Building readership is of the utmost importance for all authors who wish to make a living and a name for themselves. As an author-preneur it’s your job to create your readership. Finding readers who connect with your work is never as easy as you think it will be. Following are some tips for earning readers that I’ve learned in my twenty years of writing.
Don't be afraid to talk about yourself. Learn to become comfortable telling anyone who is willing to listen that you’re a writer and what you’re working on. Sometimes readership is best gained at the grassroots level, one person at a time. Remember, you never know who you're crossing paths with and who might be in their network. The world works in wondrous and mysterious ways.
No One "Does You" Like You Do
Be genuine, always. If you stick to this adage you will be creating your own individual brand with each interaction and every word you write. Each of us are unique, gifted with our own voice and perspective. Don’t try to be anyone but yourself when conducting business face-to-face as well as in your writing. People will sense your genuineness, most often they will respect you for it, and you will more likely find the audience that’s already out there searching for you.
Business Cards
Have business cards on you at all times, especially when traveling. Think simple and classic (Moo.com is a great option.) In this digital age it might seem old-fashioned but business cards will always be an effective tool. When you start to chat it up with that stranger sitting next to you on the plane, a business card will allow you to leave them with something to remember you by.
Know Your Market, Practice Colloquialism*
To be a successful author you must know, learn about, and study your market. Brainstorm about ways to cross-sell your books. Which organizations or businesses would have a customer base that would seem like a natural fit for what you write? For example, if meditation or spirituality is a common theme in your writing seek out meditation businesses or groups to see if your book might be of interest to their members.
Always have your eyes open and be actively learning about what other successful authors are doing in terms of marketing. Don’t spend much time following those who are at your level, carefully study the techniques of those authors who are already where you want to be on the ladder of success. Discover what works for these authors in regard to attracting readers and try the techniques for yourself. There are an almost endless supply of success stories to research.
*Colloquialism (or lifelong learning) is the "ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated" pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons. Therefore, it not only enhances social inclusion, active citizenship, and personal development, but also self-sustainability, rather than competitiveness and employability.
Don't Overlook the Value of Local Media
Seek out neighborhood and hometown newspapers and tell them you are a local author who would like to promote a specific project and ask about interview opportunities. Most newspapers have room in their publications for local interest stories and are very willing to work with you. I published my very first in a neighborhood newspaper when I was in my early twenties. This appearance in the neighborhood newspaper opened the door to opportunities for articles in my hometown newspaper, “The Columbus Dispatch”. In the writing business you will quickly learn that one opportunity truly does lead into another.
Be bold. Contact station managers at local public or college radio stations and explain that you’re a local author and you’d be interested in doing a radio interview about your most recent project. As a rule, people who listen to public radio are typically interested in books and are more apt to take a chance on reading unknown authors. However small the audience, with each media interview you take part in you will gain valuable skills and become more comfortable and relaxed.
Live Appearances
There’s nothing that polishes your communication style and your writing like getting up in front of a live audience to read your work. Cultivate fearlessness. Scour your local media for open mic nights at bookstores, coffee houses or pubs that will give you a chance to read your work in front of a live audience and build a readership base. Audience reaction is an instant barometer of what works and what doesn’t and will teach you a lot in a small amount of time. People develop a deep admiration for authors who are confident enough to do this.
Contact managers of local bookstores, coffee houses, or pubs and ask if you can do a reading in their shop. I’ve had better luck with establishments that are near college campuses. This is a good way to get people interested in you and your work. Readings will allow you to get to know bookshop managers and staff possibly opening up an opportunity of getting your books on their store shelves.
Make it Easy For People to Buy Your Books
Plan on having physical books on hand for sale at these events even if you have leave them in your car. If the establishment that you’re speaking in allows you to mention this during your reading, great but if not you can mention it while mingling with the audience after your reading. Invest in a credit card reader for your mobile phone and be prepared to accept payment in cryptocurrency. Make it as easy as possible for people to buy these books during these live events.
Offer discounts on your self-published books to book clubs. I offer a 15% discount of orders of five books or more to book clubs. You can also make yourself available to appear at local book club meetings that are featuring your book to answer questions and autograph copies. For those out of town book clubs I also offer a complimentary virtual book club appearance via FaceTime or Skype with a thirty minute Q&A session. This is great fun to do and will help to create a loyal readership base worldwide.
Writing Contests
Search for writing or poetry contests in your area. The city of Saint Paul, where I live offers an annual contest called, “Sidewalk Poetry” in which they imprint the poems of winning local poets in freshly poured neighborhood sidewalks throughout the city. The winning poets also have the opportunity to read their work and appear on the local news. Most of these contests do require an entry fee but this is usually a nominal amount and they typically help to support the arts in your city.
Give Back
Consider volunteering your time for community organizations and charities that are tied to the arts. This will allow you to meet other creative people in your community with similar interests and you may cross paths with someone who can teach you something useful or even a true mentor who can teach you on deeper levels. Magical things can happen when creative folks get together it can help to spark ideas that you never would think of on your own.
Are you enjoying this Indie Author Series? If so click here to read the previous post in this series.
*I am an American novelist, poet, traveler, and crypto-enthusiast. My new book on meditation, The Perfect Pause, has been discounted to $12.99 (paperback) and $4.99 (eBook) for a limited time. Buy the paperback and receive the eBook for free!
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