Whether you are publishing with a traditional house, an independent publisher, or self-publishing, the bulk of book marketing responsibility is on you as the author. This may include everything from building an author website to crafting new original content, and it will almost certainly include building a strong social media presence. There are many aspects of book marketing that authors can and should take on themselves.

When it comes to publicity, however, it's often a good idea to call in reinforcements.

So, you’ve finally got your printed book in your hands after months (if not years) of painstakingly pouring yourself into it. Want people to like your work and give it positive reviews, but aren’t sure how to go about getting them? Here are a few key tips for getting readers to review your book.

While technological advances has made publishing a book easier, it also means that selling a book is harder. Increased competition means that it is more important than ever to make sure that your book stands out to both the bookstores who may consider stocking it on their shelves and consumers looking for their next read.

As you gather endorsements (sometimes referred to as blurbs) for your book, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind:

• The best blurbs are specific
• The best blurbs come from someone with a reputation in the same space
• The best blurbs have a clear call to action

The first time an author sees and holds their book, it’s a thrilling moment and incredible milestone in their journey as a writer. The book is the culmination of months, sometimes years, of their hard work, and they are excited that their knowledge, heart, and experience is ready to be shared with the world. Some authors want to remember this first moment, capturing their thoughts and emotions on video, and celebrate the occasion with their audience.

In online book sales, Amazon reigns supreme. Thousands of books are published each day and made available for purchase—making competition for discoverability, search standing, and sales enormous.

There are, however, several SEO tactics that authors can employ to help improve their discoverability on Amazon. First and foremost, set up your Amazon Author Central account and claim your book!

Authors have the unique opportunity to create a platform and generate buzz for their book by accessing an engaged and passionate demographic of readers through social channels like Facebook and Twitter. As social media continues to evolve and new platforms are introduced, it can be daunting to figure out which social channels you should adopt to develop your brand. We give an overview of the current social media landscape and recommend the following points be taken into consideration for authors entering the digital social space.

Face it. Bad book reviews happen. Even the most acclaimed writers get bad reviews, whether it's from the New York Times Book Review or an anonymous reviewer on Amazon. Evaluating a book is a subjective process, and personal preferences won’t always match the book.

Unfortunately, too many writers take bad reviews personally and even go to the extremes, engaging in negative banter, slander, and threats. When it comes to negative reviews, there are ways to work through them and even see them as an asset to your writing. Here are a few tips to help you take those bad reviews with grace.