So, who else besides me used to imagine being an author like this: dream up story, write story, magically publish story…move on to next story?
In the past few years, I’ve seen the light. The marketing and platform-building light, that is. It’s a huge piece of an author’s career.
That’s why I’m grateful to people like Tyson and Jeane Wynn of Wynn-Wynn Media who share their expertise! And I’m thrilled to welcome them as the first in a series of March Wednesday guests who will be talking about marketing. What’s Jeane and Tyson’s best piece of advice? Keep reading… 🙂
The Proper Care and Feeding of Readers
As publicists, we often get asked what our number-one piece of advice for authors. We always start out with the same advice for everyone, uncontracted or contracted.
Don’t forget your reader.
This advice will never steer you wrong, and we know that now more than ever. It is the best advice we can give.
We’ve had opportunity to observe authors and authors-to-be as they move through the world of publishing, and it’s easy for them to get so busy marketing to other writers that the actual reader sometimes gets forgotten. It might seem like that could never happen, but once the wheels of the publishing process start turning, it takes a commitment to remember the reader or authors risk ignoring those who initially inspired them to put pen to paper.
We believe some proper care and feeding of readers will go a long way in gaining and keeping a fan for life, not just for your first book but also your third book and every future book you write.
Fortunately, today it’s easier than ever to care for your readers. Social media gives authors the ability to interact with readers daily. Once to several times a day, an author can tap into their “tribe” to ask them questions, seek opinions on cover art, tell them about launch plans, and generally pull them into your circle and get them involved.
Everyone is literally a tweet or Facebook page away from their readers—and potential future buyers!
Never before have authors been able to connect so quickly and easily with readers. The ability to use outlets like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, as well as sites like Good Reads has narrowed the gap between author and audience astronomically. Plus, these tools are quickly, easily, and relatively free.
If you are published, how are you caring for your readers? Are you so busy engaging other authors that your reader is overlooked?
Don’t get me wrong, it is essential to utilize your connection to other authors, but don’t let it end there. Use that as a springboard into further social interaction.
Decide you will build and maintain a relationship with your readers, no matter what. Don’t be afraid to share information, not just about your book, but also about your life (but also remember it’s OK—actually important—to keep your personal life personal, which is why it’s a great idea to have a separate Facebook personal profile and public page). You will be amazed at how much your fans want to know you.
Don’t let the moment or the technology pass you by. Properly care for and feed those who appreciate your work, and you will likely build a fan for life.
Jeane and Tyson Wynn began Wynn-Wynn Media in 2001 and today provide full-service publicity campaigns for the best in Christian publishing. They represent books and authors they believe in, and formulate strategic publicity plans that target both traditional and emerging media. Bringing those plans to life with persistence, determination, and old-fashioned hard work is their hallmark. Learn more about Jeane and Tyson and Wynn-Wynn Media at www.wynnwynnmedia.com.
Thanks so much, Jeane and Tyson! Published authors, how are you caring for your readers? Pre-pubbed hopefuls, do you work at connecting with readers now?
Comments 23
Great tips! I work sites that work for me, if that makes sense. I can’t be everywhere. I don’t want to be…um…I have books to write. But I love connecting with readers (and other writers..ahem) I do it daily. On sites I feel work best. 🙂
I get what you’re saying. Not every site works for every writer. Took me forever to get into the Twitter groove. 🙂
Love these tips. I definitely have been thinking more about this lately, in what I post about on my blog and what I tweet about, etc. So far, it seems I’ve mostly connected with writers. Then again, I’m not sure how many non-writers really read many blogs…I haven’t seen many on other writers’ sites either. But I try to blog mostly about faith or life, and maybe have one day a week about writing. I’ve been thinking about Goodreads lately. We’ll see… 😛
You know what’s funny, Lindsay? I think I may be on Goodreads…at least I know I’ve got the app on my phone. But I’ve not done anything with it yet. Hmm…
What a catchy title & important concept. I mostly stay in touch by FB (haven’t mastered Twitter & wasn’t available to catch the last good MBT blog on that). But MTagg what I love most about your blogs generally is the genuine spiritual content you deliver like drinks of refreshing water w/o being preachy.
Thanks for the kind words, Dee! I’m glad to hear I don’t stray into preachy territory too much. That’s a worry of mine, sometimes. 🙂
Thanks for a helpful post, Melissa. Jeane and Tyson make an important point. As the release of my debut novel nears, I’ve been working to reach my potential readers.
It wasn’t easy to do, but I’ve shifted my blogging efforts away from writing-related topics to those that might be of interest to readers. I feared losing the readership I did have. I’m happy to say that hasn’t been the case. My readership actually seems to be growing little by little, which is exciting. When the first comments from some of my non-writer friends began to appear, I knew my efforts to reach beyond the walls of writerdom were working.
I love your blog, Keli. I especially love learning the historical tidbits. Fun!! Jeane and Tyson’s post today is really making me think of my own blog and who I’m reaching out to…
This is such a timely post. I know my blog is geared toward writers/readers, but I’d love my facebook to be the main place to connect with readers. I love e-mail too.
Thank you for the reminder here!
Facebook is awesome for connecting with readers! 🙂
Fabulous post! I love the title too – the proper care and feeding of readers. This is something I’ve been thinking about A LOT lately. No real answers yet, just gathering info and trying to figure out what works. 🙂
Today’s post has me thinking, too!
Great tips all around! Thank you. I’m experimenting with several things at the moment on the blog, twitter, and FB.
Thanks for stopping by, Loree!
Great post, Melissa! I’m struggling with my blog, trying to find the right direction…and how to reach out to readers. Hoping to hit my groove soon. lol I am using Twitter more and plan on making an author page of FB soon.
I’m sure you’ll find your groove, Pat. It really took me a long time to sort of feel my way around the blogosphere and especially to once and for all make the commitment to blog regularly. 🙂 And don’t even get me started on how long it took me to dive into the Twitter pool. 🙂
Since this post had a little video at the top, it reminded me of an article I read last night about how many writers (who deal in words) would MUCH rather read a post than sit and watch a Vlog.
I confess to being one of those people, big time.
But the author went on to say…don’t forget your readers, many, if not most of whom prefer Vlogs and YouTube. (like my hubby) Maybe because I can read a blog way faster than he can, so Vlogs feel slow to me, but not to him. Anyway, more food for thought.
Oh, that’s a good point, Sandra. Another thing with vlogs is depending on where you’re at, it’s not always possible to watch a video.
That said, I love author vlogs! You can get to know writers so much through blogs, but video gives a whole new dimension – there’s something about seeing and hearing the person behind the blog that I love. 🙂
Can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked over at Hubby and said, “I wish I could just write them and have them magically appear on the shelf.”:) Marketing is the hardest for me where it concerns ‘selling myself’. Connecting with readers sounds like great fun. Trying to market me, well that I’m still figuring out:)
I know what you mean, Susan. It’s a paradigm shift to think of marketing yourself. But I think that’s the beauty of Jeane and Tyson’s point – when we look at marketing more as our chance to build relationships with readers rather than going all “me, me, me and my book,” it’ll feel much more natural and comfortable. Take Facebook, for instance – some authors are so great about using it as a platform to get to know readers, let their readers be heard. And in the process, we readers get to know the authors. Others, well, seem to only use it as a sales pitch. (Don’t get me wrong, I can’t blame someone for talking about their book on FB…but I love the ones who go beyond that, do fun polls, point me to other good reads, let me get to know them.)
Totally agree – and that’s what I love to do. Get to know people better, share with them. Doing the whole sell, sell, sell thing–I know it works for others, but not so much for me (I’d never make it as a sales person!) It truly takes all kinds.
Love your new header! Cute:)
Coming to the party late (wow, that is my theme song these days) but I couldn’t not read this post!
For some reason I couldn’t get audio on the vlog … but the written content was most-excellent.
My main focus/struggle right now is how to connect with potential readers before my book comes out …
Ooh in that case, Beth, you should stop by here in a couple weeks because your fellow debut author is doing a guest post on her pre-book marketing efforts 🙂