Getting to Know My Neighborhood to Sell More Books – Alice J. Wisler

We’ve seen it at WritersWeekly as well as in other magazines for writers: bookstores are not necessarily the best place to sell your books.
We’ve seen it at WritersWeekly as well as in other magazines for writers: bookstores are not necessarily the best place to sell your books.
An author told me the other day he found a typo in his proof, adding “I’ll probably leave it and send $5.00 to the first three readers that spot it and tell ’em it was test to see if they actually read the book…” I was completely honest, and told him that would be a HORRIBLE idea.
Recently, I noticed a URL for a fictitious website in a book I was formatting. I pasted the URL into my browser and, sure enough, it was a real website. The fictitious usage was for a humorous book but the actual website was a suicide prevention one. Had the author used that URL, it would not have only been in very poor taste, but it could have also resulted in a lawsuit.
Libraries and bookstores are so last year when it comes to staging book signings. Instead, consider taking your books out into the wider world. It’s full of your would-be readers.
Farmers encourage beekeepers to set their hives on farmland because it’s mutually beneficial. Bees get nectar for honey, benefiting themselves and their keeper. In return for this bounty, the bees pollinate the farmers’ crops.
Likewise, taking your books to a particular setting can attract customers to you, and also benefit your host. Match the location to your subject matter. The more off-the-wall your choice of venue, the greater your chance of attracting media attention…
As an author, and speaking on behalf of all of us collectively, our primary goal in writing a book is to achieve blockbuster sales and mega success. It’s the ultimate dream happy ending for authors, even if the novels and books we write don’t require a happy ending for the readers. For some, it may even be the reason for writing it…
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, and again, and again. DO NOT PAY FOR BOOK REVIEWS! Once someone finds out you paid a book reviewer, your reputation is toast.
We were planning a vacation to (and travel story on) Spain anyway. Adding a book event to the visit was a great way of mixing business with pleasure – and it proved to be an effective way to sell books and create some buzz with a new readership.
Without being cheesy or over-the-top, you can tactfully use current events to sell your story. In fact, many authors get their book ideas by reading the paper.
Even though my books are not in a mortar and brick bookstore, I have successfully sold copies of my Christmas book in some unusual places of business…
I’ve been reading your book, 90 DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book’s Daily Marketing Plan.
It is very handy to have all the info. in one place.
I especially like the idea of an ezine (Days 4-7 in the book), and think I could write one about my ideas on writing fiction. I need to find something to offer free to attract new subscribers and I have an idea I’d like to run past you.
I have an unpublished non-fiction manuscript. Even though I now write novels, does it make sense to offer chapters of my non-fiction book as the free item to attract people to subscribe to the Ezine?