Guerilla Book Publishing
Agents, publishers, book signings – publishing your own book is a lot like engaging in combat. Still, if you want to sell your book, guerilla book publishing may be your best bet.
Guerilla book publishing is an aggressive way to get your name out there without paying a lot of money. In order to effectively market your book, you must leave your pen name and author hat behind in order to become a professional business guru. Since you have already written a book, you will not have any problem becoming a great marketing maven – all it takes is a bit of imagination.
Close your eyes and think of the type of person that will be reading your book. What do they look like? How old are they? Where do they hang out? Why will they love your book? Once you figure this out, you will have identified your target market. Get ready to put on that green face paint – you are about to go to war. Ok, maybe not literal war, but you will have to be prepared to make your book stick out amongst all the others ... no matter how hard this may be.
To begin your own guerilla book publishing campaign, you will have to give readers a reason to pick up your book (aside from the catchy cover and whimsical writing). Set up “author signings” at your local bookstore, and offer those that visit a prize to go along with each copy of your book. You may decide to print up T-shirts, calendars, caps, coffee mugs ... whatever sort of item will fit the theme of your book (it’s time to put that thinking cap on). Then, start to advertise. Contact local craft fairs and carnivals and sell your books at a small stand next to the fried dough and candy apples ... you get the point, right?
Another great way to publicize your book is to make yourself an expert. Though you may already be quite savvy as to the content of your own book, you will want to teach others how to become authors as well. Set up writers’ workshops; book clubs; speak at events; and even offer to read a passage of your book at a college graduation. Remember, a large percentage of any marketing effort happens through sheer (and simple) word of mouth.
While you may choose to go the traditional route by allowing a literary agent to market your work, you can achieve the same amount of publicity through your own efforts. Guerilla book publishing is becoming more and more common as author’s seek to find cost effective ways to sell their books. When it comes to publishing and marketing your books, take matters into your own hands.