These days, authors are increasingly expected to do more than just, you know, write books. They’re expected to have a presence on social media, to have a public profile, and to connect with fans and potential new readers. Baratunde Thurston is taking that a step further. Actually, he’s taking it several steps further. He’s a comedian, Director of Digital for The Onion, and he’s the author of the forthcoming book, How to Be Black. He’s assembled a volunteer ‘street team’ to help market the book through word-of-mouth and social media, and is modeling the marketing of the book on a political campaign. Is this the future for all authors? And what if you’re a low profile person who just wants to write?
