Why Social Networking is a Must for Authors: Guest post by Dana Lynn Smith, The Savvy Book Marketer

Why Social Networking is a Must for Authors

by Dana Lynn Smith, The Savvy Book Marketer

Over the past couple of years, social networking has become an increasingly essential online book marketing strategy—one that you can't afford to overlook.

Reaching potential book buyers is the most obvious benefit of social networking, but not necessarily the most important one. For many nonfiction authors, developing relationships with peers and influencers is equally important. These contacts may review your book, recommend you to others, participate in your book launch, and publish your articles in their blog or ezine.

Social networking is ideal for generating word-of-mouth online book marketing, where your message gets passed along by others. For example, when people enjoy a book, article, blog, or video, they often recommend it to others online. This type of user endorsement is more effective than traditional marketing.

Here are some other benefits of social networking in your online book marketing plan:

*Building author platforms, expert status, and brand recognition
*Getting endorsements and recommendations for your books
*Driving traffic to websites and blogs
*Subtly promoting books, products, and services
*Learning from other authors in your genre or other experts in your field
*Increasing your opt-in subscriber list
*Getting speaking engagements or consulting customers
*Improving search engine optimization and search results ranking through back links from social sites.

Which social networks are most important for authors? For nonfiction authors, my top choices are Twitter, Facebook, and professional network LinkedIn.

For fiction authors, my top picks are Facebook and virtual reader communities such as GoodReads. Other sites may also be useful, depending on your target audience. For example, if you're writing for young adults, MySpace would be a good choice. Children’s book authors can network on JacketFlap. If your target audience is boomers, check out Eons. Also search Ning.com and Google for networks that serve specific niche audiences.

Here are a few tips for getting the most from social networking:

Be selective about which networks you join and who you invite as a friend. Only invite people who appear to share common interests with you.
Send personalized friend requests, introducing yourself and stating why you want to befriend the other person.
Get involved in the community. Add value by helping others, answering questions, and sharing resources and knowledge. Don't forget to share a bit of personal information about yourself.
Be careful not to appear too promotional. It's okay to promote your products and services on occasion, but don't make that your main focus. Sending out an announcement of your book launch is fine; sending frequent promotional messages about your book is not.

While social networking is a terrific online book marketing tool, it's also great fun to meet people all over the world who share your interests. If you haven't already jumped onboard, get started today!

About the Author

Dana Lynn Smith is a book marketing coach and the author of several book marketing guides, including The Savvy Book Marketer's Guide to Successful Social Marketing . For more tips, visit her book marketing blog and get a copy of the Top Book Marketing Tips ebook when you sign up for her free book marketing newsletter.

GoodReads
Myspace
JacketFlap
Enons
Ning.com
Savvy Book Marketer Guide:
Book Marketing Blog:
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Author Aaron Patterson: Blog: The Worst Book Ever.

Airel and Her Humanity

I wanted to touch base with the book I just released called Airel. As we get reviews and comments on Facebook and Twitter I have had one come up a few times that I wanted to address.

On one hand I don't feel the need to explain myself but I like to open up and let you see the other side of writing. The main question, is in the book, Airel comes across as a girl who does not want to get wrapped up in a guy. She even scoffs at girls that make a boy their all, and fall into this crazy love and lose their heads.

After all this, she goes on and does that very thing and gets lost in Michael. One reviewer said this was an error on my part but missed the humanity in all of us. I wanted to make her real, and in a lot of ways she is real to me. And we all do things we say we will never do or have huge flaws in out thinking. Airel is the same way and her lesson is to learn how to live and be happy with just being her.

Now this was not a error, but put in with thought as in real life we are all like this. I know most books have a perfect set of rules and if they say they are spunky they stay spunky all through the book. But to me that makes them un-real. Flat and we all know that is not how we real people are.

So, in closing, most things I do have a good reason, it is for you the reader to find out what I mean or am trying to get across. The reviewer got it right, Airel was one way and did something that was not in her DNA, but guess what? She is not perfect and written to be that way.

Read and enjoy. learn and grow. I hope as you read and watch Airel grow as a person that you will give her some room to make mistakes and learn some things the hard way. I wish she could be perfect but she just is not.

The other thing to keep in mind is some girls are giggly, some are tom-boys, some are super emotional and some never even cry. As you read know that Airel is who she is, and if you are the kind of person that never cries or get excited, you may not connect with her as much. But again, that is all a party of being human. we are all different.

Thank you all so much for reading and keep giving me feedback as I write Michael I am excited to see how she changes and what will happen to her and him in the future.

PLAN to WRITE

Face it, we are all busy. Kids to take to games and school, work pressure, friends and family that all demand out time and energy. I work with books and the process of publishing everyday and as I am so busy with all the things that are normal in life and because of my job I find it getting harder and harder to write.

I got into this because I love to write, in face I make a living doing just that. Is it the perfect life? Close. But like most people taking the time to write for me, to work on my own books is very hard. So here are some tips on how to get going and plan to write.

First, have a plan. What time will you write? How long? Is it going to be a word count goal or a time goal? Will you write every day or once a week? Make a plan, if you don't you will never do it, as life will take over.

Once you have the time set and how long and all that junk, do it. One thing I have to do is on my writing day or the time before I write I must NOT check my phone, Facebook ,Twitter or any social media. It is to easy to get pulled into this world and miss out. I will end up working and not do what I was going to do...WRITE!

Don't get frustrated, go easy and just write. If you are not feeling it maybe work on a short story or on a different book. I write two books at one time that way if I get stuck I can go to the other book. Don't worry about how much you did, just do something! It all adds up.

So, have a plan, stick to the plan and don't check on social media. Get in your bubble, listen to music or go somewhere you can focus. And chill, enjoy the process and have fun. Before you know it you will be cranking out another book or your first book. The only difference between a published author and a writer who never finishes, is one had a plan and worked the plan.

This is simple but hard to do. I know I am not telling you anything new but it does work. I write my first book at the kids nap time and after everyone was in bed. If I can do it, so can you.

Now quit reading this blog and go write!

Write, Publish, Market workshop!

Write Publish Market:

Cutting Edge Information for Writers, Bloggers,

Authors and anyone who wants to publish a Best Selling Book.


Time: 10:00-4:00 Saturday May 21, 2011

Country Inn and Suites, 3355 East Pine Avenue

Meridian, ID 83642

Click here to sign up.



Special Price $79 –

Regular price for this workshop is $199.

Absolutely no refunds however if you are not able to attend, you can transfer your ticket to a friend.

This workshop is limited to the first 44 who sign up.


What to Expect:

A hands-on workshop that will teach you how to navigate the publishing industry, get you started in your book writing process and explain how you can make money by marketing your book and integrating it into your business. Bring your laptop.

Walk away with:

* Techniques that allow the even the busiest people to write a book in 10-30 minutes a day
* Your publishing myths dissolved and understand why anyone can publish
* Writing tips for print and eBook that will save you hundreds of hours
* A publishing plan for the books you have always wanted to write
* An understanding of how writing a book makes you the instant expert in your field or industry
* The ability to turn any speech, article or conversation into book content
* Cutting edge tips and tricks to make money writing, even if you are only a mediocre writer
* Key tips on marketing your book beyond your friends and family
* Clarity on the fact the next three years may be the best time in history to publish and make money in publishing

Write- Publish- Market Agenda:

9:30 Registration and networking

10:00 Breaking the Myths of Publishing and Making your Publishing Dream a Reality

10:45 Break

11:00 Breakouts: #1-Turning any speech, blog/article or conversation into book content, #2-Behind Every Great Writer is an Editor

12:00 Lunch (on your own) Speakers will be available to answer questions

Break to grab lunch or bring your own.

1:00 The Magic of Marketing and Social Media: Turning your Writing hobby into a global business with a zero dollar budget.

3:30 Developing your Writing and Publishing Action Plan


Maryanna Young

Maryanna Young is the CEO of Aloha Publishing and the co-founder of Idaho Book Extravaganza, Idaho’s premier publishing show. She is the author of four books including Blank to Book: From Idea to Amazon in 150 days. Maryanna is passionate about bringing out the potential in others as a publisher, speaker and professional business coach.

Aaron Patterson

Aaron Patterson is CEO of StoneHouse Ink and best selling author of four books including Amazon’s best selling series Sweet Dreams, Dream On and his new teen book, Ariel. He is an expert in eBook marketing and passionate about sharing the tools that helped him transition from the construction industry to a full time writer.

Kelly Antonczak

Kelly Antonczak is the COO of Aloha Publishing, author of Significance Breakthrough and the co-founder of the Idaho Book Extravaganza held every year in Boise, Idaho. She holds a degree from Boise State University in Communications and Public Relations and loves to be on the cutting edge of social media techniques and maximizing free global website tools such as Amazon for author marketing and book sales.

Allison Mewes

Allison is the owner of Blue Bamboo Project Services and married to a deployed solider in the US Army. She professional marketing project manager with 13 years of agency and client-side project related experience including an emphasis in social media strategies. Allison’s first book is Top Secret however she may reveal the contents at an upcoming workshop.

Click here to sign up.