Marketing...without anything to sell.

Oh Social Media.

Everyone hopes they are the next Justin Bieber or Rebecca Black--okay, maybe not Rebecca Black. Discovered and beloved by millions through YouTube or Facebook. Big payoff with little work? The American Dream, no?

Though, how does a little author with dragons break through the barrier? How can she use social media and go, "Hate Vampires and Werwolves? THEN READ MY BOOK!!"

Now, before I get too ahead of myself, I need to explain some things. People have a habit of mistaking my eagerness for being naive or not being realistic about my expectations. Something you have to learn about me, I grew up with very low expectations of myself. I was the dumb-smart kid in school. The kid who got straight A's on every test, but always C+ on her report cards. Even though I could probably wipe the floor with a lot of the smart kids in my grade, I never rocked the boat because I never believed in myself. I never expected myself to actually achieve something. Because I never expected better for myself, I never got anywhere.

So, with writing, I expect better for myself. The dirt sucked, so now I'm reaching for the stars.

But, I digress.

I know social media can work for people in the music industry, but what about the publishing industry.

I know, I know. "You need something to sell first!"

Technically, I do have something to sell. I have my book. I may not be self publishing (what? Not every can be John Locke...or Christopher Paolini) but that doesn't mean I can't start building my social media presence. I am selling the concept of my book to potential readers, in hopes it will stick just enough for where I finally get published.

Social Media has become an integral marketing tool for any product, including books. Agents and publishers LOVE authors who can handle this aspect on their own. So, even though I don't have a book to sell (yet) who's to stop me from selling myself and the concept of my books?

I have done a lot of--say--marketing on my own. Through the writing forums I participate in and through LJ, I try to plug my book. Either through mentioning a subplot or a character, or character relationship, or even the concept, I try to plug where I can and get the name out there. Even through Twitter and Facebook, I'll mention little pieces of my work.

Yet, I can't seem to market it to agents. That's for another blog post though.

How do you feel about social media when it comes to selling your book? Regardless if you are published, represented, or not?

P.S: On a slightly related note, I did an interview! Take a look here!

http://www.jacquelinegardner.com/

It's a smaller one, but everyone has to start somewhere, right?