Writing and self publishing a book is a huge deal, but don't stop there! Boost your cred with shorter clips to generate interest for your work, establish an online presence for your readers, and connect with powerful opportunities. These are some of the more popular dishes!
Starting your own blog and working to make it popular can be a great way to ultimately market your book and grow your author clips, but you can also try pitching a fellow blogger's site to write guest posts in order to test the waters before diving all the way in. Don't shy from jumping on controversial topics; by contributing your voice to the trending conversation of the day, you can make your views, and writing, known to a wider audience. One per day!
While we'd all love for our first published clip to be in a major national magazine, your local paper or weekly culture and arts circular can be a great way to break into the world of print publishing. If you already have a self-published title under your belt, use this to your advantage and pitch the appropriate editor of the paper with a story that falls within your expertise. Most papers will allow a short bio to be published with your byline, so be sure to include the name of your most recently released title so readers can find you, and your work.
Book reviewing is becoming a huge part of the book marketing game for self published authors. While netting a positive review for your own book is obviously a huge boon, you should consider writing reviews for your fellow authors to position yourself as a supportive team player in your publishing community. Seek out websites that publish well-written reviews; these sites are usually in need of quality reviewers to help them cover as many books as possible. Trying out your reviewing skills on GoodReads or Amazon is fine for a warm-up round, but a full-length review on a legitimate website will make a much better clip than a review you upload yourself.
Similarly, you can interview authors you admire and publish the finished product on your own blog or a publishing website. Ask exciting, engaging questions to ensure unique, readable interviews that will bring the both of you plenty of traffic and attention.
Finally, once you've got a few high-quality pieces out there in cyberspace or print, you're ready to pitch a full-length feature article for a newspaper, magazine, or website. High-traffic sites like Salon or Huffington Post accept pitches from writers; be sure to have a clear idea and a few clips to show before trying these major outlets.
Start small to begin building your portfolio of author clips, and use each published piece as a stepping stone to the next. You may have to try a few times before snagging a big feature assignment that leads to helpful connections, but once you have a feature clip in your file, you'll be on your way to building a strong platform to showcase your writing.
Keep the Faith and May the Force be With You!