This video posted on YouTube is about 8 minutes long and represents snippets from a number of the readings I’ve done.

You can also find it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SucKwXJRaag

The challenge for a new author these days is to have people buy the book.  This has always been the challenge I suppose but since there are more books coming out every year than ever before (260,000 titles in 2006 I heard) the number of other books trying to get attention—not to mention everything else trying for attention—makes getting noticed a bigger challenge than it used to be.

Books are sold in bookstores mostly; online book sales account for only a small percent of sales.  Getting people to buy a book therefore means having it in the bookstore.  Getting a book in a bookstore means having your publisher and their sales force behind you and most importantly appealing to bookstore staff.  

For my book I’ve given quite a bit of attention to trying to build an audience through the podictionary podcast.  I’ve done okay with that, I’ve had almost 3.3 million downloads now and was recently featured in the Apple iTunes music store. 

I’ve also taken steps to try and grab the attention of booksellers and my latest effort along those lines worked out pretty well .  I’ve been following news in Publishers Weekly because it is the premier publication for the North American publishing industry.  If booksellers read any trade magazine, chances are Publishers Weekly is the one.  In September I noticed a story on podcasting.  My editor had previously been scheming with me on how we might raise my profile by submitting an op-ed piece to Publishers Weekly’s SoapBox feature.  Here was my chance.  Lucky for me it caught the eye of Publishers Weekly Senior Editor Lynn Andriani and last week appeared as the last page article. 

But my scheming didn’t stop there.  Not only did I want to get some exposure in Publishers Weekly, I also hoped that people might follow the links back to my websites, particularly this one.  In anticipation of visits by bookseller types, I made a video of Collected Works bookstore owner Christopher Smith saying how easy it was to sell my book. 

So that’s my nefarious plan revealed; first get coverage in the magazine that booksellers read, then have one of their peers tell them my book is not only good, but that it sells well (and makes an excellent gift suggestion too).    Now you know.

If you want to see the Publishers Weekly article click here.  To see all my media coverage click here.  To see Christopher’s one minute of fame click here.