Cameron Publicity & Marketing

Impersonation and Scam Alert

site-editor — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 09:46:09 +0000

We have been made aware of a growing number of scams directly targeting authors. These can include impersonation scams, people who say that they work for Cameron Publicity and Marketing (but don’t), fake services and/or recommendations leading to dishonest companies.

AI generated emails can very convincingly make it appear that someone has read your book when they haven’t.

Emails from us will always come from a @cameronpm.co.uk email address. If you are ever in doubt, rather than replying to an email, you can always contact us directly through our website. Furthermore, if you would like to talk to a member of our team, we will be happy to arrange a personal phone or video call to talk through your publicity options.

Please be vigilant and get in touch with us directly if you have any concerns or questions.

Start Here: Book Marketing Basics – The Self-Published Author’s Guide to How to Market Books

site-editor — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 11:53:43 +0000

If you want your book to fly you need to become a pilot.

If you are new to the self-publishing world and you don’t know much about book marketing, publicity or promotion, you are in the right place. Here are the very basics that self-published authors need to know to get their book into the hands of readers. This is book pilot school 101!

The fact is, self-publishing a book can be relatively easy, but finding readers for your book takes an awful lot of work. But, if you lean into that work, take the time to learn how the publishing industry works and get to know your fellow authors and publishing colleagues it can be an immensely rewarding process.

But, at this point you probably don’t even know what you don’t know.

Here is a brief overview of the best book marketing strategies that you have at your disposal. Each of these topics is a world of its own – so think of this as your index to the book marketing basics.

Author Platform

Your author platform is how you present yourself to the world. This can include your website, social media accounts, group memberships, written articles and more. Think of it as an extended online CV, made up of your expertise, writing, video clips, links to relevant media and your own personal interests and outlook. Don’t be shy about discussing your accomplishments and what you have to offer.

Author Website

An author website really is a must for any author. It doesn’t have to be fancy or extensive (particularly if you are just starting out), but it does need to be a repository of information about you and your books – a place where readers and journalists are able to find out everything that they need to know. Your website can also offer a mailing list sign-up so that you are able to interact with you readers, give them special offers and more.

Social Media

It’s important for authors to connect with readers in the long term and social media is a way to do that which is convenient and largely free. While it can be time consuming and difficult to attract followers, personal, direct interaction can really give readers a sense of who you are.

Author Biography

An important part of your image as an author, your biography is needed on your Amazon profile, website, book information, press releases and elsewhere. Your biography isn’t a full resume of everything that you have done – it should be a concise and readable summary of your background, interests and accomplishments.

Publicity

Publicity is about spreading the word about your book via the media – and it can be and immensely powerful form of promotion. Reviews, interviews, news and features create bestselling books and are a vital part of your book marketing process. If you are comfortable talking about your book (and yourself) you can do publicity yourself, but keep in mind that it is a very time-consuming process to find the right people to talk to (let alone get to know them). Alternatively you can hire a publicity company to do it all for you. You can find out more about what to expect from a book publicity campaign here: https://cameronpm.co.uk/2023/06/26/book-publicity-isnt-only-about-book-sales-its-about-opportunity/

Reader Interaction

There is no substitute for direct contact with authors. Use these opportunities to build excitement and to find out what readers like, want and need.

Events

Events, including speaking engagements, book festivals and launch parties, can build your profile and credibility as an author. They also provide photo and video opportunities that you can share on social media, your website and other places.

Mailing Lists and Newsletters

Build a mailing list through your website and social media accounts and send your audience regular updates or newsletters. Newsletters and mailing lists also give you the opportunity to offer competitions, additional content, special offers and incentives to those who follow you. Over time you can build an enthusiastic fanbase.

Social Media (Again)

The one part of your author platform that relies on interaction with readers (and potential readers). Take advantage of the chance to find out what your audience is after and learn from your fellow authors.

Push marketing

How you show the world what you have to offer.

Book Cover

Your book cover absolutely is a marketing tool. Never think of it as anything other than a marketing tool, as tempting as it may be to bring your own personal aesthetic opinion to it. The three elements of your book cover are title, design and description blub. The title and design (including any imagery) exist to capture the attention of the reader and encourage them to read the description (on the back cover or website sales page). The description exists to entice the reader to buy the book.

Book Advertising

For the vast majority of self-published authors, print, outdoor and broadcast advertising are too expensive to make a profit on. Books are relatively inexpensive products, and sales need to be extremely high in order to recoup the cost. As always there are exceptions for specialist content (a psychology book advertised in a psychology magazine – maybe?) but it certainly is not a route you are likely to go down for a novel or a general-interest book.

What can work, under the right circumstances, is book advertising on Amazon, Facebook and other online platforms. Even here, though, it is easy to waste money and the margins can be small. Online advertising tends to work best for books where there is a clear segmented audience or for a series (so potential buyers may end up purchasing more than one book). Do your research before you spend!

Book Promotion

Don’t be afraid to play with the price of your book. You (and your publisher if you have one) need to ensure that the book is not sold at a loss, but sometime a little discount here and there can go a long way – such as at live events or launches.

There are also opportunities to offer your eBook at a large discount (or even for free) that can make sense as a way to build sales and reviews. BookBub it a popular eBook promotion vehicle but there are others out there as well.

So if you want to be a high-flyer there are plenty of ways that you can find your readers. Get stuck in, enjoy the journey and remember that you need the best book marketing ideas to give your book wings.

Author Advice: Book Publicity Isn’t Only About Book Sales – It’s About Opportunity!

super admin — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 08:31:51 +0000

The question that I get asked most by self-published authors is: How many books will I sell if you run a media-based book publicity campaign for me? I will always be open and say that there is no clear answer. I simply don’t know. It depends on a lot of things, such as what happens in the course of the campaign, how people respond to the cover, how much people like the book and how easily readers can find and buy the book.

While it is the one question that I cannot answer, I am always pleased when an author asks it. It means that they are thinking about their book as a business. It’s only natural to compare income to expenditure to figure out if an activity is worthwhile and for many marketing activities you can do just that. If you run a price promotion, ad campaign or use an email marketing list, for example, you can easily compare the results to the actions.

But media book publicity isn’t directly about sales – it is about the opportunity to achieve sales. And that opportunity can take many forms. For example, we have worked with authors who, as a result of a publicity campaign, have:

Been asked back onto BBC Breakfast or ITV This Morning again, months after an initial interview that we arranged.
Acquired an agent or a publisher because a book publicity campaign has proven that there is commercial interest in their writing.
Obtained a regular monthly radio slot on a local BBC radio station because their initial interview gave them the opportunity to meet and talk to a producer who liked what they had to say.
Been asked to write additional articles for The Guardian and other newspapers after they published one that we pitched to the newspaper.
Become a known expert in their area of interest and experience, leading to public speaking and further media opportunities.

All of these activities build recognition for authors and books and lead ultimately to sales – usually at a much greater level than can be achieved through other means. And they are all opportunities that would be missed by only focussing on short-term monthly sales data.

Now, let’s get back to business.

As I mentioned before, measuring sales is a business task and shows that an author is taking their publishing life seriously. But that is not the only thing that businesses do. Businesses speculate, they look for opportunity, they value chances to add to brand recognition, they invest in research and development and they push themselves out into the world so that customers can discover them.

I am not saying that you should not run pure marketing activities, such as advertising (online and/or print) or mailing lists. You should as they are an important part of the mix. Nor am I saying that you should throw everything into a media-based book publicity campaign. Media doesn’t work for every book, so make sure that you really have something that is really of interest before you leap.

But I am saying that if you are looking for opportunities you need to present yourself to the world. And a media campaign can help you to do that.

Ben Cameron

Ready to Launch! The Self Published Book Marketing & Publicity Timeline

super admin — Sun, 25 Jun 2023 13:00:00 +0000

The publication date of your book isn’t just the day when your book becomes available for readers to buy, it is also a target date for all of your pre-publication marketing and publicity activities. Whether you are tradionally published, a hybrid author or a writer of self published books, it is best to plan ahead to get as much of your book publicity and marketing activity as possible to happen around your publication date.

Having worked for big publishers as well as self published authors, I have seen first hand that one of the major advantages that large publishers have is a disciplined project schedule. They know what to do and when to do it. They plan far ahead and stick to their strategy. But most self published authors are learning the publishing process as they go along. After all, the first time you self-publish a book you don’t even know what you don’t know. The temptation is toward self publishing quickly and hoping for the best – a recipe for disaster.

So the first bit of advice for self published books, unless your book is particularly newsworthy, is do not rush the publication. Build in time to learn, to think through the actions that you need to take and to enact an advance book publicity and marketing plan. Here is a general schedule to get you started:

Up to Six Months Ahead of Publication If you are working with a sales team to get your book into brick and mortar bookshops, those reps meet with shop and book chain buyers well in advance of publication. In order to sell your book they need an Advance Information sheet (usually just called an AI) which is a single page summary of your book and why bookshops should stock it. Ideally the AI should also have the front cover image on it, so you need to have that done first.

About Five Months Ahead of Publication Monthly magazines have editorial meetings to decide which books to review – then they send out those books to their reviewers. Ideally you should send bound proof copies of your book about 5 months ahead of publication in order to be considered. These advance copies do not need to be the final edited version of the book and the production values do not need to reflect what your book will look like in the end, but they need to be conveniently readable. And remember, they are planning the Christmas issue in June!

Note that it can be costly or impractical to send out advance copies this far in advance, particulalry for a self-published book. so this step is one that many authors skip.

Three to Four Months Ahead of Publication Newspaper supplements and magazines are on the lookout for books to serialise and book-related issues to cover. Supplements tend to be planned far in advance of the rest of the newspaper.

Three to four months in advance is also the ideal time to list your book on NetGalley.com to receive advance reviews on blogs and Goodreads and to get reviews ready to be posted on Amazon when the publication date finally arrives.

Two Months Ahead of Publication National radio and television forward planners begin to highlight the books and authors that they would like to cover a couple of months before broadcast. Depending on how much the show depends upon current news, they may plan everything months in advance (such as BBC Radio 4’s Front Row), they may plan some but not all features in advance (BBC Breakfast TV or local news), or everything that they do depends upon the news of the week (BBC Newsnight). So you need to think about the schedule for every show that you want to pitch to.

One Month Ahead of Publication Newspaper Literary Editors expect to have a copy of the book about a month ahead of publication so that they have time to consider whether they want to devote their limited space to the book and find a journalist to review it.

Two Weeks Ahead of Publication Local newspapers, radio and online media work quite quickly and only need to receive your publicity pitch a couple of weeks before publication. They may even want to book interviews at the very last minute – so try to have an open schedule in the week or two around your publication date.

On the Publication Date Try to get writers of independent reviews to post their reviews on Amazon as soon as the book becomes available. Note: This does not include your friends and family; Amazon have been removing reviews by people who know the author personally.

Also be sure to encourage anyone on your contact list and/or friends and family to buy the book on or before the publication date. Books purchased in advance of publication and on the publication date can have a much greater impact upon your sales than individual sales spread out over a long period of time. The Amazon recommendation algorithm favours books that are ‘trending’ (sales that happen around the same time).

And finally, throw the party of a lifetime! Or at least sit back with a glass of wine. You’ve earned it. That book did not write itself after all.

Ben Cameron

We Are All Book Reviewers Now! How to Get Reviews for Self-Published Books

super admin — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 11:01:06 +0000

There is no area of book publicity that has changed more over the last few years then the ‘book review’. Traditional media reviews – the kind that you read in the newspaper and are written by professional critics – used to dominate the publishing industry. In years gone by they were so important that book publication dates were always Thursdays, so that review copies could be delivered to reviewers in time to get into in the Sunday papers.

But now these reviews are dying off as newspaper circulations decrease and culture sections get smaller. At the same time, we all know that the number of books being self-published is growing exponentially. The result is that the traditional newspaper review tends to be dominated by big authors and publishers – books that are frankly going to sell well anyway. They are certainly prestigious, but do they add to sales? Maybe. Maybe not.

Publishing experts have as many opinions about how to get book reviews for self-published authors as there are books, but as anyone in the book publicity business knows, securing ‘traditional’ book reviews for self-published authors is much more difficult than it has ever been. The large advance copy mailings that used to be the bedrock of book publicity campaigns are now less common. These days the more efficient and economical practice is a smaller, targeted book mailing to very carefully chosen outlets.

So how to get book reviews for self-published books? Aside from targeted mailings to ‘high priority’ outlets – media with high probability of interest in a specific book – online reviews of self-published books are flourishing. In fact, as technology has opened up publishing to almost anyone it has also done the same for reviews. Reviews are everywhere! And not just for books. If you go to a restaurant, you might review it online when you get home. If you get a tooth capped you might critique the dentist. And if you read a book, you let everyone know what you thought about it.

Reviewing is now part of everyone’s every day experience, and while our opinions may not be held in the same esteem (or as well considered) as those of the Literary Editors, there are a heck of a lot more of us. Star ratings on Amazon, Goodreads and other websites are an average of many reviews and you are not just getting one person’s opinion but a crowd-sourced composite. Furthermore, online reviews reach consumers directly and it only takes a tap of a mouse to turn that review into a sale.

And let’s not forget the bloggers. Really good, established bloggers who specialise in a particular subject area or genre can have a large audience that are enthusiastic about the topic and value what the blogger has to say. A good review for a self-published book from an important blogger can drive sales through your target readership.

You cannot rely upon the Internet only for your book publicity and marketing campaign – but do use the web as much as you can. Get your name and book on as many sites as possible and make the most of them. For example, on Goodreads you can run a ‘giveaway’ competition. By giving out a number of copies for free you can encourage winners to review the book once they have read it – thus giving you more reviews and star ratings (hopefully good ones!).

Remember that reviews and online media are only a small part of a publicity and marketing campaign. There is still a valuable role for traditional media outlets in self-published book promotion. A comprehensive campaign that covers a range of newspapers, magazines, radio and TV is crucial for maximum impact. A feature story, interview or author profile will usually lead to more sales than a review of the book in the same newspaper.

The role of the book review has changed and the way that authors think about reviews must change as well. For better or worse, a book is now judged by a collective star rating more than a single considered opinion. Make the most of the viral nature of reviews online, but don’t forget that they are not the only way to generate publicity.

Author Advice: 7 Steps to a Great Radio or Podcast Author Interview

super admin — Sat, 10 Jun 2023 10:57:48 +0000

Everybody worries about author interviews, from first-timers who do not know what lies ahead to experienced pros who have done it all before but still feel that flutter of nerves as the time approaches. We feel anxiety about interviews because we have put ourselves into a situation where we are not entirely in control – that we are at the mercy of the interviewer and risk that we will sound foolish.

However, with preparation and practice there is every reason to expect that a book interview will be a great experience. The fact is, bad author interviews do not happen very often. While we have all seen and heard ‘car crash’ interviews before, the reason that they stand out is precisely because they are so rare. Ask yourself how often you hear someone be interviewed and how often those interviews go wrong. And those that do go badly? When they do, nine times out of ten it is because of lack of preparation.

But while you need to be prepared, don’t assume that the person that you are talking to will be. There is a good chance that the interviewer will not have read your book or, if they have, they will have just skimmed it quickly. Don’t be offended and don’t expect them to, it was the ‘story’ that was told in your press release that attracted them to you and that is what they care about. It is their job to talk to interesting people, not to sell your book. That is your job!

So here is how you go about it:

1) Research

There are many kinds of writer interviews: They may be live on-air or pre-recorded, face-to-face or over the phone, adversarial or conversational. Make sure that you are clear in advance about how the interview is going to work and that you prepare accordingly. Listen to past programmes to get a feel for the show and the interviewer. What is their personal style and what do they like to talk about?

2) Elevator pitch

You will probably be asked early on what your book is about. If you have not yet mastered the art of talking about your book in less than 20 seconds, you need to do so now. Practice summarising your book aloud until you have it committed completely to memory. Don’t just recite the plot, focus on intriguing issues that draw people in. And start with your book title – this is an easy way to make sure that it gets mentioned.

3) Anticipate questions

Sometimes writers may be given all or some of the questions in advance, but most of the time that will not be the case. Even so, you can anticipate most of the author interview questions that will come up. Take a step back and read your press release and/or pitch email as if you know nothing about your book at all. What would you ask if you were conducting the interview? When looked at from the point of view of the person who actually has to think up questions for book interviews, the topics will become apparent.

4) Listen to yourself

Record yourself answering some possible questions and play it back. Are you a low-pitched droner or a top-level squeaker? While nearly everybody hates to hear themselves talk, you do need to realistically assess what you sound like and adjust your “radio voice” accordingly. The most important thing, however, is to make sure that you are expressing passion for your material. If you sound bored, your audience will be bored.

5) Make an impact

We tend to think that people who make an impact in author interviews are controversial or overbearing, but that is not necessarily true. You can make a great case for your book with emotional pull, an interesting story or a fascinating insight. I recently worked with an expert in health and safety, widely regarded as one of the duller topics in the world, but when he talked about building safety inspections he made it fascinating by focusing on the human impact – the reason for the regulations. The author created an emotive interest for listeners. Remarkably he also managed to tie his expertise to the plot of his new crime novel, which neatly brings us to…

6) Product placement

You need to make sure that your book gets mentioned, either by the presenter or yourself. At the same time, if the book title is poorly shoehorned into the interview it can sound awkward. To make book interviews flow prepare a couple of ‘entry points’ to turn the conversation to your book and to tell the listeners what it is called.

7) Relax

Enjoy yourself! Yes, author interviews can be nerve-wracking but if you are well prepared and practiced you can be confident that you will do your best. The more relaxed that you are the better the conversation will flow between you and the interviewer, which makes the show better for listeners. It’s a virtuous circle: Preparation builds confidence, confidence helps you to relax and relaxation leads to a great experience.

I look forward to hearing about your book over the airwaves!

Book Promotion Advice: How to Get Your Book onto Television

super admin — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 08:48:48 +0000

Television is the Holy Grail of book promotion and author publicity. The BBC Breakfast show has an audience of five million viewers, ITV’s This Morning has millions as well and even a regional television show, such as Meridian Tonight, has an audience of about 350,000. Television publicity is simply the best way to reach as many people at one time as possible.

Before I start, though, a bit of realism. Don’t get your hopes up too much. Only a small percentage of authors ever make it onto TV. If you don’t, that’s fine – there are plenty of other outlets for book publicity. When it comes to television you can aim for the stars, but you also need to be realistic about your chances and to understand where the best opportunities lie. Unless you are already a literary hero you are simply not going to be interviewed by Mariella Frostrup or Melvyn Bragg. If you are not a celebrity you are not going to be sitting on the sofa next to Beyoncé chatting with Jonathan Ross or Graham Norton. And if you are not at the epicentre of a major news storm you are not going to be grilled by Jeremy Paxman or Jon Snow. However, there are still book promotion opportunities out there for the right author at the right time.

Breakfast Television

So, how to get a book on BBC Breakfast? Shows like Breakfast and ITV’s This Morning are ideal for authors with a story that is interesting on a national level, and preferably with a news tie-in. Perhaps you have an amazing human interest story to tell about overcoming the odds to achieve something amazing. Or maybe your book brings something to a current news story – possibly through its setting or subject.

Research like crazy to find a way to tie your book to the current news cycle and be honest with yourself about how well it works. If there are no strong links at the moment, sit back and wait for something to come up. It is far better to delay your pitch than to use your one shot on a half-baked idea that will never fly. While it is helpful for books to be new, it is vital that they are relevant.

When pitching to breakfast show producers you need to let them know straight away what your expertise is and what you have to offer. Don’t beat around the bush – they are busy professionals and all they want to know is what you can bring to the programme.

Regional Television

Throughout the UK, BBC and ITV have regional news programmes that are interested in local stories, including the occasional author. However, their time is short so they are unable to cover everybody and everything that they would like to. It isn’t enough to just live in the area, you still need to give the producers a reason why they should feature you over someone else.

Book promotion on television is exciting, effective and a true challenge. Even as an experienced publicist, I still run a screaming lap of honour around the office when I get a client onto a show. I can only imagine what it means to the author. But always remember that television takes both skill and luck to achieve. Never make it the centre of your publicity strategy and don’t be dependent upon it happening. But maybe, just maybe, it could.

Our Top 5 Tips for TV

1. Get professional help if you can. More than any other type of media, television is about knowing how to move quickly and pitch the right story to the right contact at the right time.
2. If you are not comfortable going on television don’t force yourself. Getting nervous is normal and can be worked through, but pure terror cannot.
3. Remember that you will probably only have one chance. It may be best to wait for the best possible opportunity.
4. Don’t waste your time trying to shoehorn yourself into shows that are not relevant and always consider what a show’s viewers will be interested in.
5. Understand that getting on the telly is difficult and that it depends on what you have to sayrather than the quality of your writing.

How to Build a Great Author Website: Make It Shiny and Sticky

super admin — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 11:36:54 +0000

Author websites are an essential tool for any writer. A great author website will help readers, the media, publishers and anyone else that you want to reach to discover you. It is your home on the web – it is your public face containing all of the information that you want people to know about you and what you do.

To be truly effective, the best author websites need to be:

- Shiny (with an appealing design and strong content headlines)

- And sticky (interesting and informative enough to retain readers)

In other words, attract your audience and keep them there!

Look at Me!

Just as you would not put your masterpiece out into the world with an unattractive book cover, your website needs to look great as well. A professional designer is highly recommended – it is their job to create an author website for you that is visually pleasing and unique. You can do it yourself using a template on one of several popular website creation sites, but you will sacrifice the uniqueness of your site’s look and invariably end up with something that is more generic than you would otherwise have.

But being shiny isn’t all about colour and images, it is also about having your best content up-front in a way that will attract visitors to read it. Give readers what they want to know about you straight away. For example, have a look at the Cameron Publicity and Marketing front page here: https://www.cameronpm.co.uk/

What I want people to see immediately is:

- What we do (the tagline near the top and the information on our services)

- That we are respected (the testimonial quotes in the video, organisation membership logos and book covers showing that we have worked with a lot of authors)

- That you can easily get in touch with us easily (phone number, email and postal addresses)

- That we can also help you to learn about the publishing world (mailing list sign-up box and social media links)

So, think about what it is that you want your readers (and potential readers) to know about your straight away. Particularly what kind of books you write and why they should be interested in it.

Stick Around!

It’s not enough to just get viewers to your author website. For it to be as effective as possible you need to keep them there for long enough to take in everything that you want them to know. Particularly what makes you different from everyone else who writes books on your subject or genre (your USP – Unique Selling Point).

Most author websites have a pretty standard array of pages that can be accessed from a central menu – options such as “about the books”, “about the author”, “news and events” and contact details. The fact that these are standard doesn’t mean that you should avoid them. On the contrary, they are typical because they are what readers most want to know about and would expect to see.

Give the reader as much information as you can for free to really get them interested in your writing. Sample chapters of your book(s) can get them hooked and many authors even give away a free book, an idea that works particularly well if you have a series. If you add a blog to your website you can offer your readers insight into the location, characters, subject or inspiration behind your book(s). Video content is particularly powerful so if you have a trailer, a montage or a clip of an author interview be sure to include those as well. Even if you don’t have one yet you can have them made more easily and quickly than you think.

An author’s website is an essential book marketing tool with a real-world purpose – to help readers, publishers and the media to find out about you and your books. With your website you are trying to sell something but you are also thinking long-term – you want people to know about your latest book but, more importantly, you want people to find out who you are as an author and to read ALL of the books that you have written so far and will write in the future.

Good luck and do get in touch if you would like to know more about our book publicity and marketing services.

Comments or questions? You can contact us at info@cameronpm.co.uk, X (Twitter) @CameronPMtweets or Facebook: www.facebook.com/CameronPublicity

Author Advice: How to Write a Book Blurb – 10 Top Tips

super admin — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 13:59:24 +0000

The last words that you write for your book will be the first that your audience reads. You’ve finished writing your book, it’s edited, designed and is just about ready to go to press. You’ve just put your feet up when you get a reminder from the cover designer that they still need text for the back cover. Yet another small decision at the end of a long line of decisions. Not really understanding what its purpose is, let alone how to write a book blurb, you knock something together in a few minutes and send it off.

You may have just doomed your 75,000 word masterpiece.

That back cover blurb (or an online version of it, your book description) will be read by every potential buyer, book reviewer, media professional or person who may wish to hire you for your expertise. And it has just one job – to tell your audience why they will find your book interesting.

Consolidating your book into a couple of paragraphs isn’t easy. Here are some tips for doing it well.

1. 10 Second Elevator Pitch: If you only had 10 seconds to tell potential readers why they should buy your book, what would you include? Your goal is to give readers enough information to intrigue them into buying it without wasting any time.

1. Be Concise: Less is more. Go over your text again and again and again to cut out every unnecessary word. Blurbs are like poetry – every word matters.

1. Fiction: Detailing every character and plot twist is unnecessary and can be overwhelming to the buyer. Read the back cover copy of the most popular authors in your genre to see examples of how to entice readers without giving away the entire plot. Your goal is to make an emotional connection with the reader so they will want to be transported into your world. They do not need to know what happens in the book, they just need to know what makes it interesting.

1. Non-fiction: Tell the readers what they will learn, what problems your book will solve, and why your book is different. The goal of a non-fiction book may be to inform, inspire, educate or entertain. Make sure the reader understands what is inside your book and why you are qualified to write it. Bullet points can work well with non-fiction books.

1. Author Biography: If you include any biographical detail only include relevant information and resist the temptation to be cute or clever.

1. For fiction writers, your biography is usually best inside the book, but you will need a brief biography in any case for online listings and information databases. Consider including where or how you grew up, professional experience, writing awards or training, acclaims, past books or information explaining how you came to write your book.

1. For non-fiction authors, make your credentials clear by listing education, work experience, professional memberships, past books and awards. Your goal is to be authoritative and confident.

1. Author Photo: If you chose include one, use a professional, uncluttered, current headshot. Most non-fiction books should consider having one to make you a real person to the reader. For novels, like the biography blurb, don’t include one on or in your book if you don’t honestly feel that it is going to help build your brand.

1. Review Quotes: Only use review quotes from known, respected sources, credentialed people or celebrities. Professional colleagues in your field are especially helpful for non-fiction books. On the other hand it can actually hurt you if you include, “Thrilling page turner! by an Amazon reviewer.” It’s better to leave this out and use the space for something else. Someone once sent a book to us with, “…this is a wonderful book. — Author’s Mother”. This would have been funny if it was not intended to be serious!

1. Proofread: Although it seems obvious, proofread your text several times. In the rush to complete what is often the final stage of a book, back cover copy can be neglected. We’ve seen outstanding books marred by typos and book reviewers are particularly attuned to them. An error on a cover will damn your book as the work of an amateur.

Finally, if you are working with a publicist or sales team early enough in the publishing process, run the copy past them for feedback on content. Your blurb is a marketing tool, and in fact your entire cover is. Back cover copy is crucial for transforming the browser into a buyer and they are well-positioned to help.

5 Ways to Re-energise Your Backlist Books

super admin — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 11:27:17 +0000

By Laxmi Hariharan

Promotional opportunities are almost always aimed at new books – the media, retailers and readers all love to have the latest reads. So how do you keep the momentum going with your older titles? They are, after all, just as good as when you first published them.

Here are five easy tips to keep readers engaged with your books.

Box Sets

Box Sets can be created for both physical books and ebooks. They are a great way to bring together the individual books in a series and to keep readers reading. A set of 3 or more books, competitively priced, can seem like a great bargain for your audience and help your overall visibility as an author while costing next to nothing to create. If you have a very large series consider several box sets – perhaps with 3 books in each.

Pricing

Consider setting book 1 free for a time as a loss leader. If your book is well written you will find that it funnels readers into the series and you will more than make up for the loss of income as they purchase your other titles.

You can even create a tiered pricing structure for your books, transitioning from a free ‘book one’ to a 99c ‘book two’ and so on. Again, you are incentivising your readers to keep reading and are creating a path for your audience, directing them through the series. Experiment with prices and check the results to hone the best prices for your books.

Rebranding

If your sales have gone off the boil, sometimes a fresh new look or rebrand can get the revenue moving again. The big publishers do this continually with their backlist covers to keep them from looking tired and outdated

But don’t just redo your covers, look at everything related to your book – the description blurb, the metadata etc. It is amazing how quickly information can become outdated if you are not continually changing it.

It is good practise to study the top 20 books in your genre as they will provide a good steer on the latest trends.

Fresh Marketing to Your Readers

Create a promotion schedule for your newsletter with new themes, incentives, excerpts and features about your backlist titles. The key is to keep the attention of readers while they are waiting for your next masterpiece. You don’t want them to drift away and an enticing newsletter is a great away to keep your friends close.

Paid Advertising

Paid online advertising is now a well-established method of finding new audiences for old books. The three most popular platforms are Facebook, Amazon Marketing Services (AMS ads) and BookBub.

With pinpoint ad targeting and instant sales data, online advertising can be a great way to hone your advertising messages and reach people who love books similar to yours.

Cameron Publicity and Marketing have a range of services that can help you with this.

We hope this was helpful. Do you have more tips? Do write in and tell us at info@cameronpm.co.uk, Twitter: @CameronPMtweets or Facebook: www.facebook.com/CameronPublicity