Twenty years ago, I was a kid who loved to read and who loved to write. I knew I wanted to write stories. Several years and many floppy discs of stories later, I was a college student who wanted to write books. I would write books, achieve some fragment of success that J.K. Rowling had, and would be an anonymous celebrity. That dream was everything. This dream predated the Internet, the boom of indie publishing, and the shift in publishers’ roles from editor, marketer, producer, and promoter to sometimes editor, minimal marketer (unless you’re J.K. Rowling or similar), producer, and release-week promoter. Given that, the reality is that regardless of your ambitions to go indie or traditional, you, dear writer, need to market yourself and to do that, you need a plan.

Publisher as Marketer: The Party’s Over

Imagine a birthday party for a 50-something CEO. Everyone who’s there has been paid to attend by a publicist. Everyone cheers as champagne is uncorked, and party-goers toast the celebrant while marketers live stream the festivities across social media. It looks fantastic. Don’t you wish you were there? That guy must be awesome. Remember his name; he’s clearly important. As soon as the cameras stop, guests swig their champagne, grab uncorked bottles sitting unnoticed in ice buckets, and migrate to the door, which slams before the last streamer falls. That was it?

The marketing services most authors get these days from publishers –be they traditional or the indie “full-package” services, are about like that. On paper, the marketing might look pretty good, but the reality is that these groups lack the finances, manpower, and in some cases, marketing acumen to mount the kind of campaign you your novel needs and deserves to gain a viable audience.

Here's what your CEO-birthday party marketing campaign will (probably) look like: There’ll be a lot of fanfare during release week and then…everyone goes home. All of the excitement and thrill of your big book release deflates faster than a leaky balloon, and you’re left feeling like the day after Christmas. You’ve published a book, and it’s just sitting on the literal and virtual self while the rest of the world goes about their lives without taking much notice. (Grab the leftover champagne because you could use a drink right about now.)

Keep the Party Going: Be Your Own MC

Though that image is sadder than puppy eyes, your foray into publishing doesn’t have to be that way. You can be your own MC, and by that I mean marketing coordinator. Digital marketing strategies are mostly free to implement and just take time from you. The payoff is that you build an audience and gain publicity for your writing.

By having your website, social media platforms, newsletter, and other marketing tools already in place, you can build excitement for that book launch, add oomph to new releases, and keep the momentum going afterward.

When Should Writers Start Marketing?

As a writer, you can start marketing at any time. Realistically, your best bet is to start marketing when you you’ve written a book, so you can start promoting it. You can also have a webpage and can promote your writing ahead of completion, getting an agent, a publisher, and publication.

If you plan to publish through indie channels, I recommend getting a website and establishing yourself on social media platforms sooner because the publication process for indie authors (especially if you’re mostly digital) is much faster than it is with traditional publishers.

How Should Writers Market Themselves?

Your marketing strategy will evolve to suit your preferences and needs, and it should evolve depending on where you are in the writing and publication process. To begin, though, there are a few givens such as:

You should market yourself across social media platforms where you audience hangs out. You might have to do a little research to figure that out. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, Snapchat, etc. tend to be some of the bigger platforms. Again, knowing your audience is key. Snapchat is used mostly by millennials. Facebook is used by more married 30+ adults. That’s not to say there isn’t crossover, but if you’re writing YA, then Twitter and Snapchat are platforms worth investigating. One pro-tip is to not burden yourself by trying to be everywhere at once. Pick two or three platforms to exist on because you do have to make it a point to engage with your audience fairly regularly (this is why a lot of people hire a social media coordinator).
You should have an author website. This website should focus on your writing…what books are you working on? When are releases? When are signings? Readings? Your ‘about’ page should include some details that help your audience relate to you. Why are you a writer? What are you passionate about? Charities? Family? Your bio should help make you a ‘real person’ to your readers.
You should have an e-mail newsletter. It doesn’t have to go out every week; it can be once a month or every other week…whatever works for you. The newsletter can talk about the same stuff that might be on your website (upcoming dates, events releases, etc.) Audiences might check out of Facebook or Twitter or they might forget to visit your website, so a newsletter is an important way to keep your audience engaged and to remind them that you exist.
You should offer perks for fans. The fans can be your newsletter subscribers, but if you offer specials to them whether it’s early access to a book or a discount if they buy at a certain time (hem-hem, release week), then are going to have an easier time building your loyal fan base because loyal fans deserve perks.

That’s great, you say, but then how do I leverage these things? That’s a great question. You should do what you feel is best.

Some authors like to share excerpts from their writing on their website blog or they like to maintain a blog that is just conversational.
Their social media content will relate to their writing, to their travels, to thinks they are passionate about, and to upcoming releases.
Importantly, none of these things are selling. Even when it comes to releases, authors don’t say, “Go buy my book!” instead they say, “Super excited about the release of my first contemporary fiction novel, Rivulets of Blue!”
When possible, include a photo of the cover of your latest work. Some authors make it fun showing possible mock-ups and letting readers vote. Interactive content is huge.
Photos and videos are great as well. Include behind-the-scenes looks at your writer’s life. I, for example, work at home with my two small children (ages four and 18 months) and am 20-weeks pregnant (last one, seriously). My behind-the-scenes is a hot mess most of the time, but it’s warm and fuzzy (and covered in crumbs, small toys that seemingly have no home, and spilled milk).
Write and publish press releases to promote your new book when it comes out. Get these published in your local and state newspaper, too. See if the area’s writer’s guild will give you a shout out (you should make sure you’re a member).
Keep people in the loop post-publications. Remind them your book is out there. Post quotes from the book. Announce your readings, signings, and when the book goes on sale. Be positive about everything even if you want to cry because six months after the book is released, it’s half off.

Like I said, do what works for you. Customize your content to each platform. With your first or even second novel, you might not have the revenue to hire an assistant or agency to help with marketing and promotion, but as you get further along and more established, that might be something to consider. You definitely should always have a hand in your public persona, but you also shouldn’t let marketing take over your writing time because at the end of the day, you’re a writer, and you want to be a successful published author, not a content marketer.

Non-Digital Marketing Tips

In addition to the wide world of online marketing, you need to engage in traditional marketing as well. This involves you “getting out there” –no matter how shy you are. Think outside of the box, outside of launch parties and book signings.

Consider doing a “meet the author dinner”. This could be a huge perk for top members of your fan club and is something that can be promoted on your website and across your social media platforms. Trust me, I would act like a twitty schoolgirl if I could have a semi-private dinner with a favored author, and I would be willing to pay to do it.
Attend conferences and propose topics for speaking; this helps get your name out there
Attend area art shows and events
Offer to do speaking events at your community’s schools, universities, indie coffee shops, and other venues where potential audience members for your writing might convene

The benefits to these kinds of outreach activities are that: (1) people are getting to know you; they’re more likely to become fans of you and your writing if they feel like they know you; (2) you’ll be talking about what you love (writing), so even if you’re an introvert (**high-five to fellow introverts**) at least you’re immersed in discussing your niche, which makes a difference; and (3) photos, summaries, and videos of all of these activities can serve as fodder for your website, newsletter, and social media marketing strategy.

So, though long-gone are the glorious days of writers being marketed by their publishers. It’s just not a reality, and if you think that spending $500 on an all-inclusive self-publishing package is going to be much better, I have a feeling you’re mistaken in most cases. The best bet for today’s authors is to grab the bull by its horns because let’s be honest, who, other than your mom, is a better, more passionate advocate for your story than you?

The publishing landscape has changed and come to think of it, so has the marketing landscape. Instead of shying away from new horizons, roll with it and embrace advocating for yourself and your story. If you’re not sure how to make that happen, it’s okay. There are plenty of talented marketing agencies as well as experienced editors out there who can either drive your marketing bus or who can offer tips and insights to get you moving in the right direction.