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The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Unpublished and on Social Media as an Author? Why?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon February 18, 2016
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It’s hard to get through a week without seeing at least one article on platform. Well, here’s yours for the week!

We agents ask authors for a platform, but I have found that unpublished authors wonder how or why they should show a professional presence on social media. That question is understandable. Without a book, what is the author promoting?

Promoting Yourself?

Yes, you are promoting yourself. You are using social media to establish a rapport with potential readers who will be looking for your book when it is published. Think about it – you may read a memoir written by a Christian celebrity, but a memoir written by a private person you have made no connection with? Not so much.

Are We Friends?

As you work toward publication, you are making genuine connections with people who may or may not read your book. Social media for authors shouldn’t be about pretending to be friends with people for no other reason than they’ll buy your book. It’s about making a connection with people because you have similar interests, world view, and, in the case of Christian authors, shared faith. Your social media friends will be happy to buy your book because they feel they have come to know you. You have made a hearts and minds connection. Your shared interest is real. They’ll want to read your book because they are interested in what you have to say.

What Do I Post?

The main thing is to be genuine. What do you want your potential readers to know about you? What do you find fun, entertaining, and informative? Chances are that through social media, you’ll find many people who enjoy the same things you do.

Fiction?

Novelists can talk about the time period they’re writing about in history, or staying up to date yet not too dated when writing a contemporary novel. Perhaps one of your characters has an interesting hobby. Asking social media pals to name characters is fun, as is posting pictures of hairstyles and fashions. Have fun!

Nonfiction?

Nonfiction authors should be writing about a topic interesting and important enough to generate a natural audience. For example, if you’re writing about parenting toddlers, let it be known that your book hopes to help and you should find an audience.

What about Privacy?

Some authors feel more inclined to share their lives than others, but it’s always a good idea to be cautious. One way to do this is to keep certain accounts open to family, where you might share more than you do on accounts that are meant to be seen by everyone. My rule of thumb is that I never post anything anywhere on social media that I would object to a stranger seeing.

Promotion?

Once your book is published, it’s okay to promote. However, don’t forget your first reason for being on social media – connection. No one wants to see a constant stream of promotion for any product, even great products. Promote sparingly, and keep being the genuine person you are.

 

Your turn

What tips can you offer authors on social media?

What author do you believe does an exceptional job on social media?

What do you enjoy most about social media?

 

Leave a Comment
Category: Book Proposals, Branding, Career, Communication, Marketing, Social MediaTag: Facebook, Platform, Social Media, Twitter

My Amazing Fake Day

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon October 24, 2013
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I've been intrigued by some blogs and articles about how Facebook makes people depressed because everyone else's lives seem so perfect. I hope that no one thinks the sum of my life is reflected in two recent Facebook posts that my uncle killed a bear on our family farm in Southern Virginia and here in Northern Virginia, we are host a family of walking stick bugs. I took great comfort in the …

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Category: Communication, Craft, Humor, Social Media, Tamela, Writing CraftTag: Facebook, Humor, Social Media, Twitter

News You Can Use – June 11, 2013

By Steve Laubeon June 11, 2013
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How to Launch a Bestselling Book - Michael Hyatt reveals some tremendous tips to have your book make a big splash. One of our clients followed some of these ideas along with some of their own. They sold out every online bookseller in the country withing four days (Amazon, B&N, Ingram, Books-a-Million, Lifeway, ChristianBook, Mardel, etc.) It can work if you have the right platform established …

Read moreNews You Can Use – June 11, 2013
Category: News You Can Use, SteveTag: audiobooks, exercise, launch your book, Twitter

News You Can Use – May 15, 2012

By Steve Laubeon May 15, 2012
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J.A. Konrath Responds - [Warning: There is some coarse language in the post.] Konrath's response to my blog post from yesterday.

Vetting a Freelance Editor - Victoria Strauss writes an incredible article on how to pick the best independent editor for your project.

Icons that Make No Sense to the New Generation of Readers - A tremendous article about words that could "date" your writing if …

Read moreNews You Can Use – May 15, 2012
Category: Get PublishedTag: Editing, Rights Reversion, Twitter

News You Can Use – May 8, 2012

By Steve Laubeon May 8, 2012
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Traditional Advertising is Truly Dead - Not sure I agree with the over the top headline, but the article does make some excellent points. A quote from the article:
"The equation used to be: money x media = business.
The new equation is: time x media = business.
In other words, every company is a media company."
Microsoft has invested in Barnes & Noble's Nook - But before everyone gets …

Read moreNews You Can Use – May 8, 2012
Category: Marketing, News You Can UseTag: fiction, Marketing, Twitter

News You Can Use – April 10, 2012

By Steve Laubeon April 10, 2012
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Pew Research Findings on E-Reading – If you want a sense of what’s happening, read this article. Then once you’ve digested it, read Mike Shatzkin’s evaluation of the data. Together the articles may take an hour to absorb.

The Perfect Elevator Pitch for a New Job – Interesting article with applications for a writer creating the perfect pitch for their book idea

Five Best Bluetooth Headsets – …

Read moreNews You Can Use – April 10, 2012
Category: News You Can UseTag: Facebook, Internet, pitch, Pitching, Twitter

News You Can Use – April 3, 2012

By Steve Laubeon April 3, 2012
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The Spirituality of Rejection - Chris Able asks "Can rejection be good for you?"

In Case You've Been Asleep - The Harry Potter franchise is now available in ebook form on the Pottermore web site. It will be interesting to hear sales data if they are willing to share.

Twelve Blogging Mistakes to Avoid - Jeff Bullas gives great advice.

15 Twitter Hashtags That Every Writer Should Know …

Read moreNews You Can Use – April 3, 2012
Category: News You Can UseTag: blogging, ebooks, hashtags, Rejection, Twitter

News You Can Use – Mar. 20, 2012

By Steve Laubeon March 20, 2012
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Why Finish Books - I loved this essay! He had me at the picture of C.S. Lewis...

Why Your Book Isn't Selling - Suggestions from a book marketing expert.

The Publishing Industry May Not be Falling Apart After All - One author suggests that today's crisis sound awfully familiar. And underneath all the talk of seismic changes and Amazon, she has a valid point. If you click all the way through …

Read moreNews You Can Use – Mar. 20, 2012
Category: News You Can UseTag: Book Business, Estate Planning, Facebook, Get Published, Marketing, Reading, Twitter, Word of Mouth

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