Promoting and Advertising: Finding Reviews and Your Audience when Publishing

Spreading the news about this beautiful piece of literature you have just released is one of the most difficult parts of an author’s journey. Not only is it time to become more than comfortable with sharing your precious work, but it is the beginning of reviews and reactions. Comments you are more than happy with and some you would be happier ignoring will come your way. Some people will plead for a sequel, others might never finish the first one. The review section on the Amazon page might look a little bleak for a while, and the same with Goodreads. 

Promoting and Marketing your Work of Art

All of these things are disheartening, but are a vital part of the publishing journey. 

Half of writing a book is about marketing a book. If you have decided to go down the publishing rabbit hole, you need to be prepared to watch the book sink and float - and probably sink again. Nothing is more tricky to navigate than the readers we know and love who are ready for their next big saga to devour. You want them to sink their teeth into the freshly baked novel you finished, you want them to review it, and you need the readers.

When you’re at the stage of pushing your ideas out into the world, there are a few things you need to be aware of:

1. Know your audience! Readers are simple creatures who love what they love and dislike what they dislike. They’ll read that high fantasy book you wrote if they tore through The Priory of the Orange Tree. They’ll snatch up your romantic fantasy after plowing down a classic like Beautiful Creatures. Once your book is finished, and its genre is set in stone, take a look over some of the books just released within that genre. Take the inspiration and follow the path set out for you.

2. It’s time to step into the spotlight. As an author, we like to hide ourselves behind the words scribbled onto thin pages. We shove our book forward and demand a following, when the reader is searching to find the author. Readers connect with real people. They want to relate to your book, and they can relate even more if they can see the true person behind the writing. 

3. Marketing is all about authenticity. People will tell you otherwise, left and right. Personally, the success I have found within publicity all has to do with showing my true self. We are all human beings at the end of the day, and it’s important to be in touch with yourself when writing a book. The readers will have a piece of you by the end of the day, and they want to know who they have formed a connection with.

Coming back to that authenticity point, one of the most reliable ways to garner reviews and interest from readers is by sending out free copies of your book. Logically, we know that “paying” for a review is not allowed. Amazon has special requirements when it comes to leaving a review, and they are on top of it when it seems like there has been a monetary exchange. To move around this and to remain at the top of your integrity game, sending out personalized boxes that contain a signed book as well as some extra goodies is a fun way to get others involved. 

There is no requirement to leave a review with things like these. It’s more of a kindness! When I had just released The Halls of Valhalla, and my reviews were looking empty on its Amazon page, I went onto social media and pulled up as many fantasy-oriented influencers as I could. TikTok and Instagram are the two best places to search for true bookies, and there is always someone wanting to read a new book from someone they’ve never heard of. Shoot these readers an email, and express how much you like their page and the reviews they’ve done on books similar to yours. Describe your book and the goodies you’d like to send them in a neat book box. If interested, these reviewers will reach back to you and let you know!

I found success when pursuing this option, and was able to get my book in front of lots of viewers looking for something to read. Not every influencer you send a copy to will leave a review - don’t forget that. This is a process that requires patience and trust. In the end, even if they never left a review, you managed to send your book to someplace new, where someone got to jump into this unique world you created. Be proud of that!

In the end, don’t ever give up hope or let yourself become discouraged. Your audience is out there, and they’re waiting for you to find them! Never stop looking, never stop striving, never stop achieving, and we might all end up on that bestseller list someday soon.

Thanks for tuning in. See you soon :)