Once an author has published a book, either through an established publisher or independently ("self-published"), the easy part is over. Selling the book--that's where the real work comes in.

Book marketing consists of both advertising and publicity. The difference between the two is that advertising is paid for directly, while publicity is not. The publisher has strong control over advertisements, but publicity (such as reviews, readings, radio interviews, etc.) requires the participation and good will of outsiders, who often have their own agendas. Publicity sells more books than advertising, and the author is generally its engine and focus.

Working with the Publisher

(This section assumes the author is supported by a publisher with a publicity budget and personnel. This is, alas, only rarely the case. Almost always, the author is expected to take the lead in publicizing her book. The sections following this one apply to all authors, from coddled, to neglected, to self-published.)

Publishers love self-promoting authors--up to a point. The line between collaborator and nuisance is a fine one. If an author is fortunate enough to have competent personnel publicizing his book, he should take care not to alienate them--in fact, it would behoove him to be as charming and helpful as possible. The following are some guidelines:

• Know thy bounds. Authors are generally not allowed, for instance, to sell their own copies, approach book buyers at bookstores, or sign any deals on behalf of the publisher.
• Figure out the division of labor and expense at the outset. For instance, the author may be given carte blanche to arrange local bookstore readings, while the publisher may prefer to arrange others. Most of an author's publicity activities are not reimbursable; budgets are limited, and selling books, after all, is in the author's financial interest
• Work with the publisher. Publicists, most likely, knows best how to arrange a book tour, court reviewers, etc. They generally ask for the author's advice when they need it. The publisher should agree to and be informed about any "extracurricular" promotional activities on the author's part.
• Don't pester publicists with ad hoc suggestions or trivia. They have many other books to promote. It's best for the author to present requests at the outset--e.g., potential reviewers, relevant niche organizations, favorite bookstores, etc.--and not to second-guess the publisher's publicity efforts. The author-publisher marriage, like any other, requires mutual respect and compromise.

Either the publicist or the author should be responsible for assembling and maintaining a press kit. This should include a bio, a professional photograph of the author, clips of newspaper and magazine articles pertaining to the book or its subject, and video or audio tapes of the author's appearances. The press kit can be sent to tv and radio producers, potential reviewers, and members of the media.

"Press releases" are in essence faux news stories, complete with headlines, that are routinely sent to media outlets. The idea is both to capture reporters' interest and to make their story that much easier to write.

Reviews

For most books, reviews are the single most important means of publicity. Bookstore buyers and readers are strongly influenced by reviews. Well before publication date ("pub. date" is usually weeks after the book is actually shipped) the publisher sends bound galleys to various review editors. "Advance reviews" are the most important--the major review publications, in fact, will only review books at this stage. Therefore any good publicity or press the book has received up to this point is sent along with the galleys in hopes it will influence the editor's decision to assign the book for review. Copies are also sent to individual reviewers and opinion-makers.

The author can help quite a bit by suggesting publications and reviewers to approach, especially if the book is a niche title. The author should do research (the Web is a good place to start) to find every publication that could be relevant.

Blurbs

A favorable quotation by Stephen King on the back (or front!) of a book is worth more than any number of good reviews. Blurbing is a somewhat shadowy and occasionally incestuous practice, but there's no denying that it sells books. Authors and publishers have every reason to go to considerable lengths to find well-known and/or respected names to write short blurbs for them. Should these personages agree to read the book, they need to receive the manuscript early in the process, so that their quotes can be incorporated into the cover before printing.

Magazine and Op-Ed Articles

Any article or opinion piece that can mention the author's new book is excellent publicity. The article can be an excerpt from the book, and depending on who retains the first-serial rights, its placement can be arranged by the publisher or the author's agent. This also must be arranged well in advance of publication. Magazines in particular have a long lead time.

Readings

Readings, though time-consuming and sometimes ennervating for authors, are good for everyone. The author gets attention, the audience gets to interact with the author, and the bookstore sells books. Assuming the author is reasonably presentable and well-spoken--and there are people there to listen--there are few better ways to sell books. And there are few better ways to discourage an author than to put her before an unsuitable or non-existent audience. Thus, the business of arranging readings requires some thought.

The author's home town is a natural starting point. Bookstores like to support local authors. Readings in other cities are more tricky, and their success depends on many factors. Here are some questions to pose:

• Is the bookstore interested? The events coordinator at a bookstore usually has a good idea of which authors their customers will turn out to see. He or she is more likely to take a chance on an unknown author if the book received good advance press and/or is selling well.
• Does the author have a following there? Most previously published authors have an idea of where their readership lives. Alert event coordinators at bookstores will try to book favorite authors well in advance of publication.
• Is there regional interest in the book? Every publicist has opinions on who reads what in Minneapolis or Boston or San Francisco. A book on surfing or farming or the Hamptons is going to have regional limits to its appeal.

Authors arranging their own readings should approach events coordinators months in advance, so they can put the event in their calendar.

Radio and Television

Hours and hours of radio time must be filled every day, and interviews and call-in shows are a favorite method. Authors can thumb through Bacon's Media at the library to find appropriate shows and producers, and send their press kit. Having a snappy 30-second pitch ready for producers is a good idea, as it gives them an idea how the author will be on the air. A list of suggested questions is generally welcome too.

Another way to get radio producers' attention is to place an ad in Radio-TV Interview Report or register with Yearbooknews.com.

Authors shouldn't expect the host to have actually read the book, or necessarily be particularly interested in the subject. Radio shows are not every author's cup of tea.

Neither are television appearances, but few authors can afford to pass up the opportunity if it presents itself, because of television's reach and power. Oprah Winfrey's recommendation, for example, virtually guarantees best-sellerdom. Getting invited on a tv show and making a good impression are beyond the scope of this section. They are best arranged with the help of professional publicists.

Online Publicity

The Web is an important new source of publicity. Foremost, it allows publicists and/or authors to find very narrow target audiences with relative ease. The following are some common approach in book publishing:

• Register the domain name "www.booktitle.com." (Contact your ISP or go to Whois.net). Create a basic Website that describes the book in detail and points visitors to online retailers where they can buy it.
• Register the domain name with the major search engines, such as Yahoo! and AskJeeves. (Click on their "Add URL" buttons.)
• Join lists and newsgroups that are relevant to your book's subject, and discreetly mention that your book exists to those who seem interested. Unsolicited sales pitches are rarely welcome in such forums.
• Link your Website to other related sites, and ask those sites to link to you. This is why it's called a "web."

Miscellaneous

There are dozens of little ways for authors to promote their books. Here are some:

• Walk into a bookstore and offer to autograph your books.
• Arrange speeches or seminars at which your book can be available.
• Enter book award contests. A prestigious award can revive sales, lead to reprints, and increase the author's advance for the next book.