Facebook. Substack. Instagrapm. Chirpbooks. Rakuten Kobo. Kindle. These are just six of the plethora of apps I have on my phone.
While I access my audiobooks and ebooks daily (there are at least twice as many apps on my phone than the three I mentioned), they, of course, don’t get my words in front of readers.
All that to say, I’ve become quite comfortable with the tech. Probably because I’m “an extrovert on steroids” who loves to connect with people IRL (in real life) and online, and I feel that connection to a degree even when listing to podcasters and audiobook narrators.
While Facebook and Substack do get my words out to my readers, I’m not about the numbers. There, I’ve said it. I once wrote a poem “Writing for the One,” and that’s still how I feel. Each individual who is blessed or encouraged by something I’ve written brings a smile to my face. So, no, definitely don’t ask me to help with your book promotion (with the exception of being on your launch team, which I may or may not have the bandwidth to join).
While, as authors, we likely debate if it’s worth our time to use social media to promote our books, we often forget that everything we put out there has the potential to impact someone—or many someones—many of whom we will never meet in person.
Every Facebook post. Every Substack article. Every newsletter.
We’ve all heard that not every post should promote our book(s). If you’re like me and countless others, you likely cringe at the vaguest hint of a salesy post, especially if that’s all we ever see from a given writer.
Does this mean we can never point potential readers to our author website or our Substack articles that are behind a paywall? Definitely not. But if that’s all we do, we’re unlikely to attract the readers who will enjoy our work, those who will become fans—or even super fans, willing to buy every book we publish.
There are several other cautions when it comes to tech that are worth heeding as well.
1.
Don’t let it scare you.
2.
Do your research before committing. It’s better
to be on one or two platforms and follow best practices than to try to do a
little bit of everything.
3.
When considering where to spend your time and
energy, be honest about your individuality. How much time do you want to spend
learning about your chosen platform(s)? How much time do you have to post and
interact with commenters? (Note: Personal interaction is very important to some
readers.) What is your primary purpose for establishing or developing your
online presence? (Not all platforms are equally helpful.)
4.
Don’t get bogged down by the plethora of “experts”
and advice. Zero in on a single platform, do your research, and give it a try. And
remember… It’s unlikely that you’ll see immediate results. Give it time.
5. Among your best resources are your fellow InScribe members. Many of them would be happy to share their best marketing tips, favourite social media platforms, and most helpful online resources.
What online platform do you
gravitate toward? Which do you steer clear of? What online resource / platform do
you most highly recommend for writers?
Steph Beth Nickel is the former Editor of FellowScript and the former InScribe Contest Coordinator. Steph is an editor and author and plans to relocate to Saskatchewan from Ontario to be close to family in 2027. (Headshot Photo Credit: Jaime Mellor Photography)
