With a handful of critically acclaimed blockbusters under their belt and another due out this summer, it’s safe to say the Avengers are doing something right. While your project might be a little smaller in scope than a $1.5 billion-dollar movie about saving the world from an army of aliens lead by an ancient Norse god, there’s still plenty of cross-over. Here’s our list of five things you can learn from the Avengers!
1. Embrace the Brand
Steve Rogers is out there fighting for truth, justice, and the American way. To complement his message, he sports a dorky America-themed ensemble and moniker. All this comes together to make Captain America the icon that he is.
If a genetically-modified super-soldier isn’t above a little brand recognition, neither are you. Having a consistent message and theme, like Cap, makes your book more memorable. By building a cross-platform identity, you and your book stick in the audience’s mind and make them more invested in your brand.
2. Get Some Gizmos
So what makes Tony Stark a superhero? Hint: it’s not the goatee.
He’s got gadgets. And there is plenty of technology available to self-published authors that can help you level up. One personal favorite is Grammarly: a grammar-checking website that can help you eradicate improper punctuation in your manuscript, blog posts, or grocery lists.
We’ve talked in length about the importance of Twitter for indie authors. Instead of needing to log on to Twitter multiple times a day, there are tools to schedule tweets so you can let your Twitter run itself. It might not be a robot butler like Iron Man has, but it’s at least in the same ballpark.
3. Find Your Target and Hit it
Blindly swinging your arms around is neither a good way to market your book nor to save Manhattan from alien invaders. Figure out exactly who your audience is, paint a giant bullseye on them, and focus your efforts there. A wide audience isn’t necessarily a good thing for indie authors.
I gave up a lot for this life . . . I wanted to play with the big boys. And if I miss, it means I’m just another dude with a bow . . . And that’s why I never miss.
—Hawkeye
Although your self-publishing endeavor may seem humble compared with some of the giants of the book world, you can get an edge by matching their brute strength with equal precision. If you spend a hundred dollars marketing specifically to your audience, it can sell just as many copies as thousands of dollars funneled into an overly broad marketing campaign.
4. Don’t Hulk Out Unnecessarily
No matter how great your book is, you’re going to get at least one bad review. And it’ll probably make you angry. But don’t turn into a giant green rage machine and tear apart the Helicarrier; keep calm and carry on. Turns out, bad reviews can help you sell books. According to the Harvest Business Review, “by making consumers aware of a book they would otherwise not know about, even the harshest review can be a boon.”
For more on bad review etiquette, check out this blog post.
5. Team Up
There was an idea . . . called the Avengers Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of of remarkable people to see if they could become something more. To see if they could work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could.
—Nick Fury
It’s tempting to think about books with a similar intent to yours as competition. After all, there’s a finite amount of interest in your particular niche, right?
Not true! Books with a similar theme to yours can actually create more interest in your work. By forming an author alliance / superhero team, you can cross-promote each other’s book and all come out on top.
Other authors aren’t the only ones you should be looking to; your team includes everyone from editors, to PR people, to your friends and family.
You + your author squad
That’s all we’ve got! If you liked this post, check out the James Bond Guide to Writing and Lady Gaga’s Guide to Captivating Your Audience
