Finally… I have my name in bold…
(I honestly didn’t know that it was going to be a half-page article).
Click to Enlarge –>
+50
There are zillions of posts out there that advocate engaging with your Twitter Followers and putting reasonable updates on your Facebook Page. This is just another, except in my way.
Rather than reel off reports, statistics, experience and links, I will keep it simple.
But – here is a link to a post I created on Tweeting Responsibly.
1) Don’t Spam with links to your novel – use a scheduler like Bufferapp.
2) Ensure only 10% of daily tweets are links/adverts
3) Don’t just talk about your novels. Tell us something about you.
4) Don’t send the same Tweet to multiple users – people do notice.
5) Engage with your Followers/Likers, have a conversation.
6) Careful of losing your temper, it could cost you Followers/Likers.
7) Don’t come along and disappear for a week – if you can get into a daily habit, it helps.
8) Don’t expect everyone that you follow to follow you back.
9) Don’t plead for posts to be RT. (The odd one can be allowed).
10) Respond to replies, don’t just ignore them, and:
11) Respond to replies on you FB Posts. It’s all about engagement.
12) Give your Facebook Likers something to get excited about, like an image/sneak peek of something you’re working on.
13) Don’t get too political – because your accounts will reflect you.
Hey – do add some more in the comments.
Okay … Let’s summarise even more:
Can it really be that difficult?
Who doesn’t have a phone/device to stay connected (when not distracted)?
Just remember to go to sleep.
+50Whenever I create a new blog post, or want to express to the world a new review of Disconnect – I usually Tweet and Facebook instantly.
That’s fine for the particular moment – but what about those that aren’t present to read/share it?
Scheduling Tweets is not a new thing – and there are loads of sites out there that allow you to schedule Tweets to occur during the day for long periods. I do get a little annoyed when I see the same tweet coming from the same person for hours, days, weeks, years on end with no variation.
Of course – some of you will jump up and down and state that you have seen me send the same type of Tweet at least 4 times during the day, and yes – I do.
I use a bit of kit called Bufferapp.
Now then, I do like to tweet as much as possible, so although there will be 4 promoting tweets out there each day, my track record is approx 60 tweets per day.
So … at less than 10% portion of my tweets being promotions, surely that’s not too bad?
There is good practice to Twitter, and although I am not telling everyone to use Bufferapp to schedule, if those promotional tweets happen automatically, I can focus on tweeting in the weird and helpful way that I do.
It’s all part of managing time without seen to be spamming.
Do you use a scheduling tool for your posts?
My Debut YA Sci Fi Novel: Disconnect is out now.
00My debut YA Science Fiction novel: Disconnect was released at the end of January 2013, and although I know that I have poured a lot into getting it polished, none of that matters when you consider the overcrowding that now exists in the publishing world. Novel are released everyday, and the number is increasing. Just because I’ve released a novel, it doesn’t mean anything unless some form of promoting and marketing takes place.
Let’s get one thing straight – I’m not in it for the money. My primary goal is to build a fan base and to hope that readers will want more from me. After that, world domination and a direct link to the Mars Rover to build a base there… Ahem… [Clears throat].
Another thing – what you read below is subjective to what I experienced, and if you have an alternate view, please do comment. Right … Read on to find out about the various schemes I used to market Disconnect, and which worked… or not 
I’ll Advertise your Novel for a Fee.
Did I use: No.
Verdict: I never will.
The biggest scam of the lot.
You will find lots of site that claim to have lots of Twitter Followers and how when they tweet you, your novel will be thrust into the timelines of many. DO NOT hand over your money to them. All they will do is send a tweet with a link to your novel. Will it guarantee sales? Probably not. Okay … some of you are telling me that you know of some advertisers that have 100k followers…. urm… yes… but I bet they also follow 100k. Half of the followers might be fake accounts, or just the you-follow-me-and-I will-follow-you routine. Here’s a tip. When you find someone that claims to have a great hit rate for advertising on Twitter, do a search of their timeline for novels they have promoted. From research I have found that the only person who Favourites and Retweets these adverts are the author him/her/themselves.
Save your money for other schemes.
Book Promotion Sites: Cover Reveals + Blog Tours.
Did I use: Yes.
Verdict: Will use again.
Where a site has built up a reputation of reviewing books in your genre, they usually branch out into organising Blog Tours and Cover Reveals. None guarantee sales, but they will have a wide spread of coverage and can really get your name out there. Plus, whenever a blog (that agrees to participate) posts your cover or an excerpt of your novel – they usually tweet as well. Think about it. Would you rather spend money on a genre-less advertiser (see above) or a genre-focussed promo service? Prices can range from $10 to $300
I used http://www.xpressoreads.com and will use them again. It’s the simplest way to get people excited about your upcoming novel. Of course, you could arrange it yourself, but having someone do the asking and chasing was good for me. Also, you can create a Rafflecoptor prize giveaway where people can win e.g.: $100 Amazon Voucher, a Kindle Fire HD, Copies of your book, etc, and the Book Promo Site can arrange this for you.
Yes, yes, yes, I know this costs money – but when a freebie is offered, people stand up and wander over.
Book Review Sites.
Did I use: Yes.
Verdict: Will use again.
Do a google search for YA Books The top search item = YA Books Central http://www.yabookscentral.com …and guess what … they offer an advertising section which isn’t that expensive. Does it guarantee sales? Unsure, because i just went live with them on Feb 22, but to know promo for my novel will be seen by the number 1 site for YA Books… has to be good right?
Again.. think about it… Would you rather spend money on a genre-less advertiser (see above) or this?
Twitter.
Did I use: Yes.
Verdict: Will use again.
Who doesn’t know about this? It’s easy to flood your timeline with promos for your novel but be careful of offending many. I don’t like it when I get DM’s to buy a novel, or bombarded every day by links for their novel. Use caution. I do promote with 3-4 tweets a day re: Disconnect (and some consider that to be spam ????), but I balance it out with approx 40-50 tweets a day that are about other things. There’s nothing worse than a tweeter who sends the same ‘buy my book’ tweet to every person under the sun.
Remember – it’s free – don’t abuse it.
Facebook Adverts.
Did I use: Yes.
Verdict: Will use again.
You are in total control of what advert you put out there on Facebook. In fact, you could create a funky status update and then promote it for as little as $5 and potentially hit 2-3k viewers. Does it guarantee sales? No. But it does get you noticed, and if they ‘Like’ your author page and start connecting with you, then it’s another form of good marketing.
Goodreads.
Did I use: Yes.
Verdict: Will use again.
The one link I promote more than the Amazon, iBookstore, Kobo, etc, links is a Goodreads link. Why? Because I want people to add my novel as a ‘Must-Read’. Others might follow when they notice that it’s been added. Best thing of all … it’s free!! Woopla! Even if the reader doesn’t read or purchase the novel straight away, they hopefully will at a later date.
Goodreads Giveaways.
Did I use: Yes.
Verdict: Will use again.
This is one great marketing tool. Step 1: Give away a hard copy of your novel Step 2: Send off the novel to the winners You can have as many winners as you want, and you can hold as many competitions as you like.
The positive = People who enter, will also add your novel as a ‘Must-Read’
The negative = Not all will read
The only cost is for you to have bought/created a copy of your novel and then to send. MAJOR TIP: A giveaway in the UK created 100 people adding my book, and the postage cost was tiny. A giveaway where anyone in the world could enter created 800 adding my novel, but the postage costs were high. Think about coverage, but make sure you understand the potential postage costs.
PR Press Release to Papers/Journalists.
Did I use: Yes.
Verdict: Never Again.
If you’re aiming to get noticed, then a Press Release isn’t a bad thing. They normally range from a 1-2 page document that details your novel, you, and purchasing information. It can bring across a professional approach rather than a ‘run-of-the-mill’ published author who didn’t think much about their branding as an author. There are various means to do this.
One – that I used and I now regret – was to hire a company to create the Press Release and to submit to UK Journalists in the hope that i could secure an interview – or some immediate limelight that would burst my novel into stardom. What a fool. The company painted a picture of having links with all of the major players in the UK, and I went ahead. They created a Press Release that was written with quite a few grammatical mistakes, and they only submitted to 8 journalists. In the end, it was a waste of money.
Steer clear of PR companies that advertise online unless they have been recommended by a trusted source.
Okay… that will do… and I’m sorry if I’ve offended anyone with my views.
Please do discuss and let’s find out about what helped you, or what concerns you have.
+10
Engaging with your Followers and others that come across your timeline is something we’d all love to do, but there’s always a deviant that takes us away. Most of all – finding the time to engage can be a minefield. Do you tweet or write? Tweet or edit? Tweet or eat?
Well – I’m going to make the time!
This Sunday 18th November 2012 – from 9:00am GMT to 9:00pm GMT, I’m going to root my sorry-ass to my comfy chair, and I’m going to engage on twitter, ===> @flickimp (that’s me by the way).
Don’t worry – I won’t be a nuisance – just a nippy, gritty, happy-go-lucky tweepy who wants to chat and share. Hopefully I’ll learn more about many of you, have fun, and be me. No gimmicks. No skullduggery or schematic rhetorics. Nope – just me.
The downside is that I could lose Followers – but if I lose because they don’t like engaging, then what’s the point?
Join me!
And yes – I know that due to time differences many will be asleep during the 12 hour window – but heck – if you can make it – bring it!
Sunday Nov 18th 9 to 9 – I’ll be around.
+30
I won’t lie.
I was one of those that turned away from indie, and put all my faith in Trad. Recently, I’ve changed my viewpoint. I see coverage for both, and am going to put heart and soul into giving epub a damn good go.
Why the change of heart?
Because – I’ve realised that for every bad book out there, there’s a good one too. Many go the extra mile to have their work edited and proofed, with a killer cover (or not), and produce outstanding stories that wouldn’t have been give a breath of air from an agent or publisher because it didn’t fit with their current model.
I’m not a fan of vampire novels… but they sell, so if you write it, people will buy.
Publishers are trembling at the impact on their profits, and most seem to only encourage big name authors or celebrities. Eventually like all things, even they will go down the epub route. Look at how some bands are releasing entire albums online, and totally bypassing the middle man.
Publishers won’t go all dodo, but they will become endangered unless they bring down their prices.
5 years ago, ebooks were scarce.
Now they’re as rampant as a pensioner with remote controlled wheels loaded into their zimmer frame.
I see a bright future for ebooks.
One that makes me want to pursue this great adventure even more.
00
Ashley Elizabeth, a great friend from Twitter tagged me to be part of a Blog Hop about WIP. And although I am late to reply – I’m on the case now!
Rules:
Answer the 10 questions below about your WIP on your blog/website.
Tag 5 other writers/authors/bloggers with links so we can “hop” over and meet them.
Right… here we go:
What is the working title of your book?
Tyler Nitbone and the Snowflake Traitor
Where did the idea for the book come from?
A carefree boy who treats life like a joke, is thrust into kicking ass with responsibility when the life of everyone he knows is endangered. It sounds quite generic to most YA novels but is a formula that works with readers.
The setting was in a make-believe world where the MC’s a time-share assistant to ‘Special Beings’ such as Santa, Dream-Creators, Death, Pollen-Distributors, etc . . . Anyway, the conflict comes in the form of the Bogeyman who travels back in time to eradicate the creation of electricity thus dooming the future to darkness (except for candles), thus, thus, thus, making his future role not a forgotten one. It’s up to the MC to correct the distortion in time even though nobody believes in him.
I started Chapter 1 – and then “KABOOM” – I saw the trailer for a soon-to-be-released Dreamworks movie called Rise of the Guardians – about the Bogeyman who want to increase fear by going against the Guardians: Santa, Jack Frost, etc . . . Arggggghhhhhh
Okay – so although the entire novel has changed – and I mean seriously changed, the idea of having a reckless boy become the responsible hero remains. Part of it stems from early childhood of how I’d pit a single action figure against dozens of larger figures… and one by one, the single figure would demolish the others. (Usually some limbs would be torn off to exaggerate the carnage).
What genre does your book fall under?
YA Science Fiction.
Sure there are elements of fantasy with one sub-character, but the theory behind the MC’s world is sci-fi in a totally non-over-the-top manner.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Keeping some of the Character names secret…
Tyler Nitbone = Collin Mackechnie
MW = Love interest = Brenda Song
CK (not Clark Kent) = Antagonist = A thin Kevin Bacon
Voice of Shape = Friend = Steve Carell
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Being accused of a crime and having his memory wiped won’t stop Tyler from saving every world.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Will give the Traditional Route a good go and if nothing materialises, then I’ll go down the ebook route.
That’s not to say that self-pub is second to Trad, it’s just that I believe I should give the Trad first bite. Sometimes the reason for why a Trad-Agent didn’t sign you up can help you to polish a novel before releasing to the wider audience.
How long did it take to write your first draft of your manuscript?
It should have taken 8 weeks, however life deviated me, and in the end it took 12 weeks.
The first draft was 63k.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Sarwat Chadda (Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress), Simon Mayo (Itch), and Barry Hutchinson (Afterworlds: The 13th Horseman).
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Me wanting to write something that wasn’t all serious/lacking humour.
The Nomad Novelists reminded me that normally (as can be seen in my blogs) I can be bizarre with my commentary. Tyler in this novel is a younger version of me – with a different hairstyle.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
I’m tapping into a part of the YA market that hasn’t been explored fully.
The novel isn’t your traditional time travel tale revolving around paradoxes and what-ifs…. No … this is more of a cat and mouse mission to right a wrong – in a totally non-Quantum Leap manner – oh and the cat and mouse can become dogs – but there are no animals either. Confused . . . hopefully draft 2 will sort that out.
Time to tag some to join in 
@annecmichaud
@MightyJock
@Nat_Toalb
@Afsaneh_Dreams
@NatashaMcNeeley
+40
A while ago, I commented on setting targets with each novel to ensure that I did the work. Many will disagree or will find targets a restriction of creativity and flow. I’m all for creativity and flow but if it wasn’t targets, I’d be guilty of complacency.
At the beginning of 2012 I set out to write 4 novels.
To date, I have 3.
And the 4th? Never happened.
Not my fault . . . Life and things got in the way, and the targets I set were harsh.
Taking into account how this year has gone, I’m setting a new target of 3 novels per year with 16 weeks attributed to each 60k+ novel. I’m not the fastest writer, but do aim for 1.5k a day. Add onto that redrafting time, editing time and taking in comments from BETAs, 16 weeks seems reasonable to me.
Of course – things will happen that can hinder progress of the 16 week timescale, and that’s where I have to take responsibility to shift around other things and still achieve milestones. If I don’t aim to a target – I’ll never get there.
Set yourself reasonable goals and work to them.
Get to it!
+40The first-of-its-kind collaborative Writer’s Video went down a storm. If that cliché filled sentence destroyed your schematics… sorry…
The time has come to start a new one. [Actually, I lie – a new one will take place at the Festival of Writing York September 2012]. What I’m announcing is the second I’m a Writer Video titled: We’re Writers – Let’s Tell a Story. I hope many from the first will return and many new will join in.
1. You can use a webcam, iMac, iPad, iPhone, or any other smartphone to record your video.
2. Please try to have your face at least above the 1/3 mark (ie: the red section below). This allows me to add captions below without overlapping your wonderful features.
3. You can be holding a copy of your own book (as additional advertising)
4. Just read for ten seconds, and this can be from anywhere. It could be from your published novel, or WIP, or even a poem.
5. Don’t be afraid to read out ‘He said’, ‘She did’, ‘He went,’ There was a’ – or even to read out some dialogue – sometimes bits like this will help the flow when stitching videos together.
6. Speak clearly (and please don’t whisper or mutter) for 10 seconds.
7. You can put on a voice, or be dramatic in delivery.
8. Don’t rush your words. It’ll make editing our words easier for me.
9. Please don’t state your name or Twitter ID. I will display that anyway.
10. When emailing me, make sure you let me know your Twitter ID and the words that you read out.
An important note: Those that submit, and are successful, please, please, please, do share, Facebook, RT, promote the video once it is released. Exposure is good for all involved – including you! And do follow one another on Twitter
Come on – let’s make this fun.
+600
