Publicity - at least for me is the hardest part about writing.  Give me a subject and I can write a complete story blindfolded, it comes so natural. Being groomed under the old way, a traditionally signed author didn't have to worry about promotion, which was handled by the publisher. Thus, it was a great shock to me when my publisher told me to hire a publicist and sent me an outline of my responsibility versus their responsibility. This happened after I signed, edited and Allon Book 1 was in pre-release. Naturally, I had to scramble in playing catch-up, having no clue of what to do. Not to mention the publicist cost $$$ for a few months of work, and I experienced no gain in sales for the promises and so-called expertise.

I learned the hard way that being able to handle marketing and promotion of one's book is essential. The means of getting the word out and the advise that goes with it, seems almost endless, and especially online. However, this also can become a black hole, a pit capable of swallowing any unprepared author. Publicity takes planning, time and hard work. Watch out for so-called marketing gurus and publicists, who are constantly vying for authors by promising great results. Not! Publicity can be done much cheaper by the author than by paying a stranger. And consider this, no one is more passionate about a project than the author.

A method most often used by newbie authors is the option in Kindle Select of 5 "free download days".  This is also one of the more nebulous avenues, for no matter how many 'free downloads' occur, it doesn't guarantee immediately results in sales or reviews. Some authors have found success, but they are the exception and not the rule when thousands upon thousands of books are offered for free.

I know owners of e-readers who boast of having hundreds to thousands of 'free books' on their devices. Consider this - even if an avid reader gets through 100 books a year, it will take up to a decade to read all the 'free books' - if they don't download any more.  For an author to become known, their book must be read and not just downloaded. Giving away unlimited e-books can cheapen and defeat the purpose. Be wise in how and when to do free giveaways. I prefer to run contests when I determine the number of books to be given away then risk innumerable and fruitless downloads.

There are various social media platforms touting how they can help authors reach readers. The sites encourage authors to engage, promote, and offer help to do so, but individual participants say differently. I learned this fact the hard way. During my participation on several well-know sites, I ran afoul of unwritten rules and told - in no uncertain terms - that authors are to be seen and not heard since these sites are reader driven. Authors engaging in conversation must not mention a taboo subject. What is taboo? Anything! According to these people, the group moderators make the rules and enforce them, even if it is contrary to the site's intent. I've been slammed simply for answering a direct question in a discussion, while promotion of any kind is forbidden! (Read my post Goodreads Now Another Amazon Tentacle)


The main thing an author must do, is to target their audience on and off-line in such a way as to be engaging but not overbearing. Sadly, this fine line is usually achieved after much frustration in attempting to navigate the choppy seas of social media. Publicity, marketing and promotion is not one-size-fits-all. You can't take something off the rack and find a perfect fit, while jumping in the deep end won't help if you don't know how to swim.  Test the waters to discover the best means for your particular book and do so in measured doses.  Where publicity is concerned, slow and steady is better for the long term than being a fast and furious flash in the pan.

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