanent fixtures in many a readers bookshelves. Find out why we love him (Er, his work)

Little About Eric Jerome Dickey

Eric Jerome Dickey is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty previous novels as well as a six-issue miniseries of graphic novels featuring Storm (X-Men) and the Black Panther. Originally from Memphis, Dickey now lives on the road and rests in whatever hotel will have him.

A Wanted Woman Book Review

A Wanted Woman follows the life of Reaper a beautiful young woman trained to be one of the most precise and deadly killers known to man. The only orders she follows are those that come from the Barbarians. When a seemingly simple hit set in Trinidad goes terribly wrong it sends her spiraling downward at top speed. With her enemies always a few steps behind and no financial means to flee she becomes the most wanted woman. Eric Jerome Dickey does it again, he takes you on a mind trip that leaves you wanting to lick the pages for more. I loved the intensity of the story from its beginning clear to its end. The story reads like a sexy poem or a literary dance you MUST participate in! Urban Fiction News gives this a 5 $tars ***** read

 

 

Q& A with K.C Baylor 

UFN: A Wanted Woman is different from your other best-selling titles were you trying to step out of the box and take your readers on a different type of journey with your female lead character Reaper?

 

EJD: Reaper is written with a no-holds-barred energy. She’s the newest addition to the Dickey Universe. (Yeah, I called it the DU. And no, I’m not serious. Tongue in cheek. Just like the way that looks on the page. Dickey Universe. Actually…that sounds pretty scary.)

Where was I? Oh, Reaper. She is an assassin, has the spotlight for this season, and she’s just as dynamic as the others in her field of employment. Writing about assassins and cons…I love it. The journey in A Wanted Woman is akin to the journey that is in the Gideon series, only A Wanted Woman has its own face, and the character has her own origin story to boot. In my mind, it’s the same genre.

The bulk of the novel takes place outside of the United States and, as I have done in quite a few novels, I include an international cast. This novel moves from Memphis to Florida, then to the West Indies picking up Trinidad and Barbados, two islands close to South America and the equator.

 UFN: Your writing style is captivating and has a way of pulling your readers in, What do you hope the reader gets from reading A Wanted Woman?

EJD:  Thanks! I definitely have to give a shout out to the International Blacks Writers & Artists Los Angeles and to UCLA and its writing program.  Started from the bottom, and there’s still a long way to the top. No one ever arrives at the top. It’s all about the journey.

For the reader, the one who buys the book with his or her hard-earned cash, I hope the ride is worth the cost of the ticket. I hope it’s an E-ticket ride at that. After days and nights or writing, I don’t think a scribe can receive a greater compliment than, “It was worth my dinero and time.”  As always, I do my best and in the end I hope it’s a great story, one that is not only worthy of being read, but of being reread until the pages fall out of the hardback, fade in the paperback, or the Kindle dies a natural death. There is no preaching, no heavy-handedness, as least I hope not, and once the reader gets to the first page, hopefully thoughts of who wrote the book will fade and it will be all about being a fly on the wall in the life and adventure of Reaper and company. And she keeps very interesting company.

 

UFN: Many authors develop a bond with their characters during the writing stage. What would you say is the hardest part about coming to a story’s conclusion?

 

EJD:  Bond? I get to the last page and cut bait. After months of living with those characters in my head and writing which takes a lot of focus and energy, I’m as ready to go left as they are ready to go right. I bounce and search for a Jack and Coke to go with my Jack and Coke. Well, not right away.

After finally getting through the first draft, the real work starts. Writing is more about rewriting than writing. Don’t give a first draft to your English teacher and don’t send the first draft to your editor. You know you can do better. They know you can do better. It’s your career. Don’t be lazy. One will get you a low grade, and the other will guarantee you low-to-no pay. So, as soon as I’m done with the final edits and it’s all done but the crying, I take a ten minute power nap then start trying to figure out what I’m going to work on next. It’s a business. I’m a former engineer and remain project oriented. That initial training, sacrifice, and discipline has carried me from one profession to the next.

 

UFN: We wish you much more success here at Urban Fiction News. What’s next in your literary future?

 

EJD: Book tour! Write, then leave the cave (sometimes I call it the lab, depending on my mood) and return to the brightness of real world and see if people still show up at the garden party! I’ll be back out on the road for a short time, so hopefully all of the readers near the cities I’m going (Atlanta, GA; Columbia, SC; Durham, NC; Memphis, TN; and Los Angeles) will have a chance to come out and hang for an hour or two. I’m cool, laid-back, and easy to approach. It’s like that when you’re from Memphis. We be cool like dat.

 

 

 

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Become a Featured Author

Platinum Dust Available on Amazon

It is finally official. The highly anticipated Urban Fiction Novel Platinum Dust (Part One) has been re-released by Just Wright Publications. It follows the life of Raheim Starz the guy every woman wants to tame. His smooth tongue and elusive nature makes him desirable but it only covers up the pain of being kicked out at the age of eleven by his mother. His issues run deeper than abandonment as his mother is also the conniving materialistic woman who killed his father for sleeping with her arch enemy.

Raheim not only pledges not to be like either of his parents he runs from commitment and anything resembling LOVE. One fateful night in a night club will alter his life and the life of those closest to him. When the dust settles from his Platinum lifestyle he will find only one woman remaining. Women will fall in love with Raheim because he’s the broken guy we long to claim, love and “fix” and men will love his keeping it real mentality and the way he handles each of his ladies. Everyone will love a story that reads like a movie with each chapter leaving you on the edge of a cliff. Filled with ups and downs and a “real story” missing from many of the urban fiction books out today.

Platinum Dust (Part One) is  available now as a Paperback and an Ebook. Kindle readers can enjoy for only $2.99 by clicking here Hope you all enjoy!!!!

Platinum Dust Book Trailer

Urban Fantasy Publishers

Urban Fantasy has been taking the world by storm with Vampire/wolf stories, super heroes and wizardry. It is not only become a red carpet, big screen mega hit but a literary home run as well.  I wanted to provide a list of Urban Fantasy Publishers to our fellow writers of the dark side. Those who enjoy creating plots set in an urban setting with a twist of supernatural dealings will find this list useful as it provides only those publishers who are currently accepting submissions. Please remember to follow each companies submission guidelines to a T as it will help get a better outcome if they are in fact interested in your work.

 

Red Adept Publishing

Red Adept Publishing accepts manuscripts from a variety of genres including fantasy, mystery, horror, science fiction, romance, thriller/suspense, historical fiction, women’s fiction, new adult and young adult fiction as well. Their submissions are only handled through their form and they are not accepting query letters. They are very adamant about not accepting query letters. They also only accepts titles that are original and not previously published, including self-published titles that were previously published. For submission guidelines click here

 

J.Taylor Publishing 

J. Taylor Publishing has authors in the United States, Canada and the UK. They accept manuscripts in the urban fantasy, paranormal romance, along with some of the more traditional genres as well. What I love about their books are the covers are very visually enticing. They also accept submissions through their online form as well. They also require their authors to be active in social media. For their submission guidelines visit here

Samhain Publishing

Samhain Publishing is a small independent publishing company that accepts works of fiction from both agented and non-agented authors. They like works of horror, fantasy, or contemporary works of fiction that draws the readers in. They do have a few stipulations that include a minimum word count of 12,000 and usually no more than 120,000 words. Manuscripts interesting in becoming more than an ebook must have a minimum of 60,000 words. A full list of their requirements are here 

Evernight Publishing

Evernight Publishing is a diverse publisher with genres ranging from erotic to urban fantasy. They have a large collection of authors with a pretty easy submission process. Authors interested in submitting a manuscript have one of a few options including Planet Alpha, Special lines, Young adult and Anthology calls. You can visit their site and see if your manuscript fits with their current line up. Follow this link

Edge Publishing 

Edge Publishing is a  proud sci-fi and fantasy publisher who enjoys working with well scripted, full length manuscripts. They really only publish sci-fi and fantasy excluding, erotica, poetry, young adult, horror or religious based works. They only accept complete novels that have already undergone full editing. So if you are considering sending over your first draft please don’t. For full submission details click here

This is sa short list of publishers looking for urban fantasy works of fiction. Remember to always be original and if you are taking or using a familiar plot to make it your own. Stripping the concept of its familiarity until it becomes something new, interesting and all your own. Hope this list was useful.

 

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List of Literary Agents

Finding a literary agent is hard enough but finding one that caters to the African American writer may prove tougher. If you’ve not read my previous article on self-publishing and literary agents be sure to check it out here Getting beyond the traditional publishing gates starts with a literary agent. To make the search easier I’ve gone the extra mile and put them in one place for you. Be advised you must follow their submissions guidelines and also take note to the type of literary agent you are submitting to. Literary agents become your “best friend” and if the relationship doesn’t fit they may not feel motivated to work their hardest or may end the relationship. Below is a list of literary agents and agencies that also accept the work of African American authors. Please be respectful of their time  and guidelines. Be wise about your submissions.

 

Serendipity Literary Agency

Just like the name implies Serendipity Literary Agency provides a variety of experiences for its clients. Like most agencies they only represent authors and manuscripts they strongly believe has a chance at being picked up by a publisher. What I found most interesting is the amount of services they provide to their clients which include editorial reviews,  team development and business representation also. They accept works from African American authors (though Urban Fiction is not ideal) for their submission requirements click here

 

Ayesha Pande Literary

The Ayesha Pande Literary Agency accepts works  from a diverse  multi-cultural group of  individuals. If you have a story to tell with a unique voice you may want to give them a try. The owner used to work as a professional editor and previous employment  included working for notable publishing houses. They also try to stay progressive by working with other publishing formats like e books. For  a list of what types of works they are currently accepting please click here

The Knight Agency

The Knight Agency has a few locations to help writers from Los Angeles, Atlanta, North Carolina and Florida. They have experience getting their authors book deals that have landed quite a few on the New York Times best sellers lists, which is surely the wish of many authors. Like many agencies The Knight Agency works with both author and publishing company to get the best contract terms. For submission guidelines please visit here

I hope you find success in your literary journey and only submit to the above if they fit with your book’s genre. That will be the difference between an acceptance and a denial letter.  If you’ve enjoyed this article please hit the like button share with your friends using the buttons below.

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Author Spotlight: Donald Ray Johnson author of Bona Fide Street Thug

Urban Fiction News would like to honor Featured Author Donald Ray Johnson for his true to the street urban fiction tale Bona Fide Street Thug.

 

A bit about Donald Ray Johnson 

Donald Ray Johnson is  a motivational speaker and writer with a little over 4 1/2 years experience in the publishing business. He is the leading author and co-founder of Southern Classic Publishing LLC, a Texas based company, who’s mission is to make a bold statement from the south. He is the author of the urban classic Bona Fide Street Thug and many other novels that are to be released in the near future. In 2005 Donald was sentenced to prison, where he discovered his own ability to write street fiction. He is from Houston, Texas and currently uses his time wisely, tutoring other incarcerated authors who are seeking to get into the business of publishing.

 

Bona Fide Street Thug Book Review

Bona Fide Street Thug follows the life of a slick stick up “kid” named Javoo as he orchestrates hit after hit that brings him face to face with one of the cities most dangerous drug lords Money Black. When a rising music exec finds himself dead Javoo must prove all roads leads to the envious and ultra corrupt Money Black. This is a fast paced tale that is filled with money, power trips and lots of sexy love scenes. Donald Johnson follows the recipe for a truly engaging urban tale that will keep you wanting more

 

Q&A with K.C Baylor

UFN: How long have you been in the urban fiction game?

DJ: Since the summer of 2009

Q: Many writers pull from personal experiences when writing stories. Does your characters resemble you in any way or did you characters come about on their own, so to speak?

DJ: My main character resembles me a little bit, but he continues to develop as the story goes on. He does the same thing in some of my other books. That’s just him though, comin’ about on his own.

Q: Many people find themselves wanting to live vicariously through fictional characters. Did you develop your story with this in mind?

DJ: No, not exactly. I let my characters live on their own. I don’t put myself in their shoes but lowering or raising their standards to fit my persona. I may have experienced some of the things they actually do in the story, but I let them do what they do differently than how I would do it, just because of who they are and how they live.

Q: Will there be a part two to Bona Fide Street Thug?

DJ:  Oh definitely! Parts two, three, four and five are already done, so stay tuned for the release dates and keep your check books ready.

Q: What can fans and new readers expect from you in the future?

DJ: A whole lot. You just heard me say I have five parts to Bona Fide Street Thug; but I also have some novels written in other genres of the literary field.  I have a young adult book, an adult mainstream novel I may be puttin’ out by the end of the year and an urban fantasy novel too. It’s a vampire series and the first of a series. I been puttin’ in some work.

Q: How can you be reached for book review requests or interviews?

DJ: You can reach me at www.southernclassicpublishing.com or bonafidestreetthug@yahoo.com Holla!

 

 

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Top 5 Book Marketing Don’ts

Indie/self-published authors have very little room for errors as it relates to book marketing. It can be a tough job trying to reach the masses. However, there is a right and wrong way to market your book and the sooner you learn the wrong way the better off you are in the long run. Learn the top five book marketing don’ts that can save you time, resources and energy.

1 Don’t be Unprepared

There is an alarming amount of writers who thought writing their story was the only step needed in becoming a successful author. They slave away for weeks, months or even years trying to write a great work of fiction just to finish the manuscript with no know-how in marketing their work. Be prepared by studying your target audience and joining as many groups, forums and clubs as you can; especially before your book is done. This will help build a bit of trust before you start introducing your work. Start saving for your marketing efforts while you are still writing your novel. Doing it that way will leave you less overwhelmed and will cause minimal delays in jump starting your marketing efforts.

Being prepared with your book marketing campaigns also means having an author or media kit. They are mini introductions you can give to potential interviewers on radio/tv/newspaper/magazines. If you reach out to them they may ask you to send over your press kit. Not having one puts you in the amateur pile and can potentially lose you a big opportunity.

2 Don’t think Small 

I’ve said this a thousand times or more, unless you are writing for the pure satisfaction or to sell to family and friends don’t think small. Marketing can not be thought of as a small task. It is quite possibly the most important task outside of writing your story. Marketing on Facebook or Twitter is great however, it cannot and should not be your only marketing efforts. Be creative and always look for ways to incorporate free or even low-cost marketing opportunities into your efforts. Thinking big doesn’t always have to include expensive marketing. The more your book and its cover is seen to your target audience the more likely they are to give a try.

3 Don’t Forget to Network

Networking can be the difference between getting your book featured with a book club or getting your work seen by an industry insider. Social media outlets allow introverts to become more social without the hassle of face to face meetings. However, book fairs, libraries, book stores, book conferences are also great ways to meet like-minded folks. You may also want to show an interest in people you see reading books in your genre and strike up an easy conversation. Many people are impressed with authors especially if the book cover is competitive.

4 Don’t underestimate your family & Friends

Family and friends are great advocates for your book marketing efforts and usually are okay with helping out if asked. However, don’t be vague with your request. Ask if they would be willing to take a few copies of your books to work. In many of my past jobs we shared books around the office which is a great way to build up a following. Ask if they would mind hosting a book club or even inviting their friends and friends of friends to your book release party or a book signing. Ask if they can take a picture holding your book and post it on their social sites.

5 Don’t Spam Others

This book marketing don’t is a tricky one quite simply because spam can be a broad term. Spamming these days can be randomly marketing your book in a forum or book discussion. Spam can be soliciting sales of your book repeatedly in groups without the groups permission. Basically you don’t want to offend potential marketing sources. Engage in groups and subtly mention your book where its relevant. Golden rule is people love hearing about themselves but not to much about others. People also like receiving useful information so share valuable tips and things that are working for you and they are more likely to bite the bait.

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