Look at this guy:

Havin’ fun, right? If you saw him signing books at a book store or other venue, would you approach him? I can tell you a lot of people would, because a lot of people did. But it had nothing to do with that stack of books in front of him.

If you’re a writer, you probably know by now that the industry is in the midst of a massive period of change. Authors are trying to figure it out, publishers are trying to figure it out, and most importantly, the customers are trying to figure it out. With so much information, who can choose? Who determines who reads/consumes what?

If you’re a savvy marketer, you do.

At my book signing a few weeks ago, I noticed a trend: the people who I greeted with a smile and conversation were more likely to buy my book, or at least consider buying my book. People who came up to the table and did not acknowledge me—or the people I did not engage with—walked on quickly. Engagement of course gives the person a reason to want to hear about the book, so that’s important of course, but another trend is making an appearance here:

Readers no longer simply want a book. They want a brand, a character, a memorable experience. As the writer, you need to provide that.

In other words, it pays to be a nice guy. Or an A-hole. Why?

1) PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER YOU. There are a million and one books on the market today, and most people will forget about yours the second they walk away or click on a new website. They want an experience. Give it to them. This may mean chatting them up for a bit, listening to their stories, talking about yours…in other words, draw a connection. This is about developing interpersonal relationships, not selling books.

2) IF YOU BECOME A CHARACTER, PEOPLE WILL WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT YOU. Stephen King does this exceptionally well. He has a history, a lore, that people are drawn to just as much as they are drawn to his fiction. Devout fans know everything about him, even visit his home in Bangor, Maine. They are astounded when they see the bats on the front gate, because, wow, that’s just SOOO Stephen King.

Scary Bats!

Writers can no longer simply be writers. We have to be marketers, conversationalists, web gurus, blah blah blah. But most importantly, you have to be you, and you have to give people a reason to care about you. It doesn’t always have to be a positive association, either…just look at Amy Winehouse, or Britney Spears, or Bill O’Reilly, or whoever else in the media has made a name for themselves for being outlandish, angry, mean, or basically just an A-hole. Sure, people will be disgusted with you, but that could work to your advantage: if you write stories about drug-addled, abusive, type-A personalities with chips on their shoulders, it may help your reader to know that you have first-hand experience.

You don’t actually have to be an A-hole if you aren’t one, but it helps as a marketing tactic. It would be a tough road for a tough personality, but it can be done…it is done all the time. Look at Kanye West. He does things only a pompous A-hole would do, and people eat it up because that ego, that cockiness is reflected in his music. Consider your audience…even if you outrage them, they are more likely to read your writing.

He Says He's the Best, and People Believe Him.

3) INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT IS MORE FUN THAN SELLING BOOKS. You may differ on this point, but I like talking to people. at my last signing, I did not sell a ton of books, but I did meet a ton of great people. I heard fantastic stories (some of which I may use in my writing!) and generally had a good time. At the end of the day, some writers get depressed if their sales numbers are down. Don’t you think your day would be better if you had something positive to focus on rather than sagging sales numbers? I got some great stories, some great beer, some good connections, and more all by sitting there and talking to folks. Not a bad gig.

More importantly, however, potential book buyers will be more likely to consider buying your book if you’re not constantly hitting them with a sales pitch. They want to hear YOUR story, they want to like you, or hate you, before they read your book and have a reason to judge it. Give them that reason. Show them you, not the cover of your book. Don’t be a used car salesman. The more you talk about your book, the more people think you’re hiding bad writing.

Don't Be This Guy.

Sales pitches suck after the first one. No one cares about the epic battle on page 230. They care about you, hauling that box of books from bookstore to bookstore and sitting in a dark room writing your novel after your marriage crumbled or your kid became a Navy SEAL, or when you lost your leg in Vietnam. Be a character. Develop yourself like you would develop your protagonist in your book.

Sell people on YOU first. Then sell them on the book. It will be easier that way…people want to hear more from/about people they love/hate, not the people they forget as soon as they walk away from them. Stand out. Be you, but be you amplified. Market yourself the way Spinal Tap did: turn up the amplification on you. If that means being effusive, fine. If it means being annoying, or grating, or infuriating, or inspiring, or ingratiating, fine. Do it. Develop you before you develop your sales pitch.

"Ours Go To Eleven."

Have a difference of opinion? Post a comment and let me know. Comment posters for the months of June and July are eligible to receive a FREE E-book version of Confusing the Seasons!