Frances Caballo's Blog: 10 Twitter Tips Writers Need to Know, page 12

Book Marketing Update

I know I say this a lot but there really is a lot to love in this week’s Book Marketing Update.

Selecting a price for your book can be a science so read the post from David Wogahn and proceed accordingly. I also loved Dan Blank’s new post so don’t skip that one.

If you have your own website, learn a few SEO strategies. They aren’t that hard to learn and whatever you pick up from the post below will be helpful.

And remember to stay safe and healthy!

Book Marketing Strategies

How Much to Charge When Pricing a Self-Published Book to Sell on Amazon by David Wogahn: This is a definitive guide on how to price your books. Read it, bookmark it, and save it for future use. Yes, it’s that good.

5 Easy Ways To Increase Your Book Sales from Indies Unlimited and by Dave Chesson: There’s nothing new in this post but it is a good reminder on the basics you need to take care of to position your book for success.

Less Information, More Action by Dan Blank: In this new post, Dan Blank shares the process he uses with writers to develop a platform and connect with readers.

SEO Basics

What Is SEO? A Beginner’s Guide To Search Engine Optimization from Blogging Wizard and by David Hartshorne: Wow! This is an in-depth guide to how anyone can improve their website’s SEO. Even if you only use a few tips, you’ll benefit from the advice in this post.

Social Media News

8 Best Social Media Contest Tools for Viral Growth from Funnel Overload and by Stacey Corrin: You will find some of the regulars, such as ShortStack and RaffleCopter, and you’ll learn about some new apps too. Check it out!

Of Note

Be sure to check this out: Kindlepreneur Book Description Generator: Use this free tool on the Kindlepreneur website to generate your next book blurb for Amazon. Dave Chesson provides a free tutorial as well.

Quote of the Week

I am an author and social media consultant for writers. My focus is on helping writers like you surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online and building their platform. I also provide content writing and email marketing services. Be sure to download my ebook on Twitter. You can get it now for free!

The post Book Marketing Update appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.

Book Marketing Update

Welcome to another edition of the Book Marketing Update.

Authors Guild wrote a post on how you can use book clubs to reach readers. Yes, book clubs in your hometown (well, assuming you wear masks and practice social distancing).

Writer’s Digest released its list of websites that it considers worthy of being on its top 101 websites list. Of course, Joel Friedlander and Jane Friedman are on it. I’d be upset if they weren’t.

If you want to sell books on social media, check out Facebook’s Shops feature. You’ll find it on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Read all the stories here and stay safe!

Book Marketing Strategies

Book Club Strategies for Authors with author Amy Stewart and from the Authors Guild: Amy is the author of six nonfiction books and six novels. Also, and she has held more than 250 book club chats over Skype. In this webinar, she shares outreach strategies. In addition, she discusses working with publishers on book club promotion and to manage book club requests.

Writer’s Digest’s 101 Best Websites for Writers: Be sure to check out these websites. The list is categorized by subject.

Publishing

Richard Charkin on Publishing’s Challenges: Open Up New Channels Now from Publishing Perspectives: “Coronavirus Worklife: ‘Forget all the failed attempts at finding synergies with multimedia corporations,’ says Richard Charkin to publishing’s leadership. ‘Try again.’”

Social Media News

Instagram and Facebook Launch Shops to Encourage Online Sales from Later: Use this feature on Facebook’s apps like Instagram, Messenger, and Whatsapp. “

Book Marketing Success with the 10X Rule

What Writers Have to Learn from The 10X Rule from Jane Friedman’s blog and by Carmen Amato: Author Carmen Amato explains how she applies the tenets of a business book to attain success in her writing career. Learn more about Amato in my interview with her.

Of Note

Jessica Kellgren-Fozard earns a good living online – here is her advice for aspiring vloggers from the Guardian: “The deaf influencer, who posts upbeat videos about disability, LGBTQ+ issues, vintage fashion and other subjects, started her channel three-and-a-half years ago after she left a job as a presenter for a local TV station. Because she suffers from nerve disorder HNPP (hereditary neuropathy with pressure palsies), which results in extreme palsy in her arms and weak limbs, as well as a rare autoimmune disease called MCTD (mixed connective tissue disease), she was often unable to meet the demands of the job, and there were days when she couldn’t leave her bed.”

This Is What It’s Like As A Self-Published Author by Rachel Thompson: “I self-published my first two books, went with a hybrid for my third and fourth, had an agent and small boutique publisher for my fifth, and went back to self-publishing for my sixth. In my business … I work with authors who are all three as well.”

Quote of the Week

I am an author and social media consultant for writers. My focus is on helping writers like you surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online and building their platform. I also provide content writing and email marketing services. Be sure to download my ebook on Twitter. You can get it now for free!

The post Book Marketing Update appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.

Social Media Tips You Need to Know

From time to time, I collect a variety of social media tips for writers that I think are helpful. Today’s post details social media tips you need to know.

I cover a variety of topics:

Twitter biosWhy you need to get rid of Twitter bots and fraud followersThe best time to post on FacebookHow to detect your best-performing Instagram hashtags

Let’s get started.

Social Media Tips You Need to Know: Twitter Bios

Twitter allows you to have up to 160 characters in your bio. Use these characters well.

Think about what you want your audience to know about you and how you can further your brand in 160 or fewer characters. 

If possible, include keywords and a link to your recently published book or Author Central page on Amazon. If you have any giveaways, provide the link here.

You can also use your bio to show your personality, insert keywords and a hashtag, and include a call to action. 

Toss in an emoji of a stack of books or paw prints if you love dogs or cats. It’s okay to have a bit of fun with your Twitter bio.

For example, look at this bio:

While @sixthformpoet has a fun bio and the status to afford one, I wouldn’t recommend a “buy my book” bio for an indie author just starting out.

Emulate These Twitter Bio Examples

Jane Friedman

I report on the publishing industry and help writers understand the business they’re entering. Publisher of @HotSheetPub, previously at @VQR @WritersDigest

TIP: Indicating her previous relationship with the Virginia Quarterly Review and Writers Digest establishes her publishing authority.

Susanne Lakin

Author of 18 novels and 6 writing craft books. A writing coach, copyeditor and blogger 

@LiveWriteThrive. Get a free ebook for writers at http://LiveWriteThrive.com.

TIP: Susanne’s inclusion of a link to a giveaway document is an excellent strategy to emulate.

Isabel Allende

Cuenta cuentos, escritora, activista y bajita. Storyteller, writer, activist and vertically challenged. IsabelAllende.com IsabelAllende.org

TIP: Note the use of both English and Spanish. This makes sense for Allende since she publishes in both languages.

Lisa Tener

I help visionaries, experts, entrepreneurs: Write / Publish / Be Creative: Get Your “Inspired Author” course: http://lisatener.com.

TIP: It’s smart for Lisa to include her target audiences in her Twitter bio.

Joanna Penn

NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Thriller Author http://JFPenn.com. Podcaster. INFJ. Travel junkie. http://BooksAndTravel.page Also @jfpennwriter

TIP: Joanna has a reputation in two worlds: as a nonfiction publishing authority and a thriller author. She’s smart to include her other Twitter handle in this bio.

Mark Dawson

The author of the John Milton and Beatrix/Isabella Rose series. For the free Starter Library, go to http://markjdawson.com.

TIP: Mark Dawson is an excellent marketer. He’s smart to include a link to a free starter library.

Sharon Hamilton

Romantic Suspense Author of Hot Navy SEALs and paranormal romance. Amazon and Goodreads best sellers: Accidental SEAL, Fallen SEAL Legacy, Honeymoon Bite.

Get Rid of Fraud Twitter Followers

Have you checked your Twitter followers lately?

I am assertive — no, make that aggressive — in deleting bot and fraud accounts as well as spammers from my clients’ Twitter accounts.

Fraud followers make you like bad. Sure, you may have 2,000 or 20,000 followers, but if a good number of those are bots and spammers, your integrity drops.

And they don’t help you with your book marketing.

I am also vigilant over my own account. Below you’ll see the results from a Twitter app I recently used to analyze my followers. It felt great to learn that my eagle-eyed approach paid off. See the results below:

How to Spot a Fraud Account

Bots and spam and fraud accounts are easy to identify.

They typically have a long string of numbers after their usernames.

Or they will be pornographic sites with revealing images of women.

Narcissists are rampant on Twitter as well. They are so easy to recognize. They use pictures of themselves for their avatars, Twitter headers, and in their tweets.

To learn more about Twitter, sign up for my no-cost social media course and receive Twitter Just for Writers for free.

Report and Block These Accounts

To block an account:

Go to the user’s profile. Click the three dots to the left of the follow button.A box will open. The last two options will give you the options to report and block the user.

I report most fraud accounts. Some I just block, primarily if they use foul language.

Stay Safe on Twitter with These Tips

Follow these tips to stay safe on Twitter:

Use a strong password. Use letters, symbols, and numbers.Beware of direct messages from people you don’t know, especially if they promise to help you “immediately” get thousands of followers.Be suspicious if you are followed by someone posing as a celebrity. Well-known Twitter users often have Verified Accounts (signified by a blue checkmark next to their profile name).If you don’t know someone following you, don’t click on links in their profile.If you encounter abusive and/or annoying behavior on Twitter, report the account to Twitter and block the user.My final tip is to never buy Twitter followers. You need authentic followers who either love your books or your genre or want to learn more about you and your books. And you want to connect with real authors in your genre — so you can collaborate — and thought leaders you can learn from.



Social Media Tips You Need to Know: Facebook

Do you know when to post on Facebook?

There are plenty of blog posts on the internet advising you when to post on Facebook.

But what do they know about your readers?

The only way to determine the best times to post on Facebook is to study Insights, Facebook’s free and fabulous analytics.

Before posting my clients’ Facebook updates, I always check Facebook’s Insights dates and times for the highest amount of activity of their pages. Armed with this information, I schedule their status updates.

Let’s look at my account. If you use Safari, start by clicking Insights at the top of Facebook’s taskbar. If you use Chrome, you’ll find Insights on the left column.

Once you are in Insights, go to Posts. You’ll find posts on the left column in both browsers.

When I click Monday, the best time to post is at 7:30 am. You don’t want to post at the peak of engagement, but as you build up to it.

But on Wednesdays, my fans are most active on Facebook at noon. So, I want to post around 11:30 am. The yellow column next to the date, image, caption, and reach displays graphically how well each post performed.

While you’re here, study the reach on your updates. You’ll see a graph with the date of each update along with the image, caption, and reach.

Reach is graphically displayed in a yellow column. Study the column and try to emulate those posts that achieved the highest level of reach and engagement.

Social Media Tips You Need to Know: Instagram Hashtags

Do you know which of your hashtags performs the best? You should.

I use Later, an Instagram scheduling app. I love it.

On Later, you can access your analytics from the left column of your dashboard. Note: Analytics is only available for business accounts.)

Once I am in analytics, my profile summary provides data on growth and discovery, follower growth, impressions, and reach.

It also provides data on profile interactions. Finally, it includes information about my best performing posts.

Finally, the top taskbar provides information on the performance of my audience, posts, Instagram stories, and hashtags. Let’s look at hashtags.

I post quotes and pictures that I take. Lately, I’ve mixed it up and have been posting images of flowers I encounter on my neighborhood walks and the flowering cacti and succulents I grow.

To the far right of my hashtags is a details box. Click it, and a window pops up with more detailed information.

Facebook’s Creator Studio Analytics

If you don’t use Later, go to Facebook’s Creator Studio. To arrive here, open Facebook to the Home tab and at the very top type Creator Studio.

The URL will be https://Facebook.com/CreatorStudio. This is where you can schedule your posts for your Facebook and Instagram business accounts. (Note: You can also use Publishing Tools on your Facebook page.)

At the top taskbar, click the icon for Instagram. Then click Insights on the left column.

Facebook’s Insights for Instagram details:

Website visitsProfile visitsCallsTextsEmailsAccounts reachedImpressionsAge and gender of your followersTimes when your followers are on InstagramThe countries and cities where your follower reside

Facebook provides a lot of great information for free about your Instagram business account. Unfortunately, it does not provide data on your best-performing hashtags.

To learn more about Instagram, check out this post I wrote: 7 Simple Secrets to Totall Rock Your Instagram Account.

I am an author and social media consultant for writers. My focus is on helping writers like you surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online and building their platform. I also provide content writing and email marketing services. Be sure to download my ebook on Twitter. You can get it now for free!

The post Social Media Tips You Need to Know appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.

Book Marketing Update

There’s a lot to love in today’s Book Marketing Update.

Rachel Thompson’s NaNoProNo is in its second year and all of the posts help you to market that novel you wrote during NaNoWriMo. I especially like the blog post on reader audiences.

Be sure to read SproutSocial’s post on how COVID-19 changed the scheduling of social media posts. (Heck, COVID-19 changes everything in our world, right?)

If you found a great post that isn’t on the list, be sure to post the link to it in the comments below.

Practice social distancing, wear a mask when you leave your home, and stay safe!

Book Marketing

Book Marketing: Mastering Amazon Data to Sell More Books with Alex Newton and from Joana Penn: “In this detailed webinar replay, Alex Newton from K-lytics presents on how you can use Amazon data to sell more books.”

How to Start Heart-Centered Book Marketing by Beth Barany and from Rachel Thompson’s Blog: Are you overwhelmed by marketing your book? In this new post, Beth Barany advises to take book marketing one day at a time.

How to Throw a Virtual Book Launch Using Facebook Live by K.B. Jensen and from Jane Friedman’s blog: This is an excellent post. K.B. Jensen is thorough in this guide on virtual book launches. Spread the word about your book launch more than you think is necessary. Make it fun. Read the post to review all of Jensen’s fabulous tips.

Book Marketing Through Your Audience

Will Your Novel Solve a Reader’s Problem? by Janice Hardy and from Rachel Thompson’s blog: Do you know your audience? Does your book solve your readers’ problems? Read this post to learn how to target your readers with your newest book. While you’re on this topic, be sure to read my post: Just Be Where Your Readers Are.

Social Media Marketing

How COVID-19 has changed social media engagement from SproutSocial: SproutSocial published a report on the best times to post at the beginning of the year. The people behind the app adjusted those times since our world has changed due to COVID-19. Always remember to check your analytics too to determine the best times for you to post on social media. If you haven’t read my post on how COVID-19 changes book marketing, be sure to read COVID-19 and Book Marketing: Change What You’re Doing.

Goodreads

Using Goodreads Giveaways in Your Book Marketing and Promotion by Penny Sansevieri: You now have to pay for your book giveaways. But Penny Sansevieri says the new rule doesn’t deter her.

Of Note

The supply chain for book publishing is being changed by Coronavirus too – from Michael Shatzkin: Supply chains were not talked about much. However, COVID-19 now makes everyone aware of the path by which a purchase reachers the end user (readers).

The Comprehensive Guide to Finding, Hiring, and Working with an Editor – from Jane Friedman’s blog and by Chantel Hamilton: This is an incredibly comprehensive blog post on finding and working with editors. Be sure to read it and save it.

Quote of the Week

Twitter Just for Writers is the most comprehensive Twitter eBook I’ve ever released. At 64-pages, it provides all the information you need to succeed on Twitter. Get it now for free!

I am an author and social media consultant for writers. My focus is on helping writers like you surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online and building their platform. I also provide content writing and email marketing services. Be sure to download my ebook on Twitter. You can get it now for free!

The post Book Marketing Update appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.

Book Marketing Update

There are plenty of book marketing posts in this week’s Book Marketing Update.

Learn how to get reviews without begging for them, promote your books while watching TV, and sell short fiction from your website. (That’s right. You don’t need Amazon to do this.)

There’s also a post on Goodreads and a list of this year’s Pulitzer Prize winners. Do you read Pulitzer Prize books? I hope so because it’s some of the finest writing in the country.

Enjoy today’s roundup. Stay safe!

Getting Book Reviews

How to Get Free Book Reviews with No Blog, No List, and No Begging from Kindlepreneur: In this post, Kindlepreneur provides a guide on how to generate more book reviews along with Amazon’s rules regarding reviews.

Book Marketing News

6 Ideas for Promoting Your Book While Watching TV from TheBookDesigner.com and by Sandra Beckwith: In this post, Sandra Beckwith describes six easy tasks you can accomplish on social media while relaxing as you watch a favorite television show.

How to Boost your Readership with Guest Blogging from Rachel Thompson and by Belinda Griffin: Guest blogging will definitely help you create awareness around you books. Sales may not increase that much but if you submit guest posts for influential bloggers, your credibility will rise and eventually, so will your book sales.

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Books on Your Author Website from Alliance of Independent Authors: Self-Publishing Advice Center: This is a comprehensive guide on how and why to sell your books on your website. Read it and bookmarked it for future reading. Yeah, it’s that good.

Marketing Short Fiction

Writing And Selling Short Fiction with Matty Dalrymple and from Joanna Penn: Writing short fiction can be useful for licensing and self-publishing income. Short fiction can also help you grow your list and connect with new readers. In this podcast and transcript Matty Dalrymple suggest ideas that you can use in your author business.

Book Marketing Through Branding

The Most Common Mistakes Writers Make Building Their Brand by Guest Kimberly Grabas: I know that a lot of authors detest the word branding. But this is one of the best posts I’ve seen in awhile on this topic. Be sure to read it.

Goodreads

Maximizing Goodreads (Podcast) by Penny Sansevieri: “Goodreads has over 80 million global members and is owned by Amazon – so despite the love-hate relationship many authors have with the Goodreads community, at the end of the day it will really serve you well to ensure you have a well-optimized, professional profile.” Be sure to check out my book on Goodreads, here.

Of Note

What Pop Stars Can Teach Writers About Failure from Literary Hub: “If you’re interested in having a commercial hit as an author, you’re interested in being something akin to a pop star. Pop stars are artists who, by happenstance or design, make something lots of people like, then dedicate themselves to reproducing that success at the behest of their corporate benefactors.”

Moser, Whitehead, McDaniel, Grandin, Boyer, Brown Win 2020 Pulitzers: Looking for well-written and insightful books? Check out the books by these authors.

Quote of the Week

Twitter Just for Writers is the most comprehensive Twitter eBook I’ve ever released. At 64-pages, it provides all the information you need to succeed on Twitter. Get it now for free!

I am an author and social media consultant for writers My focus is on helping writers like you surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online and building their platform. I also provide content writing and email marketing services. Be sure to download my ebook on Twitter. You can get it now for free!

The post Book Marketing Update appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.

From CIA to Writing Thrillers: Carmen Amato

I don’t recall how I met Carmen Amato. Whether it was on Twitter or Facebook or Pinterest, I just can’t say. What I can say is that I’m glad I did. She’s a fun Facebook friend to have (we both love dogs and books) and infinitely intriguing.

Also, her books are fascinating, maybe because Amato spent 30 years working with the CIA. How well does she write? Amazon Hall of Fame reviewer Grady Harp wrote: “For pure entertainment and a gripping story likely resulting in nail-biting, read Carmen Amato’s addictive prose. She knows this territory like a jaguar!” Wow! Right? Keep reading to learn how this Indie author became such a savvy success story among Indies.

Carmen Amato: Prolific Writer

Q: You are a prolific writer. What drove you to write? Had you always wanted to be a writer?

A: I’ve always loved to read and write, even writing little stories for my mother when I was in grade school. I discovered authors Leon Uris, J.R.R. Tolkien, Ken Follett, Herman Wouk, and Roland Huntford in high school, beginning a lifelong love affair with deeply immersive books, both fiction and non-fiction.

Q: How long does it take you to write a novel?

Now that I know the characters in my Detective Emilia Cruz series so well, it takes about 9 months from start to finish. It took 3 years to write my first standalone novel, The Hidden Light of Mexico City, but much longer to edit it.

Along the way, I wrote another standalone thriller, the first Detective Emilia Cruz, Cliff Diver, and the collection of short stories Made in Acapulco. So, I actually had a lot of content before starting to publish in 2012.

Amazon Reviews

Q: While some authors have difficulty accumulating reviews on Amazon, you don’t seem to have any trouble. For Cliff Diver: An Emilia Cruz, for example, your novel has 232 reviews. What do you attribute that to? (Do you have a street team or use another strategy to encourage your readers to spread the word about your books?) 

I try not to compare myself with other series authors who have hundreds of reviews, like Caimh McDowell or Jinx Schwartz!

Back when more Amazon reviewers listed their email addresses, I combed through books similar to mine to find well-written reviews. Then I emailed those readers to complement their review of the books and offer mine as their next book to review.

It was hugely time-consuming but a remarkably effective tactic that is no longer viable. In the last two years, Amazon reviewers have stopped posting contact information. Now, I include an appeal in the back matter of all books and periodically ask newsletter subscribers to post a review. Reviews come organically, albeit slowly.

CIA Background Grounds Her Writing

Q: How do you use your 30-year career with the CIA to inform your novels?

A: The CIA taught me to write on demand. As an intelligence officer, there is no such thing as writer’s block.

Beyond that, being analytical and suspicious are highly evolved skills at the CIA that easily translate into writing complex mystery and thriller plots. Add in in-depth area knowledge and all the tools are there. Maybe that’s why people remark that my books are “something fresh” in the mystery genre.

Q: Made in Acapulco: The Emilia Cruz Stories is ranked 52 in Women’s Detective Fiction. That’s incredible. What do you attribute to the success of that novel?

Price and a great cover.

This collection of prequel stories sets up the Detective Emilia Cruz series and is free in several e-book marketplaces. It gets around 100 downloads every month without any advertising besides a Facebook post now and then. I always see a flow-through from this prequel to the first full novel in the series, Cliff Diver.

Amazon Categories

Q: One of your categories for Pacific Reaper is Pulp Thrillers. I didn’t even know that was a category. Who decides on your Amazon categories and keywords? If it’s you, how did you learn this skill?

There is no skill involved, just hours combing through the Kindle Store. Last year I did a marathon and found something like 8 categories for all my books and sent Amazon a bunch of emails.

Now, Julie Smith and her team at BooksBNimble handle ads, pricing, and category placement for the Detective Emilia Cruz series. So far, they are doing a great job.

Book Covers Clearly Branded

Q: Your book covers have distinctive branding. Just by looking at the covers, I know it’s one of your novels. Did your cover designer come up with the branding or was it a joint effort? It’s definitely a smart marketing strategy.

A: Graphic artist Matt Chase, is the one responsible for the distinctive look of the Detective Emilia Cruz series. Matt is a real pro, with artwork across national media. As far as I know, I’m the only Indie author he works with. His artwork is by far my most significant business expense.

After an initial exchange, Matt created 5 different design concepts for the series for me to choose from. I loved the one with the stucco bleeds. Now that we’ve done 9 book covers and 4 audio covers together, the process is smooth. I’ll give him some idea of what the book is about and any thoughts on a motif. He works up designs and colorways. After 2-3 rounds of tinkering, the cover is done.

There were 3 books in the series, plus the prequel when I switched to Matt’s covers. Sales immediately went up.

Lesson learned! My 2 standalone thrillers got new covers, too. The final designs are more eye-catching and use the same sans-serif font you see on my website and swag, which is a slimmer version of the font on the Detective Emilia Cruz covers. The goal is to have eye-catching covers yet be consistent for easy reader recognition.

Translation into Spanish

Q: Your novels – or at least some of them – are translated into Spanish. How did you find your translator, and how well are your novels selling in Spanish-speaking countries?

I’m at the very start of the journey so please ask me in about 2 years!

I released the bilingual novella The Artist/El Artista last year, and it won the 2019 Silver Falchion award in the Short Story/Collection category. I began a project to provide it to schools as a language learning tool and hope to donate 100 copies in the fall.

Hecho en Acapulco, the Spanish edition of Made in Acapulco, is available, but I have done no advertising yet. Gabino Iglesias, the author of Coyote Songs, is currently editing the translation of Cliff Diver, which will be released later this year as La Clavadista.

Once both books are available in Spanish, I’ll assemble an advertising campaign to primarily target audiences in Mexico and Spain, as well as Spanish readers in the US.

The translator is Karen Leclair Ayestas. A personal friend, she is a professional translator, editor, and Spanish teacher.

Carmen Amato’s Marketing Savvy

Q: You have more than 2,300 Likes on your Facebook author page. Those Likes are hard to come by these days. Do you buy Facebook ads to encourage penetration of the newsfeed and boost engagement? Or, is the engagement on your Facebook author page brought about organically?

A: The first 1000 likes on the page came from sponsored posts in 2013-14. The rest have happened organically. I post a mix of evergreen blog posts, current events related to the books, mystery content from other sources, and promos for my books. I often take cues about what to post on Facebook from reader emails.

Q: How did you learn to market your books? For example, which blogs do you read regularly, what webinars have you attended, which podcasts do you follow, and which marketing books have you purchased? Are there any book marketers that you favor?

A: I’m not sure what I do can be called marketing. It’s more like building a wheel and pushing it along with wishful thinking! I can’t say this is a scientific method, but it aligns with my interests and helps me build skills.

The hub of the wheel is my website carmenamato.net.

Social Media

The spokes, or “primary channels” in marketing lingo, are my blog, Facebook, and twice-monthly Mystery Ahead newsletter. My secondary channels are Pinterest and guest posting on industry blogs. My goal is to add YouTube as a secondary. Twitter can be a two-edged sword these days, so I’m rarely there, although I have over 8000 followers.

A few years ago, I took online classes with Derek Halpern of Social Triggers and Tim Grahl, author of Your First 1000 Copies. This gave me the push to start the Mystery Ahead newsletter.

I gravitate more toward business and blogging advice for entrepreneurs than specifically book marketing content. I regularly read Entrepreneur magazine, Mark Schaefer’s {grow} blog, Ann Handey’s “Annarchy” newsletter, Tim Ferriss’s Five Bullet Friday, as well as more book-related content like blogs by Anne R. Allen, Nicholas Erik, and Jane Friedman. And yours, of course!

Books I’ve found useful include:

The Content Code and Born to Blog by Mark Schaefer

Everybody Writes by Ann Handley

The Profitable Content System by Meera Kothand

The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone

Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss

Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo

Facebook & Pinterest

Q: I have followed Ann Handley for years and years and I’ve also read Mark Schaefer’s books. Which social media platforms do you use? Which social media platforms garner the most engagement for you?

A: Facebook is my go-to social media. I have a content calendar for my page that I rarely follow, but it comforts me to know there’s a plan! I also belong to several useful Facebook groups, including the active and supportive Mexico Writers group.

Pinterest group boards help me find readers. I include a Pinterest-sized graphic in most of my blog posts, which feeds my graphic design hobby. When I pinned a picture of a very handsome man floating in the ocean while reading my romantic thriller Awakening Macbeth, the book got a very nice lift!

Q: I remember seeing that image and thinking, wow! I noticed that you give away the Detective Emilia Cruz Starter Library. A lot of authors resist doing this. Has the giveaway improved the sales of your other books?

A: This is the reader magnet I use to get people to subscribe to my newsletter. Subscribers get three emails—one per day for three days—and always have the option to download the entire thing as a single PDF. This way I don’t have to pay extra for Bookfunnel to send them a .mobi file.

I have tried various magnets, but this is the one that brings in subscribers who enjoy the newsletter and eventually buy books.

BookBub Promotions

Q: Have you done a BookBub promotion? What were the results for you?

A: I’ve scored a few BookBub promotions. The best was 14,000 downloads in one day and enough downstream book sales to triple my usual income for about three months.

BookBub ads are more accessible, and you can target readers who follow specific authors. I had good luck with an ad targeting Don Winslow readers for The Hidden Light of Mexico City and another that targeted Diana Gabaldon readers for Awakening Macbeth.

Q: I think it’s terrific that your protagonist is a woman. What made you decide to have the main character of your novels a female?

A: I’m a write what you know author. All my role models are strong women, as are all my friends. I wrote both male and female POVs in The Hidden Light of Mexico City. Still, for the Detective Emilia Cruz series, I want the reader to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with Emilia and no one else.

The CIA

Q: Was it due to your position with the CIA that you gained experience working in Mexico and Central America? Can you talk about one of those assignments?

A: Uhhhh, yes. Uhhhh, not really.

My official resume says: “Positions of increasing responsibility in the areas of intelligence analysis, open-source intelligence, international negotiations, change management, and strategic communications. Recognized for multiple innovations leading to enhanced US intelligence capabilities. Significant overseas experience.”

My career was somewhat unusual because I had the opportunity to work across all of the CIA’s mission directorates: analysis, operations, and science and technology.

The job that really gave me the background for the Detective Emilia Cruz series involved a program of collection, translation, and analysis of breaking events. I supervised employees in multiple locations across the Western Hemisphere.

A Distinguished Career

Q: During your career, you received two awards, the National Intelligence Award and the Career Intelligence Medal. Tell me about those awards and how you felt when you received them.

A: I was overseas on a different assignment when the National Intelligence Award was processed for prior actions and never heard about it. I got it two years later, when I was back in Washington, making the rounds of friends and colleagues to catch up. A friend who’d worked on the prior action reached into her desk and casually handed me a velvet box. What a surprise!

The career medal was a similar thing. I retired in March 2016, during a major reorganization. I did not want any ceremony besides walking out the front door over the great seal emblazoned on the floor of the CIA headquarters lobby. 

Six months later, I got a call saying did I want my CIM award mailed, or did I want to come for a photo ceremony? When my kids came home from college for Christmas, we all went, and I formally received the award.

Thankfully, these experiences are not typical. I received many other awards and citations over a 30-year career, which were all handled with the appropriate gravitas.

BOOKS BY CARMEN AMATO

 Detective Emilia Cruz series

 CLIFF DIVER: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 1

 HAT DANCE: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 2

 DIABLO NIGHTS: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 3

 KING PESO: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 4

 PACIFIC REAPER: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 5

 43 MISSING: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 6

 RUSSIAN MOJITO: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 7

 MADE IN ACAPULCO: The Emilia Cruz Stories

 THE ARTIST/EL ARTISTA: A Short Story in English and Spanish

 Suspense

 AWAKENING MACBETH 

 THE HIDDEN LIGHT OF MEXICO CITY

About Carmen Amato: After a 30-year career as a CIA intelligence officer, Carmen Amato writes mysteries and thrillers loaded with intrigue and action. Expect fast-paced tales riven with corruption, deceit, and suspense.

Her Detective Emilia Cruz police series includes CLIFF DIVER, HAT DANCE, DIABLO NIGHTS, KING PESO, PACIFIC REAPER, 43 MISSING, and RUSSIAN MOJITO, plus a prequel collection of short stories MADE IN ACAPULCO. These crime thrillers pit the first female police detective in Acapulco against Mexico’s cartels, corruption, and social inequality. Optioned for television, the series was awarded the Poison Cup for Outstanding Series from CrimeMasters of America. Find all of her books here. Grab a free copy of the Detective Emilia Cruz Starter Library.

About Frances Caballo, the author of this blog: Frances Caballo is an author and social media consultant for writers. My focus is on helping writers like you surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online and building their platform. I also provide content writing and email marketing services. Be sure to download my ebook on Twitter. You can get it now for free!

The post From CIA to Writing Thrillers: Carmen Amato appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.

Book Marketing Update

I hope you enjoy this week’s Book Marketing Update.

Today’s roundup includes a post on blogging, two posts on book covers, and two updates on social media.

My “Of Note” section includes information about how to keep your writing on track.

Enjoy reading!

Author Blogs

How to Start Blogging: A Definitive Guide for Authors by Jane Friedman: Jane Friedman has a wildly successful blog. In this post, she explains what it takes to be an effective blogger. (Stick to your publishing schedule.)

Book Marketing News

Most common book cover design mistakes you should avoid from MiblArt: Attractive book are essential in book marketing. So the most talented book cover designers you can afford. In this post, MiblArt suggests some tips.

e-Book Cover Design Awards, March 2020 from Joel Friedlander and by Tanja Prokop: Once a month, either Joel Friedlander or a guest judge book covers. This month’s edition features 30 fiction book covers and ten nonfiction covers. You’ll learn a great deal by checking out this month’s friendly competition.

Social Media News

Facebook Outlines a Range of New Video Tools, Including Messenger Rooms for Group Video Hangouts by Andrew Hutchinson and from Social Media Today: These tools include Messenger Rooms and group video hangouts. Figure out how you can use these new tools to engage with readers, street teams, and other authors.

The Best Times to Post on Social Media During COVID-19 [Report] from SocialMediaToday: According to this article, people are spending more time on social media (no surprise). Also, COVID-19 is changing the times of day when people use social media. Take this advice with a grain of salt. It’s important review your social media analytics to determine when your readers are online.

Instagram News

Ultimate Guide to Instagram Video: Stories, IGTV, Live, Posts, & More from Later, an Instagram scheduling app: This post explains how you can build and implement an effective video marketing strategy for Instagram. Be sure to read it. BTW: Learn how to get ahead on Instagram by buying my primer for authors, “Instagram Marketing.” And read my post 7 Simple Secrets to Totally Rock Your Instagram Account.

Of Note

Developing a Writing Practice, Part 5: Neurohacks from Jane Friedman’s blog and by Susan DeFreitas: This well-time post details three “neurohacks” to apply to the practice of writing.

10 Ways to Feel Like a Real Writer When You Can’t Write Thanks to Coronavirus by Ruth Harris: Tip No. 1 is refresh elements of your author platform. Tip No. 2 is work on your blurbs followed by work on your metadata. Then, Ruth delves into her writing tips. Be sure to read this post.

Quote of the Week

Instagram is more important that ever.

Don’t be left behind. Learn how to get ahead on Instagram by buying this primer for authors.

Frances Caballo is an author and social media consultant for writers. My focus is on helping writers like you surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online and building their platform. I also provide content writing and email marketing services. Be sure to download my ebook on Twitter. You can get it now for free!

The post Book Marketing Update appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.

Book Marketing Update

Today’s Book Marketing Update has a wealth of information with strategies you can start to implement today.

Below, you’ll find an informative post about how to optimize your Amazon book page and a post from Florence Osmund on how to create a sales pitch for your book. Florence has excellent advice.

I also included information about a new app (thank you, Joanna Penn, for the tip!) and some articles about writing during a pandemic.

I hope you find today’s Book Marketing Update informative and helpful.

Book Marketing News

The Art of Condensing an Entire Book into a Brief Sales Pitch from TheBookDesigner.com and by Florence Osmund: This post explains how to write perfect elevator speeches, book synopses, and book blurbs. As the author says, “You can write and publish the best book ever written, but if you don’t skillfully promote it, it won’t likely get noticed ….” Read this book so that people will notice and buy your book.

16 Ways To Market Your Audiobook by Joanna Penn: You’ll notice that I include two posts from Joanna Penn this week. Why? Because both are wonderful. In this blog post, Joanna lists 16 methods to help you market your audiobooks. Definitely take a few minutes to read this one.

Author Brands

Building A Unique Author Brand With Gail Carriger and from Joanna Penn: I found this podcast transcript fascinating. My favorite line from the post is this one: “… I don’t do events that are just author gatherings. I really go out and I do the convention circuit and I go to events because I want to meet my readers.” Yes, it’s all about your readers.

Book Marketing on Amazon

Optimizing Your Amazon Book Page to Sell More Books (Podcast) from Penny Sansevieri: Make sure that you communicate what sets you apart from other authors when editing your Amazon book pages. Penny has more tips in this new post so be sure to read it.

Self-Publishing

Everything You Need to Know To Avoid Being Ripped off as an Indie Author — Alliance of Independent Authors: Self-Publishing Advice Center: There are plenty of bogus self-publishing outfits out there. But remember this: real publishers don’t require you to pay for the publication of your book or obligate you to buy a certain number of books. Be sure to read this post.

Of Note – All About Writing

12 Ideas for Writing Through the Pandemic from The New York Times: This is a detailed article on the many ways you can motivate yourself to write even during this pandemic. @nytimes

Where The Wild Words Are: A mini-guide to finding poetic moments in your prose: It’s National Poetry Month. This articles explains how you can incorporate poetic phrases in your prose.

Anxiety, Writing, and Sharing by Dan Blank: There’s great advice in this post. Dan says, “I have found that anxiety is a common part of the what it means to write and share your work. It’s like anxiety is the Chewbacca to your Han Solo.” Definitely read it.

App of the Week

ProWritingAid: I learned about this app from Joanna Penn. You can try it for free and/or get 25% off its annual fee right now, costing just $52.50/year. If you’re a Mac user, no worries. This app is compatible as a desktop app.

Quote of the Week

I am an author and social media consultant for writers My focus is on helping writers like you surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online and building their platform. I also provide content writing and email marketing services. Be sure to download my ebook on Twitter. You can get it now for free!

The post Book Marketing Update appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.

Book Marketing Update

This week’s Book Marketing Update is packed with information and strategies to inform your book marketing.

I start the list with information about two posts on blogging. Yes, hosting a blog is still important as is being consistent in publishing new posts.

This past week Penny Sansevieri gave away a book marketing planner, which I suggest you download. I like it!

Finally, if you write short fiction, be sure to read the post about collaborating on an anthology with other authors.

Stay home, stay safe, and stay healthy.

Blogs Still Matter

3 Tips from a Successful Blogger on How To Amplify Your Story from WordPress Discover: This is an inspirational story. Ben Phillips started a blog, Diary of an Uber Driver. That blog turned into a book and now a TV series. Be sure to read this.

How to Use YouTube to Grow Your Blog Traffic from Blogging Wizard and by Ann Smarty: Ann Smarty explains that YouTube isn’t a publishing platform. On the contrary, it is content platform that can bring traffic to your blog and website.

Book Marketing via Social Media

This Easy Copywriting Formula Wins on Social Media Every Time by Emily Vasquez and from Better Marketing: This post explains the idea formula for writing social media posts, including Instagram captions. You can use this formula when you blog, too.

15 Ways Authors Are Using Instagram to Overcome Physical Distancing Challenges from BookBubPartners: This post is filled with ideas you can implement now. Don’t worry if you’re not a techie. Most of these tasks are super easy.

Book Marketing Apps

It’s a Wide WIDE Virtual World! from TheBookDesigner.com and by Judith Briles: Judith shares a long list of apps for authors to use for live, online events. Use these apps to reach your readers as well as prospective readers.

Book Marketing Strategies

Book Marketing Tips & Author Success by Penny Sansevieri: Listen to Penny Sansevieri’s new podcast and this newest episode on book marketing as she interviews Amy Cornell.

How to Put Together an Indie Author Anthology from Jane Friedman’s blog and by Mark Leslie Lefebvre and Matty Dalrymple: Learn how to create an anthology with other authors and earn money from your short fiction.

How to Promote Your Books Right Now by Rachel Thompson: This post explains what not to do during this COVID-19 pandemic and what you should do.

Of Note

10 Easy Ways to Improve Your Focus Right Now by Rachel Thompson: There are a lot of reasons why we can lose our focus, aside from the pandemic. So read and keep this post somewhere for future use. And put these tips to use now.

Penny Sansevieri is giving away a monthly book marketing planner. Just download it here.

Quote of the Week







Twitter Just for Writers  is the most comprehensive Twitter eBook I’ve ever released. At 64-pages, it provides all the information you need to succeed on Twitter. Get it now for free!



Frances Caballo

I am an author and social media consultant for writers My focus is on helping writers like you surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online and building their platform. I also provide content writing and email marketing services. Be sure to download my ebook on Twitter. You can get it now for free!

The post Book Marketing Update appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.

22 Book Marketing Tips

How many book marketing tips have you tried?

Probably every single one that you’ve read about, right?

What makes book marketing so tough isn’t that you run out of ideas to market your books. It’s that you have so many different plans.

Well, if you want to make it as a writer, get ready for the marathon of writing and marketing. You’ll always be doing both from now on.

To make life easier for you (or harder?), I’ve assembled a checklist of my top book marketing tips for you.

A 22-Point Checklist of Book Marketing Tips



Start with These Basics



Purchase your ISBNs. Please don’t buy them from Amazon or BookBaby. If you use the cheap ISBNs that publishing companies sell, they will be the publisher of your books. When you buy the numbers from Bowker, you are a publishing company and your company’s name will appear in the book.Hire a website designerto build an author website using a quality theme. I like the Genesis themes by SudioPress.Self-host your blog on your website. Don’t use Blogger or WordPress.com. (Note: WordPress.com is separate from WordPress.org, which I do recommend.) Commit to blogging at least once a week if you write nonfiction. If you write fiction, I recommend blogging at least twice a month.Include on your website the options to sign up for your email list. To make it easy on yourself, use your blog as your regular form of communication you’re your readers. When you need to send marketing letters out, use this list. Make sure that you offer something for free to entice signups. A great enticement would be the first book in your series. If you only have one book written, provide the first two chapters for free.



Know Your Audience as You Write



Define your audience. Before you can even begin to market your book, you need to clarify exactly who your readers are. If you say everyone, you’re marketing to no one because your audience is too widely defined. Let’s look at some examples. Michael Hyatt knows the age, sex and income level of his ideal audience. If you write romance novels, you’ll want to use Facebook and Pinterest or Instagram. If you write young adult novels, I would suggest that you use Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter. My point is what you write will determine your reader demographics. It’s best if you have your reader in mind as you write your book and before you sign up for any social media networks.



Commit to Your Social Media Schedule



Once you know where you’ll be spending your time online, regularly start posting. On Twitter, post a minimum of three to five tweets and retweets daily. Post twice daily on your Facebook page, once a day on Instagram, and several times a week on Pinterest.Join Goodreads. Yes, Goodreads is a social media site. So, review books, add your blog posts, join a group, and organize several giveaways.



Commit to Your Readers



Make a commitment to your readers by allocating time every day to be social: Like, share and comment on their posts too. Always endeavor to share valuable content that your readers enjoy.Talk about your book in your social media posts. You could write, “I just finished my first draft of ________!” or “I’m sending my manuscript to the editor today!” This messaging will also help to build momentum. You can even ask your friends and fans for ideas on what to name certain characters.Start a VIP list. Ask your readers to join your VIP list or street team to help promote your books. Then, send prepublication ebooks to them using BookFunnel and encourage them to write book reviews.



Book Covers Sell Books



Ask your designer to create a cover for you before you finish your book. I usually nail down a cover six months or longer before I release my books. Also, I let my Facebook fans and friends select the best cover from a sampling of three. By doing this, you will build momentum for your book.



Kindle Select Program



Some authors sign up for the exclusive Kindle Select Program so they can offer their books for free as a promotion from time to time. Decide whether it’s right for you. Offering your book for free doesn’t always get the result you want (a high number of downloads with the anticipation of an equal number of reviews). Know that you have options. What you can do instead is forego the Kindle Select Program and schedule several days on a quarterly basis when you lower the price of your ebook to $.99 or $1.99. Then promote the sale price on social media, websites devoted to publicizing $.99-cent books, on your website, and in your newsletter. This way, you can publish your book widely (iBooks, Kobo, Smashwords, etc.) and still be able to promote it with a reduced price.



Email Marketing Is Vital



Look for an email marketing service that fits your needs. I and a lot of other people in this industry recommend MailerLite. They have excellent customer service and if you don’t opt for a pop-up, you can use it for free. Communicate with your newsletter subscribers Let them know what you’re doing, what you’re planning on writing, what you’re working on, and what promotions you’re planning for them.



Blogging Tours Raise Awareness



Hire an experienced book blogging tour company. The one I’ve used contacted high-trafficked blogs in the U.S., Canada, and France. The bloggers wrote honest reviews, sponsored contests for free copies of my book, and some of the bloggers also wrote five-star reviews on Amazon. The company I used is called TLC Book Tours.



Publish in All Available Formats



Make your books available as ebooks, paperbacks, and audiobooks. Over time, create box sets. People love ebooks (it’s not my preferred way to read books). Other people prefer audiobooks. So use all three formats to sell the most books.



Preorders Work



Put your books on preorder for one month. That way you can build sales, and when the books come off of preorder status, you’ll have people ready to write reviews.While the preorder is in place, mail books to influencers in your field or genre. I did this and they, in turn, raved about my books on Facebook and invited me to speak to their writers’ groups.



Final Book Marketing Tips



Hold contests and announce your awards.If you are going to have a Facebook page, purchase advertising. Actually, Facebook advertising is a great way to promote your books.Apply for a BookBub promotion. Authors have crazy success with BookBub. Get ready to discount your book to at least $.99.Experiment with Amazon ads. However, if you plan to do this, use 1,000 keywords or don’t try this option at all.

Most of all, be patient. Book marketing isn’t easy, but it’s always worth the effort. During those periods of burnout, you may want to hire a virtual assistant to carry the load for a while. Just don’t give up!

What is your favorite strategy for boosting book sales?

Frances Caballo is an author and social media consultant. Her focus is on helping authors surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online and building their platform. Also, she provides content writing and email marketing services. Find out how you’re doing on social media.

The post 22 Book Marketing Tips appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.