A few months ago, a woman contacted me on LinkedIn, introducing herself as an acquisitions editor at a niche publishing house. In search of new authors, she noticed the backgrounds and book titles of several authors I work with and asked if I might have any book proposals that could be a fit for her house. The timing could not have been better. I had an author in a very niched subject whose book proposal had been sitting with another publishing house that had expressed interest months before. The other seemed interested, but not exactly passionate or in a hurry to make an offer.
After an introduction, my client sent her proposal to this other publisher who loved her book proposal, fast-tracked it with the editorial board and sent an offer within a week. That showed passion for the book and the author is now in contract negotiations.
Yes, publishers are on LinkedIn. They are also on Twitter. They read blogs (as evidenced by Craig Malkin, author of Rethinking Narcissism, whose publisher, HarperWave, contacted him after reading his blog posts on Psychology Today and the Huffington Post). But how do you get acquisitions editors to notice YOU?
Here are 8 Social Media Tips to Get Noticed by Publishers:
1. Actively build your network: The greater your network, the more likely you are to reach a publisher–or anyone. Build your reach by connecting with others in meaningful ways. Be strategic about it and identify those people whom you want to connect with–potential clients, acquisitions editors/publishers, journalists, etc.
2. Write your best: Quality over quantity is key. Dr. Craig Malkin, author of the upcoming book Rethinking Narcissism, is a perfect example of someone who writes informational, relevant, entertaining and very well written posts. This is why his posts went viral in the first place–and one reason the acquisitions editor saw the potential for a book.
3. Know your audience: Rather than write for everyone, identify a clear core audience and write to those people. Use examples and language that will resonate for them. You’ll actually reach more people by being specific than by imagining you are writing for “everyone.” CLICK HERE TO TWEET THIS.
4. Be consistent: The more consistent you are, the better. I aim for 1-2 blog posts a week. The most successful bloggers blog on the same day(s) every week. Frances Caballo, author of Social Media Just for Writers, blogs every Monday and Friday, for instance. Her readers know when to look for her posts and it creates a more consistent and engaged readership.
5. Be generous: Share good posts by colleagues and others. Share posts or tweets by authors in your field or a related field and who are published by the publishers you are looking for. CLICK HERE TO TWEET THIS.
6. Be discerning: Think before you post. Ask yourself what value you are delivering for your readers in any particular post.
7. Use “keywords” in your title: Think about what a person might type in who is looking for the information in your post. Those are your keywords–and a long specific phrase can actually be an effective way to get noticed by search engines like Google. These keywords will help people find you when they are searching for information on your subject.
8. Be social: Share your posts on all the major social media–or at least those where your readership hangs out. Remember that tip #5, Be Generous, is the precursor to success in sharing your own posts.
Speaking of sharing, please share your questions or insights on social media and how to get noticed by publishers by adding your comment below.