Book Review: Your Guide to Marketing Christian Books, Fourth Ed.

According to author Sarah Bolme, there are potentially over 231 million Christian consumers to whom an author could market a Christian book. Her book helps publishers and authors connect with them. I dare say this handbook offers everything a person needs to know about marketing a book.

The first 49 pages focus on launching your book with chapters on everything from gathering endorsements to hosting a book launch. The second 117 pages focus on selling your books, and the third part, 41 pages, targets special markets. There’s a short fourth part that includes a link to download a checklist to plan your marketing.

I published two books several years ago, but I left dozens of notations in the margins of this book that I want to go back and check out because the need to market a book never ends. Bohme not only gives you suggestions, such as join a Christian Writers Association, but she goes on to list a number of Christian writers associations to you might join, including the links to their sites. Most chapters contain lists and links that would alone be worth the price of the book.

Although I’ve done many of the things Bolme suggested, I learned of so many more opportunities for marketing from reading her book. For instance, I had never heard of BookLife, a website run by Publishers Weekly that allows indie authors to list their books for free.

As an author, some of the material was not really helpful. I doubt that most authors can afford to exhibit at trade shows or advertise in trade journals. But such ideas might be passed on to publishers.

In the Special Markets section of the book, Bolme points out connections easily overlooked, such as the number of Christians in the military that might be contacted through associations serving that population.

Bolme is the Director of Christian Indie Publishing Association and conducts seminars on publishing and marketing. Only a person in such a position could possibly know about all the resources she mentions. This book will offer more than you can imagine about marketing your books.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for writing a review.