It’s the last week of my 30-Day Blogging challenge and we’re kicking it off with a guest post from my friend and part of The Sci-Fi Fantasy Collaborative, Heather L. Barksdale. Today, she’s sharing her top tips for self-promotion for indie authors.
Ways to Self-Promote for Indie Authors (and yes, it’s a must!)
Guest Post by Heather L. Barksdale
When I set out to write my first book, I thought the hardest part was going to be…well…the book. The thought of putting together all of my casual ideas into a cohesive, coherent and entertaining package was daunting. With a lot of planning, perseverance and some super helpful editors, Arriving Through Time was published.
I soon learned that besides a few extremely supportive friends and family, people would not be jumping over each other to read it- no matter how good it was. I had to find ways to put my story into people’s hands if I was going to share it. But where to start? In this post, I will share some little tidbits and ideas of ways you can dive into the self-promotion game.
First, becoming part of the writing community is a must. Find some good writer buddies that share your love for writing and will tell you the truth. I first joined a group through NaNoWriMo, but found too many voices from too many different areas of writing. Luckily, I found the Scifi Collaboration, a group of talented authors, editors, and other members of the writing community. Having a platform to ask questions, seek feedback, and not feel so alone in this great big literary world is essential!
Next is the social media umbrella. Like it or not, social media is here to stay and even the biggest authors in the world have a consistent presence on at least one platform. Having a handle is a start and a way to share, but a meaningful and content-filled presence makes a big difference and connects you to many other authors, agents, and consumers than you’d be able to do on your own. Twitter (X), Instagram, and Pinterest are a good start and each have their formats that work. Make a linktree so you can share all of your links and websites at once. And speaking of websites…
Speaking of Linktree, check out Heather’s Here!
The most important thing you can do is spend the time (and money, if necessary) to come up with a great website. This is the best way to show off your literary work and any other projects that may relate to your platform. My website includes connections to the previously mentioned Scifi Collaboration and social media, but it also houses my book review site and etsy store (also book related!).
Self-promotion can be hard and uncomfortable at times, but the more you put yourself out there, the better chance you have of realizing your literary goals. I hope this helps inspire you to find your way!
Visit Heather’s Blog to Read More From Her!
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