Authors, Publishers, & Booksellers On The Future Of Book Promotion

Prior to the pandemic, the strategy for book promotion had remained unchanged for decades. The idea of the book tour was simple: When readers see an author in-person, they're more likely to buy a book that day, get a signature, and maybe stay loyal to them in the future. It might sound glamorous, like a chance for authors to hold court with fans across the country. But the reality is far more taxing - if an author even gets to go on a book tour in the first place. In the wake of the Great Recession, publishers slashed marketing budgets, leaving most authors responsible for their own publicity efforts. The lucky few who get a publisher's financial assistance are usually shuttled from bookstore to bookstore and state to state in a flurry of travel reservations and hotel rooms. Still, publishing is a notoriously staid, risk-averse industry, and wasn't in any rush to pursue alternatives.