One of the pieces of information
authors are finding invaluable is a list of their readers. If you want to
announce a new release, a promotion or a giveaway, the instant access to a list
of your readers is priceless. It could mean an instant jump in rankings and an
increase in reviews both critical to the success of your book.
The reader list is being used to
develop friendships and relationships far beyond the sale of your novels.
Building a list is a lot like farming. You cultivate the field. You plant the
seed. You watch it grow. Then you harvest the crop.
It is study time again and I am
fortunate to have a group of outstanding, award-winning authors whose opinions
I value highly. I challenged my HBS Author’s Spotlight crew and over 25 authors
responded to the study. Here what they had to offer.
Study Question
It is study time for me again. This time I’m trying to help
authors with the difficult task of developing a reader list and using it to
form relationships and sell more books.
Like I have down many times, I’m contacting the HBS Author’s
Spotlight crew to get their opinions and experiences on the topic.
MAIN QUESTION
What are the methods you use to find your readers and build
a relationship?
Here’s a sample of what I’m looking for.
1. How do you use social media programs to build a reader
list?
(Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Goggle+, etc.)
2. What online tools and software do you use to capture
names and email addresses?
(Website software, Email, Newsletters, etc.)
3. What groups do you use to find your readers?
(Support groups, Forums, Blogs, Author Networks, etc.)
I know you are busy but if you could give me a quick
paragraph or two, maybe we can help some authors struggle through this important
task. If I could get something by July
15th, I would appreciate it.
If you have written a book or a blog post on this topic,
pass the link on to me and I will include it in the study.
I will use your quote (space permitting) and provide a link
to your twitter account and a link to your Spotlight post. Our last four
studies have close to 16,000 views and growing.
Thanks.
James Moushon
Author Responses
Twitter: Terry
Ambrose @suspense_writer
Website: http://terryambrose.com/
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/YmaJ4z
Terry Ambrose @suspense_writer is the author of
the McKenna Mystery series and a member of Murder, We Wrote.
Methods to find readers and build a
relationship:
I've chosen the path of using my writing
about real-life scams and cons as a way to improve my reach to new potential
readers. While some authors are naturally outgoing and can interact with
readers about the most minor details, I've found that's not one of my
strengths. What is a strength is my knowledge of how to help those same people
avoid being taken in by a scam. As a result, that's the focus for the majority
of my outreach.
I, like most people I know, am annoyed by the
constant promotional efforts many writers use. As a result, if I am friends
with someone, but the majority of their posts are promotional in nature, I'm
going to distance myself from them. Everyone has to do some promotion, but that
promotion should be a small portion of the social interactions, not the
majority.
Because I'm reaching out directly to my
audience via search engines, which are now ranking my posts on the first page
for the search terms, my website traffic is up and I have more opportunity to
garner a potential reader's interest. With that said, the majority of those
visitors are looking for something in particular, so converting them from a
visitor who is looking for a specific type of information to someone interested
in books can be difficult.
Twitter: Melody
Anne @authmelodyanne
Website: http://www.melodyanne.com/
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/14gv8hx
NYT
and USA Today Best Selling Author Melody Anne
@authmelodyanne. She is the author of many Romance and Young Adult novels.
1. How do you use social media programs to build a reader
list?
I lean heavily on popular social media platforms to build
and maintain reader’s lists. More accurately put, I use social media to engage and build relationships with my
readers. Using social media, I allow readers to come into my life and share in
experiences that they can relate to, from the view point of one woman to
another.
I think heavy
engagement with my followers via social media is one key aspect to building
my reader list. Due to the viral nature
of things like Facebook and Twitter, if a fan “likes”, retweets or comments on
anything I post, the friends of my fans can usually see it, attracting a sort
of viral attention to my social media presence.
In addition to this I run numerous contests
throughout the year, which in most cases requires a person on social media to
like or follow me on social media, and/or identify a specific detail about one
of my latest releases, and the prizes are usually pretty terrific which would
encourage just about any fan of my genre to purchase one of my books.
2. What online tools and software do you use to capture
names and email addresses?
To me the term “capture” implies some sort of unwanted data
collection to somehow spam my fans with
news they don’t necessarily want.
Typically all news of new releases is available through social media
platforms, so any fans that follow me will receive updates as they occur.
To me the term
“capture” implies some sort of unwanted data collection to somehow spam my fans
with news they don’t necessarily want.
Typically all news of new releases is available through social media
platforms, so any fans that follow me will receive updates as they occur. For my fans who want even more detailed news
and updates on releases, they have the option to sign up for my newsletter via my website. If you’re looking for a more technical
response, I use one of many readily available contact form plugins available on the web.
3. What groups do you use to find your readers?
I do quite a bit to find new readers, it ranges from very
basic in book advertisements to Writing and sharing content amongst a close group of fellow self-publishing
authors and participation in online (social media based or live chat) release parties. In addition to this I advertise on various
book sites like Goodreads.
Twitter: Susan
Aylworth @SusanAylworth
Website: http://www.susanaylworth.com/
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/1hRpNQe
Susan
Aylworth @SusanAylworth is the award-winning, bestselling author of the Rainbow
Rock Series.
What
are the methods you use to find your readers and build a relationship? I use Facebook and Twitter mostly
to find my readers. By using social media, it is easier to engage with readers
through posed questions, insights into how I work, and keeping them abreast of
book releases, events, and sales. I also use other social media sites to find
my readers, such as Pinterest and Instagram. But it is harder to build a
relationship through these image platforms. Facebook and Twitter give you a
better text platform to strike up a conversation with your readers.
1. How
do you use social media programs to build a reader list? When people follow you on various
social media sites it automatically gives you a link to their profile that they
have created. The site automatically compiles a list for you of fans who are
interested in your work and you can use that to reach your readers by posting
updates.
2.
What online tools and software do you use to capture names and email
addresses? I
use an app that I installed through my web provider (Wix) that compiles
a list of people who are interested in my website and who sign up for updates.
3.
What groups do you use to find your readers? Sales and other special events
are posted to several Facebook groups, specialized to my niche market, such as
the Goodreads Clean Romances page. I'd love to find more!
Hope this helps with your
research. I'll be interested in seeing what you compile.
Twitter: Mark
Barnes @markbarnes19 okay
Website: http://www.markbarnes19.com/
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/16sPvGs
Mark Barnes
@markbarnes19 writes Mystery novels and Educational, non-fiction books.
Here's my response, but if you share it, I'd
like for you to promote one of my education books, rather than my novel. I can
send you pics and links. Let me know.
As an education author, my publishers have
tight marketing budgets, so I need to publicize my work as much as possible.
Twitter is my best network. Over the years, I've acquired more than 10,000
followers, and they have helped get the word out.
Facebook is another powerful network, and
I've created pages for my books and for my blog. Brilliant or Insane
is another excellent tool, as I publish education blog posts there daily, and
my books are advertised there, too. I have an email list, but I'm not sure it's
worth the time and money that goes into it. In the long run, I believe that
writing and sharing content, which leads back to your promotional
material, is the best marketing a writer can do.
Twitter: Chuck Barrett
@Chuck_Barrett
Website: http://chuckbarrettbooks.com/
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/1qw1XAJ
Best-Selling
Author Chuck Barrett @Chuck_Barrett is the author of the Award-Winning Jake
Pendleton series.
What are the methods you use to find your readers and build a relationship?
There is no single sure-fire method that
works 100% of the time. Social media has had its heyday. Readers want more
substance. They are overwhelmed with the preponderance of authors and books saturating
the market. It’s confusing when there are hundreds (or thousands) of new
authors flooding social media every month. Readers tend to stick to their
favorites and sometimes it’s difficult to get them to break that habit. What
works best is to have the best product you can have and get out and reach the
readers. Face time with readers is important and that helps word of
mouth...and word of mouth sells books. Advertising is only so-so effective
and must be well-placed & well-timed or it’s a waste of money.
Today’s author must try everything they can to sell books. When something
works, stick with it until it stops working then find something else that
works.
1. How do you use social media programs to build a reader list?
In the beginning, Twitter was the best, then Facebook. Now neither have much impact in my opinion. I still use them as well as Goodreads and LinkedIn. They are still excellent ways of promoting new books, new ideas, etc., but they don’t really add to the number of readers.
2. What online tools and software do
you use to capture names and email addresses?
I use every tool available. I have a sign up page on my website. I send out tweets encouraging readers to sign up. Also I try to capture readers at events and book singings then add them to the list.
I use every tool available. I have a sign up page on my website. I send out tweets encouraging readers to sign up. Also I try to capture readers at events and book singings then add them to the list.
3. What groups do you use to find your readers?
I have one of the best ways to build my readership and followers is with face time...actual time in front of readers. Speeches at writers conferences and book festivals always show a marked increase. Another successful method in reaching out to book clubs, Friends of the Library groups/chapters, writers groups, local women's and men's groups.
I have one of the best ways to build my readership and followers is with face time...actual time in front of readers. Speeches at writers conferences and book festivals always show a marked increase. Another successful method in reaching out to book clubs, Friends of the Library groups/chapters, writers groups, local women's and men's groups.
Twitter:
Cheryl Bradshaw @cherylbradshaw
Website:
http://www.cherylbradshaw.com/
Spotlight
Post: http://bit.ly/TxyLrD
Amazon
Best-Selling Author Cheryl Bradshaw
@cherylbradshaw is the creator of the Sloane Monroe series and the founder of
the hugely successful Indie Writers Unite group on Facebook.
1. How do you use social media programs to build a reader
list?I'm mainly on Twitter
and Facebook. I use Twitter for most of my interaction with fans, and usually
only promote on there once a month when I run a BookBub ad. If you're
constantly promoting, you'll lose your existing fans, and you'll be unfollowed.
Twitter is a great place to connect with fans, meet new people, and meet fellow
authors. I resisted signing up at first, but now I have almost 50,000
followers, and I tweet almost every day. You can find me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/cherylbradshaw
On Facebook I promote through targeted ads
which point back to my Facebook author page and sometimes also link to a new
book or one of my novels. It's inexpensive and effective, and I've found it's a
good way to reach my demographic. Through targeting you can isolate your
ad so it only shows to potential readers in your genre, thereby giving you the
best bang for your buck.
2. What online tools and software do you use to capture
names and email addresses?I use Constant Contact for my
emails/newsletter list.
3. What groups do you use to find
your readers?
I don't
usually do things like this.
Website: http://www.flapperfinds.com
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/XjTm5R
Ellen Mansoor Collier
(Website) is a Houston-based
freelance writer and editor whose articles and essays have been published in
several national magazines. Ellen just released the third novel in her Jazz Age
mystery series: Gold-Diggers,
Gamblers And Guns
I
don’t use much social media myself, but I hire blog tour hosts who do—and it
works for me. http://abluemillionbooksblogtours.blogspot.com/p/future-tours.html
Also a
couple of readers started adding my books to Listopia on Goodreads and I found
a few more lists to help categorize my mysteries, e.g. books set during the
1920s, historical mysteries, etc.
Good
reviews help spread word of mouth, as we all know...Hope this
helps!
What are the methods you use to find
your readers and build a relationship?
I admit, I haven’t
joined the Twitter or Facebook craze myself but I have a FB page that I don’t
update and do enjoy reading tweets from various friends and famous folks.
What’s worked best for me are meeting bloggers via blog tours.
When I first wrote FLAPPERS, I approached a few bloggers directly and gotten
some positive responses from people who have turned into friends. Since then,
I’ve discovered that bloggers are most likely to reply if you have a tour host
to help promote your book. For only $25-30. and up, these experienced book tour
hosts will do most of the work of setting up reviews/interviews and guest
posts.
Sure, there’s a
lot of preparation involved on some tours, but you can choose from a wide
variety of hosts and services. They’ll tweet about your book, posts and reviews
during the tour and often spotlight you on their own blogs. I’d opt for a tour
that focuses on your genre (in my case, historical mysteries). Ask around,
compare notes and see which tours come highly recommended by fellow authors,
and try to find the best one for your book. Amy Metz has a new tour
service specializing in mysteries that’s affordable and effective—try it out!
Twitter: M. R.
(Marsha) Cornelius
@marshacornelius
Website: http://mrcornelius.com
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/WaOBwA
Best
Selling Author M. R. Cornelius
@marshacornelius writes post-apocalyptic thrillers.
Looking
forward to this post James, because I do a terrible job of finding readers. I
could use some tips.
Twitter: Leti Del
Mar @leti_delmar
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/14HWXPH
Author
Leti Del Mar @leti_delmar is an indie
author. She blogs about the craft of
writing and indie books.
Here's what I've put
together. If you could also include a link to my site, that would be great!
I like to to use Mailchimp to create
and manage my mailing list. I have reveals s to join my mailing list on my website and at
the end of every book. When I do blog tours, I always add joining my
mailing list as a giveaway option and that has helped it grow the most. Of
course, I do get the occasional subscriber from time to time.
For now, I use my mailing list to alert my
readers about the following: cover reveals, new releases and
promotions. I send one out every three months or so. I like to be able to
give my subscribers a reason to join, so I let them know of any
promotions before anyone else.
I just released a newsletter informing my subscribers
that extended samples of my books are now available on NoiseTrade for
free download. Since I write in more than one genre, I think its a great
site to introduce readers to titles they might not of read.
In the future, I would like to put novellas,
extra chapters, or scenes from different points of view together and give those
away free to anyone who subscribes as a thank you to my readers for
subscribing.
Twitter: Tricia
Drammeh @triciadrammeh
Website: http://www.triciadrammeh.com
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/140KeoY
Tricia
Drammeh @triciadrammeh is the author of Young Adult, paranormal romance and
Fantasy novels.
I recently began to compile a list of readers
for my mailing list. At some point very soon, I'm going to put out a plea
on Facebook and on my blog, but even though I haven't done that yet, I already
have quite a list going. I'm one of the authors participating in a Kindle
giveaway in which the host of the promotion asked sponsors to provide a Twitter
handle or Facebook page for contest entrants to follow as a way of gaining
extra points on Rafflecopter. Instead of providing my Facebook Author
Page URL like I normally would, I decided to use this opportunity to begin
building my mailing list. Readers can earn extra points in the giveaway by
signing up for my mailing list, and just a few days into the giveaway, I
already have dozens of new potential readers waiting to receive my newsletter.
Right now, I'm using a simple Contact form on
my (Weebly) website. It's very easy for readers to fill out, and Weebly
sends me an email each time someone signs up. In addition to finding readers
via giveaways and contests, I also rely heavily on blogging. It
certainly hasn't happened overnight, but my readership has gradually expanded.
The great thing about blogging is it gives you a chance to have an ongoing
conversation with readers. I try to respond to every comment, even if it's just
a thank you. Through blogging, I've met both readers and authors, and I've made
many new friends.
Twitter: Lorhainne
Eckhart @Leckhart
Website: http://www.lorhainneeckhart.com/index.html
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/1evyUp6
Author
Lorhainne Eckhart @Leckhart is the Author of Kindle Bestseller THE FORGOTTEN
CHILD.
The methods that have worked well for me are by offering free books, for
example the first book in a series free. What happens is it drives
sales to my other titles in the series. It's a great way to find new
readers. At the end of all my ebooks I always provide an afterword
with a link to sign up to my newsletter, and I notify my readers of
upcoming promotions and new releases.
I advertise every month and always join other authors in giveaways of larger prizes and promote our books together. I occasionally participate in blog tours for new titles, but when comes down to it, providing the link to sign up for newsletter in the afterword of my ebooks, on my website, facebook page has had the biggest impact.
I advertise every month and always join other authors in giveaways of larger prizes and promote our books together. I occasionally participate in blog tours for new titles, but when comes down to it, providing the link to sign up for newsletter in the afterword of my ebooks, on my website, facebook page has had the biggest impact.
Twitter: Connie
Flynn @ConnieFlynn
Website: http://connieflynn.com/
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/XP92Sp
Author
Connie Flynn @ConnieFlynn is the bestselling
award-winning author of many Mystery, Fantasy, Paranormal and Romance novels
and short stories.
My mailing list was initially
grown through my online writing school, Bootcamp for Novelists. When my partner
and I closed the Bootcamp we had about 750 subscribers. Since then it dipped to
a low of about 620 but is now up to just under 700.
My problem is that I'm not quite
sure what to put into each issue. I don't want it to be a 'buy my book,"
"buy my book" kind of thing and my last major use of it was to
solicit readers for my most recent new release. That was very successful and
most of my posts on Bootcamp activities (I still do some) are successful. But
pushes on my backlist are not so well received.
1. How do you use social media
programs to build a reader list?
I haven't used these mediums to
get subscribers to my newsletter. I do belong to a Twitter tweet team and am
convinced it keeps me in front of readers because every time I stop, my
downloads dry up. To increase my mailing list, I mostly do occasional blog hops
or giveaways that increase new subscribers. Many of these actually stay, but
some don't, being they were motivated more by the prizes than because they
think I'm a fascinating writer. Most of my stable new subscribers come from
programs where I appear personally and do a presentation. The rest of them come
from my blog and my website, both of which have subscriber icons. I'll be
working harder on making these effective over the next couple months.
2. What online tools and
software do you use to capture names and email addresses?
I use Mailchimp, mostly because
the price is right, since it free up to 2000 subscribers. Most services start
charging at 500 and I'm already over that.
3. What groups do you use to
find your readers?
Good question. The truth is I've
been using a scattershot method of enlisting new readers and I've taken a new
direction. Currently I am advertising heavily and have seen a nice uptick in my
sales. I've also put my first WIP up on Wattpad and am waiting to see how that
turns out.
What I have discovered is that my newsletter is important because since enlisting the subscribers as beta readers I've also made them into fans and I want to create more of that. Not only is it good for sales, I've already made some new friends.
What I have discovered is that my newsletter is important because since enlisting the subscribers as beta readers I've also made them into fans and I want to create more of that. Not only is it good for sales, I've already made some new friends.
This reply is pretty scattershot
itself and I hope it's of value. If you choose not to use it I'll understand.
Your support has already been invaluable to me.
Twitter: Dianne
Harman @DianneDHarman
Website: http://www.DianneHarman.com
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/15Mxx6L
Author
Dianne Harman @DianneDHarman is Award
Winning Bestseller Romance author.
1.
How do you use social media programs to build a reader list?
I use twitter, Google+, facebook &
Goodreads. I do a lot with Goodreads because this is where the readers are. The
others are kind of like shooting fish in a pool. You never know what percent of
those are readers and what percent of those will be interested in your genre. I
am active in several groups on Google+ that are specific to writers. I’m not a
huge fan of Facebook. Other than the Authors Social Media Support Group, I’ve
had very little luck with involvement. ASMSG has been a huge factor in
whatever success I have had as an author, not only for all the subgroups, but
for the help I’ve received with all kinds of questions. Can’t recommend it
highly enough. Twitter I use, but again it’s kind of a shotgun thing. I have
almost 30,000 followers, but what number of those are readers and what number
of those interested in my genre? Don’t know. On occasion I take part in the tweet
teams on World Literary Café and ASMSG, particularly if I’m offering a
reduction in price or introducing a new book.
2.
What online tools and software do you use to capture names and email addresses?
I have a website, dianneharman.com
as well as a blog. I’ve just signed up for a newsletter feature and I have no
idea how that will go. I have lists of people on Excel spreadsheets who are
notified with a new release. That has proven to be very successful. I generally
send it out to friends, acquaintances, and the book list.
3.
What groups do you use to find your readers?
I try to maintain a strong social media
presence. As far as groups, blogs and the social media networks.
Twitter: Liliana
Hart @Liliana_Hart
Website: http://www.lilianahart.com
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/1arNcYf
Liliana
Hart @Liliana_Hart is a NYT and USA Today Bestselling author of romantic
mysteries and suspense.
Thanks so much for emailing me. I want you to
know I read each and every email from my readers, and those emails are awesome
and keep me going and motivated. Unfortunately, I've reached the point where I
just can't respond to them all in a timely manner. I wish I could respond
faster and stay on top of it all, but I've realized I'm not Wonder Woman,
despite what my favorite coffee mug says. Just be assured that I'm using my
email response time to get the next book out faster. Thank you all so much for
your support and for reading.
Twitter: Brent
Hartinger @brenthartinger
Website: http://www.brenthartinger.com
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/18uebRj
Brent
Hartinger @brenthartinger is the author of The Russel Middlebrook series.
The movie version of his novel: Geography Club was released in 2013.
In my experience, people are so
overwhelmed with spam and emails
that it's really difficult to get them to subscribe to email lists. They have
to be (a) really passionate fans and/or (b) given something valuable in return,
to entice them. I offer a free ebook download of an earlier book if people
subscript to my newsletter, and people sign
up pretty regularly. I know that some people subsequently cancel the
subscription, but that's okay. It's also a promotional tool -- if someone is
browsing my site, they have a chance to "sample" my work. In the end,
I've ended up with a pretty substantial email list, and the "free"
book hasn't cannibalized sales at all because the ebooks that I offer for free
have continued to sell just as well as always.
What do I do with the email list? I
send out a newsletter, but I try really hard not to annoy people, so I try to make it (a) substantive, with some
actual "content," not just all about me and please to buy my books,
and (b) I don't send it out more than five times a year. When I have something
substantial to announce, I send an email, and I know from MailChimp.com (the e-newsletter service I use) that I have a very
high "open" rate compared to other marketers, so I think I'm doing
something right.
Twitter: John W. Huffman @johnwhuffman
Website: http://www.johnwhuffman.com
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/Y3T9kJ
Award
winning Indie Author John W. Huffman
@johnwhuffman writes Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers.
1. I use Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and
Goodreads as my primary focus social media outlets, as well as the Independent
Author's Network blog site, Author's Corner, and The Indy Writer's Group as
forums for my books. I never attempt to "sell" my books on any of
these outlets, but instead focus on inter reacting with old friends and making
new ones while allowing them to make their own decisions as to purchase my
books or not. I find other authors on these sites who constantly harp on their
books and beg for people to purchase them tedious and boring.
2. I do not use any online tools or software
to capture names and addresses, but I do add new contacts to my email list
constantly.
3. I am constantly in contact with support
groups as I come across them, such as this one, and respond to them on a daily
or as requested basis.
I hope this is helpful to you, but the fact
is, I do not attempt to sell my books on any site as much as just get my name
and novels "out there" and let the readers make their own decisions
as to purchase or not.
Twitter: Alan
Jacobson @JacobsonAlan
Website: http://alanjacobson.com
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/11HhTrB
Alan
Jacobson @JacobsonAlan is the
bestselling author of jaw-dropping thrillers.
Jim—been in NYC for
meetings with my publisher as well as ThrillerFest—morning till night stuff.
Return Mon night and even then I’ll have a lot of follow up. I’ll try to get to
this but honestly, it’s unlikely. If I can, I will! Alan.
Twitter: Suzanne
Jenkins @suzannejenkins3
Website: http://suzannejenkins.net
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/1lQhQP3
Suspense
Author Suzanne Jenkins @suzannejenkins3 is the author of the Pam of Babylon
series and The Greeks of Beaubien Street.
HI James, the way I
am building my email list is to give those who sign on a free download of a short
story that is a prequel to a new series I'm planning. I advertise the
download on my Facebook page and have used the paid boost on FB, too. I also
use Booktweetingservice.com to tweet about it. Here's the link. http://suzannejenkins.net/
Twitter: Joseph
Lallo @jrlallo
Website: http://www.bookofdeacon.com
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/YHhobB
Joseph Lallo @jrlallo is a bestselling author of the Science Fiction & Fantasy
series: The Book of Deacon Trilogy.
I try to cast a wide net when it comes to connecting
with readers. Just as I've found that the best way to sell a book is to
have it for sale where people want to buy it (wherever that might be), I've
found that the best way to connect with fans is to be present on the network
they most use, whichever that might be. I'm on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads,
Google+, Tumblr, and Instagram mostly. I've found Facebook and Twitter to be
the most valuable, though Goodreads and Tumblr are great too. As for tools, I
do have a newsletter which I'm beginning to work on developing. I use Mailchimp
for it and it works great. My website is a semi-custom theme built upon
Wordpress. I don't do a lot of searching for readers. I'm not as active on
blogs and forums as I might be, and I've got this weird notion that showing up
on a blog in search of readers is a little like poaching.
Twitter: M. Louisa
Locke @mlouisalocke
Website: http://mlouisalocke.com/
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/1dTFL1f
M.
Louisa Locke @mlouisalocke is the Author of Maids of Misfortune and Uneasy
Spirits, bestselling Victorian San Francisco Mystery Series.
While I started a website
at the same time that I started self-publishing (fall of 2009), and I now have
520 subscribers. However, most of my blog posts over the years have been
directed at other authors––not fans––so I don't really see this as the primary
way I reach out to develop a fan base. I do have over 2000 twitter
followers--but I don't really actively engage much in this medium. Instead I
have concentrated on using my Facebook authorpage for this. I set this
page up in February 2011, and I now have 1,146 likes.
One of the ways I built up this page was to
participate in period Kindle Fire Giveaways sponsored by the Kindle Book Review. To keep up interest in
this page--I post my daily word count when I am writing, link to pictures I
have put up on my pinterest page, and
post notifications when I do any promotions of my books. I will also pay
to boost posts when I have published something new or when there is a
promotion. I also have a number of Facebook groups that I will post to when I
have something like a promotion, new book, or something else like an interview
that I think might be of interest. One of the newest that I am quite
happy to have joined is Clean Indie Reads,
which seems a perfect place for me to connect with potential readers.
However, in the last year as Facebook has
started limited who actually sees any normal (un-boosted) post, I also started
encouraging fans to sign up for my newsletter.
For this newsletter I use mailchimp.com, and I recently upgraded from the free
version so that I could send a reply letter when someone signed up that offered
free coupons for various books.
I only started developing a newsletter signup
a year ago (should have done it earlier!), as I prepared for the launch of my
third book. I started out by emailing any fan who had emailed me personally and
asked if they would like to sign up--stressing that i would only send
out a newsletter when I had an announcement for a new publication. I also added
a signup link to the ends of all my books and stories and put the link on my
website. I notice after a promotion--when sales (and therefore readers) goes
up--the sign-ups for this newsletter does increase a bit.
For the last two short stories I wrote, I
also announced on my Facebook page that if someone subscribed to the newsletter
they would be able to get a coupon for a free copy of the short story for a
limited time before it was published on Kindle. This was probably my most
successful tactic in getting fans to sign up for the newsletter. I now
have 420 subscribers to the newsletter.
I have only sent out 5 newsletters--again,
only when I have a new publication--but my average open rate is very good
(65.5%) and my click through when I offered the coupon for my latest 2 short
stories was 70-80% (very high.)
When I published my last book, I was
fortunate in having Amazon put it up as a pre-order, and I had 700 people
pre-order it. I assume that many of these were people who knew about the
pre-order through my social media (website, Facebook, newsletter, twitter,
etc.) My goal is to make sure that I have an even larger number ready to order
the next book. :)
Twitter: Jake
Needham @jakeneedham
Website: http://JakeNeedham.com
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/SFg96s
Author Jake
Needham @jakeneedham is a best-selling Mystery & Thrillers Author.
I’m not sure I really have anything to say on
the subject that’s going to help anyone.
I have an opt-in mailing list and
people who visit my website can add their names to the list. I don’t use any
online tools to capture email addresses. My list is strictly opt-in and
the only way to do that is by filling out a short form on my site. After I set
up the mailing list, it very quickly ran up to about a thousand names, but over
the last year or so growth has slowed to a trickle. I have no idea why since
I’ve changed nothing and the number of visits I get to my website has steadily
increased. Maybe newsletters have simply gone out of style and few
people want to receive them anymore. That’s easy to understand since most of us
already get far more email these days than we know what to do with.
I should also say that I have the sense that
my mailing list is worthless as a marketing tool. Most if not all of the people
on it are fans who have already read most of my books. I do get a lot of nice
email back whenever I send out a newsletter that has any substance at all.
Clearly many readers do enjoy hearing from me and reading my thoughts on things
that touch on the subject matter of the books I write, but I don’t think the newsletters
actually sell any books for me at all. Trying to sell more books through an opt-in
mailing list is almost the definition of preaching to the choir.
Twitter: Susan
Oleksiw
Website: http://susanoleksiw.com/
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/17oRuhF
Veteran
Author Susan Oleksiw is a bestselling
author of the Mellingham series and the Anita Ray mysteries.
1. How do you
use social media programs to build a reader list?
I have a FB
author page, where I post notices about upcoming events, reviews, and links to
articles I find interesting. This page is entirely about writing and the
writing world. I never post anything about my personal life or views.
Another useful
approach is blogging. I blog weekly on my own blog and have been visiting other
blogs once a week for my new book; after the first four to six months I cut
back on visiting other sites to once or twice a month through the rest of the
year. I have a regular monthly entry on Author Expressions, for writers
published with Five Star/Gale, Cengage.
The important
point about blogs is to write on a variety of topics that are mostly related to
my books--travel, India, Indian food, New England features, the New England
paper industry, writing and editing, and the like.
I have a Goodreads
page, and post reviews fairly regularly. These seem to get a good response from
my "followers." I have joined in various discussion groups, but
do that less now. I'm thinking of setting up a discussion group on a number of
specific topics when I finish a collection of stories I'm working on. I'm also
on LibraryThing and LinkedIn, but less active on those sites.
Wattpad is an
interesting site that I have used a bit. I post a sample chapter from a book,
for example, and then link to the whole book on Amazon. I've posted a short
story, related to one of my mystery series.
I use these
sites to introduce readers to my books. I'm less interested in putting their
email addresses into a program for a newsletter, etc., than I am in making them
curious enough about me to follow a link to my books and try one.
2. What online
tools and software do you use to capture names and email addresses?
There is so
much unwanted email these days that I have decided to stay away from this. I
have a list of about 1500 names and addresses, but these change so often that I
felt it wasn't worth the effort to keep up the list and then send newsletters
or announcements to people who are already complaining about unwanted email.
3. What groups
do you use to find your readers?
I recently
participated on a crime fiction panel and was pleasantly surprised to hear a
woman in the audience talk about my books. She was a poet, not a fiction
writer, and was not the kind of person who would normally read my books. This
has happened quite often.
I go to a few
conferences, participate in panels, comment regularly on lots of blogs, post
reviews, and generally try to keep my name alive. I don't think reaching
readers is a matter of working with any one site but in general maintaining a
level of participation in the online world. I've tried to track e-book sales
according to certain activities, but I can't identify any correlation.
One activity
that is not often mentioned but one I consider important is charitable
donations. Whenever I receive or hear of a request for a donation of books, I
always send something, with an inscription if I know what it should be. These
are always appreciated, and I reach readers I might otherwise never know about.
In addition, if my book is remaindered I'll buy a number of copies to sell but
also to donate on my own. I choose libraries in small cities that usually have
small book-buying budgets and mail them a complimentary copy. The library can
add it to their circulating library or pass it along. Some libraries will then
buy copies of the other titles in the series.
Twitter: Mohana
Rajakumar @moha_doha
Website: http://www.mohanalakshmi.com/
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/VSlppn
Award-winning
Author Mohana Rajakumar @moha_doha is an
author based in Qatar. She has a PhD and has been involved in various
foundations supporting young writers.
I really love Goodreads for finding readers.
Because those who read your book and like it are likely to read other books by
the same author. I have has great success writing to past reviewers of my books
in posting early reviews of new titles or even beta reading, which is
offering comments on a manuscript in progress. They're often excited to read
something before everyone else can and because they're avid readers, they have
insightful comments.
Hope that's helpful as that's the only real
list I use for readers.
Twitter: Chantel
Rhondeau @ChantelRhondeau
Website: http://chantelrhondeau.com/
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/1g1WLQ8
Chantel Rhondeau
@ChantelRhondeau is a Romantic suspense author. Chantel writes the Agents in
Love series.
I'm fairly new to the mailing list thing, not
realizing how important it was in the beginning. Now, I have an account through
MailChimp and I put the link for the mailing list and the end of my
books, encouraging readers to sign up to get information about my new
releases if they enjoyed what they read. I also placed a sign up form
on my website that is near the top of it. I did all of this before doing a free
giveaway on one of my books, and ended up with several sign ups, so it
seems to be working. I look forward to seeing what others have done!
Twitter: K. T. Roberts
@ScribBLINGDIVA (Carolyn Hughey)
Website: http://carolynhughey.com/
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/SCKWsf
Author Carolyn Hughey @ScribBLINGDIVA (K. T. Roberts) is
a published author of humorous
contemporary romance and mystery novels.
1. How do you use social media programs to build a reader
list?
2. What online tools and software do you use to capture
names and email addresses?
I use my own email GoDaddy contact list
and add the name to a distribution list. I also belong to other small groups
where I add names to MailChimp for a monthly newsletter. My website has
a link for subscribers, ScribBLING Divas wordpress blog signup, The Write
Authors on FB and blog signups. At local book signings, I
have a guest book sign in where I offer a gift card for signing up.
3. What groups do you use to find your readers?
I frequent FB and leave comments about
whatever they've posted on various walls even if we've just met. By doing so,
I'm building a friendship. The one thing I won't do is become their
friend and ask them to buy my book. I've seen that happen a number of times and
I think it's sneaky and bad business practice. I never advertise my book on
anyone's wall but my own. I also offer contests throughout the year.
Twitter: Jinx
Schwartz @jinxschwartz
Website: http://jinxschwartzcom.ipage.com/eschwartz/index.htm
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/1cd2WOM
Award-Winning Author
Jinx Schwartz @jinxschwartz is the author of the Hetta Coffey series.
How do you use social media programs to build a reader list?
Other than the signup link for my
newsletter on my website, I build my readership by meeting great new readers on
Facebook. I'm getting more on Twitter, as well, but Facebook is where you build
a rapport with new readers, and also meet other authors who will share your
work with their readers. I am also on the others, like Goodreads and
Google+ but have not quite mastered them. Another great way to meet people are
Yahoo Groups.
What online tools and software do you use to capture names and email
addresses?
I get fan mail because I put my
email address in my books, and people email me all the time. So far, all
positive:-) Also, on my website and email signature, I have a link
to emailmeform.com. and
then I use Mail Chimp to send out notices about free books, and any new releases.
What groups do you use to find your readers? All of these.
However, I mostly stick with the ones like DorothyL, Murder Must Advertise, All Mystery Newsletter, and the like. I love guest
blogging because, quite frankly, I just don't seem to have time to keep my
own blog up.
Twitter: Jade
Varden @JadeVarden
Website: http://jadevarden.blogspot.com/
Spotlight Post: http://bit.ly/RqSTxa
Crime and Horror
Author Jade Varden @JadeVarden is the
creator of the Deck of Lies book series.
1. How do you use social media programs to build a reader
list?
For me personally, I focus most of my efforts
on Twitter because this is where I can find the bulk of my audience online.
It’s not just about using social media to promote, as an indie author it’s also
important to use the right social media sites. I follow certain people on
Twitter in order to find more potential readers. Book bloggers, book
readers and other authors are often open to buying indie books.
Slowly building a fan base through interaction.
Who to follow to build your fan base.
What days and style
are most advantageous for social media updates?
What should you tweet to sell books?
2. What online tools and software do you use to capture
names and email addresses?
I have placed
widgets on my blog to make it easier for people to follow me, but I personally
don’t store anyone’s information. I wouldn’t know what to do with it all.
3. What groups do you use to find your readers?
I’m partial to
Goodreads forums. Many young book lovers, my target audience, use Goodreads to
find other readers and discover books. I have looked at writer forums and
Amazon forums before, but I can’t keep up with it all.
eBook Author’s Corners Related Posts
Follow me:
Or EMAIL at: jim@jamesmoushon.com
View my website: James Moushon – Mystery Writer
Or visit my blog: The eBook Author Corner
Take a look at my Author’s blog: HBS Author’s Spotlight
Or my Mystery blog: HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle
Check
out the Jonathon Stone Mystery Novel: Black
Mountain Secrets
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