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 i...