One Million Project issue 1 | Page 53

Features

So, your first book is written and published

A lot of book sales come from followers on

and available for sale. Congratulations are in

Facebook, Twitter and web pages.

order. Your work is done. Settle back and
reap the rewards of your hard endeavour. But
wait, there is more - much more, needing
your attention before you can crack open the
champagne.

A Facebook page and/or website seem to
be essential with regular posts, blogs and
updates - and followers. Yes, followers are a
must. But how do you get them? Well, you
can get people to follow your Facebook

As you move into marketing your book, a

and/or web page, directing them to your

slow realisation starts to dawn; a new set of

book on Amazon and Kindle of course. Then

skills is required. It’s like you have been look-

there is Twitter- a few tweets, some follows,

ing down a telescope the wrong way round

and I’m now breathless with the sheer vol-

only for someone to turn it back the right way

ume of followers other authors have- Me 24

up. The scope of the work waiting now looms

followers versus Mr Big’s debut novel, 8,000

large.

followers. Surely not?

Having studied all the tricks of novel writing,

Yes, and 600 recruited reader reviews. What,

turned the art into a craft, it appears you now

never! Legally? Yes. It seems there is a whole

need to learn how to market your work. With

market of books, tweets and posts telling

trepidation, I ventured forth into the scary

you how, and it is all above board. Mmm.

world of book promotion and was over-

Interesting. But what a lot to take in. It’s a

whelmed by the vast area I found.

bit like having a heavy meal that just sits
there waiting to be digested. So, it seems

Few if any books sell themselves. So, in the

there are hundreds of sites out there with

absence of a publishing company doing this,
and even then authors are still required to do
their bit, you need to develop a marketing

readers just waiting to read your book for
free.

plan of action.

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