How To Get Your Novel Published

Hi David,

Thanks for inviting me to talk about author platforms as seen from my perspective. The reason for promotion is to create demand. You can’t create demand if no one knows your book exists. And this, in large part, comes from the writer’s platform. This is the name recognition the author creates for himself in order to increase his and his book’s visibility and, therefore, marketability. This, in turn, impacts sales. We all know that the bigger the platform, the bigger sales potential.

I know many authors are taking their platform creations to the internet, which can be very powerful. For instance, I’m working with the authors (doctors) of an extremely popular medical blog on a book that discusses how medicine is broken as told through their intimate perspective. They’ve already established their platform via their blog, and we anticipate this book to have some serious legs due to their popularity and the subject matter.

From my perspective, I’m less choosy about the kind of platform – just that they have a solid one. When a author offers up a quickie platform, it tells me they’re savvy to the industry and know what I’m looking for. There are a couple elements that play into a platform.

Readership

Authors have to know their readership. It’s amazing how many authors don’t take that into consideration. The usual answer to that question is, “this book is for everyone.” That’s great, but I don’t have “everyone” in my Rolodex. I do, however, have in my Rolodex wheelchair companies, alternative medical practitioners, Jewish community leaders, procrastinator’s groups, etc. If a book is SF, for instance, then that author better know where SF readers hang out. One of our authors, for instance, attends all the Star Trek conventions, and his book sells like hotcakes.

But what happens if your book is mainstream? Keeping an eye on readership trends and social events are great ways to gauge whether your book has any of those exploitable aspects. For example, we pulled the element of ‘procrastination gone wild’ out from one of our author’s book and approached all the procrastinators groups. They loved it. Had the author been savvier, he could have established those contacts first before submitting to us.

I remember talking to Dominique Racca, head of Sourcebooks, the largest indie press in the US, and she told me about the time she was trying to pitch a YA book to the media at the same time 911 happened. It was a tough go because everyone’s mind was on the tragic events. But Dominique pulled out the discussion on how teens are also afraid for their future and whether they would they grow up to be adults. It was a perfect lead-in for the book and it was a hit.

Look for the elements that can help you define a readership and look for ways to find that audience. Can’t be done unless you know your readership.

Who Are You?

Look for the promotional tie-ins to your story. Are you the nurse or doc who wrote a medical thriller? See if there are ways to exploit your occupation to garner demand and events. What kind of things are you comfortable doing? Do you seek your inner hambone by doing seminars? Many books, including fiction, have great food for thought which translates over to public speaking. Whether it’s a church or rotary club, people are always looking for speakers who have something interesting to say.

Some shy away from the limelight and are more comfortable with writing articles. A few of our authors write articles for some very big magazines and newspapers, and they usually manage to get references of their books into the articles. Their bios always have the title of their books as well. Others are very techno savvy and have blogs that feed into their book material. I know a jet jockey whose blog is incredibly huge because he talks about all the latest jets and his military experiences. He self pubs his books, and I have no doubt he has very good sales. Another big blog gives out humorous mom tips, which feeds into her book, which is very big.

It’s vital to define what and who you are, and what you’re willing to do before you figure out a platform because effective platforms are the difference between a 2500, 5,000 print run, and a 10,000-25,000 print run. Or as Buzz Lightyear says, “To Infinity and beyond!”

Sample promo plan:

• Talked to three of the local hospitals and invited me to speak to medical personnel in their lunchroom.

• I am involved with giving Reiki treatments to the Wounded Warriors at Camp Pendleton, and they will host a book party and book signing for me.

• The hospital gift shops have given their go-ahead to a book signing during peak visiting hours as well as offering to carry the book.

• I’ve spoken with the local alternative healing groups in my area, and they’ll be joining together to throw me a book party as well as inviting me to speak at their various meetings and seminars around the country.

• The manager/owner of a popular restaurant has agreed to host a reading/signing of my book.

• I’ve contacted my local newspaper and they’ve agreed to write an article about how my book could be very influential to the way people look at the medical community.

• I have a list of all the alternative healers (this includes chiropractors and acupuncturists), and I plan on sending them postcards to advertise my appearances.

• I give regular seminars and talks to churches that tie in to the major themes of my book.

• I have spoken with a leading NY publicist, and we have agreed to a radio, television, and internet ad campaign.

• I have also discussed my book with a leading online publicist, and we have devised a four month online book tour that will reach all the large online review sites.

Lynn Price is the editorial director for Behler Publications, an independent trade publisher specializing in fiction and nonfiction personal journeys. Our works contain strong elements of social relevance and reflect emotional issues that create timeless significant stories that will continue to touch our lives twenty years from now. Twelve of Behler’s titles are award winners. Many of Behler Publications’ books have received enthusiastic reviews from Library Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus, Bloomsbury Review. Out title, KTLA’s News At Ten: Sixty Years With Stan Chambers just made the LA Times Bestseller List.

Our blog, http://behlerblog.blogspot.com/, details aspects of writing from our perspective, why our synapses fire the way they do, and sometimes ponders my sanity.