So, you’re published. You’ve reached the light at the end of the tunnel beyond manuscript revisions, and your book is a fully printed, tangible thing that you can hold in your hands, and give to other people so that they too can hold it in theirs.
Now that you’re out in the world, you are faced with a new challenge; making a name for yourself. Marketing. Social media campaigns. Events. Signings. How much does that stuff matter, and how much should you be investing in it?
Well, the answer is a lot.
Being published and having a print run of your very own book is an achievement in itself, however the signing of a contract and the printing of a physical book unfortunately does not guarantee that you will shoot up to the top of the NYT Bestsellers list, or that a movie deal will come about as a result of your publication.
Publishers can be very helpful with marketing, as they have dedicated teams who are able to create excellent-quality social media materials to grab the attention of readers online, and also reach out to bookstores, events promoters and reviewers to get your name out there.
That being said, the relationship between the author and the publisher tends to be leagues better when it is collaborative. The important thing that needs to be understood about publishers is that they deal with a large number of authors all the time, whether they are in the production or marketing stages. If you are able to put yourself out there online and in person, attend events, interact with other writers, promoters and fans, you can push yourself much further uphill than if you solely rely on your publisher
As an author, the people who read your books are interested in you! Your publisher can push your book online, but if you establish a social media presence with your own frequent or semi-frequent posts, you can certainly generate more of an interest in your work. As your publisher, we’re here to support you and market your work as best we can, but always remember that fans of your books are your fans, not your publishers. They’re much more keen to hear what you have to say than what we have to say. We can give them directions, but you are the destination.
Even very famous authors attend events, conventions, and have their own established social media profiles. After a certain point, their name alone can sell things (there’s a reason that you can find a quote from Stephen King on the back of the hottest new horror titles) but even those with worldwide success still push their noses to the grindstone to get their work to more eager eyes.
