Notes from WriteOn! on 3/10
A big Thank You to Yen Cheong, Natasha Maw, and Ron Hogan for your participation in our discussion! You were wonderful panelists and we thank you kindly for your words.
And to those of you who tuned in, and/ or participated in our discussion via the chat room, you’re great and we appreciate you stopping by!
We took some notes, just in case anyone missed it:
A quality review is one that makes you think and makes you want to go pick up the book from the store. It needs to be well written, and includes a brief description, discuss style of writing, and compare it to similar books that perhaps the reader would also be interested in. Reviews should never include spoilers. There is no strict formula for a review to follow, but it should be more of the readers’ reaction and gut feeling towards the book.
An author should never pay for a public endorsement, only private critique.
Online reviews are one part of the promotions process. They work to spread the word about the book, and create “buzz”. They call attention to the book, and get it in front of those who are genuinely interested. The great thing about the internet is that it makes up for the shortage of space in which there is to do that kind of writing in traditional media outlets these days. Many people are finding that with the decline of newspapers and magazines, the prevalence of reviews online are becoming much more important. An author’s web presence can be vital to their marketability.
For those who are professional authors, or career writers, and say they do not have time for social media, take note: it is important to treat yourself and your writing as a small business, and you must pay attention to marketing and publicity, as much as the writing itself. Social marketing is effective and affordable, if not free! A few tweets a day, or a mention on Facebook should take no more than 15 minutes out of your day. Also, take a few minutes to search for sites that was relevant to your book, that would be willing let you market your work on their site. “Put the time in, get results… Blind luck won’t get you far”.
Social media outlets, such as Facebook or Twitter, can increase the level of visibility an author has on the web. Authors can engage in direct dialogue with their reviewers and fans, and cultivate relationships with readers. It is important to determine what kind of web presence is appropriate for the author, depending on their fan base, as well as their own level of skill on the Internet. How much of your online perception are you in control of? How much of the message is what you are saying versus what others are saying about you? It is important that an author be able to maintain his or her own online profile. Readers want to hear from them, not the publicist.
If you are an author or publicist seeking out bloggers to write reviews, do your research. Find out what kind of books they are willing to review. When you contact them, make it personal. Show that you have made the effort to look into their site. Be strategic. Don’t “carpet bomb the blogs”.
In regards to interviews it is important for the interviewee to keep the answers fresh. Pull difference sections of the book to discuss with different interviewers or media outlets. Most publicists do not give media coaching, however they can point to good (or bad) interviews as examples and learning tools for the author. The interviewer is also a key role in how well an author is perceived by the public. Do your research and ask questions that are relevant to not only the book, but the author as well. Find an angle that is targeted towards the passion the author has for their book, and get them to express that.
Again we would like to thank our panelists, as well as our listeners for your participation!
Next month’s WriteOn! Roundtable will be on April 14. We will be discussing how to get the most out of book conferences and expos.