Lisa Tener

Book Writing Coach

social media for authors

Goodreads for Authors: Why Forbes Calls it The Most Important Networking Site on the Internet & How You Can Benefit!

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Why “Goodreads for Authors”?

Frances CaballoFrances Caballo is the author of The Author’s Guide to Goodreads (which is the perfect guide for Goodreads for authors), Social Media in 30 Minutes a Day and other books on social media specific to authors. I have noticed Frances putting more and more emphasis on Goodreads. Here, she tells us why Goodreads is essential for authors and how you can best create community, connect with your readers and sell more books through Goodreads.

Lisa: Why is Goodreads such an important “space” for authors? How many readers are on Goodreads?

Frances: Consider this quote from Forbes: “Goodreads has become the most important networking site on the Internet  . . .” Forbes may be overstating the issue, but it’s true that Goodreads is the most important networking site first for readers, and secondly for authors.

Presently, Goodreads has 50 million members, 1.5 billion books that are listed, and 50 million reviews. It’s important to remember that Goodreads members are educated, many have graduate degrees, and they are avid readers. These factors make it the perfect networking site for readers and authors.

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Lisa: Is Goodreads more for fiction than nonfiction?

Frances: Goodreads is equally beneficial for fiction and nonfiction authors. Nonfiction writers, depending on the topics of their books, have the added advantage of being able to start a group around the subject matter of their book.

The best example I have of a nonfiction author succeeding on Goodreads is Charles Duhigg, the author of The Power of Habit. He started a group centered on the theme of his book and interest in his work grew exponentially. Over time a publisher discovered him, released his book widely, and Duhigg’s book became a New York Times bestseller. As of January 2016, he had 106,208 ratings and 6,505 reviews. The book went on to become a Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year Nominee for Longlist (2012).

goodreads for authors

Lisa: What kinds of big picture goals should authors have for Goodreads? What can it do for them?

Frances: The founder, CEO, and the software engineer who developed Goodreads, started the website for readers and this is a fact that authors need to keep in mind at all times. If authors approach Goodreads with the mindset that they can ramp up friends and promote their books ruthlessly without first proving themselves as avid readers, those writers will fail miserably.

Goodreads can provide visibility for authors and expand readership only after authors prove themselves as readers and members willing to help others in the groups they join.

Getting Started on Goodreads

Lisa: What are some of the things you advise your clients to do when they first get on GoodReads?

Frances: Once you open an account, create your author dashboard. Then start adding the books you’ve read, rate them, and review them. Categorize your bookshelves by genre and every two weeks add one or more books that you’ve read.

Authors can also sync their blogs to Goodreads and host giveaways of paperbacks and ebooks. The giveaways are an important strategy to expand awareness of your books, and you should see a correlation between giveaways on Goodreads and book sales.

Lisa: How do you advise clients to get more Goodreads reviews? What should someone do if they get a negative review?

Frances: Joanna Penn has coined a useful term: social karma. If you want people to read your books, read books by other authors. If you want book reviews, take the time to review other books. I know this advice sounds simple but on Goodreads, reading and reviewing books are the best way to become noticed, aside from giveaways.

Lisa: Is Goodreads more or less important than Amazon for reviews?

Frances: I still think that Amazon reviews trump reviews on Goodreads simply because when a consumer is on Amazon, the reviews there can sway a purchase.

Lisa:  Are there any benefits to authors outside of book sales?

Frances: Don’t sign up for Goodreads if you want book sales. Certainly, book sales can result from being active on Goodreads but an author’s approach and goal on Goodreads should at first be singular: prove to Goodreads’ members that you’re an avid, intelligent reader.

Avoid Goodreads Gaffes

Lisa: What are some of the biggest mistakes authors make on Goodreads?

Frances: The biggest mistake that authors make is they try too hard. They join Goodreads intent on racking up their 5,000 friends right away and try to use Goodreads to sell their books. That is the wrong approach. Take it slow and easy on Goodreads, proving yourself along the way.

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Lisa: What are some benchmarks authors might use to evaluate how they are doing with Goodreads?

 Frances:

  1. Are you scheduling giveaways every six months?
  2. Have you synced your blog?
  3. How many groups are you active in?
  4. Have you started your own group? If so, how active are its members?
  5. Are you having fun?

Lisa: I find number 5 critical. I always advise my authors to focus on activities they expect to enjoy most or those that can stretch them. If you have fun, you’ll stick to it, the fun comes through and affects others. You’ll spend your time well.

Blogger’s note: I had not synched my blog before this interview. In fact, it became stuck in July 2014! Then I tried synching to no avail. Luckily, Frances helped me and officially synched my blog!

About the Author: Frances Caballo is an author and social media strategist and manager for writers. She’s a regular speaker at the San Francisco Writers Conference and a contributing writer at TheBookDesigner.com and blogger and Social Media Expert for BookWorks. She’s written several books including The Author’s Guide to Goodreads, and Social Media in 30 Minutes a Day. Her focus is on helping authors surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online, building their platform, finding new readers, and selling more books. Her clients include authors of every genre and writer conferences. Not sure how you’re doing online? Ask Frances to prepare a social media audit for you.

Are you on Goodreads? Share your experiences or your questions as a comment below.

  • Sara Pence shares why Guest Blogging is such an excellent strategy for authors–and how to guest blog successfully.
  • Rusty Shelton shares his favorite strategies on Twitter for Authors, along with several inspiring examples.

 

 

 

 

Twitter for Authors: An Interview with Rusty Shelton

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Rusty Shelton, twitter expertTwitter for Authors? Here’s Your Go-to Expert.

I first met Rusty Shelton before Twitter existed – for authors or anyone. We met when my book, The Ultimate Guide to Transforming Anger came out over a decade ago. Rusty’s approach to book publicity was so far beyond anything else out there. And the personal attention he and his colleagues gave our book was far superior to the boilerplate template we received from other book publicists as we looked for someone we could trust with “our baby.”

Throughout my career, Rusty and his companies, Shelton Interactive, Advantage Marketing, and now Zilker Media, have guided me and supported my career in innumerable ways: from recommending me as a faculty member for Harvard Medical School’s publishing course to garnering an invitation to guest post for Writer’s Digest to advising me all along the way.

His book, co-authored with Barbara Cave Henricks, Mastering the New Media Landscape is a must-read for authors and entrepreneurs. You’ll find Rusty’s strategic perspective in every chapter. He has helped more books get on the New York Times Bestseller List than any publicist or digital media strategist I know.

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Lisa: Why is Twitter such an important “space” for authors to be?

Rusty: There is no better social platform to build intentional, outbound relationships with journalists, groups, conferences and other influencers. As counter-intuitive as it may seem, Twitter allows an author (when they approach it the right way) to get above the noise found in the media’s inbox and connect on a peer to peer level.

mstering the new media landscape

Lisa: What kinds of big picture goals should authors have for Twitter? What can it do for them?

Rusty:  The primary goal of Twitter is to use it to build relationships with the following groups:

  • the top 50 journalists/bloggers/media members in your topic area (make a list and tweet to someone on this list at least 1x a day)
  • the top 50 influencers/authors/experts/authorities in your topic area (make a list and tweet to someone on this list at least 1x a day)
  • the top 50 groups/organizations/conferences/associations/businesses you want to build relationships with (make a list and tweet to someone on this list at least 1x a day)

Additionally, Twitter gives you a great platform to thank people who help you with your book launch and to connect with readers who talk about your book. A public shout-out on Twitter is much more powerful than a private email.

Twitter Authors’ Success Stories

Lisa: The instructions remind me of the story of the success of the original Chicken Soup for the Soul. As I heard it, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hanson did one thing for their book every day. This sounds like the modern version of that and something that can elevate the success of an author in an organic and authentic way. Do you have some examples of goals your clients had and met on Twitter?

responsible business book carol sanfordRusty: One of my favorite stories is that of Carol Sanford. A successful speaker and consultant to international corporations like Colgate, Seventh Generation, and DuPont, Carol came to me skeptical about how Twitter could improve her platform. She hired us to help launch her first book, The Responsible Business. After putting four years of her life into writing that book, she wanted to make sure she left no stone unturned when it came to marketing. She knew the importance of coverage from traditional outlets like Bloomberg Businessweek, CNBC-TV, and other major players. Yet, as someone who came of age before the massive changes and disruption in the media, Twitter was not on her radar.

Despite her skepticism, we were able to convince her to give Twitter a try. Within a few weeks, Carol had mastered the basics of Twitter, and we had developed a strategy to build relationships with journalists and key influencers in her topic area using her new Twitter skills. As a new—and relatively unknown—author, Carol needed to mine every opportunity to connect with influential people, and Twitter offered her that chance.
Almost immediately, Carol connected with Sam Ford, a popular blogger at Fast Company. Sam had written a post that Carol loved, and she retweeted his tweet about the post, adding a personalized comment.

Carol was drawn to Sam’s unique approach to blogging, by the way, as he used soap operas to illustrate various business situations. This caught Carol’s eye and prompted her to praise his originality. Sam, like many journalists, kept a close eye on his Twitter account and thanked Carol for her comment. From there, the two started a conversation on Twitter about what it truly means to be a responsible business. The connection was made, and when Carol’s book released six months later, the cover featured Sam’s endorsement. He even invited her to speak at a few business events, and forged a personal friendship as well.

Were it not for Twitter, Carol and Sam were unlikely to have ever connected. But Carol’s story didn’t end there. Based on a continued focus on using rented media (in her case, Twitter) to build relationships with key targets, Carol self-generated coverage in Inc. magazine; appeared at a Fast Company conference; hosted a conference at Vault, an event space showcasing cutting-edge ideas; and was invited to do some consulting work with Google where we had nailed down a book talk for her.

She recalls her comment when we first brought up the importance of rented media, “I thought Twitter was just shallow. Not substantive, at best, and at worst, a place to celebrity watch. What I found was some of the most interesting thinkers in the world. And, being an introvert, I am not at all sure I could have connected with them any other way.”

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Lisa: Wow, what a testament to what’s possible when you take Twitter seriously, spend time on Twitter and authentically respond to what you see there, particularly when you find a fresh voice that resonates for you. What are some of the things you advise your clients to do when they first get on Twitter?

Rusty: The first thing to do is build your a quality profile. I can’t tell you how many people I see sign up for Twitter and not post a quality bio, well-designed header image or even an avatar picture. This Twitter account is going to be become a key first impression for many people – make sure it’s a good one.

Secondly, Twitter is all about focus. Many people call it the world’s biggest cocktail party, which I think is the perfect analogy. Just like cocktail parties, people circle up in small groups on Twitter talking about an infinite amount of topics. Some talk about House of Cards, others the election and so on. You don’t want to just wander around this cocktail party or you’ll never get anywhere. The crucial step here: build the three lists I described above and focus at least 75% of your content on those lists.

Third, use the same etiquette you would at a cocktail party. Think about it – would you really lead into a conversation with “Hey – guess what? My new book’s you! You can buy it here!” Absolutely not and you shouldn’t do that on Twitter either. Take a conversational approach and create a voice on Twitter that positions you to talk peer to peer with the lists I mentioned above.
Lisa: One of the first steps I recommend to authors is buying a copy of Mastering the New Media Landscape: Embrace the Micromedia Mindset. What advanced strategies you suggest, once an author gets familiar with Twitter?
Rusty: Take advantage of the data Twitter gives you access to. The search field on Twitter is one of the most under-utilized tools on the platform. If you are an author, search for the 10 most popular books in your category and see what people are saying about them. Are there bloggers you can follow? Maybe conferences you should pay attention to? Likewise, track everyone who is talking about your content on Twitter. Most who share your blog posts, articles and even talk about your book won’t take the time to find your Twitter handle and tag you, so you must proactively track that content using the search field.
Lisa: Wow, that is superb advice. What are some of the benefits to authors outside of book sales?
Rusty: The biggest benefit of Twitter isn’t necessarily direct book sales, it’s relationship-building with journalists, influencers and others who can then turn around and invite an author to do an interview, write a guest post, give a keynote or even come in and do a workshop. The results of Twitter more often than not are found off of Twitter in the form of PR, business development and, most importantly, new relationships.

Authors: Avoid These Twitter Trip-Ups

Lisa: That’s a great point and I see it in my clients’ social networking. These social networks and blogs can lead to some of the biggest opportunities in an author’s career–and forge powerful friendships as well. Can you share some of the biggest mistakes authors make on twitter?

Rusty: Me-first content is by far the biggest and most common mistake I see on Twitter. If more than 10% of your content benefits you (links to your book, promotional content, etc.) you’re the person no one wants to talk to at the cocktail party.

The other mistake I see is when authors proactively pitch themselves to journalists on Twitter. Your goal in relationship-building on the platform isn’t a direct pitch to them – it’s pulling them to you by talking to them like a peer. In other words, instead of saying “Hi @DavidSmith – loved your column in the @WSJ today. I’d like to interview with you on that topic next time” say something along the lines of “Really interesting piece from @DavidSmith in the @WSJ today. Love his unique angle on neuroplasticity – don’t see that much.”

You want the journalist to find your tweet interesting and on-topic enough to click through and look at your bio and (hopefully) then click through to your website.

Authors: Track Your Twitter

Lisa: What are some benchmarks authors might use to evaluate how they are doing with Twitter?

Rusty:  These are the benchmarks that we track for our Members/Clients on Twitter:

  • Engagement (how many people engage with your content? This could include likes, responses and retweets)
  • Reach (how many impressions are you getting on Twitter?)
  • Results (how many media hits, speaking invites and other ‘offline’ results have been generated?)
  • Followers (this is what everyone focuses on but it’s much less important than impact)

Updated bio (2022): Rusty Shelton is Founder and President of Zilker Media. He is co-author of Mastering the New Media Landscape: Embrace the Micromedia Mindset.  Visit Rusty’s website for a free copy of The Twitter Playbook.

Have a question about Twitter for authors? Ask as a comment below. Or share your insights about the benefits of Twitter for authors. Share your tips, too.

And here are the next two posts in the Social Media for Authors series:

Why Authors Need an Active Social Media Presence: And Your Upcoming FREE Immersion: Social Media for Authors WEEK

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From a Publisher’s Standpoint, Authors Need an Active Social Media Presence

book writing coach Lisa Tener
Your book writing coach Lisa Tener

Several months ago, I contacted publishers for a client of mine and the book went to auction. That means that more than one publisher wanted to publish the book and they bid, increasing the author’s advance. I couldn’t believe it.

Normally, I would have helped the author find a literary agent. However, since this author had little online presence, I didn’t think I could find an agent (I expected the anticipated advance would be too small to warrant an agent’s investment in time).

I was right and I was wrong. Since the book went to auction, I was able to negotiate a more sizeable advance than I initially expected.

But the publisher wanted one promise: that the author would focus on her social media presence, which was negligible to start with.

Why? Why is a significant Social Media presence so important for authors? Why was it the one thing the publisher mentioned and wanted to address with this author?

Why You Need an Active Social Media Presence as an Author

  1. The people who feel a connection with you are much more likely to buy and recommend your book than people who have never heard of you before.
  2. Journalists, bloggers and radio and TV producers are on social media looking for experts to interview for their pieces and shows. Many, if not most, of them find their experts originally through social media.
  3. Influencers are on social media. These are the people who connect to your target audience–the therapist who will recommend your book to a client, the manager who will buy your business book in bulk for his or her entire team, the HR director who will bring you in to train employees.
  4. Books gain viral support by word of mouth recommendations and more and more, people get their recommendations on social media.
  5. Goodreads reviews, Amazon reviews, blog posts, interviews and more can all be shared on social media, getting additional traction for your book.
  6. Through social media, you can serve a growing community.
  7. As an author on social media, you don’t just reach the people you know, but the people who know them.

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Most aspiring authors who come to me are experts in their fields, but most of them start with minimal online presence.

I know that some lessons in social media would have a huge impact on helping them (is that you?) get started on developing an online presence. It can also help you decide where to focus your efforts.

So, I decided to offer a free 3-day course via my blog.

The free training begins the day after Labor Day, Tuesday, September 6.

While You’re Waiting: Your First Few Lessons on Social Media for Authors

Here are a few blog posts that show the power of social media to radically boost a book’s sales, generate publicity, grow your mailing list and garner invitations as a speaker, trainer or consultant.

The client I mentioned in the first paragraph worked with a colleague I introduced her to (whom I promise to introduce you to during Social Media for Authors Week) and, within three months, she went from zero to 3,000 engaged followers on Twitter. Less than a year from starting, she has over 8,200 engaged followers and is seen as a thought leader in her field.

Rusty Shelton
Retro Shot: Rusty Shelton and me at the Harvard Course in 2011.

I hope you’ll join me for Social Media for Authors Week, where you’ll meet my mentors in the social media field: Digital Media Strategists Rusty Shelton (who will share his best Twitter tips for newbies and regular tweeters alike) , Frances Caballo (who will share her Goodreads Secrets–since Forbes called Goodreads “the most important site on the internet) and Sara Pence, whose guest posting strategies got me opportunities on Writer’s Digest; Live, Write, Thrive; and The Procrastiwriter, among others.

Frances Caballo
Frances Caballo

So, mark your calendar for September 6- 8 to read these exciting, potentially career-changing interviews on my blog! I’ll also send out a newsletter on September 8 with links to the three interviews.

Meantime, feel free to ask your Social Media questions, or share a social media tip that’s worked for you, as a comment below.

“I Can’t Get Published”: Oh, Yes, You Can. Here’s How to Get Published

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book writing coach
Your Book Writing Coach

I recently received an e-mail that began, “I have worked so tenaciously to find the right traditional book publisher to publish my memoir…”

The author was starting to give up, lamenting that if she were rich and famous her book would be published. “There is no support for first time authors.”

I waited to respond to the author because the whole dis-empowered tone of it irritated me. I knew I shouldn’t answer an e-mail in that state.  So, let’s look at this as an opportunity:

Here’s the truth. Publishers do publish first time authors–their memoirs, how-to books and even novels! They’re on the hunt for the next huge hit–and it’s likely not a celebrity memoir. So, that’s good news for her–and for you, whether you are writing a memoir or self-help book or other nonfiction: You can get published.

If your book is fresh, if the writing is outstanding and your book will likely speak to a large– or strong niche–audience, publishers are interested. But imagine yourself as an acquisitions editor for a moment. Perhaps ten or twenty years ago when you first started, you took several chances on authors who didn’t have a following. Maybe some really followed through with their marketing plans. Likely some did not.

In this market, publishers can’t afford to take such risks. They’re publishing fewer books. They need to know that there’s an audience out there already waiting to buy your book. That audience is your tribe and maybe they read your blog or come to your workshops or they follow you on twitter. They will buy your book. And if you don’t have a following like that, then why not start now? Otherwise, how will you reach people to buy your book anyway?

Now, if you were a publisher and someone came to you and said, “I have this great book; you should publish it, but I don’t have any following or platform,” don’t you think you might ask, “Why not?”

Interestingly, this author did not want to self-publish. Again, “Why not?” If she doesn’t believe enough in her book to publish it herself, why would a publishing company?

The internet offers zillions (count them) of ways to connect with the people you want to reach through your book and start to impact their lives now–before your book is ever published–maybe even before it’s fully written. If your writing resonates for these readers, they’ll likely recommend your book, review it, some will even give it as gifts–and you’ll reach more people, make more of an impact.

What this e-mail writer saw as a dead end was really a huge opportunity–to understand that no one is going to invest in her dream if she’s not invested–and part of that investment is developing a community, a tribe, connecting with people who resonate with her message.

So, how you can you get started? Here are 3 ideas to start developing your author platform and 3 ideas to educate yourself  about your publishing options so you can get published:

social media for writers book cover1. Read this just posted interview on Social Media for Writers with Frances Caballo, author of Social Media Just for Writers and Avoid Social Media Time Suck. You’ll learn some ways to use social media to connect with your budding (or new) tribe of fans and colleagues.

2. Consider blogging to develop a fan base. For now, just start brainstorming what you might write about and a theme for your blog. How might it resonate with the subject of your book.

3. Can you teach a workshop, webinar or teleseminar on your subject? Begin to jot down ideas of how you might take material from your book and teach it to others.

san franisco writers conference4.  If you really want to learn how the publishing industry works so you can get published, join me at the San Francisco Writers Conference mid-month where you can learn all about developing that following–or author platform–to empower you so you can become a published author and not an e-mail writer who laments that the cards are stacked against her! You can also meet acquisitions editors (publishers) and literary agents and ask them directly what they’re looking for in your book proposal and pitch. And if you have a blind spot about writing and publishing (as this writer did), you will have the opportunity to see the light!

5. If late March suits you better and you happen to be writing a health or well-being related book, consider joining me at Harvard Medical School’s CME publishing course. March 31-April 2. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet and get feedback from acquisitions editors (publishers) and literary agents, as well as attend classes on how to write a book proposal, get published and other relevant subjects.

6. If you want to get the low-down on how to write a book proposal to get published, join me and Julia McCutchen, founder of the International Association of Conscious and Creative Writers (IACCW), when she interviews me on How to Write a Book Proposal –a topic that Julia also has much experience to contribute to. And this Friday, you can catch Julia interviewing Michelle Pilley, managing director and publisher of Hay House UK who will speak about the Inside Story of Independent Publishing (same link as above).

So, no excuses. The publishing industry is not conspiring against you–I promise. In fact, it’s offering you more paths to success than ever. All you need to do is explore, evaluate and take strategic, inspired action.

How the Pros Promote Books: An Interview with Hay House Digital Marketing/PR Specialist Wioleta Gramek

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New addition to this post:  Enter the contest below to win a free ticket to a Hay House Event!

Wioleta Gramek, Digital Marketing/PR Specialist for Hay House

I met Wioleta Gramek, Digital Marketing/PR Specialist for Hay House, on the first day of Book Expo America (BEA) and was immediately drawn to her warm smile. When she mentioned how much book promotion is changing and that some of the things that worked a year ago aren’t working anymore, I became curious. What is working? What new things are they trying?

Here’s what Wioleta shared with me:

Lisa: What are some of the things that make it easiest to market an author’s work?

Wioleta: Already having a website which includes an email sign up page, additional valuable content, and an image of their book cover with pre-order buttons. An author should have a facebook fan page where they are already interacting with their audience, and a newsletter or periodic email where the author is providing their audience valuable information.

Lisa: Can you give an example of a Hay House author who uses digital media particularly effectively and what they do, resulting in highly successful book sales? Perhaps someone our readers should watch as a great example online?
cheryl richardson life coach
Cheryl Richardson provides a powerful example of connecting with–and reaching–a large audience online

Wioleta: Cheryl Richardson speaks with her audience through her newsletters, Facebook and twitter. She is very active in all of her online communities, making it a point to answer Facebook posts and tweets. 

I would also take a look at Dave Carroll, whose new book United Breaks Guitars, is the direct result of his involvement on YouTube. You can take a look at his  Facebook page as well.

Lisa: I love how much Cheryl offers to her community, though her social media and her Hay House appearances which I’ve been fortunate enough to attend. Cheryl Richardson coached me to a breakthrough in front of the whole audience in Boston. And my son and I LOVE Dave’s videos. So, those are great examples of authors connecting far and wide.

How long have you been at Hay House and how much of that time have you been focusing on digital marketing/pr?  

Wioleta: I’ve been at Hay House close to 3 1/2 years now. I’ve focused on marketing in the online realm in one form or another since I started working here. I worked with and managed our affiliate program, worked on the planning and implementation of our online campaigns for book launches and also dabbled in our blogger outreach.

Earlier this year, I was given the opportunity to focus primarily on our blogger community with the launch of our new site: Hay House Book Nook.

Lisa: What are the primary changes in book marketing and PR that you’ve seen in your time at Hay House?

Wioleta: Authors are now asked to build an audience/community early on in the publishing process, really finding and communicating with the people that resonate with their message. Although traditional media for the book can do wonders, a lot of the promotion really needs to come from the author a lot earlier than it used to.

Even though social media sites have been around for quite some time, some authors still have not set up a presence on social media sites, we encourage them to do so and coach them in the best ways to use them.

Lisa: What strategies are not working anymore or not working as well as they used to?

Wioleta: I came in when “partner campaigns” for non-fiction books were at their prime. Although they still have a place in non-fiction book marketing, the strategies and the expectations from all parties involved have changed quite a bit.

Lisa: What strategies are a must-have?

Wioleta: Making sure to cover all of the avenues you know your audience participates in. Be it video, Facebook, newsletters, Twitter, everything centers on conversations and building yourself as a credible brand. An author can’t just speak to and sell to their audience; the conversation has to go both ways.

At this point it is very important for your audience to not only get value from purchasing your book, but also finding value in whatever other content you are willing to share. The question really becomes, how can you make your audience a part of your community and your message? “What can I give my audience that will be of value to them and how can I serve their needs?”

Lisa: Which is really exciting. When you think about a book being about making a difference in people’s lives and in the world, there’s more opportunity to do that with your book and other offerings–free and paid.  What strategies do you see as developing in the future?

Wioleta: I think continuing to deepen relationships between authors and readers will still be the case in the future. As to exact strategies, there is so much continuously changing in the digital sphere that it is really hard to say what exactly will and won’t work.

Lisa: What are some of the mistakes authors make in their digital strategies?

Wioleta: If an author has a Facebook page or a Twitter account, they need to respond to as many questions as they can and engage their audience in actual conversations. Also, there are still authors out there who don’t have websites.

Lisa:  I’m always surprised when I see authors who barely use their Facebook or Twitter and I think if they’re not on social media at all it often impedes their sales.  I recently saw an author who wrote a book specifically about social media but hadn’t blogged in months except for one post announcing her book. It’s challenging to be writing a book, getting out in the world and connecting with readers at the same time, but I think you can’t afford not to. In the case of that blogger/author her sporadic blogging affected my impression of her as an expert–walking the talk.
Any other advice to authors who are either building their platform or promoting their books?

Wioleta: Start early and be of service to your audience. Connect with and support those around you both online and off, don’t use social media only to brag about your own accomplishments, share the amazing things your audience has done.

Lisa: That’s a big one. While it’s always been the case that fostering relationships builds your business, the web has turned business into a Karma club–the more good you do for others, the more it comes back to you. And you can’t afford to sit that one out, locking yourself in a room to write the book. Thank you, Wioleta. I invite readers of this blog to ask their questions of Wioleta below as a comment and feel free to share your book promotion successes as well.

Wioleta and Hay House have generously offered a free pass to 2 winners to their choice of either  Speak, Write & Promote: Become a Mover & Shaker in New York City or The Writer’s Workshop in New York events. Just add your insightful comment or ask your question–the most interesting comment and question will win the tickets.

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