I'm often asked what to do if editors/agents love your work, but respond with a rejection saying that the market is too small. Here are 5 questions to ask yourself.

1. Is there a smaller publisher that would be interested because they have a lower threshold of sales to meet? Big houses may want to sell as many as 10-20K copies in the first year to justify publication; smaller presses may be fine with 3-5K copies.

2. Is it possible to make your subject/topic/book more marketable by employing a sexier hook? Many times, writers aren't looking at their work with a marketer's eye, which is understandable, since most of us aren't marketers. But think about how you might interest a perfect stranger in your topic. Have you really tapped into current trends and interests when it comes to your book project, and are you framing it in an exciting way for a publisher (or agent)? Just because you're fascinated by your subject doesn't mean other people will get it. You have to know how to sell it.

I heard some excellent advice from Lisa Earle McLeod at the Foothills Writers Guild workshop last weekend, which she heard at the beginning of her career: Many talented writers will never be successful due to mediocre marketing skills. Many mediocre writers will be successful due to marketing talent.

Need to brush up on your marketing skills and talent—in a way that's authentic and makes sense for the new media world? Look to Seth Godin and Chris Brogan.

3. Do you have the platform to market and promote your book to the target audience? If a publisher can be convinced that you have the power to sell your book based on your reach to the primary readership of the book, they'll be more likely to take you on. What does a platform consist of? Primarily:

• Your online following (via your websites, blogs, social networks, newsletters, regular online writing gigs, podcasts, videocasts)
• Your offline following (via professional or personal organizations, speaking engagements, events, classes/teaching, city/region presence)
• Your presence in traditional media (writing that you do for newspapers/magazines, any coverage you've received, gigs with radio/TV)

You can find out more about platform building in Get Known Before the Book Deal by Christina Katz.

4. If the market is truly too small for a publisher to be interested, then does it make sense to publish and market the work yourself? Especially if you have a following or a way to reach your intended readership, sometimes you can profit more by going this route. You can make work available digitally through services such as Lulu and Smashwords, with little or no starting cost.

5. Does your work really deserve book or print treatment? Some nonfiction topics actually work better when presented on blogs, websites, or communities/forums—where an interactivity and ability to freshen up the content at a moment's notice has more appeal to your audience.

Traditional houses will only become less and less likely to take on very niche/specialized work, because producing anything in print is a significant investment and a significant risk, without knowing there's an audience waiting to buy. Even university presses, known for niche works, are moving their efforts to digital-only platforms.

Authors will have to change their thinking about what it means to have a book in print. It is not the first goal or the end goal, but merely one channel, and not usually the best channel.

Photo credit: Zevotron

Today Alice Pope & I gave a webinar on how authors/writers can effectively market and promote online. (Thanks to everyone who joined us today!)

For webinar attendees as well as those who didn't join us, I'd like to share the following resources that are useful for both beginners and advanced writers.

Penguin Authors Guide to Online Marketing: A free 60+ page PDF guide that helps you get online and get noticed, with info about purchasing domain names, setting up a new site, and using third-party sites.

Get Content. Get Customers: This is a site based on a book by the same name. You can get the table of contents and first chapter free as a PDF document. I didn't get a chance to expand on this topic during the webinar today, but this is a good starting point for learning how to deliver relevant and valuable information that, according to the book's subtitle, "turns prospects into buyers."

Photo credit: cambodia4kidsorg

I recently received this letter from Jane Bretl, an attendee at our Writer's Digest December Editor Intensive event:

I attended the Writer's Digest Editor's Intensive in December. I wasthe very quiet woman in the back who was soaking up information like a sponge, all the while trying to put together a cohesive, intelligent-sounding question in my head. I never did come up with a satisfactory question to ask; only one nervous joke about twitter, and an overwhelming feeling that every else in the room had a much better handle on what was being discussed. I did not know how much I did not know about the world of publishing until I attended your event. I'm new.

It took me about a month to digest (no pun intended) all the information from that day, but by mid-January I was ready to give it a try. I joined facebook, started a blog and was on my way. Soon, I  took your advice and secured the URL of my name and was posting daily. The more I wrote, the more I felt the decades-old writing barriers push away -- the ones that had always held me back from a daily writing habit. I don't want to sound too dramatic, this is just a blog for goodness sake, but I can say that my writing life is dramatically different since the day you inspired me to try something new. I don't know where it will lead me next, but it feels good.

As you have the next Editor's Intensive coming up soon, I wanted say something that may already be obvious, or not -- that everyone who attends, even the quiet lady in the back with the confused look on her face, will walk away with information she can use.

Click here to visit Jane's new site!

I can't tell you what a relief and a delight it was to receive this note, because when I do discuss online tools with writers, sometimes I wonder if I'm suggesting the impossible: to dramatically change your thinking about how you write and interact with readers, agents, editors.

Some writers think they can't make the leap — and therein lies the only problem.

You can make the leap (just as Jane did), and it can have a dramatic improvement in your writing life, whether you're new to the business, or an old pro who simply hasn't yet taken advantage of all the new tools available.

It simply requires an openness.

Looking for some help on the how to part? You can attend one of our intensive events (there are four scheduled this year), or rather than travel to our offices in Cincinnati, you can take our interactive online course on March 31 that teaches you, step-by-step, how to get started with your online writing life (see here for more info). And/or you can keep reading this blog; I'm like a broken record when it comes to authors learning to be savvy online.

Photo credit: pshutterbug

I can't tell you how tired I am of hearing people bash self-publishing. The things I hear usually fall into two categories:

• Most self-published books aren't quality
• Some self-publishing services are unethical

If you agree with one of the above statements, let me lay it out real clear for you: The landscape is changing, and if you haven't noticed, you're behind the times. This particular blog post addresses the quality issue, because the ethics issue is becoming less of a problem. The moment any self-pub service tries to pull a fast one or do something questionable, it's trumpeted far and wide online. And often it's the people who aren't doing their research and due diligence that get taken advantage of. I'm not saying it's right for this to happen, nor do I condone it, but all industries have bad eggs.

But moving on, consider:

• Distribution models are changing. With advancements in technology, and the power now within an average writer's hands, it's not necessary to have physical bookstore distribution to achieve success. (See my interview with Smashwords and Stanza for more on this.)

• Traditional publishers now rely on authors to do all the marketing and promotion. It used to be that writers could concentrate on writing and forget about that icky sales and marketing stuff. Well, welcome to the new world. Marketing is now expected from authors. And authors who survive will be the ones who find ways to authentically grow their platform and meaningfully reach their readership.

• Communities will decide what books are worthwhile, and communities won't have ego-filled judgments. Publishers will always be giving their authors one thing that is hard to come by: a measure of instant credibility. (That is: Someone thought this was good enough to take a financial risk on.) In good scenarios, there is also collaboration: to make a good book a great book. But soon, communities will have as much power as publishers to decide what books deserve attention. Plus you and I will be more likely to trust judgments coming from people we know and have something in common with, not necessarily The New York Times. It goes back to the whole end of cultural authority.

You're probably thinking, "Oh my god, she's totally in the pocket of the self-publishers and enslaved to them because of their advertising dollars that support the magazine." You can take the cynic's view if you wish and choose to believe that what I write is not authentically my view. But my background is 10 years of traditional book publishing—acting as the gatekeeper. I have a lot of investment in that traditional model. But I know if we [insiders] don't change what we do, we'll become irrelevant, and that's a worse fate.

When I started working for Writer's Digest magazine, one of my first assignments was producing the special newsstand-only issue on self-publishing (called Publishing Success). And I noticed that self-publishing is a hell of a lot of work. You don't get any hand-holding from agents or editors, and you're on your own if you want to be successful. Most people execute it poorly because they are not business people, and they don't have a good grasp on their audience. They're simply writing for themselves (catharsis). But I'm not going to fault the entire self-publishing approach because many people use it as a tool for personal validation (e.g., by publishing a life story, 200,000-word novel, or manifesto).

While at Writer's Digest, I've seen thousands of self-published books come through our Self-Published Book Awards. Ninety-nine percent don't meet my standard of quality for publication. But I can also tell clearly they were a work of passion, and it meant something dearly to people to get it in print. I can be heartless and say, "Well if these people have a book inside them, that's exactly where it should stay," or I can say: "Go ahead, take a chance, get hurt even." Most people, even published authors, have a lot to learn when it comes to what deserves print publication.

You want to have a traditional publisher and a literary agent that you can tout—so you can strut around and call yourself a published author? Go right ahead. But here's the judgment I bring to the table: Does your book sell? Do you have visibility? Or are you living in obscurity? Because I can't tell you often enough: I don't care who published you or how much you were paid for an advance: If you ain't got readers, you ain't got love, you ain't got money, you ain't got a future in publishing.

It is exciting to be able to publish a book virtually within 5 minutes with the new services available (through Amazon & Kindle, through Smashwords-Stanza-iPhone, through Lulu, and others). Yes, it will lead to an unbelievable amount of media detritus. But we have the tools today to find what we want and ignore the rest.

Photo credit: jerine

I've been thinking a lot lately about the concept of caring (and understanding), and how it affects our choices in life—whether to build a partnership with someone, to buy or commit to a product or service, or to participate in a group or organization. For example:

• The Chief Happiness Officer has always believed that employers must actively care for and serve their employees first if they want customers to also be cared for, and for the business to grow.
  
• A while ago, I copied the following from a magazine article about good speaking skills: "The audience does not care how much you know until they know how much you care. If you speak from the heart, you'll get inside their heads. Passion is more important than genius. Focus on lifting the audience higher."

I recently experienced the power of caring, up close and personal, with our rocky re-launch of WritersMarket.com. We serve many thousands of writers through this subscription service, and for a while, we had trouble keeping the site live. Eventually we decided the problems were pervasive enough that we needed to send a personal message to all subscribers explaining what was happening, and offer our sincerest apologies for the disruption in service. I wrote this note and included my personal e-mail address, along with the editor's (Robert Brewer), inviting people to contact us for any reason.

Many people did contact us, and while I expected (and received) very valid criticisms, I also received just as much (if not more!) positive feedback, from customers who thanked us for honest acknowledgment of the situation and appreciated our care for their concerns. While I would never wish to repeat the unfortunate series of events that led to me writing this letter, it was a huge lesson learned that many customers, even if dissatisfied, can experience a change of heart if they encounter a real person who is addressing their concerns, or attempting to meet their needs.

As an example of a bad-caring experience, I'll relate my recent encounter with Hilton. I had reserved two rooms at a Hilton for a conference nearly a year in advance. (The popularity of the conference means that early reservations are critical.) About a month before the event, due to staff changes and budget cuts, I called to cancel one of the rooms. I spoke with several of the Hilton staff directly, and they all refused to cancel without charging for a full night plus tax, since the cancellation policy was 55 days' notice (!). But we all knew the hotel would have no trouble filling that room if it became available, so it felt like this was one instance where they should have waived the one night charge. I felt like they did not understand, and worse, didn't even attempt to understand. (Every time I brought up any consideration, they simply restated their policy in a firm, monotone voice.) Result? I'll book anywhere but a Hilton.

In more direct relation to writing and publishing: Think about your creative drive and why you do what you do. No matter what motivates you, when it comes to putting your work (and yourself) out into the world, you have to stop focusing on yourself, and start focusing on how you care about people, and how you'll show that you care. More than ever, good businesses and good products are based on passionate people who care about what they're doing. People are searching for that authenticity. How can you match the needs of others to what you're producing? Stop thinking about your goals; if you can meet other people's goals, then you're on your way to success. As Seth Godin asked in a recent blog post: What could you build (or do) that would be a dream come true for a particular group?

Photo credit: Tim Parkinson

There's a great interview over at Poets & Writers with four editors in book publishing. One of the best bits:

Q: When you look at the industry, what are the biggest problems we face right now?

CHINSKI: I think they're all so obvious. Returns. Blogs.
GARGAGLIANO: And just finding readers.
CHINSKI: The end of cultural authority. That's something we talk about a lot at FSG. Reviews don't have the same impact that they used to. The one thing that really horrifies me and that seems to have happened within the last few years is that you can get a first novel on the cover of the New York Times Book Review, a long review in The New Yorker, a big profile somewhere, and it still doesn't translate into sales.

I have a confession. I am a lousy networker.

I make this admission as I sit behind the Writer's Digest table at the AWP Bookfair, and watch people walk past. Dozens and dozens, eventually hundreds … then thousands by day three. Some stop to look briefly, some even pick up a book, but I'm not much of a salesperson. I'm much better at answering questions and providing information, and listening. I like to hear about what resources people need or what they are looking for, and how I can help. Of course, if I were a good networker and/or salesperson, I could proactively ask, "So what do you write?" and see where it leads. But I have this thing where I think I'm bothering people.

I've seen some authors (particularly Michael Martone), who can sell a book in 2 minutes to a complete stranger, simply through good-natured charm and charisma. It makes me think that much of salesmanship relates to personality and talent, though I've also been told by very reliable sources (The Conductor, who moonlights as a Financial Advisor) that even the least talented salespeople can make up for lack of natural ability by simply putting in more time, calls, and appointments than anyone else.

When I think of all the excuses I'd like to make, I think of author Christina Katz, who has described herself as starting out in life as a shy introvert, but learning over time to connect with people (she likes the word connect rather than network—less intimidating). For her, it's more about being open to the idea of meeting people, finding common ground, and forming connections. (You can read an entire chapter on this topic in her book Get Known Before the Book Deal.)

On a side note (but very relevant), Christina was at the TOC conference, and because she's able to put herself out there—without expecting favors, being pushy, or asking for attention—she was mentioned in Chris Brogan's blog as an example of microfame. Her interactions are authentic and real, and, as she says, she wants to help make good things happen. People respond to that.

So even the most introverted of us (who don't have a salesperson's brass balls to take the abuse of a sit), let's endeavor to say, to believe, that we would like to help make good things happen. That's why we connect. That's why we take the risk of reaching out. And in the case of writers and authors, it's essential we practice this skill, and push the boundaries of what we think we're capable of.

It's Friday, time for a little reading break, so I'm sharing with you the latest interesting news I've digested this week.

• Just today, the New York Times reported that Amazon is looking at offering Kindle books on the iPhone. Huge! Google also now has titles from Google Book Search available on mobile devices.
• Smashwords will be the first to release Dan Poynter's new book about self-publishing. You can catch an interview with Poynter over at the Smashwords blog. My favorite quote from Dan: "Social networking is the ideal way for authors to promote their books. You can get the word out while discussing your favorite subject with colleagues all over the world. BTW, social networking has been around since the campfire. It is simply discussing your favorite subject with your friends. Today we have social media. We can reach our colleagues via the Internet and mobile phone systems. People anywhere in the world can join the campfire."
• Which comes first, the product or the marketing? This brief post by Seth Godin is at the heart of what aspiring authors need to remember, especially those considering the indie route. (Freedom to publish yourself comes with great responsibility—if you want to be read, that is.)
  
• Thinking about ways to build platform? As always, Chris Brogan offers tools and questions to think about as you survey the web for inspiration and direction, "57 Internet Possibilities to Investigate."
• This blog has been very heavy on e-book commentary lately (due to my life's iPhone Renaissance). Here's an article for those of you wondering how anyone ever finds and reads e-books, and what factors you need to consider before publishing one.
• Finally: a couple mainstream media articles on publishing e-books (Christian Science Monitor) and podcasting your book (Time magazine).
  

Photo credit: KB35

There was an interesting comment related to my piracy post that I responded to within the comments, but that I'd like to bring more visibility to, in case other people have different perspectives:

I disagree with what is implied here. Sure, some authors choose to give their material away for free and that can be a good thing.

But, what does that have to do with authors who have their work ripped off? That isn't their choice, they are victims (of a crime). Is the implication that they should just roll over and not consider it theft? "Hey writer friends, even though it was someone else who decided to pirate your work, just consider it a PR move! Because, people love getting stuff for free and it could land you on the best-seller lists! Who cares if it wasn't in your marketing or business plan..." ????

Please tell me I missed something.

This may be picking at definitions, but what does it mean to have your work ripped off? Does it mean that someone makes it available for download, for free, to the masses? Does it mean one friend sharing the work with their friends?

When author Paulo Coelho found someone selling pirated editions of his work, he started a blog to help promote those pirated editions, and even encouraged further piracy, since in the long run, it has only increased his sales.

The tighter we try to hold onto things, the more we stand to lose. Sure, you can get mad, but what good does it do? Why not look for the opportunity inside it?

Last week, one of my webinar participants from 3 Secrets to Getting Your Nonfiction Book Published asked a question about blogging (in the comments section of this post):

You indicated today that blogging and/or creating a website to discuss my ... uh, area of interest is likely the best route. So, how do I "start" a blog? Does it need to be focussed, or can I start with say, "ponderings"? My book idea was, unfortunately, one of those memoir/self-help hybrids ... Hence the need, as you suggested, for a blog, to "create waves" and get a feel for the audience(s), and even really, to figure out what it is that I want to write about. In short, I want to learn the how to and where of blogging. I have absolutely no shortage of ideas, likely aimed at 40ish-woman-mother-student-goddess-doormat types. I also have a growing file of 1000-wd essays on everything from pretty-wine-label philosophy to chocolate penis envy to (s)mothering teenagers ... Please, Jane, help me blog.

First, there were several very helpful comments from readers (see end of this post)—and my thanks to them for sharing their experience.

Second, there isn't really a wrong way to start a blog, though it can become a distraction or something that's not really adding to your writing career or writing life (I'm particularly thinking of unpublished writers as I write this). As with so many things, it all comes down to your goals. Here are the most common goals associated with blogs started by writers seeking publication.

1. Creative outlet/inspiration. Blogging can be the one place where you can let yourself go without all the pressure, responsibility, and fear that's often associated with pursuing publication. Sometimes it can help you find your voice, or help you find what really matters to you. Plus, over time, it hones your writing skills, especially when you pay attention to which of your posts garner the most traffic and try to replicate a meaningful experience for your readers. It trains you to pay attention to what your readers like. Sometimes people start with no greater desire than this, but later find themselves in platform-building territory (#3) if they find a more specific focus or direction to the material.
   
2. Market testing and content development. When it comes to nonfiction, blogs in your area of expertise can be a way to interact with your audience and test ideas with them. Some books have appeared in rough discussion form on blogs, almost like a first pass of ideas, and become what they are through interaction with readers. (Chris Anderson is one of the biggest examples.)
3. Platform building and getting known. In some ways, this is similar to #2, but I would distinguish this as writing and delivering content that may or may not be book-specific. Its goal is to cultivate and grow your audience for any/all of your work, not a particular project. You can also essentially self-publish small chunks of your work (if you're able to handily craft them into blog posts), and if your work has an outstanding quality to it, and you have a strong readership, you might make the kind of waves that attract agents/editors to your door.
   
4. Community creation. This applies more to nonfiction, but a blog can help bring together a network of people in a new way. For instance, I read a blog called Cincinnati Imports that's for Cincinnati folk who aren't native to the area. (There's a long-standing cliche that it's hard to meet people in this town, since so many Cincinnatians have lived here their whole lives and tend to be an insular bunch. I will not enter the fray.)
   

While it's NOT mandatory that every writer blog, every writer does need to have a website of some kind, to make them visible online, and that website can take the form of a blog, or it can be a more static website. (And if you have any kind of decent blog platform, e.g., Wordpress, you'll have something that's called a blog-plus site, which has the blog as the primary site function and focus, but also allows for static pages/content, like a bio or list of publications. So don't feel the need to create ANOTHER site if you have a blog.)

OK, aside from that, these two bits of advice should save you from going down a painful road.

1. I recommend every writer give blogging a try, but if you don't like it, don't force it. Spend your time on something you do care about. There are many ways to build a platform aside from blogging.
2. "Just start," says Garland (in the comments). Amen. You don't have to get it right from the start. It doesn't have to be perfect. It WILL evolve. That's a good thing. You get to decide how this works. Do what feels authentic and productive and good. Don't do what feels like punishment or work.
   

I actually have numerous blogs. It's a way that I test myself to see what I have the passion to write. If you look at my list of blogs and see which one has 300+ posts, it's pretty obvious. That blog gets about 100 visitors a day, and each post gets several comments. The other blogs don't have very many posts or readers. If they get 2 or 3 readers a day, that's great.

As a final note, you'll find incredibly rich content on blogging over at Chris Brogan's site. Good luck!

Photo credit: Annie Mole

Today's photo is from the 2003 Midwest Writers Workshop in Muncie, Ind. There I met George Plimpton (pictured), who was the keynote speaker, and I wrote a personal essay about the experience that was published here.

What I've learned #4:

It's all about target audience.

Lots of writers/authors say their audience is everyone—and life forms yet to be discovered. But you can succeed far more effectively and quickly, at least in the beginning of your career, by identifying and marketing to a target audience. Plus, if you have any knowledge of the Long Tail phenomenon, then you know that the media world is becoming more vertical (specialized information, niche audience) and less horizontal (general information, broad audience).

Bo Sacks frames it perfectly in his piece for Publishing Executive magazine, "5 Easy Steps to Publishing Nirvana."

1. Who is my target audience?
2. Where is my targeted audience?
3. What is the real value of my edit (information) to that audience?
4. What is the most efficient method to reach the maximum targeted audience?
5. How do I keep my information valuable and fresh for my targeted audience?

He says, "These may seem like simple concepts on the surface, but they are not. They constitute a complex, Zen-like formula. Success is measured by the antique term called profit. And to achieve the Zen-like state of profit, you must follow the Bo-formula to publishing nirvana (in the box above). On the atomic level, it can all be distilled down to the simple equation of RV = RP or, for the laymen, real value equals real profit."

One of the biggest problems I encounter—both internally at F+W, as well as externally with authors—is a lack of research into the audience or market for a book or product. The focus is all too often on what the author wants to achieve or express—rather than focusing on what benefit they bring to a readership. If an author can make this fundamental paradigm shift in his/her approach, that author becomes instantly more attractive to editors and agents.

Today at Maud Newton, John Warner (creative director of TOW Books), summarizes the new strategy of the TOW Books line:

Now, after two years of, let’s call it, non-success, I understand that the problem is at least as much about publicity and distribution as it is about quality. (At least I hope that’s the problem.) So I’m here to announce that if TOW Books is going to fail at publishing, we are going to fail in our own spectacularly new way.

How badly are we struggling? Well, we’ve released four books. Their Amazon rankings at the time of this typing are:

170,374
388,165
706,198
1,033,377

The most distressing part is that last number belongs to a book I wrote, So You Want to Be President? — a book that should have been especially relevant and timely given that it’s a guide to running for office when totally unqualified. I hope it’s in Governor Palin’s briefing materials.

Read the full post here.

I've spent a good portion of this week catching up on trend reading. Here's a sampling of what I've found worthwhile.

"Book Publishers: Learn From Yelp—Even Gawker" (BusinessWeek)
How book publishers can remain relevant and vital by using 2.0 technology. This has generated many responses throughout industry blogs.

"Brand Presence" (PersonaNonData)
How publishers can engage consumers directly by branding their categories, subjects, and/or authors. This is another article that has generated considerable discussion. A snippet:

Publishers are best placed to build author-centric and subject/theme-oriented websites--not sites oriented around a "brand" that isn't relevant, but those that focus attention on segments of the business that remain relevant to consumers.

"10 Reasons Not to Write Off Reading From a Screen" (thedigtalist.net)
Quick, pithy list for all writers to learn from.

"Pricing Digital Book Content: Where's the Sweet Spot?" (Reilly TOC)
The final conclusion? No one knows. But it's a fascinating discussion leading to that conclusion.

Here's a round-up of the more intriguing or helpful articles I've been reading on author marketing, promotion, and publicity.

What Social Media Does Best (Chris Brogan)
Chris Brogan's blog is probably my favorite new read; he tackles questions of marketing/promotion in relation to social media in a fresh and useful way. This post helps give you a grounding of the principles.

Use LinkedIn to Promote (The Publicity Hound)
LinkedIn is a social networking tool for professionals that comes in handy for job searches and business opportunities. I'd never really considered it as a book promotion tool, but this post gives a vague idea of how it might work. (Unfortunately, rather than deliver the real goods, the post promotes a teleseminar on the topic.)

Tips on Working With Publicists(GalleyCat)
Here you'll find links to the latest advice on how authors can work effectively with their publishers' publicity departments (or lack thereof) or independent publicists. Invaluable. Read. Bookmark. Save.

Starting and Writing an Effective Blog
One of the most frequently asked questions at conferences is how to start and run a blog that really makes a noticeable difference to an aspiring or published author's career or visibility. Here are a variety of resources I've found that offer genuine tools:

• Blogging: How to Get Started (Sling Words). A step-by-step primer on the logistics. (What service do you choose, how do you set it up, etc.)
• A Sample Blogging Workflow (Chris Brogan). Shows you how to keep your blog populated consistently with good content without expending all your energy on it.
• 10 Secrets to Better Blogging (Chris Brogan). He must know what he's doing, because this is my third link to his site in this post.
  

Writers love to admit they're terrible at sales and marketing. Somehow, if they admit they're bad at it, they think it means they're off the hook. "Well, I'm just a writer, I'm not a marketer." Or: "I don't feel comfortable selling—I feel like I'm selling myself out." Or, best of all: "I would never shill my book." (Or, sometimes, "I don't have the time and money to self-promote." Egregious error! But to be addressed some other time.)

I have two philosophies to share with all writers:

1. If done correctly, marketing and promoting your book does not mean you are selling out or shilling.
   
2. Even the most introverted writers, with no marketing and promotion experience, can take effective, meaningful steps to sell and publicize their books.

These concepts are at the front of my mind lately because I'm working with author Christina Katz on her upcoming fall 2008 book, Get Known Before the Book Deal.

The concept I find us returning to, again and again, is one of authenticity.

AUTHENTICITYworks two ways.

First, whatever you do to market and promote yourself and your work, it needs to feel good to you. It needs to make you even more excited and passionate. It should not feel like bad medicine, otherwise you won't do it. Your efforts should fit with who you are as a person (build on your strengths) and make sense in the big picture of your career.

Second, your actions need to appear genuine and authentic to your intended audience. Your actions should be from a "real" person offering a benefit (whether that's information or entertainment); you should not be just another huckster selling another widget. Nobody likes a shill, so don't be one.

Your marketing and promoting journey (which is really about platform-building too) involves leveraging who you already are (in an honest way), identifying and understanding your readership (in a genuine way), developing your own unique approach to that readership (that feels good to everyone), and building an authentic connection. People should trust you.

Now for the latest conundrum Christina and I have discussed.

What about author blog tours, where the author pays for the promotional opportunity. Is that shilling?

What about the bloggers who promote products for companies in their blogs (for money or free stuff)?

What about authors (or coaches/consultants) who employ the you-plug-my-product and I'll-plug-yours strategy?

Is this stuff shilling?

I don't think there's a clear-cut answer because it involves so many factors, but whenever there's pay for play, or a quid pro quo, your authenticity comes into question. Or, even if it doesn't come into question, why would you want to invest your time, money, or energy into anything other than a genuine and authentic opportunity to reach or serve your target readership? Sometimes, when you pay for a certain type of promotion or publicity (or accept fringe benefits in exchange for helping someone else promote), the results are less quality. You hurt yourself in the long run. (If marketing and self-promotion were only about having enough money, couldn't we all just pay for enough of it to make our books bestsellers? But it's not that easy.)

To be clear:
It's absolutely shilling if you're touring blogs with audiences who aren't interested in your book/expertise; it's shilling if you promote products or companies for quick gain (and not out of a true partnership, or a desire to give your readers a benefit); it's shilling if you're pushing any kind of product-person-service that you don't believe in and/or that isn't related to your readers. It's about your relationship with your readership. Put yourself in your readers' shoes; would it look like shilling to them? Would it look questionable? (Do you look desperate or gross doing it?) Then don't do it.

I would love to get your viewpoints on the questions above. What have your experiences been? Do you think it's OK to pay for play? When does an author cross the line into shilling?