This is a universal question and one we all struggle with
when building our
Yes and no.
This is the chicken
and the egg scenario, unfortunately.
Working on your next book is KEY but you need to be able to
sell your current book and the next one etc. The only way you are going to do
that is to be out there. One venue is not enough! Just posting to Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram or even just blogging is not enough. You have to link them
all together and run at full force to get your name out there.
The other thing you need to remember
and a friend of mine recently pointed this out to me, you are selling you.
There was a time – before social media—that an author was popular because we
LOVED their books. Half the time we didn’t know what they looked like, their
hobbies or their political affiliations.
I mean seriously have you seen Stephen King – that mug had to be a huge
debate in marketing his books early on.
This is no longer the case. The internet, Amazon and social media have
changed the landscape dramatically and thus was born the word BRAND. Yes, I used it and I know you all cringed and
looked away.
A brand is simply what pops into a person’s head when they
see your name.
Nothing?
Well, that is a
problem.
That is where social
media and blogging come into play. More specifically this is where content comes into play. Blogging does
not have to be a full-time job. Most of us have full-time jobs already that are
not writing. Two blog posts a week works. Easy-Peasy.
Okay, Amy, I get it – but I still have no clue what
to blog about?
Keep it simple. What are your passions? What are you working
on? What do you do outside of writing?
For example. I love television so I started a blog series of favorite television
shows A to Z. This gave me a sustainable topic to blog about every week and is
also something I really enjoy talking about.
The blog will attract other people who also enjoy television and will then
see all of my books on the blog (you get the idea). So now when that person
sees my name they will think – oh yeah, Amy Romine is a huge fan of the Dukes
of Hazard. I’d completely forgotten that show until I read her blog!
There are a TON of things to blog about, you can literally
Google it and get thousands of topics.
The other challenge I have heard about blogging is the
length. Guess what? Length, or lack thereof, is not a problem. The entire world
has ADD now so the shorter the better, right? 500 – 750 words works great. (I
just hit 500 words int his post BTW)
Do you read? Write book reviews! – This is a GREAT way to
give back and support your fellow authors.
Saturday Seven – This is a weekly rundown of what you did the previous week. I pick seven topics
(Reading, Researching, Listening To, Yummy Food, Learned, Quote I am pondering
and Watching) and I write a little one or two sentence line about each. I link
to recipes, books, music, articles etc.
Crafts / Hobbies – If you are into crafts and or some kind
of hobby other than writing talk about it. Give tips, how to’s, what it is about
the activity that brings you joy!
Writing – Excerpts, inspiration – I am writing a romantic
suspense horror novel and I post what’s called a Finder’s Bucket List (Finders
is the name of the Ghost Hunting Team in my book). I blog about locations that
are on their list of want to do – I give a brief overview and then link to the
website of the location. These are short and sweet blog posts but will attract
anyone interested in ghost hunting.
Character Blogging – This is a fun one and I have used it a
few times. Blog as your character! What are their likes, obsessions, hobbies, etc. It is an interesting way to give your blog
reader an alternate look at a character you are working on or have already
created. (750 words)
So, dear teammates
that is my take on blogging. Obviously, I am of the opinion that for brand
marketing it is a must-do. On top of that though, it is writing!
Like it or not
it counts toward your 10,000 hours to become
a writing expert!
Any kind of writing is
a good thing for all of us writers. Flexing muscles you do not normally use
gets the blood flowing and the creative juices moving in new directions.
Don’t over complicate it or overwhelm yourself. Ask for
help, set a schedule and just do it.
Using programs like Triberr will extend your blog’s reach and push your
posts into the social media mix. Lots of
little things like blogging add up to more exposure, more sales and that makes
us all happy writers!
Come Find Me!
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