Book Promotion Is Tough. Poetry Promotion Is Tougher.

If book promotion is tough, then promoting poetry books is the toughest book promotion challenge of all. So how would you get people -- many of whom aren't "into" poetry -- to attend a poetry festival?

The organizers of the Newburyport (Massachusetts) Poetry Festival had a brilliant book promotion idea. Using the Book Crossing model, they had volunteers distribute 25 copies of books written by poets participating in the festival. The idea was that people would find the books, browse through them, get hooked, and tell their friends about the festival -- and they'd pick up new fans and festival attendees.

I'll bet it worked, too.

For more information about the challenge of bringing people to the Newburyport Poetry Festival, click here. If you can bring readers to poetry, then you can bring readers to any type of book. Way to go, Newburyport, for thinking outside the book promotion box!