I’ve had lots of conversations recently with emerging authors about promotion and marketing and how important it is to start building your platform within your communities of interest. Kassia Krozser over at Booksquare says it much more eloquently than I could.
Here’s a quote:
All roles in entertainment media are changing, and authors, particularly, need to switch from a book-oriented focus to a career-oriented focus. This involves little things like updating your website betweenbooks (please, please, please don’t have two-year old content on your home page!). Blogging, if you’re so inclined. Writing articles that are read by your existing and future fan base. Using social media for good (as opposed to evil). Keeping your name in the game even when you’re not actively selling something, except your backlist.
This is the author as a business, as opposed to the writer as a creative being. Note the distinction. You’re wearing two hats. One might fit uncomfortably until you realize that marketing is your job. Marketing might be a distraction for a writer, but it’s essential if you’re an author.
Starting a blog is just a first step, and really if you’re not going to be committed to actually blogging, then there’s not much point in even doing that. What it’s really all about is immersing yourself in the overlapping social networks that swirl around your genre or chosen content or field of expertise. Thanks to the rise of online social media like Facebook, MySpace, wikis or, heck, even just ye olde message boards, this is both easy and cheap to do. What it requires is your time and interest in engaging with the people that are or will be your audience.
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13 May, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Myspace » Booksquare says it’s your job to market yourself… and it is
[…] Metal Underground . com – some music was meant to stay underground wrote an interesting post today on Booksquare says it’s your job to market yourself… and it isHere’s a quick excerptThanks to the rise of online social media like Facebook, MySpace, wikis or, heck, even just ye olde message boards, this is both easy and… […]
14 May, 2008 at 8:40 am
Gary Kemble
I think John Birmingham does a great job with this on Cheeseburger Gothic (http://birmo.journalspace.com/) — he keeps his readers up-to-date with the many irons he has in many fires, and also insights into the writer’s life, his personal life and also occasional sneak peeks at his work-in-progress.
I’ve also been getting into John Scalzi’s Whatever (http://www.scalzi.com/whatever/) lately although I haven’t actually bought/read any of his books. He throws in a bit of politics, random asides, but it makes for entertaining reading.
The thing with blogging/social media is, it’s important — but for emerging writers is it as important as getting the damn ms finished?! I think there’s a risk at enjoying the idea of being a writer, rather than doing the actual writing.
(I know, I know — you have to find time for both, but it’s damn hard)