I’m thrilled to be joining you here at DIY MFA to share actionable insights.

Over the last year, we’ve discussed author brand, how to SPARC great book cover design, using LinkedIn as an author, the role of contests in marketing your work, and multiple other topics. Please check out these previous articles on DIYMFA.com.

Have you ever thought that you’d like to share your knowledge through speaking? Today, we’ll cover how to get started with speaking at industry conferences and three benefits of doing so, which include: giving back, building your community, and tangible perks.

How did I start speaking at industry conferences?

Nearly a decade ago, I joined a writers’ group and attended their in-person session. When I introduced myself as a marketer working for Mars Incorporated, a gasp of delight rippled through the room. Initially, I thought they must really love chocolate. Pretty quickly, though, I realized they were eager to mine my knowledge of marketing! 

This group kicked off my speaking career by asking me to teach and share my expertise. I was passionate about the topic of brand, because I realized that not many had the perspective of a professional marketer, and people who were teaching the topic often conflated the concepts of brand with visual identity. These were my first two topics, and continue to be the most foundational presentations I give at industry conferences.

The Joy of Giving Back

In summary, I started speaking as a way to contribute to the writing communities that I’ve found to be incredibly generous.

This is the first benefit of speaking—the pure joy of seeing the impact of teaching. It’s a wonderful feeling to see how marketing knowledge can empower writers and publishers.

Nowadays, I often introduce my talks by acknowledging “Authors write for the love of the word and don’t always realize until later that they’re also expected to be marketers, businesspeople, and branding experts.”

Over the years, audiences have resonated again and again with my five core topics: Author Brand and Why Readers Care, Design as Art: Principles to Spark Brilliant Cover Design, Marketing like an Authorpreneur, Marketing Mindset, and Generational Insights into Millennial characters.

Conference attendees have said, “Carol inspires me and fires me up every time. I can’t wait to market my book and my why!” This is a great reason to speak at industry conferences—to give back, and witness the fulfillment that comes from making a difference for audiences.

Building Your Community

Secondly, I’ve found that the connections made at industry conferences last. 

I continue to be in contact with, and follow the work of, writers whom I met years ago at Writers’ Digest, Rutgers Writers’ Conference, NJ-SCBWI, Sisters in Crime, RWA, and other venues. 

A recent case in point: I spoke at the Independent Book Publisher Association’s Publishing University conference and was blown away by meeting publishers, authors, and other industry professionals. I loved presenting my book cover design insights. And multiple members of this warm, wonderful community have already reached out and connected!

Tangible Perks

Third, beyond networking, there are tangible benefits to speaking at industry conferences. Some events pay an honorarium, and/or provide speakers with free attendance, complimentary travel, the ability to sell books, or additional perks.

I truly treasure speaking at conferences, meeting new people, and making a difference in authors’ and publishers’ careers.

Simple Steps to Start Speaking at Industry Conferences

If speaking sounds appealing to you, start by identifying what topics you could uniquely teach. Ask yourself what you know deeply that others would like to learn. 

I’ve seen speakers present information on period costumes, medical details, productivity tools, story structure, editing, characterization, building conflict, great first sentences, social media, and much more. For instance, author K.M. Fawcett leans on her martial arts experience to teach classes on “Self-Defense” and “Writing Believable Fight Scenes.”

Once you have your concept, craft a logical flow, and a compelling course title and description. Research conferences in your area that you might like to attend, and submit proposals. Make sure to follow all their guidelines for submission.

After I submit a proposal, I hold the dates on my calendar until I hear back from the conference. As with many speaking gigs, conferences plan multiple months in advance, so expect events to put out a call for speakers six to nine months or more before the event.

Once you land a gig, ensure you (over)deliver. For me, I’m always striving to leave the audience with actionable takeaways, and that the talk is high energy and enjoyable. Make sure you know your content intimately enough to address questions well. Author Nancy Herkness says, “A well-organized, information-filled workshop sends me in search of the presenter’s books to buy, while a poorly prepared presentation leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”

Don’t forget common courtesy—make sure you’re responsive to communications, that you’re on time or early, and that you’re well-prepared for the talk. You can even help promote the event, and follow up the talk with a thank you note to the organizer along with suggestions for future topics.

Herkness, who speaks and attends industry conferences, says, “If you do a terrific job of presenting one workshop, word will spread of the value you deliver and invitations to speak at other conferences will follow. You can become an authority on your topic, which brings invaluable exposure for your brand, as well as creating an aura of quality around your books.”

One professional who provides useful tips is Grant Baldwin. His “The Speaker Lab” podcast and website provide helpful guidance on building your speaking career.

Benefits of Speaking

In summary, consider speaking at industry conferences as a great way to 1) give back, 2) expand your community, and 3) benefit from attending valuable events and being compensated. Once you decide to speak, pick a topic of expertise, pitch conferences, prepare, and overdeliver!

Please share your own experiences with speaking at conferences in the comments!

Carol Van Den Hende is the award-winning author of the Goodbye, Orchid series, a public speaker, and MBA with 20+ years’ experience in marketing, strategy and insights. Carol is passionate about simplifying marketing concepts into actionable steps that authors need for publishing success. Please sign up for Carol’s newsletter at https://carolvandenhende.com/contact or contact her at linktr.ee/cvdh

The post Three Benefits to Speaking at Industry Conferences appeared first on DIY MFA.

An incredible amount of work goes into writing a book: the research, the writing, the editing and various publishing tasks. These can take months or even years. So as easy as it may be to exhale and think your work is done when you’ve wrapped up the manuscript, the reality is, you’re just getting started!

While there are many factors involved in growing an audience, one of the most dynamic, proven and timeless ways of becoming known is by making media appearances. And while the mediums and platforms seem to be ever-changing, the importance of media remains the same. In fact, it could be greater than ever, as it’s also the single fastest way to grow your social media presence. But, before you book a trip to New York to grace the sets of Fox News or the Today Show, there are a few things you need to do. 

The first? Start locally.

Your local market is not only where you’re best known; it’s also where you’re most relevant. The chances of you landing local media are exponentially higher than landing a coveted spot on one of the major networks, cable outlets, or national radio programs. Besides, before you appear before a national audience, you’ll want to have honed your skills before a smaller and friendlier crowd—and local media can help you do that. These appearances can sell books and gain you the momentum, confidence, and energy you need to continue. They can also be a key factor in obtaining bigger media opportunities later. National media is much more likely to take you seriously when a local outlet or affiliate has vetted you and seen you perform admirably.

And what do you need to do before pitching yourself to local media?

1) Get your house in order

The first thing producers do to verify the legitimacy of a potential guest is to check their website, blog and other social media sites. Make sure these platforms are current with recent photos (preferably something professionally done), biographical and contact information. They will check these sites and feeds to be sure you are, at the very least, who you say you are. If they see anything there that’s offensive, you’ve struck out. However, if what they see strengthens your case as a qualified, credentialed expert/guest/thought leader, you’ve greatly strengthened your chances.

So, keep it clean. Websites should be easy to navigate with the information you want people to see being the first thing they see. Don’t make them search for it, because they won’t. You have to assume that not only will the media check out your site and feeds, but that you’re going to get that interview and that thousands of people will click over to your site/feeds. You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression, so make sure when they come, they find what they came for. You wouldn’t invite hundreds of guests to dinner without cleaning up your house, would you? 

2) Get flexible

Don’t clear your entire calendar, but, you’ve got to build in some flexibility and be ready at a moment’s notice. What will you do to get away from work? Or with the kids? It’s all about timing and you may not get a second opportunity.  Most local radio shows are going to prefer to have you in the studio, if possible, so a 20-minute radio interview could take an entire morning, if it means driving across town. A television opportunity could take all day, if you take the time you probably should getting yourself ready to appear on television — and by that, I mean in terms of both your physical appearance (haircuts, dry cleaning, etc.) and other preparation, i.e., going back over your talking points, writing thank you notes to take along, etc. Finally, interviews are cancelled and rescheduled all of the time. It’s the nature of the beast. The news cycle rules the day. Don’t take it personally. A willingness to accommodate the producer and host is a must. The truth is, you’re at their beck and call. When they can have you, you need to be there.

3) Stock up

Producers often ask for review copies of a book/product before they extend an invitation. So, it’s vital that you have inventory and can get it to them quickly. Be willing to do what it takes to get it there. A PDF version of your book can be sent to a producer via email in a pinch, but most still prefer a hard copy. Also, be sure to have two to three additional copies available to offer for on-air giveaways. Be sure, too, that whoever is selling your book is ready to accommodate orders. You also need to take inventory of a few other things — digital assets, endorsements and statistics, among them. It’s not at all unusual for a producer to ask you to email them files such as book cover images and headshots. If you’re unknown to them, they may ask for any endorsements you have from local influencers or known commodities, if you will. It’s also wise to enter into a conversation armed with statistics, research, etc. that can, if necessary, support your message. Sources are important — particularly to journalists. 

4) Take a bite

Always make sure to have prepared a single sound bite — a ‘money quote’, if you will. Particularly for TV. If it’s not live, a two-minute interview can/will quickly be edited down to a 5-10 second sound bite and you want to make sure it’s the right one. So, instead of depending on a 24-year old editor in the newsroom to decide where to make just the right cut and determine what the audience hears from you, make it easy for them. That said, it’s wise to prepare talking points you’ll want to cover in both short and long conversations. I.e., know what you want to say and become comfortable working it in conversationally. 

5) Make it easy

Lastly, producers and hosts want the important information in as few words as possible. A good press kit makes it easy for them to see your availability, areas of expertise, credentials, relevance in relation to current events, biographical and contact information. Links to previous media appearances are fantastic, if you have them handy and did well the last time you were on the air. Knowing they’re getting an experienced guest goes a long way. All told, keep it to two pages or less, and always send it as a PDF to make it easy to download and view. Remember that the show wants to interview a person, not a book, so your press kit should reflect that. It’s always a good idea, too, to keep color schemes and designs similar to any others you have used across digital platforms, making your content cohesive, memorable, and recognizable. You won’t have time to compile this after you pitch. Do it first.

A longtime literary publicist and agent, Jason Jones is the founder of Jones Literary, LLC and Local PR Toolkit.  He is also the host of The Book Publicist Podcast and the author of ‘Landing Local Media: An Actionable Guide to Help Self-Published Authors Book Local Press’.

The post #5onFri: Five Tips for Getting Your Book on Local Media appeared first on DIY MFA.

Which is weird because if anyone should be awesome at marketing it’s writers.

As writers we are naturally skilled at several things that can make us excel at marketing and sales… we just have to get out of our own way. Here are some techniques that you have already mastered as a writer, and how to adapt them to your author platform.

1. Writers rock at empathy.

Empathy is an essential component of a writer’s work. In order to craft stories that ring true and resonate with readers, we have to be able to step into our characters’ minds and understand what it feels like to be them. Well, guess what? Lesson number one in any marketing course is that you need to know your audience.

Many marketers struggle with this. In fact, I’ve sat in on dozens of marketing webinars or conference sessions that essentially teach the same thing: how to put yourself in the mind of the customer. I’ve seen tons of techniques and exercises designed to help marketers get inside the customer’s head. I’ll admit that I often chuckle to myself because it’s what writers do all the time.

As writers we are already good at putting ourselves in another person’s shoes because we do it with our characters. For marketers, this type of thinking can feel like a stretch, like they’re operating outside their comfort zones. For writers, this is our happy place. We just have to apply this same approach to understanding our audience, our readers.

2. We know how to create (and follow) our own rules.

When we write stories, the bulk of act one is where we lay down the ground rules. We let our readers know who the main character is. If there’s any sort of narrative device—like alternating time lines or points of view—we establish how it will work. We also give our readers a sense for the story’s world and the central conflict. These are all “rules” that we determine and, as the narrative unfolds, we decide whether to stick to those rules or artfully break them.

In marketing and platform, we also need to set ground rules. When your readers first discover your website or newsletter, they’ll get subtle cues as to what they might expect from you. For example, if you have a blog and you post every Tuesday, your readers will come to expect those posts and you’ll likely see a spike in traffic every time a new post goes up. If you post infrequently or at random, though, it will be much harder to build traction because your readers won’t know what to expect from you.

As writers, we already know how to set—and follow—our own rules because we do this in our storytelling. We just need to translate this skill from our manuscripts to crafting content for our platform.

3. We laugh in the face of “writer’s block.”

Let’s be real, compared to crafting a novel or a memoir, blog posts and tweets are mere drops in an ocean of words. As word wizards we’re used to writing because that’s what we do. Muggles run screaming from a blank page. We look at that same empty canvas and see a world of possibilities.

Now don’t get me wrong, writing can be hard at times, and resistance can happen to the best of us. And there are times (like, say, in the middle of a pandemic) when we need to honor our reality and maybe give ourselves a hall pass on a difficult project. That said, if anyone can muster the internal motivation to get back in the swing of things, it would be writers.

Think about it: as writers, delayed gratification is part of our job. Novels don’t get written in a day and publishing moves at a slower-than-glacial pace. If we’re going to write, the motivation has to come from us. If we sat around waiting for external rewards, we would never write a single word. This means that the ability to motivate ourselves and do the hard work naturally comes from within us. If we turn that same relentless determination to building a platform that we put into writing our books, watch out world!

4. We are good at research.

Have you ever gone down the research rabbit hole? You know what I’m talking about . . . One time, I was writing a story about a family that had a pet Komodo dragon. I thought “Hey! Let me just look up some Komodo facts on the internet for just a second.” Three hours and ten pages later I emerged from that pit of totally unnecessary research.

While research can be a form of procrastination from our writing, it can be useful when it comes to our platform. Plus, as writers, we’re already adept at seeing how different pieces of information fit together. We need to combine research and information synthesis and apply these skills to our platform. This kind of research can even serve as a convenient break from our writing.

Things to research include:

• What other books out there are similar to yours?
• What other authors are writing work in the same vein as yours?
• What are people saying about those books and authors?
• Where do these readers hang out, both online and off?
• What do those similar authors  do in terms of their platforms?
• How do they connect with their readers?
• Where do these authors hang out on the internet?
• Are they on social media? Do they blog?

The possibilities are endless! So instead of allowing yourself to fall into that bottomless pit of procrastination, take a break from writing and do some research to help your platform.

5. We are natural storytellers.

I’ve been secretly working on a new project—something that takes DIY MFA to a whole new level. This project is a storytelling model that bridges the gap between writing and marketing. 

I believe story exists in a three dimensional space, where each dimension represents one of three essential elements: character, plot, and world. As writers we have an instinctive feel for these elements because we use them all the time in our writing. 

Marketing and platform also have three essential elements that run parallel to story. They are: brand (i.e. the character), the audience’s journey (i.e. plot), and the market or context where both the brand and audience exist (i.e. world). The same craft-related tools we use  to understand character, to structure a plot, or to build a world, also apply to marketing. Understanding story puts us miles ahead of the game when it comes to these fundamental elements of marketing. All we need to do is shift our perspective a little and channel that knowledge from our manuscripts to our platform.

Platform doesn’t have to be painful and you don’t have to sell out to sell books.

I’ll admit, I used to hate marketing. I dragged my feet for six whole months before I started this newsletter. I moaned and groaned about creating a website or joining social media. All the platform-related whining and complaining… been there. Done that.

Looking back, I realize that the reason I resisted building my platform is because I thought I would have to learn a whole new set of skills. I had this notion that platform and craft were two wildly different things—and it’s no wonder I thought this way, because it’s how most people in publishing approach marketing as well.

Now I know better and I’m on a mission to help writers get un-scared of platform and marketing. Just as there is a craft to how we put words on the page and write a beautiful book, there is a craft to marketing and platform. What is more, there are common threads between writing and marketing and, as we’ve discussed here, many of the skills we’ve been building on the page translate to our platform as well.

Want to learn how to build your platform the DIY MFA way?

Check out Pixels to Platform, a marketing course for writers and by writers.

Gabriela Pereira is an author, speaker, and entrepreneur who wants to challenge the status quo of higher education. As the founder and instigator of DIYMFA.com, her mission is to empower writers, artists and other creatives to take an entrepreneurial approach to their education and professional growth.Gabriela earned her MFA in writing from The New School and speaks at college campuses and national conferences. She is also the host of DIY MFA Radio, a popular podcast where she interviews bestselling authors and book industry professionals and author of the book DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build Your Community.

The post Writer Fuel: Five Marketing Skills You Already Have (and how to use them) appeared first on DIY MFA.

Because, of course, these names are the exception, not the rule, and rely on the conversion of many factors, including a little luck. 

But I have good news for you. You can find success as an author without reaching mega-fame, and the internet has made it easier than ever. You don’t need the adoration of billions to make this possible. All you need is to build a community of true fans.

The 1000 True Fans Theory

In a post that went wildly viral, author and Wired Senior Maverick Kevin Kelly posited in 2008 that a creative doesn’t need to build a mega fandom in order to find financial success with their work. All you need is 1,000 true fans.

This theory has influenced thinking about online platforming ever since. Coming out of an age of mass media and into one of niche digital networks, it was legitimately pretty revolutionary in how it reframed the concept of success. It goes like this: 

You don’t have to be a celebrity or even all that widely known to thrive on your art. All you need is 1,000 people (give or take) who love your work enough to buy everything you create. And then you need to create enough things to give yourself a livable salary off of those fans. 

It’s simple. And it’s far more attainable than all of us trying to create the next Harry Potter. 

How it Works for Authors

Now. there’s some caveats to this. For example, novels take much longer to create and release to your fans than many other creative endeavors, and we can’t exactly charge $40 a book to make a $40,000 salary of 1,000 people.

Consider: If you charge a slightly higher than typical 4.99 for an ebook, and 1,000 true fans buy it, you can earn just under $5,000. That’s a nice chunk of change, but it’s not going to sustain all that long. And that’s also assuming you’re selling directly to those fans, rather than through Amazon or another platform, which would take a cut; without a publisher to take an additional cut; and doesn’t even factor in your editing or design costs yet. 

Hmmm. 

To get this number to something more realistic, you have a few options: 

You can charge more for your work. And with a loyal fandom who don’t blink at the prospect of paying a little more to help support an author they adore, this is doable to a degree. But let’s face it, there are limits on what readers will pay for a book, and if you overstep it, your fans’ loyalty could falter. 

You can create faster. Another one of the most straightforward ways to earn more from your writing is to write more. Instead of one book a year, can you write two? Can you write three? 

You can add more true fans. If 1,000 true fans aren’t enough, maybe your community needs 2,000. Or 3,000. While this raises the bar for building your loyal community, it can make creating at your own pace more sustainable. 

You can create differently. But how can you change what you write? Apply that writerly creativity to experimenting with new models. Can you release stories serially instead of launching the full novel at once? Can you write a short story each month just for your fans? Novellas? Series? Can you create artwork of your characters and worlds? Find what gets your true fans excited. 

More likely than not, it will take a combination of these factors. Don’t be afraid to try a new thing or two. But all the same, this is a lot more attainable than topping bestseller lists and becoming Hollywood’s next author darling. 

How Do You Get True Fans? 

This is all well and good as a theory, but if it’s going to work, you need to have a community of true fans in place. Which is easier said than done. In short, this is accompanied by showing up, doing your hustle, and making connections. What does this look like in practice? 

Here are 10 foundational steps to get you started: 

1. Create an author website
2. Build your email list
3. Grow a social media following
4. Release your next book (or story)
5. Write guest posts
6. Attend writers conferences
7. Hand out promotional materials
8. Offer workshops at libraries
9. Give talks at local book shops
10. Join groups for writers and readers

Everyone you meet is a potential true fan. So treat them like one. And put yourself in the path where you’re most likely to meet true fans regularly.

True Fans Take Time–And They’re Worth it

Getting genuine, true fans—fans who love you and will buy anything you release—doesn’t come easily. You have to make real connections and build trust. It’s not just about doing good work. It’s about delivering that good work consistently, every single time, so that readers know your new work will be worth it. It’s also about building a sense of connection with your readers. 

it’s nothing to take lightly, and it does take time. I’m certainly not there yet, though the progress toward this goal is there. 

When you first start out as an author, it can feel like you’re calling out into the abyss and no one is there to listen. But when you keep showing up and making connections, online and in person, it adds up. Not every person will be a reader with whom your work resonates, but some of them will be. And those readers will start to grow into a following. 10. 50. 100. It will keep growing. And as you pay attention to them and try different things, you will learn what will get them excited.

By day, E. J. Wenstrom is a digital strategy pro with over 10 years at communications firms. By early-early morning, she’s an award-winning sci-fi and fantasy author of the Chronicles of the Third Realm War novels, starting with Mud. She believes in complicated characters, terrifying monsters, and purple hair dye.

The post Building a Community of True Fans for Authors appeared first on DIY MFA.

It can seem that these authors have a certain extra something that sets them apart, that the rest of us don’t have. But guess what? For the right readers, you’ve got it as much as any of the authors you’ve swooned over yourself. How can you capture this certain je ne sais quoi to lure in your own love-struck readers? Here are five ways to help your readers discover that you’re their perfect match:

1) Share relevant, valuable posts

Who and what are the leading voices in your subject area? Follow them, pay attention to them, and share the content you find most interesting from them. By offering your readers relevant and interesting content in your subject area, you’re cueing to your readers that they’re in the right place.

This approach holds true whether you’re a scientific expert or an erotica author—what changes is the type of content you focus on.

2) Place keywords in your bio.

When you know your community, there are always a myriad of ways to show your reader you’re right up their alley. It can be as simple as saying, “Thriller author who writes about unsolved murders,” or feel free to get creative and show off your voice. As a fantasy author, my social media bio starts with “Lover of monsters.”

Don’t forget to give the appropriate cues for your readership in your headshot, too.

3) Know your core message

This goes beyond simply defining and sharing within your subject matter. Your core message goes deeper and is more personal. For example, Margaret Atwood’s subject matter is science fiction; but her core message is about inclusivity, love, and preserving the world and its creatures.

Your core message is where you get to go beyond genre and plot, and reveal the soul behind your work—it’s the core that makes your work stand out. Be sure that your post messaging reflects it!

4) Engage your greater community

I don’t care what your subject matter is, there is a group, chat, and online event for it in social media. (If there somehow isn’t, score! You just found an opening to be a leader and start one.)

It might take a small bit research, but look around and see what those are for your area. Then, from hashtags to Twitter live chats to group forums, start engaging them.

There is no better way to connect with your ideal readers than to go to where they already are—and, no better way to demonstrate that you are just as passionate about the community as they are.

5) Establish your unique voice

More than anything, the secret sauce that makes us swoon for an author is that X factor that only s/he has—his/her unique voice. We all have our own X factor—it’s what makes you you. So go ahead, share your spark with the world through your posts.

The ability to channel your personality into your posts cannot be understated in its importance in fostering reader connections.

Share your soul, find your (reader) soulmate

Just as in your real, everyday life, the best way to make genuine connections with your readers online is by being genuine yourself. Celebrate your passions and share your true, best self.

When you wear your heart on your sleeve—and apply some savvy social media branding tactics—you make it way easier for your readers to realize that you are the perfect match they’ve been looking for.

By day, Emily Wenstrom, is the editor of short story website wordhaus, author social media coach, and freelance content marketing specialist. By early-early morning, she is E. J. Wenstrom, an award-winning sci-fi and fantasy author whose debut novel Mud was named 2016 Book of the Year by the Florida Writers Association.

The post 5 Ways to Show Your Readers You’re Their Perfect Match appeared first on DIY MFA.

If you subscribe to the DIY MFA newsletter, then you know I’ve had a lot to say lately. In this episode, I reflect on some of the recent themes I’ve been considering like: service, responsibility, gratitude and love.

I also talk about some of the obstacles I’ve faced when building my author platform.

These aren’t just external roadblocks that got in my way, but also internal factors and limiting mindsets that kept me from sharing my work. Listen in to the full episode below.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why it’s so important for you to share your stories, and how in doing so you not only empower yourself, but you also empower others to do the same.
• The “filter question” I use to assess all of my creative work, and how this one question helps me go from making a million tiny decisions every day to seeing  on the big picture.
• Bonus: This year, instead of doing New Year’s resolutions, challenge yourself to craft a filter question for your writing, your work, or even your life as a whole.

In this episode, I also allude to several recent newsletters and articles from DIY MFA. In case you’ve missed them, I have linked to these articles below.

• Dream Big, Execute Small — how to reframe marketing from being all about you to being in service of your readers.
• Use Your Words — why now more than ever, writers have the responsibility to use their words with integrity and purpose.
• The Radicalism of Our Time — in which I share a “big, scary thing” from my life, and talk about the tension between fear and love.

Link to Episode 124

(Right-click to download.)

Check out the webinar!

I’m offering a FREE webinar next Monday, December 12th at 1pm ET designed to help you find and connect with your readers. This is all in preparation for the launch of my new course: Pixels to Platform, designed to help you build your platform and share your work in a way that is both authentic and effective.

Connect with Readers, Build Your Platform

Monday, December 12th at 1pm Eastern Time
Register at: DIYMFA.com/PlatformWebinar

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available. Also, if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please share!

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 124: Platform Doesn’t Have to Be Painful — Solo Show appeared first on DIY MFA.

Today I’m talking to blogger and writer, Kirsten Oliphant, and we’ll be discussing one of my absolute favorite writing topics: email list-building for writers!

But first, a little bit about Kirsten. She earned MFA in fiction from University of North Carolina at Greensboro and has been blogging for eight years about food and parenting. This year she launched a new venture: the Create If Writing blog and podcast, which provide inspiration and authentic platform building tools for writers and bloggers. On this website also shares interviews with bloggers, writers, social media experts, and publishing insiders.

Kirsten is the mastermind behind the Free Email Course, where she helps demystify email lists for writers and bloggers, along with her signature course (Own Your List) that helps people grow, monetize, and manage their lists. When she’s not busy taking the email list world by story, Kirsten lives in Houston, Texas with her husband and four kids.

In this episode Kirsten and I discuss:

• Why an email list is your most important communication option in a world full of options.
• The personal touch of email versus other social media.
• 15 Step Intensive List Growth Checklist
• Finding the email tech that’s right for you.
• Do’s and Don’ts to help keep your subscribers happy and engaged once you have an email list.

Plus, Kirsten’s #1 tip for writers.

Resources:

If you want to know more about Kirsten, you can follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter or visit her website and join her email list!

Email client options for you to consider when building your list (in alphabetical order):

• Aweber
• ConvertKit
• Mad Mimi
• Mailchimp

Other awesome resources include The Persistence of Email Marketing for Book Publishers and the Creative Profitability Course* which is currently part of an awesome discount bundle!

*Note that this is an affiliate link, which means if you decide to purchase the course through this link, DIY MFA will get a commission at no cost to you. Thanks for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 78

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available. Also, if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please share!

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome.

The post Episode 78: Building an Email List – Interview with Kirsten Oliphant appeared first on DIY MFA.

1. Don’t bother marketing, and continue writing as a hobby, without ever getting read beyond a small circle of friends and family
2. Drastically change your personality so that you’re reinvented as a brash, extroverted marketing machine
3. Change the way you think about marketing so it suits who you actually are.

The first option is a nonstarter if you really wish to sell books.  The second option is probably impossible. So that leaves us with the third option. And, fortunately, it’s a relatively easy adjustment to make. In this post, I’d like to share some thoughts that can help you reframe what marketing really is, and let you see that you are perfectly capable of effectively reaching buyers and building a career.

1) Marketing is only pushy if you actually push.

Worrying about being “pushy” is a top concern for writers seeking to market.   For many of us, already overly sensitive to criticism and fearful of being judged, the thought of going out into the  world to “hawk our wares” sounds like a good excuse to experience a panic attack.

But what if, instead of pushing our message at people, we pulled those same people toward us?  What if we build a genuine human relationship with our prospective readers and nurture that relationship over days, months and years?

Here’s a scenario:  you see a musical act perform at a local festival.  You really enjoy them, so you sign up for their email list.  Over the weeks ahead they send you an occasional MP3, maybe a brief newsletter with some funny stories from the road, perhaps some photos of them in the studio recording their next album. You’re enjoying getting to know these people, and you start thinking of them as virtual pals.  You tell some friends about them, and they get on the list too. A couple of months later, you get an email from the band saying “The new CD is ready, and I’ve got a discount code for you!”.  You’re excited, and you head over to their site to place an order. So, what happened here?

Did they market to you?  Yes, they did.

Were they in any way pushy?  Nope.

Did you resent their attempt to sell you a CD?  Heck no!  If anything, you may have been annoyed if they didn’t tell you about the new CD.

There are myriad ways to pull prospective customers to you without ever pushing anything on them.  They key is to offer value, be human and remember that people want to be treated like friends, not sentient ATM machines. If you think that you can find a bunch of people who don’t know or care about you and sell them your book right off the bat, you’re fooling yourself.  Plan your marketing around pulling people toward you and nurturing a relationship and you won’t ever be thought of as pushy.  You’ll be thought of as a goodhearted author who cares about people.

And those are the folks who will dominate bestseller lists in the new publishing environment.

2) Find a solid marketing tactic you feel great about, stick with it and ignore everything else.

I’ve been marketing for 30 years, but even I get overwhelmed by the volume of strategies, tactics and “breakthrough” promotional tools that get bandied about. If it makes my head spin, I can understand  why a marketing neophyte might want to curl up in a ball and spend the rest of the day watching Law & Order reruns after being confronted with the marketing landscape.

Relax.  You aren’t running a presidential campaign, you’re trying to sell some books.  There’s no need for some crazily complex marketing plan that combines a zillion different tactics.  And there’s no need to allow yourself to be pushed out of your comfort zone into technologies and processes you don’t understand. You just need to find a simple tactic that works. And then keep doing it.

For some, it’s personal appearances. For others, it’s focusing entirely on sending out review copies. And for others, it’s creating a  podcast and building a listenership. Personally, I teach a tactic that builds an email list and allows writers to forge a growing relationship with a “Tribe” of their own (as the musical group mentioned above did).  I like that tactic because I know it works (I’ve been doing it for 20 years) and it’s fun to build real friendships that blossom into sales.

In the end, though, you get to choose your tactic.  Make sure it fits your personality and that it pulls, not pushes.   And then just get really good at it.  And forget everything else. If you keep things simple, you’ll actually get things done.  Make things complex and, well, those Law & Order reruns start looking really good

3) Prospective Readers NEED You to Market to Them!

It’s time to ask a very serious question – one that deeply matters:

Do you truly believe that your work is necessary?

To put it another way, would the world be in any way a better place if your writing was widely read? Would people be happier? Better informed? More inspired? A little less stressed? Whether you’re writing a deeply philosophical work or a book of knock-knock jokes, the ultimate result of someone reading your book should be that, somehow, his life has been enhanced.

Writers are, at their cores, alchemists.  They turn isolation into connection, fear into courage, murkiness into clarity, tears into laughter.  A great book (like the kind you write!) can transform a life, or it can make a tough day seem a little brighter. That’s real value, and it’s something worth celebrating.  And it’s something worth telling people about.

If you still think marketing is all about “hawking your wares”, please consider this:

There are people out there who need to read your work. The education, inspiration or entertainment you’re ready to provide them can greatly improve their lives. If you can make someone’s life better, you owe it to them to share that important news. Doing anything less would be a major disservice. You’ve put your heart and soul into your work.  But if you don’t stand up and advocate for it, who will?  Your marketing efforts shouldn’t be a business activity – it needs to be a mission.

Get going and start advocating for your work.  There are people out there who need you.

Jon Bard has been helping authors for 25 years as the co-owner of Children’s Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children’s Writers .  He recently introduced his course Easy Author Marketing – The Simple Solution That Sells Books.

Free gift for DIYMFA readers:   To learn more about Jon’s unique take on book marketing, download Jon’s free eBook: The 10 Minute Turnaround:  Overcome Your Fear of Marketing & Start Connecting with Readers Now!   It’s yours with his compliments, and you can get it right now at this link.

The post How to Instantly Change Your Mind About Book Marketing appeared first on DIY MFA.

“Have you read my new novel yet? Get it now! [LINK]”

“ ‘MY BOOK TITLE’ #kindle #bestseller [LINK]”

Do these spam author posts feel familiar? It’s become a common author stereotype on social media networks to constantly post asking people to please, for the love of God, buy my book.

But don’t be this author! Post-spam doesn’t work, and it can actually cause you to lose the followers you already have. Writers, I promise, there’s a better way.

It starts with realizing it’s not about book sales—it’s about building relationships with your readers.

I get it. You’ve poured a ton on of time, effort and quite possibly your soul into your book. Of course you want to do all you can to ensure it finds its way into readers’ hands—and yes, get a few dollars in your pocket to justify all you’ve put into it.

It’s also easy to get addicted to those little jumps in page views or purchases that happen each time you throw your links out there. But don’t mistake those little jumps for success—with 288 million active users on Twitter, you’re bound to get a few click-throughs no matter what you post.

What you have to ask yourself is, what are you building a platform for? Do you want a few extra sales today? Or do you want to grow a following of real relationships with readers who want not just this book, but your next book, and the one after that, and the one after that?

Long-term relationships, right? So stop the post-spam already. If you want build a long-term platform, you’re going to have to use a different playbook.

Start with these five tactics to build a strong, long-term platform:

Share You

Before you can make a genuine connection with a reader, you need to be your genuine self.

That means posting about things in your life beyond your book. More specifically, share your interests, your hobbies, pieces of your life and thoughts (within reasonable bounds of professionalism and privacy, of course).

So go ahead, gush over your cat. If Taylor Swift can do it, so can you.

Post news your audience will find interesting.

It’s called curating, and it’s awesome.

To curate content, follow others who offer content similar or related to yours (for example, if you write erotic novels, look at E.L. James or Cosmopolitan).

When you see them post something interesting, share it with your followers. To get the most from curating, add your own comment about why you found the link share-worthy when you re-post.

It’s that easy, and sharing your spotlight by connecting your readers with other valuable content is a win for everyone.

Engage in Conversations

When your followers mention you or respond to your post, reply to them. That moment of connection is priceless.

Think about it: How would you feel if a writer you admired took the time to respond to your comment? Personally, I’d about die. In fact it’s happened a few times, and really, I just about died. It’s just the coolest.

So be the coolest. Talk to your readers when they take the time to talk to you. Those warm fuzzies your reader gets will stay with them and remain associated with your personal brand.

Be Consistent

There’s few things worse for a growing platform than a flurry of posts within minutes, only to be followed by days of silence.

Try to keep some semblance of a schedule. For example, check your accounts for activity and post about daily. This show your followers you’re engaged and encourage platform growth. Posting more frequently will help you grow faster, depending on the network (Twitter benefits from more frequent posts more than Facebook, for example).

Tools like Hootsuite that let you schedule posts ahead of time can help you maintain this consistency when you need to step away for a bit.

Now Post About Your Book

You don’t have to forego talking about your book completely. The general rule of thumb is the 80/20 principle—80 percent of your posts should be non-promotional, and the other 20 percent can be “Hey, did you know my book is 20% off until Friday?”

That means for roughly every four posts you share that are about your life, sharing cool news from across the web, responding to followers, etc., you may post one that is promotional (but please don’t make this an exact practice of making literally every fifth post a promotional one—readers will sense you are chomping at the bit).

And be mindful of how you ask readers to buy your book, too—no robot sales lines, please. Share information about your books in your natural voice and with an attitude of sharing information, not a car salesman.

It’s natural to feel self-conscious when promoting yourself or anxious about keeping your sales up. But resorting to hyper-promotional post-spamming does little to sell your book in the short run, and a lot to damage your platform in the long run.

Instead, use social media as a way to build genuine relationships with readers, and I assure you that you’ll reap the benefits over the long haul.

Bonus: If you want to see examples of these principles at work, check out the accounts of these 5 awesome author platforms.

By day, Emily Wenstrom, is the editor of short story website wordhaus, author social media coach, and freelance content marketing specialist. By early-early morning, she is E. J. Wenstrom, an award-winning sci-fi and fantasy author whose debut novel Mud was named 2016 Book of the Year by the Florida Writers Association.

The post How to Stop Spamming and Grow Your Network appeared first on DIY MFA.

That’s why I’m always curious about what’s really going on out there on the streets. Or in this case, cyberstreets.

There’s nothing wrong with learning from what your fellow authors are doing. Here’s five authors I’ve been keeping tabs on as online platforming role models:

1. Tahereh Mafi

I can’t get over this girl’s sleek and chic author site—Consider Tahereh’s Exhibit A on the difference a top-notch graphic designer can make. But more important than looking nice, this website reflects a distinct Tahereh Mafi brand that is consistent with her natural voice.

Tahereh also has a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Instagram. And across all of them, she maintains a consistent voice and visuals, and shares about her life and interests beyond promotion her books (check out her Fashion board on Pinterest).

But the savviest move Tahereh’s made? Easily the ebook novelettes she wrote to hold over fans of her Shatter Me series between book releases.

2. Chuck Wendig

Chuck Wendig is the poster child for being true to your voice over trying to please people. His distinct voice, chock-full of off-color metaphors and littered with swear words, is clearly not for everyone. But for fans of his gritty, dark urban fantasies, it’s delightful.

But look past the strange drifting metaphors and swear words, and Wendig’s platform (including Twitter, Flickr and Tumblr) still has the sheen of professionalism. He’s consistent, with posts about his life, the writing process, and contests that celebrate fandom—satisfying readers and writers alike well beyond self-promotion.

And note the “Holy shit, free stories,” tab of his site, where you can get a taste of his writing risk-free before taking the plunge and buying one of his books. Generosity online isn’t just nice, it’s smart business.

3. Rainbow Rowell

I’m not usually a romance fan … but this girl. Like Tahereh Mafi, Rainbow has a nicely designed author site that showcases her distinct personality and voice. She holds a robust presence across Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Goodreads, and is incredibly responsive to fans.

It’s easy to see that Rainbow genuinely loves social media. Her Peter Pan Live! Twitter livechat comments were consistently among my favorites. Never underestimate the power of sharing your interests to connect with readers.

4. Joanna Penn

Is it possible to be everywhere at one? Joanna Penn sure keeps up the appearance of it. She maintains an author website with a blog, as well as accounts on Facebook, Google+, Flickr, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube.  She also maintains a second website geared towards the writing community, with its own blog that focuses on advice for other writers.

The best thing about Joanna’s platform is the clear, pinpoint description of the kind of fiction she writes: “Thrillers with a supernatural edge.”

5. Elizabeth Spann Craig

In addition to having an incredible blog for writers, Elizabeth’s writing platform is interesting for how she handles writing under multiple names. Instead of trying to maintain separate platforms for her two author names (how exhausting), she lists her titles under both names together.

Like many others on this list, Elizabeth is generous with her platform, often lending her excellent writers’ blog to guest posts from other authors and frequently sharing other great writer posts she finds on Twitter. She also maintains a presence on Facebook and Google+, and puts out an e-newsletter for readers.

The Bottom Line

So what can we learn from these five awesome platformers? Let’s break down the top takeaways:

• Use multiple channels. All of these authors are using multiple social media channels. That’s not to say you have to be everywhere. Or that you have to start on several channels all at once. Start with what you’re comfortable with, but as you get acclimated on those channels work to slowly expand to at least three or four. More networks means more ways for readers to connect.

• Do what you like. Another commonality here is these authors clearly enjoy their platforms. Don’t create a Twitter account just because it’s trending—choose the channels where you feel comfortable being yourself and have fun. It’ll show, and readers will respond to your enthusiasm.

• Go pro. Don’t underestimate the power of a professional website. If you don’t have the skills to create your own, this is one place where a little investment can really pay off—along with professional photography.

• But if there’s only one thing you take from this post, make it this: There is nothing as good for your platform as knowing and loving your voice. You don’t have to be like anyone else to succeed, just be the best version of your own true voice that you can be. That’s where your greatest unique asset is, and your distinctive, memorable brand. No matter what social network you’re on, it’s tapping into that voice and authenticity that makes readers flock to you.

Never think that just because another author is doing something that you have to do it too. But even if you don’t use the same tactics, it can be helpful to see what others are doing that works.

Do you know other authors with awesome platforms? Share them in the comments!

By day, Emily Wenstrom, is the editor of short story website wordhaus, author social media coach, and freelance content marketing specialist. By early-early morning, she is E. J. Wenstrom, an award-winning sci-fi and fantasy author whose debut novel Mud was named 2016 Book of the Year by the Florida Writers Association.

The post 5 Awesome Author Online Platforms appeared first on DIY MFA.