Gathering Support

Even John Grisham is quoted as saying how difficult it is to market your book. When I began this journey I naively assumed that if I wrote a good book it would be published and gain credibility leading to sales; cause and effect.

But life is not like that. Of the fifteen people who have publicly reviewed my first book, all but one rated it quite highly, giving it four or five stars. The one person who didn’t enthuse about it still gave it three stars and called it an ‘interesting tale’ but then he went off piste and wrote about his dislike for women who work in marketing. As far as I can tell, the book has thus far sold about a hundred copies, which means there are 85 people who have read it, but who have not written a review.

So, how do you sell your book? I’ve read about authors who have staged public order incidents at their book signings to gain notoriety, authors who have been photographed in bikinis, with no real relevance to their book, for some (literary) exposure, and authors who have toured the country doing book signings and selling three or four copies at a time. None of these options appeal to me. I certainly don’t look good in a bikini although I suppose such exposure might open up a new market; I wonder if I’d have to shave my chest.

The book has been very positively reviewed in a national magazine for the army. It has been publicised, but not reviewed, in smaller journals and I have touted it to online communities to the extent that people are impervious to its merits. I have also sent soft copies to a few folk hoping they’ll fall in love with it such that they’ll tell the world. But it hasn’t happened yet.

I did one book signing which resulted in 10 copies sold and received local media exposure which resulted in at least another 20 copies being ordered so it would seem an event which gives the press reason to be interested is the way ahead.

I wonder if my wife’s bikini still fits me…