Try a Live Interactive Podcast
Mark Juliano from TalkShoe recently contacted me to talk about their live interactive podcasting services. I haven’t used TalkShoe yet myself, but it looks interesting and worth checking out if you would like to create a live talk show or discussion group to promote your book.
Why Combine Your Ezine and Your Blog?
Several readers have sent me email asking why I combined my ezine and blog and what benefits that provides. I recently read a great blog post on this topic: How and why to combine an e-newsletter and a blog. Take a look.
Promote Your Fiction Online: Tip #1
Several people have asked me for tips on promoting fiction on the web. Here is the first tip in a series. Non-fiction authors: these tips can easily work for you as well. They just represent my favorite ways to promote fiction online.
Tip #1: Get Talking
Many fiction authors do readings, but reading an excerpt from your book to a small local audience is unlikely to lead to a large stream of sales. To have your spoken words attract a worldwide audience, you need to go online. You can record and post a basic excerpt on your website or blog (try Flash Audio Wizard, Audio Acrobat, or Gabcast) or or create a podiobook, a serialized audio book delivered via podcast (see Podiobooks for an example).
If you follow the serialized approach, it is up to you to determine how much to provide for free. Some authors podcast their entire novel with the goal of selling print books to new fans; others deliver only a few chapters and encourage sales to listeners eager to find out what happens next. Another option is to podcast a series of short stories for free that may help develop an audience for your novel.
The advantage of a podcast is that you can generate additional publicity by listing it in podcast directories such as Yahoo! Podcasts or iTunes and by encouraging subscribers. The advantage of an audio excerpt is that it’s faster and easier to create.
Time to Design — or Redesign — YOUR Website?
I’ve had a number of authors ask me to recommend a web design and hosting service that focuses on author websites, particularly since I no longer offer web design services myself. Last week I had a conversation with Lars Clausen of American Author, who gave me a behind the scenes look at their site-building tools targeted specifically to authors. The system is easy to use and customize, and the price is affordable. Best of all, the features are suited specifically to your needs as an author (templates for an author bio page, book feature page, press kit, and so forth). To learn more, visit the American Author site or call Lars directly at 877-700-2519. He’s an author himself and understands the type of site you need to help sell your book and promote your career.
Get Personal to Get Sales
One of the biggest benefits of online book promotion is its ability to create a “from me to you” relationship between you and your readers. Interactive websites, blogs, and podcasts are all great ways to create this connection online. In terms of traditional book promotion, autographing books is one of the most common ways to personalize the interaction between author and reader. You don’t need to limit yourself to in-person autograph opportunities, either. If you sell books from your website, offer to autograph them for your readers.
Another good sales opportunities is to work with a website such as Autographed by Author, which links you to potential readers who are looking for autographed books.
Even if you don’t sell your own books directly, you can offer readers signed book plates. Many authors let their readers know via their website, blog, or ezine that they’ll be glad to send an autographed book plate, often in exchange for a self-addressed stamped envelope.
So start thinking of ways to increase the personal connection between you and your target audience, and see the benefit in your sales.
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About the Author
I'm a freelance writer and author specializing in business technology.
