If you are feeling overwhelmed and giddy these days, you are not alone. Everything seems urgent and chaotic, in a lawless, anything-goes world. Yes, change is the only constant.
The publishing industry is going through massive changes as well, and the roadmaps of yesteryear are no longer as effective. So what is a serious author to do?
At times like this, we have to take everything to its LCD, its lowest common denominator. Remember that math class? Yup, it comes in handy now! To solve a problem, take it to its LCD.
If you're on social media, you have probably received a million promo ideas on how to market your book. You can spend more time viewing the “great ideas” than getting anything done. Here is our main suggestion: FOCUS.
As always, you can count on us for the 411, and we are giving it to you straight, no chasers, as usual. So here goes….
The book market is oversaturated, mostly with books that should have been a diary or journal entry. Regardless, they are here.
The way to succeed in the market is to get as close to your audience as you possibly can. Why? Because:
Book signings at bookstores are few and far between and dwindling.
Reviews are harder and harder to come by, as many reviewers have gone to a pay model. Even premier industry reviewers, such as Publishers Weekly and Google are now charging for submission. The head honcho of them all, Kirkus Reviews, once so prestigious, now also has a paid model for independent authors. More distressing than the money they may cost is that those reviews may not be impartial. Publishing has become big business.
The publishing old guards are having to pivot, and they can’t figure out what the future looks like. And worse, they often keep recycling the same people who couldn’t figure it out in the first place. Sometimes, it’s just hard to teach an old dog new tricks. Even the lifeline for many, a coveted publicist trained, in old-school PR methods, is finding that old tactics no longer work.
So, what’s an author to do?
If you are a Wordeee author, congratulations! We hope we have done a good job evaluating and selecting the authors we believe are keepers of human values: culture, foibles, history, and morals, which means your work is timeless. So, feel free to hit the delete button on faddish, get-rich-quick schemes, and hold your horses—no need to dash, you’re on a marathon, not a sprint.
On Broadway, two of the top works of all time, Hamilton and Othello, illuminate timeless works. We have even read in the NY Times about The Lives of the Caesars, a new translation by Tom Holland of an ancient biography originally written in Latin by Suetonius in 121 CE. After two thousand years, it has become a bestseller, hitting the UK’s Sunday Times Hardback Non-Fiction Bestseller list. Who could have predicted that a book about ancient Roman emperors would be relatable in 2025?
So, focus on one or two things to get yourself out there. Here’s what’s returning the best bang for your buck these days:
- Podcasts
- Blogs
- Direct marketing: TikTok. Engage and tell them why your content is what they are really after. (Forget Facebook and Amazon ads…they’re the only ones to benefit.)
- Content Creation, both written and visual, around your book and subject matter. We can’t wait for you to discover the power of your Wordeee Author Lounge; it can be powerful, so use it liberally. In last month's newsletter, we mentioned Rose…she created the simple content creation of her everyday life that garnered her 12 million followers.
- Set up your Author Page on Amazon Author Central. You can add your biography in different languages. It’s another way of being found as an author worldwide.
- If you are a nonfiction writer, sign up at Conference Connect (www.conferenceconnect.com). You can find speaking opportunities on this free platform.
Whatever you do, the way to sell books is to be in front of and connect with your audience. Be proactive and be constant.
