The reality for today’s author is that we need to promote our books in
order to reach our intended audience. It is then hoped that our intended
audience will buy our book. Each time they buy our book, we make money. Each
time they recommend our book to their friends and their friends buy it, we make
money. Pretty simple, huh?
One of the best ways for readers to find out about our books is through
social media. It could be that they read a review about your book on a blog. It
could be that someone—a fan, perhaps—tweets about the book. Or it could be the
reader follows your blog or Facebook page or Twitter feed. There’s no
discounting the power of social media.
But while you’re promoting your book, don’t ignore the benefits of
relationships developed through social media with writers within your genre. Typically,
these writers also read the genre (or at least they should be), which means
they could become fans of your books. If these individuals follow you on
Twitter and you ignore them (either you don’t follow them back or ignore them
when they attempt to engage in a meaningful conversation with you), that’s not
going to help you in the long run. If you’re releasing a book, and are relatively
unknown, why ignore the people who could help increase your book’s visibility? You
never know when that new friend could help you down the line. Maybe her book
will become a bestseller, and wouldn’t it be great if a bestselling author
blurbed your book?
Considering how flooded the market currently is with New Adult
contemporary romances (for example), authors need all the readers they can get.
By snubbing a writer of your genre, she may decide to buy someone else’s book
instead of yours. This is especially true if all you ever do is tweet excerpts
from your book and only have conversations with authors within your circle of
friends (or with the big names you’re trying to be noticed by).
And what are the potential consequences for your book if you do this?
The writer won’t have a chance to fall in love with your book (or really
enjoy it) and rate it on Goodreads.
She won’t post the cover on her blog.
She won’t give away a copy of your book on her blog or on Twitter or in
a newsletter giveaway. So there goes another potential review or rating.
She won’t tweet about the book or mention it on her Facebook page.
She won’t post the cover on her ‘Books I Love’ Pinterest board.
Can you see how many promotional opportunities an author could miss out
on, all because she discounted the power of social media relationships with writers
and authors within her genre? Granted, not every writer uses all the platforms
listed, but even having your book mentioned on one of these sites could benefit
you.
How do you decide which
followers on Twitter to follow back?
Stina
Lindenblatt @StinaLL writes Young Adult and New Adult
novels. In her spare time, she’s a photographer, a blogging addict, and can be
found hanging out on her blog (when she isn’t writing). She is
represented by Marisa Corvisiero, and finds it weird talking about herself in
third person.
