Take The Mystery Out Of Promoting Your Book

Book Review:

by Cherry-Ann Carew

Having your manuscript accepted by a publisher is a wonderful literary achievement, yet being a successful published author takes not only gutsy passion, but persistence and a willingness to do the work necessary to generate book sales. With over 100,000 new titles being published each month, authors are expected to take an active and effective role in the marketing process beyond their literary achievement.

Take the Mystery Out of Promoting Your Book by author, P.M. Terrell ©2006, is an easy-to-follow book on how authors can promote their books through varying means. Terrell uses contributions from other successful authors, book store owners and publicists to validate her principles. With images, check lists, samples and a chart to aid the writer, Terrell infuses her suspense/thriller creative side throughout the book with icon images that indicates whether more research is required, whether to pay special attention to certain information or things to avoid. Chapter subtitles include: Stealing an Identity; Casing the Joint; The Scene of the Crime; Breaking and Entering etc. that I found amusing.

Her writing style is informal making it an easy read. Further Terrell does a good job of not just explaining what needs to be done, but she goes into detail why and how things should be implemented. This is especially important for new authors who are of the opinion that a book will sell itself. The information will acquaint authors with marketing strategies and the publishing world and will place them steps ahead of the game if followed.

Terrell’s purpose for writing the book was based on her experience, or rather, lack of, on her role as an author and how she fitted into the marketing campaign: “What I needed, as a new author, was a blueprint. I needed someone to tell me, step by step, what I needed to do to arrange book signings and speaking engagements,” she said.

Unable to find that blueprint, she set about noting what worked for her and what didn’t, hence the birth of Take the Mystery Out of Promoting Your Book that, in my opinion, every writer should have at their side before their book is published.

I’m well versed in marketing strategies, but some of Terrell’s step-by-step tactics were new to me. As it happened, a book I co-authored was launched when I discovered Terrell’s book and I decided to put a few of them to the test. First, I followed her tip to compile a list of reviewers under the section ‘Planning the Crime’ to request endorsements and used many of her tips under ‘The Scene of the Crime’ while on speaking engagements. Did I achieve my goals? Yes!

Take the Mystery Out of Promoting Your Book is one I’ll be referring to for years to come as I strategize steps for my future books.

Highly recommended.

For more information on Terrell, visit her website at: www.pmterrell.com

Cherry-Ann Carew
Co-Author of the bestseller book How The Fierce Handle Fear – Secrets To Succeeding In Challenging Times and the forthcoming book, Whisper Of Lies.
http://www.cherryanncarew.com