And the Winner for the Right Way to Write...

Mary Nida Smith is our winner this week. Congratulations, Mary! Thanks to all of you who visited and those who asked a question.

Mary: With loads of how-to information on the internet for writers, do you find it
difficult to promote or sell your books?

Patricia: Yes, everyone finds it difficult to promote and sell their books and this is true whether you have a traditional royalty publisher, you go with a fee-based PODpublisher or you self-publish. It’s also a fact for authors of fiction and nonfiction. There were reportedly 400,000 new books produced in 2007 and nearly 300,000 in 2006. Practically everyone who wants to write a book IS writing a book.The competition is terribly fierce for authors of any type of book to sell.

But book promotion has never been a walk in the park, unless the author has a
profound fondness for high level marketing and lots of money to throw at his
project. It is hard work and it always has been. The competition makes it harder.
But the internet makes it easier.

So the fact that there is loads of information for writers on the internet
actually helps sell my books on writing and publishing. Savvy author—those who
take the time to do some internet research about publishing, will come to realize
how important it is that they understand something about the industry before they
get involved. Authors who seek information will learn how valuable it is to know
their options and the possible ramifications of their decisions. They find out how
important it is to write a book proposal and they will start looking around for
more information on these topics.

Rather than shy away from the internet, I use the internet to get word out about
what I can offer authors and many of them will read my articles posted at various
blog spots and in online newsletters all over the web. They’ll read some of the
many book reviews for my books online. They’ll learn about my online, on-demand
courses for writers and authors, they’ll discover my blog site with tons of
information for authors and they’ll stumble across my website.

If you’re pitching a how-to, self-help or informational book, use the web.
Practically everyone goes there for the information they want or need. Write
articles for websites and online newsletters related to your topic—and LOTS of
them, get your book reviewed at those sites and in those newsletters, participate
in online forums on your topic, leave comments at appropriate blogs, start your
own blog and post to it regularly. Become well-known in the internet circles where
your readers travel and you, too, will be acknowledged with a “The,” in front of
your name. Truly, just this week, I was doing some research to see how far and
wide my promotional efforts were reaching on the internet and came across a site
where someone was mentioning my name. They wrote, “Patricia Fry, Yes, The Patricia
Fry.”