Do Authors Really Need to Market? You Bet!

Hi Everyone. Summer is almost here, and in Phoenix, that means it’s time to either hit the pool, walk the Mall, see a movie, or take a vacation to a cooler climate. There’s only so much you can do when the triple digits kick-in. And so, like all good authors, I’ve turned my attention to marketing, This week, I thought it might be fun to share with you what marketing actually means for an author and how it’s been working so far. You just might be surprised.

Finding New Readers

I regularly run ads on Amazon so that new readers can find my two novels. With the little space allowed, I’ve been confined to writing two-line book descriptions which might invite a potential buyer’s click. Amazon is all about clicks. And trust me, there are moments when writing the entire novel seems a lot easier than capturing the attention of folks who don’t know me. But since I’ve been running ads and measuring performance, I’ve also been using Excel spreadsheets. For those of you who know me well, this has made me very happy. I love Excel.

Audiobook

Now for the big news. After the Fall will be introduced in an audiobook format by the end of August. No, I’m not providing the narration. That would be cruel and unusual punishment for any listener. Instead, I’ve hired local Phoenix talent. I’m hoping the audiobook will tap into a whole new market of book lovers. Commuters, busy twenty-somethings, and those who relish the spoken word.

Book Clubs, Book Parties, and Podcasts

Yes, I’m still doing book clubs and book parties. Next week, I’ll be in Fort Wayne, Indiana, meeting with a book club to discuss After the Fall. So far, I’ve done 9 book clubs, some for The Intersect and some for After the Fall. I also continue to do book parties. The most recent was in Asheville, North Carolina, and it was a hoot. So if you’re ever interested in a book party, please let me know. They’re lots of fun. You invite your friends and we pull the party together. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet new readers and everyone seems excited to meet an author. At least, that’s what they tell me. We’ve also wrapped up last month with an interview on the Written on the Edge (WROTE) podcast. The show is now up on my website at bradgraber.com if you’d like to take a listen.

Awards

We have a lot to celebrate. After the Fall received a 2018 Indie Finalist Award from Indie Forewords and was just recently honored with a 2019 Indie Reader Discovery Award. Not to be outdone, The Intersect just landed on an Amazon Best Seller list. Phew! Three years of hard work made that happen. The name of the game is persistence.

Thanks to You for Making this Happen

Of course, none of this could have been possible without your help. Thank you to all the readers who purchased the novels and took the time to post a review on Amazon. Reviews are critical to moving the books along the Amazon bookshelf. I feel very lucky to be an author with such a terrific group of people supporting me. Everyone has been so kind, and for that, I’m very grateful.

So What is Next?

I have two new projects underway. A 3rd novel, tentatively titled, Boca by Moonlight, and, yes, I’ve given thought to book #2 in The Intersect series. So there’s a lot of writing ahead. To those of you who’ve been kind enough over the years to share your personal stories, I will be mining them for gold in the next few months. To the rest, well, all I can say is, I’m in need of plot twists. I’ll be listening closely to your every word. Promise!