One of my favorite lines from Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight is “If you’re good at something, never do it for free.” It’s a line spoken by Heath Ledger’s Joker, and I sort of agree with it. Writer’s and publishers work hard to put out quality books, and after a massive amount of work, you’d like to see it pay-off financially. As an indie author, I’m not swimming in income from my writing, but I have managed to sell several copies of my books. How is this possible? I had to build an audience. I post samples of my writing on my site, I had a book signing at a bookstore, but more importantly, I had to give some books away.

I’ve held a few giveaways, and they’ve led to reviews on Goodreads, and a few on Amazon. I’ve picked up more followers on social media as well. My audience is small, but then again, I’m not trying to be Walter Mosley or James Patterson.

Givewaways can either be successful, or burst into flames: you have to play it smart. You want people to read your writing, but not at a massive expense to you. If you decide to host a giveaway, only give away a few copies–no more than five. Encourage people to post reviews for your book. Encourage, but never require or demand.

Aside from a giveaway, there is another way to get your book into the hands of new readers: the library. Speak to your local public library about purchasing a copy of your book for their collection. Or, offer to donate a copy. You may also want to look into whatever digital service the library uses to loan ebooks, such as Hoopla Digital or Biblioboard. You can reach out to these services and introduce yourself, and tell them about your book. This is where publishing your book in both physical and electronic form can come in handy.

Making your book available for free may not seem like a fantastic economical idea, but when you’re just getting started as a writer, you want to gain as much exposure as possible. Ever shop in a Sam’s Club or Costco? There’s usually someone with a table of free samples set up in their grocery section. Free samples encourage people to try something different. It gives you an opportunity to gain new followers and form new relationships. Don’t look at free books in a giveaway or in a library as a loss: think of these as opportunities to get your book in the hands of new readers who may become interested in more of your work.