Even though my book got picked up by a traditional publisher, it doesn’t mean I don’t have to spread the word and do some marketing of my own. This is tough for I am by all accounts a shy person.
Times are tough for books. They are competing with ebooks, tablets and people giving away their books for free for reviews. So a year before I started actively submitting “Jasper, Amazon Parrot:A Rainforest Adventure” I hit the social media scene.
You can find me here:
-Google +
-Goodreads
-Shelfari
I am on a few others but these are the big ones. I started to network, meeting various people in various stages of their book. Along the way I met some awesome friends. I came across people who helped me in so many different ways. Ami who worked on my query letter that got my book into a few editor’s hands. I met my editor, Nancy, who is just amazing with her talents. I have met writers who have helped me with questions and problems when it came to social media. This is a market every author, whether self published or traditional, needs to tap into. It is pure gold for the taking, you just have to reach for it. And by the way, it is how I met my publisher.
It is time-consuming when you first start. This was the main reason a year prior to submitting I became pro active with my book and the means to promote it. It has been a few years since then and now my social media format just need checking on now and then.
Being shy won’t cut it in this market. You have to take a deep breath and step forward. Your book needs you to be there for it. It can’t do it alone. And why should it? It has been with you for so long why abandon it now?
Sharon C. Williams-Author 
I know what you mean. I can honestly say I was dragged onto social media kicking, screaming, and cursing like a sailor when I got into network marketing. It’s the biggest pain until you start to meet people and get things rolling. Now I get bored when the internet is quiet. lol
I die a little on the inside when we lost the internet for this that or another. 🙂 I so understand.
Hehe, I know, right? That’s just messed up when it doesn’t connect.
Oh gosh I am evil when it does that. When our power goes due to a,b or c I am equally not happy.
🙂
So far I’ve managed to dodge the bullet. Jamie is usually the one online if the power goes out so I can keep somewhat calm for a while. I get the internet issues when the router doesn’t want to work. I guess it’s a fair trade off. lol
Yep fair trade. LOL
If it makes you feel better, Sharon, I only buy real books. My daughter does DL books on her Kindle, but she also loves real books and buys them still as well. So, I would think there would still be a significant market for those who prefer to hold a real book in their hands? Especially for a children’s book I would think? I can’t imagine reading off an e-reader to my kid at night. But then again, she is all grown now and we didn’t have such things when she was little. I still can’t imagine it though, but I’m old school like that, I guess. 😀
Regardless, I’m sure the marketing part is tough no matter what, especially since you are shy. Good for you being brave enough to just take it on anyway! 🙂
Pam
I must be old school. I absolutely love the smell and feel of a book. I love to be able to turn a page I mean turn a real page. For me that is pure magic. It is not easy that is for sure. But by the end of the year most of my goals for this book will have seen the light of day and I will be soooo grateful for that. Anything else will be icing on the cake. Thank you so much Pam. 🙂