For most authors of fiction, the very idea of promotion is distasteful. It’s not uncommon for novelists to break out in hives or develop a nervous twitch when faced with the reality of marketing their books.

As a published author, you know that you must promote your book and you scurry to find your comfort zone. You’ll sign up with Amazon.com, of course, put up a website and solicit reviews through the traditional magazines and sites. Those of you with more nerve will try to arrange book signings. But there is so much more that you can do to draw attention to your book.

In keeping with Rob Parnell’s book, The Easy Way to Write a Novel, I’ve outlined a few simple ideas for promoting your novel once it is published.

Promote to Organizations and Sites

Promote to organizations and sites related to a topic or theme that’s even loosely woven throughout your book. For example, let’s say that your novel features a bird that makes occasional appearances in a few chapters. This might be a crow that appears just before the wicked woman is sighted, a hawk that, when spotted, gives the main character courage or a canary that lives with the protagonist and drives him crazy. Contact birding organizations, bird rescue and rehab Web sites, sites for bird fanciers, bird experts, sites dedicated to specific bird types (canaries, wild birds, parakeets, exotic birds, for example) and other authors who are promoting books related to birds.

Of course, the same concept works for any subject; cats, dogs, horses, an amputee, a diabetic, a transvestite, twins, homelessness, the nightclub scene, Hollywood, competition swimming, golf, car racing, carnivals, regions of the world, the college scene, gambling, the corporate world…

What do you do once you find these organizations or sites? After carefully studying the site, email the operator or director personally and make some solid suggestions: Offer to contribute articles to the site. Ask for a book review. Suggest your book as a prize in an upcoming contest. Offer to operate a contest that would help to promote your book.

Participate in Appropriate Message Boards

Many dedicated sites have message boards where like-minded people can communicate, network and share. Locate them through a Google search. Look for message boards when you visit various sites. Using the bird theme again, rather than just diving in and saying, “Buy my new novel. There’s a bird in chapter three,” adopt a strategy. Bring an interesting story or some new information or facts to the forum. Your main objective in participating in targeted message boards is to make friends, build a rapport and get exposure for your novel.

Solicit Reviews

Solicit reviews in magazines that have an element related to an obvious or an obscure aspect of your novel. You have probably contacted magazines and newsletters that typically review novels, but have you thought of approaching publications related to a lesser, but interesting aspect of your novel? Maybe your story includes a main character with Multiple Sclerosis. Seek out magazines and newsletters focusing on MS and those with an overcoming-disabilities-aspect. Perhaps yours is an ethnic novel. Solicit reviews in appropriate ethnic publications. Be sure to take advantage of any regional aspect.

How do you find specifically focused publications? Do a Google search. Use Literary Market Place and Writer’s Market and thumb through Gales Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media.

Contact Bookstores

Contact bookstores that specialize in a topic or theme present in your novel. I located ten bookstores specializing in bird or pet books in three minutes through a Google search. There are also bookstores dedicated to books on cooking and foods, cats, mystery, crime, fantasy/horror/science fiction, nature, economics and spiritual/religion.

Approach Specialty Stores

You might convince some pet store owners to carry your novel that includes birds, a cat or a seeing-eye dog, for example. If your book has a women’s fashion element, consider designing a point-of-purchase display for willing managers of small clothing stores. Maybe one of your characters thrives on daily espressos. Solicit space for your novel in coffee houses.

Take advantage of your memberships and status.

Are you a college graduate? Send news of your book to your college alumni magazine. The editors are always hungry for information about successful alumni. If you don’t belong to major membership-oriented stores, sign up today! These mega-stores love to feature special members achieving interesting things in their widely circulated publications

Build promotion into your novel

If you are only in the idea stage of writing your novel, you are in luck because I’m going to give you the key to promotional success. Write a nonfiction hook into your story. How? Involve an international organization by developing a character with diabetes, a heart condition or a mental illness, for example. Give a character a Harley, a tattoo or send him cruising on a particular cruise line. Make sure that you have permission to use the name of the company or organization in your story. And, with the right angle and approach, you might be able to get them to participate in promoting your book. At the least, they might give you a positive endorsement.

Tap Into What’s Hot

Something that’s in the news or an emerging trend, for example. Is anyone involving their characters in a life-threatening storm? What about writing a story set during an extreme heat spell? More and more people are developing enjoyable and satisfying online relationships—women are creating friendships and some couples are even getting married. Is this an intriguing trend that might entice readers to purchase your novel?

Whatever your topic or thread of a topic which you’ve woven through your book, you can find organizations, publications and/or websites to support it. Tap into these resources to broaden the audience for your fantastic, soon-to-be successful novel.

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About the Writer:

Patricia Fry is a full-time writer and the author of 29 books. If you found this article helpful, you will LOVE her latest book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book (366-pages). . Visit her informative publishing blog often at Matilijapress.com.