Marketing: The Hardest Part of Being Published

By Christine Thackeray

Two years ago Rebecca Talley and I both had our first books come out about the same time. The first time I spoke to her on the phone I remember we got on the subject of marketing. She told me (I hope you remember this, Rebecca) that she was worried about it, and I told her I wasn't at all.

Well, ignorance is bliss. I told all my family and friends about my first book, got a few strong reviews, started a blog and website, did a few less than stellar signings and thought the world would race to the bookstore and gobble up every copy. Instead, it didn't even get a double printing. I was devastated.

This spring my second novel is about to be released, and I know in the next month or so I've got to roll up my sleeves. I'm so grateful for the wonderful advice of our new marketing director at Cedar Fort who called with some good pointers, but I'd be interested in seeing what other authors have found most successful.

Blog tours can be very effective, as well as Facebook.

Also, putting up reviews on Deseret, Good Reads and Shelfari.

I've heard mixed reviews about book signings but I do think they are worth it even if just to get the staff excited about your book.

I get a little jealous of YA who can do school visits because its a little more difficult to find groups of people in my market- LDS fiction. I've applied to a number of writer's conferences to speak and have tried to be more involved.

I know very little about where to get hard copy reviews, especially in the LDS market.

How do we reach out and get people to know we are here?

Has anyone had real success with something. Any ideas???