One of the most common questions I’m regularly asked is, “How do I figure out what books to include in my comps?” People get all hung up on it, especially with fiction. Do I look for books with the same premise or plot? Same time period? Same writing style? How do I know what to include?

I’m going to make it easy for you.

Ask yourself, “Who are my readers? What are they reading right now?” Those are your comparable books.

Keep this line in mind:

“People who enjoy the following books are likely to enjoy my book.”

You can use that line in a proposal, then follow it with the comparable books, and for each one, a brief explanation of why your book would appeal to those same readers. This approach frees you from trying to decipher what an agent is looking for, and instead, use those comps to identify your audience.

If you can’t readily identify six to ten books or authors whom your potential readers are already reading, then you need to stop what you’re doing and get a lot more educated about what’s already out in the marketplace, and who your potential audience is. If you can’t identify your audience, then how will you or a publisher sell your book to them?

Providing “comps” is all about helping your agent, your editors, your marketing team, and your readers to capture a vision for your book.

Too often, writers tell me, “I’ve looked and looked, and I can’t find anything quite like my book.” You and I both know that’s a cop-out. Think about your potential readers, and figure out what they are already reading. It’s that simple.

To read a little more about how to create a strong Competition section for your book proposal, click HERE.

Do you know what books your potential readers are already enjoying? How do you research this?

If you should decide to invest in some personalized counsel, I offer coaching for unpublished authors here: My Coaching Services

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The post Finding Comparable Books appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

Maybe you’re not into the whole publishing “scene.” Maybe you don’t enjoy being in a critique group where people discuss your work.

Maybe you don’t want to be part of a crowd, you don’t want to go to workshops, you don’t think of writing as a group activity. 

Maybe social media is not your thing. The thought of promoting your book gives you hives. You don’t want to be a speaker or a blogger or a Facebook expert.

Can such a person find success in publishing?

Yes—but these days it’s rare.

You’d have to be pretty darned talented to begin with. If you’re not going to workshops to learn, and you’re not getting feedback on your work, then in order to snag an agent and a publisher, or even find a large audience through self-publishing, you’d have to be writing amazing stuff without benefit of the collaborative process. There are definitely some writers who can pull this off. You may be one of them. The only way to know is to try it and see what happens.

There are still stories of writers getting their agent through the query process, without ever networking or getting a referral or going to a conference. But eventually you’ll need to build an audience for your book, whether you’re with a publisher or doing it yourself. You are going to have to engage with your readers and potential ones.

Most of that can be done online, so if you’re at least comfortable with blogs and social networking, you should be able to market yourself just fine. You don’t necessarily have to be “out there” promoting except in the virtual world.

For all the emphasis on critique groups and workshops and conferences, we recognize the reality that not all writers are cut out for all that. While this kind of involvement does offer terrific advantages for those who are able to do it—and there are some people who would never find success if they didn’t avail themselves of every possible resource—all is not lost if you can’t.

In the past, writers have told me they can’t afford conferences, or don’t have access to them because they live in a remote location. Some have said they haven’t been able to find a critique group. I tell them it’s up to them to find success despite the limitations.

But I rarely hear from writers who say, “I am not interested in all that group stuff. I am a writer! I sit in my cave and write — by myself. I have no desire to do it any other way.”

Today’s your chance.

If you’re a solo writer who cringes at the thought of a conference, critique group, or workshop, or if you can’t stand the idea of promoting your work — it’s time to step out and try it! 

If you should decide to invest in some personalized counsel, I offer coaching for unpublished authors here: My Coaching Services

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The post Are You a Lone Ranger Writer? appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

True or False:

1. The best time of day to write is the morning.
2. In order to write anything good, I need large chunks of time.
3. I should probably start telling people about my book, to keep me accountable.
4. I probably shouldn’t talk about my book because someone might steal my idea.
5. I shouldn’t read other books in my genre because I don’t want to imitate them.
6. The fact that my personal story is so tragic will make it interesting to others.
7. Book marketing is all about self-promotion.
8. Every writer needs a website.
9. Writer’s block doesn’t exist or is just an excuse.
10. If I’m a real writer, it should be easy.
11. I can only write on the days I feel inspired.
12. I should probably quit my day job as soon as possible to be a successful writer.

My thoughts:

1. False. While morning works best for most writers, the best time of day to write is the time you’ll actually do it. We are subject to family schedules and work schedules, so we don’t always get to write at the ideal time.
2. False. Large chunks of time are helpful and typically lead to productivity, but you can write an entire book in less than four months writing only 500 words a day.
3. False. While it’s a personal decision whether to talk about the book you’re writing, there’s a funny psychological trick we play on ourselves, in which “talking about something” makes us feel like we’ve already done it — making us less likely to truly get it done. So beware talking about it.
4. False. It’s not entirely unknown for someone to steal a book idea. But the chances are so slim that it’s not typically worth worrying over. In any case, two people can write a book on the same idea and come up with entirely different books.
5. False. You might not want to read other books in your genre while you’re deep in the trenches of writing your book. But before that, you should have spent years reading other books in your genre.
6. False. Sadly, there are many tragic stories, so that fact alone won’t necessarily make it interesting. It will need to be beautifully written and have a strong sales hook.
7. False. If you’re thinking book marketing is “self promotion,” then you’re doing it wrong. It’s really about sharing something valuable with the world.
8. True! A website is the beginning and the foundation of your online presence.
9. False. Some people claim writer’s block isn’t a thing; those suffering from it beg to disagree.
10. False. Writing is hard. Full stop.
11. False. Writing, like any discipline, can be done with or without “inspiration.”
12. False. It’s a good idea to keep your writing completely separate from stresses over paying the bills, for as long as possible.

How’d you do?

The post Challenging Our Assumptions appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

I’m having almost daily conversations with my clients, most of whom are already traditionally published, about various ways they can extend their brands, increase their income and/or grow their readership by self-publishing e-books “on the side.” I’m coming across some interesting questions during these discussions. One that I’ve been hearing lately comes from authors trying to figure out how they can make the most money with their next book: through traditional or self-pub.

They’re trying to estimate potential e-book sales vs. potential advance from a regular publisher.

This is clearly a speculative approach. While an agent might be pretty good at predicting the ballpark advance for a book, it’s almost impossible to predict how much money you’d make on your e-book unless you’ve done several already.

Trying to compare “potentials” is dicey business.

In any case, some authors are wondering:

If their agent shops the book and gets a publishing offer from a reputable house, but the advance is lower than the author wants, can the author reject the offer, take back the book, and self-publish it?

Technically, the answer is usually “yes” unless the author/agent agreement stipulates otherwise. If I shop a project, you are within your rights to reject any offers and take the project back. But it’s important to realize that it puts agents in the position of spending hours and weeks and months on something for which they’ll never be compensated.

It might be better for the author to set a threshold up front.

For example, “If I can’t get an advance of more than $10,000, I will not take the deal.” In that case, I (the agent) might be better off saying up front, “That doesn’t make it worth my while to work on this project, because I can’t guarantee ANY advance, let alone a $10,000 one, so I’m going to hand this back to you and you’re free to do with it what you like.”

Agents already spend time shopping projects that won’t sell, and we’ll never get paid for that work. We understand this, and it’s a risk we take. But to have the added pressure of “Even if I DO sell it, the author might reject the sale and I still won’t get paid,” is kind of unreasonable. So in the interest of not wasting your agent’s time and avoiding purposely derailing their attempt to make a living, it’s a good idea to have some specific idea up front of what you will and won’t accept—and talk to your agent about it.

Are you making the “self vs. traditional” decision based on potential income? If so, how are you making the calculations? And are you talking with your agent about it?

The post Can I Make More Money via Traditional or Self-Pub? appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

It can be more painful to publish a book that nobody buys… than to never have published a book at all.

Do you agree with me?

If you’ve published a book, you have the excitement of holding it in your hand, seeing your name on the cover. You’ll see it for sale at online retailers and have it on your shelf at home, and you’ll have the satisfaction of attaining a goal. But if the book doesn’t sell—if the publisher cancels it after a year, if you never get a royalty check beyond your advance—it can be distressing.

This is a good reason for you to WANT to build a platform. Why would you go to all that trouble of writing a book, spending months or years of your life, only to have hardly anyone read it?

Now, we know there is only so much that’s in your control. Building a platform involves many elements outside your circle of influence. And even if you have a strong platform, it doesn’t guarantee your book will sell. But you’ll probably feel better if you at least did your due diligence—you worked on your platform and your did your best to get your book in front of people. You wouldn’t want to wonder if maybe your book would have done better if you’d taken everybody’s advice and worked a little harder at finding your following and growing your tribe.

Buyers have so many options, it’s mind-boggling. You’re a book buyer, so you know this. You can’t possibly buy all the books that interest you! And there are so many books you’ve never even heard of that would probably interest you if you knew about them.

But, if you hear a speaker at your women’s retreat and you love her message, you might want to buy her book. If your favorite weekly newspaper columnist had a book out, you might buy it. If your favorite podcaster published a book, you might buy it. That’s the idea behind platform. How are you going to bring buyers to the checkout stand?

I believe there are few things more disappointing than actually getting that book deal, only to have the whole thing tank. Adding insult to injury, this can also make it difficult to get future publishing deals. You probably want to do everything in your power to try and keep that from happening.

And what’s within your power, besides writing a good book? Building the strongest platform you can.

What do you think? Does it make you any more eager to build a platform?

Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash

The post What if You Build It, and They Don’t Come? appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

You may need to step back and take an objective look at your social media presence as a whole. Look at your Facebook feed, your Instagram, your blog, your Pinterest, your LinkedIn, and your Twitter feed over a couple of weeks. What kind of picture emerges?

• If a stranger browsed your social media presence, what kind of person would they think you are?
• Is there a clear sense of your personality and/or the themes and topics you discuss publicly?
• Does your online activity reflect you appropriately for your professional life?
• Would you appear to be a well-rounded person with both professional and personal interests?
• Do you seem to be interested in others and in the world? Are you starting and participating in conversations?
• Are you interesting?
• If there are people who are waiting for something from you, will your online activity make it seem like you’re not paying attention to the correct priorities?

If we have a social media presence, we are opening ourselves up to scrutiny from others.

For example, if you write lighthearted women’s fiction, you’ll want to think twice about a social media presence that consists mostly of your passionate views on social justice (although it can be a part of your feed). If your books are aimed at people in business and leadership, you’ll want to make sure your online brand communicates some seriousness and gravitas. If you’re trying to get an agent or a publisher and your online presence consists of rants and negativity, will you appear to be someone with whom people want to work?

Take a careful look. It’s worth a few moments of evaluation.

What does your online presence say about you? 

The post What Does Your Online Activity Say About You? appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

You CAN have your own marketing team — and it’s simpler than you might think.

Most of you are familiar with the concept of a writers’ group or critique group, even if you’re not part of one. Your marketing team works the same way. You gather a small group of individuals who meet regularly to discuss each others’ projects, but from a marketing standpoint rather than focusing on the writing.

Here are some ideas for creating this kind of group:

1. Keep the group small and manageable — I suggest 3 to 8 people.

2. Create a Zoom or Skype account to hold your meetings online using your webcams.

3. Start by inviting one or two people to join you. Get it set up and have a few meetings before deciding whether to invite more members.

4. Be extremely selective in choosing your group members. Once you invite someone to join, it would be extremely awkward to disinvite them.

5. Gather people who are creative, proactive, good at sharing ideas, and are a fit personality-wise.

6. Discuss what your group’s goals will be, and what you’d like to accomplish in your meetings.

7. Find ways to help each other in concrete ways, beyond simply sharing ideas. Allow members to operate in their areas of strength.

8. Create an agenda for each meeting. Google docs is helpful for this, since each member can access it and add to it.

9. It’s best if your group has a leader; if you don’t have one, designate a member to lead each meeting.

10. Let everyone suggest topics for future discussion.

11. Here are some meeting ideas to get you started:

• Have each person bring one creative marketing idea they’ve heard about or used recently.
• Designate a topic to explore in-depth (for example, “How to get the most out of Goodreads”) and have each person be prepared to discuss one aspect.
• Have a meeting dedicated to goal setting for each member, or have everyone bring a list of short and long term goals for discussion.
• Brainstorm marketing ideas for one person’s specific project or current need.

12. Use an online scheduling tool, since setting up meetings with four or more people can be challenging. Doodle.com works great.

Happy team building!

The post How to Create Your Own Marketing Team appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

1. If they can do it well;

2. If they enjoy it; and

3. If their writing career can benefit from it.

If blogging doesn’t suit you, don’t spend too much time trying to make it work.

Why aren’t blogs the appropriate vehicle for all authors? 

• The proliferation of blogs in the last 15 years has made it increasingly difficult to stand out in the crowd.
• Many authors are blogging faithfully but it doesn’t seem to be increasing readership of their books. 
• Many authors seem to be blogging to an audience that’s mainly other writers.
• Many authors have a hard time figuring out what their blogs should be about (mostly fiction authors).

So, how do you decide if you should have a blog? Here are my thoughts:

Have a blog if:

1. You have something important to say and it seems people want to hear it.

2. You understand that blogging is about offering something of value, NOT about promoting yourself and your books.

3. You enjoy blogging (for the most part, anyway).

4. You find blogging contributes to your creativity and enthusiasm for writing your books, rather than sucking all the energy out of you.

5. You can find the time for blogging without it completely stressing you out.

6. Your books have a highly defined target audience, making it easy to focus your blog.

7. Your books are topical (especially non-fiction), so that you have a clear and obvious theme for your blog.

Don’t have a blog if:

1. You keep asking yourself and others, “But what should I blog about?”

2. You only want to blog to promote your books and/or because you think you “have to.”

3. The whole idea stresses you out.

4. You honestly don’t have the time in your schedule to blog regularly.

5. You’ve been blogging for a year or more, and haven’t built up to a traffic level that seems worth it.

Nowadays there are numerous alternatives to blogging when it comes to online networking and promotion.

For example:

• email newsletters
• using Facebook, Instagram and Twitter effectively
• leveraging all the various ways Goodreads offers for promoting books
• learning how to attract a readership through Pinterest
• having an effective LinkedIn profile page

Find what works for you and stick with it! Being consistent will build your platform.

The post Should All Authors Blog? appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

If you want to write non-fiction, platform is crucial. The key to a non-fiction platform is your target market and what you are doing to reach them. You want to show a publisher that you personally have the ability to attract buyers for your book. You want to establish yourself as an authority in your subject, or the authority, the go-to person. Platform tells a publisher that you are not only the right person to write this book, you are the very best person to write this book.

So what are some elements of a strong platform? They can include:

• A blog or website with growing traffic. There’s no “magic number” of pageviews that will put you over the top, but if your numbers aren’t growing, that’s something to shoot for.
• You also want the ability to capture names and email addresses. Publishers love to see that you already have a database of 3,000 to 5,000 names (or more) to whom you can market your book when it comes out.
• Social media presence on at least one platform (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest…) with clear evidence of engagement with your tribe.
• A podcast with a growing audience, or frequent guest spots on others’ podcasts.
• Speaking engagements. You can start small and slowly grow the size of your audiences over time.
• Numerous articles published, whether national, local or specialized. Online or print.
• A regular column in a national magazine or a large metro newspaper.
• Regular appearances on television or radio.
• Regular contact with your target audience, for example, through a newsletter.
• Notoriety and/or authority within your area of expertise. You are a known expert on your topic.
• Previous books published with respectable sales numbers.

Not everyone who gets published has reached these standards or even come close, but this gives you an idea of the kinds of things publishers are hoping to see.

You want to sell an agent and/or a publisher not just on your book but on you. Your query and your proposal both serve the purpose of selling a package—you and your book. I’ve received numerous questions from people asking, “Does it count if I have clips from anthologies? Does it count if I have theater experience?” etc. etc. You don’t have to play the what-if game and analyze every eventuality. Just sell yourself as the author of the particular book you’re writing. Got nothing to sell? Better get a hammer and some nails ‘cuz you’ve got a platform to build.

Don’t forget… the longest journey begins with the first step. You have to start somewhere, right? Get that website. Start a professional page on Facebook. Begin speaking at local events, then branch out. Pitch articles for magazine and newspaper publication. Start small, one step at a time. Building a platform is doable. So, do it.

If you’re a non-fiction author, what are you doing to build a platform?

Photo by Hanny Naibaho on Unsplash

The post Non-Fiction Platforms appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

What is a platform?

There are various kinds of platforms. A train platform is the area from which you board the train. A diving platform is a structure from which you careen your body into a pool of water, hopefully with some style and grace. A platform usually refers to the place from which you launch some kind of journey. An author platform is the place from which you launch your writing career. It refers to the means by which YOU will help sell your book by your presence in the media and/or the public sphere, at least within the audience you hope to reach with your book.

In non-fiction, publishers want to see what the author is already doing to get their message out there—before the book is published or even contracted. In fiction, they want to see that you know what it will take to begin building a platform once your book is contracted, and that you will be an active participant in the marketing of your book. You tell them this in your proposal.

Is platform different for fiction authors than it is for non-fiction authors?

Yes.

For fiction, a large platform isn’t necessary to sell your book to a publisher. Helpful, but not necessary.

In non-fiction, it’s fast becoming the #1 consideration. In most cases, it’s necessary to have some type of platform before your book can sell to a publisher. The size of platform required depends on the book, the topic, and the publisher.

In what other ways do fiction and non-fiction platforms differ?

Non-fiction writers need to have a pretty good platform prior to selling the book to a publisher. Fiction authors need to be prepared to start building one after their book is contracted (if they haven’t already) by finding ways to increase their following and reader loyalty.

Author marketing efforts are proven to help sell non-fiction books. However in fiction, nobody is really clear whether author marketing efforts translate to significantly greater sales or not. The prevailing wisdom is that it certainly doesn’t hurt, and publishers will take every edge they can get.

A non-fiction platform can be much more targeted than that of most novelists, since it’s based on a particular topic, whether it be parenting, Christian life, marriage or whatever. Non-fiction authors can target publications, websites, radio shows (etc) that address their topic. Fiction readers are more difficult to categorize.

What if I have a non-fiction book idea but no platform?

I would strongly recommend you take the time and effort needed to begin building a platform (even if it takes a year or two…or more). Without a platform, no matter how good or helpful the book is, publishers are simply not giving good books the time of day (sorry to say). Your next option is to self publish and sell the books yourself, which many authors are having to do.

Is blogging considered a platform?

I think a blog is a good tool for those who enjoy it and have the time to maintain it. I believe it gets writers used to writing everyday and engaging audiences. It helps you learn what people respond to (and what bores them to death). And yes, it can definitely build your visibility on the web. It’s a great way to begin capturing names and email addresses for that all-important database that publishers want you to have. However, a blog does not a platform make.

I am overwhelmed and don’t even know where to start.

Whether you’re writing fiction or non-fiction, start with good website. Not just a blog. Get a nice-looking website that tells about you. Visit your favorite authors on the web to get ideas of what a good author site looks like.

Choose two social media platforms on which to focus. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest. Learn to use them well.

Begin getting yourself used to speaking in public. Join Toastmasters if you need to. Speaking experience is helpful for both fiction and non-fiction authors, since either way, you might eventually be doing radio interviews, book signings, and other events. You want to be ready.

Try to place articles in magazines, journals, newspapers, both online and print. Again, this is helpful for both fiction and non. It helps prepare you for the realities of publishing, and it can even begin to create a small following for you.

These are just a few opening ideas.

What is the hardest thing for you about PLATFORM?

Photo by Tomo Nogi on Unsplash

The post Questions About Author Platform appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

1. Not creating a plan or strategy for connecting with readers, but remaining completely haphazard.

2. Not understanding who your reading audience is.

3. Trying too hard to “sell” rather than gather a reading community.

4. Spending too much time on the blog, when that might not be the most effective way to gather a community. (Many author blogs are read by other authors.)

5. Trying to do it all yourself, i.e. failing to crowd-source.

6. Focusing on places authors hang out online, rather than readers.

7. Not getting any social media coaching or doing any serious study of it.

8. One-sided communication on social media: failing to engage with fans and respond to them.

9. Not using social media to its fullest potential, i.e. neglecting Facebook campaigns, Goodreads promotions, Pinterest engagement, Twitter chats, Instagram stories.

10. Trying to do too many things in the attempt to connect with readers, rather than choosing a couple of avenues that suit you, and becoming expert at them.

11. Not using the special topic, era, genre and content of your book to locate and engage readers.

12. Ignoring opportunities for local, in-person appearances (book signings, book clubs, writing groups, school visits, workshops, library readings and local area meet-ups.).

Are any of these areas problematic for you? If you haven’t marketed a book yet, what do you anticipate will be the hardest part?

Photo by Rémi Walle on Unsplash

The post 12 Mistakes Authors Make in Connecting with Readers appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

• Write your bio in first person for query letters, third person for most other purposes including proposals, book jackets, article bylines.
• Make it professional but you also need to convey personality and writing style. Don’t try too hard to be funny, but include something that makes you seem like a real person.
• What gives you credibility? What makes you interesting? What helps people connect with you? (When you’re on Twitter, Facebook or your blog, what kinds of posts seem to get the most comments?) These are things you can briefly include.
• If your book centers on something specific—the Civil War, for example—are you a member of a Civil War society? Have you published any articles in historical journals? Include that.
• Try not to include too much “resumé” type information–education, job history, etc. because it tends to be boring. Only include what’s relevant to the book you’re pitching.
• As you write a bio, consider carefully the purpose of the bio – who is the audience? Is it agents and editors? Is it your blog readers? Tailor it to this audience.

How to write a bio if you have no publishing credits:

• If you’re a member of a writers’ organization such as SCBWI, ACFW or ASJA, you can mention it.
• You can mention if you’re a member of critique group or if you have a degree in literature or writing.
• Don’t say something like “I’ve been writing stories since I was two years old.”
• Keep it short and sweet, i.e. “Jane Smith is a fifth grade teacher in Bellingham, Washington, and is a member of RWA.”

A bio for a query letter:

• For FICTION, if you’re unpublished, it should be one to two sentences—about 50 words or fewer.
• For NON-FICTION, it should be longer, enough sentences to establish your credits, credentials, and/or platform in the subject matter of your book.

Some tips for the process of writing a bio:

• Read author bios in a dozen different books. Note what you like and don’t like.
• Make a list of things you MIGHT want to say about yourself. Try to list 20 to 30 things—don’t self-edit, because you don’t want to leave anything out. Later you can choose the best elements to include.
• Write two or three bios of different lengths and keep them on file so that you have them ready when you need them.
• Trade author bios with a writer friend and help each other make them interesting.

The post How to Write a Terrific Author Bio appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

The proliferation of blogs in the last ten years has made it increasingly difficult to stand out in the crowd. Many authors are blogging faithfully but it doesn’t seem to be increasing readership of their books; in fact most of their readers are other writers. One good indicator blogging might not be for you is if you have a hard time figuring out what you should write about.

So, how do you decide if you should have a blog?

Have a blog if:

1. You have something important to say and it seems people want to hear it.

2. You understand that blogging is about offering something of value, NOT about promoting yourself and your books.

3. You enjoy blogging (for the most part, anyway).

4. You find blogging contributes to your creativity and enthusiasm for writing your books, rather than sucking all the energy out of you.

5. You can find the time for blogging without it completely stressing you out.

6. Your books have a highly defined target audience, making it easy to target your blog.

7. Your books are topical (especially non-fiction), so that you have a clear and obvious theme for your blog.

Don’t have a blog if:

1. You keep asking yourself and others, “But what should I blog about?”

2. You only want to blog to promote your books and/or because you think you “have to.”

3. The whole idea stresses you out.

4. You honestly don’t have the time in your schedule to blog regularly.

5. You’ve been blogging for a year or more, and haven’t built up to a traffic level that seems worth it.

Here are some alternatives to blogging when it comes to online networking and promotion.

• joining a group blog
• sending email newsletters
• using Facebook effectively
• leveraging the various ways Goodreads offers for promoting books
• attracting a readership through Pinterest and/or Instagram
• having an effective LinkedIn profile page

If you don’t want to blog or be engaged in online promotion, should you self-publish instead of seeking a publisher?

I get this question from writers frequently, and my answer is: What would be the point of self-publishing a book, if you have no intention of promoting it? Who will buy it? With millions of books available for sale at any given time, what’s your plan for letting people know that yours exists?

Blogging and other means of online promotion aren’t just hoops that publishers want you to jump through. They’re real and necessary methods of letting people know about your book. So if you have no intention of letting anyone know about your book, through a sustained, long-term promotional plan of online engagement, then think carefully about whether you want to write a book for publication. If you build it: they will NOT come. You must promote it.

Do you blog? If so, how’s it going? If not, why not? Comment below, or by clicking: HERE.

TWEETABLES

Here’s how to decide whether or not to blog. (Click to Tweet.)

Want to be an author, but don’t want to blog? There are alternatives! (Click to Tweet.)

The post To Blog or Not To Blog, That is the Question appeared first on Rachelle Gardner.

It’s a frequent source of frustration for me. Why would you bother putting yourself out there without giving people a way to contact you?There are two circumstances in which I come up against this:

(1) I’m following links to various websites/blogs, find something I like and become interested in talking to the writer about whether they’d ever like to be published, whether they have an agent, etc… and there’s no email address.

(2) I want to respond privately to a comment someone has left on my blog, rather than put it out there for all the world to see. I’m interested in engaging in conversation. Yet when I follow the link to their blog or website, again, no way to contact them.

Listen, there’s a lot of dialogue going on out here on the web, and real connections are being made. If you don’t include a way for people to contact you directly, it says you’re not interested in making connections, that maybe you’re just interested in being heard but not interested in hearing from others.

You’re here to network, to learn, to communicate, and to create relationships. It’s not just about putting your blog or website up and commenting on others’ blogs. Let people know how to reach you, too. Just in case.

And by the way, the excuse that you want to avoid spambots getting your email address is so five years ago. You can encrypt or obscure your email address so that people can see it but spambots can’t. If you want, you can also create a separate Gmail or Yahoo address for public use. It’s free and takes 30 seconds.

So, if you have a website or blog, and if you’re leaving comments on others’ blogs, make sure you have your email address or “contact me” plainly visible.

If you’re one of those without contact info on your site—why not? Are you going to add it today?

Have a blog or website? Make sure people can find your email address or contact page!

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