The Book That Social Media Built

Last October, I released BoobStories, an anthology about breasts that donates the proceeds to charity. Usually when someone asks me about how Boob Stories came about, I tell them that social media gave it to me. From the concept to the story donations to the charity we chose to give the proceeds to, social media connections played an important part. I didn’t have face-to-face interaction with any of the people who helped me put together this book. In fact, I’ve never met any of them in-person, ever. Everything was done through Twitter, Facebook and various blogging communities.

Social media isn’t just for marketing your work when you’re done with it. You can also use it help form it. It’s an anthology, so crowd sourcing through social media may have seemed like a no brainer. But traditionally structured book projects can benefit from social media, too. You can find inspiration through your connections on various networks. You could use it to test out themes or have discussion about techniques. I asked questions about tools and took suggestions for methods. Not all things can be discussed in open forums, though. You can’t talk about your works in progress or other sensitive information with everyone. But, social media can definitely connect you to like-minded individuals who can serve as writing partners, critique partners and beta readers for your WIPs.

So how to do you use social media to help put your book together? Here are a few tips to help you get started:

Know where your strengths lie.

Twitter and Google+ are big for me but maybe you’re doing big things through Facebook or LinkedIn. Focus your efforts on the networks or communities where you have the biggest reach.

Change it up.

Different users are online different times of day. Vary your post times so it gets more eyes. Boob Stories received story donations from all over the world because I varied the posting times asking for participation.

Don’t be afraid to ask.

I felt like a beggar about three months into this project. It just felt like I was asking for help every five minutes. I’m not used to that but I learned to adjust quickly. As the saying goes, “Closed mouths don’t get fed.”

Keep an open mind.

The best part about getting help and feedback through social media is that you will almost always get some differing opinions or advice. Don’t be afraid of that. Instead use it to get some different perspectives. 

Are you interested in self-publishing your book but are scared to death of all the technical and distribution details?

Listen on! Lynnette shares a wealth of information that’s essential to having a great experience with publishing your own work online.

Choosing Not To Wait

I learned how to handle rejection early in my twenty-five year career as a media sales executive. I also learned not to accept no for an answer. So when the publishing industry showered me with rejection letters, I decided to carve my own path to making my dream of becoming a published novelist a reality. In September 2011 I self-published my first novel, The Secrets They Kept .

I took a page from what I coach my business clients. I created change instead of waiting for it to happen. I combined my business acumen with my entrepreneurial spirit, researched the options, hired an editor, a cover and interior book designer and produced a book that is indistinguishable from any put out by a major house.

I was honored when Lori Randall Stradtman said she wanted to interview me for Literally Social. I hope you’ll listen to the show and be inspired in some way by something I said to take your first step to whatever is next for you.

Joanne Tombrakos is a writer, business coach and speaker who inspires and creates change. She blogs on living and working after corporate America at http://onewomanseye.blogspot.com.  Joanne was born to first generation Greek-Americans. She lives in New York City.  The Secrets They Kept is her first novel.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Secrets-They-Kept-ebook/dp/B005P2DRJY/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1

Elaine Biss, Dior Illustrator & Author of La Via A Paris, shares what you really need to know when you need an illustrator to create cover art your book.

A little about Elaine:

Following her passion and unconventional business savvy, Elaine worked on creating illustrations, namely fashion, boutique scenes, characters and accessories that catered to the feminine niche. As the world fell in love with her unique designs, Elaine has become increasingly sought after, and her work has been featured in websites all over the web and esteemed by large companies like Dior and New York and Company.

Amy Porterfield, co-author of Facebook All-In-One Marketing for Dummies, shares terrific advice for Authors looking to build their social platforms without spending hours a day on idle chit-chat.

At the tender age of 21 Bernadette made the conscious decision to become a real bitch.

For the next 2 decades she deliberately worked it and worked her way into a Global VP position, but she was miserable. Today Bernadette shares about this experience, apologizes to the trail of bodies she left behind, and dishes up some terrific book proposal advice for writers.

One lucky commenter wins a copy of this remarkable book. Though you might be just fine, just think about what a great gift it would make!

Enjoy!

~Lori

Wendy is one of those gorgeous people that you love to meet in person and always remember. Her book should have been named “Make some money with your blog and quit playing around at blogging!” or something like that, because it’s got the best rock-solid advice about blogging that I’ve ever seen all in one place.

She makes it accessible for people of all experience levels and dishes the technical expertise in a way that even total Luddites can appreciate.

Thanks Wendy, for an exceptional book!! I’m half way through and have been challenged by how I can do things better. It’s well worth the read: Mom Blogging For Dummies.

As authors and writers, we’re always learning about resources and industry tools that we can use to improve our book project performance and the enjoyment of our writing and marketing experiences.  Today let’s talk about why social media matters for writers in all genres.

In today’s world, finding an audience of readers for your book can feel like a daunting task. Picking them up through social media may feel like an even bigger one! Although it may seem on the surface as a questionable use of your time and resources, in today’s publishing world it is an absolute must. Agents, publishers, booksellers, speaking bureaus and readers want to know that you have a social media presence before they partner with you – whether you are writing fiction, nonfiction or a children’s book. The more people you are connected with, the more potential you have to push your book out to them and those they know.

Never underestimate the power of a network. It is a surefire way to attract interest in your platform and project.

In fact, some publishers have mandated that they will no longer publish writers who haven’t made the effort to establish and build up their social media platforms on Twitter and Facebook. Another fact: Aaron Patterson, the Publisher at Stone House Ink who was my guest on the show last week, has a policy for turning away writers unless they have a solid social media platform in place.

In a recent post last week on the digital blog FuturEbook from Europe in association with The Bookseller, Steve Emecz of MX Publishing in the UK stated that unless an author will have a blog, Twitter account and a fully fledged eCommerce site, they won’t be considering their manuscript.

Emecz says, “Well, it’s simple risk management for us in a very fast changing and risky industry. If we look at our authors that have blogs they sell more books. The ones that provide content for Twitter – sell more books. The ones that are active on Facebook – sell more books. See a pattern here? Yes, of course we have one or two inactive authors whose books are so good they sell well anyway, but that’s less than one in ten – and how on earth do you tell that up front…..”

In today’s publishing world with so many facets of the industry now going digital, when you have a social media presence, you have built-in communities to market your books to. They find you electronically and they can instantly purchase what you’ve written and read it electronically.

Social media matters to a bookseller too.

If you’re going to do an event, who will come? How will you let them know you’ll be doing an event at their store? When you post the event, it’s a great opportunity for you to support the bookseller through your tweets and posts to your followers. When you write about it on your blog and post pictures from the event, you create links back to the bookseller to help them get the word out about their store.

For readers, social media sites are a means of connecting with the author, no matter where you may be. Readers follow authors on Twitter and read their wall posts on Facebook to keep up to date with their latest releases, book tours, blog tours, media appearances and other opportunities they may have to connect. They also read their blogs for upcoming releases, insights and other related information about their favorite characters and writer.

For speaker bureaus, it’s important for you to have a full blown platform online so that when you appear offline you can be promoted by those in the audience who may choose to tweet on Twitter and post on Facebook about your speech. When you have an account on these sites, it’s easy to tag you in their messages to further push you and your speaking platform out to their followers When you have a blog, you can further support events you’ll be speaking at by featuring videos and other posts about your appearances for your fans and followers to see. It’s also a great opportunity to showcase what you can do as a speaker at an event.

For all of these businesses, your ability to partner with them from a marketing perspective is incredibly important. The greater the presence you have in the mind of those they want to reach with their businesses, the more attractive you become as a business partner for them.

You see, your book really is your hook to so much more than just a place on the bookshelf.

It has the potential to capture the hearts and minds of your readers and create a place to connect with them – virtually. It also provides wonderful opportunities to find so many ways to expand your writing career with the publishing houses who are only interested in those writers who are extending their platforms into new media to support the ever-changing book industry and the readers in the marketplace.
If you’re on the fence about whether social media should be a vital part of the marketing platform for your career, jump on the bandwagon and set up your social media stream today. You can’t start too early in your writing career and it’s never too late to start!

Jennifer’s show can be heard every week on Tuesday mornings at 9am when it is broadcast on WomensRadio.com and syndicated on Google News and Live365.com. Each show is archived for replay listeners in different time zones and countries.

For more information on this Education Corner topic and others, please refer to www.YourBookIsYourHook.com/blog for more articles and resources to help you with your books.

This morning Grandma Mary – Social Media Edutainer has a thing or two to say about growing your influence on Facebook!! She’s the co-author to FB Marketing All-in-One for Dummies and definitely knows her stuff. Look how long she’s been at it!!

You receive a totally unfair negative review on Amazon. What do you do?

Anene generously shares experience gained through her extensive writing and publishing career and gives all authors some seriously valuable advice about how to respond to negative reviews online and much more.

One lucky commenter will receive a copy of her award winning new book, Dancing With Gravity. I have it on my Kindle and am really enjoying her colorful imagery!! Please scroll down to listen and leave your comment.

Did you miss Episode 1 with Phyllis Khare? Click here.

A little more about Anene:

Anene M. Tressler-Hauschultz

Email: GoBlackbird [at] SBCglobal [dot] net

Background

Co-owner of a small company specializing in corporate writing for print, film/video production and meetings. Projects include film and video production and scriptwriting, executive speechwriting, and program and management consulting for national for-profit and not-for-profit private and public sector clients. These include General Motors, Mallinckrodt, Monsanto, Ascension Health, BJC Health System, SBC (the telephone company), Panera Bread Co., Lennox, BMW of North America, MINI Cooper, and the Veterans Administration. I also have over twenty years experience in healthcare management, communication and related fields.

Education

Masters Degrees from Washington University (Liberal Arts) and the University of Missouri, St. Louis (Writing). Undergraduate degrees are in Communication and Nursing from St. Louis University. I teach scriptwriting and media writing as an adjunct professor in the School of Communications at Webster University and have done so for several years.

Professional Recognition

Professional awards include broadcast television Emmys, the International Film and Television Festival of New York, Silver and Bronze Telly Awards for corporate productions, international and national prizes including International Association of Business Communicators’ Gold and Bronze Quills, a Saint Louis Advertising Federation Addy, Platinum and Gold Auroras, Pen Daltons, international Flame and Axiem awards, and other prestigious honors.

My award winning fiction and poetry have appeared in Best of Writers at Work anthology, The Distillery, Treasure House, Currents, River Blossom and Word Wright’s. My debut novel, Dancing With Gravity, was published in March 2011 by Blank Slate Press and has received first prize for literary fiction in the 2011 International Book Awards.

Non-fiction by-lines include: St. Louis Magazine, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Final Frontier Magazine, Senior Circuit, and Catholic Health World.

I am a member of the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society.