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Online Marketing for Busy Authors: A Step-by-Step Guide
If You Want People to Read Your Book,
Writing It Is Only the Beginning
There has truly never been a better time to be an author. For the first time, authors have direct access to the public via the Internet—and can create a community eagerly awaiting their book. But where do new authors start? How do they sort through the dizzying range of online options? Where should they spend their time online and what should they be doing?
Enter Fauzia Burke, a digital book marketing pioneer and friend of overwhelmed writers everywhere. She takes authors step-by-step through the process of identifying their unique personal brand, defining their audience, clarifying their aspirations and goals, and setting priorities. She offers advice on designing a successful website, building a mailing list of superfans, blogging, creating an engagement strategy for social media, and more. By following Burke’s expert advice, authors can conquer the Internet and still get their next manuscript in on time.
Writing It Is Only the Beginning
There has truly never been a better time to be an author. For the first time, authors have direct access to the public via the Internet—and can create a community eagerly awaiting their book. But where do new authors start? How do they sort through the dizzying range of online options? Where should they spend their time online and what should they be doing?
Enter Fauzia Burke, a digital book marketing pioneer and friend of overwhelmed writers everywhere. She takes authors step-by-step through the process of identifying their unique personal brand, defining their audience, clarifying their aspirations and goals, and setting priorities. She offers advice on designing a successful website, building a mailing list of superfans, blogging, creating an engagement strategy for social media, and more. By following Burke’s expert advice, authors can conquer the Internet and still get their next manuscript in on time.
168 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
March 25, 2018
This is a much-needed primer for authors needing a kick-start on their marketing campaign.
A lot of it isn't news, but being reminded of everything that's necessary and to highlight a few steps we might be missing, it's fairly essential.
Big takeaways: Every reader, every kind of contact, needs to be earned by a real voice, a personalized message. It's unfortunate for the author who would rather spend his or her days actually writing and polishing the stories that they are so invested in, but it's still important. And kinda obvious.
No one likes spam or blather. Take your time with each person, build contacts, build relationships, make real friends. Then ask for help, especially after you've given it first.
Does this sound daunting for confirmed introverts like myself?
Oh. Yes!
I don't have any issue with treating anyone like they are real people. It's the amount of headspace required to build vast networking empire that makes me want to quail. I don't think I'm any good at any of that. I don't out and mix with people. At all.
If I'm talking with people about things that get me excited, and so much DOES get me excited, then I'm as right as rain. But ACTIVELY asking for help in the much-vaunted art of begging without actually seeming to beg?
It sounds so phony. It sounds so self-serving. It makes me squirm.
And yet. And yet. Writing books is an almost solitary endeavor... at least at first. Some of us are forced to accomplish miracles in a perfect vacuum.
But selling books? It requires word of mouth and therefore a constant building of relationships. We have to use our tools REGARDLESS of our strengths. :) Alas.
I guess it's time to start making friends and begging them to do the things we're unable to do! lol
A lot of it isn't news, but being reminded of everything that's necessary and to highlight a few steps we might be missing, it's fairly essential.
Big takeaways: Every reader, every kind of contact, needs to be earned by a real voice, a personalized message. It's unfortunate for the author who would rather spend his or her days actually writing and polishing the stories that they are so invested in, but it's still important. And kinda obvious.
No one likes spam or blather. Take your time with each person, build contacts, build relationships, make real friends. Then ask for help, especially after you've given it first.
Does this sound daunting for confirmed introverts like myself?
Oh. Yes!
I don't have any issue with treating anyone like they are real people. It's the amount of headspace required to build vast networking empire that makes me want to quail. I don't think I'm any good at any of that. I don't out and mix with people. At all.
If I'm talking with people about things that get me excited, and so much DOES get me excited, then I'm as right as rain. But ACTIVELY asking for help in the much-vaunted art of begging without actually seeming to beg?
It sounds so phony. It sounds so self-serving. It makes me squirm.
And yet. And yet. Writing books is an almost solitary endeavor... at least at first. Some of us are forced to accomplish miracles in a perfect vacuum.
But selling books? It requires word of mouth and therefore a constant building of relationships. We have to use our tools REGARDLESS of our strengths. :) Alas.
I guess it's time to start making friends and begging them to do the things we're unable to do! lol
June 28, 2020
Informative time
I like this book because the prose was firm but reassuring. Good book for authors, bloggers, writers, social media influencers, and organizations that sell online products.
I like this book because the prose was firm but reassuring. Good book for authors, bloggers, writers, social media influencers, and organizations that sell online products.
March 10, 2017
This is too expensive. Charging the same price for an ebook as a paperback is pretty damn rude anyway, considering the relative production costs, and when that price is $10 you better damn well be selling THE definitive book in the genre.
I was lucky enough to pick this up for free since I review for NetGalley, and I gave it a good read through before looking it up on Amazon to grab the image and link for this review, which is when I nearly died of shock at the price.
What I planned to say about the book was that while it's full of good advice, there's nothing here I haven't seen before. I was also curious to see how many reviews the book had garnered on Amazon; considering the incredible number of contacts and clients the author claims I find it rather curious that after almost a year of release, it only has 53 customer reviews on Amazon. Gathering Amazon reviews is critical to a book doing well, and a marketer of Burke's caliber should be able to pick up hundreds simply through mailing ARCs to her client list and asking for one. Maybe she didn't do that, though.
Or maybe all those people who might otherwise have reviewed just balked at the price tag. Who knows.
Fauzia Burke is a professional, and if you have the money to hire one of those, I'm not sure why you would need to read this book. If you DON'T have the money to hire one and you want to do it yourself, go read David Gaughran's Let's Get Digital and Let's Get Visible instead. You can get both books together for half the price of this one and they're packed with way more useful advice for the self-publishing author.
I'll give this three stars because it's not a BAD book, but I'd never pay that price for it and I couldn't recommend that anyone else do so either.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.
I was lucky enough to pick this up for free since I review for NetGalley, and I gave it a good read through before looking it up on Amazon to grab the image and link for this review, which is when I nearly died of shock at the price.
What I planned to say about the book was that while it's full of good advice, there's nothing here I haven't seen before. I was also curious to see how many reviews the book had garnered on Amazon; considering the incredible number of contacts and clients the author claims I find it rather curious that after almost a year of release, it only has 53 customer reviews on Amazon. Gathering Amazon reviews is critical to a book doing well, and a marketer of Burke's caliber should be able to pick up hundreds simply through mailing ARCs to her client list and asking for one. Maybe she didn't do that, though.
Or maybe all those people who might otherwise have reviewed just balked at the price tag. Who knows.
Fauzia Burke is a professional, and if you have the money to hire one of those, I'm not sure why you would need to read this book. If you DON'T have the money to hire one and you want to do it yourself, go read David Gaughran's Let's Get Digital and Let's Get Visible instead. You can get both books together for half the price of this one and they're packed with way more useful advice for the self-publishing author.
I'll give this three stars because it's not a BAD book, but I'd never pay that price for it and I couldn't recommend that anyone else do so either.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.
February 14, 2016
A must read for anyone wanting to do their own marketing! Fauzia Burke offers a practical step-by-step approach to branding and developing a personalized online marketing strategy for authors. The book has a friendly conversational tone that makes you feel like Fauzia is talking to you. Her advice is clear and specific with detailed practical guidance to get noticed on Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets. Worksheets are provided to help you get focused and clear on your messaging to direct your marketing campaign. 5-stars!
February 27, 2018
Quick, easy read with lots of great information.
July 4, 2020
I wish this book had been available five years ago, when I published my first novel. This is exactly what I was looking for – a blueprint or, maybe a better word, would be a guidebook for developing an online marketing program.
Fauzia Burke offers a step-by-step program for how an author can develop an effective online marketing program. Everyone is different and Burke’s approach is that every marketing program is going to be unique to the individual and the project. She provides the guidelines for an author to figure out the keys to successful marketing: building your brand, identifying your readers, figuring out and defining your goals.
Her book is easy to read but it takes a lot of work to implement what she proposes. There is no simple way, and I found that compelling and actually encouraging.
Fauzia Burke offers a step-by-step program for how an author can develop an effective online marketing program. Everyone is different and Burke’s approach is that every marketing program is going to be unique to the individual and the project. She provides the guidelines for an author to figure out the keys to successful marketing: building your brand, identifying your readers, figuring out and defining your goals.
Her book is easy to read but it takes a lot of work to implement what she proposes. There is no simple way, and I found that compelling and actually encouraging.
August 1, 2017
*I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
The book Online Marketing for Busy Authors by Fauzia Burke, a leader in online book marketing and consultant for authors, explores essential aspects of marketing such as personal branding, reader profiles, goals, and much more. It offers a plethora of resources, exercises and integrated worksheets.
Fauzia Burke really does the job she set out to do in this short yet immensely helpful book. Since there are several good points to it and very few negative points, I’ll start with the latter: it is indeed too short. That’s it. I loved it so much I craved for more information, examples, explanations, and resources! I was satisfied with the book when I reached the end yet disappointed because I wanted to dive even more in Miss Burke’s experience.
As for the good points, prepare to be overwhelmed (no, really, this book is fantastic for authors like me who have no idea how to market their books!). In the first pages, the author makes it clear what to expect from her book and what its structure is (three sections in order to make the best gradual use of it – a step-by-step approach). I must admit what I loved most about this book is how straightforward it is: Miss Burke’s tone is friendly yet she doesn’t kick around the bush. She gives precise and direct information with just enough detail so as not to bore the reader. Plus, the information shared by the author is highly relevant to the field and does exactly what the title of the book implies. In other words, it makes you think about YOUR own online marketing strategy and find guided solutions for you. Her examples are clear and easy to understand.
This book also includes worksheets, advice, and quotes, which are all useful and well thought to help us. There’s even space for the exercises in her book – it’s close to being interactive! It really feels like the author, Miss Burke, truly wants to help us, starting from the basics and expanding on that newly learned knowledge. Her vocabulary is inspiring and diverse; it is also laced with kindness and even sometimes a pinch of humor. Thus, the writing is quite enjoyable and conveys the intended messages. Do you want to know another fabulous point about this book? It is free of typos and mistakes of any kind! That impressed me, I must say. It made my reading flow like a river (now, don’t you just like my failed attempt at poetry here?).
Miss Burke is always professional! Her twenty years of experience really show in all the information she gives us and how she does it too. She covers a wide range of topics and gives in-depth but short explanations throughout the book. Not only does she tackle what we can get out of each marketing effort, but also the why, which professionals rarely do. There are constant reminders of your goals and marketing strategy in every chapter so you don’t lose your focus. The author also provides tips on how to best use social media and certain platforms, which she deems the best in terms of online marketing.
Her views and guidance on the different marketing efforts are realistic. Miss Burke also makes use of good questions that prepare you and make you think about your own strategy. There are also lists of things to do that cover the steps you need to go through in order to succeed at that particular marketing effort. This book demystifies marketing for authors. It makes me feel more confident about my own online marketing strategy, which I’ll now tweak a bit thanks to Miss Burke! One of the best things about Online Marketing for Busy Authors is the tools (a.k.a websites) it gives us to learn more about our niche and potential bloggers, customers. It also provides the tools for us to find help, tips, and ideas. Lastly, Miss Burke does a recap of everything learned at the end of her book, which is a useful refresher training!
Fauzia Burke, the author of Online Marketing for Busy Authors, hit the bull’s eye with her book. In my opinion, she covers all the essential points and makes it interesting, even for a marketing newbie like me. Because I found it very helpful and true to its blurb and title (and also her own experience as a leader in online book marketing), I give it a rating of 5 out of 5. There were no major bad points, only the fact that I wished her book was longer so I could learn about marketing even more. This book is perfect for fans of Joanna Penn and James Scott Bell for it gives practical tips to achieve your own online marketing with no nonsense explanations of how to do so, a particular manner that reminds me of those two great authors. If you’re an author or an aspiring one who’s lost in all the marketing you need to do, Fauzia Burke’s Online Marketing for Busy Authors simply must be on your shelf. I have the conviction it will make you even like online marketing, just as it did with me.
The book Online Marketing for Busy Authors by Fauzia Burke, a leader in online book marketing and consultant for authors, explores essential aspects of marketing such as personal branding, reader profiles, goals, and much more. It offers a plethora of resources, exercises and integrated worksheets.
Fauzia Burke really does the job she set out to do in this short yet immensely helpful book. Since there are several good points to it and very few negative points, I’ll start with the latter: it is indeed too short. That’s it. I loved it so much I craved for more information, examples, explanations, and resources! I was satisfied with the book when I reached the end yet disappointed because I wanted to dive even more in Miss Burke’s experience.
As for the good points, prepare to be overwhelmed (no, really, this book is fantastic for authors like me who have no idea how to market their books!). In the first pages, the author makes it clear what to expect from her book and what its structure is (three sections in order to make the best gradual use of it – a step-by-step approach). I must admit what I loved most about this book is how straightforward it is: Miss Burke’s tone is friendly yet she doesn’t kick around the bush. She gives precise and direct information with just enough detail so as not to bore the reader. Plus, the information shared by the author is highly relevant to the field and does exactly what the title of the book implies. In other words, it makes you think about YOUR own online marketing strategy and find guided solutions for you. Her examples are clear and easy to understand.
This book also includes worksheets, advice, and quotes, which are all useful and well thought to help us. There’s even space for the exercises in her book – it’s close to being interactive! It really feels like the author, Miss Burke, truly wants to help us, starting from the basics and expanding on that newly learned knowledge. Her vocabulary is inspiring and diverse; it is also laced with kindness and even sometimes a pinch of humor. Thus, the writing is quite enjoyable and conveys the intended messages. Do you want to know another fabulous point about this book? It is free of typos and mistakes of any kind! That impressed me, I must say. It made my reading flow like a river (now, don’t you just like my failed attempt at poetry here?).
Miss Burke is always professional! Her twenty years of experience really show in all the information she gives us and how she does it too. She covers a wide range of topics and gives in-depth but short explanations throughout the book. Not only does she tackle what we can get out of each marketing effort, but also the why, which professionals rarely do. There are constant reminders of your goals and marketing strategy in every chapter so you don’t lose your focus. The author also provides tips on how to best use social media and certain platforms, which she deems the best in terms of online marketing.
Her views and guidance on the different marketing efforts are realistic. Miss Burke also makes use of good questions that prepare you and make you think about your own strategy. There are also lists of things to do that cover the steps you need to go through in order to succeed at that particular marketing effort. This book demystifies marketing for authors. It makes me feel more confident about my own online marketing strategy, which I’ll now tweak a bit thanks to Miss Burke! One of the best things about Online Marketing for Busy Authors is the tools (a.k.a websites) it gives us to learn more about our niche and potential bloggers, customers. It also provides the tools for us to find help, tips, and ideas. Lastly, Miss Burke does a recap of everything learned at the end of her book, which is a useful refresher training!
Fauzia Burke, the author of Online Marketing for Busy Authors, hit the bull’s eye with her book. In my opinion, she covers all the essential points and makes it interesting, even for a marketing newbie like me. Because I found it very helpful and true to its blurb and title (and also her own experience as a leader in online book marketing), I give it a rating of 5 out of 5. There were no major bad points, only the fact that I wished her book was longer so I could learn about marketing even more. This book is perfect for fans of Joanna Penn and James Scott Bell for it gives practical tips to achieve your own online marketing with no nonsense explanations of how to do so, a particular manner that reminds me of those two great authors. If you’re an author or an aspiring one who’s lost in all the marketing you need to do, Fauzia Burke’s Online Marketing for Busy Authors simply must be on your shelf. I have the conviction it will make you even like online marketing, just as it did with me.
April 20, 2016
With all the book marketing books available—many at lower prices—I had second thoughts about buying this one*. Also, looking at the author’s bio made me wonder (as a self-published writer) whether her advice would be relevant to me.
All I can say is you won’t be disappointed.
First, no matter the stage of your author marketing efforts chances are that you are overwhelmed by the range of advice you have read, some of it contradictory. This book is from a true pioneer in the business of helping authors build their platforms to sell books and build author followings. It doesn’t matter if you are self-publishing, or published by a publisher, all the advice in this book is relevant.
Second, time is one of the most valuable commodities an author has. Considering that, the price for this one is cheap. Also, you don’t need to keep reading a bunch of other books. In fact, I think that is detrimental to your marketing efforts. Use this as your strategy blueprint and supplement it with books on targeted topics such as blogging strategies, Amazon metadata optimization, mailing list building techniques and so forth. At 168 pages, this book will form the core of your book marketing strategy and you won’t have to wade through filler material that may end up changing anyway—which is why you still need tactic-specific guides.
(Think of Burke like your doctor who gave you a prescription and now you need medicine or a health coach for some specialized care. Now stop going to more doctors.)
The first 4 chapters of the book are dedicated to helping you identify your brand, define the audience for your book, identify why you are publishing, and reinforcing the importance of managing your expectations. It is followed by what she calls the second phase which is her detailed advice about what you need in place to succeed: your website, mailing list, blogging and social media.
My personal favorite was her chapter on DIY Online Book Publicity. She includes a methodology for hiring a firm, and wise counsel for those going it alone, including this fun nugget: “Every good publicist masters the delicate art of begging.”
The only fault I can find with the ebook edition is the use of fill-in-the-blank forms with no reference to where I could download these to easily complete the exercises. This is a not an uncommon oversight of publishers where they simply make the ebook match the print book instead of taking advantage of an ebook-specific capability like hyperlinking to send a reader to their website to get the forms. The solution here was to prop my ereader up and re-type the text into Word. I’ll bet a lot of authors won’t complete these useful exercises because it isn’t convenient. Perhaps this might be added at some point (hint) but in the meantime it does not detract from the quality of the information.
Speaking of the publisher, I wrote this review based on an advance reading copy (iBooks) that they sent me. However, that said, I liked it so much that *I bought the Kindle edition so I could read it on any device. It’s that good.
All I can say is you won’t be disappointed.
First, no matter the stage of your author marketing efforts chances are that you are overwhelmed by the range of advice you have read, some of it contradictory. This book is from a true pioneer in the business of helping authors build their platforms to sell books and build author followings. It doesn’t matter if you are self-publishing, or published by a publisher, all the advice in this book is relevant.
Second, time is one of the most valuable commodities an author has. Considering that, the price for this one is cheap. Also, you don’t need to keep reading a bunch of other books. In fact, I think that is detrimental to your marketing efforts. Use this as your strategy blueprint and supplement it with books on targeted topics such as blogging strategies, Amazon metadata optimization, mailing list building techniques and so forth. At 168 pages, this book will form the core of your book marketing strategy and you won’t have to wade through filler material that may end up changing anyway—which is why you still need tactic-specific guides.
(Think of Burke like your doctor who gave you a prescription and now you need medicine or a health coach for some specialized care. Now stop going to more doctors.)
The first 4 chapters of the book are dedicated to helping you identify your brand, define the audience for your book, identify why you are publishing, and reinforcing the importance of managing your expectations. It is followed by what she calls the second phase which is her detailed advice about what you need in place to succeed: your website, mailing list, blogging and social media.
My personal favorite was her chapter on DIY Online Book Publicity. She includes a methodology for hiring a firm, and wise counsel for those going it alone, including this fun nugget: “Every good publicist masters the delicate art of begging.”
The only fault I can find with the ebook edition is the use of fill-in-the-blank forms with no reference to where I could download these to easily complete the exercises. This is a not an uncommon oversight of publishers where they simply make the ebook match the print book instead of taking advantage of an ebook-specific capability like hyperlinking to send a reader to their website to get the forms. The solution here was to prop my ereader up and re-type the text into Word. I’ll bet a lot of authors won’t complete these useful exercises because it isn’t convenient. Perhaps this might be added at some point (hint) but in the meantime it does not detract from the quality of the information.
Speaking of the publisher, I wrote this review based on an advance reading copy (iBooks) that they sent me. However, that said, I liked it so much that *I bought the Kindle edition so I could read it on any device. It’s that good.
October 30, 2017
I recently bought a copy of Online Marketing for Busy Authors: a step-by-step guide (Australian & New Zealand edition) from Major Street Publishing. The book is written by Fauzia Burke, the founder and president of FSB Associates, and while her name didn't ring any bells with me whatsoever, I was interested to see what was put forward in this ANZ edition.
I've met thousands of authors over the 27 years I've been in the publishing industry and many of them are lucky to be published by some of the larger publishing houses. But there is also a downside to that if you want to have more control over your own communications to your readers and the way you build your brand in the longer term. And with those that self-publish or publish with small to medium presses, this book will serve them well. In fact, it is designed for them.
Online Marketing for Busy Authors is a basic step-by-step guide, which is practical and informative for newcomers to the book marketing field. Personally I would have liked a bit more detail and a tad more depth, but I'm not the audience! I was keen to see a copy so I could recommend it for those the book HAS been published for - busy authors and newcomers to publishing who know little to nothing about the online marketing world.
Many authors struggle with branding, communications and marketing in today's online world. They know how to write but they don't know how to market. This is the perfect introduction for them and gives them checklists and tips to make them really think about what they want to achieve in their publishing career - and not just five minutes down the track.
The first chapter deals with branding, which I think is a good place to start. It provides questions for authors to help identify their brand. And from there it goes into strategic planning, identifying your reader, and how to "get real with your goals". I thought the chapters on "Your Priority List" and "Building Your Website" were good overviews but would have liked to see more detail. Again, I'm not the audience! The latter chapters on "Blogging, Podcasting and Videos", "Social Media and Social Networking", and "DIY Online Book Publicity" are very practical and provide some good bulletpoints to review and assess.
This is an easy-to-read summary for busy authors and it's the type of book that publishers should all have on hand to give to their new authors. Whether they are large or small presses, I think this book is excellent for author engagement and marketing planning. For the smaller presses in particular, I think it would work really well as part of an overall "author care" approach. Give your authors a copy of the book and get talking about online marketing and managing expectations. We all want a post to go viral but it's very rare. Let's get practical. Let's be honest. And while we are at it, let's have a frank conversation about what's really possible in the online world. This book is an excellent place to start....
I've met thousands of authors over the 27 years I've been in the publishing industry and many of them are lucky to be published by some of the larger publishing houses. But there is also a downside to that if you want to have more control over your own communications to your readers and the way you build your brand in the longer term. And with those that self-publish or publish with small to medium presses, this book will serve them well. In fact, it is designed for them.
Online Marketing for Busy Authors is a basic step-by-step guide, which is practical and informative for newcomers to the book marketing field. Personally I would have liked a bit more detail and a tad more depth, but I'm not the audience! I was keen to see a copy so I could recommend it for those the book HAS been published for - busy authors and newcomers to publishing who know little to nothing about the online marketing world.
Many authors struggle with branding, communications and marketing in today's online world. They know how to write but they don't know how to market. This is the perfect introduction for them and gives them checklists and tips to make them really think about what they want to achieve in their publishing career - and not just five minutes down the track.
The first chapter deals with branding, which I think is a good place to start. It provides questions for authors to help identify their brand. And from there it goes into strategic planning, identifying your reader, and how to "get real with your goals". I thought the chapters on "Your Priority List" and "Building Your Website" were good overviews but would have liked to see more detail. Again, I'm not the audience! The latter chapters on "Blogging, Podcasting and Videos", "Social Media and Social Networking", and "DIY Online Book Publicity" are very practical and provide some good bulletpoints to review and assess.
This is an easy-to-read summary for busy authors and it's the type of book that publishers should all have on hand to give to their new authors. Whether they are large or small presses, I think this book is excellent for author engagement and marketing planning. For the smaller presses in particular, I think it would work really well as part of an overall "author care" approach. Give your authors a copy of the book and get talking about online marketing and managing expectations. We all want a post to go viral but it's very rare. Let's get practical. Let's be honest. And while we are at it, let's have a frank conversation about what's really possible in the online world. This book is an excellent place to start....
October 21, 2016
I met Fauzia Burke when she was presenting at a San Diego writers conference and came away with no doubt she knew her stuff. I wasn't surprised she has marketed books for some of my favorite authors (Jeffrey Archer, Dean Koontz, and Daniel Silva to name a few). When her how-to book, Online Marketing for Busy Authors (Berrett-Koehler Publishers 2016) became available on NetGalley, I grabbed it.
Based on what I'd seen at her presentation, I expected expert advice that would kickstart the online marketing campaign for my latest novel in a down-to-earth voice suggestions achievable even for the novice marketer. And that's exactly what I got. It's important to note: If you're looking for a palette of marketing options that includes physical events such as book tours and radio interviews, this may not be the book for you. If you're looking for online events you can participate in that are low-no cost and the payback on time spent is excellent, this is the right book. Fauzia specializes in showing authors how to use readily-available online tools to market their books such as blogs, websites, social media, and more.
She calls this an introductory book but don't let that confuse you. I consider myself pretty savvy with online marketing--I've published dozens of ebooks over a decade--and I found nuggets that I can make use of immediately. Fauzia organizes the book into three parts:
* Getting organized
* Turning Your Thinking Into Action
* Staying the Course
Each has relevant subtopics like personal branding and know your reader, as well as worksheets to help writers organize their efforts around the specific topic. Here are some of my favorite ideas:
* The best part about online marketing is that it levels the playing field.
* How do you prevent your brand from getting lost in all the social media noise? The answer: Be uniquely you. Aim for authenticity.
* ...building an effective brand is a marathon, not a sprint.
* Over the years, authors have told me interesting things when it comes to their audience. Most of the time it’s half the planet. “My audience is women..." [this is part of the chapter on knowing how to narrow your audience].
* Develop a long-term relationship with your readers...
* You don’t have to be an early adopter and chase every new social media tool. Use tools that have a track record for success.
* When you look at all the different elements of online marketing, you may feel overwhelmed. But here’s the thing: You don’t have to do it all. You can start slow and small and grow gradually.
* Double down on what’s working and ditch what’s not.
* The bottom line is this: Don’t spam ever, on any network. Always show respect for others and their time.
Overall, this book is highly recommended to all authors who are trying to market their book and just need a few meaty suggestions to make that go well.
Based on what I'd seen at her presentation, I expected expert advice that would kickstart the online marketing campaign for my latest novel in a down-to-earth voice suggestions achievable even for the novice marketer. And that's exactly what I got. It's important to note: If you're looking for a palette of marketing options that includes physical events such as book tours and radio interviews, this may not be the book for you. If you're looking for online events you can participate in that are low-no cost and the payback on time spent is excellent, this is the right book. Fauzia specializes in showing authors how to use readily-available online tools to market their books such as blogs, websites, social media, and more.
She calls this an introductory book but don't let that confuse you. I consider myself pretty savvy with online marketing--I've published dozens of ebooks over a decade--and I found nuggets that I can make use of immediately. Fauzia organizes the book into three parts:
* Getting organized
* Turning Your Thinking Into Action
* Staying the Course
Each has relevant subtopics like personal branding and know your reader, as well as worksheets to help writers organize their efforts around the specific topic. Here are some of my favorite ideas:
* The best part about online marketing is that it levels the playing field.
* How do you prevent your brand from getting lost in all the social media noise? The answer: Be uniquely you. Aim for authenticity.
* ...building an effective brand is a marathon, not a sprint.
* Over the years, authors have told me interesting things when it comes to their audience. Most of the time it’s half the planet. “My audience is women..." [this is part of the chapter on knowing how to narrow your audience].
* Develop a long-term relationship with your readers...
* You don’t have to be an early adopter and chase every new social media tool. Use tools that have a track record for success.
* When you look at all the different elements of online marketing, you may feel overwhelmed. But here’s the thing: You don’t have to do it all. You can start slow and small and grow gradually.
* Double down on what’s working and ditch what’s not.
* The bottom line is this: Don’t spam ever, on any network. Always show respect for others and their time.
Overall, this book is highly recommended to all authors who are trying to market their book and just need a few meaty suggestions to make that go well.
August 1, 2020
This is a workbook for authors who are beginners in the world of digital marketing==with the caveat that they should not be complete beginners to the Internet as a whole. Maybe someone with a personal Facebook account but not a professional page there yet. The workbook helps think through your brand, your audience, and your priority list (website, mailing list, etc.)
There is a lot of advice not only from the author herself but many others in the publishing industry. It is a quick read but will help make some inroads in building your online author presence if you apply the advice.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC for the purpose of an unbiased review.
There is a lot of advice not only from the author herself but many others in the publishing industry. It is a quick read but will help make some inroads in building your online author presence if you apply the advice.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC for the purpose of an unbiased review.
June 9, 2016
I requested this book because it's a topic that I'm very interested in. How can I, as a full-time student who also happens to be job hunting, do online marketing without burning out?
The book is basically divided into three sections:
1. Know yourself
2. Know your audience
3. Ways to reach the audience
Or at least, that's how I see it. The book itself says that it's divided into three phases:
1. Getting Organised
2. Turning your thinking into action
3. Staying the course.
Either way, it's the same thing.
What I liked about this book is that there were concrete exercises on how you can define your author voice and how you can narrow down your target audience. The advice on how to promote pretty much corresponds to everything I've heard and read from self-publishing advice podcasts and books. Actually, I think The Creative Penn, Rocking Self Publishing and the like may be slightly more advanced with the type of marketing they're trying.
Most of the advice seems to be more suited for the non-fiction author, although I think that fiction authors can probably adapt the advice.
The only thing I didn't really agree with was the line "if you are self-publishing your book, you will probably get fewer reviews than if you were published by an established publisher." If you're talking editorial reviews, then I can see how this is the case, but if you're talking about customer reviews (aka Amazon/Goodreads/Kobo/etc reviews), then I don't see how being traditionally published is going to automatically get you more reviews. I think your marketing is going to play a bigger part.
All in all, the advice seems pretty solid and aimed at the beginning author (like me). But, if you're willing to listen to the various podcasts, read blogs, you can probably get much of the same information for free. The next step would be putting it into practice (which I am admittedly lagging behind on)
Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review.
This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
The book is basically divided into three sections:
1. Know yourself
2. Know your audience
3. Ways to reach the audience
Or at least, that's how I see it. The book itself says that it's divided into three phases:
1. Getting Organised
2. Turning your thinking into action
3. Staying the course.
Either way, it's the same thing.
What I liked about this book is that there were concrete exercises on how you can define your author voice and how you can narrow down your target audience. The advice on how to promote pretty much corresponds to everything I've heard and read from self-publishing advice podcasts and books. Actually, I think The Creative Penn, Rocking Self Publishing and the like may be slightly more advanced with the type of marketing they're trying.
Most of the advice seems to be more suited for the non-fiction author, although I think that fiction authors can probably adapt the advice.
The only thing I didn't really agree with was the line "if you are self-publishing your book, you will probably get fewer reviews than if you were published by an established publisher." If you're talking editorial reviews, then I can see how this is the case, but if you're talking about customer reviews (aka Amazon/Goodreads/Kobo/etc reviews), then I don't see how being traditionally published is going to automatically get you more reviews. I think your marketing is going to play a bigger part.
All in all, the advice seems pretty solid and aimed at the beginning author (like me). But, if you're willing to listen to the various podcasts, read blogs, you can probably get much of the same information for free. The next step would be putting it into practice (which I am admittedly lagging behind on)
Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review.
This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
March 7, 2016
This small book is packed with tips, advice, suggestions and literal steps to plan and implement a marketing plan for authors who know little or even hate marketing. Fauzia Burke takes your hand and guides you step by step. She begins with your dreams, helps you establish your priorities, tells you how to implement and closes with the importance of on-going sales monitoring of your published book. She gives helpful tips and advice to implement an online marketing plan including a website, mailing list, blog and social media. Her recommendations hold for first-time self-published authors as well as the experienced or traditionally published.
Ms. Burke has devoted her career to marketing authors and supports her advice by including stories of her coaching and support for authors. She writes with a clear direct style that encourages me to sit down and follow her advice step by step.
I recommend this book for all of us who are authors resisting and reluctant to market ourselves and our books. Burke provides an easy to guide to help us overcome our foot-dragging. I am motivated get started and create the marketing plan for my book.
Ms. Burke has devoted her career to marketing authors and supports her advice by including stories of her coaching and support for authors. She writes with a clear direct style that encourages me to sit down and follow her advice step by step.
I recommend this book for all of us who are authors resisting and reluctant to market ourselves and our books. Burke provides an easy to guide to help us overcome our foot-dragging. I am motivated get started and create the marketing plan for my book.
April 16, 2016
First a couple of disclaimers. I read an ARC copy of this book on my Kindle. The ARC version I read was a PDF that did not have any Kindle functionality. Lastly, I am more experienced with online marketing than the average reader of a book like this.
If you are a novice in online marketing, then this book is a must. You will learn the basics of what steps an author should take to promote their books online. If you already have a website and social media profiles, then this book will most likely not provide you with anything you don't already know.
The author does a good job of laying out the necessary steps for building an online presence. She covers the various social media sites and covers the pros and cons of each. But as someone who has been using these sites for some time, I didn't pick up any new tips for promoting my books. I'm already doing everything she suggests and more.
So, if you meet the criteria in the title -- you're a busy author in need of a step by step guide to online marketing -- this book is for you. If you're already online, don't expect to find anything knew.
If you are a novice in online marketing, then this book is a must. You will learn the basics of what steps an author should take to promote their books online. If you already have a website and social media profiles, then this book will most likely not provide you with anything you don't already know.
The author does a good job of laying out the necessary steps for building an online presence. She covers the various social media sites and covers the pros and cons of each. But as someone who has been using these sites for some time, I didn't pick up any new tips for promoting my books. I'm already doing everything she suggests and more.
So, if you meet the criteria in the title -- you're a busy author in need of a step by step guide to online marketing -- this book is for you. If you're already online, don't expect to find anything knew.
March 11, 2018
This book really delivers what it says on the tin (or the front cover). Fauzia Burke explains why authors nowadays need online marketing and how to do it. The writing is very easy to read yet full of information. She also provides exercises to help you focus on what you really want as an author and how to achieve it through online marketing, as well as lists of social media that can be used and how to use them. The whole book is very thorough with a wealth of information.
A must-read for authors, especially those who self-publish, although traditionally published authors can learn a lot from it too.
Disclaimer: thanks to NetGalley and Berrett-Koehler Publishers for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
A must-read for authors, especially those who self-publish, although traditionally published authors can learn a lot from it too.
Disclaimer: thanks to NetGalley and Berrett-Koehler Publishers for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 17, 2019
ONLINE MARKETING FOR BUSY AUTHORS is a terrific guide with brilliant step-by-step instruction for getting your work OUT THERE! Fauzia Burke, a digital book marketing guru and pioneer, shares the 411 on:
-Personal Branding
-Audience
-Dreams and Goals
-Website Design
-Mailing Lists
-Blogging
-Engagement Strategies
She takes online marketers from beginner to confident strategist, showing where to start, where to spend one’s precious time, and how to pull it all together with finesse, with ever helpful worksheets, tips and checklists. Highly recommended!
Thanks to Berrett-Koehler Publishers and NetGalley for the review copies. Opinions are fully mine.
#OnlineMarketingForBusyAuthors #NetGalley
-Personal Branding
-Audience
-Dreams and Goals
-Website Design
-Mailing Lists
-Blogging
-Engagement Strategies
She takes online marketers from beginner to confident strategist, showing where to start, where to spend one’s precious time, and how to pull it all together with finesse, with ever helpful worksheets, tips and checklists. Highly recommended!
Thanks to Berrett-Koehler Publishers and NetGalley for the review copies. Opinions are fully mine.
#OnlineMarketingForBusyAuthors #NetGalley
February 9, 2019
As a new Author I am keen to learn from those with experience of marketing , and especially marketing of books.
Marketing for Busy Authors does exactly what it intends to - provides guidance and also reassurance.
Read as a whole and then looked back on it is a valuable resource which I am to revisit again.
Fauzia Burke is clearly thorough, and at the same time humble enough to recognise that such a book is only as up todate as on the day it is written. So, she directs the Reader to her website where updates will be available in the future.
I have, from reading this book gained confidence in my marketing strategy and recommend it to all Authors, of which there are hundreds busy writing but wanting and needing to market what they write, and also market themselves.
Marketing for Busy Authors does exactly what it intends to - provides guidance and also reassurance.
Read as a whole and then looked back on it is a valuable resource which I am to revisit again.
Fauzia Burke is clearly thorough, and at the same time humble enough to recognise that such a book is only as up todate as on the day it is written. So, she directs the Reader to her website where updates will be available in the future.
I have, from reading this book gained confidence in my marketing strategy and recommend it to all Authors, of which there are hundreds busy writing but wanting and needing to market what they write, and also market themselves.
November 4, 2019
This book is packed with great information for authors who are looking to build their online presence and boost their brand. There's lots of really great advice, with the biggest takeaway being to really engage with your audience and be authentic. Offer lots to your audience (quotes, lists from your books, links about other authors providing great stuff, etc.), be active in social media, and so on. There are lots of fill in the blank sections to brainstorm your marketing and such, though this may be difficult with the ebook (which I agree with other reviewers is priced rather high at $9.99). All in all, though, it's a very helpful book that will be especially useful for self published authors looking to increase their online visibility.
October 18, 2016
A great guide for digital marketing of any sort - not just for authors. I did know a lot of this already, but the focus on mailing lists surprised me. I'm going to have to up my game in this department!
I liked that the author didn't focus too much on specific sites and approaches, as this could date the book far too quickly. Instead it was a long term guide that will remain applicable in the future.
I would recommend signing up on the author's website to her 'updates' newsletter, where she talks about new social media approaches as they are developed.
I liked that the author didn't focus too much on specific sites and approaches, as this could date the book far too quickly. Instead it was a long term guide that will remain applicable in the future.
I would recommend signing up on the author's website to her 'updates' newsletter, where she talks about new social media approaches as they are developed.
April 19, 2016
I would suggest this book for a brand new author who has no idea where to start when it comes to marketing their book. A more advance author will likely already be doing most of the things suggested in this book. If you need suggestions on how to grow your social media presence, building a mailing list or approaching blogger this book has ideas that are useful.
Source: Review copy
Source: Review copy
February 6, 2018
A fantastic book for authors who need to understand the world that online marketing can bring to them. Useful for both traditional and indie published authors, Burke breaks online marketing down to the very basics and makes a subject that is often daunting for some into something that seems possible for anyone to pick up.
February 4, 2016
Gold nuggets galore. This book is THE handbook for any aspiring author just thinking about or just getting into self-publishing their manuscript. Lots of foundational basics and industry insights that any author could benefit from.
February 8, 2016
This book honors the promise of its title. In clear and concise prose, Fauzia Burke distills her 20 years of experience marketing authors online to accessible steps that even the uninitiated can use.
September 29, 2019
Excellent overview of online marketing for authors. The step-by-step guides helps you define priorities, create a plan, and focus on what's important.
August 15, 2019
Excellent and digestible. Good fodder for today’s author marketing plan.
May 2, 2018
This book is a fine jumping off spot not only for authors but also for anyone needing to build an online presence. It covers all the basics and gives explanations for why and how things matter. The additional resources are helpful.
Written in a clear manner the book assists even the most inexperienced author or marketer a plan to follow to begin building a personal brand and engaging a local community.
Written in a clear manner the book assists even the most inexperienced author or marketer a plan to follow to begin building a personal brand and engaging a local community.
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October 13, 2021Online Marketing for Busy Authors A Step-by-Step Guide by Fauzia Burke is an informative read for authors needing a kick-start on their marketing campaign. A book full of useful tips, tricks, and insights that all authors need for marketing their book.
July 24, 2017
I'm kinda shocked by how useful this book was. I picked it up just to see if there was anything I was missing in my freelance content marketing process and ended up taking a ton of notes. If you're writing nonfiction or even starting a blog, I think this is a highly useful book to pick up. It can definitely be used for novels and fiction, but I felt that the process and level of content Burke recommends is more for nonfiction. Also just great advice for anyone trying to build a brand (so important no matter what you're doing online).
Useful, brief, and descriptive. It even breaks down SEO and keywords for you... something I was not expecting for a marketing book for authors. Brava, Burke!
Useful, brief, and descriptive. It even breaks down SEO and keywords for you... something I was not expecting for a marketing book for authors. Brava, Burke!
July 26, 2017
The reason this book is so good is because it's a "to do" book, when completed you have a usable plan. I used the idea of it's template to teach new physician leaders how to create and present their own Transformational Physician Brand Statement. Read it first then go back and complete the blanks.
April 28, 2020
Loved it! I am a book blogger and I am always looking for practical-useful guides on writing and marketing. I have always had difficulty thinking in marketing and promotional terms. Ms. Burke offers tips, advice and suggestions on ways you can implement a successful marketing plan.
I particularly enjoyed the chapters, "Promote without being Promotional" specifically, "How people perceive you online can be very important in your branding." So true! She offers a well rounded- guided tour through the marketing maze that should be thought of as building blocks rather than a massive helpless plunge into an unknown abyss.
Ms Burke has clearly walked the walk and is sharing her wealth of wisdom.
Thank you NetGalley and Berrett-Koehler Publishers for the opportunity to read and review this important book!
jb
https://seniorbooklounge.blogspot.com/
I particularly enjoyed the chapters, "Promote without being Promotional" specifically, "How people perceive you online can be very important in your branding." So true! She offers a well rounded- guided tour through the marketing maze that should be thought of as building blocks rather than a massive helpless plunge into an unknown abyss.
Ms Burke has clearly walked the walk and is sharing her wealth of wisdom.
Thank you NetGalley and Berrett-Koehler Publishers for the opportunity to read and review this important book!
jb
https://seniorbooklounge.blogspot.com/
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