by Linda Kay Hardie
Like most writers, I used to cringe and change the subject when anyone brought up book promotion. What do I know about it? How can I put myself out there? You want me to sell myself? I’m uncomfortable with this whole idea. I’ll bet you are, too.
Nowadays, I speak about my books at all sorts of locations, and I often have a table at art events or as a vendor at an outdoor festival, selling my books. What’s my secret? I’m glad to share because it’s all about sharing, not selling.
First, don’t think of it as self-promotion. Reframe the whole situation. Think of it as getting to know other writers and meeting your readers. You will share your love of reading and writing with people who want to hear about those topics. Think of it as talking about books and writing (two of your favorite topics, right?) to like-minded people.
Second, you’re not going door to door to sell your book. It’s not like school fundraisers when you had to sell expensive but poor-quality chocolate bars or whatever. You’re not ringing the doorbells of neighbors you don’t really know. You’re not making cold calls. You’re talking about stuff you enjoy talking about.
Third, keep copies of your books in your car. You never know when you’ll run into a reader excited to meet an author who would love to buy your book immediately. Ebooks are a great invention. I once sold a copy of Peace, Love, and Crime at a potluck to someone I’d just met who asked what I’d been up to lately. She pulled out her phone and bought the ebook right then and there.
Now for the practical steps.
Number one. Contact your local library or libraries. Here in Washoe County (home to Reno, Nevada), there are twelve libraries in the county system. Two are rather far away because Nevada is a big, spread-out state, but the rest are an easy drive from anywhere in the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area. The faraway libraries are up at Lake Tahoe in Incline Village and an hour north in the Black Rock Desert at the community of Gerlach.
Libraries actively seek public programming. Calling a librarian is what salespeople call a warm call because librarians are waiting to hear from members of the public who can provide talks, performances, or interesting events. Most of the time, you can simply send an email! Once you’re invited and scheduled, you’ll need to decide on a topic for your event, but again, think about talking to friends you haven’t met yet. Since I write short stories and children’s picture books, I can read a story or two and talk about something related to the story.
Number two. Look for local writers’ groups. They also need programming. They’re good to be in touch with anyway because you’ll learn new skills, make new friends, and possibly find critique partners or beta readers. Writers groups like to schedule local writers to discuss some aspects of the craft. They often supply the topic, giving you ideas for something to say.
Number three. Look into local art associations. This is a more advanced step, but you’re becoming an expert by now. Art groups often cover literary, fine, and performing arts. They host art sales, where artists set up tables and sell their work, with the association taking a percentage. I am a member of the Sierra Arts Foundation here in Reno, Nevada, and I often have a table at events. You can buy copies of your book or books at a discount from your publisher and sell them for a cover price.
My final point is to find ways to sell your books. Post about your events on social media. Set up a profile as an author and get people to follow you. Even if you do a book signing at a local bookstore, you still need to promote it. At your table in the store, don’t sit quietly and read a book. Watch people. Smile at them. Wave them over to your table. Hand them a book.
I don’t make large amounts of money when I sell books at events; I’m happy to break even, but it’s always fun. I’m getting my name out there and finding new readers.
And that’s the whole point.
Linda Kay Hardie writes short stories in many genres, but not romance. She tried once, and everyone ended up dead. Tragic. She also writes recipes and is the reigning Spam champion for Nevada (yes, the tasty treat of canned mystery meat). Her writing has won awards dating back to fifth grade, with first place for an essay on fire safety. In 2022 she was honored with the Sierra Arts Foundation’s Literary Arts Award for fiction in Reno, Nevada. Her latest published stories appear in AI, Robot from JayHenge Publishing, Tales of the Apocalypse from Three Ravens Press, and The Perp Wore Pumpkin from Misti Media.
