Customer Reviews

Guerrilla Marketing for Writers : 100 Weapons to Help You Sell Your Work

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As the author of 24 books which enjoy a worldwide circulation in excess of a million and a half copies and whose books have been translated into 37 languages, I recommend Guerilla Marketing for Writers to any author who aspires to success. <P)

If this book had existed twelve years ago, my income would be several times what it is today. I would have avoided numerous expensive mistakes because I would have more realistic expectations of who should do what in publishing. Guerilla Marketing for Writers presents an insider's view of what really goes on in publishing and outlines over one hundred specific, affordable and practical ways authors can promote their book and leverage of its success.

Guerilla Marketing for Writers presents a doable tutorial that will help every author who adopts even just a few of its ideas. It's message won't be appreciated by those who feel "marketing should be left for publishers" but will be appreciated by authors who respect their work enough to want to promote their book to its maximum potential. Just one of the ideas in this book can lead to a more profitable future. For over twenty years, Jay Conrad Levinson has been helping small businesses in general promote themselves to greater success. Now, authors can benefit from his and his co-author's wisdom adapted to their specific needs. If you want to write a book, begin by reading this book (as well as Michael Larsen's How To Write a Book Proposal).

As a writer of fiction, I bought this book to help me sell my writing. Needless to say, I was disappointed when I realized that this book is geared for non-fiction, specifically self-help type writing. That isn't to say that this book can't help fiction writers, but the vast majority of these "weapons" are geared for people who can make a career of traveling to give talks. Tell me, how is a sci-fi writer supposed to do that? Perhaps it's a lack of imagination on my part, but if you're a fiction writer, save your money. Or, if you have some extra to burn, buy it, but keep in mind that most of these "weapons" come with the caveat, "This may not be helpful for fiction writers...." or "Fiction writers won't be able to use this...."
Just be aware.

The introduction pretty well sums up the fatal flaw in this book: "But [this book] isn't a how-to book, it's a what-to book."

You have to ask: How much good is knowing what to do if you don't know how to do it? Go rebuild the engine in your car. I told you what to do; you will have to find out how to do it somewhere else. Save yourself the trouble and go somewhere else to begin with.

I bought this book to learn how to market my novels. I get: "In this respect [promotion] novelists are luckier than nonfiction writers. Not much is expected from them in the way of promotion.(page 87)" How much less? None? A little bit? Which ones of the 100 "weapons" should I use? Though I forced myself through the rest of the book and its interminably boring lists, I never found the answer.

I will have to say the authors practise what they preach. I would bet they have used all the gorilla (my spelling) weapons in this book, and then some, to sell every copy they can; including, I suspect, many of the glowing reviews on this page from members of their "network." You push my book and I will push yours.

It is a shame that American literature has come down to who is the best marketer. Maybe that is why many new novels, which used to keep me glued to my seat, now get slammed shut after the first few chapters. Maybe the next one will be better.

This book is cotton candy: real yummy but no substance: sugar air. The best part is the money-back guarantee, which the authors proudly proclaim, is a safe bet because most people won't take you up on it.

I have to give it some credit for the appendixes. Of course, you could get the same thing with a few simple internet searches, but I hate to be all negative.

If you buy this book, you may find yourself saying: "I've been guerillaed."

Equip yourself with first-rate salemanship skills. Reading Guerilla Marketing For Writers is like taking a marketing course. The book is full of strategies for self-promotion. Beginning with an up-to-date assessment of publishing trends, Part I offers insight into all areas of the field. Included are "The Fifteen Most Important Marketing Secrets," and "The Guerilla Marketing Commandments". Part II explores your role as a marketer, and tactics for selling your books and gaining publicity. A section is devoted to setting goals and mapping a plan. Part III, "Weapons Galore To Help you Sell More," includes interview ideas, instructions for building a media kit, and information to include in a press reolease or bio. There are also suggested methods for evaluation and several pages devoted to articles and short stories. PartIV addresses professionalism and ways to market your identity. The book concludes with several useful tools, including a resource directory, subject appendix, and publicity questionnaire. I highly recommend this book. Few deal with marketing issues as creatively or clearly.

or publish yourself, the author must do the Promotion. It is a sad
fact of publishing life: publishers do not promote books. They only
produce them and place them in bookstores. Fortunately, now there is a
Guerrilla Marketing book for those who need it the most-the
writer.

These three marketing geniuses help you assess your
strengths, arm you with the tools you will need, show you how to
promote your book and generously share their years of experience
marketing books. This book is brimming with every conceivable book
marketing and promotion idea. Some are expensive and some are
free. Some are hard and some are easy. Some require you to personally
flog your own book and some are remote and anonymous. Enlist now and
requisition your weapons. Don't go into the publishing jungle
unarmed.

As a publisher and an author of 113 books (including
revisions and foreign-language editions) and over 500 magazine
articles, I highly recommend this book to both authors and publishers.

GEURRILLA MARKETING FOR WRITERS is a helpful manual for someone who is planning a strategy for marketing nonfiction. Most of the suggestions in the book can be applied to marketing fiction also.The feature I liked most about GM for Writers was the motivational impact it had on me. As the author of a new novel (SOLOMON'S PORCH) without a big amount of money to spend on obtaining publicity, I found many useful suggestions. I especially liked the idea of being sure that I do five things every day to promote my book. There are 100 suggestions--weapons they are called--to help a writer promote a book. About 65 of these I found helpful. At the moment I'm turned off with the title of the book though and with the idea of weapons. The least attractive feature of the book was its redundancy. It seemed that I read some of the same ideas over and over and over. Actually the book is meant to be a reference work, and I feel sure I'll refer to it often. I do recommend it for any writer who wishes to promote his book.

Because I read this book and followed it's advice, all of my books are still in print. And if a Flight Attendant like me can do this, you can too! Get this book follow it's advice, and watch your sales take off.

One simple line from this exceptional book got my mind moving: "The real dough is outside the cookie cutter."

"Yes," I thought, "that is true - and let's see how these ideas can help me to see and create there."

I learned quickly how to think like a guerilla - new, inclusive, big, follow through, way out and GIVING. YES! Simple to apply - and best of all, I can apply these ideas without spending a lot of money. Yes, I will spend time and energy learning... and it is time and energy I will be able to invest in each book that comes through my pen and into published form.

This is a large volume with lots of ideas you can implement for free. You can pick and choose from the wide menu to apply to your promotional campaign. I saw one fiction writer who said, "I can't use these ideas!" and I wonder - "Is that writer thinking outside the cookie cutter?"

With a title like "guerilla marketing" I was expecting a book filled with offbeat ideas for book marketing. Instead it was the usual "build a platform, do a lot of speaking engagements, make a professional press kit" type stuff. I've heard it all a million times, and it's available everywhere. Still I give the book 3 stars for being well written and well organized. For a book that has the usual as well as more unusual ideas, I'd recommend 1001 Ways to Market Your Books by John Kremer.

If you are looking for a book filled with many ideas on how to sell more books-this is the book for you. Some of the ideas will cost money, others are basically cost-free to implement.

Please note: The greatest method to improve you book sales (promotion) is YOUR imagination. You have to use your creativity. You have to improvise many of the ideas in this book to best suit your needs. So put on your thinking cap and get to work!

The truth is, the greatest way to make your book a runaway best seller is by word of mouth. You have to create a great product, a book that people will LOVE. A book that they will love to tell their friends about. Once you have people talking, you don't need to do any more work-they will sell the book for you.

Zev Saftlas, Author of Motivation That Works: How to Get Motivated and Stay Motivated