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Who do I talk to about an article about my novel just published?

First time author, self-published my first novel, promoting it on social media, word-of-mouth, etc. Trying to find someone to do an article about self-publishing and the problems inherent in that endeavor. I am a local boy, born and raised in Tacoma, now in Olympia the past twenty years. Would love to see some new outlet pick up this story and run with it and help promote a local author who is aging rapidly and doesn't have that many more shots left in him. Can be reached at holland1145@yahoo.com

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  • Ava_small
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    i don't know if it works the same with literary stuff as visual, but a press release can be your new friend. look online for formats and tweak it a bit since it is not an event, or line up a book release party with a local store and then you DO have an event - hit up bookstores, community centers, coffee houses that do reading series or possibly some other placement depending on what the topic of the novel is there might be a good place that may not make the most sense for other book releases. also maybe try picking the brains of the people at hugo house. maybe they have space in their reading series or know of other places that are hosting similar events. then send your press release to the papers so they have the important info about the book (and event if you found a place) if you can afford it send a copy to them as well in case someone on staff wants to read it and maybe review it.

    if you cant afford to send copies out into the world put some sample chapters up on the internet. getting a website for the book is helpful too so people aren't emailing you directly but can just go to a link to the book. web addresses and hosting are pretty cheap, you can get them for around 40 a year, some times cheaper if you get several years in a row, which will help tremendiously with getting your book beyond the city (there are free hosting places as well, but its nice to have just the name of the book or your name as the url without alot of other stuff in the url which screams you're to cheap to properly care for your creation. some places even have simple templates you can use if you're not web savy and toss a pic up there and some sample pages. then if any one in the future gets interested and writes about your book they have a reference point to easily get more info AND you can post the links of their reviews on your page. while social media is great, having something other than a FB page shows you're serious (i know some galleries won't look at a person's work unless they send a real website, it depends on the place but it just shows that you're willing to do more than post something on FB and that you take your craft seriously)

    know any bloggers? send them the release and a link to where the book info can be found online. maybe they're interested and will write about it, and if they do post a link to their article on your website as well.

    its too late for entries but you might want to go to http://shortrun.org/ and go to the small press event on november 12th that is being hosted by the vera project. start to make contacts in the self publishing world face to face. the lovely ladies behind short run are planning on doing it yearly so it could help you get your foot in the door to the process next year. even if you're not interested in tabling there will be alot of other people there from many ends of the self publishing persuasion for you to pick their brains and pick up some tips from them. there will be alot of zine and comic people there, but i know they also have a few tables of the literary bent at the event. there are also some distribution peoples who will be tabling, you could talk to them about who would be a good distro in another city or who you should approach with your content. i only know a bit about this side of things from conversations with my sister, but there are alot of ins and outs and people who want to help people who are trying to get their stuff out into the world. also talking to people there who have been through the process will help tell you what NOT to do or places that are flakey on writing checks.

    if youre looking for funding to try and promote the book check out http://miraslist.blogspot.com/ there are tons of listed grants and residencies there as well as a wealth of information on HOW to apply for grants.

    since your WA resident check out http://artisttrust.org/index.php/for-artists maybe write a GAP (grants for artists projects) grant next year to get some money to promote the book, or hire a professional web designer or some other related project (or apply for funding/residency to start your NEXT project) artist trust's 2012 fellowship includes literary media, thats a pretty hefty grant and relatively painless to apply -no fee, and i think its all the basic info you'll need for most grants (resume, statement and your work sample) without a ton of extra writing. and while youre at it check out their EDGE program - it teaches business skills to artists. so you can learn all the things you're supposed to do to take control of your work in the world. they also offer lectures and workshops (theres an upcoming one on health care for artists, so its not always the business side but also how to survive as an artist) they are a fantastic local resource and should be on your digital version of speed dial (in addition to several of their own grants and listings of calls from many others, they have a reading room full of information on how to do things like what you're asking, they have contact for pro-bono lawyers for the arts, they have listings of emergency assistance grants if your writing room floods or burns down plus tons more stuff) and i'm gushing about them even though i just got my rejection letter for the most recent GAP grant which should give you an idea of how cool they are.

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  • Subcultureoftwo_small
    Reputation: 1892

    Not sure how to get your article into printed media, but consider talking to Elliot Bay or Third Place and see if you can be included in some events for local authors...maybe a reading or something. It might help get a foot in the door.

    Have you considered writing an article yourself and submitting it to some local papers?

    Since Third Place has a printer (Ginger) that may be used in the future for people to self-publish books, they might be interested in talking with you, maybe leading a round-table discussion for interested local writers, etc.

    Good luck!

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