Sunday, January 6, 2013

Making Contact

There are many ways for authors to get the word out about their books. Blogging, social media, traditional media, websites, and personal contact are among the effective avenues to reach people.

I have author friends such as Steve Flairty and Don McNay  who write columns for web-based publications such as KyForward.  McNay is also on the Huffington Post.

Romance author Taryn Raye is a prolific blogger, touching on several topics every week, and not just about writing. Children's author Marlis Day writes an effective blog about her books, upcoming events, and personal reflections. 

Personal websites are another important way for writers to connect with readers. Mystery writer Bill Noel recently posted the release of his new novel, "Missing," at his website. Young-adult writer Tim Callahan has an effective website to get the word out about his Kentucky Summer series. 

Most successful authors have web portals, either personal or through publishing houses. You simply need to do a web search to find them.

A lot of authors, such as Sue Grafton and Teresa Medeiros, can be found on Facebook. Just click the "Like" button and you'll get updates on what they're doing. 


Author information can also be found at Amazon.com, BN.com, Goodreads.com, Shelfari.com, and other book-related sites.

Another way is to participate in interviews on other websites. I was  fortunate to appear on Taryn Raye's and Tugboat Design's insightful interview pages.

Other authors, such as Steve Demaree and Lynwood Montel, find that  face-to-face contact with readers at book fairs, festivals and other events create an effective word-of-mouth marketing campaign for their books.

Because of my background, I still treasure traditional media. I enjoy author interviews and book reviews in newspapers, magazines, radio, and television. 

I believe that the most effective way is to have a mix of media.

As a reader, do you have a preference in finding information about authors and books?

Until the next time...

2 comments:

  1. I'm like a giant basking shark. I just open my mouth and try everything. Whatever works is fine with me.

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  2. That's basically my approach, too, Roger. I have learned to target my snail mail rather than scatter shoot in every direction. The main thing is to keep your name out there.

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