Need advise on selling books

Congrats on the pub!
What efforts (if any) is the publisher making to promote your work?
I can think of a couple of extra things:
Put a copy in your local library. Offer to do a book reading there (don't know if they'd go for it, but you can try, depending on the genre).
Send copies to book reviewers at newspapers/magazines (if they didn't get advance copies from the publisher).
Utilise friends and family to get the word out on Facebook/Twitter etc. That's where things can turn 'viral' as they say.
Six weeks isn't a lot of time to do this, but good luck!

Do you have a website? Blogging about what you are doing to promote the book adds value to whatever you do.

This really isn't the place for this type of thread... so... hang on while I polish up my magic lamp, dust off my broom, and find just the right spot for it!

What is it about? Are there groups you can email? Mine is historical fantasy so I emailed re-enactment groups. I also sent an email to every single library in Australia - the only country my publisher at the time supplies to. I got invited to give talks to interested groups. I contacted local newspapers before each book signing. I spoke on local radio stations. I appeared on TV once (that's a hard one to get into, here). I visit half a dozen local writers' groups. Local libraries hosted book launches for me.

Try some of those and I'm sure there will be more for you.

Congrats on your book!! Try http://www.Alreadypublished.com, its a pretty cool site and they let authors post their book for free. It's a nice setup too. Good luck.

You can get display site listings 'til you are blue in the face, in my experience it doesn't lead to sales.

Congratulations on being published! That's exciting.

This is good timing -- I just posted this article on my Web site yesterday and it might give you some ideas: http://www.buildbookbuzz.com/articles/promote-your-novel.htm.

I hope it helps get you thinking about some options.

Cheers,
Sandy

Christina B. Conroy said:

Thanks for the advise - my small publisher hasn't done much off-line. I've doen everything but the library things - I'll try that.

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If it's any consolation, large publishers don't do much for most books either.

What I used to do was to go into my local Borders or Barnes and Noble and move my book out of the music section and put it on the front table where they have the New and Hot Paperback Releases. It was usually back where it belonged the next time I visited, but it was still very exciting to have it be up there with the week's hot prospects.

Christina B. Conroy said:

Thanks for the advise - my small publisher hasn't done much off-line. I've doen everything but the library things - I'll try that.

Click to expand...

At a book signing I usually sell 15-20 books. I tell the manager, get all the books in you hope to sell and I promise to return and move them if they don't go the first time I'm there. That means they're not left with unsold books and the cost of returning them to the publisher.

Hey Christina, it sounds like you've had some good publicity experiences! Since your book is about chamber music, have you also gone after music-related publications, even the trade magazines targeting orchestra leaders, music educators, etc.? I'd bet they'd be interested in a story about why you chose to write about chamber music, etc.

Regardless, you are off to a great start -- and I'm so glad you can capitalize on the Michael Jackson story!

Sandy

Hi Christina,

I wasn't thinking of a review of your book in the music trades. I was thinking of a feature if there's an angle for that. For example, if there have been 2 other novels involving chamber music in the past 18 mos., there could be a trends piece here -- why do chamber musicians make good fiction fodder? Or, if your research involved playing with a chamber orchestra, that might make an interesting story. I don't know enough to offer solid angles, but the point is, it might be possible to get into one of them with some creative thinking/brainstorming, about article ideas involving you as a resource.

It's important for us to think past book reviews when promoting our books because reviews can be harder to snag than other types of beneficial publicity.

Cheers,
Sandy

is there no one who will fix advise to advice?

no one? It is driving me crazy...

Cheers, Christina! And you will probably find many spelling errors there, as well!

and good luck with your book...

Glad it works as expected for you
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