The best ways to market fiction is to have it visible. Technology makes it easy to "sell" fiction to readers, because it can easily be anywhere. Magazines, billboards, television shows, apps - fiction is everywhere! Not only are famous authors busy writing, television shows & movies are also all incorporated to help an author become even more famous! James Patterson not has an unlimited number of #1 hits, he has also had cameos in Castle (who ironically is a writer), his face and books appear in numerous household magazines, and several movies have been made from his novels. How can someone not KNOW James Patterson's books exist?
Nicholas Sparks has had so many of his treasures made into movies, he is quite similar -- simply famous! Even though I'm not a fan of Oprah "picking" books, she has helped make the fiction world even more successful! Another important way to market library's fiction is to simply be seen with a book. I know LOTS of people in our community - everyone laughs at work, because if I don't know 90% of the patrons who walk through our department the day seems strange. Thus, if I willingly and constantly carry a book, it will get noticed. I got made fun of at basketball games this winter, but, almost every person that laughed because I had a book, also wanted to know what it was and if it was good.
Marketing
1. Technology - get the word out through blogging, Facebook, Twitter, Vine - there are so many options that it would be almost impossible to reach the majority of the patrons.
2. Book Clubs - There are so many different genres & age groups, that book clubs can easily "rope-in" a large number of visitors simply because a book club topic is interesting.
3. Displays - I am one of those strange reader who chooses a book by the cover - I don't care how good a book is - I need the cover to entice me - if it isn't appealing - it is a NO GO! Thus, hooking library visitors with topical displays is a simple, cheap way to encourage reading. Once a reader has finished an author - simple "read-a likes" will keep the "peruser" busy & willing to try new adventures!
You are not alone about judging a book by its cover! Displays are crucial to drawing in readers. For some reason, just moving a book from a shelf to a book easel makes patrons want it more. Why? No other reason than because it's easier to see and thus, more appealing. I definitely judge the cover. I can't stand when a book I know is good has a bad cover. I've had to rely a lot less on cover now that I read eBooks, but it's still important.
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