A Self-Publisher’s Biggest Job: Visibility
In the past, I have talked about visibility as a self-publisher and its importance. It is probably one of the most important jobs a self-publisher has when it comes to selling and promoting their book. With traditional publishers, such as those known as “the Big 5,” such as Penguin Random House (which we have all heard of), they have a strong relationship with major bookstores and major online platforms, so these traditional publishers can easily put books in those major stores. These traditional publishers also have big pockets. They have teams that take care of the advertising, press, and early promotions of the book to get readers hyped, therefore gaining visibility for the author.
On the flip side, self-published authors are responsible for their own advertising, press, and promotions, making it a little harder to become visible. Most major bookstores do not put self-publishers’ books on their shelves. But, as I have said before, becoming visible as a self-publisher isn’t impossible; it just takes time, effort, and persistence. It also takes making “cold calls,” sending emails, getting yourself out there, and sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone!
This past week, my illustrator and I had the opportunity to be interviewed by a news anchor on a local TV station! The local TV station is Kake. We were definitely out of our comfort zones, but everyone was so nice and made us feel welcomed and comfortable. We have done different types of events, which are important as a self-publisher, but to reach an even broader audience, I knew we had to go big! It had been suggested to me about a year ago, but I didn’t feel like the timing was right. I wanted to test the waters first by doing a few events, selling my book on my website, and finding out if readers loved my story before cannonballing into the deep end of the publishing pool! After all, I am still learning how to wear all the hats that come with being a self-publisher! There’s also that fine line between being ambitious and accidentally signing yourself up for more than you can handle. So finally, the time came when I felt like it was right to reach out to the TV station.
I sent an email, expecting that I would need to either follow up with another one or that it would probably be a few weeks before someone responded. But, much to my surprise, I received an email back within an hour, from one of the producers of one of their morning shows. In my email, I gave a little bit of my background, then told them that I was a self-publisher, a little bit about my book, and a little about my illustrator. I then asked if they would be interested in having us there for an interview. At the end of the email, I included my contact information and mentioned my website because I wanted whoever was in charge of deciding whether to have us on or not could learn more. It also gave them a chance to read a few blog posts and take a closer look at my book. In the producer’s email replying to me, she stated they would love to have us, gave me some dates to choose from (one of the dates was just a week away), and sent me a form to fill out. The form was very straightforward. It asked for our names, what I wanted to promote, some question suggestions, and other pertinent information. I was also asked to send my logo, website information, and some pictures of the characters, as well as a picture of the book cover. This was a very simple process and, of course, all done through email.
My illustrator and I were a little nervous, but the interview went well. Kake had the book not only on the screen at one point, but they also had the book on a stand on a coffee table, in front of us. The TV anchor asked us questions like what the book is about, what the message of the book is, how the illustrations were done, and what our next projects were. He also asked us about upcoming events and how people could buy the book. For a little bit of being out of my comfort zone, it was well worth the publicity. I will be forever thankful for that opportunity. And, as I talked about in last week’s blog, my children’s book was put on a shelf in a new local bookstore, Final Draft, which happened because of a “cold call.”
So, the point of this blog is to encourage others who are self-published authors not to be afraid of getting out there making those “cold calls” and sending emails. The worst that can happen is that they tell you they are not interested. But, most of the time, if the bookstore is not a big chain, and you are a local author, chances are the owners/managers of those bookstores and local TV stations are going to want to talk to you, help promote, and do what they can because you are part of the community. These types of places are all about community and local artists. Also, it is publicity for them because they know that you will let people know before it happens and afterwards, by word of mouth and by putting it on your website and social media sites. It is a win-win for everyone!
