Writing Tip: Selling an Older Title

Here is a teaser for the upcoming blog tour featuring Shel Horowitz, author of Grassroots Marketing for Authors and Publishers. (www.grassrootsmarketingforauthors.com),

I'd like to hear his ideas on how to revive a self-published book that's three (3) years old.

I'm a big believer in deep backlist. Just the other day I did an interview that promoted a book that was published 11 years ago and has been out of print since 2003 (I sell it as an e-book). I regularly promote my titles from 1995, 2000, and 2003, as well as my 2007 title. All the same promotional strategies apply.

Unless the book is actually obsolete (e.g., how to survive the coming Y2K crisis, health benefits of smoking), just promote it as a book you care about and consider relevant. Don't bring up the date unless they do.. But note that bookstores will not usually be your channel if the book is old.