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Self-promoting “Solitary – Without the Confinement” has turned into a dilemma…

Written by

Steve Briscoe

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If you have not yet heard that I have a published book then I am not surprised because I do not really know how to self-promote my book. I have a Facebook page specific to my book and I even have a few followers, but I suspect they followed for no other reason than the entertainment value of watching me flounder. I’ve added a page to my personal website (www.stevebriscoe.net) about the book, but again, the numbers of people who visit my website over a period of a week has yet to go past double digits-more often than not the daily number of visitors are all single digit hits. I’m thinking people who actually hit my website are looking for either the actor or artist who go by the same name.

book

I’ve never been a “limelight” guy so for me to step out and shout my name to strangers is nowhere in my character—prefer instead to stand in the shadows and watch others shout; it’s more entertaining.

I’m not an overly educated man. My 4th grade education comes in handy from time to time but it has its limitations. I can’t write a paragraph without having to stop and do a google search on a word to make sure it means what I think it means. Case in point; I looked up the word limelight to make sure I was spelling it correctly. Imagine my surprise when I learned the origin of the word came from the light that came from a lime filled cylinder after applying some heat—used mainly in theaters back in the day.

So, how would a person self-promote when the only available tools stem from a 4th grade education and a desire to accomplish things while residing in the shadows? Therein lies the dilemma.

Some have taken the time to write a review of the book on Amazon and others have made comments on Facebook and those comments are greatly appreciated. But how do I let the world know that the greatest book (OK, maybe the second greatest book) is available and that this grand opportunity should not be missed? I’ve thought about sending a copy to The Five on Fox News but how would I know it was not thrown into the trash can with all the other books mailed to them. I’ve thought about writing a review of my book and sign it Stephen King, but what would happen if Mr King took exception to the inappropriate use of his name. I might be the topic of his next horror novel. I could be the guy who buys a possessed vintage car that can start fires on a whim while running away from the Walkin’ Dude and end up getting buried in a pet cemetery after being humiliated at the high school prom—suspect I would not like that, but at least I would be famous.

Any suggestions on how to self-promote while hanging in the shadows would be helpful.

Comments

2 responses to “Self-promoting “Solitary – Without the Confinement” has turned into a dilemma…”

  1. retiredmustang62 Avatar
    retiredmustang62

    I’ve chatted with a number of self-published writers who have enjoyed some degree of success with their writing as I look at finally publishing my own book. Here’s what I remember them telling me:
    1) Use your blog as a way of following other bloggers who have interests similar to yours. Contribute meaningful comments on their blog posts.
    2) Make it clear, through your posts, that you’re doing more than simply trying to butter them up.
    3) Once you have a solid blogger type relationship with them, ask for opportunities to contribute posts to their blogs.
    4) Give it enough time to have these relationships with multiple bloggers, including some with many thousands of followers.
    5) If publishing via Amazon, select your categories carefully. What follows is related to Amazon.
    6) Ask the bloggers to promote your work for a given range of dates, after which there will be your “big event.” This could be a “re-release,” and updated version, a “anniversary” edition or whatever else you might want to call it. On the start of the big event, place the book on sale through Amazon. Your fellow bloggers have promoted this event and the book. If it’s done right, the followers of the various blogs you follow will buy your book on Amazon. Because of the number of buys, your book will, hopefully, climb the “what people are reading” rating on Amazon. If it climbs high enough, both in the categories you have chosen for it and overall, Amazon will promote it for you…for free.
    I don’t know what sorts of books you read, but for a good example of this sort of “book bomb” you might peruse Larry Correia’s site monsterhunternation.com. Also, you might try “googling” the phrase “book bomb.”

    I hope this helps.

  2. stevebriscoe Avatar
    stevebriscoe

    Thanks – Good information. I published my book through a reputable publisher who has done some promoting and got it into local book stores and on Amazon (expensive process). My jury is still out on whether the publisher has done me any favors. I don’t check it everyday, but the “what people are reading” graph on Amazon is up and down but still nowhere close to what one might call a good sell. Maybe it’s a crappy book.

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