book marketing
With author and Whether you’re a bestselling novelist, a first-time author or a
marketing expert self-publisher, every writer needs some marketing know-how to
Alison Baverstock make publishers, bookshops and readers want to buy your work
get closer to your readers
Perhaps not this close
at this year’s festivals
A
stint at the Cheltenham title is being read, and so offering
Literary Festival made me the reader the chance to meet the
think more deeply about why author in person is attractive.
such events have become so Of course, the experience
important to market books. of meeting the provider of the
The least original thing to say voice you so engaged with is not
is that literary festivals seem to always fulfilling – and sometimes
be springing up all over. It’s true. the adage of ‘never meeting your
I went to the comparatively new heroes’ is best stuck to. But in
Havant Festival in late September, general the opportunity to ask
now in its third year, and several questions works well.
others have been launched since. Authors are moved to see how
We set one up in Kingston- their readers have engaged with
upon-Thames nine years ago, the world they created, and not
and soon found that there was a infrequently amazed to see how
steady supply of authors keen to real what they imagined has
promote their new books, audi- become to others. They are also
ences to come along and hear often shocked to find how insight-
them speak, libraries and book- ful their readers are, and how the
shops to support the venture and loose ends they suspected would
associated partners with whom remain just that are highlighted people laugh, and several have Festival tips
to work (in our case Kingston and commented upon. written movingly about their If you are offered the opportunity
University, John Lewis, Borders These events also demon- path to success. The diversity of to take part in such a programme,
and the local council). We have strate the growing accessibility the author base has expanded. here is some advice.
tried to match the events to the of literary life. The internet has So the opportunity to hear an ■■ Find out all you can about the
local community and to engage allowed us to Google our author speak about their work, location before you get there, and
with new readers and markets, favourite authors, find out more first hand, without intermedi- prepare what you plan to say to
and others do the same. about them from their websites aries, is usually attractive. And fit both the context (where you
Cheltenham meanwhile is the (whether managed themselves then the chance to take away a are going, what else is going on
grande dame of such events, or by their publishers) and inter- souvenir of that experience, to at the same time) and the spe-
having just celebrated 60 years of rogate them. An inscrutable have a copy of the book being cific event (cosy chat with 30 or
continuous delivery of reading- authorial silence about why they discussed marked with your massed ranks of at least 300?).
related pleasure. But why has it wrote the way they did is less of name, by them, equally so. Arriving and delivering a pre-
all been such a success? an option these days. For the publisher and author prepared speech that would be
Firstly because this is a method The opportunity to meet a there are pragmatic reasons for as relevant in Edinburgh as in
of marketing that works. If you favourite author is particularly supporting the initiative. Budgets Exeter seldom wins friends.
immediately start to wriggle appreciated at the moment. As for book promotion tend to be ■■ Arrive early and acclima-
at the thought of the ‘m’ word life gets busier and more can be small. Whereas a manufacturer tise. Buy the local paper. Try to
being introduced into the exami- done online, without any cor- of other types of product, with attend a couple of events before
nation of something as simple responding humanity to the higher prices, can allocate a per- your own and listen to the kind
as unfettered communication exchange, people are hungry for centage of anticipated profits to of questions that get asked. Try
between author and reader, then an experience that feels more real. marketing, confident that in the to remember when you last vis-
I apologise. If however we define There is an increasing desire for long term there will be sufficient ited the location and make some
marketing as ‘making available nostalgia – cooking programmes revenue to support effective sell- positive comments about being
for purchase’, then literary festi- that show us how to put food ing, most book publishing is pleased to be back. The pro-
vals do just that. at the centre of a relationship initially speculative and relies gramme managers had a choice
The literary festival model fits rather just admire the result, and heavily on free promotion and over whom to invite and they
very well with how best to com- reports that knitting is making a publicity. Literary festivals offer selected you, so try to return the
municate about books. Reading comeback. the enticing prospect of what is compliment.
a book creates an intimacy with Rather than just doing stand- termed ‘heavy book-buyers’ all ■■ The more you mention the
the author, a relationship that is up, today comics are talking in one place and eager to pur- opportunity to buy a copy of
private and deepens whilst the about how it feels to try to make chase a souvenir of their visit. your latest book and have it
52 Writers
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forum #99
WF99JAN52.indd 1 26/11/2009 09:36:33
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