Writing and Promoting your Book

I've come to realize that writing is only a small part of the publishing industry. As a writer, not only must you write a publishable book, you must promote the hell out of it. The amount of promoting the publisher does is directly proportional to the advance.
So it is up to the writer/author to not only write the next book (and the next, and the next), but to be his/her own public relations firm, too.
I've had plenty of background in public relations. I've written dozens of press releases, given interviews, and scrounged for free promotion. But I've done this as a jewelry designer. It's the reason I began writing articles, so I could put my web site link in by byline. They don't always include it, but at least they were paying me.
Back to writing. PR for a writer is a whole different animal. And believe it or not, the book signings aren't a huge part of sales (until you have a household name, of course).
I remember going to a signing for Steve Hamilton. It was his first book, and he was signing in San Francisco. Not much of a turnout, not bad, but not fantastic. He was so kind, corresponding with me via email. I bought 2 books. I still have one, and now that he's a bestseller, the book's worth a small fortune. But he struggled just like other first time novelists.
So with that in mind, we aspiring authors have to get the word out, become somebody, so when our first book is published, we have a following.
I plan to do just that. I want to encourage other writers, by putting out a newsletter for PR.
COMING SOON...