On Writing : Poetry at Christmas by J W Nelson

It's constant marketing. I have two ebooks that still sell today, thanks to regular posting on social media, maintaining my own blog, and guest blogging.

I even had my books available in my email signature for the longest time. With a quirky line above the link, I got lots of clicks and sold lots of books.

Podcasts are a great way, too. If you take the time to Google podcasts that you think you'd be a great guest on, that's a fantastic way to get yourself out there.

You can also choose to sell your book on Amazon for next to nothing to attract attention and boost the algorithm. Don't do it forever, of course, but lots of times people will sell it for $0.99 for a limited time.

I can't speak to finding literary agents, but I can tell you that you can sell your book if you take marketing actions everyday and stick with them.

Here's a post I wrote last year. If you scroll down, I expand a bit on the marketing aspect. Good luck to you. :)

thanks all for the tips! its finding the time to keep on top of things as you say - the promotional side needs constant attention...

Thanks as always Joleene, you are one of the most generous creative artist I've known here.Keep shining, always friend ((

Don't forget to create an Author Page on Amazon... you can then give people one link to direct them to all your books, because Amazon's search is absolutely DREADFUL. (seriously, look for me (David E. Gates) and you'll see other "David's" way before any of my books are listed).

Don't do your own cover

Don't be your own editor

Never end a book in a way that you cannot make a sequel

Give away as many books as you can

Be careful who you listen to

Ignore Oscar's advice. :-) Don't give away books - you undermine the value of the work by doing so. The only exception to this is review copies. I've created several of my own covers. Canva.com is a great tool for doing so. Getting a professional is great, but expensive. Circa £800 and that was "mates rates!". Agree with not being your own editor. It's very difficult to edit/proofread your own work. I've used someone from this site to proofread one of my novels and they did an amazing job at a very good rate. I'll use them again for sure.

>Also, don't approach a Literary Agent with self published works.

Nothing wrong with approaching agents who specifically don't mind receiving self-published work. I've done so several times. Even those that might not accept them, it can be worth a shot. You could have the next Fifty Shades (though I'd hope it is better written than that!) If the writing is good, the idea(s) original , then they may be interested. The trick is absolutely to follow the guidelines of submission they have on their web page. Anything less and you won't get a look-in.

My suggestion would be to buy the latest Writer's and Artist's Yearbook. It contains lists of legitimate agents and publishers. There is also a lot of advice on how to submit work to agents and publishers. I have just produced and published a poetry book myself and I working on my own advertising and promotion, because finding agents and publishers is so difficult. I've sent you a message as well expanding on my thoughts.

If anyone's interested in traveling to the California Gold Country first weekend of May, I'll be presenting a 90-minute "how-to" on getting the right agent for your book. I have a NY agent who sold my book to HarperCollins. Now working on the next one, and agent keeps asking how it's coming. www.goldrushwriters.com