120 Ways to Self Promote

Self-published equates to self-promoted too. What this means if you have a book to peddle, you need to know where to send it. I am going to share some of the sites you should consider. Before you fall into dreams of what life would be like if you signed with some of the major publishers, remember the tables of books in the groceries, the kiosks in front of the bookstore and the ads in popular magazines are only for a few selected popular authors. Ironically, only authors who have made it get promoted heavily. The irony of this is not wasted on me. James Patterson fans or even E.L. James groupies know when the next book is coming out.

I know when my favorite authors have a new book out because I am on their fan page and newsletter.



·         Every author should have a Facebook Fan Page. This isn’t your personal page. It is difficult to move people from your personal page to your fan page. People really don’t want to be exposed to your bickering cousins. Get a fan page and post on it every day. Put things that will catch people’s interest, but never go political. My biggest share comment was when I quoted Gandalf. Who knew I am so LOTR fans.

·          A fan page is not the same as a website. You will want both. You can do a bit more with a webpage. Run a blog. Have contests. Have guest bloggers. Sell your books on your website with one click buttons. Keep your site current. It is distressing to click onto someone’s dated website.

Your website is your brand. Don’t make it too busy with falling leaves and sidebar ads that crowd the content.

·         Join Facebook groups that are pertinent to writing and your genre. Don’t do this just to post ads to buy your book. You can discover great info about submission calls, publishers, and even cover art.

·         Join blog hops. There are FB groups for this too. Be prepared to have prizes.

·         Giveaways and contests attract interest. Do they attract potential readers? Jayne Ann Krentz commented that giving away big items like a Kindle brings in people who do not read your genre. They only visited for the Kindle. Give away your books and small prizes to attract real readers.

·         Goodreads. Have a presence there so you can at least put up your own titles.

·         Amazon. Develop your own author a page. Then go put one up at the UK Amazon. Remember the 63 million readers in the UK.

·         People are visual. Use photos whenever possible. In a review and interview, a photo of the author is important. Joan Stewart, the genius behind The Publicity Hound, points out no one want to converse with a Twitter photo of your dog, cartoon avatar or your two year old. Some people won’t even bother to follow you because you chose not to use an actual photo. This is the place for your book cover either.

·         Pinterest is a good bet, especially if you are writing a genre that has a female following. You can post book covers with links to buy site.  Characters get more pins because how many people type in book covers? Not many, but many will type in Hot Guy, Sexy Italian Man, Alien Attack, Couple Embracing. You get the idea. Make sure to put keywords in the box for your cover. Often you’ll find fans by researching subjects for your book too.

·         Reviews. How do you get them? Book tours are one way. Many book tours ask potential reviewers simply not to post a review if they can’t post a good one. It’s good business since no one want to pay for bad reviews. Numerous sites review your book free including Novelspot and Writer Wonderland. Be aware it never happens, as fast you would like. Still, any interview is good because it keeps your book in public view.

·         The Book Reviewer Yellow Pages is a great place to find reviewers for your genre. Read the entries carefully because it tells you how to approach each reviewer. Never pay more than $25 for this book. I’ve seen people offer it for sale for as much as $350 as if it were the Holy Grail to becoming a bestselling novelist.

·          Fellow author Charles O’Donnell has generously put together a list of place you could go to promote. Many are genre specific.

·          Puretextuality www.puretextuality.com

·          acqweb www.acqweb.org

·          BookBrowse www.bookbrowse.com

·          BookPage www.bookpage.com

·          Danny Yee's Book Reviews www.dannyreviews.com

·          The Good Book Guide www.thegoodbookguide.com

·          electronic book review www.electronicbookreview.com

·          The Mystery Reader www.themysteryreader.comAllreaders.com www.allreaders.com

·          Reviews of Books www.reviewsofbooks.com

·          Book Reporter www.bookreporter.com

·          Predatory Ethics www.mad-gods.com/blog

·          bookmatchers www.bookmatchers.com

·          Ask David http://askdavid.com/free-book-promotionCreatespace https://www.createspace.comPebblefoot

·          Park http://www.pebblefootpark.comArc.

·          Indie. Reviews. http://www.arcindie.com/Succotash

·          Reviews http://succotashreviews.blogspot.com/Silver's

·          Reviews http://silversolara.blogspot.com/The

·          Indie View http://www.theindieview.com/indie-reviewers/eBook

·          Daily Deals http://ebookdailydeals.com/Author

·          Marketing Club http://authormarketingclub.com/Kindle

·          Boards http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,114408.0.htmlAddicted

·          to eBooks http://addictedtoebooks.com/Author

·          Marketing Club http://authormarketingclub.com/members/submit-your-book/eReader

·          News Today http://ereadernewstoday.com/Free

·          Booksy http://freebooksy.comKindle

·          Nation Daily http://kindlenationdaily.com/The

·          Frugal Reader http://thefrugalereader.wufoo.com/forms/frugal-freebie-submissions/Super

·          e-books http://super-e-books.com/submit-your-book/Centsible

·          eReads http://www.centsibleereads.com/p/for-authors.htmleReader

·          iQ http://www.ereaderiq.com/free/Free

·          Kindle Books and Tips http://www.fkbooksandtips.com/Free

·          eBooks Daily http://www.freeebooksdaily.com/p/contact.htmlIndie

·          Books List http://www.indiebookslist.com/Pixel

·          of Ink http://www.pixelofink.com/Kindle

·          Spice http://kindlespice.com/submissionsShaina

·          Richmond http://www.shainarichmond.com/myblogs/spicy-romance-submission-form/Unknown https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFNrbUVhS3JUQW5EREtaOTB6UUwtUnc6MQSquidoo http://www.squidoo.com/going-free-kindle-ebook-promotional-campaigns-for-authorsScienceThrillers.com

·          http://www.sciencethrillers.com/Yvonne's

·          Thoughts http://centralcaligrrrl.blogspot.com/Traditional

·          Mysteries http://traditionalmysteries.blogspot.com/Tammy http://reviewsbythedragonsden.com/Srivalli

·          http://srivallip.blogspot.com/Sammy Writes http://sammywrites.blogspot.com/Reading

·          is a Way of Life http://readingisawayoflife.blogspot.com/Puss

·          Reboots http://www.pussreboots.pair.com/Pretty

·          Sinister Books http://prettysinister.blogspot.com/Peace

·          & Love Reviews http://peaceloveandreviews.com/Passion

·          Reads http://passionreads.com/Partners

·          in Crime Tours http://bookbloggerdirectory.wordpress.com/fiction-blogs/action-adventure-mystery-horror-thrillers-espionage/

·          www.partnersincrimetours.netA

·          Novel Source http://www.anovelsource.com/Mystery

·          Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews http://mysterythrillerandromanticsusreviews.blogspot.com/Mary's

·          Cup of Tea http://www.mmbearcupoftea.com/Kindle

·          Mystery http://kindlemystery.blogspot.com/Kindle

·          Joy http://lostinebooks.blogspot.com/I'd

·          Rather Be Reading At the Beach http://ratb2.blogspot.com/Ginger

·          Nuts of Horror http://thegingernutcase.blogspot.com/Genre

·          Wench http://genrewench.blogspot.com/Fair

·          Dinkum Crime http://www.fairdinkumcrime.com/Existential

·          Ennui http://existentialennui.blogspot.com/Cyber

·          Bookworm http://cyberbookworm.wordpress.com/Criminal

·          Pages Book Review Blog http://criminalpages.blogspot.com/Cmash http://cmashlovestoread.blogspot.com/Castle

·          Macabre http://castlemacabre.blogspot.com/Books

·          Are Life - Vita Libri http://www.booksarelife-vitalibri.blogspot.com/Book

·          Reader's Heaven http://gabixlerreviews-bookreadersheaven.blogspot.com/

·          Book Den http://bookden.blogspot.com/Best

·          O'Books http://thebestobooks.blogspot.com/The

·          Audiobook Guy http://www.theaudiobookguy.com/Ashedit http://www.ashedit.wordpress.com/anachronist http://booksasportablepiecesofthought.blogspot.com/Alive

·          on the Shelves http://aliveontheshelves.com/Alchemy

·          of Scrawl http://alchemyofscrawl.blogspot.com/African

·          American Mystery/Authors Opinions On http://www.lawillis.blogspot.com/



 If you read this far, then you are interested in self-promotion. Write first, then promote. You have to have something to promote. Promotion will gobble up your time. Decide what works for you. I like Ask David because once I finished my ad I didn’t do anything else. I also found FB groups to be helpful too. The blogging helps keep my name out there. I am better known for my reviews and blogging, but it’s a start. What is your best self-promotion idea?

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