You've finished your book, you have an agent and an editor.

It's time to sit back and wait for the profits, right?

Wrong!

These days one of the most important jobs an author has once the book is written--even before it is released is MARKETING.

Even best selling authors will tell you that a writer who does not get involved in the marketing of his/her book is going to have problems selling that book. Think of the best-selling authors you see on Good Morning America or the Today Show or your local noon news programs. They are on arranged book tours. They know a valuable marketing truth: the public needs to know your book is out there.

That is simply a fact of life. Promotion cannot be ignored. Telling an author that he/she needs to promote her work often provokes wails of despair. Writers are by nature solitary, quiet people who would much rather sit over their computers writing or in a corner observing than to talk to people. They are not smooth talkers or they probably wouldn’t have chosen the solitary endeavor of writing. Unfortunately, much as you would prefer to spend all your time writing, you need to set aside some time to plan how you will promote or market yourself.

Your publisher may help, but like those best selling authors who make book tours, you need to do some of your own marketing. The good news is there are many ways to promote your book beyond having to talk to people face to face, but like in the writing of your book, you need to have a plan and come up with a time budget to figure out how to get the job done.

Here are a few marketing truths to get you started on building a marketing plan:

-- Learn who your audience is. If you're a fiction writer or a specific genre writer, you'll already have a good idea.

-- Look for ways to build on that core audience so that when your next book comes out your core not only buys it, but so that you build new fans.

-- Keep a watch out for new and creative ways to market your book. It can involve the theme, the topic you cover or the setting, but look at how to build an individual plan around each new book.

-- Build a marketing plan based on what works for you. If crowds terrify you, don't plan on speaking engagements or try book signings in a group atmosphere. Instead you might write articles or try blogging to get your name in front of new readers. Get a Facebook page to talk about your book. Try Twitter or other social web possibilities.

You don't need to spend a fortune to get a big return. Just like building a marketing plan you should build a budget of how much money you're willing to spend on marketing. Look at some of the proven ways that can get your name in front of the public. One good way is to invest in a website, even before you get published.

Bookmarks, postcards and other promotional items are available for you to use. You might want to look into whether or not they make sense.

For more information, check with other authors to see what they are doing and what works for them. It doesn't pay to spend a lot of money only to discover the method doesn't work.

Research marketing possibilities on the web. There are many free resources there that you can tap into.

But no matter what you come up with for a marketing plan, the key to building an audience and keeping readers is to write the best possible book.

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Exercises for marketing:

• Look at other authors' websites and see what they are doing
• Consider doing a blog
• Start looking for ways to market yourself
• Join writing groups and find out what others are doing
• Visit authors' Facebook pages; consider a Face book page for your writing