When it comes to marketing your book, this is the time to leave no stone unturned. While you have likely used the traditional methods of creating promotional marketing materials, building a website, and even setting up a few social media profiles, you may want to try promoting short stories to give your readers a taste of the bigger picture.
With a simple Google search, you can turn up a number of short story websites specializing in your genre, I promise you that. In fact, if you’re an author that has had the pleasure of being published, then you’re probably quite familiar with digging around on the Internet looking for opportunities, right? So take this same approach with your short story marketing.
To backtrack a few steps, you do need to create a few short stories that will best exhibit your writing style. Short stories are a great marketing tool because they will give your readers a sample of your writing, and they can also be used to generate interest in your published book. No matter what your genre may be, whether it’s fantasy, women’s fiction, young adult, or even children’s literature, short story marketing can work wonders.
The point is to keep it fresh. If you’re submitting short stories to a publication or even posting them on your website, readers will constantly be on the lookout for something new. If readers start to visit your blog to read your short stories, they will continue to be attracted by the new, fresh content that you provide.
As a base, aim to keep your short stories at 1000 to 2000 words. If you want to promote your novel directly, you can also take an excerpt from your book and whittle it into a short story if appropriate. But many times, it’s just best to start from scratch.
One interesting approach to take is to stir up the interest of potential readers by writing a short story from the perspective of a secondary character in your book. This will get readers hooked on one of your characters, and they’ll have no choice but to buy your book to find out more about their favorite leading lady or man. Win-win.
The “long and short” of a short story marketing is that you can grow a loyal readership by flexing your creative muscles. Today, many readers are hesitant to buy into a full book if they don’t trust in the author. If you’re a new author that hasn’t yet made a name for yourself, then start cranking out a few quality short stories that you can publish online or give to your readers at no charge.
Short story marketing will establish your expertise in your genre and even provide you with new opportunities in your career!
Bethany Ramos is an author and full-time freelance writer with experience in Internet marketing, social media marketing, and SEO. She is passionate about writing captivating children's books and witty chick lit. For more information, you can visit her blog at http://chicklit-books.com/
Great advice.... I will be anxious to try this and see how well it works.
ReplyDeleteGood tip, Bethany. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteVivian