Just published independent Texas writer. Now how do I promote?

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andybilg

Hello,

My name is Andy Bilger and I just published my first novel, For the Angels are Dead. I have sent off for reviews, been skewered once already, and now I am to a point where I have lost some steam and ideas. Any ideas?

Regards,
Andy
 

Cathy C

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You say "independent". Do you mean you self-published, or are you with a small Texas press? In either event, you should probably join the Texas Coalition of Authors (TCoA). They have lists each month of upcoming conferences, conventions and festivals all over Texas where you can promote your book.

Also, since you're in Wimberley, you might also sign up for the Texas Book Festival in Austin later this year, and also see if you can place the book in Book People, the big indie store in Austin.

Just a few ideas. Good luck!
 

maestrowork

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Join some book festivals. Send press releases to media. Talk to your community libraries about doing readings. Schedule some signings with your local book stores (independents or chains). Do a book launch party. Go to Writer's Conferences. Give away book marks, etc. Donate your book to libraries. Draw people to your web site and make your site interesting and informative at the same time.

My book just came out last week, and already I've been on the radio twice, and one more is coming up this week. The book's been reviewed. I've been in local magazines, and papers. I've been invited to a book festival in April. I've made my book launch a charity event. I just went to a Chinese New Year charity function and sold 10 books (within an hour)... Sure, I'm not on Oprah or the Today Show yet, but there are so many things you can do at the local level -- every step is important for getting words out about your book. You can't just sit there and wait for something to happen. You have to just go out and do it.
 

andybilg

Thank you for your advice

My novel, For the Angels are Dead, was self published. Independently published. It was released on December 30th, 2005. It was published by Taylor-Dth Publishing, San Fran, Ca. You can view a complete description on Amazon.com

I have only been at the it for three weeks. I have sent out 60 copies for review to college newspapers, local papers, and some online reviews. I have an interview coming out in the Houston Chronicle, Observer section. I appreciate everyones suggestions and will follow all advice that makes sense to my situation.

I plan on running ads in the newspapers where I get decent reviews. I am also toying with running an at compaign on MYSPACE.com.

I really want people to read my book. I love to write and I have another novel, very different from the first, well underway.

Is it unheard of for independent writers to be 'picked-up' by traditional presses?

Regards
andy bilger
For the Angels are Dead amazon.com
 

maestrowork

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Andy, what I'm going to say might not be easy... Your publisher, Taylor-Dth is a subsidary or vanity press (fee-based). The reality is, most newspapers and trade journals won't review vanity or POD books. Gee, I mean even traditional small presses have a hard time getting reviews. Advertising is a waste of money, IMHO, especially for fiction. The best approach for you would probably to hand-sell your books or use your website for promotion purposes. You may also be able convince your local independents to sell your books on consignment.

Good luck!

p.s. I find the following in Taylor-Dth's FAQ that is misleading:

What about promotion? Don't traditional (royalty) publishers do all your promotion for you?
No. Not unless you are on a level with Steven King or John Grisham. When they started out, they were fee based published and peddled their books from their cars!


Steven [sic] King and John Grisham did not start out with fee-based vanity presses. They were traditionally published. King was with a big publisher (Doubleday, or Dell, I believe) and Grisham was with a small publisher. But neither paid to be published.
 

CaoPaux

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Gaah. 'scuse me while I toss this "publisher" into the ring of B&BC. :box:
 

veinglory

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Well you can't control whether reviews will be good or bad, but even a bad review can be an asset so long as it is honest and constructive.

Let me through my own small review site into the ring. http://podpeep.blogspot.com

I believe there is a list over at the lulu forums of reviews sites open to self-published authors. My suggestion would be to be selective about where you send hard-copies of the book. If they are not open to self-publishers ot just don't review most of what they are sent it isn't a sound investment.
 
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