The Extroverted Writer: An Author's Guide to Marketing and Building a Platform

by Amanda Luedeke

Take control of your writing career and develop an online following that sells books and propels you forward!Whether you’re a published author or new to the industry, THE EXTROVERTED WRITER gives you the tools you need to gain a readership • Facebook• Twitter• Blogging• Websites• And MORE!Literary agent Amanda Luedeke uses her background in corporate marketing to show readers that even if you’re an introvert you can have a great online following by tapping into the reader-packed world of social media. From ideas to tips to absolute musts, THE EXTROVERTED WRITER builds on Amanda’s successful “Thursdays with Amanda” blog posts on ChipMacGregor.com. This easy-to-read guide breaks down the most popular social media sites and online options to give YOU the tools you need to be effective when engaging with your readers. Whether you’re new to social media or a longtime pro…whether you have dozens of books under your belt or are still waiting for your first deal, this book is for you.I started reading Amanda’s posts on chipmagregor.com about the time my novel was launching. Amanda’s understanding of branding and her insight as an agent were extremely helpful to me as I thought about an overall platform strategy. I had no idea what to do about Facebook, and her thoughts helped me refine what I was doing and better connect with my fiction readers.~ Charity Hawkins, author of The Homeschool a novelMy twitter following tripled with Amanda’s training and after putting her Google search rules into practice, my blog posts are drawing increased traffic and new shares. Reading The Extroverted Writer is like getting down-to-earth advice from your best friend. Your extroverted best friend that knows all the social media answers you need. Finally!~Laura Anderson Kurk (laurakurk.com), author of Glass Girl and Perfect GlassAmanda Luedeke, agent at the number one literary agency in the country, MacGregor Literary, Inc., takes you through easy, step by step approaches to growing your online presence and as a result, your audience. Her lessons are straightforward, simple and applicable, no smoke and mirrors or degrees in physics required. From growing your readership on your blog, to pumping up your number of Twitter followers, to utilizing the eye candy of Pinterest to promote your books, she has it all. I recommend this book for all authors; newbies, established and everyone in between. ~ Laura L. Smith, author

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Business

96 pages, Paperback

First published March 11, 2013

Reviews

[Katie Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I already knew a lot of the information in this book from reading lots and lots of articles online, but it's still nice to have everything consolidated in one place. I liked the author's voice -- it made for an easy read.

[W. Whalin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Literary Agent Amanda Luedeke is an experienced social media expert. The majority of writers are introverts and this book appeals to every writer--no matter whether you are extrovert or introvert. Everyone can use social media to build your connection to readers and the marketplace.

One of the keys is positioning and for blogging, Twitter and Facebook, this book is full of great advice and details. She packs a lot of detail into less than 100 pages. Worthwhile reading.

[Savanna Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5

Still one of the best entry level guides to marketing that I've ever read.

[Iola · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you have a website and are already active on Twitter and/or Facebook, then this probably isn’t the book for you. It gives good advice on why authors need to set up a website and be active in social media, but it doesn’t give much in the way of new advice on how. I’m speaking as someone who has followed Amanda’s posts on the MacGregor Literary blog for the last year or more—if you don’t read that, The Extroverted Writer provides a useful introduction to the subject.

Topics covered include:
- Knowing your audience (i.e. book genre);
- Knowing your online marketing goals;
- Websites;
- Blogs;
- Twitter;
- Facebook;
- Other social media sites: Pinterest, Tumblr, Goodreads, YouTube, LinkedIn

She gives hints for building a following on Twitter and Facebook, but these are not the only ways. I’m up to close to 1000 Twitter followers without using any of her ideas (I simply follow interesting people and hope they follow me back—most do). And her Facebook ideas are targeted towards the published or almost-published author (things like posting cover art and back cover copy). Good advice, but I think if you’re only just starting to build your online presence when you get a publishing contract, it’s a bit late (but better late than never, I suppose).

Amanda doesn’t really comment on when is the best time to begin building an online presence. I suppose she feels that if someone is interested enough to read to read the blog and buy the book, they are ready to begin. That’s probably not far wrong. My view is that authors should start building their online presence when they decide this writing thing is more than a hobby—it’s something they want to pursue as a viable career option.

The things I found most useful were here ballpark figures of the number of followers an agent or publisher considers ‘good’, and her explanation of the necessity to understand your market segment (i.e. genre). However, this information was all in the free Kindle sample!

[Lydia Howe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was short and sweet and very helpful. The author presents the information in an easy-to-understand and relatable fashion. It's practical, basic, and comes from an expert. What else could you ask for? There are step-by-step instructions, hints, ideas, and examples.

The Extroverted Writer was easily read over a couple-hour period of time, and I foresee myself re-reading it many times in the future.

[Lee Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy Amanda's "Thursdays with Amanda" on my agent Chip MacGregor's blog, but I've always had a strong distaste for marketing since I like salesmen about as much as I like root canals.

Although I know marketing is necessary to build our brand, I find it doesn't fit my personality at all. Amanda's book, and some other stuff I've been reading, have been helping me realize a few simple facts that I have a tendency to recoil from with sales in general but I need to shift my perspective on.

#1: The simple truth that no one will ever care about my novels as much as I do, and therefore I'm a fool for not championing them.

#2: That I could learn to enjoy the process if I focus on what I have to give to readers and my interactions with them, since really, all I'm looking for at this stage in my career is connecting with my core audience (those who love suspense that has some depth, a fine mix of brutality and tenderness.)

#3: That I have a tendency to over complicate what little marketing I've done, and therefore need to quit spinning my wheels and develop a simple plan with simple goals, and I need to focus consistent time to the areas that work best for me.

Amanda's book presents practical ways to build a platform. I think I'll have to read it a few times and do some soul searching to get over my own hangups when it comes to promotion though.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have religiously followed the Thursdays with Amanda posts over at Chip MacGregor's blog, absorbing the awesome advice that Amanda is so annoyingly full of. So when I saw that she'd written an e-book about marketing, I bought it as soon as I could. And I'm very glad I did.

Amanda Luedeke's "The Extroverted Writer" is a great marketing tool for authors. She gives platform-building advice about everything from Facebook and Pinterest, to blogs and giveaways--and she does it in concise, easy-to-understand paragraphs that are oftentimes as humorous as they are insightful. This is a great overview of marketing and, unlike most books on building a platform, it doesn't just tell you the things you should be doing. It shows you how to do those things. And that makes it an amazing tool for newbie writers and experienced authors alike. Five stars.

[Leah Good · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a long time to decide to spend $5 on this e-book, especially since it's so short. It ended up being worth the money. This is a great book for authors who need an introduction to the world of marketing or, like me, want to add to an existing foundation. I liked that the content is focused on marketing both books and authors and, while broad in scope, offers plenty of usable insights.

[Doris Swift · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amanda is engaging and has a great sense of humor! Anyone looking for great tips on building an author platform will find this book helpful. She takes the fear out of the word "platform" and turns the tables on it. "Platform is about hard work and creating something that simply cannot be ignored. It really is the one thing that you can control." - Amanda Luedeke.

[Julia Witmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really helpful read! Glad I got it!

[Katrina Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very practical!

[Si Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

'The Extroverted Writer: An Author's Guide to Building and Marketing a Platform.'

Amanda Luedeke's book is a well written and easy read that offers a good summary of marketing tips for new/novice authors. There are also some helpful little nuggets for the author who has a good grasp of marketing online, but the real benefit will hit home for writers who may feel intimidated or overwhelmed with the task of promoting their book/s primarily on the internet.

Amanda clearly has considerable experience in the area of marketing, and though this appears to be gained 'across the pond' in the US, a very large portion of her content in this book is also applicable for the UK.

One thing that really came across was Amanda's desire to help the reader. This book isn't a cheap cash-in, sharing information for the sole purpose of making her money. The desire to engage with the reader really emanates from the pages. The book moves at a good pace and leaves you eager to read the next chapter.

The summary chapters include tips for Websites, Blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Goodreads, Tumbler, Pinterest and some helpful SEO tips that add to your 'currency' with Google search bots who index your work - all important for your internet shop window, so to speak.

For me personally, the benefits shared in the book amount to 3-4 stars, but it would be unfair to judge the book based on how much experience one author has over another. For example, I belong to a writing group with over 300 participants, and I know from the many conversations I have had with them that Amanda's book would be extremely helpful and no doubt, the best 'fiver' they have spent to further book sales! That is why I believe this book deserves a five star review.

I would have liked more information on how to penetrate the overcrowded world of Amazon books. For example, my comedy novel is in a category on Amazon.co.uk of more than 60,000 books. Even though I am a self-published author and have 57 reviews added in under four months, climbing the Amazon tree is quite a feat that deserves a good few chapters on its own.

To be fair, a book should be judged on its contents and not necessarily by what you wanted to read more of, so all in all, I'd say that 'The Extroverted Writer: An Author's Guide to Marketing and Building a Platform' is an excellent book that deserves to be widely read by anyone who wants to learn more.

A final plug for the author: I initially hesitated at paying over £5 for a Kindle download, but soon came to my senses. If just a few golden nuggets help you to sell more books, why would we question the price? It's money well spent, I'd say!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Extrovert...

[Lorie Kleiner Eckert · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book Amanda Luedeke says, "But let's be honest, either you're born with a knack for words or you're not. Either a great idea drops into your head one day, or it doesn't. But platform doesn't happen by chance. Platform is all about hard work. It's funny that we dedicate entire conferences, workshops, and critique groups to the very components that we have the least control over, but the third component - the one that really can be taught into existence - gets constantly ignored."

I will be bold here and say that I believe I have a knack for words and I believe I have some great ideas (to write about) dropping into my head. I am pleased, therefore, to have Amanda Luedeke tell how to work hard to create a platform and get my words out into the public.

I will be honest and say that I had hoped her booked was everything I needed to know about every aspect of social media. I was therefore disappointed when it turned out to be more of an introduction to this information than the definitive guide. (I realize this shows my naivete.) However, when I went on to Google more information on blogging, Twitter, and the like, and saw exactly how much I needed to read and learn, I changed my mind and was thankful for her overview. She gave me just enough information to get me going without completely overwhelming me.

I greatly highlighted her 89 pages and will go back to them repeatedly as I start to master the aspects of social media that will make the most sense for my work. Thank you Amanda Luedeke!

[Teddi Deppner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, no-nonsense advice from a social media expert. I've been in the web design and Internet marketing profession since 1996 (yes, practically since the WWW began!) and I have a lot of opinions formed over two decades of experience. Ms. Luedeke's info is clear, concise and accurate. While I might quibble over a few of the details of her advice in a few instances, that's going to be true in any industry -- even the experts don't always agree on the best approach.

The other great thing this book has going for it is the length. This is a huge topic and it's easy to get overwhelmed. By focusing on just the essentials, and offering just enough info to point authors in the right direction for further research, Luedeke provides a handy reference that one can use as a road map of sorts. An excellent primer. Every author needs to know these basics.

(Wondering why I'd only give it 4 stars if it's so great? It's strength (short length) is also its weakness, and while I do think it functions well as an outline or reference, I'd love to have seen more examples or details to really show authors how things work. It looks like the author took a bunch of blog posts and strung them together into a book. Which is a good idea and useful, but falls short of what I expect of a "book". Also, the layout is clear and scannable, but falls short in terms of presenting the info in a visual hierarchy so you can tell what headings contain what info. Maybe these aren't the reasons you, dear reader, would drop a star, so I'm disclosing them here.)

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second time I've read this book. I read the book previously back in 2014. The book was first released in 2013. I thought by reading it the second time, the material would be too old because the Internet is changing too much. It is now 2016, and I still find that there was a lot of helpful information. I am not a beginning marketer when it comes to the Internet; I've been on the Internet even before its inception and what it was for military use only.

One of the items I found fascinating is found in the Facebook section, page 61, number three – under the title Street teams. Let me quote this for you. I'm sure you'll find it interesting – at least I did. "A street team is a great way to mobilize people to tell their friends about your books. Put together a Facebook street team of your 25 – 100 (or so) most dedicated fans. Give them either a private group or a restricted Facebook page so that they can interact and build off one another's momentum and enthusiasm. Agree to provide them with a promo material they may need, including links to where you appear on the web, free books, and other alluring tchotchkes. In return, ask that they spread these things around the Internet at their schools, churches, workplaces, etc. Many times you can reward them with signed copies of your books and some Skype face time. Of course, there is a lot of other fun stuff you can do with street teams. There's really no end to the benefits of mobilizing fans to promote on your behalf."

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm an introvert by nature, yet it seems I've always worked in extrovert-type jobs. Teacher, Librarian, and now writer. Although I love talking to kids about books, I'm really nervous about the marketing side of being an author. This book is perfect for people like me--new and a little shy.


Organized by type of social media, this book shares tips and strategies for authors who haven't set up any social media to those of us who have it but need tips for how to use it. Although I have had FB, Twitter, etc for several years, I learned new ideas on how to make them work for me as an author. What I liked best was that the advice came across as if the author were sitting over coffee with you.


I've searched the Internet for advice and ideas about marketing, but this is the clearest, most concise advice I've found. If you're looking for some great tips for building a platform and using social media to reach readers, this book is for you.

[Emily McFarlan Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

If there are two things I love, they're writing and social media. That's why I'm living the dream as a reporter and social media manager.

That's also why I loved Amanda Luedeke (and downloaded her e-book "The Extroverted Writer") right off the bat after reading her post, "Pursuing the Writing Dream," on DevotionalDiva.com. In both the e-book and the post, she shares social media marketing advice with writers in a friendly, conversational way. And it's good advice. I found a few ideas to mull, and you can trust me: I have a Klout score of 64. (Just kidding.)

For my original review of this book, as well as a guest post from the author, visit http://www.emmillerwrites.com/2013/05....

[Tanya Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great resource for writers wishing to reach an audience and expand their platforms. It's easy to read, straight to the point, and practical. Best of all, it feels DO-able.

The author walks readers through the process of identifying an audience and goals, then how to create an effective online presence. This includes building a website, starting a blog, and venturing into social media with professional intent.

If you have faithfully and religiously followed "Thursdays with Amanda" on the MacGregor Literary blog, you'll find this book takes many of those fabulous tips and consolidates them in one convenient little book.

[Ron Estrada]

Amanda's e-book on self-promotion for writers is timely and cuts right to the basic necessities of being a writer in the 21st century. I intend to keep it as a must-have reference to help me along in my writing career. She takes the mystery out of social networking, blogging, and web-site building and provides simple techniques that even the most technologically challenged writer can follow. I highly recommend it for both new writers and those with a dozen best-sellers under their belt. Marketing is a lifelong activity. You can't fall behind the pack!

[Katy Kauffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amanda's writing style is easy to read, and she dispels the apprehension some writers may feel about using the internet to promote their books. A good operation manual for social media sites and blogs, this book gives you the basics, and then some. Promoting through social media doesn't have to be scary. She encourages the readers to give themselves enough time to learn how to use the sites and to pick the ones they're comfortable with, and she arms readers with practical advice and tips. I read this book in one day!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goodness - how could one little book be everything I was looking for, presented so clearly without a single excess word? Clear, on point, personal - this book relates the results of personal experience and knowledge in a lively, direct and effective manner. So very helpful, fun to read, and it hits every point and then some that a writer today needs to be aware of. Kudo's, Amanda. I loved this book, and will keep it near as a reference, and guide. Highly recommended.

[Mark Underwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worthwhile

Covers some important "platform"-building concepts.Solid enough that it can remind you of goals or methods that you had misplaced in your climb toward some Sisyphussian height. Right length and price.

There are some points made so well that you'll want to highlight them or copy to a list to keep goals on track. The less informative passages don't subtract from these central insights.

[Kristen Stieffel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great advice, especially for new writers. Practical steps are laid out in an easy to understand manner. I especially appreciate that Amanda has taken the time to call out ways that fiction writers can apply some of these techniques. Too often social media advice for authors is very nonfiction focused. The main problem with this book is that it's too brief to give a really thorough examination of the topic. But it's a great place for newbies to start.

[John Otte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a bit biased (the author is my agent), but Amanda Luedeke is the boss when it comes to marketing for authors. In this concise book, she gives a lot of great advice that is easy to follow. Best of all, she knows that marketing can be overwhelming. So her suggestion (the best of the bunch) is to focus on the items you know you can do. Highly recommended!

[Geoffrey Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought it last night, read it through, now re-reading it. Very practical, useful, sensible talk about author platforms. Candid and insightful and helpful and you won't get this material anywhere else, at least, I couldn't find a better source. Well done and definitely a must read for those who want to promote their books through social media...

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to learn more how to market myself as a writer and Amanda delivers. She's clear, concise, and really, really funny. But since social media likes to change with wind, she'll have to do an update soon. Which I will happily read as well. Thanks for making "platform" not such a scary word Amanda!

[Shannon McNear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful resource, very accessible for the new author, a great review as well for the more experienced one. As someone who's been overwhelmed by the whole marketing thing, I appreciate the down-to-earth approach and plan to refer back to this often.

[Donald Reavis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I self published my first novel and used the shotgun approach to social media. The Extroverted Writer has given me direction and confidence in moving forward. Amanda's insight in building platforms via multiple media channels is eye opening. Thanks Amanda.

[Parker Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of good To Do's and brimming with encouragement. Perfect for those staring down from the author high dive into the social media pool below. This book should give the reader the courage to leap!

[Sarah Morin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to read, easy to use. Luedeke's tips go beyond the same old tips we hear at every conference, but are still at an a level attainable for author who are not experts at building platforms yet. I am already implementing some of her suggestions in this rapidly evolving field.