Over the last couple of months, I have been experiencing the baby-step beginnings of the transition from “writer” to “author”. I have been writing dozens of e-mails every day, encouraging librarians and bookstores to order my novel, getting myself invited to book readings, spamming (well not really spamming, but some people might think so) PFLAGers, queer student groups around the country, and working out a media plan.
I didn’t really know anything about book marketing until a couple of months ago, when I started borrowing library books on the topic. The whole thing seemed rather daunting. and a little cheezy (you should read some of the tips on branding yourself). What has been really amazing are the kind of replies I have been getting. Complete strangers are inviting me to their bookstores, to their Pride Events, and are telling me how much they are looking forward to reading the novel. Friends are going out of their way to find new ways to get the word out. A couple of weeks ago, a friend’s boyfriend called up an old friend and colleague of his and now I have a pro-bono publicist working for me. It’s lovely and suprising to be met with this kind of wonderfully positive, generous energy.
I think I might be starting to like book marketing now!