Your Publicity Toolkit
I’ve previously told you 5 Things To Know About Book Publicists. However, not all of you will have a publicist, whether that’s because your publisher doesn’t allocate you one, or because you’re self-publishing. That’s not something to worry about though – you’ll be your own publicist. And who could be a bigger advocate for you than yourself?  
There are a few things you might need in your toolkit:   
1) A website  
2) A mailing list  
3) A social media presence 
4) The confidence to brazenly ask for favours 
And here’s what you don’t need:  
Money  
So, here‚Äôs how to go about making sure that the people who will love your book get to read it… ¬†
Building your brand  
The name Stephen King is synonymous with horror. Beth O’Leary is becoming synonymous with romance. In building your brand, you want people to hear your name and think, ‘oh, that’s the author that does [insert your genre or USP here]’. But how do you get to that point?  
One way to do this is by setting up a website. Take a look at these websites by some of my talented colleagues: Holly Seddon, Sarah Ann Juckes, Sophie Flynn, and Harry Bingham. Have a look through and see how they spotlight their books, and how they describe themselves. For more information on setting up an author website, check out our free article on the very subject here.  
From your website, you can set up a mailing list – this is a great way to have a dedicated group of readers on your side, and can do wonders at boosting your sales, which in turn increases your visibility.  
Networking  
Until we return to face-to-face events, social media is your best networking tool. Twitter can seem intimidating, but once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll be hashtagging like there’s no tomorrow!  
Set up your Twitter account and start using hashtags like #amwriting #amquerying and #writingcommunity. Get your name known on Twitter, and you can start making contacts with fellow authors, book bloggers, and maybe even some agents and publishers! Whatever you do, be friendly, be polite, and talk about your book.  
Building up a supportive community will help you push your writing, no matter what publishing route you go down.  
Securing coverage  
This is where the confidence to brazenly ask for favours comes in!  
It’s worth noting that it can be difficult to gain traditional coverage as a self-published author, as many media outlets will feel that they can’t vouch for the quality of self-published works. But that’s nothing to worry about! Book bloggers are an incredible resource, and all they’ll need is a free copy of your book.  
When approaching anyone, do your research. If you‚Äôre self-published, don‚Äôt approach a magazine that won‚Äôt cover self-published books. If you‚Äôre a romance writer, don‚Äôt approach Crime Writers R Us (I don‚Äôt think this is a thing, but I hope it is…). Be targeted in who you approach and find a piece of media that will be read by people who love your genre. ¬†
Useful resources  
Are you a member of Jericho Writers? If this blog has piqued your interest, you might be interested in the following webinar event replays: 
Getting ready for publication with Helen Richardson 
Building Your Mailing List with Harry Bingham 
How to Work with Book Bloggers  
Not a Jericho member? Well, that’s very easily fixed! Click here to sign up and gain access to a wealth of resources that can help you fiercely advocate for your book.  
What now?  
You‚Äôve already done one very important thing ‚Äì got involved with the Jericho Writers community! Please drop your links in the comments to your websites and social media platforms (and links to buy your books, if you’re published!), and don‚Äôt forget to check out your fellow author‚Äôs links and support each other.¬†
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