Frances Caballo's Blog: 10 Twitter Tips Writers Need to Know, page 21
February 4, 2019
14 Facebook Pages for Authors to Review
I tell writers, “Facebook is tough.” Specifically, I am referring to Facebook pages. The organic reach makes it difficult to gain traction at times.
Like it or not, your posts organically reach just 2% of your fans’ newsfeeds.
That’s horrible.
HubSpot (an all-in-one inbound marketing and sales platform) agrees that organic reach on Facebook business pages (aka Facebook author pages) is dismal:
“In January 2018, according to Facebook’s Head of News Feed Adam Mosseri, Facebook began to “shift ranking to make News Feed more about connecting with people and less about consuming media in isolation.”
“As a result, marketing content was poised to take a backseat to content by friends and family — a value that Facebook says it originally had, and that it’s trying to return to. What this means that of the number of people who have Liked your Facebook page, about 10% of them see your posts. This also means that if you want more of your fans to see your posts, you need to provide great content consistently and plan to have a Facebook advertising budget.”
However, worldwide, there are over 2.32 billion monthly active users as of December 31, 2018. With that many users, it’s difficult to ignore Facebook.
And Facebook’s advertising feature is impressive and works exceedingly well and you can use it to boost your reach and find members of your reading demographic on Facebook. With its custom audiences, you can target just about any person, cause, and geographical region with your message.
So let’s take a look at some Facebook pages.
Facebook Pages Authors Need to Watch
There is a lot of variety in how these authors handle their Facebook pages. I like Anne Lamott, Isabel Allende, and Joanna Penn’s pages best.
Anne Lamott 509,111 Likes
Anne Lamott doesn’t post regularly, but she does seem to write her own updates, which is a plus for someone of her standing.
In a recent post, she praised Brain Pickings and Maria Popova. How’s that for networking and helping others out?
In another post, she shared the titles of books she’d read in 2019. As you can see, she’s building great karma with other writers, which is something all authors should do.
A post of her reading from a book triggered 904 Likes, 38 comments, 142 shares, and 29,000 views. Wow!
Be sure to Like her page and emulate what she does.
Isabel Allende 1,072,187 Likes
Isabel Allende, a native of Chile, writes her posts in both English and Spanish. (Spanish-speaking social media users tend to outnumber other demographics.) In the past, she has shared historical images, birthday messages to the Likes of Gloria Steinem, and information about nonprofits.
I love Isabel Allende’s Facebook author page. She apparently writes posts herself and is very open about her life. On January 5 she wrote this:
As you can see, that post has 17,000 Likes, 3,800 comments, and 637 shares.
On December 21, she posted a picture of herself in a market in the town of Achao on the island of Chiloe. That post generated 4,500 Likes, 256 comments, and 235 shares.
Look at Allende’s posts, follow her, and learn from her.
Mark Dawson 28,656
Compared to Allende, indie thriller author Mark Dawson has fewer page Likes and a great following.
A recent post, Dawson decided to give away a free, signed book. That post triggered 22 Likes and 94 comments. In another post, he asked people to write a review of his books. That post just triggered seven Likes.
It’s worth following Dawson to look for his Facebook ads. They are stellar.
He lacks some engagement on Facebook, but I suspect he’s mostly there for the advertising potential. And having more than 28,000 page Likes is nothing to complain about.
The Creative Penn (Joanna Penn) 25,020 Likes
Joanna Penn regularly posts to her page. She’s more into Twitter, where she has an active following of more than 84,000 followers.
Her Facebook page has a great profile picture and banner image. She posts information about her podcasts (her podcast is one of the best for authors) and responds to comments her readers leave. Kudos to her!
I suggest you follow her on Twitter, Like her Facebook page, and subscribe to her podcast on iTunes. She knows her stuff and is willing to share her knowledge.
Nick Stephenson 21,302 Likes
Nick Stephenson, similar to Dawson and Penn, is another British, indie, thriller author. His profile picture reveals his sense of humor and his banner image is perfect in that it points to the sign-up link for his newsletter.
He doesn’t post regularly on Facebook. He posted a funny image of himself in green sneakers on November 9, 2018, and before that a post on March 2. I can’t find examples where he’s replied to readers’ comments either.
It appears that he uses Facebook for the advertising opportunities and focuses on other types of marketing, such as developing a VIP list or street team. He also created an author marketing webinar that he uses to supplement his writing income.
Among the three British, indie, thriller authors, Joanna Penn’s Facebook page is the best.
Let’s Look at Smaller Facebook Pages
Although these authors don’g have page Likes in the millions, they have active followers and it’s worthwhile to study how they use Facebook pages.
Meg Waite Clayton 13,405 Likes
Meg Waite Clayton is New York Times bestselling author of historical, literary fiction. She’s traditionally published. She does a great job of mixing personal posts with funny ones with other posts about her writing.
Her news about a new book being picked up by Harper brought her 350 Likes and 195 comments. She doesn’t have the following of an Allende – yet – but she’s present on her page. Her profile picture is informal, and her banner image shows a stack of new books.
Clayton is someone to follow and watch.
Molly Fisk 1,869 Likes
Molly Fisk is a poet. Her profile is of a book cover (yuck), but her banner image shows her in the sun, smiling, and her arms wide open, as if embracing the day. It’s effective.
Fisk has an active Facebook profile and posts regularly on her Facebook page. If you’re a poet, you’ll want to follow her and connect with her profile, as well.
Jordan Rosenfeld 2,241 Likes
Jordan Rosenfeld posts a lot on her profile and keeps up her Facebook page nicely. She’s terrific at replying to comments.
If you don’t know Rosenfeld, she’s an author in her own right and writes books about writing, edits, and coaches authors. I recommend that you follow her because she knows her stuff and you can learn a lot from her.
Barry Eisler 12,062 Likes
Barry Eisler is a former intelligence officer who writes killer novels. He almost posts daily to his Facebook page and sometimes posts multiple status updates in one day. He also responds to comments.
A post he wrote about two op-eds from the Economist triggered twenty-eight Likes, five comments, and two shares.
His book The Killer Collective ranks at No. 1 in four categories, ranks at 16 in a fifth category, and out of the top 100 authors, he ranks at No. 1 again. The book is an Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestseller.
So, this guy sells a heck of a lot of books and is engaged with his audience. Emulate him.
Don’t Do What EL James Does with Her Facebook Page
Yes, EL James is wildly successful. But has she forgotten the readers who made her famous. I don’t know for certain.
EL James 2.3 Million Likes
The author of 50 Shades of Grey has a wildly popular Facebook page.
There are some problems with this page, however. Her profile image doesn’t reveal her face. It’s just a picture of her bent over a sheet of paper with a pen. That’s a rookie mistake.
The other issue is that she doesn’t reply to comments. Now, with 2.3 million Likes there are going to be a lot of comments, but it seems that her publisher could at least hire some assistants to help with the page.
See this complaint from a fan:
The posting is also irregular. So you can look at this Facebook page as an example of what not to do, even when you’re rich and famous.
In the past, I did some fun marketing. For example, the author showed a pint of beer with the number fifty on it. But I’m not seeing anything imaginative now.
Facebook Pages for Author Services
If I were you, I would Like all of these Facebook pages and follow them closely. Of course, it would only make sense for you to follow Lisa Tener’s page if you were writing nonfiction.
Goodreads 1,111,183 Likes
The social media network for readers, Goodreads has an active presence and posts regularly. Its post from January 1 asked readers to pledge how many books they would read in 2019. The response? The update brought in 6,000 Likes, 911 comments, and 1,714 shares.
It recently ran a darling picture of socks with this printed message, “Sorry I can’t. I’m all booked.” That post triggered 986 Likes, 47 comments, and 131 shares.
Writer’s Digest 288,421 Likes
What I found interesting about this page that there are very few comments considering the number of page Likes, yet its information is widely shared. For example, a post about literary agents garnered seventy-three Likes, one comment, and twenty-two shares. Another post about comics and graphic novels received forty-three Likes, three comments, and twenty-four shares. But whoever manages the page doesn’t seem to respond to comments.
I include this page because Writer’s Digest offers excellent courses and it’s a unique organization to follow to increase your skill set.
BadRedhead Media 18,081 Likes
The talented Rachel Thompson has a company called BadRedhead Media. She helps clients with all aspects of social media marketing, branding, blogging, blog tours, and reviews. She is a writer as well.
Thompson posts regularly. An update from October 25, 2018, received 502 Likes, one comment, and four shares. Follow her on Facebook to learn more about marketing and definitely follow her on Twitter, where she has 155,000 followers for her handle @RachelintheOC. She knows her stuff.
Every Wednesday at 6 pm PST she hosts a #BookMarketingChat. Take part in it if you can.
Lisa Tener: Bring Your Book to Life 2,694 Likes
If you write or want to write a nonfiction book, Like and follow Lisa Tener: Bring Your Book to Life on Facebook. Follow her on Twitter, too, at @LisaTener.
Tener works out of Harvard, where she helps professors publish their books. Outside of that gig, she runs online workshops to help nonfiction writers attain a publisher and success. Some of her clients have gone on to be on the New York Times Bestseller list and even on the Oprah show.
Other nonfiction authors choose the indie route or go with small publishers.
Whatever your goal might be, Lisa Tener can work with you to help you achieve it. She’s someone to watch and follow. I suggest you sign up for her newsletter to keep abreast of her offerings.
I hope you find the analysis helpful and either met new authors or will start to follow authors who can teach you how to be successful with your Facebook page just by following their examples.
Want to know all of my best social media marketing tips? Get a copy of Social Media Just for Writers.
Well written, well researched – well thought out. This book is a must have!
Ryshia Kennie
Author of this blog: Frances Caballo is an author and social media strategist and manager for writers. She wrote several social media books including Social Media Just for Writers and The Author’s Guide to Goodreads. Her focus is on helping authors surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online, building their platform, and finding new readers. Her clients have included authors of every genre and writers’ conferences. Not sure how you’re doing online? Sign up for her free email course.
Online Book Marketing Strategies for Writers
The post 14 Facebook Pages for Authors to Review appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.
February 1, 2019
Indie Author Weekly Update – February 1, 2019
Welcome back to the Indie Author Weekly Update. In this week’s five posts you’ll find book marketing, Facebook marketing, and social media marketing tips and strategies. Put them to use to sell more of your books.
Have a great weekend!
Do Some Book Reviews Matter More than Others by Penny Sansevieri: “Book reviews are still a great way to sell a book, even in 2019. The truth is, people like what other people like – and book reviews are a nod to that. But with so many books published each day (4,500 or more) it’s getting harder and harder to gain access to book-review sites. We all have limited time to market, and going after book reviews takes time. In some cases, a lot of time. So which reviewers should you target, and which should you leave behind? Let’s break down all your book-review options!”
Book Tours Are More Than Just Showing Up from Publisher’s Weekly and by Chris Pavone: “In the abstract, a book tour looks like it might be tremendous fun: packed houses of adoring fans, expense-account dinners in fancy far-flung restaurants. I’ve now promoted three books across a couple dozen states and 10 countries, and my experience has looked much more like bleary-eyed airport breakfasts at one end of the day and modest register tallies at the other, which begs the question, was this worth it?”
Consider these 8 Marketing Tips in 2019 from Writer Unboxed and by Ann Marie Nieves: “It’s my 20-something year in PR, my 10th in social media, and good ole lucky 13 as a tiny business owner. While I’m thoroughly enjoying the wisdom of my 40s, I can honestly say that each day at my desk, seated in my well-worn chair, feels brand new.”
The Ultimate 2019 Social Media Holiday Calendar for All Your Marketing Needs from Content Standard: “Nothing brings people together more than a reason to celebrate, and holiday-related content is always a major win for brands when it comes to generating awareness and taking part in the global conversations that get their audiences excited.”
How to Reduce Marketing Anxiety and Confusion by Jane Friedman: “I’ll never forget a conversation I had years ago with a colleague who runs online courses for authors. He emphasized the necessity of teaching tactics: tangible, actionable steps that students can take toward their goals. If he focused too much on big-picture strategy or abstract theory, he said, he lost attention and course satisfaction.”
Advertising with Barnes and Noble from TheBookDesigner.com and by Amy Collins: “Joining in the party (although a tad late) is Barnes and Noble who announced last week that they are now offering a self-service advertising program. The program is now in Beta and quickly maxed out on takers. Within 24 hours after the announcement, B&N’s page showed that they were no longer accepting Beta testers for the program.”
Of Note
This isn’t a new post but it’s a must read and evergreen: The Reasons Branding Confuses You and How To Fix That Right Now from Rachel Thompson: “Awhile back, I wrote an article, Branding 101, which detailed the basics for writers what branding is all about. Read that first if you haven’t yet, then come on back. over. This branding article by professor, author, and Forbes writer David Vinjamuri is also quite helpful.”
Quote of the Week
Want to know all of my best social media marketing tips? Get a copy of Social Media Just for Writers.
Well written, well researched – well thought out. This book is a must have!
Ryshia Kennie
Author of this blog: Frances Caballo is an author and social media strategist and manager for writers. She wrote several social media books including Social Media Just for Writers and The Author’s Guide to Goodreads. Her focus is on helping authors surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online, building their platform, and finding new readers. Her clients have included authors of every genre and writers’ conferences. Not sure how you’re doing online? Sign up for her free email course.
Online Book Marketing Strategies for Writers
The post Indie Author Weekly Update – February 1, 2019 appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.
January 28, 2019
How Not to Market Your Book – 12 Rookie Mistakes
Did you just publish your first book? It’s an exciting time, isn’t it? You’re probably thinking that now it’s time to market your book.
To learn about how to market your book, you’re probably reading blog posts like mine and absorbing as much information as you can.
Writers put so much energy into writing their books that they have little time to think about marketing them until the final edit is done.
That’s when your head tends to come up and when you stop typing. You think to yourself, “It’s time to publish!”
Mistakes You Make When You Market Your Book
No. 1 – You Start Too Late
The first mistake writers make is that they focus solely on their writing and not on their marketing while they write a book.
Sure, your writing needs to be top-notch, but if you don’t start to market your book early enough, it won’t matter how well you wrote your book.
As soon as you have an idea for your book and start to write it, start your marketing.
Solution: Find a reputable website developer and build a website. Here’s a post I wrote on author websites. Read it. If you need referrals to website developers, ask me.
No. 2 – You Don’t Blog
Start a blog. At this stage, you can blog about your writing process, characters you kill off, places where you write, and reasons why you write.
No. 3 – You Think You Don’t Have Time for Social Media
think about your readers. Who are they? Why would they want to read your book?
Look at Pew Research Centersocial media studies to determine which social media networks your readers use. Start to use at least one social media network that your readers use.
Six months later, learn how to use another social media network that your readers use.
No. 4 – You Exclude Your Publishing to Paperback Books
This is a real problem that I’ve encountered with some clients.
Publishing today, if you want to be successful, needs to include paperbacks, ebooks, audiobooks, and box sets.
The more options you give your readers, the more ways they’ll have to buy what you write.
No. 5 – You Go Wide Right Away
When you start out in publishing, it’s preferable not to go wide. In other words, with your first and second books, limit your publishing to Amazon. Doing this will make your books eligible for KDP Select, which will enable you to discount your book to $.0 for five days each quarter.
Also, when you are in the KDP Select Program, Amazon automatically enrolls your book in Kindle Unlimited as well as the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library, a collection of books that Amazon Prime members who own a Kindle can choose one book each month with no due dates.
The KDP Select Program offers opportunities that new authors can benefit from.
Once you write your third book, then go wide. In other words, use a service, such as Draft2Digitalto publish your books on iTunes, Kobo, and elsewhere.
No. 6 – You Think Giving Books Away for Free is Dumb
I used to think that. I figured that after all my research, writing, three editors, designers, etc., that it would be ludicrous to give my book away for free.
Man was I wrong.
As a new writer, you don’t have readers yet. One way to acquire readers is to give your book away for free.
Sign up for KDP Select and use your free promotional days. Send free copies of your books to leaders in your niche and industry. Send copies of your books to bloggers and give away ten copies of your book on Goodreads.
No. 7 – You Don’t Learn About Amazon’s Categories
Before uploading your book to Amazon through Kindle Direct Publishing, learn about keyword phrases and categories.
Here is a list of the BISAC codesyou need to know so you can find your categories.
Also, learn about keyword phrases. This is an excellent postfrom Dave Chesson of Kindlepreneur about how to conduct your keyword research.
No. 8 – You Ignore Goodreads
Please don’t ignore Goodreads. It’s a social media network for readers.
When you join, don’t use this channel purely for marketing. Goodreads, above everything else, is a network designed for readers. A good number of its users have graduate degrees.
So when you join Goodreads, build your library of books you’ve read and write reviews regularly. Also, join a group and give some of your books away for free.
No. 9 – You Don’t Help to Market Your Colleagues’ Books
As you write your book, get to know writers in your genre. After you publish, continue to meet other writers in your genre. Retweet them, share their blog posts, and help them to be a success.
In other words, build a cooperative gathering of similarly minded writers who help each other find success.
No. 10 – You Talk About Your books and Yourself too Much on Social Media
Too often, writers view social media as advertising channels. They aren’t.
The essence of social media is that it’s social. Ask and answer questions. Find information that your readers would love that you didn’t produce.
Social media isn’t about you and your books and blog posts. It’s about the community you build.
No. 11 – You Don’t Include a Letter to the Reader in Your Book Requesting a Review
Every book needs a letter to the reader. Some people put it in the front of the book, but most people include it after the last page.
Thank your readers for buying your book and tell them how much it would mean to you if they would leave a review, especially on Amazon.
No. 12 – You Don’t Develop a Street Team
A writer needs help selling her books. You can hire assistants or people like myself or publicists. Even if you hired those three categories of experts, you would still need a street team t.
Members of a street team receive advance reader copies of your books, they tweet about your books, post on Facebook about your books, and take a picture of your cover and put it on Instagram.
In other words, these readers love your books so much that they talk about them and recommend them. They may even help you get speaking gigs locally.
Do whatever you can to develop a dedicated street team. And treat them well. Give the members of your street team chachkies, free books, a kindle, or an Amazon gift certificate. These are your most dedicated readers, and they deserve your loyalty and special treatment.
Want to know all of my best social media marketing tips? Get a copy of Social Media Just for Writers.
Well written, well researched – well thought out. This book is a must have!
Ryshia Kennie
Author of this blog: Frances Caballo is an author and social media strategist and manager for writers. She wrote several social media books including Social Media Just for Writers and The Author’s Guide to Goodreads. Her focus is on helping authors surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online, building their platform, and finding new readers. Her clients have included authors of every genre and writers’ conferences. Not sure how you’re doing online? Sign up for her free email course.
Online Book Marketing Strategies for Writers
The post How Not to Market Your Book – 12 Rookie Mistakes appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.
January 25, 2019
Indie Author Weekly Update – January 25, 2019
Welcome to the Indie Author Weekly Update. There are so many posts here for you to enjoy. Anne R. Allen wrote a killer post on guest blogging and Joan Stewart will show you how to make money aside from book sales. If you hold contests using Facebook, reading ShortStack’s post is a must.
Enjoy the selection this week.
Guest Blogging is the Best FREE Publicity for Writers: 12 Tips for Landing Effective Guest Blog Spots by Anne R. Allen: ” Most author marketing gurus will tell you that guest blogging is one of the best ways to promote your book. Beth Hayden wrote on Jane Friedman’s blog about the many ways guest blogging builds platform and sells books. She points out that it increases your authority as well as getting your name out there and increasing sales. And it’s right up your alley. You don’t have to be a great photographer or a telegenic public speaker. All you have to do is write. You got this.”
Building a Platform for Your Work When You’re Unpublished from Jane Friedman and by Michael Warner: “After spending thirty years in other fields, I’ve recently embarked on a career as a writer. And what I’ve found is that great how-to advice—from sources like Jane Friedman, Writer’s Digest, and kboards—actually seems to work.”
9 Inexpensive Revenue Streams for Broke or Struggling Authors by Joan Stewart by from TheBookDesigner.com: “I’ve always counseled my author clients to create revenue streams beyond their books. Print books, in particular, suck up money like a vacuum cleaner, with most of it spent on editing, printing, cover and interior design, marketing and publicity.”
Cover design is a huge factor in your book’s success, so here are 12 questions to ask when hiring a designer from BookBub Partners and by Diana Urban: “Your book’s cover provides a reader with a first impression of your work, and despite all advice to the contrary, people will judge your book by its cover. Reedsy found that professionally designed covers increased display ad clicks between 12.5% to 53%, and early BookBub testing found that a good cover can account for 30% more clicks on a Featured Deal.”
8 Facebook Competition Rules You Should Never Ignore from ShortStack: “To keep your Facebook Page compliant, you need to make sure that you adhere to all of Facebook’s competition rules. Go over this list before you launch your next contest to ensure that you get the exposure you want without risking your account.”
What authors need to know about Snapchat by Sandra Beckwith: “According to a Pew Research Center study, Facebook is the fourth social network of choice for teens ages 13 to 17, after YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat. Only 10 percent of the teens surveyed say they use Facebook most often.” Note: Learn more about Snapchat by buying my book Social Media Just for Writers.
Quote of the Week
Want to know all of my best social media marketing tips? Get a copy of Social Media Just for Writers.
Well written, well researched – well thought out. This book is a must have!
Ryshia Kennie
Author of this blog: Frances Caballo is an author and social media strategist and manager for writers. She wrote several social media books including Social Media Just for Writers and The Author’s Guide to Goodreads. Her focus is on helping authors surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online, building their platform, and finding new readers. Her clients have included authors of every genre and writers’ conferences. Not sure how you’re doing online? Sign up for her free email course.
Online Book Marketing Strategies for Writers
The post Indie Author Weekly Update – January 25, 2019 appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.
January 21, 2019
20 Pinterest Accounts to Follow for Authors
Which Pinterest accounts do you follow? I tend to follow accounts that fall within my interests.
For example, I love to collect images of bookstores, bookshelves, and libraries, so I follow people who have similar boards. But I also like to follow other authors.
I’ve also been thinking about Pinterest a lot lately because it’s been so long since I’ve written a post devoted to this search engine.
In the beginning, I loved to escape to this network to build my boards and find eye-catching images.
These days, I use Pinterest more seriously. I use it almost exclusively to pin images from my blog as well as the author quotes I post on Fridays.
Pinterest is a powerful referral source so while you can just use it for fun, don’t forget that you should also use it to post images from your blog posts, create boards around the books you’ve published, and create boards on future books.
I thought we could explore together how other authors and writing-related organizations use Pinterest by examining their boards below.
Pinterest Accounts – Authors
Joel Friedlander, The Book Designer
It’s no surprise that author, blogger, and book designer Joel Friedlander’s boards focus primarily on images from his blog, and about book covers, the templates he sells, the books he’s written, and book production. His account receives 64,600 monthly viewers.
Author, publishing consultant, and conference speaker Jane Friedman has thirteen boards. She pins images about getting published, book marketing, digital tools, and Amazon and the publishing industry. She has 3,000 followers and has 24,800 monthly viewers.
K.M. Weiland – Helping Writers Become Authors
Author K.M. Weiland created 39 boards on quotes, writer resources, and boards related to writing historical fiction. She has 7,000 followers and enjoys 318,4000 monthly viewers.
Rachel Thompson is an author and marketer who writes about book marketing as well as her experience as a survivor of child sexual abuse. She started NaNoProMo to help authors who participate in NaNoWriMo market their books. She has boards on great blog posts, 30-day book marketing strategies, and PTSD. She has 6,000 followers and has 17,000 monthly viewers.
Meg Waite Clayton is a New York Times bestselling novelist. Her boards tend to focus on her writing life. She has 109 followers and 9,400 monthly viewers.
Roz Morris is also a writer. Her boards include places to write, Alliance of Indie Authors, and adorable covers. She has 854 followers.
Pinterest Accounts – Services for Authors
Author and founder of Author Marketing Experts, Penny Sansevieri’s account naturally focuses on book marketing, blogging and internet tips, writer inspiration, and dog love. She also has a board devoted to 52 Ways to Sell More Books, which is the title of one of her books. She enjoys 25,000 monthly viewers.
Jordan Rosenfeld is a California-based author and editor. She has numerous boards, and they include Books & Stories I’ve Written, Write Path Retreats, and Book Cover – WriteFree. Her Yummy Foods includes a picture of an Old Book Cake. She has 328 followers
Lisa Tener is a book writing coach and speaker. Her boards focus on gifts for writers, building an author’s platform, book proposal guides, and nonfiction writing. She has 2,300 monthly viewers.
Live Write Thrive – A Writer’s Place by C.S. Lakin
Susanne, who also goes by C.S. Lakin, is a prolific and successful writer, blogger, writing coach, and editor. She has 14 boards that include these topics: novel writing, writing prompts, and book marketing. She has 44 monthly viewers.
Your Writer Platform by Kimberley Grabas
Kimberley Grabas helps authors sell more books. She also developed the book launch toolkit for Joel Friedlander. She has 89 boards including boards on a writer’s platform, book launch strategies, email list building, as well as boards on social media marketing. She has 6,000 followers and has 102,000 monthly viewers.
Pure Spirit Creations by Nina Amir
Nina Amir is an author, nonfiction coach, and a high-performance coach. She started Write Nonfiction in November and has a board devoted to that topic. She also has a board on writing for change, and one titled Books I Think Are Worth Reading. She has 920 followers and 6,000 monthly viewers.
Dave Chesson is an author and the public face of Kindlepreneur and its primary tool, KDP Rocket. He has boards on Facebook advertising, internet marketing social media, authors and readers, book editing, and blogging tips. He has 1,000 followers and 89,600 monthly viewers.
Pinterest Accounts – Organizations for Writers
Grammarly is an application that helps writers or all kinds make sure that what they publish is error-free. The entity is boards of grammar, punctuation, writing, spelling, and humor. It has 16,000 followers and 305,200 monthly viewers.
Goodreads is a social media for readers and book recommendations. Its boards include “goodshelves,” book nooks, quotes we love, best books of the month, and libraries in art. Goodreads has 169,000 followers and 9.6 million monthly viewers.
Reedsy is a marketplace for self-publishing. Here, authors work with freelance consultants vetted by Reedsy. These consultants can include book coaches, editors, and marketers. Reedsy’s boards include images from its blog posts, author profiles, and books from a variety of genres plus writing prompts. Reedsy has 28 boards, 747 followers and 290,100 monthly viewers.
Book Riot says that it’s “dedicated to the idea that writing about books and reading should be just as diverse as books and readers are.” Its board topics include quizzes for book nerds, book and literary tattoos, shelf admiration, rad book art, and book memes. Book Riot has 68,000 followers and 5.2 million monthly viewers.
Literary Hub claims to be the go-to website for literary culture. It has 23 boards and the topics of the include The Staff Shelf, The Last Bookstore; The Staff Shelf: Newtonville Books; Mother’s Day Reading List; and Tax Day Reading List. Literary Hub has 128 followers and 1,500 monthly viewers.
Writer’s Digest publishes books, magazines and sponsors competitions and conferences. Its 20 boards including the following topics: writing tips, inspirational writing quotes, writing prompts, and free downloads on writing. It has 10,000 followers and has 257,600 monthly viewers.
Library Journal is a publication for the library community. Its 69 boards include Library Inspiration, Library Humor, LibraryReads Authors, and the best books of different years. It has 3,000 followers and receives 19,800 monthly viewers.
And Then There’s My Board
Be sure to check out my account, Frances Caballo.
I have boards on Twitter, Pinterest, author quotes, favorite books, libraries, a writer’s life, and so much more. I have 111,800 monthly viewers.
Want to know all of my best social media marketing tips? Get a copy of Social Media Just for Writers.
Well written, well researched – well thought out. This book is a must have!
Ryshia Kennie
Author of this blog: Frances Caballo is an author and social media strategist and manager for writers. She wrote several social media books including Social Media Just for Writers and The Author’s Guide to Goodreads. Her focus is on helping authors surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online, building their platform, and finding new readers. Her clients have included authors of every genre and writers’ conferences. Not sure how you’re doing online? Sign up for her free email course.
Online Book Marketing Strategies for Writers
The post 20 Pinterest Accounts to Follow for Authors appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.
January 18, 2019
Indie Author Weekly Update – January 18, 2019
Welcome back to the Indie Author Weekly Update. This week’s roundup has an excellent array of posts from marketers and bloggers on book marketing. Plus, there’s a short video clip from Dave Chesson on Amazon ads. I’m certain you’ll find all of the information below helpful to your book marketing endeavors. Enjoy the posts!
Social Media Throwdown: Facebook Groups by Julie Glover: “So where I have landed in the scheme of social media? Once I passed about a thousand followers on Twitter and followed as many, that platform became overwhelming. I really only use it to share articles, check in on current events, and track certain hashtags. The rest of the time, I default to Facebook.”
A Guide to Getting More Reader Reviews by BookBub Partners: “This guide shares some tried and tested strategies to generate more reader reviews on retailer sites. It will also help you learn what practices to avoid so retailer sites don’t remove them. If you’ve struggled to get reviews or simply need more, check these out!”
Book Promotion: Do This, Not That – January 2019 from TheBookDesigner.com and by Amy Collins: “Another year, another set of chances for you and your book! While I usually focus on authors and publishers in this column, this month, I am the one guilty of committing the errors in DO THIS NOT THAT.”
Amazon has recently updated their Amazon books ads system. Check out this video from Dave Chesson: “And unlike most of their updates, this Amazon book ads update actually has some pretty awesome changes. So, in this video, I will explain all of the changes that have been made to the new Amazon book ads system.”
100 Best Writing Websites: 2019 Edition: from The Write Life and by Dana Sitar: “Whether you’re a novelist, journalist, Ph.D. candidate, entrepreneurial blogger, self-help guru writing a book or some combination of creativity at the intersection of multiple ambitions, you call yourself “a writer.” Whatever kind of writer you are, a blog or online community probably exists to help you succeed. Each year, The Write Life celebrates these vast resources available by releasing a list of the 100 Best Websites for Writers, and we’re excited to do it for the sixth year in a row.”
WITS Throwdown: Putting the “Social” in Social Media by Jenny Hansen: “The real title of this post is How To Put the Social in Social Media Without Losing Your Mind or All Your Free Time. That’s a heavy promise, right? Social media does like to suck up valuable family time, writing time, down time. If you think about it as a big vaccuum that gives nothing back, you WILL be resistant to this whole ‘online social thing.'”
Quote of the Week
Want to know all of my best social media marketing tips? Get a copy of Social Media Just for Writers.
Well written, well researched – well thought out. This book is a must have!
Ryshia Kennie
Author of this blog: Frances Caballo is an author and social media strategist and manager for writers. She wrote several social media books including Social Media Just for Writers and The Author’s Guide to Goodreads. Her focus is on helping authors surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online, building their platform, and finding new readers. Her clients have included authors of every genre and writers’ conferences. Not sure how you’re doing online? Sign up for her free email course.
Online Book Marketing Strategies for Writers
The post Indie Author Weekly Update – January 18, 2019 appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.
January 14, 2019
12 Book Marketing Blogs to Read in 2019
When it comes to book marketing, there are some experts I rely on.
You see, we’re all too busy to suffer through a bloated email account with notices of blog posts and products for sale mixed in with missives from friends.
So probably like you, I limit incoming email as much as possible.
What you’ll find below is a list of blogs you’ll want to subscribe to. There are more blogs that are worthy as well but I thought I’d cut my list off at an easy dozen.
Here’s my list of experts I follow.
Jane Friedman is perhaps one of the smartest people in publishing today. She’s been featured on The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, PBS, CBS, the National Press Club and Publishers Weekly. She previously worked with Writer’s Digest. She teaches, is often a keynote speaker at writer’s conferences, and writes books. Her blog is among the most read in the industry.
Joel Friedlander’s The BookDesigner.com
Joel Friedlander has a wealth of information about self-publishing, and for years he frequently shares all that he knew on his blog. These days, he usually blogs once a week and has an expert in author publishing write a post on that publishes on Thursdays. His blog eventually launched another business, Joel’s book design templates. https://www.bookdesigntemplates.com
Thriller author Joanna Penn readily shares her vast amount of writing, publishing, and marketing experience with her readers and listeners. Joanna has been blogging for quite some time, and she started podcasting back when it was known as audio. Her podcast, well worth subscribing too as well, features every great expert in the industry. If you read and listen to Joanna often enough, you’ll soon be a bestselling author as well.
Alliance of Independent Authors
Started by traditionally published Orna Ross, Alli is a global, professional association for authors who self-publish. The organization brings together authors, services, and trusted industry professionals and offers educational opportunities for its members. Be sure to subscribe to its blog.
Author and book marketing expert David Gaughran always seems to know what’s hot in author marketing. He’s written excellent posts on BookBub ads, Facebook ads, and Amazon ads. If you want to learn how to become an expert book marketer, pay close attention to this guy. His books include Strangers to Superfans and Let’s Get Digital.
Yes, Anne can have a snarky tone to her writing, but that won’t dissuade you from reading her blog, which she publishes with Ruth Harris. So far, she’s written 21 books and so has sage advice on writing, which she shares on her blog. Guests fill in on the other weeks with marketing advice. This is a must-read blog.
Penny Sansevieri’s Author Marketing Experts
Penny Sansevieri runs her company, Author Marketing Experts, with her five employees. You’ll find her speaking at writer’s conferences around the country throughout the year because she’s an authority on author book marketing strategies and Amazon. She shares those strategies on her popular blog.
BookWorks is an international organization developed to help self-publishing authors prepare for publication. It also has a blog, and its writers include Joel Friedlander, Penny Sansevieri, Carla King, and Dave Chesson. Subscribe to this blog to keep abreast of what’s new in publishing and author marketing.
Kindlepreneur with Dave Chesson
Dave Chesson is the face of the company of 16 who produces the blog, podcast, and the company’s signature tool, KDP Rocket, a software that helps authors validate book ideas. The blog posts are lengthy, providing in-depth coverage of the topics. Dave is also an author of military science fiction books.
If writing advice if what you’d like, be sure to read Elizabeth’s blog. I especially love her “Twitterific” links that can include links to posts on writing, marketing, creativity, and inspiration. Writer’s Digest named her blog as one of the best 101 blogs for writers. She is a bestselling cozy mystery author.
I became aware of Gill Andrews six months ago and have since subscribed to her blog. I’ve learned a lot from reading her posts. If you want people to notice you and your books, make sure you have the best website you can. Gill can help you achieve that. And if you don’t want to hire her, just read her blog posts.
Whether you want to know how to improve your BookBub ad or find creative ways to launch your book, you’ll find answers on BookBub’s blog. I always look forward to the next installment and so will you.
Were you surprised by anyone on the list? Did I not include someone you follow? Please let me know in the comments below.
Want to know all of my best social media marketing tips? Get a copy of Social Media Just for Writers.
Well written, well researched – well thought out. This book is a must have!
Ryshia Kennie
Author of this blog: Frances Caballo is an author and social media strategist and manager for writers. She wrote several social media books including Social Media Just for Writers and The Author’s Guide to Goodreads. Her focus is on helping authors surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online, building their platform, and finding new readers. Her clients have included authors of every genre and writers’ conferences. Not sure how you’re doing online? Sign up for her free email course.
Online Book Marketing Strategies for Writers
The post 12 Book Marketing Blogs to Read in 2019 appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.
January 11, 2019
Indie Author Weekly Update – January 11, 2019
Welcome again to the Indie Author Weekly Update. Today, you’ll enjoy a lengthy post on LinkedIn, blogging and book promotion. I hope you enjoy them.
Enjoy your weekend!
9 Painful Blog Formatting Mistakes That Will Ruin the Best Content by Gill Andrews: “Some people still write on their blogs as if it’s a book – long paragraphs stretching over miles of pixels challenging the concentration abilities of their readers. I mean, how funny, interesting and engaging should your blog post be for your readers to hang in there even after they feel like they need to use their index finger to follow the lines? And no, sprinkling some highlights here and there doesn’t make it better. This paragraph is too long. Does your brain hurt a bit? Shall I stop? Ok, I guess you get the point.”
19 Kickass Book Promotion Resources for Authors in 2019 by Penny Sansevieri: “There’s a lot of book marketing “stuff” out there for authors, and while much of it is fantastic – it’s a bit like drinking from a firehose if you’re trying to consume all of that information. This list is geared with a very specific eye to what is helpful, educational, and a time-saver for your book promotion. And if there’s a resource you use religiously that we’ve left off, please, please share it in the comments below and give them some love – that’s what this is all about.”
20 LinkedIn Tips to Help Boost Engagement by Brad Smith: “Whether you’re looking to grow your business profile or expand your personal network, LinkedIn is a great platform to use. When used well, LinkedIn can help you raise brand awareness and boost traffic to your business.”
Ways to Push Ourselves as Writers in 2019 by Elizabeth Craig: “I realized at some point last year that I wanted to write a new series. For one thing, it’s nice to have an additional revenue stream, especially if a series may appeal to a different pool of readers. For another, I wanted to make sure that I was still growing. I wanted to try something different to keep myself sharp.”
Quote of the Week
Want to know all of my best social media marketing tips? Get a copy of Social Media Just for Writers.
Well written, well researched – well thought out. This book is a must have!
Ryshia Kennie
Author of this blog: Frances Caballo is an author and social media strategist and manager for writers. She wrote several social media books including Social Media Just for Writers and The Author’s Guide to Goodreads. Her focus is on helping authors surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online, building their platform, and finding new readers. Her clients have included authors of every genre and writers’ conferences. Not sure how you’re doing online? Sign up for her free email course.
Online Book Marketing Strategies for Writers
The post Indie Author Weekly Update – January 11, 2019 appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.
January 7, 2019
20 Inspirational Quotes to Guide You in 2019
The year 2019 is here. Instead of making resolutions, why not start the year with contemplating on what will inspire you? To help you, here are 20 inspirational quotes to guide you in 2019.
10 Quotes on Marketing to Guide You in 2019
“Good content isn’t about good storytelling. It’s about telling a true story well.” Ann Handley
“Content is fire, social media is gasoline.” Jay Baer
“Marketing is telling the world you’re a rock star. Content Marketing is showing the world you are one.” Robert Rose
“Don’t settle: Don’t finish crappy books. If you don’t like the menu, leave the restaurant. If you’re not on the right path, get off it.” Chris Brogan
“The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing.” Tom Fishburne
“Content is anything that adds value to the reader”s life.” Avinash Kaushik
“Content builds relationships. Relationships are built on trust. Trust drives revenue.” Andrew Davis
“Not viewing your email marketing as content is a mistake.” Chris Baggott
“The cost of being wrong is less than the cost of doing nothing.” Seth Godin
“Social media is about sociology and psychology more than technology.” Brian Solis
10 Inspirational Quotes on Writing to Guide You in 2019
“Read a thousand books, and your words will flow like a river.” Lisa See
“The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.” Terry Pratchett
“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.” Octavia E. Butler
“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” Louis L’Amour
“Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.” Virginia Woolf
“And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” Sylvia Plath
“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” Anton Chekhov
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Maya Angelou
“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” Ernest Hemingway
“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” Anais Nin
I hope you fulfill all of your writing dreams this year.
Want to know all of my best social media marketing tips? Get a copy of Social Media Just for Writers.
Well written, well researched – well thought out. This book is a must have!
Ryshia Kennie
Author of this blog: Frances Caballo is an author and social media strategist and manager for writers. She wrote several social media books including Social Media Just for Writers and The Author’s Guide to Goodreads. Her focus is on helping authors surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online, building their platform, and finding new readers. Her clients have included authors of every genre and writers’ conferences. Not sure how you’re doing online? Sign up for her free email course.
Online Book Marketing Strategies for Writers
The post 20 Inspirational Quotes to Guide You in 2019 appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.
January 4, 2019
Indie Author Weekly Update – January 4, 2019
I hope you enjoy this new edition of the Indie Author Weekly Update. While the weather is cold these posts are hot! Don’t miss the first two; they are chock-full of information that you’ll need in 2019.
2019 Publishing Predictions from Agent Laurie McLean from Anne R. Allen and by Laurie McLean: “The last year has seen a maturation of many of the trends that were sparked by the revolution in publishing that began a decade ago. Indie publishing. Social media marketing. The birth of Author-preneurs. Smart phones as reading devices. Digital diversity. The democratization of publishing. While a lot of these trends will continue to deepen and extend, there are a few speed bumps or even large potholes ahead that you’ll have to watch out for. Here are my predictions for 2019.”
12 SEO Tips to Drive Traffic and Sell Books from TheBookDesigner.com and by Lee Foster: “Sometimes truly happy events occur in the life of a writer/author/publisher who is posting articles on a blog/website. The writer usually hopes to gain audience share, possibly ultimately selling more books or other “products,” such as paid talks and consulting.”
Authors and Book Clubs by Sandra Beckwith: “Fortunately for authors, many book club members take their club commitments seriously, reading the assigned book and arriving prepared to both socialize and discuss the book. This is good news for you if you think your book is book club material.”
19 Author Marketing Gurus to Follow on Twitter in 2019 by Penny Sansevieri: “These types of lists are always hard for me because there really are a lot of standouts when it comes to finding solid author marketing advice. I’ve put this list together based on real professional experiences I’ve had with people, and of course the go-to resources I use to stay current on what’s happening in different areas of author marketing and book promotion. You may want to add a reminder to your book marketing calendar to check in with their feeds.”
How to Promote Your Book for Free from BookBub Partners: “So, you just put out a new book! (Hooray!) Or maybe you have that one book that never really got the sales or exposure you wanted it to get. With all the marketing tools available online, promoting a book — whether it’s a new release or a title that’s been sitting in your backlist — can be an overwhelming task. And many popular promotional options, from self-serve advertising platforms to email blasts, come with a price tag, which can be tricky if you’re on a budget.”
Quote of the Week
Want to know all of my best social media marketing tips? Get a copy of Social Media Just for Writers.
Well written, well researched – well thought out. This book is a must have!
Ryshia Kennie
Author of this blog: Frances Caballo is an author and social media strategist and manager for writers. She wrote several social media books including Social Media Just for Writers and The Author’s Guide to Goodreads. Her focus is on helping authors surmount the barriers that keep them from flourishing online, building their platform, and finding new readers. Her clients have included authors of every genre and writers’ conferences. Not sure how you’re doing online? Sign up for her free email course.
Online Book Marketing Strategies for Writers
The post Indie Author Weekly Update – January 4, 2019 appeared first on Social Media Just for Writers.
10 Twitter Tips Writers Need to Know
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