Your Virtual Book Tour
Many writers (at least, before they are published) dream of book tours in which they host readings to standing-room audiences in cities across the country … which, unfortunately, is rarely the case. More and more, writers have to find their own innovative ways (and open their own wallets) to promote their books.
Today’s New York Times features a piece on book tours via blogs — one of the best (and most economical) ways for an author to get out there and “talk” to his or her audience.
If it doesn’t sound as fun as a real, live book tour, think of the advantages: no travel time or expenses; no feelings of rejection when no one shows up for your reading (which, sadly, happens all too often); and the possibility of reaching a larger and broader audience than could fit into the reading rooms of most bookstores. Add this to “the dirty little secret of real-life author tours” that Powell’s Books’ Dave Weich confessed to the Times: “most of the people who go to events don’t buy books” — and virtual book tours are looking more like reality all the time.