Three Times a Charm

There is an old adage that in order for something to be a trend, there needs to be at least three prime examples of it in the media. This is a great tactic to employ when trying to generate publicity for your novel. As we all know, fiction is one of the hardest genre’s to promote because typically it isn’t “newsworthy.” Non-fiction is a much stronger, easier sell because magazines, television and radio love to talk about various areas of life from the words of an expert. Fiction is a tougher sell. Yes, it may be a great book…but where is the hook?

A great technique to use when trying to market your fiction is to look around at the trends you are seeing in the publishing and news industry. Are there suddenly more books on pirates? On kidnapping? On teenage pregnancy? You need to keep your eyes open to your competition and then unite with them. One book about a girl who gets pregnant at 13 isn’t newsworthy. It may be beautifully written but no one is going to know about it unless they are encouraged to pick it up.  Is it newsworthy?

Step One: Look around and see if there are other books dealing with the same subject matter that will be coming out around the same time as your book.

Step Two: Research the statistics of pregnancy in teenagers. Is it on the rise?

Step Three: Find a news hook. Has there been anything in the news recently that can tie-in with your story on teenage pregnancy? (Gloucester High School had 16 pregnancies in their school last year…16!! Jamie Lynn Spears? Bristol Palin? )

Now you have found other newly released books that cover a similar topic, the celebrity angle can help spark some interest, the statistics have proven your case and you have an interesting and unusual angle that may grab hold of an editor.

So there you have it.

An editor or producer is bound to bite on your story!

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