Marketing is often one of an author’s least favourite aspects of indie publishing (and, for many, traditional publishing too).
As authors, most of us would prefer to be curled up in a cosy room, spending all our time writing stories and drinking tea. Alas, that is not an option for the vast majority of us who brave the wild world of words. If we want to make any money from our literary endeavours (let alone earn a liveable wage through our writing), marketing is a necessary evil. Sorry!
Here at Horseshoe Books, we understand that not all authors have mega budgets behind them to support the marketing of their books. Therefore, we’ve collated some of the free (or low cost) options available to you, to help readers discover your books…
Join writerly forums
This one can be daunting for many authors, for the same reasons marketing is often feared by writerly folk. But there’s a lot to be gained from joining writing forums – not least the opportunity to join a community of like-minded professionals who understand what it takes to produce a good book.
Here are a few forums for writers that you can join for free (as at the time of writing):
Important note: Horseshoe Books has not assessed these forums, so, if you sign up to any of them, you’re doing so at your own risk.
Set up social media profiles
While it can feel like you’re screaming into the void whenever you post on social media, it can be beneficial to build a dedicated following of readers who enjoy your books.
One of the benefits of social media is that it allows you to connect with readers directly.
Create a newsletter
If social media isn’t your thing, or you find that your readers don’t tend to spend time there, newsletters can be an excellent alternative. Through an email newsletter, you’re able to reach readers directly and keep them updated on the progress of your books, as well as share snippets of your life ‘behind the scenes’ (if that’s something you want to do, of course).
Although many platforms charge a monthly or yearly fee for an email newsletter service, there are a few options available if you’re just starting out and have a small list of subscribers:
Important note: Horseshoe Books has not assessed these newsletter platforms, so, if you sign up to any of them, you’re doing so at your own risk.
Collaborate with other authors
Once you’ve forged connections with fellow authors, you might want to invite them to collaborate on the following marketing activities:
- Local book signings and events.
- Newsletter swaps.
- Author interviews (via their blog, social media platforms, and/or podcast).
Set up promotions
Last but not least, you could join in with platform-wide sales events wherever your books are published. Examples of these include the Smashwords summer event and Kindle Countdown Deals. BookBub also offers some free marketing tools for authors.
Important note: Horseshoe Books has not assessed these sales events or marketing tools for their effectiveness, so, if you sign up to any of them, you’re doing so at your own risk.
Have you discovered other free (or low cost) marketing strategies that have worked for you as an indie author? If so, please share your insights in the comments 🙂
Thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: This article does not contain affiliate links.
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