Promoting yourself and your work is something that all authors need to do, whether they are self-published or not. Once you’re used to it, it becomes a way of life – just part of what you do as an author – but it can be daunting when you’re just starting out and not used to marketing yourself. Nerves are normal: it means you care and there are plenty of things you can do to help manage them and get yourself off to a good start.

Remember that your book is the most important thing. Of course, you matter too. Your author brand is important and you definitely need to think seriously about it. However, your book is the centrepiece. Take a step back and think how you would promote the book if it wasn’t you who had written it. The objectivity can often help you think of effective ways to promote your work.
Remember how much you want to be an author. One of the reasons people get nervous about promoting themselves and their books is that they worry people will judge them. Remembering how much you want to do this and be successful through your writing is important, and even if you do get a bad review, you can be proud that you’re doing what you love.
Start small. There’s no rule that says you have to go all out with your promotions straight away. You could start with a few Tweets or Facebook posts and go from there. There can also be something oddly comforting about not having too many social media followers when you’re starting out; it gives you the chance to find your feet with a smaller audience before moving on to bigger things.
Practice on your friends. Buy them a beer to get them on side and then try out your promotion plans on them. You could also ask them how they, as someone who likes you, would go about promoting you and your work.
Believe in your book. If you believe you’ve got a good book on your hands that’s worth publishing, it’s worth making the effort to promote yourself to make sure you give it and you the best possible chance of succeeding.
Consider getting someone else to do the promotions for you. If you’re really unsure about promoting yourself, or if you have got to the stage where you’ve done all you can on your own, it’s worth thinking about getting a professional to help you. It’ll be one less job you have to worry about and if you get a good pro onside, the investment should be more than worth it.

What are your tips for promoting yourself and your writing?