Class Description
If you're about to publish a book, your publicist --- if you even have one --- will handle some of the promotional tasks. But you can do a lot on your own. In this seminar, we'll explore great ideas and best practices to design your own "thinking out of the box," DIY, guerrilla-style promotional campaign. Whether your book is fiction or nonfiction, big press or small press or self-published, this seminar will help you find ways to identify, reach, and build an audience in various potential book-buying communities. Via discussion of packet materials, short exercises, and Q&A, and the instructor's own examples of promoting his book Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks, we’ll help you find idea that build on your book’s natural niche and subject matter, but also rely on your own naturals skills and strengths as a self-promoter, without busting your money or time budget. We'll discuss how to create a toolbox of publicity materials and a "mobile event kit"; how to set up your book tour (at bookstores and non-traditional venues); how to brainstorm special promotions and events; how to professionalize your “author persona”; how to establish yourself as an expert, pitch yourself to media outlets, and write tie-in op-eds and commentaries; and how to develop platform-building opportunities via speaking engagements (and possibly create ancillary income streams), among other topics. Come with questions and your own promotional ideas to share.
Note: This course is best for writers with forthcoming books.
Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.
For more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.
This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. About 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin, you'll receive an email from your instructor with a link to join the class meeting!
Zoom Participation:
Students are not required to turn their camera on, but are encouraged to participate any way they feel comfortable through functions such as the live chat, emoji reactions, and unmuting the microphone. Learn more about using Zoom here.
Zoom Accessibility:
We ask that instructors enable closed captioning and send a transcript of the session after class. You can also enable closed captioning at any time during the meeting. If your instructor forgets to send the transcript, just send ’em an email!