Sell More Books!: Book Marketing and Publishing for Low Profile and Debut Authors Rethinking Book Publicity after the Digital Revolutions [Paperback]

J. Steve Miller (Author), Blythe Daniel (Assistant), Stephanie Richards (Assistant), John Kremer (Contributor), Brian Jud (Contributor), Cherie K. Miller (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 8, 2011

Can low-profile, not-yet-famous authors get published and sell lots of books? This multiple award winning book says "Yes!" and tells how.

“…a comprehensive guide to marketing a book…[a] well-written, engaging resource that’s loaded with specific tips…. Brimming with creative ideas, Sell More Books! should prove to be a low profile author’s best friend.” - ForeWord Reviews

Writers and publishers will find the latest insider tips on writing and publishing more marketable books. Learn up-to-date information on publishing options, social networking, and "tried and true" book marketing tactics.

Includes hundreds of practical book-selling strategies for both traditionally and self-published authors. Learn which methods may work best for your books and your personality, and which methods might be a complete waste of time.

Should all authors blog? Should all authors do Twitter? According to the authors, in some cases these strategies can produce results; for others, they will be a waste of time. This book provides the wisdom to help authors make wise choices.

Chapters include:

Write a Marketable Book
Write a Title and Subtitle That Attracts Audiences
Attract People with your Cover
Publish through the Most Marketable Channel
Get Lots of Blurbs from All Kinds of People
Optimize Your Amazon and Barnes & Noble Pages
Build a Professional Online Presence
Submit Your Book to Contests
Check Your Attitudes toward Marketing
Use Guiding Principles to Prioritize Initiatives
Seek Early Reviews from Respected Book Review Sources
Seek Reviews and Endorsements from Busy Blogs
Seek Reviews and Endorsements from Other Publications
Attract Attention through Social Media
Optimize Digital Sales
Sell Your Book in Brick and Mortar Stores (Not Just Bookstores!)
Help Reporters and Journalists with their Articles
Consider Radio (Even if You’re Shy!)
Consider Speaking (Even if You’re Shy!)
John Kremer’s Twelve Tips for Low-Profile Authors
Bulk Sales Beyond the Bookstore: An Interview with Brian Jud
Consider Press (News) Releases

Low platform authors can win! Author J. Steve Miller didn't have a degree in music; neither was he a professional musician. Yet, he wrote a book on music that was published by a respected publisher and was translated into Dutch, German, Romanian, Russian and Spanish. He doesn't have a degree in education, yet his educational resources are used by schools and teachers in every state and over 30 countries.

“Whether you’re traditionally published or self-published, the author must do the promotion. This book provides solid guidance and is full of valuable tips.” - Dan Poynter, best-selling author of over 125 books and revisions, recognized authority on book marketing, promoting and distributing, author of The Self-Publishing Manual

Steve and Cherie Miller love to write, publish, and help fellow authors. Cherie serves as president of the Georgia Writers Association. Steve is president of Legacy Educational Resources. Contributors Brian Jud and John Kremer are two of the most highly respected names in book marketing.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Steve and Cherie Miller love to write, publish, and help fellow authors. They live on Lake Allatoona in Metro Atlanta. Cherie serves as president of the Georgia Writers Association. Steve is president of Legacy Educational Resources. Contributors Brian Jud and John Kremer are two of the most highly respected names in book marketing. Blythe Daniel is a Colorado literary agent and book publicist with experience in the traditional publishing industry. Stephanie Richards is a Georgia publicist.

Product Details

• Paperback: 344 pages
• Publisher: Wisdom Creek Press (June 8, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0981875637
• ISBN-13: 978-0981875637
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #261,805 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Steve is the founder and president of Legacy Educational Resources, providing global resources for teachers of life skills in public schools, churches, and service organizations at http://www.character-education.info. A self-styled "wisdom broker," he collects wisdom from many fields and packages it for teachers and writers via his published books and the Web.

Steve is an educator (teaches at Kennesaw State University), entrepreneur, and speaker, having taught audiences from Atlanta to Moscow. He's known for drawing practical wisdom from serious research and communicating it in accessible, unforgettable ways. His wife, Cherie, and their seven sons continually remind him what works and what doesn't. Connect with him at http://www.jstevemiller.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Every Author Needs This Book! September 12, 2011

By A. Miller

Format:Paperback

As a first-time author, I have devoured this book by J. Steve Miller! All authors, whether first time or seasoned, self-published or traditionally published, will benefit greatly from this guide to marketing your book. Mr. Miller has left nothing out; he starts at the beginning with a brief history of publishing, describing the recent revolution in publishing and how it affects authors.

In a clear, easy-to-understand, and friendly tone, Miller talks about everything you want to know about marketing your book, beginning with the title selection and book design. He discusses marketing before the book comes out and then marketing for the life of the book, which can be a very long time (fortunately for us author/marketers).

The best things about this book:

1. It is complete. Miller stresses that authors cannot do everything in the book, but he helps authors decide what is best for them, considering the book and the author's personality. Love the options!

2. Miller gives tons of links throughout the book. Love the links!!!

3. Miller has been through this and gives personal experiences as well as the advice of other experts. Love the inspiration of others!

Yes, there are other books on book promotion, but I find Sell Your Books to be the most complete and easy to use. Authors: This book will help you immensely!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It's All In The Name September 11, 2011

By Lorilyn Roberts

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

When I read the title, Sell More Books!, I couldn't imagine anything that would help ME to sell more books. After all, I had done nearly everything that had been suggested by marketing gurus and experts. What else was there that I hadn't already tried?

Originally my marketing plan consisted of a little bit of this and a little bit of that, hoping something might work. I was so afraid that if I didn't try everything, the one thing I didn't do would be the difference maker. Why I took this approach, I don't know, except to acknowledge that marketing is far more overwhelming and complicated than writing a book.

Oftentimes we are bombarded with a zillion suggestions from well-meaning marketing folks, and being the newbie that I was, I tried most of them. What I found, however, is that many of those highly touted things didn't work (and don't work for most new or low-profile authors). Do you really need a publicist, for instance? What about all those press releases that cost a lot of money? And a drawing up a marketing plan? What would that consist of, anyway? Sell More Books! will help

Once I began reading Sell More Books! I realized what I needed were not new methods or ideas but a strategy to help me evaluate what I had already done. And Sell More Books! did not disappoint. I never thought about incorporating what had worked into a marketing plan that would fit my needs and budget into the future. I think it's just human nature, like a cow, to think the grass on the other side of the fence is greener. Whatever we haven't done is what we think we need to do because somebody somewhere says so--and we think they know more than we do.

Sell More Books! made me realize I was not alone, but by following some common sense, inexpensive suggestions, I could resurrect my lagging sales and achieve better results. Simply put, I needed to look at those things that had worked and continue to pursue them. And lastly, but also very important, I was challenged not to sit on those ideas but to put them to good use. When you become discouraged, oftentimes the hardest part is just getting started again. And because Sell More Books! helped me to see the mistakes I had made, I felt I could trust Steve Miller on other aspects of marketing I wasn't as sure about.

Not everybody sells tons of books from TV and radio appearances--really? I thought I was the only one. What worked for me, I found myself asking? What about all of those wonderful book reviews I have posted on Amazon and other websites? Why not get some more? After all, you can't have too many.

These are just two ways to market out of dozens outlined in Sell More Books. The suggestions run the gamut for every type of book in print and every type of person. Yes, we are all different. Go with what works for you and throw out the rest. Don't feel like your book is a failure if something worked for someone else but doesn't work for you.

In addition, Steve Miller shares many stories from authors he has talked to first-hand regarding marketing--and has concluded, as I did, that many things are a waste of money. I wish I had read Sell More Books two years ago. I could have made better choices in marketing Children of Dreams, saving myself a lot of time, money, and discouragement.

Sell More Books is the best marketing book I have read. Buy yours today and don't repeat the mistakes others have made. You will be encouraged to keep on keeping on in the difficult world of marketing.

Lorilyn Roberts

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended December 29, 2012

By Robert D. Saffrin

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book really does have something for every author minus the hype that is so prevalent in books on marketing. I have read many books on writing and marketing for authors but this book is by far the most comprehensive I have seen. The author combines a well-researched, almost technical manual, with a very practical and user-friendly style. The author provides a great conversation on traditional verses inde publishing without the prejudicial view that most authors have about one or the other.

The author speaks with the voice of one who has been there through the good, the bad, and the ugly of book publishing and marketing. He tells it like it is and offers practical ideas to help those of us who are flooded with confusing and contradictory information.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. Read it once and then go back to it again and again as a reference.