Steve Jovanoski, author of The Brotherhood:
The reality is, it's up to you to promote your own work. After all, no one cares more about it than you. How well it sells will depend on how hard you're willing to work at promoting it. The first couple of months are the most crucial before the buzz inevitably wears out. Here are some low budget options I used - some worked better than others, some don't work at all. But I think you should try anything you can think of (within reason and with respect in your integrity as a writer in mind).
- A book launch where everyone had an awesome night.
- Created my own business cards with the jacket design and blurb on the back (including website and email contacts). I hand these out like chocolates.
- Created a promotional Facebook site
- Created website
- www.stevejovanoski.com (will get a revamp as this was done to get it out there as quickly as possible)
- Created a media release which I emailed out to newspaper editors.
- Created a Sell Sheet which I passed on to bookstores
- Handed out the jacket as ads (the ones printed with the books)
- I've sent nearly 30 promotional copies out to media, newspapers and bookstores.
- Sent an email to local and major newspapers such as The Age with a Media Release.
- Had a number of meetings with bookstore managers and presentations (however, this has been unsuccessful to date)
- I've approached a number of libraries and I have a couple of author talks lined up - talking to another 3.
- I've had two radio station interviews
- Triple R Radio St has a copy for a possible review.
- I've had a one page article published in the Macedonian language newspaper with pictures.
- Had a corporate journalist interview me who wrote a fantastic article - was published in two Intranets at work with over two thousand users coverage.
- Had reviews written up and added to the On the Nile online site for The Brotherhood
- Made friends with author Tony Black (Scottish crime writer currently in Melb) and exchange books. I've interviewed this author and the link is on my website.
- Met with a literacy group and promoted it to the audience.
- I've got an Ad displayed in a city coffee shop.
- Sent four copies to the NSW Premier Literacy Awards for two separate categories.
- The Athenaeum Library is displaying copies on sale for me.
- Author talks
- Donated copies to our work library