Connecting with your audience, in specific and consistent ways, is the best way to sell books. Episodic promotion and marketing -- think ads, big events, one-time media hits -- rarely work to build an audience awareness for author, book or subject.
That's one reason Ms. Obie Joe has been recommending Twitter, a mini-blogging service; authors send out 140-word updates throughout the day, with whatever frequency is preferred, to subscribers. Your subscribes - many of whom will sign up via your blog or personal invite -- can follow the live life feeds via multiple channels: the Web, IM, SMS, etc.
"Great," says an author. "More content I gotta put out."
Well, yes. But the informality and real-time aspect of the very short posts might be easier to write.
Mr. Obie Joe can see some of the limitations of Twitter. Fiction writers, particularly those with a more staid profile, might find the Twitter an annoyance. But for nonfiction writers, particularly those in the midst of research, Twitter is a gold mine for readers who would love to hear more about an author's dive into Victorian train stations, or the jewels of 50s-era bombshells.
Twitter should only add to your audience; Twitter fans tend to be blog fans, too.
Showing posts with label author blogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label author blogs. Show all posts
Monday, July 14, 2008
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Should authors blog?
Why blog?
Especially when you've racked up several dozen bestsellers, as the seven authors on Squwak Radio have (www.squawkradio.com). These authors have sales, critical recognition, a fan base, and backing by major publishers.
Well, because blogging creates a community. An author does it for her own list, of course, but it also folds the author into a larger literary community.
Mr. Obie Joe loves their quote:
"To create intimacy between readers and authors. Booksellers have said that no particular advertising technique seems to give a book "legs" or send it up the bestseller lists because only the magic word-of-mouth influences sales. What better way to make sure readers know that our new books just hit the shelves than to create a community that stays with us, even when we don't have new releases?"
Especially when you've racked up several dozen bestsellers, as the seven authors on Squwak Radio have (www.squawkradio.com). These authors have sales, critical recognition, a fan base, and backing by major publishers.
Well, because blogging creates a community. An author does it for her own list, of course, but it also folds the author into a larger literary community.
Mr. Obie Joe loves their quote:
"To create intimacy between readers and authors. Booksellers have said that no particular advertising technique seems to give a book "legs" or send it up the bestseller lists because only the magic word-of-mouth influences sales. What better way to make sure readers know that our new books just hit the shelves than to create a community that stays with us, even when we don't have new releases?"
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