Self Promotion

Publicity is not an easy thing to do. I thought long and hard about what to put in a press release for my novels. This was difficult. I was raised not to make a fuss, not to call attention to myself because vanity is a worthless quality. Having to promote myself goes against the grain.

I’ve inserted a picture of me and two of my brothers because it’s less boring. The brother to the left in the picture, I hadn’t seen face-to-face in about fifteen years. See? Got your attention again. It isn’t that we are estranged. For years he chose to avoid the family. So my other two brothers (Jeff is taking the picture) and I decided to jump in the car and force a show-down. He said it was the best Christmas present he’d ever gotten.

Here’s a repeat point about self-promotion. Self-promotion isn’t a burden required by self-published authors or indie authors alone. Those who have been traditionally published must make some of the same decisions, and develop marketing strategies just as I have. I have a great mentor in Pamela Fagan Hutchins. Her book What Kind of Loser Indie Publishes? and how can I be one, too? has been a great tool in learning about the different options I have.  Why is it that traditionally published authors must also come up with their own advertising? Because marketing budgets with the large publishers are not what they used to be, and because when there is money for marketing budgets it goes to the big names like Grisham, King, and Rowling. And if you are a traditionally published author just starting out in this cruel world, you have to get over the “why not me?” thinking. The answer is ‘because’.

So, back to me, (ha. ha) I’ve read a lot of press releases and still, I struggled with what to say for mine. What to say? What to say? I went to a company in Austin who works with some big names and asked for help. Here’s my first press release. I think they’ve got an eye grabbing headline here. I couldn’t be prouder.

My first press release!

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/06/prweb11982229.htm#.U7b2CsekEuo.email