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Twitter
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Good idea, John!I've been on Twitter for a while and I've found it a great way to interact with readers. I'll go and find you...
I'm at:
http://twitter.com/Shirley_Wells
Shirley
I just published my first eRead on Smashwords 9/25/2010. I posted a blog about it, put a notice on my website and Facebook, and tweeted. Since then, I've only received 22 downloads. I think the numbers are a bit low considering it's a free read.My success with twitter advertisement has been rather low. I've had giveaways with similar results. After this, I'm going to post a goodreads event. I posted my last contest on goodreads and received a huge surge of entries. I think people are more likely to take notice of an email than a twitter post which flashes while they're away from their desk.
The link by the way: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
I'm on Twitter (@authorterryo) but I can't say it's done much as far as sales, etc. It's mostly for fun, IMHO. Name recognition, but who knows how the people who end up buying your books actually found you.
I'm on Twitter as well (@SharonCathcart). I can't say that it's done much for sales, LOL. My tweets are protected for a variety of reasons, not the least is spammers ... but you can go ahead and ask to be added. Nine times out of 10, it'll work. ;->
Unless you want to devote hours and hours to Twitter, there's no possible way to keep up with followers. Who's reading thousands of Tweets? I can filter using Tweetdeck, and I imagine everyone else does too. I figure only a tiny percentage of my followers actually make a point of finding what I've Tweeted. I tend to tweet links to writing sites more than anything personal. Except for today, because it's my first day home after a great writer's conference, and it's Banned Book Week, so I'm tweeting more than usual.Terry
Terry's Place
Romance with a Twist--of Mystery
I twitter with MG and YA authors, bloggers, teachers, and readers. I learn so much about what books are coming out, etc. You definitely need to twitter. Many authors promote their books on Twitter.On Twitter, I am Chorkie. Check out the people I follow that might give you a base of people.
Jue Morgan
I'm with June and others on the benefits of twitter. It's a great place to make connections. Self-advertising, not so much.I'll be honest. I don't trust authors when it comes to self-promotions. What author is going to say: Check out my piece of work. It's the worst crap I've written yet! :)
I promote on twitter (hopefully infrequently enough it doesn't annoy people) with the hope someone will take interest and share the word. It only takes one or two people (the right people, that is) to say something positive. It can be on twitter, their blog, Facebook, where ever. If two people take notice, then two of their friends take notice, you now have four people spreading the word. Four people readers trust more than authors. :) And of course, that's exponential.
Here is my twitter URL: http://twitter.com/danilanzarotta
I haven't been on twitter long, but I think it is a good tool to give updates on releases, sales, book signings, etc...
I'll weigh in on this one since I just put myself on Twitter restrictions. :) I do find it's a good promo tool but if you are a social being (doing a solitary job) it can kind of eat your brain if you let it. I got to the point where I restrict myself simply to going on if I have writing related updates. If you can resist its siren call of procrastination, it is a good, fast, free tool to use for promotion. And I have made sales I know for a fact stemmed from Twitter.XOXO
Sommer
I Tweet and have had a great success when I've run promos -- the summer sale at Smashwords, for instance, and I'm ramping up to do a huge charity drive in November and December (50% of my royalties will go to charity). The trick with Twitter is to use it to chat with people. Interact. Don't merely self-promote. Don't merely re-Tweet others. Don't blindly auto-follow. (Can you tell I'm giving a talk on this on Thursday?)
I'm http://twitter.com/westofmars I keep TweetDeck open all day and whatever catches my eye, does. But I do monitor my mentions fairly frequently.
--Susan at West of Mars
John:Yes, I've sold a lot of books using Twitter. With my book about a politically hot issue, Twitter was the perfect tool for marketing it. I would think that fiction would be harder to market using Twitter, but it's still a great tool you should use.
I followed you. Follow me back. As you'll see, most of my posts aren't even about my book.
Reena: "I'll be honest. I don't trust authors when it comes to self-promotions. What author is going to say: Check out my piece of work. It's the worst crap I've written yet! :)"I agree with that. First of all, you can't just say your book is great. But you can post what other people have said about your book. Share your reviews. Link to your Amazon page with, hopefully, a high average customer review rating.
But most of all, don't talk about your book all the time. Chat about other things. Make friends. Get people to like you and your writing. Then mention your book in context or just once in a while.
The ratio of "other stuff" to billboarding, whether on Twitter, Facebook or any other social media should be 9:1. I am pretty sure that my own billboarding is significantly lower than that ratio. At one point, I was on eight or nine different boards, including this one, FB and Twitter. I stopped using all but the latter three for a while and am now deciding where I want to pick back up again. Frankly, it was too much for me to manage that many. And that's an important balance to consider as well, IMO: what can you *reasonably* do to create buzz and maintain your platform.
Maybe it's not about promotion, but community. Joining you all on Twitter. We are here
Amazon community
40k BOok Club on Goodreads
I'm on Twitter. http://www.twitter.com/Maria_SavvaI'm following all of you now, please follow back :)
I haven't noticed whether Twitter has helped my sales at all. I do enjoy tweeting though :)
I'm following you all now (so let's have a good time). I'm http://www.twitter.com/suemont.Michael, you say you don't trust people who self-promote but I really had to say when my book was published - otherwise how will people know about it (except through the publisher, I suppose). I also post when I have a new blog post. I want followers (although I haven't seen any sign of them from Twitter, I admit).
Twitter is amazing and I have had a lot of success with it! I have met some of the best people out there through this social network, some of which turned into distributors in other countries for me. The trick is just to REALLY talk to people and be interested in what they have to say. I try to follow everyone who follows me and I try to answer everyone who talks to me. I have made some life long friendships out there with people I have yet to meet in real life! Even my favorite actor, (who was the muse for my books) follows me on Twitter! I LOVE being able to talk with him! It really is a great social network!
Hello, all. I'm that strange girl that just followed you all :) Here's my Twitter account. I look forward to seeing you all there: http://twitter.com/jenknox2
Hello Jen, I'll go and follow you now (sounds like I'm stalking ;-)
cheery01... well, what else did you expect from "the happiest person on the face of the Pahrump planet?"
I realize this thread is two years old, but I just joined this group recently. My twitter acct isn't even a week old yet, so please follow me at:https://twitter.com/CynthiaStories
I'll do likewise to follow you. I'm still learning my way through the marketing end of novel writing.
Cynthia, I just followed you on Twitter... good lukc building it up!https://twitter.com/ArmandAuthor is me!
Armand Rosamilia
I've been at TWITTER for several years. It's fun to chat, Tweet my book and those of friends. Join me.Charlotte M. Liebel (@Sharliebel) on Twitter
twitter.com/Sharliebel
I've been on twitter since april 2007. I don't/can't/won't follow everyone back - I just don't have the time - but I do try my best to respond to mentions.@mariadkins
find me @writersMAMA -it's a terrific tool but consistency is key---i'm not there yet-i spend more time on facebook-also a good tool
Karla wrote: "but learning my way around"it has a bit of a learning curve. if you need any help, give me a holler. ;)
I just joined twitter and would love to connect with others. Below is my Twitter url:
http://twitter.com/JohnCicero1
Might be another good way for all of us to follow each others twitter accounts and in turn spread the word.
take care,
John