Dear
Editor,
I
have a book. Books are my best friends. I spend my entire day reading and
talking to the characters in my head. And my goldfish, Betty. I want to be a
best-seller so that someone besides my mom and my twin brother will know my
name. What type of television exposure will you offer?
Signed,
Herman
from Hermitville
There’s
no getting around it. Publisher’s don’t sell books; authors sell books. The
authors are the ones who engage the people around them (whether on the Internet
or in person) and interest them in their stories. People read books that they
hear about, in person, from their friends much more often than those they see on
a general media shout-out.
Best-sellers
get to that spot by having people interested in their books. If you never talk
to anyone, who will care to buy? It’s like the crowd in the middle of a power
failure. They won’t know the person standing next to them has a flashlight if
he doesn’t turn it on.
So
turn it on! Start a book club. Online is okay, but in person is better. Visit
your local library often. Join a readers’ group, an entrepreneurs’ group, a
Bible study group, hobby or civic clubs. Writers are notorious for being
introverts, but they must break out of their shells to engage folks who might
become their biggest fans.
Get
online with your passions. Search for blogs, forums, Facebook groups, and
Pinterest groups that offer gathering areas for the things you love. Get
involved with others, as much to have fun as anything else.
Then
when you do have a book that’s ready, you have a variety of people interested
in your book if only to support your dream.
My
best advice: Step out of your comfort zone. Don’t only mingle with other
writers. Engage!
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