Guest Blog by Karen Bouchard, Coach at Word Ninjas and Acquisitions Editor at Illumify Media
You love writing.
Marketing? Branding? Tribe-building? Not so much.
So how in the world do you get ahead in your writing career?
I’m going to give you three tips in just a moment. First, though, I want you to consider signing up for two resources that are going to help you tremendously. I promise to explain more about these resources at the end of this post, but here they are:
Register for a FREE webinar Wednesday, May 13, at 6:30pm MT
and then…
Sign-up for a FREE 2-week trial in a platform-building coaching group
Now back to our dilemma.
Last week a writer approached me with this very problem. She wrote, “In order to move forward in my writing, it seems like I’m going to have leave my strengths (writing) and move into my weaknesses (marketing, branding). How should I handle this?”
Now, unless you consider yourself a “marketer” first and a “writer” second, you may be asking this question, too.
NAVIGATING TODAY’S PUBLISHING WORLD
As we’ve all experienced, the changes in book publishing over the past decade have been significant. The responsibility for connecting with potential readers has fallen squarely on the shoulders of authors, and it doesn’t matter what publishing avenue—traditional, hybrid, or self-publishing—we pursue.
While the shift in book publishing has created a lot of amazing and unprecedented opportunities, we are also in danger of losing the voices of less marketing-minded writers with equally important messages.
So what’s a writer to do? Especially if you don’t consider “building a platform” or “growing a tribe” to be one of your key strengths?
I have three suggestions for you, and here they are:
1. Reframe how you think of marketing.
If we define “marketing” as trying to convince someone to help us (by subscribing to our email list, following us on Facebook, buying our books), it feels yucky. For them and for us, too.
And if we think of building a platform—or growing a following—in terms of amassing numbers, well, that doesn’t feel great either.
No wonder we want to run screaming from the room.
But when we reframe our motivation for building our platforms—and become driven by love—we may discover that the process is not distasteful at all. In fact, it can become life-giving, to us as well as to our readers.
When we stop asking “How do I get people to sign up?”—and start asking “How can I help, serve, and love people to whom my message will bring life and hope?”—everything changes.
Of course, you will still need to learn some time-proven platform-building strategies—and some of those strategies function similarly whether you’re looking for numbers to help yourself, or whether you’re looking to serve others.
But don’t let that fool you. When you stop being driven by dread—and start being led by love—your experience, the experience of your audience, and the connections you forge and nurture will be far more amazing and fulfilling than straight-up “marketing” will ever be.
2. Connect with your audience in ways that resonate with your personality.
When we think of “building a platform” or “growing a tribe” we tend to think in terms of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. These are great tools, and I encourage you to explore all the possibilities these platforms present.
That said, don’t limit yourself. In addition to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, there are myriad ways to connect with your audience both online and offline.
You don’t have to do everything I’ve listed below (in fact, please don’t even try!). But do identify two or three avenues you find enjoyable to serve your audience, and use those avenues regularly to engage with your peeps.
Here are a few Facebook-free ways to find and grow your audience:
- Events: Book clubs. Book signings. Expos. Meet-up groups. School Visits. Workshops. Church and community events. (In fact, take a clipboard to collect email addresses and grow your email list while you are at it).
- Media and PR: Become an expert in your field and seek opportunities as a guest blogger, or a guest on podcasts or local radio. Submit articles to newspapers and magazines.
- Start a podcast or YouTube channel.
- Offer great content to someone who uses social media to connect with folks in your target audience. People who use social media a lot are always on the lookout for helpful resources they can share with their audiences. Create that kind of content and allow other people to bless their audiences with it. You’ll be blessed in return.
3. Hire help.
You can’t do and learn everything. Besides, time is money, right? So focus on what you love, and hire out what you don’t:
- Hire a virtual (or non-virtual) assistant for a few hours each week.
- Hire help creating and managing your social media presence.
- Trade services, such as offering editing or writing services to someone who can help you with your website.
- Hire someone to produce and publish your book while you invest your time and energy into connecting with future readers.
The point is, don’t learn “all the things” yourself. I love learning, so I struggle with this. But if you and I want to have time to function in our strengths and passions, we have to learn how to free ourselves (at least a little) from the tyranny of tasks we don’t know how to do, and/or don’t particularly like.
I’m not saying never learn anything new. We are writers, after all. We are curious by nature, and learning keeps the brain young, right?
But pick and choose. Spend time learning how to do things that interest you, not things you hate (but will tolerate to save a buck).
By picking and choosing what you invest time learning, you might spend dollars but save sanity.
To keep yourself from getting lost in the weeds, stop asking “How” questions and start asking “Who” questions. In other words, instead of asking “How can I learn how to edit videos / use Photoshop / compose the opening music for my podcast / typeset my own book,” start asking, “Who can I hire who knows how to edit videos / use Photoshop / compose the opening music for my podcast / typeset my book.”
Where can you find modestly-priced help? Learn how to evaluate and hire freelancers on sites like www.fiverr.com. You might be surprised how reasonable some services can be.
NOW, ABOUT THOSE FREE RESOURCES I MENTIONED EARLIER…
Illumify Media and Word Ninjas are hosting a six-week FREE webinar series for writers. The webinar taking place on Wednesday, May 13th is on “Navigating Today’s 3 Best Publishing Options.”
Here are the other webinars in the series:
1. How to Create Your e-Newsletter in MailChimp
2. How to Create Lead Magnets to Grow Your Email List
3. How to Get Your Book into Bookstores
4. The Internet Has Changed How People Read–Here’s What You Need to Know (and Do)
5. How to Navigate Today’s Three Best Publishing Options
6. Bonus: “Ask Me Anything” Session (with Writing/Publishing/Marketing Pros)
When you register for even one of the webinars, after the series is over you’ll receive an email with links to all six recorded webinars. It’s a power-packed series of FREE trainings for writers that will help you no matter where you are in your publishing/writing/platform-building journey.
To register for the May 13th webinar, click on the link below:
Register for a FREE webinar Wednesday, May 13, at 6:30pm MT
And if you’re reading this after the series is over—and would like to receive links to all six trainings absolutely free—click here.
ONE LAST PLATFORM BUILDING TOOL…
There’s one last platform-building resource I want to make available to you.
Word Ninjas is an online coaching community where I help writers improve their writing and learn tools and strategies to build their platforms. To learn more about how Word Ninjas can help you—and try it out for two weeks completely free—click on the link:
Sign-up for a FREE 2-week trial in a platform-building coaching group
The bad news is successful writers need to nurture relationships with current and future readers. The good news is that successful writers get to nurture relationships with current and future readers—and it can be a lot more enjoyable than you might think.
The Lord has given me a team of people here in Montana to reach the Native Americans and the poor with my book The Prince And The Plan! When I was first debating what to do with the black & white misprints, the Lord gave me this verse: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release from darkness to the prisoners” (Isaiah 61:1). Then He told me to give them to the Native Americans in Montana, where unemployment is 80%.
Then you remember the promises from the marketing experts that frequently turn up in your inbox. Success is within your reach! Online marketing is the key.
Friday evening, in addition to Bill Watkins’ keynote, Christians Are Hateful – The Cultural Challenge for Today’s Christians, includes author interviews and a book signing. Bring your book(s) to sell and sign.
Guest Blogger
But the actual writing and learning how to use the great tools we now have is just part of what we need to do. I began writing on an old manual typewriter. Well I’m not as old as this antique typewriter although I do remember my grandfather had one in the basement. My first manuscripts for publication were created on a blue Royal with keys that got tangled when I typed too fast.
The introduction of the Selectric typewriter and that marvelous spinning ball greatly increased my productivity. And to be honest, when computers were introduced, I was not at all interested in giving up my trusted Selectric and learning something new. (I really didn’t think I was smart enough!)
Write His Answer 