Blogger: Mary Keeley
Authors, published and unpublished, must take charge of all areas of their career, and at the top of the list is growing, and then maintaining, a loyal audience. The earlier you begin the better because a substantial following of readers who want your books is one of the first things publishers look for when weighing the possibility of offering a contract. Here are two tips for growing a loyal readership that will aid your efforts.
Tip #1: Clearly communicate the kind of books you write. In past years authors learned that hefty social numbers were the all-important things in getting a publisher to consider their proposal. Numbers for the sake of numbers. They weren’t strategic in attracting potential readers, choosing instead to befriend other writer friends and anyone else just for the sake of increasing their numbers. Publishers now are beginning to realize that impressive social media numbers alone aren’t reliable indicators that an author can sell lots of their books. If you want to know who your loyal followers on your author page are—those who genuinely are interested in you and what you write—you have to be clear about what it is that you write, and everything you post or blog about should relate to the kind of books your write. Position your tagline prominently as well.
Taglines are hard to get right but when they are, you can be confident that those who follow you from that point forward are real potential buyers of your books. But first, you must have a clear vision in your own mind. A good way to work through this process to ask yourself a few questions:
- What are my primary values, interests, and passions, which inevitably seep into everything I write? Your response will help you to identify what sets your writing apart from other authors in your genre.
- What’s in it for readers? What can readers expect to get from your writing every time they read one of your books? Perhaps your unique kind of subtle humor? Exhaustive research? Sweet story? Complex plot? Something else?
- What three strong words perfectly describe the kind of books I write? Now that you have answered the first two questions, search until you find three perfect words to communicate what your write. Put them together with as few additional words as possible and you should be close to landing on a great tagline. Besides their usefulness for potential readers, taglines continually remind you, the author, to maintain consistency in your writing so your readers never are disappointed.
Some followers may fall away, but that’s okay. They weren’t the right fit for you and your books anyway. The followers who remain may become loyal readers and purchasers of your books as you proceed with the next tip.
Tip 2: Interact with your readers to nurture relationships. It’s natural to gravitate to people we feel are like us and who agree with us, and we tend to dismiss or back away from those we don’t hit it off with right away. But a client overcame that reflex reaction to engage with a person who gave my client’s book a negative review on Amazon.
This client decided to contact the reviewer to thank her for taking the time to write an honest review and to ask her for further feedback. The author’s motivation was a sincere valuing of the reviewer’s opinion and desire to remedy craft issues. They continued to correspond with each other, and a friendship was born from this unlikely source. A negative review situation became a loyal author-reader relationship after my client sent the reviewer another of her books, which the reviewer thoroughly enjoyed. But there is more. The reviewer was part of an age demographic my client’s books wouldn’t usually attract, but as a result of my client’s bridge-building efforts, an expanded audience niche may ignite from the reviewer’s organic promotion.
The winning characteristics in this example that you can employ, too, as you attract and nurture a loyal audience are:
- Humble approach
- Respectful attitude
- Genuine valuing or reader feedback
- Soft-spoken confidence
- Sincere desire to learn from criticism
How are you doing in creating your tagline since our discussion in my blog last month? What efforts have been successful for you in growing and maintaining a loyal audience? What are your greatest challenges in these areas?
TWEETABLES:
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It’s nice to see you, for the first time in 2015!
This is good, strong advice, and I’m sure that a lot of people will bookmark this page. I know I will.
There’s something else I would suggest; perhaps it’s not vital, but may be important.
I’ll call it “consistent transparency”. Social media, and the Internet in general, gives all of us a long shadow. I believe that as writers, we have to take care of that shadow, and make sure that its colour and shape fit the qualities for which readers come to our stories.
It’s not just about avoiding Facebook rants if you’re writing gentle romances; that’s a given.
Nor is it pandering, trying to be everything to every reader, or even trying to be something to most of them. The problem there is in the “trying”.
Tome, it’s simply the understanding that once there are people who look to my book(s) for something, they are looking to me, and a little bit like a shepherd, I am no longer completely my own person. What I say, how I present myself – these things can affect the outlook, and even the happiness of others.
This may sound arrogant, and it may well BE arrogant (wouldn’t be the first time for me!), but I well remember an author I loved when I was young…who turned out, in real life, to be something of a jerk. He didn’t value his readers, and dismissed them with an offhandedly sneering attitude.
I couldn’t look at his books the same way again; they are still beautifully written, and lyrical, but I can no longer hear the music.
It may have been wrong and puerile to put an author on a pedestal, but that was the reality of my life, and from what I have since read, I was not alone.
I don’t want to be that man. If people come to my book(s) and find a home with the message and the values I write, I don’t ever want to be uncaring of their feelings.
I want them to feel safe, even if they are challenged by what I write.
It will make me a different person, perhaps.
God willing, a better one.
Beautifully said Andrew. In the vast sea of humanity, sometimes we forget that we might be vitally important to someone. Moms tend to do this. I am just another woman living in the mountains, to a lot of people. But to my 3 boys, right now, I am everything. My words and actions make or break their world right now. It can be the same in other areas as well. Good words, Andrew. Thank you…and I just wanted to point out how I remembered to put the comma before using your name! Yay me!!! And thank you to my crit partner for that small victory. Hey, every little thing you can celebrate. But thanks again, Andrew. I will not digress further.
Great thoughts, Andrew. I agree with you in that how we say things, how we present ourselves on social media WILL reflect positively, or negatively on sales, but more on potential relationships with readers.
“I am no longer completely my own person”
Beautiful, Andrew.
Love your description to carefully tend the color and shape of our shadow. The Light that illuminates us determines our outline and the reach we extend, doesn’t it?
Andrew, your thoughts are spot on and eloquently communicated.
You are very good at this 🙂
Here’s how I see it: God is my first and most important reader. Everything I write–FB comments, blog posts, e-mails, chapters–passes by his eyes first. Does it get his nod of approval? I look at your “winning characteristics” list, Mary, and see God’s checklist. Thank you for pulling it neatly together for future reference.
Do my attitude and my words pass God’s approval? That’s it in a nutshell, Shirlee. Now we have to pause before we respond and check the list.
So interesting. I started out writing for teens. I wrote for teens for 12 years. What I sold was a chapter in a book about moms and magazine articles to parenting magazines. Then I sold a romance. Weird? Now I am writing a middle grade and loving it. Where is my audience? I don’t know. Maybe it is comprised of moms of middle school children. I live at a small Bible camp and see a whole lot of kids all the time. Perhaps I found something here. But all those kids have moms too. Not sure. Only time will tell.
Kristen, it’s so hard finding that one spot. That niche. I’ll be praying for you.
You’ve given me a lot of food for thought. I started blogging to begin reaching people. Now, I not only enjoy blogging, but I’ve begun receiving comments from people I’ve never met. I’m not even sure how they “found” me. 🙂 This is one way I’m trying to build a readership. I don’t have tons of followers on my blog, but I do have a few faithful commenters. I guess that’s where it starts. I’m trying to build relationship with those who stop by.
I so appreciate both of your lists here. Thank you for the action points!
That’s pretty much the story of blog as well, Jeanne. 🙂
Something tells me we’re not alone in this experience. 🙂
You’re very welcome, Jeanne. I hope they prove helpful.
Mary, you have been such an encouragement. I think I’ve found my way. I have written mission stories for years, so this is where I feel God leading me … to branch out here. Write what I know.
Missions. Maybe Texas missions.
On my blog, I placed “from hardship to hope–with a mission” …
“With a mission” … those three words describe so much of my life.
I’m supposing it will fall into the “contemporary” category, with a splash of romance. I need to learn more about “genre” … where this fits in.
But I’m hoping to encourage missions … point out small town missions (this first one in Texas setting, based on true story) and the large impact one can make. Showing the hardships, and the relief that can come. And that everyone can make a difference … sometimes right where we are.
I spent Christmas break … writing!
This may be another learning curve, but I’m enjoying the process. 🙂
Shelli, I’m thrilled that you’re following the Lord’s lead. One grace-filled step at a time…
Thank you, Jenni! I’ve been so excited. I’m sure the let-down will come eventually, but I’m so loving the sweetness of the story.
Shelli, I’m happy for you that you have a clear sense of God’s leading. I know that was weighing heavily on you for some time. Once you’ve studied the parameters of the genres, you’ll be ready to fit your mission stories squarely within your chosen genre’s guidelines.
Thank you, Mary. Yes, it had been so heavy on my heart. Direction.
Just hopping in to check today’s topic….I THOUGHT it said “…Royal Readership.” and I was all “Whoa, Mary, okay, HOW do we do that?”
Back later, chores to do, intelligent thoughts to find.
Downton Abbey readership? 🙂
He-he. 🙂
Thanks for sharing the story in tip #2, Mary. I love how the author turned a negative situation into something positive.
So true, Jennifer. A valuable takeaway for all of us from that experience.
Thus far, Facebook and Pinterest are the areas where I’ve had the most consistent engagement with future readers.
I’m chewing on a blog idea that I hope would draw lovers of historical fiction in a unique way. I’ve noticed a pattern of involvement and excitement over a specific theme on my FB page, which provides momentum for further exploration of the concept I have in mind.
Mary, thank you for encouraging us to be intentional in our branding.
Jenni, I think you are doing a great job. I’m enjoying watching your journey! 🙂
Thanks, Shelli!
“I’ve noticed a pattern of involvement and excitement over a specific theme on m FB page…” That’s a significant discovery, Jenni. A perfect launching pad for your concept.
Thank you, Mary, for such detailed and thought-provoking questions. I’m going to print them out and continue to think and pray over them. I have an end goal, and now I just need to figure out the details of how precisely to communicate that to my current blog readers.
Meghan, your thinking and praying process will prove to be immensely beneficial in pointing to the true north of you, the author, and the genre and books that will be right for you.
What a fabulous post. I spent a good part of last year defining my readership and working to give them what they want. Sadly, my return to the workforce partway through the year has derailed some of my work. I’m hoping to get refocused on my readers in 2015 because I think this fall will bring a new release for me. (Prayers appreciated on that.)
Thanks for thought-provoking questions to help with taglines. I always need help there.
Cheryl, I hope you have an enjoyable year picking up where you left off last year defining your readers. Prayers are going up.
Excellent suggestions, Mary! I’ve got my notebook out to start working on those questions. 🙂
I hope you enjoy the discovery process, Sarah.
Be gentle with yourself to remember it takes time, but so worth it! Once an abstract profile picture, so many have become dear friends.
Lisa, good point that it might take time to work through the thought process. The result you are experiencing will surely encourage others here. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Mary. This is really useful, a keeper.
Until I had a book “out” and started getting reader feedback, I had a hard time pinpointing/committing to the takeaway value others might find in my work. It helps me to get that feedback, and in turn, helps me see a pattern or theme to what people get from my work. I know, this is something I ought to be doing intentionally, but I guess I find some things difficult to see until the crowd points them out. So now I can not only borrow some of those terms readers are using repeatedly, but I can also steer in a consistent direction based on the majority takeaway so far. To the degree that it fits within a direction I feel (super)naturally led.
Thanks for sharing that realism, Camille. When the vision remains foggy, sometimes the next best approach is to get feedback from others who are familiar with an author’s writing, like readers or critique partners, to direct the thought process.
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