Book Marketing Buzz

I have come to that dreaded phase in going from unpublished to “published author.” Why do I dread it when it should be a time of excitement and celebration? Because most writers who write for the joy of writing are rarely good marketers. Public relations and marketing are usually associated with cold calling and getting the door slammed in one’s face. And I am not sure if I am cut out for that dog-eat-dog world of book marketing.

For five years I had dreamt of being published, preferably by a traditional New York publisher. As most dreams go, I thought this one would remain one till the end of my life. It was with astonishment and pleasure that I realized that it didn’t have to be a mere dream. It could become reality if I tried and tried—just a little harder. So after a number of rejections, I managed to sign on with a reputable New York agent.

On August 28, 2007, my publisher, Kensington Books, released my debut novel, THE DOWRY BRIDE. It is a known fact that publishers set aside a rather limited budget for first-time authors. By those standards, Kensington has been more than generous in promoting my book because I am their first Indian author and they are test-marketing a new genre. They have advertised THE DOWRY BRIDE in The Romantic Times and one some popular book-related websites. However, it is up to me, the author, to shoulder the bulk of the marketing effort.

Hiring a web designer to create a website for me was the first step in my marketing plan. I set it up more than a year prior to the book’s release. It has proved to be my most valuable resource to date. I handed out business cards and talked up my site, and created some pre-publication hype with my website printed on it.

Now that the book is released, I keep some bookmarks and business cards handy in my pocketbook. Any time anyone seems remotely interested in my writing, I hand them both. It has paid off time and again.

Despite knowing that book signings can be a trying experience for an unknown author, I have been doing them nonetheless. With friends, acquaintances and coworkers offering support by showing up at my signings, I have managed to sell a reasonable number of books by that method. But word of mouth is the best kind of marketing. Friends of friends have been buying my book because they hear about it from someone else.

Asking Dorothy Thompson and her Writer’s Life to plan a Virtual Tour for me is my next step. I needed someone with blogging experience and everything that goes with it because my computer skills are close to non-existent. I have no blog and have no idea about setting one up. I am looking forward to my Virtual Tour that will begin on October 1, 2007. It is both an exciting and frightening prospect, but with Dorothy at the helm, I am hoping to come out triumphant at the end of October. For a marketing neophyte, it is surely going to be an interesting roller-coaster ride.

Shobhan Bantwal is the author of THE DOWRY BRIDE.  You can visit her website at www.shobhanbantwal.com.