Promoting your new books

[Wendy Glindon]

I have read a lot about how writers are worried that their books wont get noticed once published o Lulu.

I thought it might help to point out that as a publisher its down to yourselves to do most of the promotion work.  Nobody can buy something they know nothing about so blow your own trumpet loud and clear and make sure everyone that needs to know has heard about your books.

I wrote the first of my three novels in 2004 aboaut the life on the road of lady truck driver and went through the laborious self publishing and self promotion route to get them into print and get them into the bookstores.  LOTS of hard work!

I must admit that all my hard work paid off and sales went surprisingly well - although I made very little - if any - money out of it all.

I recently discovered Lulu (after ignoring advice from others for years - silly me) and have now re-published a second edition of all three of my novels and have been delighted with how easy it was - and it did not cost a penny to do this!  Impressive.

I have read a lot about book promotions and how to get books noticed but as usual I will simply tell the bookshops and Neilsens about the second edition and if the bookshops want discount I will order the books for them using my own Lulu discount.  Sounds easy enough.

Right now I am involved in the making of a TV documentary about lady truck drivers and - Deep Joy! - they are featuring my books so thank goodness Lulu will be able to handle the orders and postage for me.  It could have well turned into a full time job if I had to do it all myself!  So a big thank you to Lulu for being available to writers.

http://www.lulu.com/browse/search.php?fListingClass=0&fSearch=Wendy+Priestley

[Wendy Glindon]

..........Just an asfterthought.......I also found it very easy to change my Author name on the second edition of my books which also has made life much easier as having a 'pen name' often does not help if people are searching for something that they know you have written and are using your name to google the books. Just a though thast might help others. I wished I had not complicated things by originally using a pen name.

[Tharel]

Thanks for giving me hope.

[kevinlomas]

I once met a self-publisher stood in a corner of Waterstones ( a large UK book chain of shops) and he had a table with his latest book on and a large cardboard display behind it. I had a chat with him and he said he spends £10,000 a year on marketing and nets around £20,000 a year. I have no idea if he sold anything at that shop while he stood there though. I did not I was the only person who spoke to him while I was there, and he did not seem to be accosting anyone, even though he was facing the door in plain sight.
I do not think he was using Book On Demand though. I got the impression he bought by the crate full which gave him the advantage of lower unit costs.

[Ken Anderson]

Perhaps more importantly he was willing to put a lot of effort into as well. Unlike many who write here just expecting sales to happen automatically.

[kevinlomas]

Indeed Ken. The "build a better mousetrap and ... " saying is nonsense.

[Wendy Glindon]

I too have had a stand in bookshops for a signing and I must say my all time record was 12 books (I was delighted!) and my all time low was zero books - however it got me out there and the bookshops kept a few books in stock that eventually sold so I am not complaining. I think you only get out of life what you are wiling to put in so blow your own trumpet loud and clear and hopefully someone will hear you - eventually.

[ken74]

Wendy, your post is very encouraging for those of us being published for the first time!  Thanks for the positive note, we need it, because while we're writing the book, all the nay-sayers or as my age bracket calls them, the 'haters', say that we'll never get the book published.  Then, after we crack their face and get published, they it won't sell.  So keep the positive notes coming!