Let’s be honest: Marketing fiction is harder than marketing nonfiction.

That’s partly because it’s harder to find the readers, but it’s also because fiction relies so much on good word of mouth. Nothing can do more for your novel than friends telling friends how much they loved it.

And this is why fiction marketing mistakes can be a real problem. It’s hard enough as it is — you don’t want to do anything that will make it even harder.

One of those mistakes is reflected in this article title — I had to flag this with the word “fiction” to get your attention. Otherwise, you might have skipped over it, thinking it didn’t apply to you. Let me explain with mistake number one.

Mistake # 1: If the marketing tactic isn’t labeled “fiction,” you discount it.

I’ve lost track of the number of authors who have emailed me to say, “You have so much helpful information on your website but I don’t see much that applies to fiction.”

It’s there — they just don’t see it because it doesn’t shout FICTION!

Actually, most of what works for nonfiction book marketing also applies to fiction. Here are links to a few articles on this site as examples:

• “How to promote your book with tip sheets.” This tactic is effective for both fiction and nonfiction. The first three paragraphs of this article share how the author of a fictional children’s book used this tactic to get national media attention.
• “How to create shareable images with quotes.” While nonfiction authors might share tips or gems of wisdom from their books, novelists can share things said by characters (among other things).
• “How to get media exposure that sells more books.” The first tip — “Go from author to expert” — shouts “Nonfiction tip!” to novelists. But novelists often become experts on the topics and settings they write about, too, and can leverage that knowledge and current headlines to get free media exposure. It takes thought, for sure, but those who make the effort to follow the advice in this article are rewarded.

I see this as such a big problem that I’m going to add a topic category to this blog for “fiction,” then go back to old posts and label them for fiction so they’re better identified that way. I don’t want them to get overlooked simply because they don’t include the word “fiction.”

Mistake #2: Not learning how to market by email.

Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to:

• Build a fan base and stay connected to them
• Generate reviews
• Sell more books

And yet, fiction authors still avoid it. That’s partly because of the technology involved, but it’s also because there aren’t a lot of role models and success stories.

Case in point: I’m going to be recommending a colleague’s new email marketing training program for authors in a few weeks and wanted to provide you with extra content you would find helpful — a collection of sample author newsletters. I’ve searched for them in a number of ways, but I’m struggling to find good newsletters because it’s not a common author marketing tactic, especially with authors of fiction.

That’s a problem.

Mistake # 3: Not meeting with and talking to readers face-to-face.

It’s certainly easier to just stay at your keyboard and write. What’s more, writing is a “come as you are” experience — bad hair days and yoga pants are acceptable. Getting out and meeting people, on the other hand, takes planning, effort, and courage. Lots of courage.

But it’s worth it.

When you talk to readers face-to-face, you learn what they like and don’t like about your books.

You learn what they like about your genre and its most popular authors.

You learn what is happening in their lives — details that you can work into your stories so that they resonate with these readers and more who are just like them.

The more you interact with your readers or those who read your genre, the better able you are to produce books they will love and talk about.

Here are a few ways you can connect with readers in person:

• Invite them to a gathering to provide feedback. Author Chanin Kaye invited people she could trust to be honest to critique her book before final edit. They read the book, then gathered in her home for a group discussion. Kaye’s gathering was book-specific, but you can invite readers to discuss the genre instead of your books. Host it in your home, in a library function room, or at a bookstore.
• Plan a library or bookstore event with other local authors. Include presentations, workshops, and question-and-answer sessions.
• Attend book festivals and events. Go local or consider attending one of the larger national or regional events, including RT Con, the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, or the Florida Book Festival.

It’s the start of a new year. Let it be the start of your new approach to selling more of your fiction, too. Our “Book Marketing 101 for Fiction: How to Build Book Buzz Basic E-course” teaches you how to find your audience plus what is and isn’t working for fiction promotion today.

What have you been doing to market your fiction that’s working for you?

Not surprisingly, in this group and others I’ve worked with, there are different definitions.

Some authors are uncomfortable putting “my” and “book” together in a phrase that goes in a sentence (you know, as in “my book”). But I’ve seen others fill their Twitter feed with nothing but “Buy my book” coupled with an Amazon link.

Gender differences

There’s a gender divide, too.

While men can be just as uncomfortable as women putting themselves out there to talk about their book in a way that attracts media and book buyer attention, more women than men tell me they’re uncomfortable with the process.

Many women — including me — were raised to believe we shouldn’t call attention to ourselves or our work, so we feel “shameless” when we do it. In reality, as long as you’re not being obnoxious, it’s just good business.

I try to help reluctant promoters see that they’re not talking about themselves. They’re talking about their book, and their book is going to help people. It’s an important difference.

Think of it as a public service announcement

In fact, you’re doing a public service when you do what it takes to get the word out about your book. That might sound like a stretch, but think about it. You wrote your book to educate, enlighten, entertain, or inform, right?

How can you do that if nobody knows about it?

It’s up to you to tell them about it.

But do it in a way that’s comfortable for both you and the people you’re trying to reach. If you’re a gentle soul, then reach out gently, in your own way. If you tend to be hard-charging and aggressive, then we’d be surprised if you didn’t approach book promotion the same way (whether we like it or not).

Avoid stretching the truth

What you don’t want to do, though, is be dishonest, and I think that is what’s at the core of the discussion in the course site this week. While some might be comfortable saying that their book could be the next National Book Award, others feel more humble, preferring to leave the superlatives to others.

It’s an individual choice; there’s no right or wrong. As you move forward and assess outcomes, you might find that you need to put a little more zip into your promotion or that you might need to tone it down a bit.

But letting people know how they’ll benefit from reading your book? That’s never the wrong thing to do.

Where do you stand on shameless self promotion? What do you think is “shameless?” What are you comfortable doing for your book — and not doing?