Authors tend to operate out of one of two modes: avoiding a
rejection and negative feeling or pursuing something rewarding and
fulfilling.
The act of writing, however, can be both.
Though it can yield productive benefits and is an enjoyable act,
it is also an act of escapism. So, though one’s writing can be potentially
rejected or rewarded, the very experience of writing can allow writers to both
escape the real world and feel fulfilling.
Writers actively seek the avoidance of:
* Pain
* Loss
* Fear
* Anger
* Stress
* Disappointment
* Rejection
* Work
They seek to pursue that which rewards
them:
* Time
* Money
* Fame
* Fun
* Feeling Good
* Vacations
* Praise
When it comes to marketing a book, most authors develop hives.
They don’t know what to do, don’t know how to do what they learn needs to be
done, or they know what to do and how to do it, and have the skills to do it —
but they lack the time or the will to do it.
Authors have a few choices:
* Suck it up and do what needs to be done.
* Outsource what you can’t or won’t do.
* Accept the fact that something just won’t get done.
Or, they can call upon all three and combine forces to attack
the marketing of their book.
So, what should motivate an author to market their book?
Reality. Fear. Hope.
The reality simply is a book has little chance of being
discovered without you pushing and promoting it. So, understand that no matter
how unique, great, interesting, or powerful your book may be, it will die if
you don’t give it a chance, if you don’t take ownership of its marketing fate.
Fear can be a powerful motivator. Are you afraid that your book
will fail? Ok, then do something to avoid what looks to be an inevitable fate and
assert yourself and infuse your book with a marketing boost.
Hope is also a strong motivator. It drives us to try hard and
long to reach success for what we believe in and stand for — your book.
Call upon whatever you need to, but don’t run from the facts: You
must market your book or get help — or both. Otherwise, embrace the
consequences of doing nothing: a dead book.
Need PR Help?
Brian
Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over 3.9 million page
views, can be reached at [email protected] He is available to help authors promote their story,
sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in
successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your
advocate, teacher, and motivator!
About Brian
Feinblum
Brian Feinblum should be
followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is
copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now
resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue
dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The
Writer and IBPA’s The Independent. This
award-winning blog has generated over 3.9 million pageviews. With 4,900+ posts
over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by
BookBaby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018
as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by
www.WinningWriters.com as a “best resource.” For the past three decades,
including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book
publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses,
Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres,
right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark
Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay,
Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan
RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He
hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and
has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence
College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association,
Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and
Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have
been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY
Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington
Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, &
Co-Op Association Handbook. It was featured
in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.