The Frugal Book Promoter
How to Do What Your Publisher Won't
Most authors yearn for the Golden Age of publishing when the only imperative for a writer was to write. It was up to the publisher to edit, market, and promote the finished book. That is no longer so in this market-driven era, and this eBook will prove to be a valuable asset for writers who must now do a lion’s share of the promotion of their own work.
The author has worked as an editorial assistant for Good Housekeeping Magazine, and is currently an instructor for UCLA Extension’s Writer Program. Her novel, This is the Place, and her story compilation, Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, have each won several awards. Prior to launching a literary career, she was a publicist for a New York agency and used that expertise to successfully promote her own books; this volume evolved out of that experience.
A first-time author can use this book to plan an approach for selling a manuscript to a publisher, then follow up on that sale with preparations for the book’s publication. Howard-Johnson provides tips on acquiring early reviews, submitting press releases for promotion, building contact lists, making the most of writers? conferences, and much more. Because timing is so important, she recommends that authors start developing a media kit well in advance of the release date of the book, and gives step-by-step instructions on what to include in the kit, and how to prepare each element of it.
More seasoned authors may find some of the chapters a bit elementary, but there is much information that may be new to them. For example, Howard-Johnson cites at least two hundred websites for finding contacts in the media, libraries, bookstores, Internet promotional opportunities, and much more. Most of that information is scattered throughout the chapters, but an advantage of an eBook is that it affords the ability to pull this information from the various chapters and create a concise list for easy referral.
Examples of what has worked for other authors and some practical templates that readers can modify for their own needs are particularly helpful, all presented in an easy-to-read style. Authors who are daunted by the demands of self-promotion in this current era of publishing will find The Frugal Book Promoter a helpful resource.
Reviewed by
Maryann Miller
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
