Once you've finished writing your novel, completed the revisions and submitted it to an editing service for review, you have a few more steps to take. Some of you will seek out publishers and literary agents to try and sell your work. And some of you will self-publish. For those of you who self-publish, you will need to find ways of advertising your book.
In today's technology centered world, self-publishing has become easier than ever. If you don't have the money, you can skirt the expense of creating a print edition, and make only digital versions of your work instead. Without the overhead costs of printed books and distribution fees, e-books are fiscally more affordable for the struggling writer. However, there are already millions of books on the market and more come available every day. What do you do to get yourself noticed? Well...that all depends on what you can afford.
Getting bogged down in the business aspect of your writing takes away the time you'd rather spend writing. Google 'book publicist'. You'll have to review lots of different companies and individuals to find the one that works for you. Publicists will vary in levels of experience as well as price. Having someone who knows the ropes and can expressly devote their time and energy to promoting your book is always a bonus. Having a publicist means you can spend less of your time advertising and more time working on your next story.
Of course, you can always skip the paid advertiser and add to your work load by doing all the promotion yourself. Keeping a blog for your book or for yourself as an author. You will need social media accounts so you can reach your target audience. Try seeking out bloggers who review books and ask them to review yours. Keep your fingers crossed on reviews. Writing is very subjective and what appeals to one person may not appeal to another.
Writing a novel is hard work. Publicizing your work is hard too. However, the most interesting part of the entire process is the writing. It's what I live for. I know it's what all writers enjoy most of all. If you can afford a publicist, it may be worth it. If you can't, then you'll have to go the extra mile and promote your work yourself. Just weigh your options and decide what works best for you.
