With the rising popularity of electronic books, any book that is only in printed form is only reaching part of its potential readership. So, do it yourself or hire a service? Fortunately, converting your book into an e-book can be as simple as hiring an affordable service to do it for you. If you're ready to get your self-published book out to people who rely on e-reading devices such as the Kindle, Nook, and the iPad, here's what to do.

No matter what stage of publishing you're in-an author-publisher, a beginning publisher, a more experienced publisher-IBPA Publishing University, in a new location on the west coast for 2012, brings you hands-on tools and techniques to succeed. Visit www.ibpapublishinguniversity.com for details and early bird pricing. I will be speaking on the panel "Creating Websites and Blogs That SELL" the morning of March 10th. I hope to meet you there!

I empathize with the frustration of having to knock on so many doors to effectively promote a book. Jumping into social media alone is daunting enough, and much more is usually needed. The core marketing question is this: How and where will you show up and be publicly visible to your ideal reader? Imagine this scenario. You have several novels under your belt. You've been a dedicated writer for years, and you've spent many of those years going to writers' conferences, attracted by the promise of scheduled ten-minute appointments with editors and agents.

Spend less -- go the E-book route first. Production for the physical book plus the digital printing can come later, once you've tested the market, made desired revisions, and collected additional endorsements. Are you still hung up on the idea that E-book publishing isn't "real" book publishing? The answer to this is that nowadays everything is simply content, and there are many legitimate forms in which content can be offered. View your inaugural E-book as just the first published representation of your content. And remember, there is a growing number of readers out there who don't think twice about reading E-books instead of print books.

If you're new to promoting your book through social networking, the goal should be to establish yourself with fellow travelers in your niche community. For example, let's say your book is in the Irish-American historical fiction subgenre. You are a newbie, this is your first book, and you are a complete unknown outside your family and friends. Your goal is to seek other Irish-American history buffs who are really looking forward to your book—except that they don't know it yet because they haven't met you! Here's one self-contained activity that just requires a setup and not a whole lot of time.

What is it about promotion that's distasteful to you, that holds you back from moving forward? To help push past inertia, let's look at ten sample marketing initiatives, then see if you can say Yes to three of them. The good news is that YOU are the best spokesperson for your book. You have lived with, and know, the material deeply. You are your book's champion. After months of writing and rewriting, you long to get this book out into the world. So, carpe diem! Grab the chance to share your book! 1. Open up. I've said this before and I’ll say it again. Start with one change you simply must make if you plan to be successful in marketing your book: Get over being shy. 2. Join a local Toastmasters group. Set a goal to become more comfortable with public speaking. Toastmasters programs (or an equivalent) can be incredibly supportive for anyone who fears public speaking.