Black Authors: How to Self-Publish, Market and Promote Your African American Book
Self publishing is very fulfilling! There is no middle-man between you and the cover designer, editor and layout people, you get your book to market sooner, have complete control, and keep all the profits for yourself. But you also shoulder the financial burden of all the up front expenses and sole responsibility for publishing and marketing your book. Avoid making the mistakes other first-time authors have made. Here are some great suggestions you can use to make your journey to published author an exciting and rewarding one.
Self-publishing is the hottest trend in books, as it provides creative thinkers turned authors with a fast and easy way to get their work on the market. With the added option of “print on demand”, and desktop publishing and design software, the initial cost to get your book out can be very minimal.
Self-publishing is also the most profitable since you get to keep all the profits for yourself. IF you are committed to the work it is going to take to sell your books that is.
One of the most difficult challenges a self-published author faces is getting their book into the hands of people that will appreciate it enough to pay their hard earned money. I recall reading an article on the self-publishing industry that reported the average number of self-published books sold per author is about 100 copies!
With that horrifying number in mind, you need to roll up your sleeves and prepare to launch a focused marketing and promotion program that will have you doing at least 3 things per day every day for the next 6 months to promote your book. Remember, no one can dream your dream but you, and ultimately, you are the only one responsible for the success or failure of your book.
Start by arming yourself with as much knowledge on the subject as possible. Check out these books and websites on marketing and promoting for self-published authors:
THE SELF-PUBLISHING MANUAL by Dan Poynter is, hands down, the best promotional book and guide to successful self-publishing for any first time author. The SPM is easy to read and understand, and organized in a fashion that make it a valuable reference as you go through the writing and publishing process. Dan’s site is at http://www.parapublishing.com.
THE AFRICAN AMERICAN WRITERS HANDBOOK: How to Get in Print and Stay in Print by Robert Fleming. Written by a veteran journalist and published author, this book provides crucial information to publish successfully in this highly competitive field. Not really oriented towards self-publishing, it is still a great resource for Black authors. Log onto his website to review this book and others at http://robertflemingauthor.com/books.htm
GUERILLA MARKETING FOR WRITERS by Jay Conrad Levinson is another easy to follow guide with more than 100 ideas for marketing and promoting your book. There are like a zillion Guerilla Marketing books covering a wide range of markets. Find out more at http://www.gmarketing.com.
THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SELF-PUBLISHING by Tom & Marilyn Ross guides authors through the entire self-publishing process from writing the first word to wildly creative ways to market the finished product. The website is http://www.writersdigest.com.
1001 WAYS TO MARKET YOUR BOOK by John Kremer is top notch! John Kremer is a legend in the book marketing field. But there are SO many ideas presented this 3″ thick book that I found it to be somewhat overwhelming. His websites are much easier to go through for people that are A.D.D. like me! Log onto http://www.promotingyourbooks.com.
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Deborrah
Veteran social researcher, relationship advice columnist, author and radio host. Author of hundreds of articles on American and black culture, gender issues, singles, dating and relationships. Author of "Sucka Free Love!" , "The 24 Types of Suckas to Avoid," "The Black Church - Where Women Pray and Men Pray," and "Why Vegan is the New Black" all available on Amazon.Com. Her unique voice and insightful commentary have delighted fans and riled haters for 20 years. Read her stuff on SurvivingDating.Com and AskHeartBeat.Com.
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