To self-promote, or not to self-promote, that is the question. Whether it is nobler.... Oh cut the crap and ignore nobility. I want to make money from my writing. Nobility is fine, but it won't pay the electric bill or get me a spot on Amazon's top ten downloads. The question we all should really be asking is how?

First, what is self-promotion? Short definition.... marketing. But in actuality, successful self-promotion is shamelessly pushing your book on total strangers. This may sound daunting, especially to people who are somewhat timid, but there are unlimited things you can do through the Internet without leaving the comfort of your desk chair. Will it cut into your precious writing time? You bet ya! Will it make a difference in your number of sales? Absolutely! In the end, it could mean not only more income for you, but also the possibility, however slim, of attracting the notice of a publisher.

My first two steps for self-marketing can and should be started long before your book is ready to be launched. However, if you are beyond that point, don't worry. Both steps can be initiated in a day and payoff within a few weeks. Steps three and four should be put into practice after your book is in physical or ebook format.

STEP ONE: Social Media

Social media allows you to connect with an unlimited number of potential customers and future fans. Not only are the members to these sites individuals, but most large companies, including booksellers, agents, and publishers, have joined to promote themselves. To keep things simple, I'll use Facebook as my example, but don't forget about Twitter, Google Plus, Myspace and the dozens of other similar sites available.

My Facebook account has approximately sixty friends. For those who don't know, a "friend" is someone you have approved to see everything you post. They don't even have to go to your page; Facebook will copy comments and links you add to your page onto the pages of your friends. If each one of my friends has sixty friends looking at their page, then thirty-six hundred people are reading the messages I leave about my book. This is how your promotion begins.

STEP TWO: Sustaining Interest

Start a blog. There are many companies that offer free ones. They may not be fancy, but they are perfect for posting poems and short stories. You want people to get a taste of your work, so they will be eager to purchase your book when it comes out. You also want people to learn something about you, the author.  So include posts about hobbies, something humorous that happned to you, or what type of music you play while you write.  The blog will also give you more time for writing and less time socializing on Facebook, while still maintaining a presence. After you have edited your piece, post it to your blog. Follow this up by providing a link on your Facebook page with a note that will make people want to read what you have written. Do not weigh your Facebook friends down with daily posts; you will lose people that way. Once or twice a week will keep your followers interested.

STEP THREE: Branching Out

Start browsing blogs and websites that attract people in your target audience. Your goal is to find sites with a following and get them to write a review of your book. Stay away from other writers' sites. There is too much competition on them, and your book could be lost in the shuffle. Also, sites only dealing with a single subject like cooking probably won't be interested, but one that writes about day-to-day life could easily incorporate a review in their posts.

Once you have found a site you feel works for you, send an email with your request. Tell the site owner a little about the book and yourself. Part of the art of selling a book is selling yourself, but keep it short, and don't bore them with a list of what you've had published. Make reading your book worth their time. Offer to provide them with an original flash fiction or poem, available only to their readers, and include the link to your blog so they have something to base their answer on. Try to find at least three such sites willing to review your book. Remember, you are responsible for providing them with a free copy to read.

It's time to return to the social media sites and do a search for the word "books". Facebook alone has more than a dozen pages devoted to ebooks, and most of them will let authors post a "purchase here" link. Besides the link, have your friends, family, and fans post short reviews for you on these pages.

STEP FOUR: Outside Cyberspace

Bookstores are becoming few and far between, but offer to do book signings. This is difficult in any of the chain stores, but independent and used bookstores can be very receptive. Approach the owner/manager in person and bring several copies of your book to show they are good quality. If you are self-publishing, you probably will not make a dime on a book signing, as the store will want the small profit from this type of sale. However, before the signing, contact the local newspaper and let them know when and where the signing is taking place, and where people could purchase the ebook version. You just might end up as a story in the "about town" section.

Offer to do readings anywhere that comes to mind. Hospitals, libraries, and senior centers are good possibilities, depending on the genre of your book. If a reading isn't possible, offer to give a lecture on how you wrote your book or writing in general. This works well at libraries and continuing education centers. Again, you want to make sure the newspaper knows of these events.

STEP FIVE: Never Stop

So, you've completed all the steps and sales numbers are good. Now is no time to sit back and relax. Every step should be repeated. If you used Facebook the first time, switch to Twitter for round two. Solicit more sites to write reviews and go one town farther for book signings. You've started the hunt for the elusive fan, and the search never ends.