indie writers | Painting With Light

Posts Tagged ‘indie writers’

Six Indie Author Online Mistakes

April 24, 2013

Promoting Your Own Work Is Tough Duty.

I did some informal research about the way fellow indie-authors use their websites and blogs, and the results weren’t encouraging.

While there are many nicely done sites, like that of Joanna Penn, Thomas Rydder or M.S. Fowle, many indie authors seem to have a website or blog simply because they’ve been told they should.

Mistake #1: Not Building a Good Web Site or Blog
Not investing a little time and effort is a mistake, because an indie-author’s website or blog should be the base of their online effort. Unlike most social media, it’s the one place where they are in full control of the content, image and brand they project.

However, the sad truth is many indies don’t seem to consider the why of what they’re doing. If you build a site without really knowing why it’s necessary, your site might not be much good for anything but collecting virtual dust.

In fact, having a bad site can be worse than no site at all.

Mistake #2: Not Showcasing as a Professional
Looking professional with your website or blog doesn’t mean spending a lot of money on design (sorry, designer folks) because there are good templates on blog or web site hosts like WordPress or iPage that will take care of that for you.

The hard part comes when you add content. You’re free to put in whatever you want, of course, and I would never presume to tell you what to say, but for your own sake please, please, please try to avoid the blatantly unprofessional shouting of “buy my book”!

As an indie writer a simple, easy to navigate, professional-looking site with helpful information shows you take your writing seriously.

Mistake #3: Not Providing Media Info
I’ve mentioned this before, but it deserves repeating. Provide images of your book covers, your author bio and picture (a good one, not something cropped from your last family beach outing). Perhaps the best idea is one I’ve also talked about before … creating a dedicated page on your site just for media.

Bloggers, reviewers, and any other media folks who happen to stop by will love having your information already there for them to use; meaning they’ll be more likely to mention you.

Mistake #4: Not Building a Mailing List
Many indie-authors avoid collecting e-mail addresses because they think having readers and followers on their social media is enough, but not collecting e-mail addresses is one of the biggest mistakes an indie author can make. I confess to being guilty of avoiding this myself.

However, an email newsletter speaks directly to your readers, letting you announce a new title, or poll them about new cover ideas, without depending on the rather haphazard contact of social media.

Earlier, I mentioned e-mail newsletter management systems I’ve been considering. Well, I’m still looking at both Mailchimp and Constant Contact and I’m almost ready to let you know my decision.

Mistake #5: Failing to Engage and Interact
“Engagement” has already become a cliché in online marketing, and there are so many varying opinions on what works, it’s mind-boggling. But I’ve noticed people online I feel familiar with, even though I’ve never met them, are those who respond to my blogs and use social media to help me.

They’re very much like virtual friends.

Some folks are just like that, bless ’em, and I try to reciprocate. I appreciate people who do that for me. How do you get others to do it? It’s easier than you might think.

Try doing it for them first.

Be a friend, not a salesman. Mention them on social media. Use your blog or website or Twitter account to help promote them. Some critics call it schmoozing, but so what? Let ’em. If you want to know if it works, read up on indie author John Locke.

Mistake #6: Not Persuading Potential Readers
I’ve mentioned this before, too. When you describe your books, use powerful, action verbs and make the descriptions exciting. This is just as true for romance as for adventure, horror, mystery or sci-fi (who wants to read dull and boring?)

Showcase the best of any good reviews you have, add any awards you may have won and include a blog link (your own or someone else’s) your readers might enjoy.

Then, still without blatantly screaming “buy!” be sure to include links to your books in several visible places, and make it as easy as possible for readers to purchase them if they want to.

Is that enough? I really don’t know yet. My own efforts are still a work in progress. But I promise anyone who follows this blog I’ll let you know what happens.

Tags:award-winning writing, book marketing, indie author mistakes, indie writers, self-publishing
Posted in Award-Winning Fiction, Book Promotion, Branding, Market Your Book | 12 Comments »

Know the Secret of a Great Book Interview?

April 18, 2013

Securing a Media Interview Can Be Promotional Gold.

Successful Interviewing for Successful Book Promotion
As a self-published author, the chance to give a personal interview to the media has to be the pinnacle of book marketing opportunities. You can explain your creative process while building interest for your book with potential readers.

Alas, while I wish I was writing this from a more personal perspective, telling you how well my own interview went, I’m not. I have yet to secure a media interview for my own books, although it’s not for a lack of trying, just a lack of trying hard enough.

However, what I can address … from my many years of working in public relations … is the whole issue of media interviews.

While the particulars of each interview may vary widely, here are some tips that can help you deliver effective promotion for your book when that fabulous opportunity does come along:

Practice Makes Perfect
Recruit a family member or friend to ask questions about your book, and practice crafting answers that are direct, meaningful and brief. When you finally do secure an interview opportunity you probably won’t be asked exactly the same questions … but you will have some sense of how you want to answer.

Be Reader-Specific
In an interview don’t just tell the audience about your book; use your way with words to help them see the excitement in it. Show, don’t tell. Build an urgency to purchase in potential readers. The point of the interview is to create a fascination for your work. It’s the meaning of the adage “Facts tell; stories sell.”

Keep It Simple
In fiction, particularly for an indie author, the interview audience is likely to be unfamiliar with your name, your book title, and the genre in which you create. So try to answer questions to properly position your work. The same is true for any social media you decide to use. During your interview, avoid jargon or terminology your audience may not understand.

Watch What You Say
In today’s media, anything you say is fair game. While you want your interview to be printed, quoted, reported, or possibly a “viral” Internet item … that’s only a good thing if it’s something you really want everyone to know. Choose your words carefully. A good rule of thumb is to avoid saying anything you don’t want to see as the headline of the article.

Look For Opportunities
Just because you’ve self-published a book, it isn’t a given that media types will be ringing your phone and flooding your email with requests to talk to you. Bowker estimated they would issue 15,000,000 ISBN numbers in 2012, up from just a bit over a million in 2009. Fifteen million. There’s just too much out there anymore for anyone to come looking specifically for you.

Take your story to them. Build a media page on your website or blog, and make sure people know it’s there (I’m still working on mine, even though it’s been over a month since I wrote my blog post “I Need a What?”)

Contact your local paper, local cable channel, local radio (consider even school radio stations) and flat-out ask them if they’d like to interview a local author. All they can say is no.

But, be prepared, they just might surprise you.

Tags:award-winning writing, book interview tips, book marketing, indie writers, promoting your books, self-publishing, using social media
Posted in Award-Winning Fiction, Book Interviews, Book Promotion, Branding, Market Your Book | Leave a Comment »

Versatile Blogger Award

March 31, 2013

Remarkable things sometimes grow in the strangest places.

This edition of my blog is a little different from most.

I received a nice accolade last week from another writer and blogger, Marny Copal, who nominated me – or more precisely this blog you’re reading, Painting With Light, for the Versatile Blogger Award.

It’s given by bloggers to other bloggers who are writing things they like and find interesting.

Why It’s Special
You don’t always know people appreciate and enjoy what you do, particularly when it’s something you’re going to do anyway, with or without encouragement.

But it’s both exciting and humbling to be told someone does.

I want to thank Marny for thinking my constant drivel is worthwhile. I try to make it interesting, but I’m not always certain I succeed. I know there are a lot of other indie authors out there, and some of them are writing pretty exciting things.

I want to encourage and help all that, if I can. I’ve even thought about offering to do reciprocal interviews, if anyone was interested.

The Aha! Moment
Of course, there’s a bit of self-serving hope in all of it, too. I’d like to think some few of you might someday take a chance on one of my books after you’ve visited here.

I don’t ever plan to get rich off them, and will continue to write them even if my friends and relatives also quit buying them. Still, a guy can always dream, and I thank you for visiting.

If you get a chance, I recommend you also visit Marny’s blog, too. There’s a lot of interesting stuff there.

Requirement No.1
One of the requirements for accepting this accolade is nominating other bloggers you regularly follow, whom you think are doing an excellent job talking about their chosen subject (you’re supposed to tell them about their nomination, too).

So, to satisfy that requirement, here are my choices, in a completely random order (you’ll notice they all have something to do with writing) and you may also notice there are far fewer than the fifteen that are usually recommended:

The Creative Penn
Seumas Gallacher
K.M. Weiland’s WordPlay
Jeff Goins, Writer
T.W. Ditmer
M.S. Fowle
Cindy LaFerle
C.S. Lakin
Tom Rydder

I’m certain I’ve left someone off the list that should be there, and I’m going to apologize profusely right now for the omissions. I’ll blame it on age and lack of sleep (and hope that works).

Finally, I’m supposed to tell the person who nominated me (and all of you, presumably) seven things about myself you might not know.

Requirement No.2
So to finish my acceptance, here goes:

• My first direct male ancestor to arrive in the New World sailed from Ireland to the colony of Virginia in 1635

at the age of 18.

• I met my soul mate when she was fifteen (we were married a little more than five years later).

• She’s still my best friend.

• A voracious reader with a reasonably good memory, I was a National Merit Scholar in high school.

• I write at least 1,000 words a day (and that doesn’t include email or blogging).

• I gave my six-year-old grandson a duplicate of the Gold Medal I won for my debut novel, ribbon and everything.

• He wants to wear it into the shower in the morning.

That’s it. Now you know more about me than I often intend to tell.

Thanks again, Marny. I’m delighted to know there’s someone out there that actually likes this stuff I ramble about. I can hardly wait to find out what, if anything, those nominees above have to say.

Oh yes … for all of you celebrating one of the big holidays at this time of year, whatever it may be, take the time to look around you and appreciate your family.

Time doesn’t wait for any of us, and wonderful memories were meant to be created now.