Remember Staples's Easy Button? Authors Need One Too

Years back, Staples offered an Easy button, and I had a boss who used this as his mantra. Whatever the request, his directive was to make it easy for the user. Authors need an easy button. We are always asking for followers, subscribers to our newsletter, reviews, and blurbs. If you’re asking for something, make it streamlined for the person to comply.

Links: If you want someone to follow you or sign up for something, always provide the link. (And make sure it works.)

Blurbs: If you’re asking for a blurb, and the person agrees, provide your short biography and synopsis of the work, along with the ARC (Advanced Review Copy). It takes time to come up with quotes. It always helps if you provide all the information for the person.

Reviews: The same is true for reviews, provide all the links, biography, and synopsis to help make the process smoother.

Photo Sizing: Make sure to send the correct size photo/book cover. Keep a collection of your headshots/covers in different sizes. There is nothing worse than getting an 8x10 scanned photo for a blog post. I have to take time to resize it to fit a webpage. A high resolution print version is too big (dimensions and file size) for a web posting. The majority of people are viewing web content on a mobile device. Loading speed and proportionate graphics are important for optimal viewing.

Organize Your Requests: Put the “ask” (what you want) in the first paragraph. People get hundreds of emails a day, and they often skim. This is a basic rule of journalism. Put the most important facts first in case someone doesn’t read the whole document. Chunk similar information together and use paragraphs or formatting to create subtitles. Be specific if there is a deadline.

Keep Copies: If you send a request or provide something, keep a copy of it. You never know when there is an email hiccup, and you’re asked to resend. Make it easy on yourself.

I Need an Author Website. Where Do I Start?

Authors (Prepublished or Published) need a website. This is your home base. This is where readers, librarians, reporters, and bloggers find you.

When you go to create your site, research other authors in your genre and see how they present their brand. Look at layout, page content, and colors. Your look and feel defines your brand. It should match your writing style and your books. For example, you don’t want a sweet, romantic look if you write horror. Your content and design need to be neat and polished.

You should purchase a URL with your name. Some authors who use pennames have multiple sites, and others combine them into one. If you create multiples, make sure that you can maintain all of them.

You want guests on your website, blog, and social media sites to recognize you. The name should be the same (or similar), and the picture should look like you. If your photo is a flower, it’s hard for readers to make sure they have the right site.

Decide whether you are going to pay someone to design your page or create your artwork. It can be expensive. Make sure you have clear requirements and get estimates. Also make sure you understand what you’re paying for (e.g. just the site, site and maintenance, hosting, etc.) and when you’ll get it. There are also a lot of services out there that have build-your-own websites for different prices. I’ve used Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress. There are lots of how-to instructional videos on YouTube if you want details on a specific service.

You need to keep your website current and find ways to drive traffic to it. Your social media sites are great, but if you’re blocked or the company shuts down, you have no way of contacting your followers. Your website should work in conjunction with your email list and social media sites as part of your marketing strategy.

If you do not have a lot of published works, you may consider starting a blog on your site. This will give you fresh content and drive interested readers to your site. Blogs also let you showcase your interests or elements of your books (e.g. cooking tips, crafting, writing tips, book reviews, traveling, etc.). You should have a regular schedule for posting. Blogs can be a lot of work, but they can help you keep readers returning to your site.

Here’s what you need to get started:

1. Make sure that you have a professional headshot that you can use for your promotions and books. Selfies don’t look professional. Save those for casual candids in your social media posts.

2. Make a Press Kit or About You page. It needs your photo, contact method, and a short biography. Make sure you keep your biography current. Many website templates have forms that guests can fill out, and it will send you an email notification without publishing your email address or contact information on the website.

3. Make sure your social media links are on your site. Most webpage templates have an option to include them on every page.

4. If you have published books, make sure to include them. Some authors put their latest on the home page, and then create a book page that shows their books in order by series.

5. Most website templates have a feature that you can add to allow readers to subscribe to your newsletter. If you have an email list, you need to include this on your website. (When you configure the feature or widget, you’ll need to connect it to the site that contains your email list.) I use MailChimp.

6. Most websites allow you to have a tab or link to multiple pages. Make sure the links are in the order that you want them and that the labels are understandable to readers. You also want to keep the labels short. Many readers are accessing your site with a phone or mobile device.

7. When you’re done with your site, check it out on your laptop and mobile devices. Most website templates are mobile friendly and will adjust to fit the screen the person is using. You want to make sure that yours does since most users access websites with mobile devices that have smaller screens.

8. Test all of the links and forms on your site. Make sure they work. You don’t want to miss email subscriptions or contact requests, and broken links frustrate users.

9. Put your website URL and your social media links in your email signature. You never know who will be interested enough to check out your site.

There's So Much out There? Where Do I Start with My Author Platform?

Social media and book marketing can be overwhelming. There is a lot out there, and it takes time to build and maintain your sites and followers. When I got my first contract, I had no idea how much marketing and promotion were involved. Here’s my advice to new and sage authors:

1. Start small. Start with the sites that your readers are on. My primary sites are Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. But I do have accounts on Goodreads, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, Bookbub, and Amazon.

2. Schedule some time daily to log on, post, share others’ posts, and build your followers. Readers like to interact with authors. All of your posts shouldn’t be “buy my book.”

3. Post photos of your hobbies, pets, or travel. Post comments or questions that give your followers a chance to interact. Post photos of you doing research or other activities.

4. When you mention or include photos of others, make sure to tag them in the post. You want people to like, comment, and share. If you attend a class, workshop, or conference, take a picture and tag the presenters.

5. There is scheduling software that you can use for Facebook author pages, Twitter, and Instagram. This helps me line up my plan for the week. I usually do my scheduling for the next week on one day.

6. Set up your social media sites and website before you are published. It takes some time to build an audience of followers.

7. Authors need to have a website with their unique URL. This is your brand and home base for your activities. There are lots of services out there where you can build your site from templates. (I’ve used Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress.) I like that I can update my site when I want. If your visitors see old or outdated content, they rarely come back. (If you’re not sure how to use services like this, check out YouTube. There are lots of good instructions.)

8. Make sure that your website and social media sites have the same look and feel. That means your color palettes and graphics look the same or similar. Make sure you have a professional headshot, so readers can identify you. Make sure your name is easily identifiable.

9. Find other authors in your genre and look at their sites. Do your colors and graphics match your writing style? I received some good feedback on my website from a publicist. (My first published story was in an anthology that had red and black on the cover, so I used those as my primary colors on my first website.) After my first novel came out, she said that my books are light and funny, and that I should stick to pastel colors.

10. Set small goals. Make sure you have interesting content to post regularly (or schedule). Then focus on one site each week to build your followers. Follow other authors in your genre and their followers. Make sure that you interact with posts and answer questions. Your numbers will grow organically as you participate more.

It takes a while to build your audience. The more you interact and post interesting things, the more you’ll see your numbers grow. It can be overwhelming, but working on your social media reach a little at a time will pay off. (I started off with three Twitter followers.)

Let’s Be Social:

Newsletter

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Goodreads

Amazon

Pinterest

LinkedIn

BookBub

YouTube

Book Promotions When You're Stuck Inside

We all have had to be resilient in 2020. All spring events were cancelled, and now a lot of summer and fall author conferences and workshops are being moved online. Authors need to be creative and think of ways to promote their work during quarantine or partial-reopenings. Here are some ideas…

1. Run a sale of one of your previous books. This will generate interest in your current book and your series. There are lots of good email promotions like BookBub, the Fussy Librarian, and Book Doggy.

2. Plan a Facebook party with some author friends. This is a great excuse to hang out with readers and writers. And everyone loves prizes and freebies.

3. Send out your newsletter with tips, hints, photos, and projects.

4. Partner with a local bookstore that is doing online events. Pitch a panel or interview discussion.

5. Be active on your social media sites. Interact with readers. This will help you build your platform. Readers like to interact with authors.

6. Partner with your librarians who are looking for panels and workshops for their online programming. Pitch an idea to your librarian.

7. If you like to teach or conduct workshops, look for groups in your area that provide learning for students or seniors. There are several in Central Virginia. I’ve done workshops in person before. This year, they have moved their programming to the virtual realm. This is a good way to share with others and to get introduced to a new audience.

8. Write your next book. This will put you ahead of the game when markets start to open again.

9. Think about doing a collaboration project in an anthology. When you partner with other authors, you’re able to increase your readership. The promotions also have a bigger reach when there are more authors involved.

What would you add to my list?

Stuff You Never Get To...

It looks like we’re going to be at home more and more over the next few weeks because of quarantines, self-quarantines, and social distancing. It’s the perfect time to get to work on some of your writing tasks that have been languishing. Here are some ideas…

1. Update your website. Make sure that all your links work and that your content is current.

2. Revise your author biography.

3. Work on book club questions for your novels and post them.

4. Make sure you have a summary/synopsis of all your works.

5. Put together a press kit for your publicity.

6. Work on blog posts for the future. It’s always nice to have a stockpile.

7. Check out your biographies on your social media sites and make sure they’re current (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads, BookBub, Amazon, etc.) Don’t forget the ones that you don’t visit that often.

8. Work on your next newsletter.

9. Create a marketing campaign. Work on all the scheduling and promotions.

10. And don’t forget to write your next story, novella, or novel.

I hope you and yours are safe. And if we can’t visit in person, let’s keep up with each other on social media.

Lookin' Good! Design Tips for Authors

You, as the author, are your brand. You need to have a consistent look and feel with your website, business cards, newsletter, blog, and social media pages. Here are some tips for making your presence look unified, professional, and planned.

1. Get a professional headshot. Selfies shouldn’t be used on websites or book covers. Make sure that you update it every two or three years (or if your look changes). Don’t be one of those authors who uses the same photo for twenty years.

2. When you make a graphic to be shared on social media posts, make sure to choose the size that fits that platform. I use Canva, and it has a series of templates for each site that are sized correctly. The templates vary whether it’s a post, banner, or event. You also don’t want to stretch or resize a post graphic for a banner. It won’t look good.

3. When you use a photo or graphic, make sure that it is sized so that it can be viewed. I’ve seen author bookmarks where you can’t see the book cover or title. Also make sure it is proportional. Some people stretch the graphic, and it’s too skinny or too fat.

4. Pick colors that are complimentary and match your style of writing. My first published work was a story in a mystery anthology with a black, white, and red cover. I used those colors on my website and social media pages. When I talked to a publicist about my author sites later, she recommended that I choose brighter colors since my mysteries were light and humorous. You can use a color wheel to help you choose complimentary colors. There are lots of free ones on the internet.

5. Make sure you use a quality, high resolution graphic or photo for print and web. If not, it will look pixilated or grainy and not professional.

6. You may want to consider getting a logo for your name. It is another graphic that you can use on your sites.

7. If you use a photo other than yourself on your social media sites, make sure to have something like a logo that identifies it as you. This helps people find you.

8. When you’re making graphics or bookmarks, LESS is better. Don’t cover the entire graphic with text. Focus on important things like title, URL, ISBN, and book cover. Too much, dense text is hard to read.

9. Some authors use business cards or postcards instead of bookmarks. It’s a neat give-away that doesn’t cost that much to produce.

10. When you create business cards, bookmarks, or postcards, make sure to use both sides. I tend to put my latest book on the front of the bookmark, but I put the other series on the back

11. I made notecards/post cards with my book covers. I put the covers on one side and left the back in white. I use these to write notes. And If you don’t want to use it as a postcard, it will slip into an invitation or other sized envelope.

How to Make an Author Smile

Everyone likes a bit of serendipity and a nice surprise — including authors. Here are some ways you can make an author’s day…

• Buy their book. Read it, add it to your collection, or give it as a gift.

• Recommend the book to your friends.

• Add the book to your reading list on Goodreads.

• Leave a review on Goodreads, Amazon, B&N. It doesn’t have to be a book report. You can leave one line about what you liked. Online retailers use reviews to determine book placement in ads and promos.

• Recommend the book to your book club.

• Invite the author to visit or Skype with your book club.

• Take a picture of the book when you see it in a store or library and tag the author on social media. It’s neat to see where your book pops up.

• Request that your library order the book.

• Pop in at an author’s book signing.

• Share the author’s posts on social media.

What else would you add to my list?

Winner! Winner! Choosing Prizes and Gifts - Tips for Authors

Everyone loves free stuff. And everyone loves to win the prize. You can use your author swag to create interesting prizes for giveaways. Here are some ideas (and what I’ve learned).

Gift Baskets: People love baskets filled to the brim with goodies and lots of ribbons and bows. I build several each year for charity auctions that I support. Come up with a theme and look for fun items to add (e.g. Tea and Books, Mysteries and Chocolate, etc.). Don’t forget to add your swag (e.g. pens, pencils, bookmarks). Make sure to autograph the books you include.

Buy a cute or useful basket or container to use as a base. Make sure it’s the right size for your give-away. A small, overflowing basket looks more appealing that a giant one with three things in it. Arts and craft stores (or Amazon) sell rolls of clear plastic cellophane wrap for gift baskets. Top it with ribbons or a big bow. Flashy baskets draw lots of attention at silent auctions. One year, our Sisters in Crime - Central Virginia chapter made one for the Friends of the Library’s fundraiser. We had over twenty-five books in the basket. And one of the gals made a big bow from yellow crime scene tape. A mystery reader’s dream!

Keep receipts and records for your taxes for charity donations. Talk to your tax advisor for details and specifics.

Social Media Giveaways: Facebook Hops, Facebook Parties, and Twitter Parties are great ways for you to meet readers and build up your audience. A lot of authors give away ebooks, and that often doesn’t bring the excitement or responses that a physical prize does. If you can, think of ways to incorporate small things in your prizes (e.g. small gift cards, fancy bookmarks, themed wine charms, etc.). I like Etsy, and I often find pins, wine charms, and notecards. Search Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes, or Nancy Drew gifts, and you’ll be surprised at all the creative ideas that pop up.

You want your item to be able to be mailed easily. Tina Glasneck gave me the best advice. Make sure your prize fits in a standard business envelope. When you do online contests, follow the terms and conditions of the site and specify where you will mail the gift to. One author friend bought really cute mugs, but they were expensive to wrap and ship. Also, postage jumps considerably when it is out of your mailing area/country.

I keep a shelf of swag and prizes in my office closet. Instead of throwing unused gift cards in a drawer, add them to your collection and use as a prize.

Swag Bags: I ordered a box of small purple bags with ribbon ties. (I found them on Amazon under birthday or shower gift bags. They come in all colors.) I make small swag bags (e.g. pens, bookmarks, pins, notecards) for people I meet with. These are like hostess gifts for the coordinator when I do events for libraries, schools, or senior community events.

Notes: I always add a “I hope you enjoy this/It was great to meet you” note with the prize. I had postcards made with my book covers at Vistaprint. The back is blank and perfect for a personalized note.

Contests and prizes are fun ways to excite readers and draw them into your social media sites. You don’t have to spend a lot of money, and a thoughtful gift is always memorable.