Marketing the novel

Ask your agent and publisher that. It depends on what they see for ideal.

Fine some youtube reviewers who willing to read your book. Let them read your book and make a video review. Half of their subscribers would most likely pick up your book if the reviewer says it's good.

It may sound silly but it is the new way to advertise your merchandise. There are hundreds of youtube celebrities who could market your work. Trust me, people like hearing opinions from normal people like them. Seeing a couple youtube reviewers making good videos about your book will get them sold.

Marketing the novel is the publisher's job. Writing the next novel is your job.

Do your job and let them do theirs.

This has become a big topic, what with the rise of social media. I like the idea of the YouTube review. Even though I peruse YT for music and aviation stuff, I've never seen a review, and I wonder how valuable it would be. Remember, your publisher (if it's mainstream) wants to sell something around 5,000 books to break even and make a few bucks. How many can you add to that total by getting a dozen people to review it on YouTube is a big question mark.

DennisB said:

This has become a big topic, what with the rise of social media. I like the idea of the YouTube review. Even though I peruse YT for music and aviation stuff, I've never seen a review, and I wonder how valuable it would be. Remember, your publisher (if it's mainstream) wants to sell something around 5,000 books to break even and make a few bucks. How many can you add to that total by getting a dozen people to review it on YouTube is a big question mark.

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You can get alot, actually. Most active youtube reviewers have 1,000-5,000 min subscribers. I know quite a few that have two 200,000 or more. Youtube reviewers is a great unknown resource for advertising.

Dancre said:

I'm now waiting for a contract to come through for my first novel. My question is how much marketing should I do and how much should the publisher do? I'd like to do some conventions, but do they need to ask me to come to them or can I contact them? I'm doubting that I can do any speaking at the conventions since I'm so new, but maybe set up a table and sell my books? Any ideas on marketing? Thanks all!!

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I expect that the right answer is that both of you should be marketing, since professional marketers will tell you that sales will rise proportionally to the time and effort put into marketing. Or as one said, "Marketing is like a bump-em car. When you let up on the pedal, the car stops."

If you're a new author, don't expect a lot of help from your publisher. They put their marketing dollars behind their top selling authors.

Also, as a new author, you have to make yourself noticed. People won't ask you for interviews or readings out of the blue, at first. You have to ask them, and expect to be rejected or ignored a few times.

Also, avoid marketing to other writers. It's a common error that I see all the time. Although authors may buy your book, the real market is out there among the unwashed. There are some good books on marketing literature, and you should consult one or two of them. As a general rule, putting sweat into marketing pays off better than putting cash into it.

Things that work:
- website and blogs
- posting on other people's blogs, putting your own book link in the sigline, if allowed
- posting excerpts on public forums
- for print books, talk up small bookstores, donate copies to public and school libraries, list on all available online sites

Things that don't work (ie, don't pay back the investment):
- print ads
- professional marketers
- book fairs

First find out what the publisher will do and what they will assist you in doing (pay for tables etc). Then build on that.

Mockingbird,
Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware that there were that many (subs). With numbers that impressive, though, isn't it tough to get them to review any particular book?

Like an reviewer, you need to find one who is interested in your type of book.

MockingBird said:

Fine some youtube reviewers who willing to read your book. Let them read your book and make a video review. Half of their subscribers would most likely pick up your book if the reviewer says it's good.

It may sound silly but it is the new way to advertise your merchandise. There are hundreds of youtube celebrities who could market your work. Trust me, people like hearing opinions from normal people like them. Seeing a couple youtube reviewers making good videos about your book will get them sold.

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This is such a fantastic idea! I just started subscribing to youtube channels for the first time, and some of the book reviewers have thousands of followers who watch their videos. Now, why didn't I think of that?

DennisB said:

Mockingbird,
Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware that there were that many (subs). With numbers that impressive, though, isn't it tough to get them to review any particular book?

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It depends on the reviewer, you might have the pitch the book to them like you would an agent but not so much like a commercial or spam ad. For the big ones, I would still send a message because they mostly read alot of them but I wouldn't expect much. However, the small timers may (1,000subs or less), one voice can influence many. I seen people doing book reviews on youtube, you just got to find them and hope they give your book a chance. If they do and give you a good review on their channel you can expect sales to go up. When reviewers like something they will really emphasis on their subscribers checking it out.

James D. Macdonald said:

Marketing the novel is the publisher's job. Writing the next novel is your job.

Do your job and let them do theirs.

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Hmm...not so much.
Your 'job' (in fact, everyone's job) is to take responsibility for your desires. If your desire is take maximize your sales, then take responsibility for that.

Of course, if your desire is simply to write another book, there's certainly nothing problematic with that.

Do what you want...reap the rewards thereof...and have fun!

imagegod said:

Hmm...not so much.
Your 'job' (in fact, everyone's job) is to take responsibility for your desires. If your desire is take maximize your sales, then take responsibility for that.

Of course, if your desire is simply to write another book, there's certainly nothing problematic with that.

Do what you want...reap the rewards thereof...and have fun!

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Agree. I don't think anyone will be as excited about your book as you will be! The market is so packed full of books to buy, every little bit you can do (and your publisher) will help.

Marketing != promotion.

All the promotion in the world by the author won't help if the publisher isn't doing their job by marketing the work.

Dancre said:

My question is how much marketing should I do and how much should the publisher do?

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Unless you've signed with a Big Six publisher, your sales will directly reflect how much effort you put into promotion. Signings and conventions are stellar experiences for an author, but they're outdated for means of actually moving copies of your book - but they are great for networking.

Either way, pound pavement and keep your name crossing desks. Remember that book sales aren't like record sales - for many, they increase with time and reviews, rather than peaking immediately after release and slowing as months go by. Get speaking to reviewers and schedule interviews - you need to ask for these, because there's a slim chance anyone will offer. I've been on the front page of multiple newspapers and had televised interviews for my first book - but I had to send out the press releases, hound with emails, and be the proactive party. Don't ever be afraid to ask - the worst thing they can do is say no, right?

Best of luck and get ready to work hard!

Regardless of what your agent and/or publisher have in mind, don't hesitate to promote yourself shamelessly.

Just from a reader POV, everybody and their uncle is promoting their book on a blog or other social media. Yawn. And from discussions I've seen here and on other forums, the ROI doesn't seem that great. Conventions, if the publisher is willing to foot the bill, may be more helpful - you're not just another dude on a blog there. Personally, I wouldn't spend my own money on them - at least not the larger ones where it can cost a thousand or more for a table and you're still a speck on the wall.