So I've been looking at some publishers websites for submission guidelines and some of them want me to submit a marketing plan. What's that about? I thought the publisher did that.
Well, yes, the publisher does a lot of marketing. But that doesn't mean we don't need your ideas too. Nobody knows your book better than you do--who better to think of ways to market it?
When a publisher asks for your marketing plan, what we're trying to determine is if you're willing to support our efforts. Will you do book signings and interviews? Will you go out and hustle up some interest? Yes, we can sell your book without you (if it's really good) but it's much easier if you help out. Your excitement, your love of your story, the characters, will go a long way in selling your book.
Not too long ago, I got two submission ideas. One author made it clear that he didn't really want to do much in the way of marketing himself. He wanted to be that romantic recluse who churned out literary masterpieces from some mountain top in Idaho, and I was to do all the rest. The other submission came with no less than two pages of 10 point type, single spaced, bulleted summaries of marketing ideas.
All else being even, who do you think should get the contract?
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