Only you can be the best publicity agent for your work

by Bob D. Caterino
(South Carolina)

Publicity

So, you have written that great American Novel, um Canadian novel, um, well you write, and want to be seen, who doesn’t. The publicity problems for a new writer or even old writers are easy ones to rectify.

First thing you need to do is get yourself a website. There are many that give you space for free and have easy editors if you are not computer literate. The webpage will be your base of operations for publicity. You can show off some of your work to anyone that enters your new domain. Ok, now you need to drive people to your webpage to see what great things you are doing with words these days. Join some news sites, or create a blog page. Make sure you use your home base, web address as your tail. Anywhere you go on the web, wag that tail proudly. If people like what you have to say, they will head over to your home base.

Now you can send your message out by using what is called, a press release. Tell the world about your self in the third person and make a statement. Example: Caterino does it again. Caterino has a fight on MySpace and wins battle hands down. (I have multiple names on these sites and have had fights with myself for publicity. I being myself, and the other using another name.) You must make others see that you are the most important thing since sliced bread. I never understood why people always say that.

Sites like MySpace, and facebook, can be useful for networking. Once you join groups like these, be sure and seek out useful people for friends. Fans will find you but friends that are popular can help you become popular. Never wait for people to seek you out, that just aint happening. Lets say, you asked Jerry Seinfeld to be your friend. Now you have one friend but Jerry has twelve billion friends. Now you are being seen by all the people on his list as well.

Ok, now let’s review. You made your webpage, and are writing some things on a few sites to show off your work. You now are on a few social websites and all of the Aforementioned are telling people about your website. It is a vicious cycle that never ends but this is indeed what you need to do. You must treat your hobby or work, as a job. You need to work at this if you want to be successful. You can’t wait for others to do this for you for the simple fact that they just don’t care enough about you. If you wait for publicity to come to you, you have another thing coming.

Good luck and always remember, you are your own publicity agent. You need to get your name out there and make people remember you. Now this might just come as a shock for some of you but, I am a dying man. My books are all I have to be remembered by. Yes friends, I would be sure and buy one of my books because one of them might just be my last. Like a painter, the books will go up in value after I pass away. As I sit here sobbing aimlessly, at a loss for words, I know the compassion is out there. Oh why me. Yep, the doctor say’s I won’t live passed eighty five. I am fifty two now so. See, you must stretch the truth and make people see your truth. I never said, I was going to die tomorrow, I just said I was going to die, as we all will someday.

If you have a book for sale, you and I both know, that the author gets a deep cut in price. Go into your local book stores and ask if you can set up a table to sign your book. The store will be more than happy to accommodate your request. Now, if by chance the people flock to your table, and buy your book, which you now set your own higher price, it is more publicity for you. If you sell only a few, so what, now go to another book store and sell more of them.

These are just some ideas for the writer. I hope some idea’s were worth it for your endeavors, if not, well, I at least got my word out. Thanks and good luck.

Visit Bob's fan site. Also, Bob has another unique page on this site.