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16
Steve Weber
Internet social networking has handed authors their most powerful
tool since the invention of paper. In the Networked Age, the stock of
gatekeepers is going down, and the power of authors and readers is
soaring.
Word of mouth is the only thing that can make a book really
successful. And this has always been the challenge: How can the author
break through? Until recently, it usually required “pull”—connections
with powerful allies in the publishing food chain. Today, creative writers
can connect with readers directly. The only requirements are a link to
the Internet and the will to plug in.
Taking control of your book sales
This year, 150,000 authors will finish their masterpiece, but most of
them will be horribly disappointed with their sales—only about one-third
of new titles sell more than 100 copies. Most books fail in the
marketplace simply because they never had a chance: Nobody ever heard
about them.
Traditional marketing and advertising is less effective than ever;
people aren’t paying attention to it. But free advertising is alive and well.
The catch is, you can’t manufacture free advertising; you must get it the
old-fashioned way—by earning it.
Now for the first time, authors and readers can ignite word of mouth
using online communities to spread the word about good books. Anyone
with the skills to write an e-mail can publicize their book worldwide,
effectively and economically.
Internet publicity isn’t the only way to promote your book, but it’s
a great way to start—it can open doors you never dreamed of. The real
value of online publicity is that it endures, and spawns more publicity,
the kind that can’t be bought. More than ever, journalists and producers
of radio and television programs use the Internet to find expert
commentators and new story ideas.
One big caveat
Not every song is a hit, and not every ballplayer makes it to the Hall
of Fame. Likewise, an online campaign won’t make a bad book
successful.
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