How do I promote my manuscript?

So you have submitted your manuscript to Slush Pile Reader - now how do you get people to read it?

The first step is to introduce yourself and your manuscript here on Slush Pile Reader. Write a short introduction and post it in the forum. You will soon find that the members of this site are warm and welcoming and eager to read, and discuss with you. However - no one likes spam and overeager promoting. Be respectful of others privacy. Do not private message people you do not know promoting your book and do not promote your book in forum sections that talk about other issues and finally do not over promote in the forum.

Second step is to get the word out about your manuscript outside of Slush Pile Reader. We have created the following simple to use tools for that purpose:

'Share'/'Add this'

Use the 'Share' buttons at the top right hand corner of every page to alert your friends to the existence of Slush Pile Reader. Your friends will be directed to the page from which you use the button, so either you can direct them to your manuscript page, your profile page or any other page of the site.

Badges

By pasting a so called badge on other websites you can welcome others to Slush Pile Reader and to your manuscript page. Badges are simple to use: select the badge you wish to use, copy the code and paste it on your site, blog or in forum posts. Anyone who then sees the badge and clicks on it is linked, and transported to Slush Pile Reader.

Manuscript Badges

Readers click on the manuscript badge and are transported directly to your manuscript.

Personalized Top Lists

Do you have a blog or web site and want others to see what is happening on Slush Pile Reader? Create a personalized top list of your choice; you can choose genre, rating etc and even colors. Simply follow the easy steps and post the code on the web page of your choice and the visitors to your blog or site can follow Slush Pile Reader rankings from there.

Outside of Slush Pile Reader - Use the Internet and the Media

By contacting other blogs, forums, web sites, newspapers and social medias you can promote yourself and your manuscript.

Use other Social Media: Twitter, Facebook, Orkut, Ning, Stumbleupon, Hi5, Digg, Myspace.......

Use the badges to post on theses sites, link to your manuscript, update others on your ranking....

Contact your local newspaper - maybe they would like to profile you as an up and coming writer? Perhaps they would like to follow your adventures on Slush pile Reader? Give them many different angles from which they can choose to write about you and your manuscript.

Send a friendly message to your favorite review site and let them know that they can check out your manuscript on Slush Pile Reader. Remember to add a link (or a badge!) linking directly to your manuscript page.

Send an email or an invite to bloggers and journalists you think would be interested in seeing your manuscript here on the site and who can write about you and your manuscript in their blogs or online magazines. Describe your manuscript and make it alluring! Tell them how Slush Pile Reader works and that you want people to read your manuscript and if they like it, vote for it.

Post about your manuscript and link to it and Slush Pile Reader in other forums you frequent. Tell your off- and online friends about your manuscript and where they can find it. The possibilities are endless.

Remember - everyone is interested in a good story: both that of your manuscript and of you. And journalists and bloggers need material to write about so they do want to hear from you!

Does anyone have any tips and good stories to share? How did you get your manuscript noticed? Did your local newspaper write about you and how did you make that happen? Talk about book promotion in the forum!