Ugh. Marketing. Just the word sends me running to the fridge for comfort food.
We authors are not built for marketing our books. We need to learn the business, and it’s not an easy one.
I do like interacting with readers online, and I especially love meeting them in person at readings and book signings. But figuring out how to stand out in a sea of millions of other hybrid (traditionally & self published) authors? Yikes. It gives me a migraine.
Yet, I try to spend at least an hour every working day marketing my work. I write every morning, then make business calls and compose or answer emails, and then I take at least one action towards marketing my latest two books. My earlier works? They take a back seat. I can’t do it all. I hope they’ll be discovered when I share a link to all my work online.
One tool that has helped me immensely in marketing my work online and creating printable posters for readings is CANVA.COM It’s so user friendly, and it’s fun! In the last few months, I have made a lot of promotional posts for Facebook, Twitter and even made my most recent book covers with it. It’s free to use your own photos and template. You pay a small amount ($1 each item) if you want to buy the rights to use certain photos and/or designs.
Made this in Canva today:
Yes, writers write, but we also need to learn to market what we produce, and not just for launch day. We need to speak up and help new readers discover our work. If we don’t (and we don’t happen to have a wealthy publicist who takes us out for a sushi lunch every week- yeah I’m not dreaming at all! ), who will?
Heather
Heather Grace Stewart 