Be Seen #7 - Post with care

We know, this sounds like a warning, it is. Just yesterday we saw a link posted on Facebook, where some of us hang out way too much instead of writing, that caught our eye from an author we happen to follow. And this is what precipitated us deciding to make this post. What would that be? you ask.

Ohhhhhhh, are we ever glad you did.

When you are online and posting, whether under your real name or your pseudonym as an author, you are seen. Your words are seen. Your rants are seen. Case in point! A person of the author nature wrote a piece for an online blog/paper that was an all out attack on an A-list author. A-list meaning someone that isn't scrambling for their next pay check or having to worry about things like a day job.

This person of the author nature clearly stated at the beginning of the piece that a friend had cautioned this person NOT to do the piece. At least NOT to put it out in the public eye. This person of the author nature decided to ignore this very sound and wise cautionary advise and posted the article anyway. Now this person of an author nature is paying for it.

By attacking an author, in this case an A-lister, this person of an author nature has gained a following. But not the sort that any author wants. This following hates this person of an author nature's guts, violently and viciously. The following (not to be confused with the TV series The Following with Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy and many other amazing actors) has shunned this persons works and this person on a whole. To top it all off, the news of this person of an author nature's stupidity has spread to a very popular online paper. And other A-list authors have stepped up to say what a dimwitted twit this person is.

We all want to be noticed. We all want to have our say and, in many countries, we have the right to freedom of speech. We are not trying to squash your right to freedom of speech - we are trying to get you to realize that just because you think it sounds great in your fucking head doesn't mean you fucking POST IT ON THE FUCKING NET!!!

*deep calming breath in..............and out*

Apologies. But we hope you get our point here. With the Internet anything and everything, as we've mentioned before, is PERMANENT! The Net doesn't ever forget and neither do your fans, the friends they told, the friends they told and so forth. If you want to go out with a suicidal bomb bang, be our guest and do it. But if you actually want to continue to write and make a living off your writing - guard your words carefully. Do not ever insinuate. Do not ever try for sarcasm. Do not ever get into a bitch slap word fight. And never, EVER, go off on any author on the Net if you ever plan on selling another book again in your life.

The Moderator

**For those interested in the two posts we referred to above you can see them here

The "rant":

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/lynn-shepherd/jk-rowling-should-stop-writing_b_4829648.html

The BBC post:  http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-26331650

Be Seen #6 - Don't forget to have fun

As the Subject suggests you have to remember that while you are in the business of promoting and selling your books, you can't do it all the time. You do need to relax and have fun as well.

Chat with your fans, find out what they are reading, what they love about characters, what they hate. Find out what they feel makes a good villain, a great hero and a readable heroine. Find out what/who they are currently reading and why they love the book or series. This is all information that you, as an author, can use to grow yourself. But don't forget to also talk about what/who you are reading and why you love the book/series. This allows your fans to get to know you better too in a not overly I-have-diarrhea personal way.

A number of authors do a day of the week event, as do many other groups including publishers, where they are just goofy and have fun with the day. For example, we know that there are groups on Facebook, for example, who do topless Tuesdays - usually geared toward the female crowd but there's usually a few geared for the men as well. Another we know about does a Throwback Thursday - blanking on the group name but if it ever comes to us we'll definitely give them the credit due to them for this brilliance. They usually do a head shot of an actor, back in the day side-by-side with one from more recent - a then and now sort of deal.

Whatever you do dedicate the day to just being a little bit silly and invite your fans to join in the fun by asking them to send you images, if that's the way you go, or info if you decide you want to do something different. It's a great way to a) interact with your fans; b) have them involved and; c) have a bit of fun!

One word of warning though. There will always be at least one person that takes offence to whatever you decide to do. DO NOT LET THIS GET YOU DOWN! No matter what group is out there, what you personally do or write, there will be haters. It's a fact of having a semi-public life. Let it roll off your back like water from a duck and move on with those that are fun and open to the silliness. And if this/these people/persons get out of hand - BAN THEIR FUCKING ASSES!

So it is, so shall it be. We have spoken.

The Moderator

Be Seen #5 - Don't slack off now!

You've gotten yourself online, you've pimped your book and let everyone know it's coming as well as teasing them until the big day arrived in spectacular fashion, but you can't stop now.

Take a break, definitely, you need to take a little time for yourself once you've gotten over the hump. But you can only slack off for so long. You need to keep up your online presence so that you can chat with those that have just bought your book. Plus you need to mention it every now and again so it stays fresh in the minds of those who couldn't get it yet, didn't have a chance to get it or who are waiting until payday to go shopping crazed on the online sites.

This does NOT mean that you post everyday about your book that's now out and available, that just pisses people off. But posting once every couple of weeks is quite acceptable. In and between all that you should post about other things, talk about your next project or generally just stay in touch with your readers and fans. You need to keep yourself out there, but remember, don't share too much personal information (as discussed in Be Seen #1).

A good way to avoid too much personal information and yet still let people feel they are getting to know you, is talking about the next project on your plate. Is it a continuation (serial) to the book you just published? Is it something new you are trying? Give them a little bit of an idea about what it's about, just don't commit yourself to anything in particular. Especially if you are not 100% sure what the story will be yet. But you can talk about the idea a little, not too much though, you need to be very careful on this point. Too much information and someone else can scoop your idea.

Yes, that does happen, but that will be covered in another post so stayed tuned.

The Moderator

Be Seen #4 - Release Day

Many authors have many different ways of doing release days. None of these are wrong, they are what works for them and you will need to find what works for you. Every author has their own method, their own way of doing everything that involves their books and now it's your turn. The below are just some examples of the styles we've noticed over the years in the business. Again, none are right or wrong, they are what works for each individual author and the more power to them we say.

Please note, the terms we're using to identify each method are ours alone and are not meant to insult or upset anyone. In other words, you get pissy, we're kicking you out of here so fucking deal.

• Laid back - This author has an amazing following, one that pays attention to everything they do so they need only say "here's the link for my book" and their following is off to the races to start buying.
  
• Relaxed yet excited - This author too has an amazing following, one that pays attention to what they do but this author likes to pump some extra juice into their announcements that their book is out, sort of "guess what time it is? that's right, it's out! here's the link you wonderful people, go and get it!". This author may also add an extra little teaser beforehand to really help build the anticipation.
• Amped up - This author is the sort that starts building the anticipation to the release in the days or week prior to the release. A bunch of snippets, a few teasers and even a sinfully wonderful yet unfulfilling excerpt. Then they really drive it all home in the last minutes, maybe even offer up a prize like an early copy of the book to build the excitement even higher.
• Wildly enthusiastic - This author likely does something like a release day party. This would have prizes, SWAG and lots of fun tasks to keep the fans excited and in the mix, making them feel a part of the party and basically just having a great time.

Now, as mentioned, there is no right or wrong way to do a release. It's whatever works best for you, your life, your career, your books and your fans. Whatever it is, once you find it, do not deviate. You may have to try a few different methods but never fear, you will find something that works and gets the crowd happy and pumped. It could be just one of the ways above or it could be a combination that suits you. Don't worry right off if you're not hitting the mark straight away, no one ever does, it's all a little trial and error for most of us. Like all good things it just takes a bit of time to find the right fit for you.

The Moderator

Be Seen #3 - Get their attention

Because you are an, yet, unheard of author out there you need to get people's attention. Especially when it comes to your very first book. A great way to do this, hold a contest. Now, unless you have money on the side, try to think FREE prizes. What is a great FREE prize? What about copy of your book, or rather an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy)?

Most publishers out there, though not all - so you are aware, send the author ARC's of their books. They can come in a number of different formats and are for you to give away. Now, note how many copies your publisher says you can give away and try to keep it under that number. No, they can't track the copies and figure out you gave everyone in your family, all sixty of them, a copy of it - that we know of. But you also want people to buy your book so just handing it out willy-nilly is not good for your bottom line. The ARC's are also good for review sites, you can upload them to their sites and get a review done of your book.

Two things here, don't ever put up a book on a review site before it's actually out. We say this for a few reasons, but the big one is - your publisher will shit on your head if they find out you put up an ARC for review a week before the release. At least those we know would. They are very, very particular about this, don't argue, just nod your head and go with it. Second thing, do not give your ARC's away (contest or otherwise) until the day before it's to be released without getting your publishers okay on that.

You can hold your contest in any number of ways, whatever is easiest for you. We have used Rafflecopter on Facebook a number of times and found it extremely useful. But whatever method you go with on whatever site you do it, ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of the site about announcing winners (putting up names) - or contact their customer service people. Some sites, like Facebook, are pretty strict about such things so approach with caution but don't let it deter you from have fun doing it.

And that's it for tonight's post - let's chat again soon.

The Moderator

Be Seen #2 - Building the anticipation

Once you've got your first book turned in you need to start thinking two things, the next book and getting the word out about the one to be published. This post will be about getting the word out about your first published book.

There are a number of ways to build interest and intrigue about your book:

• The cover reveal - pretty simple, you post up your cover art on your website, Twitter and Facebook feed
• Snippets - these are a couple of sentences from your book that are a tease
• Teasers - these are slightly longer glimpse into your book than a snippet but shorter than an excerpt
• Excerpts - these are a couple paragraphs or around 100 - 150 words of your story

When you get your cover ensure you let people see it by posting it up on your sites. Give a brief, very short, synopsis of the book and give the artist you used for the cover, or was provided to you by your publisher, their due as well. You have to thank those that help you out. In the days to come do little snippets of the book, this will help build interest in the book and the story you've written.

Save the teasers and excerpts until at least your first round of edits have been completed. The fewer spelling mistakes and grammar troubles in these that you put up on your sites the better. The Facebook grammar Nazi's are brutal, don't give them any more fuel than they already have on that site. But if you do decide to post a teaser before you've done the edits, make sure you put up a disclaimer letting everyone know that the post is pre-edits and to excuse any mistakes or something to that effect. Most of your readers won't care if a comma is in the wrong place or if you misspelled something - they are just excited to see something more than those three sentence snippets that have been driving them insane with want and need.

As soon as your publisher gives you a date of release for you book, post it. If your publisher says the date is tentative, make sure you mention that as well. Readers, especially loyal ones, can be raving lunatics when you say a book is to be out on such and such a date but it gets bumped and you don't tell them. Trust us, we've had messages from fans before because we forgot to have our calendar updated by our web person when a book ended up delayed and our schedule rearranged at the whim of our publisher.

Publishers often have hundreds of authors they are all trying to keep happy and give spots to for releases. It can be a very complicated process to keep that all straight so keep on top of what they are telling you but do not harass them about it. They will usually tell you the official date of release when you get your first batch of edits if it's changed at all from the date in your contract. If not, when you turn in your first round of edits you can ask for confirmation of the release date, especially on your first book. They will understand you are nervous and have never been through this before so they will be willing to bend and help out more at this point. Just know that this love fest won't always continue.

But that, and more on publisher's - the good, the bad and the ugly - will be another post down the line.

The Moderator

Be Seen #1 - An on-line presence

All authors should have an on-line presence. This lets your audience follow you, learn about you and your works and, another good thing, lets others discover you.

Facebook and Twitter are two of the easiest ways to do this. There are, of course, other ways but these seem to be the most popular just because of sheer numbers on each site. With so much of the population of the planet on Facebook you will be amazed by the sheer number of "friends" that will sign up just because you are an author. Then there is the fact that your friends and "friends" will also share you with all their friends and "friends" and so forth. Twitter also has a huge population and it's super easy to find authors on there, mainly because it's very geared toward your likes. It will give you suggested friends to follow and, over time, seems to learn through various algorithms what to suggest the most of. Plus, if you follow authors they will most likely follow you in return. Beyond that, Twitter and Facebook (though rivals) actually play pretty well together for the most part.

Start a Blog. Depending on your website you may have the option of adding this right onto it, or is it - into it? Either way, you can have everything all in one spot. Or you can do up a separate Blog - but remember, that's another password you'll have to dredge out of the memory banks each time you want to sign in. Just a word of warning is all. With your Blog you will want to post frequently. It doesn't have to be everyday or even every second day, but try not to let more than about 4 or 5 days pass between each posting. Unless you're on holiday or something comes up - but let your audience know this. Say "I'm off for the next two weeks on vaca! See you all when I get back." or something to this effect. Don't say if you're going somewhere and definitely never say where you are going or how you are getting there. That falls under too much information on the Net for potential no-gooders to use to their advantage. Come on, we've all seen the commercial for Farmers Insurance (well, maybe you have) warning about too much information out there for everyone to see.

Just remember, whatever you put up on Facebook, Twitter, your Blog or wherever you post should be at least 60% work content. In other words, your books and what you are working on. But, and don't forget this, do have a bit of fun as well. And a sexy mostly naked man never hurt either for female readers, just sayin'.

That's it for this round - see you on the flip side.

The Moderator.