Jenna Glatzer has a good article in Writer’s Digest, “Giving It Away”. She notes that:
Brooke Warner is an acquisitions editor at Seal Press, a niche publisher of feminist books in the Avalon Publishing Group, and she says that personal websites can make a huge impact. Because of this, editors at Seal Press strongly encourage authors to set up websites before their books come out.
“If authors have a strong web presence, whether it’s just a website, or better yet, a blog that they regularly post to and update, then they’re driving readers who already have an interest in their topic to their site,” Warner says. “If authors can get linked into the communities that comprise their readership, then they’re way ahead of the game.”
However, she warns writers about spending too much time on self-promotion.
It’s all good advice. However, one vital point didn’t get a mention, and it’s this: promotion is cumulative.
Take the long-term view – writing for self-promotion is cumulative
I recommend to my writing students that they look on all the writing they do to promote themselves as money in the bank. Because it is. The more people who know your name, the more your writing is worth. Therefore, when you’re writing an article or a blog post, take a look a year, and five years down the road. Every word you write will pay off for you, not just for your current project, but for every word you write and sell.
Writing for self-promotion for just a current project is extremely limited thinking. Think long term. You’re building an audience, and that audience will grow over the years. Aim to build your brand… you’re developing your own gold mine.
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