There is no good way to ask someone to buy your book.

There simply is no good way to ask someone to buy your book.

You have to come at it sideways. But of course, that doesn't really work because you're trying to overcome inertia, which is pretty hard to do, like pushing a car with a feather. Some authors are really good at the sideways promo; though usually they are banking on previous success.

I think you have a chance to be somewhat aggressive with your first book. Friends and family are excited for you and will support you. Even then, I went too far testing the boundaries. I was forgiven mostly that first time, though I had a couple of people get mad at me.

I learned not to do that.

Strangely, I can sell books at my store. Person to person contact. I try not to be too aggressive. Usually the subject only pops up after I've already had a nice conversation going. I'll just casually mention, "Would you like to see the books I've written?" I lead them over to them, put one in their hands, give them a short synopsis.

Mostly it's, "Huh...interesting." Walk away.

But every once in awhile someone will act interested. I'll say, "Hey, I'll sign it!"

I started to worry that I was pressuring people by my presence, so lately I've added, "Please don't feel like you have to buy the book. You know, you can go home and buy it as an ebook and it's just as good."

And a good percentage will take that out--though I know they won't buy the book that way. I don't want to feel like I bullied someone.

So like I said, there doesn't seem to be any good way. You don't want to seem too needy, too desperate, too...whatever.

You try to be clever, you try to find tangential prompts--pictures of wild pigs are good, for instance--but that doesn't do all that much either.

Anyway, I really don't want to be that cousin who shows up at a wedding and tries to sell everyone life insurance. The moral high ground is to let people decide on their own whether your books sound interesting.

Heh.

Yeah, the moral high ground is the worst promotional technique in existence.