BEYOND THE FRONT PAGE
Now you've a great cover, what next?
So as you’re here looking at getting a book cover design made for your work, it’s very likely that you’re also thinking at what the other options for promoting your book are too, and this is something which is becoming just as important as the cover you pick and your choice of publisher.
With the sheer number of new titles being released each and every day it’s clear that the most successful authors are the ones who embrace this ever-changing world, to stand out amongst the masses you need to focus your attention towards using new media and do so for the long-term too!
With the sheer number of new titles being released each and every day it’s clear that the most successful authors are the ones who embrace this ever-changing world, to stand out amongst the masses you need to focus your attention towards using new media and do so for the long-term too!
You will hear the word ‘platform’ a great deal currently and for some it will bring a quizzical look to the face, what actually is an Author’s ‘Platform’? And why should YOU choose to create one for yourself?
Again, this goes back to what we have said many times before, you really do need to make a name for yourself out in the world, and the easiest way to do this (although it requires continued effort) is both off-line and importantly online.
Your online presence should consist of several touch points, most of which will cost very little (if anything at all), the first elements should be your Facebook and Twitter pages, these are free of course to create and can be done so as an author (remember you need to maintain a professional impression at all times).
Again, this goes back to what we have said many times before, you really do need to make a name for yourself out in the world, and the easiest way to do this (although it requires continued effort) is both off-line and importantly online.
Your online presence should consist of several touch points, most of which will cost very little (if anything at all), the first elements should be your Facebook and Twitter pages, these are free of course to create and can be done so as an author (remember you need to maintain a professional impression at all times).
Facebook is something that most authors will have some experience of, most people these days have their own personal account but it is worth keeping the personal account separate from that of you as an author (more so if using a pen name). Facebook is a great way for your readers to interact with you in real time and enable you keep them updated with new releases, events and any promotions you may choose to run. However, you must restrain yourself from over promoting to your followers, a constant stream of ‘adverts’ annoys most of us, so keep it to once a day at most.
Twitter can take a little longer for some authors to fully get to grips with, initially it can seem somewhat irrelevant, but with time and commitment it is actually an excellent way to interact with both readers and others within the industry itself. The key to Twitter is to actually make time to use it, again you shouldn’t go down the ‘hard-sell’ route, but use it on more a personal level. You can find out some great tips and hints for Twitter in the ‘Writer’s Room’ right HERE.
The next thing will be to get a blog, as with Twitter and Facebook a great many blogs can be set up for free and just require your dedication to keep them up, running and full of great content (again, if it’s nothing more than an obvious advert NO ONE will ever subscribe or read it). Two popular Blog services are Google’s Blogger and Wordpress, both free and very easy to set up and use.
Twitter can take a little longer for some authors to fully get to grips with, initially it can seem somewhat irrelevant, but with time and commitment it is actually an excellent way to interact with both readers and others within the industry itself. The key to Twitter is to actually make time to use it, again you shouldn’t go down the ‘hard-sell’ route, but use it on more a personal level. You can find out some great tips and hints for Twitter in the ‘Writer’s Room’ right HERE.
The next thing will be to get a blog, as with Twitter and Facebook a great many blogs can be set up for free and just require your dedication to keep them up, running and full of great content (again, if it’s nothing more than an obvious advert NO ONE will ever subscribe or read it). Two popular Blog services are Google’s Blogger and Wordpress, both free and very easy to set up and use.
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Most authors will be expected to have their own websites these days, and if you are thinking that you need to be a computer expert to do so, think again, it’s also far more reasonable to run than you may realise. You have a choice of getting a web-designer to create a site for you or you can choose one of the many ‘build-your-own’ services available, these are very straight forward to use and will enable you to create a great site very quickly.
Whichever option you decide upon you need to ensure that you are able to make changes and updates to your site as often as you like and without too much difficulty, it’s also a good idea to link your blog to your website or better still have it within the pages of the site (the more frequently you update your site the better its ranking in the search engines will be).
All of your online touch points should be started as early as possible, if you have only just started your next book start the slow promotion of it now, making connections now will have a great impact for you in the future. Treat your followers, subscribers and readers as you would want to be treated, it does take time and effort but it does make a big difference.
