Page 136 - WritingMadlyV3

Writing Madly
press and into other people’s blogs. It’s called get-
ting publicity. Tie yourself into seasonal events—
time to change to winter tires, Valentine’s Day, wa-
ter safety—or anything that people are talking
about and that your expertise can address: the perils
of too much hot sauce, the skinny on the newest so-
cial media platform, the best way to train your ger-
bil. Invent something relevant to your topic and to-
day’s lifestyle, and email, text, fax or phone produc-
ers of radio and TV shows, online magazines and
blogs, or find a friend of a friend who knows some-
one who can pitch you.
The book stops here
These important yet frequently overlooked con-
nections are the vital signs of an aspiring self-help
author. Of the tens of thousands of books published
every year, ninety-five percent are by people who
have zero credibility outside of their own circle.
That’s why most self-published authors have base-
ments full of books.
Let’s say you’re a podiatrist who has produced
Everybody’s Guide to Corns and Calluses. After you’ve given
a copy to all your clients and friends, spoken at
your local Podiatry Convention and embarrassed
your staff into taking a few copies home, there’s
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