Options. So. Many. Options.
After having successfully loading both my ebook and paperback files onto KDP, I decided to switch gears (plenty of time to get to uploading to IngramSpark), and read up on book promotion.
There is, as with every topic imaginable on any aspect of self-publishing, a wealth of information out there. I used one of the publishing guides offered through the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), specifically REACH MORE READERS and SELL MORE BOOKS/ALLis GUIDE TO BOOK PROMOTION as a base, and then branched out to other sources on the internet as well as YouTube.
YouTube is a terrific source of information, and I am grateful to all of the self-published authors who post videos on the process. What's heartening is that while everyone's experience is unique, there are core pieces of information that everyone seems to agree on as dependable.
Since I am a complete unknown, and because I want to be able to chart exactly what impact any marketing or promotion activity has, I decided to start small and then branch out.
Everyone seems to agree that a professional review (Kirk's, Booklife, PW) is a good thing to have, something that lends credibility to your book, especially if it's positive. It costs $$, and there is NO guarantee that it will be good, and the editors doing the reviewing are going to call 'em as they see 'em.
I went ahead and submitted Four Dogs to Kirkus for a review. It will take seven to nine weeks, no problem for me since I'm not releasing my book until November 1st. We'll see how that turns out.
The second thing I did was set up a Giveaway on Goodreads, 100 ebooks between September 1 and October 1st. It seemed a good way to get some exposure, and Goodreads does all the heavy lifting. Unfortunately, only US readers are eligible, so I am exploring other avenues that have a wider geographic range.
If you are in the US, and are interested in participating, here's the link. The title is Four Dogs and a Small Town.
Good luck!
