When Georgia author Terry Kay ("To Dance with the White Dog") spoke at my local library he said that most readers can't name more than a half dozen authors from their own state. If you don't have the marketing muscle of a major publisher behind you, you've probably discovered that most of your neighbors don't even know you're an author.
Marketing expert John Kremer says most local and regional magazines do book reviews. He provides a list on his web site to help you find a willing magazine near you. Maybe you'll get a review. But you can take it a step farther than that. Contact the editor and ask if s/he would like to provide a review of a local or regional author in every issue. If so, provide a sample review on speculation and see if your style meets their needs.
Most magazines will place professional information at the end of the reviews you write that includes the titles of your books. Well-written reviews, of course, are a service to the readers in your community. They're also a calling card to the local writing community because in putting your byline out there in print, you're also connecting, however indirectly it may be, with the author of each book you cover.
As a contributing writer doing many of the book reviews for Living Jackson Magazine in northeast Georgia, I've not only had the privilege of reading some wonderful books I might not have otherwise known about, but in introducing the authors to my community. Each book has taught me something about my county and the people in it that I didn't know. What a wonderful learning experience. And, it's nice looking down to the end of each review and seeing the words, Malcolm R. Campbell is the author of "The Sun Singer."
You may find that writing reviews may lead to other assignments including feature articles and interviews. If the magazine is a paying market, the checks will supplement your income while each piece you write adds to your professional credentials.
Regional magazines are a more healthy niche market than many people realize because they provide coverage and advertising opportunities in areas that are often ignored by the Internet and the larger magazines and newspapers. For the serious writer, they represent not only a way to get your name and your book before the public eye, they offer exciting writing opportunities as well.
