I’d like to make clear that my comments related only to a line in J.D.’s blog entry in which he was promoting a Buy-and-Hold approach to investing. I think that stuff is truly dangerous. I am also a big fan of J.D.’s work in the saving area.

We all like to get pats on the back from time to time, Frugal Follower. J.D. has earned the pats on the back he is getting from many of his friends, who he has worked hard to help over the years. However, it is often only our very best friends who are willing to work up the courage to tell us when we are on the wrong track. I like to think that I am enough of a true friend of J.D. to be sure to tell him from time to time that he is on the wrong track with his promotion of Buy-and-Hold. In the long run, he would be a lot better off to make an effort to be more open-minded and balanced on this question.

I don’t appreciate your suggestion that those who have constructive criticism to offer re J.D.’s book don’t have as much to offer here as those who are putting forward pats on the back. Pats on the back are called for. So is some constructive criticism. J.D. has fully earned both, in my assessment.

Rob

I wish you much further success as well.

An earlier poster said: “talk to Ramit and copy whatever it is he did. The buzz around his book was awesome. The prizes he was giving away were sweet: I bought the book because of it.”

I would agree — Ramit is ‘the real deal,’ and a heck of a nice guy, too. Most of the accolades and advice you got in the comments here were very good, but I noticed just one fellow with his nose a bit out of joint — Mr. Bennett. However, if I were you, I would not worry too much about his critique and advice though:

Rob Bennett is to J.D. Roth as
Casey Serin is To Ramit Sethi

With that one little mote now cast aside, again, best of wishes and continued success!

J. A. Konrath, a mystery writer and marketing professor, includes lots of information on marketing fiction books on his blog (http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/). You’ll have to comb through it and some of it may not apply, but much of it is probably useful.

Good luck!

On the book marketing topic, I always tend to pay attention when my other favorite blogs have a post about a book and then have a contest to give one away. I never would have thought about Ramit’s book, except he knows Penelope Trunk and she wrote about it and I really respect her opinion (because it is genuine). Maybe give a few copies to other respected bloggers, let them read it, and then maybe they will post a glowing review.

It looks like it’s going to be full of great info!

Especially, the interviews – we all love those – frugality and investing. Many interesting topics. Look forward to reading it!

Way to stick with it!
-Jennifer

I’ve only been reading GRS for less than 6 months, but it seems to be just the right balance of sound sensible advice and real life practicality which means I can finally actually do something about my finances, rather than just read about it and get depressed at what I’m not doing!

This year I’ve really committed myself thanks to your inspirations, and have been envelope budgeting for two weeks with great success (finally a system that works for ME!) and have applied for that second job that I know deep down I need if I want to achieve my debt goals.

Thanks so much, and once again, CANT WAIT for the book!

Marketing your book is just as big a job as writing the book! Perhaps, bigger, depending on what you like doing more: writing or marketing. For a successful book you need to create a hybrid strategy that leverages the distributive and social Web (I’m sure with your authority and reach you’ll shine here), traditional PR, and what your publisher is going to do to help market/promote the book(sadly, not much typically). I’ve helped create and market several WSJ, Business Week, NYT best-sellers and written two books myself. Happy to provide you with some insights. Please contact me.

P.S. I can totally relate to that feeling of massive relief mixed with a tremendous sense of accomplishment upon finishing a manuscript. Pushing the send button is amazing! I finished a book last year that took me away from my family for large parts of Christmas. It took a great deal of effort to remain cloistered.

Maybe the cover could be a puzzle of some image of life, or an area of personal finances and your tag line could be the piece that is just getting ready to be put in place?

You can be sure that I will buy a copy, notwithstanding my home is on the opposite side of the world. As a regular reader of GRS, I almost feel as though I have watched over the book’s gestation

Can’t comment on Ramit Sethi’s marketing, but Gretchen Rubin at The Happiness Project has been very clever. A combination of gently, but unashamedly, promoting her book over quite a long period via her blog and her ‘super fans’ email list (presumably while it was going through the printing process). She also had reviews done by various other authors/bloggers. Gretchen also ‘involved’ her blog readers by seeking feedback on whether people would attend book signings etc. I am usually fairly resistant to very aggressive or very sucky marketing, but Gretchen’s was unoffensive and respectful. Anyway, I think her methods would be worth considering.

Once again, my sincere congratulations. You rock!

Glad to know someone is still excited about teaching financial responsibility. Great Work.

Though, I agree with 87 and 88, I’m not really diggin’ the cover. I don’t think the cover really conveys just how much great information you’re sure to have inside. It doesn’t even say that you’re the author of Get Rich Slowly!

Also, for your fitness goals, I definitely recommend Mark’s Daily Apple blog, or his book “The Primal Blueprint”. He’s got a ton of great information about fitness and nutrition, and recommendations that just make sense. Good luck!

I have some thoughts on book marketing, but I will say 90% of them I learned watching Ramit launch his book.

First off, hire Charlie Hoehn if you can.
Second, offer copies for review early. You may consider a web book tour where you answer questions for other bloggers, or offer a copy for review and one or more to giveaway.
Third, consider writing some guest posts for other big name bloggers who are not in the personal finance realm.
Fourth, don’t be shy about asking for an Amazon review. Not all of them will be glowing, but I’m sure many will.

Feel free to email me, I have more thoughts on the topic, and would be happy to help you.

For marketing, as others have suggested give out a few copies for other bloggers to do reviews on.

You could always do a giveaway here of a signed copy or two… I’d like one of those, haha.

Marketing… Give a copy to every PF blogger in exchange for a review. Start with me!

Really… I’ll buy a copy if your not into donating them and I’ll even drop a review on Amazon for you!

For all this hard work I think you should get tomorrow off! … with your normal pay of course!

However, I am extremely excited to read the book. I’ll buy a copy for myself and one for my sister-in-law. I love your writing style and I know she will, too, along with learning a lot of valuable information.

Congrats, JD!

There’s been good marketing advice so far, I would echo those that say don’t be afraid to go “big” see if you can get exposure to networks etc. USE this amazing network of followers and readers who have invested their time in reading your content to find out who has connections to TV/Media etc. that you can leverage.

My only nitpick — I don’t love the cover of the book — it’s a little blah/generic for me — I think you need something simpler/bolder that fits the “missing manual” theme — Like a cover which makes the book look old/musty but like a treasure which has been uncovered — and the words “YOUR MONEY” really front and center. I think covers can make a big difference in sales/product placement. But I’m no graphic designer, that’s just my $0.02!

Now let’s see some publicity for this little fella. I’d love to review it at FaM, as soon as it comes out.