Book Promotion Series Part 10: When its time to stop…
Thus far in our series we’ve discussed getting ready to promote your book and what you should do when the time comes. We’ve had nine lessons. The time has come to wind up.
We conclude our series with knowing when to quit. Knowing when it’s time to stop promoting the book and move on to writing the next one. This is not an easy decision and is usually based more on intuition and feeling than on scientific deduction. But I’ll do the best I can to help you identify the signs of stopping and make an informed decision once you see them.
HOW LONG?
To know when to stop promoting, we must first ask ourselves how long one should promote. This comes down to your circumstances.
- Working with a publisher. Your publisher will specify how long they expect you to be available to promote your book. Standard term is 3-6 from the day of publication. If you’re working with a publicist, they’ll tell you how long they’ll be working on behalf of your book and when its time for them to switch to next season’s titles. If you’re publisher hasn’t specified when these things will happen, its up to you to ask them. Do not be shy. You must know. Because after that point, you’re on your own and it probably won’t be time to stop even then.
- Self-publishing. If you’re publishing your own book, promotion is your responsibility. But you are only human, not the Energizer Bunny or James Brown. You’ll want to work your tail off for the same 3-6 with a cleared calendar, but after that, it’s a question of balance, time and resources. What you can you do for your book that will help it and not beat you down in the process?
It’s easy when either a) your publicist has signed off or b) you’ve had to promote yourself from day 1 to get discouraged. To think “well, Oprah hasn’t called so why bother?” I understand that instinct. But most of the time you will be selling your book short if you give up on it that easily. So before you do…
DEFINE A GOAL
How many books do you need to sell to 1) Have your publisher break even or 2) If a self-published book, recoup your costs?
That many minus however many you’ve sold is the finish line. This isn’t about making money. This is about your book not costing anyone else money and you having the opportunity to write the next one without a bunch of red ink next to your name.
Knowing this, have you done everything for your book that you can? Are you deciding to stop for the right reasons and not just because miracles aren’t happening for your book as quickly as you’d like them to? Ask yourself these questions using…
THE AM I DONE? CHECKLIST
- I have gone through my entire list of contacts and told them all about my book?
- I have also returned to the friends and loved ones who would be sympathetic to me saying “One last push for my book! Could you help out just a little bit more?”
- I have make the same push to my social media network.
- I do not have or plan on having another edition or adaptation of my book coming out (paperback, ebook, transmedia property) which would make another round of promotion justified
- I cannot afford more time away from my normal life.
- I cannot afford to spend more money on book promotion.
- I am tired, irritable and have said all I can say about this book. I’m therefore a lousy spokesperson for it at this point, even though I’m the author.
The last one, #7, is most important. We are only human and do not represent our work or ourselves well when exhausted. So if wake up in the morning and the thought of another event, another interview or promotional effort of any kind fills you not with excitement, not with dread but with emptiness, stop. You’ve done what you can do for your book. It belongs to the world now.
Before you give it a funeral though or race on to the next book, give yourself a day off. Engage in one of your favorite activities or pastimes. Allow some time to reflect. You’ve just past an enormous milestone in the life of a writer. You’ve probably had help from family and friends. Your book has earned its place in the world, thanks a little to luck but mostly to you.
When the day is over, say thank you again to the universe for the opportunity and for the urge to write that brought you here. Over the next week, write a few emails and make some calls to those who were most helpful to you during this time. Then take another deep breath.
The next book awaits. It’s time to start again.