Blogger: Wendy Lawton
If you’ve known me for long I’m sure you’ve heard me whine about writers who spend their social media energy connecting with other writers. I keep ranting “go to your readers, not your writing friends.” But of course we are vitally interested in our colleagues and in our industry. It’s natural to seek out like minded people. Look at any school playground at recess. Two yard duty teachers stand talking to each other, not interacting with the kids. Or at the office, it’s more fun to hang out at the water cooler than make calls to customers.
It’s time for writers to get serious, leave the safety of the water cooler and figure out where to find readers.
Bestselling author Lauraine Snelling is a case in point. For most of her writing career she has written about Norwegians and about North and South Dakota, Minnesota and the Midwest– both historical and contemporary. Lauraine knew from the very beginning where she would find the biggest percentage her readers. She began speaking to Sons of Norway lodges and attended Scandinavian festivals like Skandi-fest in California and Hostfest in Minot, North Dakota. She found her readers. Year after year she would go back and word-of-mouth would have sent new readers to her. These days when she attends Hostfest she has three or four booths set up as a Lauraine Snelling bookstore. She brings in books on pallets and sells more than a thousand books each year.
Her publisher helps her by advertising toward her readers. They take out ads in Scandinavian-American cultural newspapers and magazines. They even create an ad for the buses that ferry folks into the festival. Brilliant. One of the best things Lauraine did was identify a niche early on and work to reach that niche audience. The nice thing? Word of mouth spreads way beyond that niche. There are plenty of non-Norwegians and non-Midwesterners who now read Lauraine’s books.
Julie Klassen, also a bestselling novelist, is another case in point. Julie is considered the gold standard of inspirational regency fiction. She was the first to make that category work and, because she was long a fan of that era, she knew how to reach regency readers. Julie spends time following her forever favorite, Jane Austen. She’s a true Janeite and attends Jane Austen events. She’s even had a costume designer create two different regency ballgowns. (In the picture below she’s wearing the blue and gold ballgown.) Julie and her husband are both experienced in the complicated regency d
ances. When you follow Julie’s online chatter she’ll talk about her trips to England and how she’s discovered the settings for her books– all things readers love to hear.
So how about you? How do you find your readers? Following are a few questions to ask:
What are some of the elements in my books that will connect with a specific group of readers? List those elements.
Where do those particular readers hang out? For instance if you are writing about hope for those who suffer from chronic pain, are there blogs that address this? If there are could you become a frequent visitor/ commenter? As you comment, those who need your book will begin to recognize your name. Perhaps after being a contributing part of that community for some time you mention your book when it is appropriate. (See the important elements here? You give first, become known and then– and only then– do you mention your book.)
Can you speak to potential readers? (Every time you speak give a door prize so that you can collect those potential readers’ names.)
Are there interest groups for your setting or your topic that you can join? Think of how many Scottish fan sites there are, for example.
Are there interest groups for the era in which you write?
Are there authors whose followers may be your very readers? For years I hung out with fans of Maud Hart Lovelace books (the Betsy-Tacy books). Many on that listserv were also authors and the huge community enthusiastically celebrated each publication by one of our members.
Now it’s your turn. Where to find readers? How have you found your target readers whether you are published or not? Do you hang out with them? Name three places you might encounter new readers and tell us how you might be able to connect with those readers. Let’s be creative!
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My WIP ties spiritual growth to home renovation. My husband is on our local Habitat for Humanity board, and I’ve been thinking how to tie the two–perhaps contributing my tithe of profit from any special events to the Habitat chapter of that area (and promoting it through them in advance). I wonder if it would be worth a booth at homeshows. Your post is a call to think and pray on it. Thank you, Wendy.
Brilliant, Shirlee. And when your book comes out you link it to a Habitat project (perhaps giving a free book to everyone who donates on the day of the build) and send a press release to the area newspapers prior to the event so they can come and cover both the Habitat project and secondarily, your book. Being able to say “a portion of the proceeds will be dedicated to Habitat for Humanity” is a win-win. It helps bring attention to the nonprofit and to your book.
Shirlee, what a beautiful example of serving the community physically and through the written word.
Wendy,
I’ve heard (read) you say this before, but I’m not published and wasn’t really sure how to do that. I tweaked my blog to focus on American spirit and Kentucky pride.
Today your words are kinda like the safe combination clicking into place. As I’ve researched my WIP, I’ve connected with veterans on social media. I think your words must have been in the back of my mind. NOW I’ll be more intentional about connecting with these wonderful people and their families. I’ll figure out a way to give back to these wonderful Americans who’ve sacrificed so much for us.
Thanks so much for giving us direction. Even when you think we’re not listening, we are. Have a great day!
And when you read Janet’s post yesterday about acknowledgements, begin collecting all those people to weave into your acknowledgement page. (Hint: Those who are named in your book become your uber-fans.)
“Those who are named in your book become your uber-fans”
Only if you they spell their name right.
Nice hint. Thanks!
This post is very encouraging. And sometimes we need the path lit for us … that’s what I appreciate so much about B&S. I know I need to be more intentional in a non-intentional way. 🙂 I don’t think I have much to help others, but this is what I’m working on …
*Speaking seems to lead to one more speaking engagement. It’s slow growing. But I hope that is God’s way of preparing me and not overwhelming me (I needed to overcome the fear of public speaking).
*I’ve written for a missions organization since 2008. The people I write about seem to become forever friends. That’s slow growing, too, but it’s growing.
*The church library is a sweet place. I’ve become good friends with our librarian. She’s such a sweet lady. So supportive. She even came to hear me speak at a women’s retreat. She told me that her sister’s church may want me to come there to speak to their women’s group.
You said: ” I know I need to be more intentional in a non-intentional way.” This is the perfect way to state the most important thing about reaching readers. I love that you get it, Shelli. We need to be what I call winsome. Hard sell never works to get word-of-mouth going. The foot in the door makes us cringe. Wise as serpents, gentle as doves, right?
I love your three action items!
I guess this is channel to market stuff, with trade offs between granular and lumpy opportunities. Its really wise counsel to find places where people gather and to pitch the group to reach the individual. It reminds me of research I once did on Islamic banking, where the secret was to leverage community leaders and the Imam, where possible. Well whatever, I am not that sure I would discount other writers. I strongly believe in collaboration and did my M on that subject, so by back-linking to other writers (a key to internet and google penetration/rankings), writers can build a case for reciprocation and the recommendations thus elicited. By working with fellow writers we should be able to punch above our weight. Frankly, a shared website can also help to lift individuals above their own limits and so reach a bigger audience together, than could be reached alone. Else we will reach a ceiling and stagnate. Would this community work together to build something where the sum is greater than the parts – why on earth not. We could even do that through RSS links into a shared site, so our own sites would still stand and enjoy back-links from the shared site. I really do believe in working smarter than harder.
One obvious place of congregation for readers is in face-book communities. At least I search friend’s sites, for friends I know or have met or who are at least friends of a few of my friends (no further, else it just becomes name collecting). I also have had some success through the sharing function, i.e. by positioning my posts so they share easily enough through friends’ walls. The same principle can extend to other communities, like forums, clubs, etc. I think providing content for newsletters for free, might be a great way to gain an audience. I really believe in reciprocal marketing.
Definitely, Peter. Other writers. I’m not saying to ignore that community because that is the natural place we will congregate. No one has to encourage you to go there. I overstated to make my point– find your readers.
Many will argue that no one reads more than other writers– that’s true, but other writers often are used to getting their books free (influencers or reviewers) and will probably not become your devoted fan because they need to read widely and eclectically.
Great post, Wendy – a lot of vital information here.
* One thing I would add is this question – “What defines the readers for whom you write?” It may be a deeper question than it appears on the surface, to wit –
* My blog (and, on reflection, my fiction) are aimed at caregivers of one kind or another, and what defines them are a triad of salient values:
1) A strong sense of duty
2) The at least implicit knowledge that it’s not ‘all about them’
3) The willingness, born of bleak necessity, to look squarely at the most unpleasant prospects.
* And yes, I would include among them Orwell’s ‘rough men who stand ready in the night to do violence’ so that others may sleep secure.
I love how you’ve identified your reader. And, of course, in doing so, you’ve defined the elements of your brand.
And, of course, one must always respect one’s readers, keeping in mind the host of a radio programme for children in the late 1940s, who, at the end of a broadcast, thought he was speaking into a dead mike –
* “There, that ought to hold the little nitwits for awhile.”
* Only he didn’t say nitwits…I won’t use the word here, but will allude to it in a limerick –
The bustard’s an exquisite fowl,
with scarcely a reason to howl;
it escapes what would be
illegitimacy
by the grace of a fortunate vowel
I remember that, Andrew. Mr. Greenjeans probably swallowed his dentures when he heard the captain say that.
I love this idea. I write Southern Women’s Contemporary Fiction and after reading your blog, I started brainstorming about women’s groups in my community that might be interested in my stories. Perhaps I need to include someone from the Red Hat Society and the Junior League. Thanks very much for sharing.
Exactly. Except many of us yankees are huge fans of southern fiction as well. But as you begin to look at magazines like Southern Living and note the ads and follow those to other links, you’ll begin to find out where readers may hang out.
Ann Gabhart and Ginny Smith annually do a reader event in Kentucky (for Kentucky writers) but going there might let you see where else you can connect to readers.
Love this post and so very helpful! I am writing a Southern Fiction as well. But my main character is a psychotic inmate in Birmingham’s Correctional facility for women, who believes her dead daughter is still alive when everyone else thinks she killed her. I’m not sure where I would find my readers either. Jail? Any suggestions welcomed.
Cindy, I don’t think you want to be that specific. After all, this is just the first of many books, right? Your readers are probably going to be hanging out in book clubs, at Goodreads, and even in southern shopping malls. 🙂 If you wanted to connect with a nonprofit in a meaningful way to celebrate this book coming out perhaps you could get your publisher to partner with you to connect with the Birmingham AngelTree project. For every gift given to a child of an inmate for Christmas you could give the mother of that child a book. You’d, of course, write a great press release to all the area newspapers, TV and Radio stations telling about the matching gift– drawing attention to Angel Tree in a new way and, of course, to your book. Win-win.
Great ideas that I plan on using. The Angle Tree project, (one of our favorite holiday activities) is a wonderful idea and perhaps my character can give others hope. I believe this is the first in a series. Does creepy little southern town settings with a wacko serial killer sell well? Appreciate your time very much. Thank you.
Thanks for the advice. I’m aware of the Kentucky Book Festival, but I never thought about checking out the ads in Southern Living to see where readers are hanging out. Thank you!
I always feel like this is soooo much harder to answer for us contemporary writers/women’s fiction writers. My debut book was set in downtown Chicago, right on the lakefront. But Chicago is a very liberal city–and large–and it’s next to impossible to get any attention there, particularly if you’re a conservative and no longer live in the area.
I’ve actually had quite a few readers leave reviews that compared me to Francine Rivers–which is always an awesome thing. 🙂 But that still doesn’t necessarily help narrow my ideal reader because she has such a wide readership and has written contemporary and historical fiction.
Maybe I’m too close to see it, but how do you do these things when you write women’s fiction that’s heavy on relationships and deals with modern-day issues, all while set in the Chicago area? It seems like this is all easier for historical fiction writers. I’m open to any and all suggestions. 🙂
Sally, I have a thought – perhaps you could reach out to those for whom the ‘idea’ of Chicago is far more concrete than it’s unfortunate social reality.
* Chicago, to me, is a place in which it’s past, so visible in its architecture and traditions, forms its distinct personality – a personality which transcends the passing political winds. Andrew Greeley did quite well, doing just this, for several decades. He gave me an affection for the city and its sense of place which has not dimmed.
* Practically, a potential audience might be those who value exactly those things – the architecture (and Frank Lloyd Wright has quite a few well-read fans), and the neighbourhood identities (much like the Scottish fan groups mentioned by Wendy).
* An example of this approach might be, in another genre, Janette Oke. Her lovely books describe a facet of the West – a sort of ‘West of the Imagination’ – that goes beyond geographical boundaries and lifestyle. She connects with those who would seek updated stories of knights errant, and damsels (TOUGH damsels) in distress. Sometimes damsels causing distress…
* Point being, she was able to connect the values in her stories with readers who made the identified their own yearnings for meaning with a specific place (and time).
Good point, Andrew, re connecting with those whose yearnings for meaning burn to be expressed. My historical novel (set in the hard times of the 30s) attracts those who lived it but surprisingly appeals to younger readers, many of whom are “fascinated by that period … the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression … how could they go through all that?”
I find those readers at historical expos, First Friday events. They respond to a message of hope, of overcoming. With hope, contentment is possible. Regardless of our market, with Jesus at the core of our writing, we bring hope into a hurting, jaded world. Most comments here exude that elusive element. Many service clubs meet weekly and their program chairmen constantly need new speakers.
Librarians and museum curators (who sell books, BTW) light up at the possibility of a well-told account. They sense I appreciate their guardianship of the precious vessels of truth, the stories of people who overcame, who failed but didn’t quit.
Surely, Sally, I’m not the only former Chicagoan who enjoys reading about places I knew an loved. But I’m not sure how you go about finding us. I see your challenge.
What about talking to church and non-profit groups that help people come out of lifestyles like the ones about which you write? Those church and/or non-profit people might have contacts with the individuals who need this book. Find the groups that help people with this particular issue. I’m not sure where to start looking for these groups, though. I guess you could start with Google and possibly talk to some counselors who could read your book and they could help spread the word to clients without breaking confidentiality agreements. What about crisis pregnancy centers? All of your books might deal with different subjects and not just one right?
Yes. With a large multi-cultural metropolitan city it’s hard to let setting help you find readers. You’ve not gone for a tidy niche with your book so it’s much more difficult. you probably want to consider finding book clubs and critical review circles and . . .
Thank you all for your comments! You’ve given me some things to think about.
Shirlee, you’re just like me–I’ve lived in the Chicago area and absolutely adore it! But for so long it seems that Christian publishers haven’t wanted the big city setting. Thankfully, my readers have proven that not to be true.
My book–and what I see coming down the road in my writing–is definitely book club fiction. So that might be the best area to target. I think that might allow me to touch on some of those groups you mentioned, Sylvia, although I think they’d prefer non-fiction to fiction for their followers.
Like Jackie, I’m not yet published and so I’ve not been quite sure how to “market” without an actual product. I need to consider some of these outlying opportunities to begin having a presence with potential readers. I write fiction based in the mountains of North Carolina, and have ties there. I know I can market to a few audiences there via friends with blogs, sites, etc. This is going to be a goal in 2016! Thanks so much for the tips.
The important thing about prepubbed writers is not to do any marketing at this point. Your job is to connect and become part of some vibrant NC communities– not even mentioning your book yet. You need to hang with potential readers sharing recipes and craft ideas, stories and advice long before you let them know that their favorite person has a book. Besides, it will help you far more than the effort you will expend. If you pick the right places you will hear stories, catch the rhythms of speech and understand the heart of your characters/ readers so much better.
SO, SO thankful for your insight and wisdom on this, Wendy! I can’t wait to brainstorm on this some and find new avenues for doing just that.
Wendy, I’ve read your posts about different ways to connect with our readers. I’m thinking about different elements of my story and trying to figure out which one I can begin finding readers in.
*My heroine is a widowed single mother. I’m thinking maybe I can find some blogs that focus on mothering (especially of toddlers since that’s the ages of her children). Maybe that would be a start for finding new readers for me.
*And, that just led me to think that maybe I can find out how to speak at places like MOPS meetings. I don’t know how to go about this, but your post unlocked some ideas this morning. Thank you!
*I would also add (as I think it may have been mentioned here previously) that hanging out on the social media where our target audience hangs out may also be a good place to find potential readers.
Good action points. Some things we’ve discovered is that there are broad connections between activities and readers. For instance, we know based on extensive market research and actual projects we’ve been involved in that women who do needlework are also voracious readers. Writers need to keep their ears to the ground and their eyes open to find those broad connections.
Here’s an example: Can you imagine how powerful it would be if we found out that hairdressers were voracious readers? If we could get to them, they are some of the most powerful word-of-mouth practitioners on the planet. If this were true (and I have no idea if it is) I would take a booth at a hair show to feature my books with a delightful secondary character who is a hairdresser.
Thank you for this important and inspiring reminder, Wendy. I’m tapping into the interests I share with my main characters by posting nature photography onto a local Facebook page. I love where I live, and it’s got me thinking I should use my town’s name as the location of my stories. I recently met a local magazine editor through my husband and was asked about my pictures. He was easy to talk to, so now I need to muster up the courage to write an article and query him with it. Writer’s need courage as much as spellcheck. Sigh.
Blessings ~ Wendy Mac
I love that idea about using your location simply because I’d like to learn more about it. 🙂
Perfect, Wendy. You are an amazing photographer so that touches on two of your gifts, art and writing.
Ooohh, Wendy. I can imagine several of your photos as book covers!
Wendy, the creative and personal touch your pictures and poems exude is inspirational.
Thank you Wendy, Shelli, Shirlee and Jenni. I learn so much from everyone here. And today the Lord encouraged me through all of you. I had tears in my eyes and a big smile when I shared with my family what you dear ladies said. November isn’t my fave month, so writing NaNoWriMo keeps me busy until it passes by. My husband says to utilize the pathos in my writing. That would explain why my characters were at a funeral today (I just realized that). 😉 Only 22,000 more words to go…
My wip is a YA Fantasy novel. I know that the most avid of teen readers enjoy fanfic. They get addicted to it. A well written fanfic can have hundreds of readers within a few days, plus feedback in comments about what they love about it or what they didn’t like.
As I am finishing up my book, I am considering taking side characters from my book and writing little chapters for them to post to the fanfic websites.
Excellent idea, Jodi. I love that you know your readers, know where they hang out and what they like. Bodes well!
I’m trying to be much more intentional about the groups I follow or join on Facebook. Connection points are historical architecture, the natural world, and history groups focusing on the areas where my novels are set. Every Friday I share an architectural trio of houses I’ve photographed in the Bay Area on the California History FB group. It’s been so fun getting to know people better as they comment about the neighborhood or style of home.
If my brand was displayed in a magazine, what lifestyle would it represent? This thought process helps me hone in on where my reader travels, their age bracket, who they admire and listen to (in regards to quotes I share), what they watch and read, etc.
I’m learning to filter the content I share through the interests of my future reader.
Jenni, I really enjoy your posts on social media. I love character houses. You inspire me to be more intentional with promoting my own brand too. When I see craftsman homes, I think of you. Well done.
Thanks for the encouragement, Wendy. I always look forward to sharing your lovely posts on Twitter.
You do a great job with this, Jenni! I love your “Facade Fridays.”
Thank you, Karen. 🙂
This post touches indirectly on a struggle I’m having, that of being unsure of what exactly I write. By that I mean genre, etc. It feels a little silly to even admit I don’t know, but my work seems to be as wide-ranging as my reading habits. I’ve written dystopian fiction about bioengineering, fiction about mental illnesses (told from the point of view of the mentally ill and which one editor called a horror story), historical fiction set around the events of a circa 1800s firestorm, fiction about a dying woman who lived a tragic life grappling with the idea a loving God, and a man in a plane about to crash dealing with regret. I also have a collection of essays exploring grief and death. I write what I need to write, but I’m puzzled about who my readers might be. My writing is rarely overtly Christian and certainly not what anyone might deem inspirational, except in the “someone chose to die to save you” way. My slip rarely shows beneath my skirt, as Madeleine L’Engle would say. How does one answer the question of genre when it isn’t, or doesn’t seem, obvious? How does one find readers or even begin to address the issue of brand?
(If there is another blog entry addressing this, feel free to direct me there. Thanks.)
Kat, It sounds like you are in your exploration phase– this is an important time, but a professional who hopes to be traditionally published must eventually stake a claim on a category genre and build a loyal audience. I do know a couple of successful authors who straddle two genres or fiction and nonfiction but it is rare. It could be argued that their reach would be a whole lot deeper if they put energy into one or the other.
A publisher doesn’t need a jack of all trades. He wants to find a slot for you and work with you to build from that spot.
Thank you for the feedback. The exploration phase. Of course. Sometimes I can’t see the forest for the trees.
I understand what you mean about staking a claim; hence my anxiety. For now, I will relax and continue writing.