Let’s Discuss Book Promotion Resources

Jordan Dane

@JordanDane

Teen Pic

Purchased Image by Jordan Dane: book cover

Off the top I will say that spending a great deal of time doing promotion, instead of writing, is probably not a good thing. Even if you’re an indie author, having inventory to sell is a key way (the best way) to keep your work in front of readers.

Writing new material should be a goal for every author. Having said that, book promotion is a necessary evil, even if you’re traditionally published with book tours and appearances, but even more so if you are an indie or hybrid author straddling business and creative lines.

So let’s talk about promo. It’s been awhile since I looked into this topic. Even if you are traditionally published, it can help to enhance your sales if you assist your publisher with your own marketing strategy – something that isn’t redundant with what they may be doing for you. The average author today can not escape promoting their own books, no matter how big their publisher might be.

Promotion Resources:
BookBub still is a popular option if you are lucky enough to get your book selected by them. It can be costly (depending on what genre you pick to promote your book in) but I’ve heard authors have good odds of making the expense pay off in sales because you get your book in front of readers of your genre. Always a good thing.

Other popular options are:
BookBuzz is a fee-based service company that will help you promote your book in various packages, including getting your book listed on NetGalley for reviews (which costs money). The fees are reasonable and you choose which package best fits your purposes and budget.

BookGorilla is a reader-based service that sends out emails daily, listing great books deals. If you’re offering your book at a discount upon release or for preorder, this might be a good place to reach a vast list of reader members.

Upload Service Question:
For those of you in “the know,” is there a service that will input a new release book into 50+ reader-based sites for a fee? I seem to recall there used to be one but I’ve had trouble locating it online. It would certainly be a cool feature for any author or publisher to find a service like this.

Facebook Parties:
Many authors add Facebook Parties to their launches. It could be part of a virtual tour offered by a service company. It helps to have more than one author of a genre to make the party more fun and generate interest. Has anyone had success with a Facebook Party for a crime fiction book? (Romance and Erotica authors do these quite a bit.)

Promo Question:
Does anyone have promo sites for either promotion service companies to generate buzz or reader-based sites to get new releases into readers’ hands that have paid off? It’s often hard to quantify whether a fee has paid off in book sales, but please share anything you’ve tried with success. I’m especially interested in services for crime fiction, mystery, suspense, and thrillers.

I hope you’ll share what has worked for you. Please join in the discussion. Below are links to promote free or discounted books. Hopefully some are new to you.

ENT (E-Reader News Today)
Pixel of Ink
The Reader Cafe
Free Booksy
Kindle Nation Daily
Digital Book Today
Free Digital Reads
http://ereaderutopia.com/
http://www.humanmade.net/submission-form
http://www.orangeberrybooktours.com/
http://www.bookblast.co/advertise/advertise.php
https://www.themidlist.com/
http://www.ebooksoda.com/
http://www.masqueradecrew.com/2014/10/advertising-options-from-masquerade-crew.html
http://newfreekindlebooks.com/authors
http://kindlemojo.com/
http://www.thekindlebookreview.net/advertise-here/
http://www.bookbear.info
http://www.totallyfreestuff.com/
http://www.icravefreebies.com/contact/
http://blog.booksontheknob.org/about-this-blog-and-contact-info
http://freebooksy.com/editorial-submissions
http://www.kindleboards.com/free-book-promo/
http://indiebookoftheday.com/authors/free-on-kindle-listing/
http://freekindlefiction.blogspot.co.uk/p/tell-us-about-free-books.html
http://www.freeebooksdaily.com/
http://www.freebookshub.com/authors/
http://www.ereaderiq.com/about/
http://ebookshabit.com/about-us/
http://www.blackcaviar-bookclub.com/free-book-promotion.html#.UXFB27XYeOc
http://www.kornerkonnection.com/index.html?fb=ebookkornerkafe

This entry was posted in #amwriting, #writers, #writetip, A Writer's Life, author marketing, book marketing tips, book promotion tips, Writing and tagged , by Jordan Dane. Bookmark the permalink.

About Jordan Dane

Bestselling, critically-acclaimed author Jordan Dane’s gritty thrillers are ripped from the headlines with vivid settings, intrigue, and dark humor. Publishers Weekly compared her intense novels to Lisa Jackson, Lisa Gardner, and Tami Hoag, naming her debut novel NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM as Best Books of 2008. She is the author of young-adult novels written for Harlequin Teen, the Sweet Justice thriller series for HarperCollins., and the Ryker Townsend FBI psychic profiler series, Mercer's War vigilante novellas, and the upcoming Trinity LeDoux bounty hunter novels set in New Orleans. Jordan shares her Texas residence with two lucky rescue dogs. To keep up with new releases & exclusive giveaways, click HERE

15 thoughts on “Let’s Discuss Book Promotion Resources

  1. If this is a duplicate comment I apologize; it didn’t register my captcha the first time.
    Yesterday I found a site, Murder Lab, where the owner shares all things crime fiction. In the past she’s done every promotional site known to man, spent thousands trying to figure out what worked and what didn’t. When you opt-in for her newsletter, she sends a promo spreadsheet that lists all the sites, what they cost, how they work, etc. She’s spent the money so we won’t have to, which is really nice. When you get the site, press the Murder Lab logo and you’ll be reverted to her newsletter signup for authors. Here’s the link: http://www.murderlab.com (on Blogger). Hope it helps!

  2. Good morning, Jordan.

    I don’t think I saw Goodreads. What’s your impression of that site for promotion?

    Thanks for bringing up this subject.

    • Good catch, Steve. Goodreads should be on the list. Their contest giveaways can generate advance buzz. It’s definitely a site focused on readers. I have a profile there as an author.

      Another site, that gets plenty of online traffic, is Fresh Fiction. I should’ve had them listed too. They do promo for free and paid. Their contests used to collect email addresses for you to add to your author newsletters as a condition for entering. Not sure if that’s still true…and having a collection of emails does not insure your newsletters don’t end up in spam folders or opted out or deleted later, but Fresh Fiction offers many promo ops. Good people.

      My list is not comprehensive. Not enough space to list every site but thanks for your suggestion.

    • Thanks for your input, Nancy. Good tips. A magazine article once said my books were “as cozy as a set of brass knuckles” but I will check out your book tour folks.

  3. Fresh Fiction still runs contests. I am doing one in September for Peril by Ponytail. It costs $129 and you get the mailing list. Not everyone opts out so you end up with new entries on your own lists. Query here for info: Send your contest information: contests@freshfiction.com

    • I really like Fresh Fiction. They get good reader traffic thru their website and they support authors in varied ways. I’m not sure there’s anything quantifiable in book sales but the email addys to you to your mailing list are verified and something of real value. Thanks for the links, Nancy.

  4. Thanks for the list. I didn’t see Fussy Librarian there, and they’re growing their readership and the owner is very helpful to authors. EReader News Today has always done well for me. My only ‘grumble’ is that most of these places want free or bargain books, and their subscribers are also looking for deals. Bouncing pricing becomes a royal pain. Also, some target only Amazon, and I don’t like seeing books at only one venue (especially since I don’t have a Kindle so I don’t get my ebooks from Amazon)

    • I totally agree, Terry. That’s why it’s hard to chase these sites…and time consuming. Takes time away from writing.

      It’s important to find tried and true sites you can go to with each new release but you can’t hit every one, nor should you spend the time doing it. Get a core group of sites to develop your “new release” promo and get back to writing.

      Blog posts, like this discussion, can help us all navigate the time suck waters with more success.

      Thanks for your honesty. Completely valid. I wish there was an easier way too.

  5. Some of the places on your list are out of date. Pixel of Ink hasn’t accepted submissions for about two years now. I still see it on lists like this all over the web. If you’re thinking of using Orangeberry, be sure to check the Internet first. Their reputation is extremely poor. They never delivered on my order, and they’ve never responded to numerous inquires I’ve made about getting a refund. On the whole, none of the tour companies I’ve tried ever delivered readers or generated sales, even when I included giveaways.

    If you’re doing a free giveaway, BKnights on Fiverr (https://www.fiverr.com/bknights) is an excellent investment. SweetFreeBooks.com promotes free and $.99 books for just $5.00 and delivers well for me, especially at that low, low price. I’ve also had good luck with ENT, Free Kindle Books and Tips, and The Fussy Librarian.

    Kathy

  6. I discovered a new form of marketing that is sure to get my name spread through out the entire world. I stuff business cards with a link to my Amazon page into heavy duty helium balloons and set them off. Once the balloons ascend to the upper atmosphere the lack of outside pressure causes them to burst scattering the cards into the stratosphere where the various currents carry them all over the globe.

    I’ve done this with nearly a million cards so far and let me tell you, it has a far reach. I’ve received all kinds of comments and emails from places like Azerbaijan, Latvia, and recently had a Nigerian Prince offer me the hand of his lovely daughter and a rather substantial dowry that he’ll automatically deposit into my account as soon as I give him the numbers.

    I even received a personalized letter from Kim Jong Un of North Korea telling me he loves the way I portrayed his military intelligence apparatus in 65 BELOW he is sending a group of “diplomatic specialists” to visit me as soon as possible. My wife, who translated the letter, is so excited she’s packing for an immediate trip on the profits already.

    She only got tickets for herself and the boys, and said she’s going to stay with her aunt in Vancouver and will meet me later when I have run far enough. Guess that means she wants me to lose weight before going vacation to Korea to do the book signing.

    • You could be a bestseller in Latvia, Basil. GotPrint is very appreciative of your business, I’m sure. Thanks for sharing your always genius, my friend.

  7. Story Cartel https://storycartel.com/ provides authors with a way to get their new releases in the hands of readers. There is a fee, around $40, I think, and there are other featured services a person can purchase. The author must be willing to allow free downloads of the books. Readers are asked to provide a review in exchange for the downloads.

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