Networking

Networking for Authors | YouCaxton Publications

Networking for Authors

Most self-published books find readers through connection rather than advertising. Networking is simply about reaching the people and communities who already care about your subject. This guide explains two useful distinctions — sniper vs scattergun and active vs passive marketing — and how they apply to your book.

Rule of thumb: if your activity targets “everyone”, it usually helps no-one. If it targets the exact readers who care about your topic, it almost always pays off.

Sniper vs scattergun networking

Scattergun networking

A scattergun approach pushes news of your book out as widely as possible: general social media posts, broad email campaigns, blanket press releases or untargeted advertising. The hope is that a small percentage of a large audience will be interested.

Scattergun activity can create some visibility, but it is often inefficient for self-published Authors because much of the audience has no real connection with your subject. You can end up spending a lot of time and energy “shouting into the void”.

Sniper networking

A sniper approach focuses on the specific people and communities most likely to value your book. Instead of asking “how can I tell as many people as possible?”, you ask “where are the people who already care about this subject — and how can I reach them?”

Sniper targets might include:

  • specialist societies and clubs related to your topic
  • academic departments and research groups
  • local-history or civic associations
  • galleries and arts organisations
  • subject-specific newsletters, blogs or podcasts
  • online forums and mailing lists for your niche

Sniper networking is slower and more deliberate, but it is far more efficient. It tends to create deeper engagement, better conversations, and long-term word-of-mouth. For non-fiction, history, biography and art books, sniper networking almost always outperforms scattergun campaigns.

Active vs passive marketing

Passive marketing

Passive marketing covers everything that makes your book available and easy to find, but does not itself bring new readers to you. For example:

  • having a professional author webpage or website
  • ensuring your book is correctly listed (e.g. with Nielsen and online retailers)
  • maintaining up-to-date book information and purchase links
  • occasional news posts or announcements

Passive marketing is essential: when someone hears about your book, they must be able to find it easily. However, passive marketing rarely creates demand on its own.

Active marketing

Active marketing is what you do to put your book in front of its natural readership. It is proactive and usually targeted. For example:

  • contacting relevant societies, institutions or interest groups
  • offering talks, workshops or guest lectures based on your book
  • approaching specialist reviewers, bloggers or newsletter editors
  • writing short articles or Q&A pieces for organisations in your field
  • working with local bookshops, libraries or galleries

Active marketing initiates conversations and relationships. It takes time, but it is often the difference between a book that simply “exists” and a book that is actively read and recommended.

Putting the two frameworks together

For most self-published Authors, the most effective strategy is active + sniper: deliberate outreach to the communities most likely to value your work, supported by good passive foundations (webpage, listings, clear metadata).

Scattergun activity and broad passive presence have a role, but they should generally support, rather than replace, focused, relationship-based networking.

Practical starting point: make a list of 10–20 specific groups, institutions or online communities that are clearly connected to your subject. Plan one small, respectful outreach step to each — for example, offering a talk, a short article, or simply introducing the book and asking what would be most useful to their members.