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So You’ve Self-Published Your Novel – What’s Next?

By on March 5, 2020

Self-published your novel? Congratulations! But now what? Self-publishing your novel is an exciting time. However, you won't have long to celebrate as there is still so much work to do!

For many authors, the process after writing a book is actually more challenging than the writing process itself. Writing, after all, is your passion, and creating the book, though challenging, is something you will have loved to do. Promoting your novel, however, is where many authors feel uncomfortable and out of their depth. But if you don't do it, you can't expect much success.

So now that your novel is out there and available for the whole world to see, what do you need to do next? The self-publishing world is highly competitive, so having a plan is essential. Here are some useful tips.

What to do after you've self-published your novel

Keep building your platform.

Hopefully, you have already started gathering fans and using your author's website and social media platforms to build interest and a following. Once you have self-published your novel, you need to ramp this up a lot. All the energy and time that was once taken up with crafting, drafting, and editing your story now needs to pour into building your platform and making sure that you generate as much interest as possible in your novel. Use social media to promote your book and engage with readers, and post blogs and updates on your author site. Guest post for more visibility, join relevant groups and conversations and build your email list.

Gather book reviews and expose your novel to relevant audiences.

Getting people to find your book is so important. You need to network, check out genre websites, find your fans, and reach out to as many people as possible who you think might be interested in your book. Try to get press coverage, talk to local libraries, and set up readings. Do whatever you can to boost your visibility. When it comes to reviews, you should try to get as many positive ones as possible. Why you want to gather these on Amazon and Goodreads is obvious -the more you have, the more likely it is that people who have found your book will decide to buy it. However, it's also worth contacting bloggers and relevant publications to gain a variety of reviews from different sources, all of which will build your reputation and increase the likelihood of people buying your book.

Invest in promotion

Taking the time to roll out a well-thought-out promo plan is well worth it. Not only should you spend time creating a smart strategy, but you should also be willing to have a budget for marketing your book. You don't need thousands of pounds, but the more you have, the easier it will be to run slick promotional campaigns and target the kind of people who might be interested in what you are offering.

By following the above, you can give your self-published novel the best chance of reaching interested, engaged readers, and motivating them to buy your book. Good luck!

So now you know what to do after you've self-published your novel, why not discover some good reasons for writing a sequel?

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bethany cadman
Bethany Cadman - bethanycadman.co.uk

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