Any ideas on how to get celebs to endorse your novel?

Kaz

Kaz

Good morning guys,

The other day I was chatting with a publishing consultant (someone who assists writers with self-publishing, not a vanity publisher!) and she indicated that if my self-published novel wants to have a chance "out there", then I need to get endorsements from well-known people.

She then added that getting endorsements from published writers is notoriously difficult and (unfortunately) Val McDermid doesn't happen to be related to me, I was wondering . . .

if any of my fellow Talkbackers had any success in this area? Did you manage to persuade a household name to review your work and how did the experience turn out?

From what I can gather, it seems that it's the publishing companies that put the kybosh on their authors endorsing works by new writers in the same genre, rather than the authors themselves not being willing to help.

I know there's a network of chick lit writers that regularly endorse one anothers books (that's not meant as a criticism) but my area is crime and I'm thinking of taking it up in order to get myself known!!

Any tales of self-publishing experiences - good, bad or downright ugly - I'd love to hear.

Love Kaz

Butterfly

I have no experiance with this, but if it were me, I'd send out complimentary copies of my book to a select few - enclosing a SAE for their reply and ask if they would be willing to comment. Or go to a place like winchester writers conference where authors/agents of authors are in attendance and ask them personally. As they say nothing ventured nothing gained. You have to put the work in and expect them to say no, but you might just get one to say yes.

Jay Mandal

http://www.bewrite.net/authors/jay_mandal.htm

If you visit the above link, you'll see some of the authors I sent my work to. But I mostly sent short stories - far easier to read than a whole novel - to where various celebrities were appearing - e.g. theatres, festivals. Best of luck!

Kaz

Thanks a bunch Butterfly & Jay - some great advice there for me to work on.

Have a fab weekend,

Kaz