Publicity and The Long(er) Tail

I have been in discussion with my some writer friends about the benefits of self-publicity. One or two have voiced the opinion that if they self-publicise before they have a book deal, won’t they come across as rather bitter losers who blame the world for not noticing their brilliance?

I never know for certain what other people think, but I would say no.

I think the general public is – actually – far more receptive to new ideas than mainstream publishers. It's up to us to find our readers. And once you are published, my understanding is that your publisher will expect you to publicise your own books. So you might just as well start sooner rather than later. In fact, if you are good at self-publicity, wouldn't that influence the choice of a potential agent or publisher? They certainly seem to appreciate the easy PR that come with celebrities.

I am currently reading The Long Tail by Chris Anderson. This book confirmed something that I’d been wondering for some time. The internet is opening up a vast amount of choice and in the US consumers have worked out that mainstream publishers and the music industry have been catering to the commonest denominator for years. American consumers no longer think of hits and misses - they look for recommendations from other consumers. The Long Tail is that long tail where the volume graph of sales tails off. But now that it can be reached, people are actively investigating it for themselves instead of accepting what is put in front of them by those who have traditionally controlled music recording or the printed word.

How is the so-called “short head” dealing with this? It’s promoting shows like The X-Factor, that concentrate on mass appeal. There’s even been a publishing version called Pitch Idol – but that’s another story.

The way I see it, anyone who is creative needs to be saying, "I'm here! This is what I do! Hope you like it!"

For writers it's important to connect with our potential readership. Or even
people who know our potential readership.