After the Launch: 5 tasks to kindle the slow burn

Your book is now published. It’s out there, on the market, on Amazon, circulating around Kindle Unlimited, occupying shelf space at your local bookstore, having tea with readers in London. Or, at least, it potentially could be. Maybe you had many copies sell during your launch or maybe you didn’t. Maybe you hit the top 100 on Amazon, or you broke the top 10,000. Whatever happened, the launch has passed and the book is published. You did it. Well done, you!

Now what?

If your book didn’t come out like gangbusters, don’t fret. The first book for an independent author often does not sell a large number of copies during launch. It’s nice if it does, but most won’t. And that’s okay because it’s not about a windfall. It’s not about cash flow. Or bestseller lists.

It’s about staking your claim as an author.

You are published, and no one can deny it. Your book is out there. You are making a name for yourself. And the more people you reach with your book, the more you can add to your email list, expand your blog subscriptions, become known as an authority in the writing business. The first book is only the beginning.

That’s what it’s really about.

You Have to Start Someplace

If you want the book to be successful, you’ll have to keep working at it. Nothing comes easy in this thing called publishing. But each small act will help you get where you want to go. Maybe your book is not a huge success upon launch, but that doesn’t mean it won’t do well in the long term. You’ve created something you can sell for many years ahead. The best thing you can do to help that first book become more successful is to write another book.

The more books you publish, the more readers you’ll have, the more people will get to know you and your work, and the more successful all of your books will be.

Don’t forget that this is all new to you. You are still learning. Every author has to learn the best way to sell her book. She does that by trying different marketing tactics and promotion. Trying different prices and different types of advertising. Guest blogging and podcasts and personal appearances. Maybe she uses her platform as an author to start public speaking. You’ll see what helps you sell more copies, and what doesn’t, as you go.

What You Can Do to Help Book Sales Along

1)    Get more reviews. If you didn’t get 25 reviews during launch, get back out there and try again. Reach out to the friends who bought your book, reach out to book clubs, try an Amazon giveaway (they’re not like Goodreads giveaways, but it may result in a few reviews). You can also use a service like Pubby: you’ll pay a monthly fee to register your book, then you’ll read for other authors and leave reviews, while other authors read for you and leave reviews (you’re not exchanging directly).

2)    Set up in-person events. It’s easiest to start locally. Now that you have a book, head over to the library or the nearest bookstore, and very kindly offer them a free copy of your book. Then leave them with a flyer that describes a special event you would like to lead. Maybe it’s a writing workshop or a reading from your book or a talk about self-publishing. Whatever it is, don’t pressure anyone to do anything. Just give them you book and your flyer, and ask that they contact you if they’re interested. Libraries and bookstores need free events to offer the community and surely will consider adding yours to their calendar.

3)    Continue to build your email list. One of the best ways to do this is to write guest blogs for popular websites. Simply write an article and offer it to a blogger who caters to your particular readers.

4)    Enter contests. If you win a contest, you can use it to promote like crazy. Readers love to hear about a book that won an award. They trust that it won’t disappoint. More on contests here.

5)    Write your next novel. I personally can’t wait to get back to writing. It feels like it’s been a long time, and I have the second book in my Jovian duology waiting to be told!

 If you’re like most independent authors, you probably sold about two hundred copies in the first couple of weeks. Your dream of soaring to the top of the chart may not have been fulfilled, but that’s okay because the long-term game is the one you need to concentrate on. Maybe sales weren’t blazing, but it’s the slow burn that you’re really looking for. Continue to do the little things, and the big things will happen in the future.

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Kim Catanzarite is a writer, editor, and instructor for Writer’s Digest University. She has worked as a freelance developmental and copy editor since 1994. Her book They Will Be Coming for Us is available online, in bookstores, and at libraries.