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May 2013 Community Call

Thank you SO much for attending May’s call and for listening to the replay! We had a bunch of questions this time, so be sure to check out all of them below, then use the timestamp to jump to that particular part of the MP3.

Something wonky happened at the end of the call where the sound totally cut off, but luckily it was after everyone’s questions, so I do apologize for that. I don’t think we missed anything hyper-important, but if there’s anything else we can do, just shoot us an email! :-)

Right-click here and select ‘Save Target As…’ to download MP3 (58MB/ 1:02:10)

Note: Even though we have notes below, we highly recommend listening to the call as well, as we often go into more detail than what is shown in the outline.

[02:20] Announcements:

  • We’re adding new bios to the Supporters page over the next week or so (apologies for being slow); if you haven’t sent yours in, feel free to do so!
  • Check out the Quick Fixes if you haven’t already for help with your Media Kit, Mailing List, Facebook page or Author Blog.  Remember, you get a discount on those too!
  • We have other services we offer only to Ninjas (cover design, layout design, eBook conversion, website design), so just shoot us an email if you want more details on those.
  • When you’re ready to set up your coffee date, give us a shout and we will set up a time to get together!

[10:10] Building Twitter Followers (from Michel)

I am having a severe issue trying to build my Twitter followers. I look at all the advice and seem to be following all the rules, but I still have under 250 people tuning in to what I am saying. How do I get more people who will actually interact with me without going all neanderthal cyber stalker on them?

  • First, control what you’re putting out. Make sure you’re tweeting regularly, and not just about your books but about other stuff as well. Use Bufferapp to help you schedule regular tweets!
  • Second, make a short list of people you follow and actually like or would want to interact with, then start responding to tweets and starting conversations
  • Third, try attending a Twitter Chat on a subject relevant to your readers/books. Click here for a list of all Twitter Chats! To make following a Twitter Chat easier, we recommend using the TweetChat website.
  • Fourth, find other bloggers, share one of their posts and mention them — to most bloggers getting a mention (that’s not just a retweet) means a lot. It also stands out in their interactions feed and make them more inclined to say hi!
  • Also, focus on quality of followers over quantity. Having a smaller following enables you to get to know folks personally. Twitter can be so spammy, the level of replies/engagement is more important than a particular number of followers.

[17:10] Finding Reviewers (from Michel)

Also, What is a good resource to find reviewers? I write in many different genres, but seem to only find Romance oriented reviewers.

[18:56] Establishing a fanbase a year+ out from publication (from JJ)

As you may or may not know I’m currently working toward an MFA in Creative Writing for Children & Young Adults and won’t have a finished book until well after I graduate in January ’14. (My book will actually be my creative thesis.)

All the experts say that a year before publication isn’t too soon to get your book promotion and publicity ducks in a row… So my question is what advanced groundwork should I be doing right now?

I know I need to “establish my online presence” and build a following but not sure of best way to start. I’m thinking I need to start blogging (and guest blogging) about YA fantasy to connect with my future readers but wondering how to go about it and if there is anything else I should be thinking about or doing right now?

  • Like you mentioned, blogging is a good way to get started with meeting people
  • Twitter would also be good (you can hold off on Facebook for now) to start connecting with people
  • Don’t be afraid to share your writing journey
  • Share other writing samples (short stories, sample chapters, etc.) so you can set expectations for your writing style
  • Check out Building Your Fanbase ebook (email us for a free copy) and Weekend Book Marketing Makeover guide

[24:32] How to focus the content of your author website (from Julia)

Should my website focus on my book(s) or me? I’m trying to slowly build an “author platform” but find myself stumbling around the site: apiratequeen.com

  • Focus on a little bit of both!
  • What you have so far is a great showcase of your personality — it’s intriguing and relatable and I think fans will be drawn in
  • Focus now on setting expectations for your book. Does it carry the same infusion of humor as your personal narrative? Where does it take place? Give people points of connection that will make them say “Oh! I’d like to read that!”

[28:48] How to find readers of a particular topic (from Laura)

1) Marketing my niche fiction — I know how to reach people who like video and games on the topic, but I don’t know how to read READERS of the topic.

  • But people who like video and games on the topic probably ARE readers of the topic
  • You have to look at readers as three dimensional people
  • How many readers read blogs about reading? They read blogs about other things they’re interested in
  • That can be harder if you have a really small niche, but the internet is a great big place and I’m sure your readers are out there!
  • You could also try introducing your niche to people who might be in an adjacent category where they haven’t necessarily heard of your niche, but they like similar styles of work

[34:03] Self-pub versus traditional publishing comparison (from Laura)

2) Maybe this is beyond the scope of the call, but…. Self-pub or traditional? I have two self-pub books, one with minor success (200 copies in 8 months) and one with major success (4000 copies in 4 months), and I’m traditionally shopping a project now for which I want either a Major Campaign from a major publisher, or a self-pub campaign from me. Not interested in a small traditional job I could do myself. But since traditional sales can’t be custom-ordered, how do I decide if I gamble?

  • Great question! That’s a really difficult choice to make
  • Weigh the pro’s and con’s — I think you’re right to throw out any middle ground of small trad pub that’s still going to require you to do all the legwork for a smaller cut of the profits, that’s not worth it
  • I would set a timeline for shopping your project for a major campaign — like if you don’t get a Yes within six months or a year or whatever, you’re going to self-pub it
  • That’s my recommendation to you in particular because you have other work to get your name out and promote, but to someone who hasn’t published anything yet, I think self-pub will not only help you start building a fanbase (which is in turn more appealing to publishers — it’s easier to take a gamble when you know there’s already a following there) but also help you learn a lot so that if you do get a trad pub offer, you can be more savvy and protect your assets a little better.

 [38:50] Handling social media using a pen name (from Jan)

1. What is the best way to handle social media when you want to build up a profile as a pen name? I am finding it difficult, particularly with Facebook where you have to do so much under your own name and not your author name.  My potential readers are on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. And I’m starting from scratch with no friends because no one (in real life) knows me as my pen name and I don’t want to link my two names together.  I have a web site where I’m blogging 3 or 4 times a week, and accounts on the social media sites. I think I’ll be able to get going on Pinterest and Twitter by posting a lot of great stuff and following others but it’s slow going on Facebook where joining groups seems to have to be in your own name.

  • Facebook is difficult because even with a fan page you still have to use a personal profile for a lot of things. You could create a faux personal profile under your pen name, but that could be perceived as misleading by your fans (if they were to find out)
  • Is there a reason why you want to keep your real name and pen name totally separate? I don’t think it’s a hundred percent necessary unless it’s just a personal choice for privacy reasons, which is totally understandable
  • However, you can still use a fan page on Facebook to post good content and like other fan pages, even without belonging to groups or anything like that. I would just make sure the page stays updated and maybe do more of your fan growth on Pinterest and Twitter, then just link those to your Facebook account so users will trickle over from one to the other

[45:30] Using different website commenting systems (from Jan)

2. Oh another thing if you have time to cover it. I’m trying to get to know other blog owners and authors working in my niche so I’m reading their blogs and commenting where I have something to add. But I’m finding it really difficult to work out some of the commenting systems they use especially on blogger and wordpress.com blogs and others seem to use something called Disqus (I think that’s what it is called). Several times I’ve written a long comment and then given up because of the commenting systems in place that need you to log using some system I don’t have.  Do you have any  tips on working with these various systems?

  • Most allow you to comment using just a name and email address, including Disqus. Sometimes it’s hidden, but it’s there. In Disqus, it’s next to the login options on the right. It can be annoying, but most require some info because of all those lousy comment spammers.

  • To get one of those cool photos you see beside some commenter’s names, use Gravatar. It links a photo to your email address, so anywhere you use that email address to login/comment, your photo will show up. It gives your comments personality!

[50:30] Jumpstarting a project after abandoning for awhile (from Tanya)

I completed the fourth draft of a novel back in January, and then I got distracted, life happened, etc., and I set it aside and totally lost momentum. I’m wanting to get back to it, do one more edit, have a professional look at it, and get it out there. My question is how do you restart momentum on projects that had been stagnant for a while? Are there any writing exercises I can do that can help me get back into it?

  • Been there done that!
  • First thing — read through your whole manuscript from start to finish, you will probably fall in love with it all over again
  • Second — reach out to an editor, once you start talking out the plot with someone you’ll get more excited about it and the old wheels will start turning again
  • Third — Share it with some close friends/family who will push you to keep going even on the days when you’re unsure (that’s what my mom and Toni do for me!)

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