Using MySpace for book promotion and author publicity

MySpace is the Internet-age answer to a promotion tactic used by many first-time authors: selling books from the trunk of your car. It requires legwork, it’s time-consuming, and you might not see a results tomorrow or next week. But if you’re sincere, people will notice.

Here’s just a few examples of the types of friends you’ll be able to find and network with on MySpace:

-- Readers. People who read similar kinds of books—on the same topics, genres, or by authors with similar books or styles. You can search for these potential readers using dozens of possible keywords related to your themes and books.

-- Other authors. These can be great people to network with—creative types in the same boat as you, trying to find new readers. You’ll find many valuable ways to share resources and cross-promote with authors you meet on MySpace.

-- Agents and publishers. Book publishers want to find authors who already have a following, a platform that can be turned into readership and book buyers. One of the easiest ways to be seen is to be on MySpace.

Although most members use if in other ways, MySpace is a foolproof self-promotion tool. Any author, even those without computer skills, can easily upload photos along with artwork and sample text from their books. You can include links to buy your book from online retailers, publish a MySpace blog, and send bulletins about your public appearances and publication dates.

Big book publishers have also noticed the publicity value of MySpace, and sometimes slap together author profiles using canned marketing materials. Authors who actually get involved on MySpace tend to get much more mileage. You can’t fake participation and authenticity online.

In addition to its networking opportunities, MySpace is a wickedly good research tool for authors. It’s simple, for example, to find how many members say “Malcolm Gladwell” is their favorite author, and to find those members. Or you could quickly locate members in your Zip Code who are science fiction buffs. And MySpace is a great way for authors to find out what books their own friends and fans are currently reading.