“How can writers harness this tool effectively?”

Is Influencer Marketing Effective for Authors?

Influencer marketing has become a powerful tool across various industries. In recent years, social media platforms like TikTok have been key in driving literary interest. According to the New York Times, authors sold 20 million printed books in 2021 thanks to influencers from this corner of the internet. For authors seeking to expand their readership and boost book sales, leveraging influencers can be a strategic move. But how effective is influencer marketing for authors, and how can writers harness this tool effectively?

The effectiveness of influencer marketing for writers

Influencer marketing has proven to be highly effective in reaching and engaging specific target audiences. Forbes highlights that for every $1 you invest in influencer marketing, you can make roughly $6.50. Even influencers with smaller followings can be impactful, sometimes receiving up to 60% more engagement than their well-known counterparts. Potentially, authors could see significant returns from their investments in influencer collaborations.

One of the most notable examples of influencer marketing in the literary world is the rise of BookTok on the short-form content platform TikTok. This niche has become a hub for book lovers, with influencers sharing book recommendations, reviews, and reading challenges. Vox has revealed that authors whose books blew up on TikTok in 2023 saw an increase of 43% over their 2022 sales figures. These numbers underscore the value of influencer marketing as a strategy for authors aiming to build their brand and grow their readership.

How authors can maximize influencer marketing

Find your niche

When authors align themselves with popular social media influencers in the right niche, it adds a layer of authenticity and ensures that their book reaches readers who are more likely to engage with and purchase it. Start by researching popular social media influencers who specialize in genres similar to yours. For example, if your book is about fashion and styling, collaborating with fashion influencers like Catriona Gray or Danielle Bernstein can be highly effective. Or, if your book is about food and travel, you can check out food bloggers like Erwan Heussaff or Kiki Nelson. Per Forbes, 50% of millennials trust influencers’ product recommendations, in contrast to 38% who trust recommendations from celebrities.

Have a clear proposal

When reaching out to influencers, be clear about what you’re offering and what you expect in return. Keep in mind that there’s a difference between affiliate and influencer partnerships. Typically, influencers charge businesses for each post they make. This allows authors to establish more long-term key performance indicators (KPIs), such as clickthrough rates, user-generated content, and increased search engine optimization. Affiliates, on the other hand, can promote books in return for a commission on sales. Provide a copy of your book, suggest potential content ideas, and outline any compensation or benefits they will receive.

Track and measure results

To understand the effectiveness of your influencer marketing efforts, track key metrics such as engagement rates, follower growth, website traffic, and of course, book sales. Use affiliate links or unique discount codes to attribute sales directly to influencer campaigns. Tools like Google Analytics (GA4) can also be used for reporting and campaign tracking. Alternatively, you can use a sales platform or a tool that focuses on influencer campaigns, such as Upfluence, Keyhole, or Grin. Analyzing these metrics will help you refine your strategy and identify which influencers and types of content drive the best results.

Influencer marketing offers authors a powerful avenue to reach new readers and boost book sales. By carefully selecting the right influencers, setting clear expectations, and tracking the impact of these efforts, authors can harness the power of influencer marketing to enhance their promotional strategies.

J Manning has been freelancing as a writer for four years, focusing on topics related to creative writing and Anglo-American literature. Lately, she is interested in the possible implications of AI technology on writing and its potential impact in the future. When not nose-deep in her ever-growing ‘to read’ list, she spends time (clumsily) experimenting with watercolors.

Exclusively for writeradvice.com by JManning

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“If you want to sell books, you will have to allow that marketing monster nipping at your heels to jump into your lap from time to time.”   ~~Leslie Tall Manning

A View from the Marketing Trenches: A Handful of Helpful Tips and Tricks

By Leslie Tall Manning

When B. Lynn Goodwin with Story Circle first asked me to write a marketing article for their newsletter, I felt an itty bitty pit in my stomach. How many writers do you know who LOVE talking about, writing about, or even contemplating marketing? “I should be busy writing books, not selling them!” cries every writer I know.

But then I started thinking about how I am an indie-published author of seven novels (I’ve written fourteen), and how I didn’t know ANYTHING related to marketing when I first took the plunge. It’s one thing to create a really great story, but then what? How does your Best Story Ever get into the hands of readers?

With those questions in mind, I will share some things that should happen before and/or after your soon-to-be bestseller is thrown into the world. Whether you’ve written a book of poetry, a sci-fi series, or a literary masterpiece, if you want to sell books, you will have to allow that marketing monster nipping at your heels to jump into your lap from time to time. You don’t have to pet it, but you will have to feed it. Here are just a few things I’ve learned from over twenty years in the trenches:

• Find a group of like-minded people who will support you. I’ve been part of an author group since pre-Covid days. The five of us zoom every few weeks to chat about our writing endeavors and spur each other on. We read each other’s works, offer shoulders on which to cry, and delight in sharing good news.
• Know your genre, thereby your audience, so you can tailor your marketing to the right readers. Did you write a book about divorce? Find singles groups. A book about dogs? Visit local pounds. A children’s book? Talk to nearby schools. You were probably specific about your audience while you created your story, so try to remember exactly what that audience looks like.
• Get professional reviews before your book comes out, if possible. Nearly all charge a fee, and they don’t always love every book they read. However, most will not post a negative review publicly. I’ve had great success with review sites like Literary Titan, Readers’ Favorite, Midwest Book Reviews, Prairies Book Reviews, and yes, Story Circle Reviews!
• Enter your book in writing competitions. I use a company called Book Award Pro and signed up for the free option, though they also offer paid services. Based on my book’s genre, length, etc, I get weekly updates on upcoming deadlines for reviews and contests. My first Young Adult book won the Sarton Women’s Book Award in 2016, I am honored to say. It helped me gain access to libraries and book clubs, and gave me an extra bit of confidence. Many of the review sites listed above also offer competitions. Be picky, as they all charge a fee.
• Have a web presence. I keep my website updated, and I am active on Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. I am a now-and-then participant on X.
• Offer your book in giveaways for a limited time on BookBub, Netgalley, Amazon Select, or Goodreads. I use Goodreads and Netgalley to give away free digital copies. The majority of my reviews come from these two places, where reviewers are librarians, booksellers, and bloggers. Note: Always read the fine print. For example, Goodreads will send you the list of winners, but you are not allowed to reach out to them personally.
• If you offer your book through Amazon, remember to set up your Author Page. This is a place where you can add a photo, tell a bit about yourself, and gain a following. If you ever publish a new book, Amazon will automatically send an announcement email to your followers.
• Talk to your neighborhood library! Tell them you are a local author and would like to donate your book for their collection. You should be able to find out from individual library websites how they acquire local author books, both indie and traditional. Some libraries will even pay for books, especially if they can add it to their book club list.
• I’m sure for some of you, these suggestions only lead to more questions! If there is something you aren’t sure about, google it or ask a writer friend. If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, feel free to reach out to me via my website: http://www.leslietallmanning.com/contact.html
• Final thoughts: Only participate in the parts of the process that make you happy. If you don’t enjoy doing it, then don’t do it!

Leslie Tall Manning

Award-winning author of Feral Maril & Her Little Brother Carol (May 2024), which can be found on Amazon, Apple, B&N, and many other outlets.

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“When should I tell literary agents I self-published the book I’m trying to get them to represent? There are four options, and here’s what you need to know about each of them to help you decide which option is right for you.”   ~~Mark Malatesta

Getting a Literary Agent After Self-Publishing

This article about submitting to book agents after self-publishing is part of a free 15-part guide to getting a literary agent, written by former literary agent Mark Malatesta.

Getting a literary agent after self-publishing is usually harder than getting a book agent for an unpublished book–but it’s not impossible. Some publishing agents specialize in getting book deals for authors of books that have been self-published. Though some book agents won’t consider representing a previously self-published book–no matter what you say or do–most will, under the right circumstances. If you self-published your book, you simply need to understand the best way to navigate the situation.

Questions this article addresses:

• Should I tell book agents I self-published?
• If I tell publishing agents, when should I tell them?
• If I tell literary agents, when and how should I tell them?
• How can I get out of a vanity press or self-publishing contract?

Should I Tell Literary Agents I Self-Published?

Should you tell literary agents you self-published? Yes. Book agents will feel deceived if you don’t tell them your book was previously self-published, before you sign a contract with them. The harder question is when and how to tell them, which is addressed here.

What do authors need to know about getting a literary agent after self-publishing? If you don’t tell a publishing agent your book has been self-published, and the book agent finds out later, they’ll likely terminate your author-agent contract. That’s because some major publishers won’t accept previously published books. They prefer publishing books no one has seen yet, allowing them to create more marketing buzz. And knowing your book isn’t previously self-published makes it clear to publishers you haven’t saturated the market.

For example, a new book agent who doesn’t realize the above might pitch a book to publishers that’s been self-published and sold 8,000 copies. Some publishers would be impressed, seeing that success as a sign the book is good and that the author will get exposure for the book. Other publishers will say they’re disappointed the book is already published because now they can’t make as big a splash with it when they launch it–and that there might not be enough additional book buyers out there to justify publishing a new version of the book.

That’s why book agents want to know, prior to signing an author-agent agreement, if a book has been self-published. It’s a risk to them if the book has been self-published, because the book will likely be harder to sell, and it’s a risk they want to evaluate before signing with you. The only exception is if your self-published book doesn’t appear on Amazon or anywhere else on the Internet. If you all did was print hard copies to give away or sell and you’ve distributed copies that way, that probably won’t be a problem.

When Should I Tell Literary Agents I Self-Published?

When should I tell literary agents I self-published the book I’m trying to get them to represent? There are four options, and here’s what you need to know about each of them to help you decide which option is right for you.

1. In your query letter
2. After a queried agents requests more material
3. When a book agent offers representation
4. Never

When thinking about getting a literary agent after self-publishing, consider the following:

The first option regarding when to tell literary agents you self-published is in your query. If you do that, you’re being fully transparent, but most publishing agents will immediately reject your submission.

The second option is to wait until a book agent you’ve queried asks to see more material. For example, your synopsis, book proposal, sample manuscript pages, and/or complete manuscript. If you say, at that point, the book has been self-published, you’ll get one of the following responses:

• An immediate rejection due to the agent not having invested much time in your book yet, and not wanting to represent previously self-published books.
• A little–or a lot–of displeasure that you didn’t reveal in your query that the book was previously self-published, but not a rejection.

The third option is to say you self-published the book when you’re offered representation. That would give you the best chance of your work getting the most consideration. Some literary agents won’t care when they find out about the self-publishing history. But this type of late reveal could anger an agent if they don’t represent self-published books, and they’ve spent considerable time reviewing your manuscript.

The fourth option is to never disclose the fact that your book has been self-published. If you do that–and your book agent finds out–they’ll likely be (understandably) irate and terminate your author-agent contract.

How Should I Tell Literary Agents I Self-Published?

How should you tell literary agents you self-published the book you want them to represent? Listed here you will find advice regarding what to say, what not to say, and–equally important–how to say it.

Authors with the goal of getting a literary agent after self-publishing are going to get some type of negative reaction from some book agents. So, make sure you tell publishing agents about your self-publishing history in the best way.

Writers with the goal of getting a literary agent after self-publishing should put the most positive spin possible on their self-publishing history. They should also be truthful. The following examples illustrate what you should–and shouldn’t–say.

What You Shouldn’t Say to Book Agents

If your goal is to get a literary agent after self-publishing, you should not say anything like the following:

I read somewhere a while ago that book agents want to know if a book has been self-published, and that for some agents it’s a positive while with others it’s a negative. I’m not sure what you think about representing books that have been self-published, so I thought I should ask, since my book has been self-published.

I can’t stand marketing and I’m really bad at it. I did everything I could think of to try and sell lots of copies of my book, over a very long period of time, but nothing worked. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to pay a literary agent commission or share the lion’s share of my book profits with a book publisher since I’m the one doing most of the work as the writer.

I still don’t want to pay a book agent or publisher, but now I’m desperate so I’ll consider doing it if you tell me why you deserve to get a commission and why you believe I should give a publisher the privilege of printing my book. Just keep in mind that I need to know quickly because I don’t have time to fool around.

What You Should Say to Book Agents

If your goal is getting a literary agent after self-publishing–and you want to know how you should you tell literary agents you self-published the book your pitching–start by saying something like the first paragraph of the previous section. Then add something similar to the following:

I wasn’t fully aware of the pros and cons of self-publishing vs working with a traditional publisher when I decided to self-publish. Now I know that I was selling my book short by not having the many benefits of working with an experienced book agent and a major publisher. There is a lot I can do to promote my book, and I’m looking forward to that as well. Once I realized I should be focused on getting a book agent after self-publishing, I decided to save the majority of my planned promotional efforts for if and when I get a traditional publisher.

After reading the above suggested starting points regarding how to tell book agents about your self-publishing history, it should be clear or somewhat clear why the latter is better than the former. Yes, the most important thing when an author’s goal when getting a book agent or getting a literary agent after self-publishing should be the author’s book. However, book agents prefer working with authors who are good at marketing, or who at least seem somewhat willing and capable.

The Best Delivery Method

Should authors with the goal of getting a literary agent after self-publishing use phone, email, or postal mail to reveal their book has been self-published? You should tell the book agent via whichever method the book agent used to ask you for more material.

• If a book agent requests your full manuscript be sent to them via email or postal mail, and you want to disclose, at that time, your book has been self-published, simply include that information in the note or cover letter you send with the manuscript.
• If a book agent calls you on the phone to offer representation, and you haven’t yet disclosed your book’s self-publishing history, do it during that phone call.

How Can I Get Out of a Vanity Press or Self-Publishing Contract?

If you’re focused on getting a literary agent after self-publishing, most vanity publishers will release you from their contract. Vanity publishers make most of their money from authors paying to publish, not as a result of promoting and selling their authors’ books.

Some vanity presses require a fee of a couple or few hundred dollars to get a release. If you don’t see a termination clause in your publishing contract, look on the publisher website to see if you can find the information you need. If that fails, email or call them to ask about it. Follow up with them, repeatedly, if needed. Vanity publishers are very accessible when they’re trying to convince you to work with them, not so much after you’ve paid them.

Lastly, though you should figure out what will be required to get out of your vanity publisher contract, you might not want to terminate the contract immediately. Instead, consider waiting to see if you can get any book agents interested in your book first. That way, if you are unable to get a publishing agent, you can continue with the vanity press if you want to, without having to start that process over and pay them a second time.

Mark Malatesta – Former Literary Agent

This article about getting a literary agent after self-publishing is part of a free 15-Part Guide About How to Get a Book Agent, written by former book agent turned author coach Mark Malatesta.

Mark is the creator of The Directory of Literary Agents, and founder of Literary Agent Undercover and The Bestselling Author. Mark’s articles have appeared in places including the Writer’s Digest Guide to Literary Agents and the Publishers Weekly Book Publishing Almanac.

Mark has helped hundreds of authors get offers from literary agents, including Top Literary Agents at the Best Literary Agencies. See success stories and get inspired at How I Got My Literary Agent.