A Peek at Promotion

She came while I was doing sales time at market, and I asked if I could help her with anything. She asked some questions about our products, made a purchase, and was about to leave when my neighbouring vendor stepped up.

“Did you know she’s an author?” he asked her, pointing at me.

“Are you?”

I smiled. “Yeah, I am.”

He told her a few things about my writing while I stood there nodding.

“That’s really interesting. Good luck!” she said as she left.

I raised my eyebrows at my neighbour.

“Just helping you promote it a bit,” he said with a nonchalant shrug. “It’s not every day that I get to stand next to an author.”

The truth is, the word ‘promotion’ makes me cringe. It seems I’m expected to go around the web and the world telling about myself and my accomplishments. Somehow.

Do you struggle with this? Are you tempted to shrink into your writing corner and let your books find their way to readers on their own? Does it seem a lost cause because you don’t have the social media platforms so many people encourage?

Fellow writer, don’t fear.

WHAT IS PROMOTION?

True book promotion promotes the book, not you. Not your accomplishment or strength or charm.

“But I’m promoting something I wrote! Isn’t that … prideful?”

Only if that’s where your heart is.

If God gave you the message to share—for every story holds a message—then you are promoting Him and His glory, strength, and beauty.

WHEN SHOULD I START?

Right now.

Maybe your book won’t be published for another year, but that’s okay. This message that God has given you can be shared by voice as well as print.

Ask God for the courage to talk about your projects.

I’ve always been terrified that if people find out I’m a writer, they’ll ask me questions I can’t answer or wonder how on earth I could write something worth reading. (THAT is pride, manifesting as fear of man).

But as in the story above, people are often intrigued. They ask questions: “What is it about? Why are you writing it?”

It’s a God-given opportunity to speak of Him and the purpose He’s given you.

WHAT ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA?

Social media is a popular choice because it’s a quick way to reach a lot of people. But it holds countless dangers. It’s said that fire is a dangerous servant and a fearsome master, and social media fits the same description.

My advice: don’t play with fire.

Plus, having a lot of followers doesn’t mean you’ll reach a lot of people with your books. In January, an author advisor wrote that the more successful an author is, the less they use social media. They spend all the time that social media could swallow writing more books.

God has infinite wisdom, and He knows how to get His message out there! Pray. Pray. And pray some more.

If you seek Him, He will answer you.

Shall we have one more story?

In March, some family members and I went to an author event at a Christian bookstore. We listened to the authors share about their books, and walked through the lines of book tables. I wanted to talk with some of them, but I was too nervous. After all, I wasn’t a published author yet, and … and …

My dad came walking up to me. “I was just talking with the store owner—the one who’s running this—and I told him about your book.”

“Oh?” I said, half pleased, half anxious.

“He said maybe you can be part of their event next year.”

God will work with you and for you in proclaiming His message. Walk in humble boldness, friends, and speak for Christ.

In Him,

TRQT