The No. 1 Ability of The Empowered Author

There are many qualities of successful authors. But I think empowered authors have one ability that makes them more dynamic, effective, and desirable to potential publishing partners.

It's an ability to directly connect with an audience.

This Thursday, I'm teaching an online class about how to find and develop your readership. The more you're able to find and engage with your audience, the stronger your overall position, no matter what kind of book or project you launch.

What does it take to do this?

Time
Energy
Patience
A little online savvy
Mostly: creativity and imagination

Yes, interacting with your readers does take time away from your writing. But it's an investment in the long-term future of your career. It's an investment in word of mouth for your next project. It's like putting money in the bank.

Just as a company might analyze its "purchase" funnel, you should think about the different ways you touch potential readers and core fans. For instance, here's what my funnel looks like:

I reach strangers (potential readers) mostly through Twitter, search engines, and events. My evangelists also spread the word to their audiences.
I reach a casually interested audience (and sometimes strangers) through this blog, Facebook, Google Plus, and LinkedIn.
I reach my dedicated audience through people who subscribe to this blog via RSS and e-mail.
I consider true fans to be e-mail newsletter subscribers and buyers of my e-book on The Future of Publishing .

Do you know what your funnel looks like? Do you have one? If you want to learn more about audience development, click here to read more about my class this Thursday. It costs $79 to register. Perks include:


A full year of access to the recording of the session
The ability to ask me any questions you like (no question goes unanswered)

Hope to see you there.