I can honestly say that anybody writing a book, unless you are Oprah or Steven King, needs to understand that the marketing is UP TO YOU. I don't care what your publisher promises you, if it sales, it will be because of YOUR efforts. This should be in every single beginning writiing class on the syllablis! YOUR BOOK SALES ARE EQUAL TO THE AMOUNT OF TIME YOU INVEST IN MARKETING IT. Period. I feel so bad for people who have just finished a book only to find out (the hard way) that the money they gave a publisher for marketing was for naught. Ask any veteran (of which I am NOT one, but hope to be some day) of the biz and they will tell you right up front, it is UP TO YOU!

You make it or break it. Yes, some publishers help...yes, some of them even come thru writing press releases, even setting up a few book signings...but in reality folks...it is up to you.

In my opinion, the sooner a writer realizes and accepts this, the better their marketing plan will be, and their successes. I know I thought...you write a book, I've done my part, now the publisher would take over. NOT. If someone had told me from the get-go, I would have been laying the groundwork way before the book even came out. That's why these new books that are out on marketing your work are so popular AND needed!

I'm not saying publishers don't help so please do not misunderstand me. I am also NOT saying that there are NONE that go out and do some marketing for you...there again, please do not misunderstand.

What I AM saying is that 99.9% of them DO NOT do the aggressive marketing you need for your book to be out there and for the continued sales to climb.

(Queen stepping down from soapbox...goes toward kitchen, dragging her soapbox behind her...trips over Trixie, curses, but not too badly, then continues on to her bowl of cereal...)

JJ