How to Get Your First Novel Noticed

Oct 12, 2011
Sarah Davis

You've already done the hard part with writing the novel. Now's the time to get creative and start promoting. - Illustreret Dansk Litteraturhistorie bind 2

Publicity for new novelists is hard to come by. Here are some creative ways for you to promote your novel.

Promotion, promotion, promotion. There is no better way to get your first novel noticed than working hard to get the exposure you need. Now, with a changing book market that includes diminishing walk-in bookstores and lack of funding for libraries to buy new books, the new author needs to think outside the box to tackle the challenge from all angles. Fortunately, writers are creative enough as it is, so following a few simple suggestions—or making some of your own up—can make a remarkable difference in how you succeed as a new novelist. Here are a few ideas:

Twitter: There is no tool more powerful today than social networking. Consider getting more than one Twitter account: one for your personal life and one for your author life. Be selective about what you tweet. If you manage to get a tour, tweet about where you will be going and make sure you follow the bookstores you plan on visiting. That way you increase the chance of getting followers of your own. Helen Fielding, author of the Bridget Jones’s Diary books, made her characters accounts of their own and had them interact with each other through tweets. Crafting the perfect 140 character quip tantalizes your readers and makes them instantly intrigued about what they will find on the pages.
Small festivals: Local arts and crafts sales present possibilities where you can build your readership. Set up a table and offer free refreshments to passers-by. You can stage a reading or pass out papers with part of your first chapter. And nothing works better than a great opening line that will stick in everyone’s heads. Keep it catchy. Hey, it worked for Jane Austen!
Local papers: Media loves local authors. Send a book to the arts and entertainment editor at your nearest paper or magazine. Then offer an interview. If at all possible, bring up any local inspiration that you found, whether it is in certain coffee shops you wrote in or scenic parks that served as models for your own scenes. Take a pass at sending in a freelance article of your own in hopes of establishing credentials at the publication yourself. Check out a book about fundraising for small businesses from the library so you can read up on how to do press releases and begin flooding the media with your announcements. You’re already a writer; this should be the easy part!
Libraries: Libraries are great resources for new writers. You probably used one for research or peace and quiet, so repay the favor and consider doing a free reading. Libraries often have book clubs, and sometimes libraries have community education classes taught by local professionals. If you can, suggest a course on creative writing and share your tips; people will already trust you as a published author.

Avoid looking at publicity as a chore. As a creative person, you should be able to brainstorm new ways to think about promoting your novel. Don't shy away from this opportunity to show the world all the hard work you have done.