Blogger: Wendy Lawton
Part 2 of 2: Going At It Backwards
So what’s backward about getting your book published and then seeking to find your reader? Isn’t that what we supposed to do– focus on the content and then when it releases, the publisher gets it out there and the readers find it?
As my kids would say, “That’s so 1990s.”
We live in a brave new world of social networking and connecting. The perfect storm for a nonfiction book would be a book that grows out of the author’s brand. In other words, if the writer’s blog is the place everyone goes to get information about how to grow organic food in small spaces and the author is writing a book on the subject, it’s a no-brainer. The author found his subject and his audience long before he ever put finger to keyboard to create a book. He knows his readers–what makes them tick, what ticks them off and what they love. And when his book comes out, he knows who will buy it and how to get to them.
It’s not as easy with fiction, although you can build an audience based on author personality, region or specific content. But with nonfiction an author needs to be building his potential reader base long before a book is even in the works. Here are some of the reasons:
- As you get to know your potential readers, you’ll come to know what they will want in a book.
- Your potential readers will offer you potential content in their conversations with you.
- As you bounce ideas off them, you are building excitement for the book.
- As you talk about the book, you give them a sense of ownership–of inside track. Some of these readers may become your best marketing mavens.
- Before you are published you’ll have more time to lavish on this kind of networking. Once you are in the publishing cycle you are writing, editing, proposing new books and helping market. Pre-book is the calm before the storm.
So chime in. What are some other reasons you want to develop your reader base long before writing your book? What are some other ways to do this?
I jumped into blogging regularly last year while writing my first novel. I had heard similar things such as this. As I’ve developed my readership, I’ve had to take a look at the content on my blog and ask if I was gearing it toward other writers or my potential readers (not that the writers weren’t potential readers, but I wanted to expand beyond that). As the months have gone by, I’ve tried to tweak my content a bit so that it’s less geared toward subjects having to do with writing, and more geared toward people who might be readers of my inspirational women’s fiction.
I think developing this reader base has helped me to figure out the types of issues I want to address, on my blog and in my books. And it’s helped me to know that people are actually interested in those issues, so I’ll have an audience whenever I do get published. I would think it will also look good to a publisher to already be in the social media scene and have connections made and readers already in place.
You said, “I’ve had to take a look at the content on my blog and ask if I was gearing it toward other writers or my potential readers”
Bingo! That is the most important question we can ask. We all tend to write to our friends, but we need to be reaching out to our readers.
Great post! I find that my blog/FB readers are most engaged when I ask THEIR opinion on things. I love having them chime in, since it gives me more direction as to what works and what doesn’t.
That’s the way to build community– to ask and then listen. Good lesson for us.
Such great advice, Wendy!
I don’t write nonfiction, but if I did, it just makes sense to understand the market, what drives it, and what it’s going to take to deliver a sought-after product (book). As a reader, I’d want to know: Are they an expert in their field or do they have a deep understanding about the subject? Does their subject matter resonate with me? How is it different from all the rest? Nonfiction’s probably a harder sell because some niches are over-saturated with similar content.
I guess, that being said, those things would be applicable to fiction, as well.
I think Lindsay is wise in varying her blog content. I believe it prevents stagnation. (Great job, Lindsay!) Folks want to connect with us on a deeper level, and they want to know what makes us tick. Those sterile, generic posts leave me about as cold as the exam table at my doctor’s office.
Happy Weekend, all!
And with fiction you connect on all those interests you share with your readers. I love how regency writer (and Books & Such client) Julie Klassen does it. She connects with fellow Anglophiles, Janeites (Jane Austen fans), Fans of Downton Abbey, those who love to travel in the British Isles, etc. Brilliant.
Don’t forget about forums, tumblr, reddit, Facebook Groups, and other blogs where you can participate as a community member to build name recognition. Go where your readers are and use your expertise to make an impression.
Absolutely. And it’s important to be a participating member, giving far more than you take– that’s what you mean when you say use your expertise. It’s so easy to spot someone who comes onboard just to promote something. You need to build capital with a group– make lots of deposits– before you attempt to withdraw.
Dobes, you demonstrate this by entering the conversation here. It’s scary to move out of lurker status but you gain name recognition when you jump in and join the community.
Great post. I’ve known some writers who have put together newsletters, even when they didn’t have a book out yet. They tie it into their blogs, and since blogs can’t always be about you, it provides reader benefit. Getting subscribers to your newsletter means people get notice on a regular basis about what is going on in your writing world.
I haven’t actually started one yet, because I don’t want to commit to something I don’t have the time to produce regularly, but it might be a future project.
Thanks for the wonderful posts this week. I enjoy visiting.
The first newsletters were huge hits, but don’t forget, when everyone does something it bleeds off some of the excitement. We all need to keep experimenting– to discover the next new thing. (How we wish we’d invented Facebook, right?)
I started blogging after I closed my tea room…it was a great way to stay in touch with all those I missed seeing regularly…and then it evolved to include other projects in my life. I love people and connecting with them.
Since my novel involves a group of people who don’t use technology to stay in touch, I’ve sharpened my handwriting skills considerably when communicating with them.
I am wondering whether it is easier/better to connect with readers based on author personality or specific content? I’m sure there must be pros and cons for both…maybe a combination is best?
Thanks for the little push, Wendy, to continue evaluating the use of social networking.
Don’t you think the best way to connect would be a combination of the two? It’s hard to use personality alone if you’re relatively unknown.
I love the way The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond did it. http://thepioneerwoman.com/ Part of it is about who she is but it’s mostly about living a simple, self-sufficient life. She seems to be committed to mentoring younger women who missed out on the how-tos of homemaking and farm-keeping.
The trick is to figure out what your readers’ interests are and where they intersect with yours. Plus you want to develop a career-spanning readership so if this book is about suffragettes, say, and the next book is about a woman who created a community around a diner, you wouldn’t want to focus on either women’s vote or diners– although those would be interesting secondary themes. You might want your lifetime brand to be women discovering their gifts. There would be lots of room to meander off after different book’s secondary themes.
Thank you, Wendy. A while back, I became aware (through reading the Writer’s Digest and blogs such as yours) that if I wanted to be a published novelist, I had to become a regular blogger. I felt that I should blog about what I knew so,since I am a writing teacher and a writer, I decided that the logical topic for me to blog about was writing. However, like Lindsay, I have come to the question, “How is this going to help me establish a ready-made audience for my novel?” Readers follow me for tips on writing. My novel is not about a writer; it’s a YA fantasy. Your blog has helped me to realize that I should be blogging about fantasy topics. Since I’m of Irish heritage and grew up on stories of banshees and faeries, blogging about such things not only is something I can do, but can have fun with.
In regards to other social media, I have found Twitter to be a good way to connect with other YA writers and people interested in fantasy. Also, at Rachelle Gardner’s suggestion, I have discovered that Goodreads is another great way to connect with potential readers.
Why build a base before the book is published? That seems like a no-brainer. Any good business person would want to build interest, excitement and a market before launching a product, wouldn’t she?
Thanks again, Wendy — and Lindsay.
The whole discussion has been great, and Wendy, your heart and professionalism come thru in a perfect blend. Good job.
I’m most convicted about blogging. Facebook has taken over my blogging endeavors… don’t know what to do with that.
But I’ll press on all the fronts as I’m able. Thanks.
I wonder why so many writers resist doing this? And why some agents tell their clients to “just keep writing your book” and not blog or connect with future readers. Thanks for the great post.
Sorry, I should add that my own agent (Joyce Hart) has never said that and has been very supportive of my efforts at trying to connect with future readers. I just read what I wrote above and I wasn’t referring to myself but to some friends whose “Turtle method” of writing has been reinforced by their agents!!! Thanks again, Wendy, for this great post!
Wendy, do you mind anyone pinning the want ad to Pinterest? The link will come back to the blog.
And you are right. It is so much harder for fiction writers.
The phenomena of social media is quite perplexing these days. I started building a Twitter following only to realize that most people don’t even the Tweets. They are just there to add twenty-five people a day, who receive automated responses asking to connect on Facebook. So my 2,000 plus followers are one heartbeat from being bots?
At the moment, I am merely building a social media presence on the side. It can’t hurt to be in the middle of the market when my tomatoes arrive, right? In the meantime, I will continue writing my books until the two disciplines merge.
Sometimes, the social media aspect drives me to continue writing when I despair as an author. There are days when being a hopeful author feels like trying to juice a pine cone. It’s just hard to keep squeezing when there are no results. Yet keeping abreast of the literary world through blogs, tweets, and posts reminds me that there are still authors signing contracts, agents reading queries, and companies publishing books. What an ironic twist that my promotional social media helps feed my spirits.
I think your strategy is wise, P. J., because I’ve already noticed you as an interesting commenter on many of the blogs I read. In other words, when I see your name you have already registered as someone who is investing time in the industry and is intentional about being part of the community.