Wednesday Writing Prompt: Character Study

Posted on February 22, 2012 by writenowcoach

Congratulations to my husband, Harold Eppley, on the publication of his first novel, Ash Wednesday.

One of Harold’s funniest characters is the librarian, Dorothy Moyers. She’s the head librarian of Dustin Public Library. As such, she’s taken it upon herself to talk about Harold’s novel at the Dustin Public Library Facebook page. Here’s what she said last week about the novel and the author:

Hi Dorothy Moyers here with some exclusive dirt on Harold Eppley, author of the book ASH WEDNESDAY, which is full of lies about me and is now available at Amazon & bn.com & will soon be at your local bookstore. I know for a fact that this man dresses up like a woman in his spare time (albeit a very attractive one).

And again: Hi Dorothy Moyers here to warn you that the book ASH WEDNESDAY by Harold Eppley is full of lies about me. It’s also a disgusting book and uses bad language. But if you want to buy it now that it’s available for pre-order on Amazon go right ahead. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

For the Facebook page, Harold dressed up like Dorothy Moyers (with a little help from me and our daughter). That’s one way to do a character study! Here are some others:

Facebook Profile. If your character had a Facebook profile, what would it look like? What would the character choose to tell people? What would the character exclude? What pages would the character like? What kinds of updates and comments would your character make?

25 Things. A few years ago, folks on Facebook started posting lists of 25 things no one knew about them. Create a list for each of your characters.

Character outing. Take an outing to one of the places your character would love to go—but you do not. Pay attention to details—the sights, sounds, and smells that make the location interesting. What makes this place special to your character?

Your turn: What activities do you do to learn about your character? Share in the comments below! I still have a Bylines calendar leftover from the last giveaway–and one of you will win it!

 

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Nine Ways to Find the Agent You Need by Michael Larsen

Posted on February 21, 2012 by writenowcoach

Today’s tip, Nine Ways to Find the Agent You Need, is adapted from Michael Larsen’s must-have writing resource, How to Write a Book Proposal. If you want to hear more from Michael Larsen, please come to the Write Now! Mastermind class tomorrow, February 22 at 12:00 PM CST. If you’re interested in attending, you can sign up on the Write Now! Mastermind page. Larsen will be speaking to us about Context, Character, and Connection: The 3 Keys to Becoming a Successful Writer in a Bottom-Up World. I won’t be posting this recording, so I hope you can make the call! Enjoy and happy writing, Rochelle, the Write Now! Coach

Nine Ways to Find the Agent You Need By Michael Larsen

Finding agents is easier than ever. Here are nine ways to do it:

1.         Your writing community: Writers and other publishing pros can recommend agents.

2.         The Association of Authors’ Representatives (AAR): The 450 agents in AAR are the best source of experienced, reputable agents. Members are required to follow the AAR’s code of ethics. The directories talked about in number five below indicate when an agent is a member. aaronline.org

3.         The Web: Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, other social media, Google, agents’ websites, databases such as publishersmarketplace.com, agentresearch.com, firstwriter.com, authorlink.com, and agentquery.com.

4.         Writers’ organizations: They’re listed online and in Literary Market Place.

5.         Literary events: Writing classes, readings, lectures, seminars, book signings, conferences, and book festivals present opportunities to meet and learn about agents.

6.         Directories: Jeff Herman’s Insider’s Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, and Literary Agents; Guide to Literary Agents; Literary Marketplace (LMP). Directories vary in the kind and amount of information they provide, so check what several of them list about the same agency.

7.         Magazines: Publishers Weekly, The Writer Magazine, Writer’s Digest, and Poets & Writers have articles by and about agents. If you don’t want to splurge on a subscription to Publishers Weekly, read it at the library. There’s a free condensation of it available at publishersweekley.com.

8.         Books: Check the dedication and acknowledgment pages of books like yours.

9.         Your platform: Let agents find you—be visible online and off, get published and give talks, publicize your work and yourself. When you’re visible enough, agents will find you.

Adapted from How to Write a Book Proposal by Michael Larsen. Michael Larsen and his wife and partner Elizabeth Pomada worked in publishing in New York before moving to San Francisco in 1970 and starting Larsen-Pomada Literary Agents in 1972. They are members of the Association of Authors’ Representatives and have sold hundreds of books to more than 100 publishers and imprints. Mike is the author of How to Write a Book Proposal, which has sold more than 100,000 copies. He also wrote How to Get a Literary Agent, now in its third edition, and is coauthor of the second edition of Guerrilla Marketing for Writers: 100 Weapons for Selling Your Work. Mike and Elizabeth are co-founders of the San Francisco Writers Conference and the San Francisco Writers University. He also has an editing and consulting service for nonfiction writers he can’t help as an agent. You can find Michael Larsen online at www.larsenpomada.com

 

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Wednesday Writing Prompt: Homonym Fun

Posted on February 15, 2012 by writenowcoach

Yesterday morning, I returned home from the Y and found this note from my husband on the kitchen counter.

Don’t forget, dear reader, yesterday was Valentine’s Day. “Fresh stool?” I wondered, “What does that have to do with celebrating Valentine’s Day?” I could not make the connection. Then, since the note was on the kitchen counter, I examined the kitchen stools. Both looked fine. Now, my dear husband and the kids had been fighting a stomach bug for the past few days, so my mind turned toward that kind of stool (yeah, I know, yuck), but I couldn’t figure out why I needed a note about this. Finally, I just asked my husband: “Why do you need a fresh stool?” “Not me,” he answered. “The dogs. The vet needs a fresh stool sample from each of them.” Double yuck.

This experience got me thinking about homonyms (same word, same spelling, different meaning) and heterographs (different word, spelling, and meaning), and how they can make conversation quite funny. George Carlin joked, “Atheism is a non-prophet religion.” In Lewis Carroll’s Adventures in Wonderland, the mouse said, “Mine is a long and sad tale.” Alice looked at his tail and answered: ”‘It is a long tail, certainly, but why do you call it sad?’”

For today’s assignment, write a scene between two or more characters in which homonyms or heterographs confuse the conversation. Or, write a poem with homonyms. Here are a few fun pairs to get you started:

*beach, beech

*beat, beet

*blue. blew

*creek, creak

*fluke (luck), fluke (fish)

*pair, pare, pear

*principle, principal

*rose (flower), rose (got up)

*summery, summary

*suite, sweet

*tire (on a car), tire (fatigue)

Your turn. Share some of your favorite homonyms and heterographs!

 

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Define Your Book’s Market

Posted on February 14, 2012 by writenowcoach

In the past ten years, I have consulted with many authors on their book proposals and book ideas. I have also written and successfully sold several book proposals of my own. In every single case—mine included—the writers needed to improve their marketing section before they could sell their book. Here are five of the most common mistakes I see writers make as they present their book’s market and five action steps to correct these mistakes:

1. The market is too big or too general. This is the biggest mistake I see first time authors make. They think that having a bigger, more general market will make their book proposal more sellable. So they say that their book is for “everyone” or “women” or “people of all ages.” Think about your book in terms of women’s clothing stores. The ones that have succeeded have a clearly defined market inside the general market of women’s clothes:

*Lane Bryant. Fashionable plus size clothes size 14-32.

*Chicos: Clothier for the sophisticated woman with a focus on comfort.

*White House Black Market: Boutique store with passion for making women feel and the honest simplicity of black and white.

Action step: Define your market in one sentence.

2. The market is too small. Most of us believe that our book will revolutionize the world. That might be true—or it might be stretching things a bit. Not all ideas have a universal appeal. Maybe you did your graduate work on the eating habits of tree squirrels in North America. While the topic might make a good article for a scientific journal, I doubt that many people would buy a book about it. As a writer, you will need to evaluate your idea for its universal appeal. In addition, you will need to know who in the universe will be interested in your book topic!

Action step: What is the universal appeal of your book idea? How can you quantify your market? For example, if you are proposing a diet book for obese adults, you might cite this statistic from the NIMH: 67 percent of noninstitutionalized adults age 20 years and over are overweight or obese.

3. The writer does not understand the book’s market. Some writers have no idea who will buy their book. They do not know where the people in their market shop, what kinds of resources they are looking for or how to get their book into the hands of those who need it. I’ve heard some writers say that they don’t need to know the market because that’s the job of the publisher’s marketing department. Not any more. Today, agents and editors need writers to research their market and present a good case for the publication of their book.

Action Step: Do market research. Interview a variety of people familiar with or in your potential market about the market. Ask them if they think your book might sell.

*Visit your local independent bookstore and talk to the booksellers, buyer, or owner.

*Talk to your clients or those who read your blog or online newsletter.

*Join groups of people in your ideal market (either in person or online) to listen and learn about your market.

*Connect with colleagues in your market.

4. The writer does not define their market. Some writers have a blockbuster idea, a clearly defined market, and know a ton about it. But, if writers neglect to use the query letter or book proposal to define their market and their marketing campaign, they will not sell their book. Writers often make this mistake because they are such experts in their field that they think everyone knows what they know. They don’t. You have to teach others about your market.

Action step: Define your market in detail. Use the questions from last week’s tip:

*Who wants your book?

*What do these people do, where do they do it, and how will they find your book in these places?

*How many of these people are out there? Are there statistics that define the size of this market?

*Why do they need this book?

*Write a profile of your ideal reader including age, gender, occupation, income, hobbies, and so forth.

5. The writer does not have a marketing plan. In the good old days, writers could write their books and leave the marketing to a bunch of men (and a few women) in suits in New York. Today, writers need to be both artists and publicists. In their book proposals, writers need to present a detailed marketing plan.

Action step: Create a marketing plan for your book. Brainstorm 25-30 ways you will market your book. Yeah, go ahead and put down the basics like create a video trailer and do a blog tour. Then get crazy and creative—imagining unique ways to get your book in the hands of your reader. (John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars, offered to sign every single preordered copy of his book.)

Writers, what is the lesson in all of this? When it comes to marketing, what you don’t know or don’t share can hurt you. Take the time to define your market and develop a good marketing plan. Writers who boost the marketing section of their book proposal sell their books—both to publishers and to readers. Writers, this is one step of the publishing process that is in your hands—do it and do it well.

Your turn: What tips or tools do you use to define your market and develop a marketing plan?

 

 

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Wednesday Writing Prompt

Posted on February 8, 2012 by writenowcoach

Norwegian Tabloids

I still remember the moment. My husband and I were in the checkout line at the grocery store. I was reading the headlines on the magazines when I saw this one, “Constipation Killed the Dinosaurs.” Until then, I don’t think I realized how amazingly creative tabloid writers need to be.

Here’s your assignment: Write a tabloid article, complete with headline, that could appear in your current work-in-progress. If this seems too challenging, grab a headline from an existing tabloid and write your article based on that.

For even more fun … leave your headline in the comment space below!

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Does Your Idea Work?

Posted on February 7, 2012 by writenowcoach

Ideas are cheap and abundant; what is of value is the effective placement of those ideas into situations that develop into action. –Peter F. Drucker

Author and management consultant Peter F. Drucker reminds us that ideas are cheap. As writers, our ideas mean little until we put them in writing. But here’s the big question: how do you know if your book idea is worth pursuing? Here is a process to help you evaluate your idea:

1. You need this book. It’s a book you want to read and cannot find anywhere. Yeah, that means you have scoured the shelves of your local library and bookstores and done multiple Internet searches for a book on this topic. Ask yourself: does the book I need exist or do I need to create it?

2. You have a clearly defined market. Just because you are passionate about this idea does not mean there is a market for your book. So do the research:

*Who are the people who want to buy your book?

*What do these people do, where do they do it, and how will they find your book in these places?

*How many of these people are out there? Are there statistics that tell me the size of this market?

*Why do they need this book?

*How will you connect with these people? What is your plan for getting your book into their hands?

3. You are the ideal author for this book. If there are a gazillion ideas out there, and you have happened upon this one, you need to be able to articulate why you are the perfect person to write this book. I wrote Write-A-Thon because I love writing books fast, had written several books fast, and could offer some unique tips based on my experience. How does your education, experience, and passion make you the best author for this book?

So how did your idea do? Don’t worry if your idea was not bookworthy. Plenty of great ideas are best suited to articles, blog posts, and even Twitter updates. Other ideas may fail now but blossom a few years down the road. To ensure success, keep all of your ideas in one place—an electronic or hard copy idea journal. Someday your idea may become a money-making book!

Your turn: What questions and tools do you use to evaluate an idea?

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The Project Book

Posted on January 31, 2012 by writenowcoach

In 2002, when Julie Powell began her Julie and Julia blog project, cooking 524 of Julia Child’s recipes in a single year, the project book was a fairly new idea. The Julie and Julia book was published in 2005, and Sony pictures made it into a movie in 2009. Today, the market is flooded with project books that cover a huge variety of topics. Just this morning I happened upon two that I’d never heard of before: The Toaster Project: Or a Heroic Attempt to Build a Whole Electric Appliance from Scratch by Thomas Thwaites and The Feast Nearby: How I lost my job, buried a marriage, and found my way by keeping chickens, foraging, preserving, bartering, and eating locally (all on $40 a week) by Robin Mather. As a reader, I love project books. They give me the chance to live vicariously through another writer’s experiences.

What is The Project Book? The project book is a written record of a writer’s attempt to conquer a project. The project book can fit into a number of genres: memoir, essay collection, how-to, or self-help. In My Year with Eleanor: A Memoir, Noelle Hancock tells the story of her year trying to live out Eleanor Roosevelt’s famous quote, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” Throughout the course of the year, Hancock tackles a bunch of her fears and chronicles the most interesting including diving with sharks, doing stand-up comedy, and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. In cookbook/memoir/essay collection, Make the Bread, Buy the Butter: What You Should and Shouldn’t Cook from Scratch—Over 120 Recipes for the Best Homemade Foods, Jennifer Reese wrote about testing the value and wisdom of cooking a variety of popular foods at home (like hot dog buns and Worcester sauce). Reese evaluated each food item based on three questions: *Should you make it or buy it? *How much of a hassle is making it? *How much does each option cost?

How Writers Create Project Books. Many writers who do project books begin their venture solely for their own well-being. Some writers create their books after the project is done. Other writers work on the project in public, via a blog or video diary. For some of those writers, the blog gets enough attention to attract a book deal. Late last year, the Penguin Group sent me a review copy of River Jordan’s book Praying For Strangers: An Adventure of the Human Spirit. Jordan began her project with a New Year’s resolution: to pray for a different stranger every day for a year. At the beginning, she had no intent to write a book. In Praying for Strangers, Jordan recounts what happened when she started living out her resolution. Some of the stories give the reader a vivid glimpse into the lives of the people Jordan prayed for. Others share the challenging events in her life or tackle a topic like “the shape of prayer.” In the last chapter of Praying for Strangers, Jordan shares her hesitation to write a book on this experience: “And the most personal, private part of my life, forever and ever and truly, is my private relationship with God and my prayer life. And here I am baring my soul on paper and revealing what I consider to be most intimate part of my creation.” (pp. 317-18)

On the other side of the spectrum, Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project book began as a blog about her quest to find more joy in life by using the happiness interventions recommended by experts in positive psychology. Cami Walker’s book 29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life also began as a blog. Cami, who has multiple sclerosis, tried the spiritual practice of giving a gift every day for 29 days. Both the blog and the book include stories from readers who have also been changed by the 29 Gifts project.

Are you Ready to Tackle a Project Book?Here are some questions to ask yourself before you start working on your project book.

1. Is the project worthy of a book (or would it be a better article or blog series)? Project books recount the author’s attempt to master a skill or practice, sometimes with humorous missteps. But the best project books do more than chronicle an adventure. They also cover ideas, themes, and issues that have universal appeal to readers. For example, NPR lauded Thomas Thwaites’s The Toaster Project for collecting “ideas as far-ranging as medieval metallurgy, sustainability, mass production, and our ‘throwaway’ consumer culture.” Use the following questions to determine the worth of your potential project:

+Who is my ideal reader?

+In what ways will this book appeal to my ideal reader?

+What are 20-30 topics I can cover in the book?

2. What is my plan for completing this project? Most of my New Year projects crash and burn before January is over. Last year I vowed to meditate every morning before getting out of bed. I even thought I might blog about it. After several weeks of sleeping through my meditation tapes, I gave up. Clearly I did not plan well. Before starting your project, use these questions to create a project plan:

+How do I plan to do this project? Include information like: How many days a week will I work on the project? When will I work on it? What will I do during each time period?

+What tools, supplies, or support people do I need to make this project a success? How can I get what I need to complete the project?

+What potential barriers might prevent me from completing the project?

+How will I overcome them?

+How will I measure my progress on the project?

+Who can be my accountability partner for this project?

3. How will I record my experience with my project? In tackling a project book, it can help to have some thoughts about how you will want to write about the project. Use these questions to determine your plan:

+Will I write about the project in a private journal or will I blog about it?

+What type of a book can I imagine writing about this project—self-help, memoir, how-to, essay, or something else?

+How might my journaling or blogging translate into a book at the end of a project? (Most books that begin as journal entries or blog posts need to be rewritten to fit the book format.)

Next Steps. So are you ready to take on a project and write about it? If you’re still not quite sure, read a few project books. Imagine yourself in the writer’s place—could you do a project like this one? If not, what project would stir your imagination? Start taking notes. Who knows—the project book might be your very next adventure!

Your turn and a chance to win, Praying For Strangers. What’s your favorite project book? Leave your comment below. On Thursday, I’ll hold a drawing and give one of you my copy of Praying For Strangers by River Jordan.

 

 

Posted in Book Reviews, Nonfiction Books, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Writers Read

Posted on January 24, 2012 by writenowcoach

My shelf of "books to blog about."

If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that. —Stephen King

On Saturday, I stopped at our local library with a big bag. I spent time reviewing the shelves of new books, paying attention to the book titles and covers that grabbed my attention. I happily stuffed my bag full of the books that caught my imagination, looking forward to three weeks of entertaining new ideas and writers during my reading time.

Writers, the reading life provides the foundation for your writing life. If you want to write anything—nonfiction books, novels, blog posts, articles, or speeches—you need to develop a reading life. Here are a few tips for creating a reading program:

List your interests. What are you curious about? Before you begin to look for reading material, list everything you are interested in learning more about. Are there fields of study that intrigue you? What kinds of ideas inspire you? Are there locations or life situations that you have always wanted to know more about?

Gather reading material! Once you have a list of ideas and subjects you are curious about, you can begin to gather your reading material. When I have written about reading in the past, I have focused solely on books. But with books in flux and so much good information available online, we need to add online sources to our daily reading time. Consider what you would like to read in these areas:

*Newspapers. I have made the New York Times my homepage for many years, making it fairly easy for me to keep up with the paper (at least I see it once a day). Find a newspaper that you like, and  make it your homepage or bookmark it.

*Online newsletters. I try to subscribe to a number of newsletters, press release services, and listserves in my areas of interest. This provides me with great new information on a regular basis.

*Blogs. Blogs are an amazing source of information and tools. Use Google Reader or a tool like it to make blog reading easy.

*Periodicals. The library is a great source for reviewing magazines before you commit to a subscription. When you get stuck for ideas or need a brain treat, purchase an interesting magazine for your weekly reading time.

*Books. All of the above resources are a great source of information for great books to read. If you need more ideas, talk to a bookseller or librarian—they are the best read people I know.

Get access! Ever have one of those moments when you have nothing to read? It drives me crazy to be stuck somewhere without the gentle distraction of words. In order to make reading a habit or simply to save your sanity, always have reading material accessible.

*Keep a book or magazine with you at all times. If possible, put a book, periodical, or google reader on your smart phone or iPad, so that you can read even when you forget to take that book with you!

*Always keep a stack of books and periodicals in the bathroom.

*Keep a book in the car (or on your person) for the times you end up waiting.

*Keep a book in the kitchen so you can read while you wait for the water to boil or coffee to brew.

 

Schedule time to read. Even though I have managed to make reading a priority for 20 years, I still need to schedule time to read. This year, I am planning on adding a reading afternoon to my weekly schedule to keep up with the big shelf of books I want to read (not to mention the magazines, ezines, blogs, and other material). Here are some ways to add a few minutes of reading to your day:

  • Get up 30 minutes earlier than your family and use the time for a quiet breakfast and reading.
  • Read while you exercise.
  • Commute to work and read on the bus or train.
  • Read during your lunch hour.
  • Take a reading break.
  • Set aside 30 minutes at the end of the day to catch up on blog reading or other online reading before you turn off the computer for the day.
  • Set aside work time each week to catch up on the reading you do for your profession.
  • Replace one hour of email or computer time with reading.
  • DVR all television shows—and get back 20 minutes per hour show to read!
  • Stop watching television a little earlier (or start watching a little later), and take back an hour or more for reading.
  • Dedicate one afternoon (or day) per week (or month) as a reading retreat—and head out to a coffee shop, park, or library to read.

Consider the audio option. Audio books make it possible to “read” while running, driving, cleaning the house, crafting, cooking dinner and more.

Give it time. Reading is a habit that takes time to establish—like exercising and eating well. My final bit of advice will help you ease into it: start with a book that rocks your world. Don’t try to devour War and Peace if you haven’t read anything since college. You’ll just get frustrated. Instead, pick up a book that makes you forget the time. You’ll get hooked. I promise!

 

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How Smart Authors Are Using LinkedIn

Posted on January 20, 2012 by writenowcoach

Most of you know I am a big fan of social media. In fact, most of the people who guest post on this blog are people I met through social media. I met my fantastic book publicist Dindy Yokel in a group on LinkedIn. A few weeks ago, Dindy introduced me to Wayne Breitbarth, an expert on how to use LinkedIn. I invited Wayne to write an article on how authors can use LinkedIn. Enjoy!

How Smart Authors Are Using LinkedIn By Wayne Breitbarth

I didn’t know LinkedIn could do THAT! You would not believe how many times in a week I hear that statement in reference to a specific feature on the world’s largest business social networking site—LinkedIn. It doesn’t seem to matter what profession or industry the individual who uttered those words is involved in. The statement is the same. Most people still don’t really get just how powerful LinkedIn can be for expanding and growing their business. This applies to the business of being an author as well.

I have personally used all of the information I will be sharing to help sell copies of my book, The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success: Kick-start Your Business, Brand and Job Search, and to grow my speaking/training/consulting revenues. My book is a nonfiction business book, but most of these ideas will be equally helpful for fiction authors.

Before discussing specific LinkedIn features and techniques, let me give you a 35,000 foot view of LinkedIn’s capabilities.

First, LinkedIn is the world’s largest searchable database of business professionals, allowing you to keyword search more than 135 million individuals’ profiles (I like to call them resumes on steroids) and find the specific person you desire to contact. Once you find the person, LinkedIn shows you how you are connected to him or her—either through a friend or a friend’s friend—similar to the Kevin Bacon six degrees concept.

Secondly, you can maximize your exposure to the entire database by strategically completing your individual profile. This will help you be found more easily by others and allow your personal story to come through loud and clear to your audience.

Once you complete your profile and begin connecting with your friends and business associates, you will be ready to use the many powerful features on the LinkedIn site to gain exposure, grow your business and brand, and promote your book.

Searching for People. Using the Advanced People Searching function (Click “Advanced” on the top right of any screen), you can search through the entire database by using detailed profile criteria, including title, company, school, geographic region of the world, and the all-important keywords that describe the individual(s) you are attempting to find.

Finding agents, editors, proofreaders, book buyers, bloggers, and media contacts is a breeze. Simply think of the words an individual would use to describe him- or herself, and then search through the LinkedIn database. As a business book author, I periodically search for business radio shows. This has resulted in dozens of guest appearances on shows across the country.

Joining and Being Active in Groups. Being social virtually is fast becoming the most popular way to find new relationships that could lead to growing your network and ultimately your revenues. The days of going to live book signings, networking events, and other time-consuming endeavors is quickly being replaced with spending time reaching out to people in spaces like LinkedIn groups that revolve around your profession or the topical space of your book.

For example, if you have authored a fiction book set in the Civil War period, joining a large LinkedIn group that focuses its content and discussions on the Civil War will be particularly advantageous. LinkedIn currently has 66 Civil War-related groups from which to choose. As a group member, you can listen, share, help, and connect with people who may ultimately become your customers, clients or friends.

To find the best LinkedIn groups for you, simply click “Groups” on the top toolbar, and then select “Groups Directory.” Search using keywords that describe the topic the group might include in its profile. With more than 1.1 million LinkedIn groups, I’m sure there are several groups that would welcome your input, expertise, experience, and maybe even the opportunity to read your book.

Marketing Yourself and Your Book. A word of caution: As you may have learned from using other social media platforms, in-your-face marketing is definitely frowned upon. However, when used strategically, LinkedIn can increase your exposure with your intended audience in what I will refer to as a social media friendly way.

The two most important and underutilized marketing weapons for authors on LinkedIn are the profile and status updates. Obviously, you can search engine optimize your profile by including your most important keywords. But you can also optimize your profile as it relates to your branding, experience, and your personal story. This is done by using profile applications. These applications are free but need to be downloaded to your profile. Access them by clicking “More” on the top toolbar and scrolling down to “Get More Applications.” I highly recommend downloading Box.net files, SlideShare, Google Presentations, and Amazon Book List. Be creative. Post Word and pdf documents, slide presentations, and videos that will get your audience in the mood to buy your book, interview you on their radio shows, hire you as a speaker, or call on you for a guest blog post.

Status updates are your voice to your audience (connections), and these individuals have agreed to listen to you by virtue of their agreement to connect with you. Don’t waste this opportunity! On a daily basis, share a status update about your area of expertise, interests, or what is going on in your author world—speaking engagements, reviews of your book, guest blog posts, ideas for your next book, and so forth.

If any of these suggestions caused you to say, “I didn’t know LinkedIn could do THAT,” you now have a head start on developing a LinkedIn strategy that will increase your exposure, build new relationships, and help you sell more books in 2012.

Your turn: How has LinkedIn helped you sell books?

About the Author. Wayne Breitbarth is the author of the critically acclaimed book The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success: Kick-start Your Business, Brand, and Job Search. Wayne is a sought-after convention and workshop speaker. He has trained over 10,000 businesspeople—from entry level to CEO—on how to effectively use LinkedIn. Wayne works with corporate clients to develop a comprehensive strategy for using LinkedIn to grow their business and build their brand. For more LinkedIn tips, visit the Resources/Free section of his website and download this free checklist:  “Authors: Make LinkedIn Work for You.” Visit his website and blog at powerformula.net. Follow him on Twitter for daily LinkedIn tips.

 

 

 

 

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The Well-Shod Writer

Posted on January 19, 2012 by writenowcoach

My Merrell Shoes: l-old pair; r-new pair

Between saying and doing, many a pair of shoes is worn out. —Iris Murdoch

I’d planned to begin a new series on nonfiction book formats today. My first post on The Project Book is nearly done but not quite ready to publish. So instead I am writing about one of my favorite things—and something every fashionable writer needs to think about—shoes.

As a work-at-home writer in Wisconsin (whose husband likes to keep the house at a brisk 67), I am constantly searching for shoes that keep my feet warm. Several years ago, I happened upon Merrell’s fur-lined clogs. While not stylish, they do two things well: provide great support and keep me warm. And, when I  forget to put on my real shoes before leaving the house—which happens more than I’d like to admit—they don’t look too shabby.

Well, actually my pair is no longer suitable for wearing outside, unless I’m picking up dog poo or taking out the garbage (see left pair above). On Tuesday, when I saw the black leather fur-lined clogs on sale, I snatched up a new pair (see right pair above). My daughter tells me that these shoes will never be fashionable. I guess that’s okay as long as they do their job—support my feet as I pace around the house, trying to imagine the next plot point. Of course, I still need to find a chic pair of shoes to wear in public while I speak, but I will leave that task for a different day. For now, I am just happy to have feet that are no longer numb from the cold.

Your turn: What’s your favorite pair of writing shoes?

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