30 ways to market your book without overwhelm

Depending on where you are on your writing journey, you may be finding out that writing your book is just the beginning of your journey as a writer. Finishing a book is a massive achievement, requiring significant time, energy, focus, love and overcoming those pesky inner resistance gremlins. Job number one in a writer’s life is getting that messy first draft finished, polished, and then out into the world.

But the reality in today’s market, whether you publish traditionally, use a hybrid publisher, or publish independently (Self Publish), you as the writer will have to get involved in spreading the word so that readers can find your book.

You quickly learn that book publishing is a business, and you are now the CEO of this business. Gulp!

That’s why I’m talking about the art of book marketing and promotion. Even if you’re with a big publishing house, it’s rare these days to get a ton of budget or support for your book’s promotion, especially if you’re new on the scene. This comes as a shock for many new writers, who’ve watched umpteen Hollywood movies depicting huge book tours and lines down the block assembled to meet an author. The reality is more like calling around to see if bookstores will let you do a signing, and then wiling away hours, hoping that shoppers will stop to talk. That doesn’t have to be you.

Many writers find the idea of marketing their books terrifying, thinking that dancing on social media, or spending a fortune on ads and hoping for the best are the only options to get potential readers’ attention.

“But Emily…” I hear from writers inside my book collective when I ask what their plan is for marketing. “I hate public speaking, and I see you doing it and having a blast on Instagram lives, but it’s just not my comfort zone.”

The good news, my dear? You don’t have to do any of the things I do. There are dozens of other options.  With my background in building businesses like my fashion house Ellechemy, I’ve always been fascinated with how writers promote themselves and their books, and jump at every chance I get to find out what’s working for writers I meet, and what isn’t. As a result, over the years I’ve personally tried dozens of strategies to reach readers – some that worked, and some that didn’t. I’ve also worked with hundreds of writers who are successfully marketing their books, each with their own special zest and vibes.

What Do All These Successful Authors Have in Common?

1. They play to their own interests and strengths. What I love to do may not be your cup of tea—so don’t do it! If speaking and teaching in front of crowds, or talking with strangers is your kryptonite, find another way. You can use your written words to reach audiences by blogging, writing articles, or simply sharing your writing in creative places.  

2. They don’t spread themselves too thin. Pick one or two areas to focus on, and go deep, learning everything you can and giving it your all. If you choose to learn the art of promoting yourself and books using online ads and you focus your energy there, you’ll eventually get great at it. If you start a social media account or a blog on a topic related to your book and post regular content, you’ll attract a community of readers who might be interested in your book. If you try to do all the things, you’ll exhaust yourself, and you will see fewer results, making you wonder if all the hype about “marketing” is worth it.

3. They show up consistently. Once you’ve found a strategy you enjoy and can sustain over time without burning out, do it consistently. These days, I focus on just two things: my Elevate with Emily Newsletter for heart-led writers and entrepreneurs, and my show, The BOSS Podcast with Emily Bauman. These are both free bi-weekly content outputs and have grown my community to over 13,000 amazing writers, entrepreneurs and creatives. When you’re first starting out, choose one thing you can do regularly, whether it’s monthly, biweekly, or weekly, and show up consistently. Resist making excuses, or giving up too soon. Over time, your audience will build! Pro tip: I’ve found that the key is batch-creating so if you hit a dark night of the soul moment or family emergency your content will still go out as planned.

4. They show up as “themselves” when they interact with readers. Don’t be afraid to let your freak flag fly, whether that’s your obsession with Hot Wheels collectibles, poetry, or your relentless pursuit of perfect grammar. The biggest mistake I see writers make is trying to make all their communications with potential audiences so formal that their Voice and Point of View are missing. Readers are interested in knowing what their favorite writers are really like. And the bonus? Being yourself is much easier to sustain over time than trying to be who you think others expect you to be.

5. They promote year-round, not just when they have a new book coming out. Even if you haven’t published your first book yet, the time to start building your author platform to promote your books is now. This is what I call “testing chapters in the wild” inside my book Born to Write: Transform Your Wisdom into a Bestseller in 90 Days.

   Get your feet wet as soon as you can, and try things out. You’ll realize that the positive feedback from early readers and those who get snippets of your book will quickly turn into jet fuel that motivates you to get it done. “Wow, Emily, I realized people do really care about my book!” my authors always say with a smile when they start per-releasing content during their launch phase.

   Overall, it might take you a minute to learn which promotional strategies give you the most joy and result in meaningful interactions with potential readers. But start somewhere. If you have 12 people in your audience waiting for your book when it comes out, that’s better than zero, right?

Without further ado, here is the juicy resource you’ve been waiting for!