So, it's been eighteen months since I first saw a post bashing Steemit. Wow, am I glad I didn't take it at face value. Since I started here, I've done fairly well. Not as well as some, better than others.
- I managed to help my daughter pay for her wedding.
- Paid my way to Paris for a week.
- Bought a car
- Upgraded my house
So, when I say I know my way around the platform, I think I've got something to say on the subject, although I can always be schooled. I got to thinking about what has added most to my success and the truth is, the thing I've gotten the best rewards from was my fiction. So, here are my top tips for fiction writers on STEEMIT!
TIP NUMBER ONE!
Be consistent
The seasons I've had the best response on the platform and gotten the best rewards during were when I was posting multiple times a week, preferably daily.
When I've gotten busy with other projects (I'm a full time freelance and ghost writer) my audience here hasn't gone away, but it hasn't stayed up where I want it to either. One thing that seems to help is to post serially, in other words, a longer story posted in daily pieces seems best.
TIP NUMBER TWO
Get involved
Early on, I decided to teach others how to do what I was doing on Steemit. This was easy for me, since I've always been a teacher. I taught drama and stage craft for almost twenty years, I was a trainer in my job as a carpenter, and I have homeschooled eight kids, so, I like to teach!
Upvoting other writers, leaving comments and encouraging them to keep going has always been good for me as well. I see my votes increase, my follower count go up and I get more comments when I'm active with other users.
TIP NUMBER THREE
Keep it fun!
I've written on all kinds of topics here, as you can see if you go through my blog. I've written about philosophy, my faith, positive thinking, my family, and stories. Stories and things that were aimed at positivity have done best for me.
My rant posts have almost always fallen on deaf ears. There's a lot that could be improved here, but I've come to believe the best way to improve it, is through adding great content, encouraging other writers and building community! So, take a tip from me and stay positive!
TIP NUMBER FOUR
Reply, reply, reply!
Reply to comments and to replies to your comments on other posts. This is where conversation happens on steemit. The more people feel like they know you, the better. If you can make friends, they'll stick around longer and be more likely to upvote and share your work!
Be sure you stay positive here too. If someone wants to drag you down, ignore them, or reply positively. Flame wars will get you nowhere and they may actually hurt you. This is not that big of a place. There's a lot of us here, but it's not Facebook, so your actions will get noticed.
TIP NUMBER FIVE
Do good work!
Your writing doesn't need to be perfect to gain some traction, but the better it is, the better it will do. If you need to polish up your English, do it. Start small and work up. If you've never written for a living, or even as a hobby, take time to craft your posts carefully and ask for opinions and advice.
If your work is easy to read and provides entertainment value that others enjoy, you'll build an audience and soon you'll be getting some payouts. But, if you insist on being rewarded for illegible posts that need work, you'll find it's a hard place to make headway.
TIP NUMBER SIX
Engage your readers!
Sometimes, I will ask for a specific response in the comment section! It doesn't always work, but it can. Also, I'll take the time to say something to the audience at the end of my posts. At least thank them for reading.
Again, this is about community building and the more you do it, the better response you'll get! As you grow your audience, you'll see more votes, comments and resteems, so keep it up!
TIP NUMBER SEVEN
Entertain, entertain, entertain!
If you've been writing long, you've heard someone say, "Show, don't tell" or "Cut to the chase" these two phrases say a lot about writing to draw your audience in. Give them some action, especially early on, (cut to the chase) and don't fall into passive writing. (show don't tell)
The more entertaining your stories are, the better! It may feel like you're selling out, but you're selling! So, if you want to stick to your perfect idea of a story, do it. But, if you want to build an audience, give them what they're looking for!
TIP NUMBER EIGHT!
Leave them wanting more!
Even if it's a self-contained short story in a single post, always leave room for more. I like to cut my scenes right before something else happens to keep them interested and coming back for the next installment.
Think about it, when we used to watch TV in weekly episodes, it was that cliff hanger that brought us back to our favorite dramas. Shows often do that at the end of the season now, leaving us waiting to find out what happens to our favorite characters.
TIP NUMBER NINE
Share other writers work!
Yes! Constant resteeming can get old. Yes, if you're spamming stuff out, it will irritate, rather than entertain, but by sharing, you encourage community. Try it. Here are some tips on what to share.
- Share stuff you like and is well produced, don't share spam, even if it is your friend.
- Share stuff that will reach your audience.
- Look at the profile, are they bigger than you! Great! Maybe they'll notice your work?
TIP NUMBER TEN
Keep going.
Sure, you only made 50 cents on that first post. But, I've made over $60k USD in eighteen months here, however, my average post? Pays about $3, if you divide it out over the number of times I've blogged and commented!
As the platform grows, the price of steem goes up. You could be sitting on a nice nest egg in just a few months if things go well for you. Even if you're only moderately successful and can't quit your dayjob, don't give up too early. If you can get one good payout, you can earn more!
So, there you have it! From one of the top fiction authors on Steemit, my take on what it takes to make it here. So, what will you do with it? If you like the post, pelase upvote and resteem. Have questions? YES! I love them, please leave a comment. I'll get back to you! Thanks for reading!