In my previous article, Get Noticed By Being Exposed (Self-Publishing), we talked about the various elements of self-publishing. Let’s recap a little bit and talk about writing and touch on some elements of self-publishing to bring the point home to traditional publishing. As in the previous article, you have been writing graphic novels for over three years.

Over the course of these years, others have enjoyed your work and you have created a little readership following. You decided that if authors such as John Grisham, author of The Pelican Brief and A Time To Kill, and Agatha Christie, author of Miss Marple mysteries and Murder On The Orient Express can do it, why can’t you. Now you have decided that you too want to get your work published and gain some exposure.

In your decision, you have decided that you will use all three formats to get your book exposed from an e-book and print (hardcover and paperback) to an audio book. In the essence of self-publishing, understand that self-publishing takes work, passion, and persistence. Your goal is to be seen as a subject matter expert, not only within the publishing arena but within your field of expertise. 

Author Guy Kawasaki, The Art of The Start 2.0, is an expert on self-publication. Not only did he self-publish some of his 13 books but co-wrote Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur (APE): How To Self-Publish on the aspects of self-publishing. During Kawasaki’s interview with Brian Patrick Eha on Entrepreneur.com, he pointed out six steps that are crucial to know about self-publishing:

Write for the right reasons

Use the best tools

Get in the front of the crowd

Hire a copy editor

Hire a cover designer

Don’t give up

As noted above, these are some of the same crucial points that you can also use in traditional publishing. In traditional publishing, you are not only creating your masterpiece but you will be somewhat responsible for marketing your own book. Authors that have worked with major publishers like Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins and Penguin Random House all have one thing in common; they must present their marketing plan to the publishing house.

The marketing plan informs the publishing house as to how you will not only get your book exposed, but display your strategy in how to get your book off the shelves and generate sales. To help you get started, whether your goal is self-publishing or going the traditional publishing route, here are 5 key points to include in your marketing plan:

Pre and post review promotion on platforms such as Reader’s Favorite and Goodreads

Author Tour Campaigns

Targeted social media, advertising, and email campaigns

Advanced or Chapter Sampler Leaks

Book Fair/Signing Appearances

While focusing on getting noticed, heard and exposed is important, the goal of telling a good story is just as important. Who knows ... maybe by getting the proper exposure and gaining a following your graphic novel could either turned into a TV Series like Superman or a movie franchise, like X-Men.