Your Readers Are Waiting
by
Judy Ann McCole
There is one obvious universal
truth for writers. We want to write. The only relationship status we want to
update is the one with Microsoft Word or if you’re feeling old-school a
typewriter. Sadly, the world has changed. Authors can no longer just write a
novel, send it, and publish… or not, unless you’re J. K Rowling, at least.
The truth is you absolutely need to
social network. You need to be so in touch with your network you know what time
zones your friends and fans are in just by their response times.
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| Judy Ann McCole |
Because there are seven billion
people on this earth and of those 7 billion, 1.2 billion of them are Facebook
alone. 1.2 billion people! You, from your desk, have the capability to speak
with millions of people on a daily basis just by clicking 'log in'. Now, before I
jump ahead of myself I should explain how you, as an author, should begin to
social network.
FACEBOOK
Chances are you already have Facebook.
But make a second one with your pen name or your regular name with ‘author’
attached.
Make sure your profile image you use for your author account is the one your fans
will notice.
With your new account, make a fan
page for your book. That way if you ever want to run ads people will be driven straight
to your book and then, if they want, look you up.
WHY?
Your family and friends have
already heard you talk about your books dozens of times. You don’t want your
personal account to be flooded with comments nor do you want those close to you
to hide your post because all you ever do is talk about your book.
Also, with your author account you
can join groups (and there are a lot of groups) for writers and authors.
TWITTER
Twitter is difficult for authors;
well it was for me, because a 140-character limit just felt ridiculous and I
had no idea what to tweet. I did not want to be one of those people who tweeted
“it’s raining” or “I’m going to the mall”.
Twitter is a great way to let
people know about your books and anything else you may doing. Because many
people tweet almost hourly they don’t mind sharing your tweets or even
commenting back.
More people are more like to read
your post on twitter then on Facebook because they know it will be short and
sweet.
Twitter gets easier the more you
use it. One Tweet a day keeps the fans coming your way.
Lastly, you don’t want anyone
pretending to be you if you don’t have one.
BLOGS
THIS IS HUGE!! All writers need
one! Believe me. Trust me. Listen to me. If you’re a writer you need a blog.
Not only did blogging help Amanda
Hocking (a self-published novelist) get attention but it has also helped
writers express creative ideas.
The very first thing my publishers
told me to do when I signed with them was publish a blog and link it to my
website.
If you go to any recent author’s website,
you will notice they have a blog. People want to follow you but you have to
give them a chance.
Can you sell books without all of this? Yes. It’s possible, in
fact some authors do. However, if there is a chance for you to get more readers
why not do so?
Why not try and be social?
All I ask is DO NOT insult any of your fans/readers.
Some people are idiots and will friend/follow you just to post
stupid things. Ignore and delete but NEVER RESPOND!
DO NOT trash other authors! Your readers may take that personally
if they happen to like them.
It’s a lot to juggle I know. However, since starting my blog I’ve
gained 1000+ twitter and blog followers… and my books aren’t even out yet.
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| Coming SOON! |
To Whomever This
May Concern,
I wish I could tell
you the contents of this book were purely fictional. That I, Adela Arthur, was
just a normal sixteen year old from Portland and that dragons, giants, elves
and mermaids were just myths. I wish these were legends shared from crazy
old grandparents to crazy old grandparents around camp fires. After all, that is
what I used to believe.
I never would have
thought they lived on the other side of our mirrors in a world called Cielieu.
But they do…
I never would have
thought there were humans, better known as Volsin that lived among them with
the ability to create light from a single thought. But there are…
I never would have
thought I was one of them…
But I am…
I am the last Arthur
and I was brought to the human world after a Volsin, filled with greed, began
to strip the light from our kind.
The human world was
supposed to be a safe haven… but he’s found us and the only way to stop him is
to go back to Cielieu and begin training as a student in the Elpida Castle of
Light.
Like I said I wish
the contents of this book were purely fictional and not my life…
Adela Arthur
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