What Lens Do Authors See Through?

 

Authors write through their eyes, from their vantage point, but they must market through the lens of their potential reader. What does the consumer need or want and how will they perceive what you offer? This is what authors must answer.

When you write a book, you do so with passion and vigor. You laser in on what needs to be done. You give yourself the time that is necessary to complete your book.

When you market a book, you get distracted or make excuses, and that is a no-no. You must be as determined and committed to marketing your book as you were to writing it.

As a writer, you tend to draw from personal experience, what you witnessed, and what others have shared with you, and you couple it with what you know from reading books, watching TV and movies, and consuming the news. You have your own power to dream or imagine things. But it is all from how you perceive things.

As a marketer, you have to make assumptions, conduct research, and make educated guesses as to who your likely reader is and what you will need to say or do to draw them in and win them over. But many authors work out of a me-centric marketing viewpoint, vs a them-centric perspective.

Another way of saying this: Authors are too close to their book to be objective and strategic about how -- and to whom —to market their baby. So, let’s start with a few foundational questions. You must be ready to answer them in order to market effectively:

* Where would my book sit if it were on a shelf in a bookstore — what genre is it?

* Is it a book people need and are searching for one like it, or is it a book people may want if only they knew of it?

* Who is your competition and what do those books or authors offer that you can match or surpass? Do you offer something they don’t?

* What do people get out of reading your book — what are the benefits?

* How do you describe yourself in a qualifying way as to why you are the perfect writer of such a book?

* Can you narrow down demographic traits or characteristics of your reader— race, religion, gender, age, wealth, politics, health, education, geography, etc.

You may have written the book for yourself from your viewpoint. Now market to others from how they see things. By making that transition you have taken a huge leap forward.

 

Need PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over 3.9 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.9 million pageviews. With 4,900+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.