Once you’ve written a book, you’ll find your hands rather full as a promoter of your own work. While it’s not fun to toot your own horn, you do have to drum up interest in your book. One of the best ways to do this is by hosting a book signing event.

​Not all book signing events are the same. Before you go about picking a venue, you should try to set the tone for it. Most authors have a causal or semi-formal setting for the book signing event. Are you going to have a Q and A session or a reading session as well? This can make your event friendlier and drum up more interest in the book.

​Once you know the kind of book signing event it will be, it’s time to pick a venue. Most authors tend to pick bookstores but, how about thinking out of the box here? You can host book signing events in bars, outdoors and even in museums. Use your book to draw inspiration for the venue that suits it the most. 

​Make sure that your event is not timed to coincide with a holiday or some other event. This can negatively impact your book signing event. Although in some cases, it can end up boosting interest. For example: If you wrote a horror thriller, Halloween is the perfect time to have a book signing for it.

​When you have hashed out the venue, the type of book signing event and the timing, you have to actively market it. While you will have to make use of advertising over social media, you can also add a personal touch here. Send invitation cards to all your friends and acquaintances, co-workers and more.  

​Now that you’re at the book signing event, don’t forget the fine details that will be responsible for making the event a success. These include:

​When the event is drawing to a close, don’t forget to thank everyone for showing up. You might want to offer goodie bags or handwritten notes to your friends, the venue owners and other people who showed up. 

​One of the most important elements of your book is the cover. Marketing can only bring the reader so far. The odd thing is that previously, the cover was usually not as important. More emphasis was given to the content inside. However, it has been noted that the book cover can definitely impact the appeal and the sales of the book.

​People are visually impacted by the products around them and a beautiful book cover will compel someone to buy it. This is the first step. Once they pick it up, they will look at the blurb on the back which is when most make up their mind to buy it. To get to this point, the cover needs to be appealing enough to tempt them and they will be willing to buy the book.

​This little phenomenon is known as selling your book before it is even read. In fact, the cover of the book is so important that you will find limited editions of books with different covers. It not only boosts sales and compels readers to buy the book again. Now, if you have written a book and are thinking about getting a book cover made, consider the following:

​Always work with a good designer who understands the content of the book. You don’t have to give them the book to read but you can also provide a brief summary of the storyline. Additionally, if you have any examples of the kind of book covers you like, share it with the designer. This makes it easier for them to design the cover. Sharing the summary also means that you and the designer are on the same page.

​The font on the front of the cover will make a huge difference on the reader. Bad font choices here can drive away people from buying it. Certain fonts are also associated with different things. The dripping, goopy font is often seen in R.L. Stine’s horror story titles. Many non-fiction books use Helvetica or a Serif font on the cover since it is associated with feelings of trustworthiness. You will hardly ever see Comic Sans unless it is on a kid’s book or a spoof or comedy book. 

When picking colors, pay attention to the impact of color psychology as well as the theme of the book. Some colors like red and blue are common choices but you can also use muted alternatives such as pink, teal or more. The right color combinations, along with the right font can elevate your book cover. Even if there are no graphics, the colors will be appealing enough to attract buyers.​

​When publishing a book, the genre it falls into can make a major difference in the process. Non-fiction books can be simpler to publish but they do present a few challenges you shouldn’t overlook. If you’re interested, the following are a few simple tips for non-fiction publishing that can help you out:

If you’re writing your first non-fiction book, a professional editor will play a major role. Pick someone who understands the genre and is also familiar with non-fiction publishing requirements. An experienced editor will also make your writing process easier.
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They can identify mistakes and help you overcome many challenges in non-fiction writing. Their knowledge can prove to be invaluable in helping you create content that is true to your story and appeals to the readers as well. 

With writing, it is impossible to not draw inspiration from real life people and scenarios. If you must include them, always ask for permission from this person. This is an important step in fiction and non-fiction publishing. This ensures that any issues relating to libel, improper representation and more are easily sorted out before the book is released.
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A big example of this can be seen in Caitlyn Jenner’s tell-all novel, “The Secrets of My Life.” The book showed the Kardashian family in a negative light. The Kardashian’s also claimed that Caitlyn published a version of the book which had not been shared with them. It ended up creating a feud that has still not been completely resolved. 

If you are including descriptions of locations, events that have happened in the past and more, you shouldn’t always rely on your memory. Sure, your emotions of that incident might make the event more poignant for you but do your research first. In non-fiction publishing, checking the facts to make sure that you are only including accurate ones is a necessity.

For example: The Great Depression started in 1929 when the stock market crashed. A similar stock market crash also happened in 2008. Confusion between the two historical events is a major error that will create confusion for readers and ruin the credibility of your book. 

Many people gravitate towards paperbacks for non-fiction publishing. However, don’t skip on eBooks or even Audiobooks. These two formats are becoming increasingly popular, particularly among older, busy readers nowadays.

EBooks and Audiobooks also have increased flexibility in terms of shareability. You can also link them to your website, your social media pages and incorporate them into your online marketing scheme with ease.

​Before you submit your book for publishing, you need to focus on its formatting. This is a major component which is responsible for improving readability.  Formatting makes a huge difference and poorly formatted books are hard to read.

​Fiction and non-fiction books have different formatting requirements so pay attention to the genre of your book. Additionally, the book’s genre can also allow you to incorporate some design elements. If you never paid attention to the difference in formatting, you should pick a book and see for yourself. From the page indentation to the font, there is a noticeable difference. 

​Indenting the content can really help to show the start of a new paragraph. It also breaks the monotony of reading a large body of text. Indents are also largely used in fiction book formatting. When you’re looking to add an indent, avoid using the tab button for it. Instead, go to the paragraph settings on MS Word and indent the paragraph with its help.  

Apart from indentation, you need to ensure that your content is readable. Pick a font and a size which is pleasing to the eye and makes your work look neat. Avoid picking fonts based on aesthetics only. Even Times New Roman is a good font to use.
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 Additionally, when working on your document, make sure the MS Page view settings is set to 100%. This gives you a look at the content from the neutral view. If the font is too small, pick a size bigger. Usually, 12 will do but some font types can be smaller and difficult to read, even with that font size. 

Always include headers and footers, particularly if you are dealing with an eBook project. Even in print books, you’ll find the title of the book or the chapter on the top right corner of the book. Including page numbers is a necessity and you’ll hardly ever see a book without this important addition.
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Moreover, pick header designs or footer designs which can add to the appeal of your book.
With the help of the tips mentioned above, you can not only improve readability but also enhance the overall appeal of the book easily.

So, you have gotten your book published. Congratulations! You might think that the hard part is over but we hate to break it to you, it isn’t.

There’s still some distance you have to cover and book advertising is one path that you inevitably will cross. It is a major factor that plays a huge role in the success of your book. The last thing you would want is to waste money, time and energy on poor marketing and book advertising.
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Whether you’re looking to market a hard copy or an eBook, the following are some excellent book advertising tips which can help you.

Hold an online quiz or offer a discount or a book package to boost interest in your book. Many people, especially avid readers, love a good promotion. Not only will they buy your book but if it is good, they will probably recommend it to others.

Organic, word-of-mouth book advertising plus a healthy promotion from your end will give a lot of results.

Many writers focus on traditional routes of advertising such as book signings, local book gathering or even the radio. However, unless you are already established and have a good following, it can be hard to make a big impact.
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 Luckily, you can save time and money by choosing to use social media platforms instead. Whether you are on Facebook or Twitter, you can create bigger and faster engagement with ease. 

Just as there are many readers who enjoy reading on Kindle, there are many who love audiobooks. Audiobooks have slowly grown in popularity to rival eBooks. Recording one can be time consuming, especially if you are choosing to do it yourself. However, the effort and time you put in it will be rewarded with the large number of sales you garner.
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A well-recorded audiobook can increase interest in your work as a writer and be an invaluable tool in book advertising.

From blog posts about your book to 5 star ratings on Amazon and Facebook, you can incorporate your positive reviews into your book advertising strategy. Positive reviews also increase interaction with other bloggers. Instagram, Facebook and Twitter are great platforms to interact with them. An added plus is if your book has a beautiful cover, making it Instagram worthy for pictures.
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Book advertising can be complicated since what works for one author might not work for the other. As long as you understand your target audience and their buying behavior, you won’t have any problems in advertising your book for them. 

​While you should rightfully celebrate this amazing accomplishment, it is also a good time to mentally prepare for the final leg of the race here. You should now focus on self publishing your book to get it out to the masses. 

​Self publishing entails doing all the work that a regular publishing house does. In short, you have to edit and format the content, design the cover as well as the marketing and pricing of the book. Self publishing can be challenging, particularly for newbies but with the help of the following tips, you can make things easier for yourself.

This might be the second step but it is extremely important. A good cover can entice readers as well as reflect the message of the story without giving away spoilers. Having a cover that does all that is necessary. Remember, we all judge a book by its cover, so make sure you have a great one!

​Self publishing can be done through traditional print or in a digital format. Either format comes with a number of different challenges that need to be considered. Traditional print also tends to be more expensive to self publish and sell so it is a good idea to think about your available budget. 

​Once you have decided the format, you need to pick the marketplace you are going to release your book on. Amazon, Apple and even Google offer online libraries but you can also monitor the reading habits of your target market. Younger readers are more comfortable with eBooks they can read on their Kindle or tablets. Older readers still tend to prefer traditional print books.

​Always focus on the fine details when you are self publishing. Often these are the very same details that a publishing house would be managing. However, since you are self publishing, you are responsible for them. These include the layout of the page, knowing fictional and non-fictional book formats, adding images, picking the type of paper to print on, getting an ISBN number and more.

​Make sure that you are 100% certain that you hold the rights to your book. Always ensure that you have full ownership of your ISBN number, your book as well as the cover unless otherwise specified. This ensures that should your book become a best-seller, you won’t suddenly be inundated with lawsuits or pending payments from its shares. 

​Whether you are trying to get published or reviewing someone else’s work, knowing how to edit plays a huge role in how well the content is received. If you have to edit a book, it might seem very daunting and time consuming. To make things simpler, here’s a short guide on how to do it the easy way:

​It can be very difficult to edit a book in one go. This makes it more likely for you to miss out on the errors. A good idea is to go by chapters when you are editing. You can also pay attention to other factors such as the outline of the story, scene setting, sentence structure and other factors. By editing in chunks you are more likely to pick up on any discrepancies in how the story flows.

​Once you have made the edits, don’t be so quick to turn in the book. Take a break for half an hour and then go to the start of the document. Re-read your edits to make sure that the changes you have made, add to the story. You might be removing redundant words or making sentences brief and readable but make sure that the plot or storyline doesn’t get sidetracked when you do so.

​When you are editing, don’t just look at the spelling and grammar. Look at the story at large and ask yourself a few questions. Don’t know what to ask? The following can be a rough questionnaire for you to use:

​It’s a good idea to ask someone else to edit your work or re-read your edits. Many writers face difficulty in knowing what to cut out or what to keep. With an outsider’s perspective, they get a more objective outlook on the content and the mistakes in it. 

​Many writers have a problem with social media. Either they are using it too much or not enough. Finding the right balance is essential as it plays an important role in how you communicate with your readers/audience. To make things simpler for you, we have four simple social media tips for aspiring writers:

1.     Pick the Right PlatformsYou don’t have to use all the social media platforms. Just pick the ones you are most comfortable with. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are a must whereas Instagram and Snapchat can be more optional. Twitter, in particular, can be crucial for networking, socializing and building a target market and improving interaction and awareness of your book.

2.     Create a ConversationFocus on improving engagement by trying to create real conversations. Ask questions, be thoughtful and interact with your target audience in a manner that will create and instigate loyalty. Share content related to an interesting topic that can click well with your followers. Memes and puns and jokes are also a great way to create a good conversation and healthy interaction.

3.     Avoid a Promotional AuraDon’t just keep talking about your work on social media. It can be very promotional and off-putting to others and might decrease interest in your work. A good idea is to follow a ratio of 80:20 in your content. At least 80% of the content you share can be related to your industry, genre, writing tips or more. Around 20% can be related to your work. This keeps a good balance and ensures you aren’t going too overboard in the start. Once you understand your target audience, you can change the ratios to suit you.

4.     Good Examples of Writers on Social MediaIt is a good idea to look at different examples of writers on social media. Looking at how they interact can give you a better idea on how to interact on social media. The following are a few good examples:

• Stephen King – He often posts about his dog and other areas of his life which are equally as interesting as his books.
• George R.R. Martin – Fans actually find it exasperating to see him post anything that is not related to his books. Everyone is really waiting on the last one to hit bookshelves.

While they are renowned authors who have best sellers, they are also from a time when using social media was not the norm. Over time, they have carefully curated their social media presence to garner a large array of followers.

Writer’s block happens to the best of us and it can be very frustrating to deal with. While many writers often assume that it will go away on its own, some writers have experienced weeks or even days when all their work feels insufficient. To tackle the problem, you have to consider the cause and several other factors. Some of these include:
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• Time Limits – This is the most common cause and can prolong the writer’s block as well. The more you think about the time limits, the more anxious you will become.
• Fears – Every writer has a fear of getting negative critique. Writing can be a very personal experience for some and the fear of being judged on their work can cause ideas to dry up.
• Perfectionism – Striving for the perfect phrases, sentences, words and more can be a taxing process. It can leave you feeling depleted and stunt the progress you are making.
• Routine Boredom – When you write so frequently, it can cause you to become bored or you have used up all your ideas. Try as you might, it can be hard to be creative when you feel stuck in the routine.
• Following a Format – Many writers believe in writing in a format. First comes the beginning, the middle and the end. Any other format might feel odd, unfamiliar or restrictive. 

All these scenarios and more can contribute to causing writer’s block in a person. Some writers can become absolutely miserable and start to procrastinate or refuse to write until the block disappears. However, it won’t go away on its own. The following are a few ways you can overcome writer’s block with ease.
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• Write whatever comes to mind - What do you do when you have the middle but can’t work out how to write without the end or the beginning of the piece? You write it down and build the story around it.
• Take a Break – Go for a walk, exercise or talk to someone. Use this as an opportunity to let your creative side rest. When you go back to the writing table, you feel better.
• Change of Environment – If you cannot write in your bedroom, change the environment and head to the living room. If you need to, head out to a café or the local library to get a better writing environment.
• Know that It’s Okay – Even the bestselling authors experience writer’s block from time to time. Acknowledge that it is alright and don’t beat yourself up about. Progress might be slow but fans of your work will be patient and understanding too. Just look at George R.R. Martin as an example.

Creating a great book cover design for your manuscript is something that every successful author has taken seriously, it’s a fact that the market place for authors has become incredibly busy, so, if you don’t try to stand out from the crowd you will find it more challenging to sell your book.

A professional book cover will help you to present the best image to your audience, but you will also need some form of advertising too. Now I’m not saying you have to spend thousands of dollars in self promotion, but you will need to put a little effort in to ensure you reach an audience.
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So, what options should you be looking at with your book? Well the first and most obvious choice would be using social media, the likes of Facebook and Twitter are great places to begin with and they are free to set up. Of course the greatest investment you’re going to have to make will be with your time, the social media accounts are wonderful places to begin, but you will need to be consistent with their usage.

Getting set up with your social media channels gives you the choice in using a personal account or having a separate and more specific set of feeds which are purely for your ‘Brand’ as an author. Now this is a personal choice but most favor keeping them separate and focused on you as an author (not all of your readers will want to read about your friend’s birthdays etc).
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With your social media channels created you should look at having a consistent feel across all of them, so use the same profile picture and banners. With your profile picture keep in mind your genre, if you write thrillers, would a selfi on vacation be the best option? Maybe not, try and use a profile picture which fits the image of a professional writer in your genre. The same goes for your banners, where possible have a professional one created which includes a visual reference to your current books.

With social media the key is not to just use it to sell, connect with others and engage with them, post things that interest you and that you think would be of interest to others, again, if all you do is post links to where someone can buy your book on Amazon you’ll lose followers very quickly.

Post things of interest to your readers and don’t go overboard, updating your status every five seconds is way too much but only posting once a week is way too little. It’s fair to say that most people follow lots of other feeds, so they’re used to seeing their social media pages update very quickly with lots of information, you can post five – ten times a day and still (if the posts are relevant) grow and engage your audience.
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The nest step would be starting your own blog and/or website, these are so much easier to create than most authors would imagine, and we have several articles on how to do so with our own blog. Here you can have a platform to promote, inform and engage with your readers, as with social media the more you put in to it the more you’ll get out, so keep it relevant and update it consistently.

From a website comes an opportunity to build a mailing list too, for this you’ll normally need to offer something for free (such as the first couple of chapters of your up and coming book), this will be in return for the reader’s email address. From here you can build a list which you can send mail outs to, try not to go crazy with sending hundreds of emails each week, keep it to two to four a month and ensure you follow the guidelines from your mailout providing service.
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Along with websites and social media you can promote your book through companies such as BookBub, here you can get a small ad for your book in front of thousands of readers, with a simple link to your book’s sales page. These services are normally quite economical to run and will give your book a boost.

Also, with Amazon you can try a give away (for the eBook version) and for four or five days give it away for free, from this you will be hoping for a boost in the rankings and a higher position (ie: easier to find) when the free offer ends.
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Of course there are lots of other creative things you can do to promote your book and yourself as an author, the main thing to remember is to engage with your audience and have fun.