Scott Steinberg Advises Writers to Think of ‘The Story of Their Book’

GalleyCat caught up with author and technology consultant Scott Steinberg who shared some important advice for writers about marketing books. “In your book you are telling a story but from the marketing perspective you are telling the story of your book,” he told GalleyCat.

We caught up with Steinberg while he promoted Becoming Essential. Steinberg is speaking at our upcoming Self-Publishing Intensive, a three-week online interactive event that is coming up in December.

Steinberg advised writers to focus on their niche audiences when they go to market their books. When it comes to getting your book reviewed, Steinberg said that there is an art to pitching. “You can’t use a one-size-fits-all pitch,” he said, pointing out that writers should target specific writers at specific magazines that have covered similar books.

“You need to know who at a specific outlet you are targeting and pitch based on their needs,” he said.

And don’t expect the reviewer to return your first email. Journalists are drowning in pitches. “Victory is attained in follow up,” said Steinberg.

Steinberg also recommends that authors set realistic goals when they begin writing. “Not every novel needs to be the great American novel,” he explained. Steinberg advised that you don’t have to write 300 pages if you are selling a book for $2.99. Instead, he suggested publishing stories in shorter volumes. “Every new book helps sell back catalog,” he explained.

When packaging your book, Steinberg said that design is imperative because people do judge books by their cover. “People are visual creatures,” he explained. Steinberg stressed that the cover of your book needs to communicate at-a-glance what is about and what is unique about it. “If you are going to spend money, spend it on presentation,” he said. “A bad cover is like wearing a cheap suit.”