strategy for your author platform - social media & blogging (part 3/3)
TRANSCRIPT
Here’s What We’ll Cover Today:
Putting strategy behind your author platform
For: Fiction Writers, Memoirists, & Poets
1) What’s an Author Platform + How it Can Serve You
2) The Author Website
3) Blogging & Social Media
Can’t See Well?
Click the View Fullscreen buttonGo LARGE
Blog Post Guidelines
• Immediately grab the reader
• Find a way to make it personal; stories are great
• Use your voice (or use the blog to find your voice)
• Make it easy to scan through
• End with something actionable (e.g. link to buy your book)
+ Add a picture that fits the post and your brand
Load…
Your Ideal Reader
Your Online Persona
Focus (what & what next)
That Said…
Let’s look at Blogging Alternatives.(not a complete list, just some options if blogging is not for you)
(+ some work in addition to blogging)
Remember to connect everything you do in the online universe
to your online home-base (your website)
Example: Group Blogging
shadowspinners.wordpress.com
This is Eric Witchey’s Group Blog
Example: Group Blogging
jungleredwriters.com
And this is Hallie Ephron’s.
Example: Vlogging
johngreenbooks.com
Don’t like writing? Try video+ If video is not your thing, consider audio (podcasting)
Notice how it all ties back
to John Green’s website
You can link to your video/audio from
your site. You can add a bit by
introducing the video/audio, including
commentary, and possible some extras
(links to things mentioned, definitions,
etc.)
Example: Very Short Entries
aricdavis.com
Example: No BlogThere’s social media, there’s Tumblr, but there’s no blog
And she’s doing just fine!
cherylstrayed.com
Example: Blog Tours or
Virtual Book Tours
(and also: Guest Posting)
Not necessarily a blogging alternative,
can be in addition.
Some opportunities are only open to
bloggers (because of their reciprocal
nature), but many are open to non-
bloggers as well.
Showcase you and your work to new
audiences.
samanthaverant.com
How to Come Up with Topics?
• Brainstorm topics from your book/writing
• Brainstorm themes
• Brainstorm interests in life – things you’d like to talk about
• Anything related• (Though You can stray from your focus area from time to time)
Got Topics. Now What?
• Look for:
• Books/Movies on the topic
• Articles on the topic
• Related images
• Related quotes
• Contests
• People who write/blog about it
• Related food/clothes/toys
• Communities and forums
• News sources
• Magazines/anthologies
Create Your
Content Calendar
Staying Informed
• Find people, sites, groups, etc. to follow. Then:• Follow them on social media
• Use apps like feedly
• Keep their sites bookmarked in your browser and visit when you have nothing better to share
• Search for info on topics• Using search when you want to share
• Or better yet, use a service like BuzzSummo
Scoop.It
Social Media Start
• Actively look for:• What others are doing
• What do you like + what don’t you like
• What do people seem to like
• How things work together
Social Media Start
• Don’t (just) explore your newsfeed… • Check out what others are doing and who else is out there
• Try the tools
• Manage your time (!)
Social Media Start & Then
• Follow more people
• Share other people’s social media posts
• And other people’s content that you find online
• And start commenting
• And liking and following and inviting and all that
• Then share content that you created outside of social media
• And create content just for social media
Social Media Start & Then
• Remember to manage your time – schedule time to work on the social aspects of your author
• And batch:• Creating images for your posts? Create a few at a time.
• Schedule a time to find content to share and use tools to post to social media throughout the week/day.
Important!
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways#1: Start simple. Grow as you go.
Just do it: Figure out the easiest first step for you. Take it. Then take the next easiest step. And the next one…Then (if you’re ready) take a challenging one.
But don’t just do it:Every once in a while (say, every few months) –look back, evaluate your actions and where they brought you; tweak; continue. Learn by doing and create your own systems.
Key Takeaways
#1: Start simple. Grow as you go.
#2: Sometimes good enough is absolutely perfect.
As writers we’re used to polishing our writing to perfection. Don’t do that with your online presence. You are no web designer/developer, and no one expects you to be one.
Key Takeaways
#1: Start simple. Grow as you go.
#2: Sometimes good enough is absolutely perfect.
#3: You are a WRITER.
You need to write. Write.
Key Takeaways
#1: Start simple. Grow as you go.
#2: Sometimes good enough is absolutely perfect.
#3: You are a WRITER.
Here’s What We Covered Today:1) What’s an Author Platform + How it Can Serve You
2) The Author Website
3) Blogging & Social Media
Putting strategy behind your author platform
For: Fiction Writers, Memoirists, & Poets
