Write for you BUT with readers in mind
So, you've finished writing your first book and after you've blown through your friends and family list; now, it's time to find your readers. You know, those people who don't know you but will want to read your book if they knew about it?
In other words, it's time to market your book. If you haven't thought about marketing until now, that's ok. The first step to finding your audience is to understand why, who and how. To determine it, backtrack to why you wrote the book in the first place.
Keep in mind, Marketing (promotion) doesn't dictate WHAT an author should write. It's just that the author should have a group in mind when they do.
Determining "who" you wrote the book about helps you find like-minded people. For example, if you've written a biography (genre), the subject's characteristics will help to begin building an audience. Is the subject a black woman? Then those who interested in reading about black women's lives are a clue to uncovering your audience. Consider "why" you wrote about this black woman - knowing why you wrote about her will narrow down the interests to promote.
Such as, this black woman is the mother of GPS.
So how did she accomplish this goal? The "how" usually contains drama and conflict.
A Black woman in Jim Crow south overcomes sexism, racism, and classism to design the prototype of the (GPS) Global Positioning System (computer technology).
So, there you have it. The first step to marketing your book after you've written it is creating a one-sentence explanation sometimes called the logline or pitch.
Now you can begin your promotional efforts.
#bookpromotion Inspired by ReadingBlack.com club: Open Letter to Promoters
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