Apex Book Company

After writing a guest blog for online promotion guru Monica Valentinelli, I received a number of nice emails. Truthfully, I expected to be called out on the carpet due to my hard line stance on the subject of “publisher/author marketing expectations and dynamics in the small press.” Yet, many thought it a timely subject due to so many mid-list writers dipping into the small press to supplement their incomes and most agreed with me.

One email stood out. First, because the author of the email poured on the compliments. Stroke my ego and you’ll have me purring like a Bengal tiger. Second, because the author of the email asked the following question:

“What can individual contributors to an anthology do to promote the book?”

The question was refreshing. It’s been my experience that on average 75% of the contributors to our anthologies have zero interest in promoting the book. No doubt, there’s some compelling reasons for this. First, most anthologies don’t offer royalties against sales. Once they receive their contribution payment, the writer will likely never see another penny for the work from that publisher. Secondly, even for anthologies that do pay royalties, your share of the royalty split 15-20 ways isn’t going to amount to beans.

I’d counter that, as a writer, you should feel obligated to do a minimal amount of marketing. But that’s a whole different discussion…

To answer the email of ‘what can indivual contributors to an anthology do to promote the book?’ one can turn to the basics of book promotion.

1. Ask your local library to pick up a copy of the book.
2. Ask your local bookstores to pick up a copy for their shelves. Offer to sign the copies.
3. Look into getting local arts & entertainment trade publications to feature the book or run a review.
4. Querying reviewers you know to see if they’ll accept a PDF copy for review. Don’t be hurt if they decline. However, if they’re a friend, you’ll have much better success.
5. At the minimum, blog on your website about your story and it’s release in the anthology. Use your social media accounts to promote the story and the anthology.
6. Encourage people who have read the anthology to take a few minutes to write an Amazon or B&N review.
7. Offer to interview the editor on your blog.
8. Make sure your story gets submitted to the various “Year’s Best” reprint anthologies. If your publisher doesn’t do this, do it yourself. It only takes an envelope and about two bucks in postage to mail your story to Ellen Datlow and friends.
9. See if you can get copies of the anthology at cost or at wholesale price and sell them at conventions and via your website. This is a nice way to earn some extra dollars from your story.

Am important thing to consider when doing any promotion is that you’re doing it for yourself as much (or even more) than for creating sales of the book. You are a ‘brand’ and you need to create interest and following of your brand. The publication of a story in a well-regarded anthology is a great opportunity to sing your own praises. Promoting the anthology is a great way to earn karma points with your publisher and editor. If we see a writer who has the talent AND the ability to pull in extra sales, odds are we’ll go back to that well for a later project.