“Who will the book appeal to?” ~~B. Lynn Goodwin
Try Groups, Reviewers, and More
By B. Lynn Goodwin
Of course you should write whatever you want. That goes without saying, but what if it’s not a general interest book and you’re not a well-know author? How do you market it?
One way is to get the buyers to come to you.
How do you do that?
Ask yourself who the book will appeal to? Let’s say you’ve written a YA about an earthquake that knocks school buildings off their foundations, cancelling classes and outside activities. Why not look on Facebook, GoodReads, and Twitter for high school groups, crisis groups, earthquake groups, trouble-shooting groups, and YA lover groups.
What if the book’s narrator is also mourning the loss of her older brother who disappeared while serving in Afghanistan in the pre-pandemic years?
Look for groups of Blue Star and Gold Star moms as well as military veterans? Look for siblings of those who’ve lost a loved one in any war.
What if you’ve tried these groups and they’re not working?
Try offering a giveaway.
- Share the first chapter on your web site.
- Or share part of the first chapter and leave off at a critical moment and put a link at the bottom so the reader can go to a place where the book is sold, whether it’s Amazon or Bookshop.org.
- Do a giveaway on GoodReads.
- Offer a free copy in exchange for an honest interview from readers who like the story, the characters, the theme, the details, or the way a reviewer can relate to the story.
- Donate copies to local groups who might ask you to speak and give you an opportunity to sell more books.
There are plenty of people online who will help you promote your book. If their promotion sounds good, ask questions, and give it a try. Of course if it sounds too good to be true, tread cautiously. It probably is.
By the way, the book I described above is called Disrupted and will be out later this year. Interested in receiving a review copy in exchange for an honest review? Please say so in the Contact Box. I’ll get an ARC to you as soon as they’re available. Reviews posted on the day the book comes out are especially useful and important. And if you’d like me to consider reviewing your book, please say so.
Finally, talk this over with your writing friends and your friends in business—you know, the ones who sell things. If you get good ideas from them, I invite you to share them here and get a publishing credit for your resume.
