Do it Yourself

Before I decided to become an author I always imagined the hardest part or at least the part that would require the most work would be writing the book itself and then getting it published. Little did I know, the real work would begin after my book was written and published. The thing is I’m still on my book journey and I feel like I need to share with everyone the most important lesson I’ve learned on this journey is that it’s best to get the job done yourself.

Word of Mouth

Now I get that this sounds like the most basic common sense suggestion one can give, but there is more power here than you realize. I certainly learned this to be true. Yes, go around and tell your closest loved ones and acquaintances about your book. Whether they be at home in the neighborhood you live in. The school you attend, the job you work at, your church services or bible study. All of these places are avenues where your book can be sought after. Here’s a few examples: I had to meet with my property manager where I live at about something important and just happened to mention my book and a few weeks later she bought a copy.

The workplace matters. My book has been selling very well since it was first released in November of 2025 and a big chunk of those sales came from my place of employment. My best friend works with me and not only did she buy my book, but she also helped spread the word about it to a lot of our coworkers. I also of course spreaded some word of my own to coworkers who I knew were big readers and others who I’m friendly with and most of them ended up buying my book and even brought their copies to work so I could autograph them.

I even door dash in my free time and some of the people I talk to at the restaurants I dash for not only bought copies of my book for themselves but their loved ones as well. The biggest win that came out of this for me was delivering a door dash to a professor from A&T university and after sparking up a conversation about mental health and my book she invited me to come speak to one of her classes about my book and my life experiences that inspired me to be a writer. One of her students was interested in having me speak on her podcast and this helped my book reach a bigger audience of which it was targeted.

Utilize Your Social Media

In this day in age every aspiring author should be making proper use of social media. It’s obvious of course. Social media has afforded us advantages that every writing OG who came before us never had. Whether it be Facebook, instagram or tik tok, etc. use these platforms to spread the word through your following or perhaps even build a new one. Thanks to people like my older sister who has a big social media following due to her being an entrepreneur. She used her platform to spread the word about my book to her followers and many took an interest in my book.

As a big nerd conventions and cosplay culture I ended telling one of my favorite cosplayers via instagram who is actually one of the most popular cosplayers in the state about my book and not only did she help spread the word, but she actually bought a copy for herself for Black History Month and did a livestream on her twitch talking about it. I actually saw an unexpected boost in sales once this happened.

The social networking avenue which I would say is the greatest use of free promotion for me besides Facebook is right here on Vocal media. Right after my book was published I made sure to tag it at the end of all my Vocal stories letting every one of my followers know it was available. I have hundreds of followers on here so that was a potential for hundreds of copies being sold. Many of my friends from my Vocal family have purchased and reviewed my book and have also interviewed me about it and shared my book with their followers.

Go All Out

Just a few days ago my former high school English teacher who I’m good friends with contacted me about visiting my old highschool and talking to their current graduating class about life lessons learned since highschool and how my book fits into to all of it. I agreed to come, but when I jokingly asked her why do people keep asking me to come speak at things she said I was on my own independent book tour.

Considering that my supervisor at my job bought my book and asked me to come speak to the youth at his church about mental health regarding my book and my sisters best friend wants to read my book for her newly formed bookclub and have me come speak to their bookclub about what made me write my book, I would have to say that I am on my own independent book tour and it’s actually going great.

Because of all these steps I took to promote myself my book has done well and I would easily advise anyone else accessible tools and avenues to walk the same path. I never thought I would be giving speeches on my book and speaking to so many like minded groups. I’m no Stephen King, but this is certainly a great start. Don’t wait for the big publishers and corporate sponsors to push your work. Get out there and promote yourself on your own. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. Get out there and do it yourself. You may come to find that it’s one of the the best choices you ever made as an author. Go all out and get it done.