How to Sell A Book?

So, this topic is for all you authors or prospective authors out there. I recently self published my book entitled Epidemic Victus Cadaver using the website Lulu.com: http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/epidemic-victus-cadaver-a-journal/6198217 and was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to market it? What should I do to get my book out there and into the actual high end retail bookstores. The Lulu website itself will eventually put the book up on Amazon.com and that will make it available there, but I just don't want it to fade away into obscurity.

So, any thoughts or past experiences or advice would be very helpful.

Thanks

So, this topic is for all you authors or prospective authors out there. I recently self published my book entitled Epidemic Victus Cadaver using the website Lulu.com: http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/epidemic-victus-cadaver-a-journal/6198217 and was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to market it? What should I do to get my book out there and into the actual high end retail bookstores. The Lulu website itself will eventually put the book up on Amazon.com and that will make it available there, but I just don't want it to fade away into obscurity.

So, any thoughts or past experiences or advice would be very helpful.

Thanks

Odin945

Yeah, I thought about the local book store. But where I live we have one high end retailer (Chapters) and several used book stores.

Also, would advertising for a book in a newspaper or in craigslist really be that effective?

Yeah, I thought about the local book store. But where I live we have one high end retailer (Chapters) and several used book stores.

Also, would advertising for a book in a newspaper or in craigslist really be that effective?

Odin945

The most obvious way is to get yourself an agent.

Yeah, I thought about the local book store. But where I live we have one high end retailer (Chapters) and several used book stores.

Also, would advertising for a book in a newspaper or in craigslist really be that effective?

Odin945

The most obvious way is to get yourself an agent.

MushroomWig

Send millions of copies to Oprah.

Yeah, I thought about getting an agent, and at the moment I'm a University student and do not have much of an income to the point of being able to afford one.

As for the newspaper ad I'm slightly surprised, I just never thought that an ad in a newspaper would be all that effective. Usually I picture like, businesses and interactive media to take on those advertisements, not a book.

Get an agent or, if you can't afford one, give a copy to big time reviewers, and me. Because I'd really like to read this.

[QUOTE="MushroomWig"]

The most obvious way is to get yourself an agent.

xaos

Yeah, I thought about getting an agent, and at the moment I'm a University student and do not have much of an income to the point of being able to afford one.

As for the newspaper ad I'm slightly surprised, I just never thought that an ad in a newspaper would be all that effective. Usually I picture like, businesses and interactive media to take on those advertisements, not a book.

Odin945

What kind of big time Reviewers are we talking about? Like, literary reviewers that work for magazines?

Also, although the agency idea would be very nice, I just can't afford to hire one due to my financial position.

What kind of big time Reviewers are we talking about? Like, literary reviewers that work for magazines?

Also, although the agency idea would be very nice, I just can't afford to hire one due to my financial position.

Odin945

What kind of big time Reviewers are we talking about? Like, literary reviewers that work for magazines?

Also, although the agency idea would be very nice, I just can't afford to hire one due to my financial position.

Odin945

What kind of big time Reviewers are we talking about? Like, literary reviewers that work for magazines?

Also, although the agency idea would be very nice, I just can't afford to hire one due to my financial position.

Odin945

Well, New York Times is a good one. Maybe some magazines, but you here about New York Times most often. If you can find a good agent that doesn't charge an upfront fee and is willing to help, they'll give it to necessary reviewers.

So you think I should take my book off the website and attempt to just try and find an agent instead?

So you think I should take my book off the website and attempt to just try and find an agent instead?

Odin945

Don't take it off the site until you find an agent, that way it'll sell some before you get someone to mass publish it.

So you think I should take my book off the website and attempt to just try and find an agent instead?

Odin945

[QUOTE="Odin945"]

So you think I should take my book off the website and attempt to just try and find an agent instead?

Phoenix534

Don't take it off the site until you find an agent, that way it'll sell some before you get someone to mass publish it.

[QUOTE="Phoenix534"]

[QUOTE="Odin945"]

So you think I should take my book off the website and attempt to just try and find an agent instead?

ayanami_rei

Don't take it off the site until you find an agent, that way it'll sell some before you get someone to mass publish it.

He'll sell at least one copy.

Well, New York Times is a good one. Maybe some magazines, but you here about New York Times most often. If you can find a good agent that doesn't charge an upfront fee and is willing to help, they'll give it to necessary reviewers.

Phoenix534

[QUOTE="ayanami_rei"][QUOTE="Phoenix534"]

Don't take it off the site until you find an agent, that way it'll sell some before you get someone to mass publish it.

Phoenix534

He'll sell at least one copy.

[QUOTE="Phoenix534"]

[QUOTE="ayanami_rei"] It's extremely hard selling a book when you're self-published.ayanami_rei

He'll sell at least one copy.

True.

So, current plan, leave the book on the website and attempt to find an agent while doing so?

So, current plan, leave the book on the website and attempt to find an agent while doing so?

Odin945

Sounds like a plan to me. You might sell one or two copies while on the hunt for an agent.

Personally, I don't know if I would keep it up on the website. It might make it harder to find a literary agent, I don't know. It's a very long process to begin with, however. It may take months to find a literary agent who will represent your book.

Do a lot of research before querying (or proposing). Do your homework.

write about sparkling vampires. I heard those sell well. Looks like your book is about zombies.. maybe, make the zombies sparkle?

Zombies ALWAYS sparkle.

I thought this was a nonfiction book. I'm sorry. I only glanced at the title of it. I'm really tired at the moment. Disregard anything I said about a nonfiction book. Since it is a work of fiction, you will want to query, not send a proposal. However, do do your research. It'll help you in the long run and save any headaches you might have in the future.

Edit: And DO NOT say fictional novel. DO NOT! It's redundant and a literary agent will most likely reject your query and you will receive a rejection form.

Haha, alright, thanks. And thanks for all your advices and congragulations. And no, I will not say "fictional novel" in my Query.

Advertise it and create big hype for it.