Can Writers Choose Joy When Promoting Books?
Today’s piece features not only my perspective on writers facing promotion, but also the opinions of Ann-Marie Nieves of Get Red PR, my friend and publicist—the person who keeps me from repeatedly hitting the wine bottle until the launch is over.
Will it be dueling points of view or simpatico? Read on to find out.
There is a subset of writers for whom promotion and marketing come naturally—men and women who get and enjoy the many sides of promotion. Come launch day, they leap from bed, put on their (bright red!) lipstick, shrug a perfect blazer on their sharp shoulders, flick their perfectly cut hair over their collar, smile wide, and greet the readers of the world with joy.
Then there are the rest of us.
We slouch towards book release day with equal amounts of dread and fear. If we’re lucky (and smartish), we’ve read Naked at the Podium, a must-have guide for readers. (“This practical book of tips, solutions, and exercises was born of a writer’s angst: how to present material in a way that was appealing to bookstore audiences, flexible enough to use in non-traditional venues, and dramatic enough to keep any audience awake and eager to buy.”)
If we’re massively unlucky, we live in the killer zone of denial and decide that winging a launch will be fine. At least our wrinkled shirt is clean!
And hey, didn’t we put our book up on social media? Over and over and over?
Can you choose joy in marketing? Is that even possible?
Sometimes it is possible to find joy in marketing, but I’m using my definition of joy:
noun
that which deeply sustains my interest:
She felt the joy watching the cat chase a laser pointer.
Synonyms: absorbing
For instance, writing this piece thoroughly absorbs me, even if I’m not jumping for joy. This work nourishes me. Self-engagement is what I want marketing my novel to bring. Absorption. Interest. Cause if I’m bored with what I’m doing, there’s a good chance so-too will be my potential reader.
What authors do is usually different from the marketing and publicity work done by our publicists and marketing people, whether they be from inside our publisher’s domain or outside professionals. They are professionals and know their business.
The marketing we do—think social media, events, emails, author newsletters, walking the streets with a sandwich board—that’s the part that can destroy our souls if we’re not careful—or can work against our intentions.
We want readers to know we’ve written a book. (Because they’re readers—and books are what they want.) But we don’t want them rolling their eyes (see above me-me-me)—we want to tempt them to hunt down our books. Thus, consider these tips:
You Don’t Have to Do Every Single Kind of Social Media
In truth, unless you do them in an authentic and semi-enjoyable way, you don’t have to participate in any. One could make social media a full-time job between Instagram, Facebook, Threads, X (formerly known as Twitter), BlueSky, and TikTok. How do you choose which to participate in?
Which feels comfortable?
Where do your friends, family, and cohorts participate?
Which do you find interesting?
We’re far more likely to be intriguing and watchable when we’re comfortable and enjoy being ‘on camera’. I am engaged watching TikTok—it’s my go-to for ensuring I brush my teeth for at least two minutes and put on all twenty layers of my nightly skincare routine—but I have neither the aptitude nor the desire to film myself doing anything.
Thus, I am only a consumer of TikTok. If you love being on film–that’s the place for you.
Instagram and Facebook work for me as an author because:
I understand how to use them.
My friends and family participate.
The tone is easy for me.
There is plenty of book talk.
I can boost posts from my author page.
It doesn’t make me nervous (as TikTok would.)
But here are the pitfalls for me: Except perhaps the week of my book launch, I make sure there are three or four posts about not-my-books between promotional-type posts (My new review! The picture of my car staring at my book!). I must control my tendency towards political ranting. I don’t shy away from being open about my politics (my novels sure don’t), but preaching to the converted has a limited shelf life on Instagram and FB.
(For that, I go to Threads. Threads is an antidote to the increasingly toxic stew of X/Twitter. Twitter was for my news-junkie side; I’ve replaced that with Threads. I don’t expect book sales there, but if I want to rant, my people live there.)
Finding a social media place where you can authentically connect with people is the best signal that you’re in the right place to do just the right amount of promotion.
From Ann-Marie:
I agree with all of this. I do advise clients who are not on social media to stay away if they fall into a few categories:
They have never set up a Facebook user page.
They have not been on any social media platform in a year.
Health reasons.
Are a self-proclaimed luddite.
Are extremely private.
Good chance your agent and your publisher want you on social media so it’s important to know at least a little about each platform before you decide to dip a toe in or stay on the dock. My advice: hire a professional for a consultation so you can say for sure whether you want to participate.
Be Your Best You— And Have Fun With It!
I shall never forget the first time I did an event with another author (on television, mind you) for whom cleanliness was not a cousin to godliness. They were wearing a crumpled shirt complimented by an overpowering natural scent.
I didn’t need the lesson on bathing or deodorant, but it helped me focus on joy in formulating my image. People see who we put in front of them. If we bring a crumpled us (or not-that-clean-us) to a book audience, we tell them we don’t care too much about them. The truth might be that we’re dismissive or ignorant about fashion and thus step away from it, but your potential readers don’t know.
So, with my debut novel, I moved determinedly from sweatpants-schleppy-Randy to building who I wanted to present to the world. And I had fun with it. I researched (best hairstylists! best professional clothes for round bodies!) and took advantage of experts: I went to Bloomingdales, found the person whose look I most admired (I’m looking at you, Jaime Perez, and asked them to help).
When I tell anyone in fashion/style/hair/makeup that I’m an author looking to upgrade, they approach my face with the glee of Rumpelstiltskin, transforming straw into gold with lipstick and mascara.
Approach a transformation like research—we know how to do that. Figure out who you want to bring to the front of the room and do it with love towards yourself. I can’t make myself tall, young, or into a Breck Girl (how old do I sound now?), but I can make myself seem as wise, warm, comfortable, and polished as possible—which is my goal.
Practice for the Joy of Being Prepared
I bring many hours of practice to every event. What exactly will I speak about? I think and plan, so I don’t ramble down roads of blather. If I have to read a piece, I expurgate the passage (because not every written word works well as a spoken word piece), and I practice twenty to thirty times. While I don’t get a lick of joy out of the practice (ugh, the sound of my voice), I become secure in my presentation, which brings well-being and a better performance. Preparation also leaves room for the fun off-the-cuff stuff.
From Ann-Marie:
Just as you would for a gala, wedding, partner’s business holiday party, your book launch party (if you have one), signings, Zoom interviews, TV appearances, do your part to look and feel your best. Consider:
What makes you feel most confident in the day?
Have you highlighted your best attributes?
Are you prepared with your messaging and talking points?
Is your interview area (if at home) professional?
If on book tour, have you packed the outfits that will be OK in any chair, without an iron, and are fuss free. (This is a great WU post by Julie Gerstenblatt.)
Be Yourself
There is nothing as endearing as self-deprecation and humor (even when discussing the most serious of books.
We writers worry that readers will only appreciate us if we tell them how very smart, researched, and admired we are.
A better tactic is adopting the show-don’t-tell method of writing we often use. I work hard to show myself as interesting, caring, or funny, but I can’t convince them by reading a list of accomplishments. (And it does take work to come off as light-hearted, including practice, going to many other writers’ events to steal their good techniques, and learning their bad habits.)
Buy their book! That is non-negotiable. And enjoy the joy of being with other authors!!!
From Ann-Marie:
I would say be a better version of you. Don’t ever show impatience, expectation, boredom, or superiority.
If you have walked out of a book event without purchasing something, try not to do it again.
Enjoy the Truth of Less Is More
At a recent conference, I read a passage from my novel. The organizers told me to stick to 5 minutes. Being a rule follower, I kept it to 3.5 minutes—leaving room for the impromptu remarks I never can resist. Plus, I wanted to show respect to the others on my panel.
The author following me read for over ten minutes (never looking up) and followed those ten with many minutes of her-her-her. She described how long and hard she’d worked, how many barriers she’d faced, and how proud she was of her book. How proud she was of herself!
Her time could have gone better. Shuffling, pen-clicking, and rustling sounded during her time. You could feel the sadness at her neediness.
Less is more. Coco Chanel advised women to remove one piece of jewelry or accessory before leaving the house. Leave readers wanting more—that will send them to your book. Bury the frantic feelings (but I want them to hear this. And this. And this!!!)
Always consider shortening what you plan to read.
From Ann-Marie:
Consider the Joy of Investing in Yourself
I’ve paid for a publicist and marketing person since my first novel, dedicating much of my advance to have someone help me. I’ve heard many authors (who admitted they could afford it) refuse to pay for outside help because the publisher should do it.
That resentment does not hurt the publisher; it hurts you. I will never know the increased coverage I got from the wonderful women I’ve worked with, but I sure know it was 100% more than I would have received without them. I don’t have their skill, connections, tenacity, or patience.
Selling oneself is hard. Almost impossible in my case. Having solid professionals on my side is the greatest security and joy I can get during a launch.
From Ann-Marie:
I’ve done all the above and far more. I’ve had other authors say, You’re lucky—you’re so good at promotion!
No.
I’m not.
At heart, I’m an introverted extrovert. I can pull out the inner performer, but I need an RX of 5 hours of solitary reading afterward. I’d always rather be in a tee shirt and sweats on my computer.
But I take joy in preparing well enough to give readers—kind enough to provide me with their time, interact with me on social media, and come to my presentations and events—the best I can. They are doing me a favor, not vice versa, and I lean on the joy of doing as well as possible. For readers, me, and my wonderful family and friends who hold my hand along the way.
Sneaking in a self-serving promotion (I feel very joyful about this book!)
Releasing October 29: The Many Mothers of Ivy Puddingstone
“With realistic, hard-hitting prose and a well-researched and startling setting, Meyers delivers another deeply felt, beautiful novel.“—Booklist, American Library Association
“A new Randy Susan Meyers novel is always a cause for celebration! Her novels are beautifully written and full of warmth, wit, and wisdom. I’m a devoted fan!” —Liane Moriarty, NYTimes bestselling author
“Rarely has a novel touched me so deeply. . . . Meyers moves the story with urgency and grace between Freedom Summer and 9/11 and beyond, reminding the reader of the complicated political stew of race, class, and gender that has simmered in the past half-century.”
—MER Review, Ellen Meeropol