Guest Blog Post by

Linda Lee Blakemore

Every writer I’ve ever known has dreamed of crafting that best-seller that everyone will want to read. But no one book, like no one person, can be all things to all people. In fact, books written for niche markets tend to do much better than books written for a large, general audience.

Why? For starters, how do you market to a nondescript group? Like every newly published author, of course you’ll call everyone you know, arrange to speak at a few book clubs, and maybe even get a feature in your local magazine. But, then what? I suppose you could set up a table at the entrance to your local Walmart, book retailer, or grocery store (like the Girl Scouts) and hope that brawny man who just bought camping equipment will want to read about your love-sick female protagonist. Depending on the subject and whether he likes to read or not, I suppose he might. There’s a more efficient way to sell books, and it’s simple. Narrow your audience.

Let’s say you’re writing about caring for your Alzheimer-stricken father. Whether it’s memoir, fiction, or non-fiction, the target for that book is clear: family members and caregivers. Sound like a small audience? It’s not. Almost 500,000 new Alzheimer’s cases will be diagnosed this year, alone. When it comes to reaching those readers, you can blog about the disease, medications, surgeries, therapies, advancements, and caregiving. You can connect with professionals on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and any other social medium you use. You can reach out to the local Alzheimer Association, the agencies who sponsor conferences, and the groups who provide help and support to caregivers and patients. Then, when it’s time to seek those all-important professional endorsements, you’ll know exactly where to go and whom to ask. (We will talk about how to ask for endorsements in another post.)

Happy Writing

Guest Blog Post for Leonella Press: Write On by Linda Lee Blakemore

Linda is an Author, Speaker, and Advocate for women and children. In addition to writing two books, articles written by Linda and about her first book have appeared in national magazines including American’s Family Resource, Seventeen, and Teen Voices. Both of her books have been endorsed by professionals across the country and Linda has appeared on local, national, and international radio and television including The Montel Williams Show. Additionally, with her first book, Kids Helping Kids Break the Silence of Sexual Abuse, Linda traveled the country advocating for children. With her second book, Entrenched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go, Linda will advocate for and educate women everywhere. (Read an Excerpt). You can learn more about Linda’s books at Our Authors and Our Books. You can learn more about Linda at LindaLeeBlakemore.com

If you’d like to be considered as a guest blogger for Leonella’s Blog, “Write On” we’d love to hear from you. If you provide a service to authors or have an article or book recently released (or coming soon), even if it has been publisher elsewhere, don’t forget to include a small blurb and a link to your website at the end of your post.

We are committed to supporting fellow writers. Email your blog post suggestions to Hello@LeonellaPress.com