Writers love to hide out in the background. Most of us don’t care about the business side of writing. We simply want to create. But unless we market and advertise, our books will gather dust in the garage or basement.
There are millions of books published each year. Millions of opportunities for readers to find something to engage their time and catch their imaginations. You may think that with so many books already flooding the marketplace there isn’t room for yours. But you’d be wrong. Your readers want to know about you. Your story may be exactly what they need. Your challenge might inspire someone. Your advice could mean the difference between failure and success.
Even if you’re writing about a widespread topic, you are unique. The way you write, the words you choose, your point of view all make what you have to say different from everything else.
So how do you connect with your hungry fans? Here are 5 easy ways.
- Connect on Twitter. Use a book promotion from one of the companies that collects Twitter followers. These companies specialize in growing their groups and may have thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people on their lists. That’s a lot of readers and the price starts at $19. Some of the top sites are BookTweeters.com, TweetYourBooks, and www.TheBookPromoter.com.
- Create a Facebook Page. Treat your book like a special event and create a Facebook page. Post the cover of your book, a photo of you or other people holding your book, information about your upcoming book launch, any special sales in the making, fascinating tidbits about your content—why you wrote the book, how you got started, special research you conducted. Visit Facebook Business Page to learn more.
- Create a Website Page. Devote a page on your website just for your book. Tantalize your audience. Make them want to find out more. Include a photo of the cover, a catchy headline, and the back blurb. Then create an opt-in form so your readers can sign up for a sample chapter. The opt-in form collects their name and email information and adds them to your list so you can send them future information about the book and upcoming events.
- Feed Your Fans. It’s been said that the average consumer needs to see or hear about a product up to 20 times before making a purchase. So tease your fans with snippets of information from or about your book. Use provocative dialogue, a special quotation, a historical fact. Talk about your research, the problems you faced when you were writing, why this story means so much to you. Post these juicy tidbits on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, wherever you’re active. Then interact with the people who respond. Thank them for their time, their messages, their interest. The more communication, the greater the fan.
- Contests and free promotions allow your readers to generate buzz about your book. With Kindle Select (on Amazon) you can give away your book for free for a specified number of days. With Goodreads you can set up a contest for a specific number of free advance copies of your book. Both are wonderful ways to connect with your fans and get them talking. For more information, visit KDP Select and Goodreads Giveaway.
Nanette Littlestone is an author, editor, writing coach, and publisher with Words of Passion. She is the editor and coauthor of The 28-Day Thought Diet; editor and publisher of F.A.I.T.H. – Finding Answers in the Heart, Volumes I and II, author of the e-book Overcoming Writer’s Block: Moving from Fear to Passion, and author of the historical novel The Sacred Flame. Her coaching programs and services offer clients unique and in-depth ways to strengthen their manuscripts and make their writing sing.