Marketing for Publishers and Authors

Marketing for Publishers and Authors

Listed in alphabetical order, by author's last name.

Publicize Your Book: An Insider's Guide to Getting Your Book the Attention It Deserves by Jacqueline Deval
This book will help even experienced authors improve the results they get as they work with their publisher's publicity department. It is written by someone who knows the field inside and out, and that expertise shows. This book tells you not only what you should do to improve your sales, but also what you should not, and then it explains how to do it.

It is aimed primarily at the author who is with a larger publisher, but could apply equally well to the self-published. It tells you how to do great print, radio and television campaigns, with and without help from a free-lance or in-house publicist. There are examples of the materials and techniques, as well as advice on realistic goals to set, help to ask for, and tools to acquire.

If you are an aspiring or published author, or if you are involved in publicity for any publisher, you really SHOULD own this book.

Visit the publisher's web site.
View it on Amazon.

Grassroots Marketing for Authors and Publishers by Shel Horowitz
Shel is well-known in small press publishing for his efforts to aid small publishers, authors and others in selling more books without using techniques that make you uncomfortable. This book collects much of the wisdom gained over those years.

I'm especially happy to see that he starts with the most important part: the contents of the book. If you don't think about your readers and what they most want from your book as you craft it (writing or editing, as the case may be), then selling the book will be much harder later. From there he discusses building networks, taking advantage of the strengths of the Internet, using more traditional media, giving good interviews and other important publicity topics.

Unlike many other books, Shel doesn't stop with publicity. This book talks about a cohesive marketing plan every step of the way. Other important sections include the hows and whys of selling through the book trade, and ways to sell books outside bookstores, whether it would be through speaking engagements, through the mail, or through various conventions, fairs and trade shows.

This book is full of solid information, and almost every theoretical discussion includes practical examples used successfully by real authors and publishers.

Visit the publisher's web site.
View the book on Amazon.

Principled Profit: Marketing that Puts People First by Shel Horowitz
This is the sales and marketing book for the folks that don't want to feel sleazy about selling and marketing their products. Shel Horowitz shows how to sell more while doing good for the world and feeling good about yourself and your efforts. He gives specific, practical examples of people and organizations that are doing the things he advocates, and talks about ways to adapt the techniques to a variety of situations.

I purchased this book because I had seen samples of Shel's advice on the publishing community lists to which I subscribe. (That participation is, in fact, a perfect example of the kind of conduct advocated in this book.) I wanted to learn more about how to market my own consulting company. I did, and it works.

Visit the publisher's web-site.
View it on Amazon.

The Publishing Game: Bestseller in 30 Days by Fern Reiss
I can't tell you the number of times I hear desperate authors asking what to do to make their books sell. Now I have an answer. Read this book, and do as it says. Even if your book was published by one of the big New York publishers, the chances are that its fate is up to you. So, by all means, work with the publicist assigned to you, but also get this book and take fate into your own hands.

If you follow all of the tips and leads in this book, and you still haven't made a ton of sales, then you have incredibly bad luck. The method can even, although with more difficulty, be applied to fiction. And, as with the other books in the series (Publish A Book in 30 Days and Find an Agent in 30 Days), the activities are divided into 30 manageable packages, with clear and concise directions.

Visit the publishers' web-site.
View it on Amazon, click here.

The Publishing Game: Find an Agent in 30 Days by Fern Reiss
I deal with quite a few writers who are deciding how to approach publication in my consulting practice as well as in my capacity as moderator of two of the larger lists serving independent publishers. Many writers really need to find an agent that can help them find the right publisher. Fern Reiss' book on this topic is invaluable in that regard. I can recommend it to them quickly and whole-heartedly. Like its sister books, it covers so many topics so efficiently that the follow-up questions are exceedingly easy to answer.

The books in this series (companion volumes include Publish a Book in 30 Days, and Bestseller in 30 Days) are quickly becoming standard references because so many people agree with me. Each organizes the necessary tasks into 30 approachable bundles, with clear, concise instructions and explanations. There are no important details missed, and nothing extraneous to distract you. Ms. Reiss is not only knowledgeable, but also an inspirational writer and speaker, and is a strong supporter of the small publishing community in both its Internet and real-world manifestations.

This book is a must-have for the reference library of the budding author.

Visit the publishers' web-site.
View it on Amazon.

Plug Your Book! Online Book Marketing for Authors by Steve Weber
This book should be required reading for independent publishers and authors. It's the best book on on-line marketing that I have ever read, and I read quite a few in the course of my consulting practice with small presses. Topics covered include:

A cogent analysis of the cost-effectiveness of those highly-touted Amazon Bestseller campaigns,
Several sections focused on Amazon and the ways you can use its resources to increase your sales on- and off-line,
Methods of finding the opinion makers for your targeted readers, and of convincing them of the merits of your book,
Techniques and types of material that can increase the power of your author or title web sites,
Multimedia options that can punch up your marketing, without destroying your budget,
Blogging tips for beginners, and for more advanced practitioners,
MySpace tips and tools to try,
Tagging techniques for LibraryThing and other venues,
Ways to increase your exposure through Delicio.us, Digg, and various other "search plus" tools,
Ways to control and leverage your exposure through various "search inside the book" options,
How to syndicate articles on-line to sell more books, and
A number of lists of common, but damaging mistakes to avoid.

In sum, this is a comprehensive guide to some of the least expensive and most effective tools to promote your titles and to increase your works' exposure. I wholeheartedly and unabashedly recommend this book, and that's not something I do frequently.

Visit the publisher's web site.
View the book on Amazon.

N.B.: Gropen Associates participates in Amazon's Associate program, but in no other affiliate programs, to preserve our objectivity.

Reviews posted here may be quoted, with attribution, by publishers and others, in accordance with the norms of the industry. No other use of written material on this site is allowed without express written permission. All rights are reserved to Gropen Associates.


	Marketing for Publishers and Authors Listed in alphabetical order, by author's last name. Publicize Your Book: An Insider's Guide to Getting Your Book the Attention It Deserves by Jacqueline Deval This book will help even experienced authors improve the results they get as they work with their publisher's publicity department. It is written by someone who knows the field inside and out, and that expertise shows. This book tells you not only what you should do to improve your sales, but also what you should not, and then it explains how to do it. It is aimed primarily at the author who is with a larger publisher, but could apply equally well to the self-published. It tells you how to do great print, radio and television campaigns, with and without help from a free-lance or in-house publicist. There are examples of the materials and techniques, as well as advice on realistic goals to set, help to ask for, and tools to acquire. If you are an aspiring or published author, or if you are involved in publicity for any publisher, you really SHOULD own this book. Visit the publisher's web site. View it on Amazon. Grassroots Marketing for Authors and Publishers by Shel Horowitz Shel is well-known in small press publishing for his efforts to aid small publishers, authors and others in selling more books without using techniques that make you uncomfortable. This book collects much of the wisdom gained over those years. I'm especially happy to see that he starts with the most important part: the contents of the book. If you don't think about your readers and what they most want from your book as you craft it (writing or editing, as the case may be), then selling the book will be much harder later. From there he discusses building networks, taking advantage of the strengths of the Internet, using more traditional media, giving good interviews and other important publicity topics. Unlike many other books, Shel doesn't stop with publicity. This book talks about a cohesive marketing plan every step of the way. Other important sections include the hows and whys of selling through the book trade, and ways to sell books outside bookstores, whether it would be through speaking engagements, through the mail, or through various conventions, fairs and trade shows. This book is full of solid information, and almost every theoretical discussion includes practical examples used successfully by real authors and publishers. Visit the publisher's web site. View the book on Amazon. Principled Profit: Marketing that Puts People First by Shel Horowitz This is the sales and marketing book for the folks that don't want to feel sleazy about selling and marketing their products. Shel Horowitz shows how to sell more while doing good for the world and feeling good about yourself and your efforts. He gives specific, practical examples of people and organizations that are doing the things he advocates, and talks about ways to adapt the techniques to a variety of situations. I purchased this book because I had seen samples of Shel's advice on the publishing community lists to which I subscribe. (That participation is, in fact, a perfect example of the kind of conduct advocated in this book.) I wanted to learn more about how to market my own consulting company. I did, and it works. Visit the publisher's web-site. View it on Amazon. The Publishing Game: Bestseller in 30 Days by Fern Reiss I can't tell you the number of times I hear desperate authors asking what to do to make their books sell. Now I have an answer. Read this book, and do as it says. Even if your book was published by one of the big New York publishers, the chances are that its fate is up to you. So, by all means, work with the publicist assigned to you, but also get this book and take fate into your own hands. If you follow all of the tips and leads in this book, and you still haven't made a ton of sales, then you have incredibly bad luck. The method can even, although with more difficulty, be applied to fiction. And, as with the other books in the series (Publish A Book in 30 Days and Find an Agent in 30 Days), the activities are divided into 30 manageable packages, with clear and concise directions. Visit the publishers' web-site. View it on Amazon, click here. The Publishing Game: Find an Agent in 30 Days by Fern Reiss I deal with quite a few writers who are deciding how to approach publication in my consulting practice as well as in my capacity as moderator of two of the larger lists serving independent publishers. Many writers really need to find an agent that can help them find the right publisher. Fern Reiss' book on this topic is invaluable in that regard. I can recommend it to them quickly and whole-heartedly. Like its sister books, it covers so many topics so efficiently that the follow-up questions are exceedingly easy to answer. The books in this series (companion volumes include Publish a Book in 30 Days, and Bestseller in 30 Days) are quickly becoming standard references because so many people agree with me. Each organizes the necessary tasks into 30 approachable bundles, with clear, concise instructions and explanations. There are no important details missed, and nothing extraneous to distract you. Ms. Reiss is not only knowledgeable, but also an inspirational writer and speaker, and is a strong supporter of the small publishing community in both its Internet and real-world manifestations. This book is a must-have for the reference library of the budding author. Visit the publishers' web-site. View it on Amazon. Plug Your Book! Online Book Marketing for Authors by Steve Weber This book should be required reading for independent publishers and authors. It's the best book on on-line marketing that I have ever read, and I read quite a few in the course of my consulting practice with small presses. Topics covered include: A cogent analysis of the cost-effectiveness of those highly-touted Amazon Bestseller campaigns, Several sections focused on Amazon and the ways you can use its resources to increase your sales on- and off-line, Methods of finding the opinion makers for your targeted readers, and of convincing them of the merits of your book, Techniques and types of material that can increase the power of your author or title web sites, Multimedia options that can punch up your marketing, without destroying your budget, Blogging tips for beginners, and for more advanced practitioners, MySpace tips and tools to try, Tagging techniques for LibraryThing and other venues, Ways to increase your exposure through Delicio.us, Digg, and various other "search plus" tools, Ways to control and leverage your exposure through various "search inside the book" options, How to syndicate articles on-line to sell more books, and A number of lists of common, but damaging mistakes to avoid. In sum, this is a comprehensive guide to some of the least expensive and most effective tools to promote your titles and to increase your works' exposure. I wholeheartedly and unabashedly recommend this book, and that's not something I do frequently. Visit the publisher's web site. View the book on Amazon. N.B.: Gropen Associates participates in Amazon's Associate program, but in no other affiliate programs, to preserve our objectivity. Reviews posted here may be quoted, with attribution, by publishers and others, in accordance with the norms of the industry. No other use of written material on this site is allowed without express written permission. All rights are reserved to Gropen Associates.
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