Every author needs to create a presence and get a positive “buzz”
going. Even previously best-selling authors need to publicize each new book;
simply put, if folks don’t know about it, they won’t buy it. Most authors also
need to sell themselves; people need to see that there is a human being behind
the story.
It’s easy to build a reputation using social media, but there
are a few caveats: the KEY word about using social media is to be SOCIAL. You
need to interact regularly with others and if you don’t have the time to read,
post and comment, then limit your participation to only the few sites that you
can handle. Make sure that your comments are (mostly) positive and that nothing
is posted that would be damaging to your persona. An easy way to control your
public persona on a site such as FaceBook is to keep your timeline private (use
the settings under the little “lock” icon) and only visible to family and
select friends; make sure your personal posts are for Friends Only. Then open a
Fan Page which you will use for business related and positive posts — all pages
are automatically Public posts. Be sure to allow people to leave comments under
your posts and respond so folks know you are listening to them.
Set Google-alerts so that you will be notified when your name
or the name of your book is picked up by search engines on the web. Make a habit
of putting your name into search engines periodically so that you can always be
aware what you are associated with. If you’ve been on social media sites for
awhile take the time to read over earlier posts and delete anything that might
have a detrimental effect on your reputation. It’s a good idea not to allow
people to TAG you in pictures without your approval; it’s an even better idea
not to be caught in any embarrassing displays that you wouldn’t want others to
see. Remember that even with privacy settings set at maximum, once you post
something it is “out-there” so always put-brain-in-gear before you respond in
anger or sorrow. Think positivity.
Host a blog AND a website. A blog is a running commentary or
showcase of your writing ability, news about your books and yourself, and a
place to spotlight causes, other authors and books (NEVER turn it into a
running advertorial!); a website is a place to gather and present information
about yourself and your work, there should be a media room with accessible info
and contact information that a reporter could use, pages about each book and a
bio. A blog needs to be updated regularly so that people will come to it to see
fresh content. A website is a more static set of pages that needs to be updated
whenever information changes. Both sites need to be easy to navigate, appealing
to look at and invite visitor participation. Be careful using captchas and
moderated comments because you might give the impression you are interested in
comments — as a blog/site owner you always have the option to delete comments
you don’t feel should be displayed. Have friends look at these sites to ensure
that they are easy to read (colors and fonts) and welcoming to the eye. Just
like in social media, be sure to respond to comments.
Writing exercise:
Write a letter to your worst teacher letting him/her know how far you’ve
come despite any negative or dire warnings you received from that person while
in school.
Writing Prompt: Make
a list of 10 to 15 things you WANT your readers to know about you; next make a
list of at least 5 things you NEVER want your readers to know about you. Now
search the internet and your social media sites and control your reputation by
deleting or adding information as necessary.
Challenge Assignment:
Write a 1-page bio about yourself in 3rd person — include all
the good things you want folks to know about you as a writer. Next write a
1-paragraph bio. Finally describe yourself in 140-characters or less. Remember to include writer specific information
and write in 3rd person.
