THE CAREER NOVELIST
ever been interviewed on TV or for publication? Can you, right this
second, explain what makes your novel important?
Unless you answered yes to many of the latter questions, self-
promotion may not come naturally to you. Chances are that you will
be uncomfortable with it, and disappointed with the results.
Assuming you passed the promotability test, the next factors to
consider are time and money. Self-promotion takes both. Do you
live off your advances? If so, watch out. You cannot afford more than
basic local, low-cost self-promotion unless your up-front money is
much higher than average. If you have your own money to spend
that is helpful. But how much should you invest? The reality is that
at first self-promotion will probably not return in royalties the
money that you put into it.
As for time, do you have a job? Young children? Church or civic
commitments? Again, beware. Effective self-promotion can be a full-
time job by itself. You will need free weekends and limitless energy.
The next factor is knowledge. Have you ever seen a press kit? Do
you know the name of the talent coordinator on your local station's
talk show? Does thinking about these things send you into a cold
sweat? Relax, this part is easy. There are many books, contact lists,
and newsletters that can help you get started. So can your publish-
er. Still, among my clients who have done well with self-promotion,
several came from careers in advertising and public relations. Self-
promotion requires expertise. If you do not already have it, you will
have to get educated.
The final factor is commitment. Do you fervently believe in pro-
moting yourself? You had better. Promotion builds in steps: local,
regional, national. Each step takes years of sustained effort.
That's right, years. Think about it, unless you are a TV star or the
daughter of a President you are not going to get to promote your
first novel—or perhaps any novel—on NBC's "Today." Neither are
you likely to be written about in the New York Times. Of course, you
may get lucky. Your novel about a Soviet coup d'etat may be
released on the same day as the real thing. If so, get ready to move
fast. Fame of that sort is fleeting.
So, if major media will resist you, how can you finally break
through? The only reliable way is to build up a media following at