So you got an agent, sold your book to a publisher, and got your advance check. You're way ahead of most authors at this point. Now who wants some royalties? Readers are not going to hear about your book by magic, and the publisher is not going to spend their well-guarded money throwing around TV and print ads for you. If you want your book, and your own name as an author, to take off, you've got to do the legwork.

It's time to find your audience, and make sure they know about your book. The fun thing about marketing is that you can get really creative with it. Yes, there are many conventional ways to advertise (press releases, print ads, craigslist) but, in reality, the possibilities are endless. You're looking for any way you can think of to get as many people as possible to think about, and buy, your book. There is also plenty of material out there from people who've been thinking about marketing their whole lives, and might even be more creative than you.

1001 Ways to Market Your Books I haven't read this book, but it's been reccommended to me, and it's on my wish list. If anyone has it, feel free to send me an email telling me if it helped you out.