Know why writers back in the day wanted to get the big publishing house deal? Because they wanted to write, not market their books. The idea of repeatedly crowing about their books and asking others to buy them was about as exciting as an unanesthetized root canal. Maybe you feel the same way. Let us do what we do best, writers like to say: write; you do what you do best, oh Traditional House, which is sell. That’s not to say writers won’t do the sexy stuff, like book tours, in front of thousands of adoring fans. But don’t ask one to sell like a dreadful insurance salesperson.

OK, so where do I begin? Let’s head back to the glorious book tour.

Want to do a book tour? Well, then set it up yourself. Or hire someone to do this for you, namely a publicist. This means contacting the various bookstores in specific cities and filling those venues on a tight schedule with friends and family because neither the publishing house nor the bookstore will do that for you. Once that’s done, your next job is to get yourself and a box or two of books to those venues, then ship the remnants home or to the next stop. You know, the admin stuff we all enjoy.

Social media. Should I even go there?

Social media posting, which you’ll have to do yourself, or hire out, is all about sticking your mug out there and gabbing about all things writing and book. Not just once a week but incessantly. You’ll need to engage your audience daily and smile like you mean it because that’s how books are sold.

Will your house post about your book on their social media platforms? Sure. But remember, you’re one of many, and they’ve already picked their darling for the season, which likely isn’t you. 

Podcast tours are now a big thing. Will your house offer you a resource to set this up? Maybe, but the associated costs are coming out of your pocket.

Amazon ads, Google ads, Facebook ads? They’ll set it up, but you’ll be paying for it.

If this sounds unfair, let’s go back to the marketing section of your book proposal, in which you declared your willingness to follow an exact plan for selling thousands of books. This is why you got the book deal in the first place.

If you’d like to better understand the traditional publishing industry, rife with pitfalls, check out our free resource, 12 Horrific Things About the Publishing Industry You Need to Know to Safeguard Your Wallet.