As a self-published author, part of my writing task is marketing my books. That is a challenge for any author trying to get their book noticed among the thousands of books published every year.
Those who claim to know how to do this tout social media, getting book reviews, paid advertising and taking part in various book promotions. All of these take time and a different mind set than writing.
Marketing my books takes me not only wanting, but actively doing promotions about my books. This is very hard for me.
When I was young, girls had very few options in life. All of them were subservient to men. Promoting any of your own endeavors was frowned upon, even actively despised and discouraged.
Times have changed, supposedly. My mind set has not. I can easily promote someone else’s book, but not mine. I do try by putting on an act and talking about my books, but inside I cringe at such unseemly behavior.
People are starting to think about buying things for gifts. Marketing my books as gifts is so tempting. Which of my books will I focus on? There isn’t time to promote my fourteen and Dr. Rintz’ five.
Perhaps I can focus on three of mine and one of Dr. Rintz’. “Asclepias: A Study of the Living Plants of the United States” is an easy choice. Even though the botanical world has either not noticed or ignored this work, it is an important one.
Which of mine will I choose? Picture books are popular. That would be “Waiting For Fairies”.
Among all my books, I do have two favorites. “Capri Capers” was such fun to write and is a romp of a book, a crazy blending of 1930s movie serial and melodrama. Thinking up all of those cliff hangers and goat antics was challenging and sometimes made me laugh.
The sounds of words, the cadence of spoken words as in Poe’s poem “The Bells” or Noyes’ “The Highwayman” delight me. Tongue twisters and alliteration abound in “For Love of Goats”.
Marketing my books is difficult both in time and determination, but I will try.
