This is Who I Am

By Chris Pepple, Writer-At-Large, Southern Writers Magazine

When I’m speaking to new writers (or authors facing writers block), I always tell them to keep on writing no matter what they are facing. We have to keep getting words down on paper. It’s who we are. The books we are writing are a part of us.

But continuing to write isn’t the only thing we need to do. We need to keep introducing ourselves to others. Building a career means we can’t stop networking. We need new readers, and we need new contacts in the publishing world.

The first part is obvious: we need new readers to keep buying our books. How do you expand your fan base? Sometimes I just step out of my comfort zone and walk up to strangers and hand out a few complimentary copies of my latest book. I look for people that fit the profile of who usually buys my books. I sell to more women than men, so I give the books to women. Sometimes I take a copy into a restaurant and find a group of women sitting together. Once I gave out copies to a few women on the beach already reading a book. Sometimes I find a small book club and offer to give out a few copies. I’m reaching people who would probably never hear of me without the free copy.

What about making new contacts in the publishing world? I think we all need to be expanding our list of contacts in our field. We may find opportunities to have an out-of-print book reprinted with a new press. We may find marketers willing to give us a plug if we advertise one of their books. We may be invited to write a guest blog post and include a link to our website, or we may find a fresh voice to help edit our next books.

Just this week, I saw a Facebook post from an acquaintance that mentioned she had started working for a small press. I asked if she was willing to pass along my contact information to her boss. She was more than willing to do so. Now my name is before a new publisher. Nothing may come of it now, but I may need someone to help with my next project down the road. I may have the chance to expand my career by shifting to a new position one day. I may get an offer for my next book or an invitation to speak at a new writing seminar. If nothing else, I now have a person who knows my name.

So, don’t stop writing, but also don’t stop introducing yourself. Hi, I’m Chris. I’m a poet and a novelist. I’m an editor and a speaker. This is who I am.

Social Media-Another One Will Come Along

By Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief, Southern Writers Magazine

Okay, let’s face it; we have no control over Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or any Social Media. Yes, I know that sometimes we feel like we are at their mercy.  We work hard trying to learn how to function on these venues especially when we are marketing our new books and just when we think we have learned how to generate people viewing our sites, reading our content and seeing the new books–BAM! They pull the program, change it or give us new rules to use it.

In their defense, they do believe they are probably making things better for their users. However, this is difficult for us to understand since we don’t know what we can do, or if we can replace it. We feel like we were dumped and left out in the cold. Questions bombard us, wanting to know what we will do now. What will we use to get the word out?

I’m sure you know by now, Google terminated their Authorship program. Google used this to rank content according to the authority of the person who created the information.

We all put in a lot of time and energy on the venues we use…..but quite honestly, that is just doing business and using what is available to us. We must remember that change is not necessarily a bad thing. We just have to move on and look for another venue that will be good to use to get the word out.

I doubt if Google will leave us in the lurch. I am sure they will show us other ways to use their programs that will benefit us in our endeavors. So will the other Medias. After all, they do want us to use their venues.

My point? Don’t panic. Just readjust your thinking and look for other ways that will benefit you even more. Continue to be alert to new opportunities that come along. Some will last a long time, others will fall by the way side. The secret is to use what you have at your fingertips to the best of your ability to get the word out about your book. Another secret is never put your eggs in one basket.

This is why it is important for authors to make sure they have many venues to get their name out so people will recognize their name. The more someone reads your name or sees your name the more important they will think you are as an author. They will start looking for your books. Just make sure you are getting the name of your book out too along with your name.

Use Technology to Jumpstart Your Book's Success

By Michele Howe        

Becoming active on social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn can quickly render an author feeling overwhelmed, defeated, and somewhat hopeless.

Why is this? Simply, it's the age-old trap of making comparisons. One author's speaking/writing/publishing platform compared to the next; one author's sales numbers compared to the next, or one author's three signed book contracts compared to the next (or more specifically, to yours). As soon as any of us begins to make comparisons, we've made the biggest mistake ever. Our job, our personal mission, is to write and work and market according to our best ability. 

Easier said than done, I know. After a brief period of lamenting all that I couldn't do (or didn't have the resources to utilize), I started looking at FaceBook/blogging/enewsletters/websites from a different angle. Once I did, it changed everything. Instead of focusing on what I lacked in comparison to bigger name authors, I decided to watch and learn.

The Essentials --
* Facebook -- First, I set up my Facebook account for sharing and updating primarily work related information with family/friends/colleagues/readers and anyone interested in my writing/reviewing/books. Second, I added a "fan page" for my new book project; Burdens Do a Body Good. Here, I posted all current book information/media exposure/quotes from the book/quotes from the book's endorsers/reviews and anything remotely related to this specific project.
* Twitter - This is a simple device to open and use. It's important to link this marketing tool with others such as Facebook. Your "tweets" are very short, pithy updates that alert your followers of what you're up to at the moment.
* Linked In - A good place for your business profile and to continue building and connecting with others in your field.
* Blog - I use WordPress.com, it's free, it's straightforward to get started, and they have excellent customer care when you're setting up a blog for the first time. This is also your "home base" to situate any/all your work related information.

Daily Habits to Incorporate

* Check your sites - Every morning, I do a brief check on my main sites (FB, Linked In, blog, journalist enews requests, and two email accounts). I quickly answer emails/requests/queries, and then move on.
* Promote all current work regularly - I keep that ongoing (and always changing) marketing list next to my computer and give it a brief read every day to make sure I'm on time/on target with any upcoming book deadlines.
* Help someone out - Almost everyday on FB, some other writer will ask for help and I offer that help when I can. Often when perusing the journalists callouts for information, I'll frequently see something another writer can speak to better than I can and I pass that request on to them immediately.
* Keep tabs on what's effective and what's not - As I look down my marketing list, I can quickly identify those areas that are not working for me. When I write to a number of editors but get no response, that's the clue I need to change my approach
* Be willing to try new things - Refuse to say no to a new opportunity without giving it ample thought and consideration. Don't see the obstacles, see the possibilities.
* Look ahead - Just when I think I've exhausted all I can do to market my work, I think some more. Here are some specific angles that get me jumpstarted when I'm fresh out of ideas.

Think local. Think state. Think national. Think online. Think in print. Think in person.

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Michele Howe is the author of fourteen books for women and has published over 2000 articles, reviews, and curriculum to more than 100 different publications. Her articles and reviews have been published in Good Housekeeping, First for Women, Single Parent Family, Christian Single, and many other publications. Michele’s single parenting titles include, Going It Alone and Still Going It Alone. After having undergone six shoulder surgeries, Michele saw the need for a women’s inspirational health-related book co-authored with her orthopedic surgeon titled, Burdens Do a Body Good: Meeting Life’s Challenges with Strength (and Soul), released in 2010 and from which Prescription for Life, their health, medical and surgical informational book is based. One Size Fits All: Making Healthy Choices, Stepping Into a Meaningful Life, a women's health/inspirational devotional by Lighthouse of the Carolinas was released late 2012 and Faith, Friends, and Other Floatation Devices will be published in 2013 by ACTA Publications. Michele's newest release is Burden Lifters: Every Woman's Daily Guide to a Healthy Happy Life published by Bondfire Books. Read more of Michele's work at http://michelehowe.wordpress.com/ and contact Michele at: jhowe@toast.net.

Social Media Calling

By Susan Reichert, Editor-in Chief, Southern Writers Magazine

 They say it is imperative that authors have a social network in order to promote their books and themselves as authors.  I decided to look at a few and this is what I saw.

There is Facebook and Twitter. Then I’m told you need to subscribe to LinkedIn, YouTube,  Digg, Stumbleupon, Del.icio.us and My Space.  From there they move onto aNobii,   weRead, and then of course let us not forget Pinterest,  Shelfari, Google and reddit.com.

Now we find another ‘ sect’ has been added  for authors called voiceBoks, Fireflies, Book Launch & Paint Party, Calling All Authors, Branch Out, Author News, Crazy for books, Christian Poets and Writers, The Book Club Network.

Rather than naming anymore, I will just say, there are sites popping up every day for authors to use to get their books and their names out to the public. These are promotion tools for authors but if not careful, they can consume an entire day putting information on each one. Because authors are responsible for their own marketing and promotion maybe it would be a good idea to take some time and look at each one and perhaps categorize them as to what information is best to put on each one. For the most part, there are different audiences on each. After all that is what authors are after, to touch different audiences and introduce them to their books. 

If you know the purpose of each one, the audience it is reaching then you will be able to divide them into categories, using the same information. This certainly cuts down on the amount of time spent. See if you can get them divided into threes. Then you only have to have three segments of content. One segment goes on one list, another segment goes on the second list and the last segment goes on the third list.

If authors are spending a lot of time on building social media my question becomes is when do they find time to write? For authors their passion is writing. Most authors could sit for hours and just write. Yet all authors have to slice out of their workday time to work on the Social Media junket. So maybe if authors segment into list their promotions there will be more time for writing.

Un-Confounding Facebook

by Shannon Milholland, Social Media Director

I long for spring each winter and it's not just the balmy weather I favor. Spring carries American Idol in on its' gentle winds. The show has recently dipped in popularity but I find the current judging panel and talent to be some of the best ever depicted on Idol.

I like American Idol because I witness the blossom of dreams. I even "help" the contestants sing by mouthing the words and contorting my face with emotion - a practice my teenagers enjoy mocking. There's a secondary reason I enjoy the show though. I'm a forty-something mom with kids as young as five. American Idol gives me an opportunity to be exposed to music relevant to my kids.

As I put faces with the names I hear in the news or on my daughter's iPod, my daughters' music becomes less confounding to me.

Today I want to give you a face to go with the name...Facebook. Here are five tips that will make navigating Facebook easier even for a novice:

1. Custom URLs - I am amazed how often I see a FB link that looks like this: http://www.facebook.com/This-Is-My-Facebook-Page-Name-And-I-Really-Like-It-Even-Though-Its-Really-Long/01234567890123456789. Am I the only one intimated by a link of this magnitude. Unfortunately you can't alter the name of your page but you can at least 86 all the numbers trailing at the end. Just go to this link and select your name. All of the sudden your FB link looks more like this: facebook.com/I'm-A-Professional-Author
2. Know Your Purpose - Why are you on FB? Is it to catch up from old friends from high school and college? Then be personable and share the comings and goings of your life. Is it simply a marketing tool? Then market yourself in a palatable way but know why you're there. For me, I'm there for both reasons. My solution was to keep my personal profile personal and my professional page professional. 
3. Take Advantage of the Share Button - Most posts have a share button at the bottom. Do you like what you're reading? It only takes a moment to share that post to your personal or professional page. This creates a win-win - you get great content and you make someone else feel great because your shared their post.
4. Join a Group (Or Make Your Own) - There is a plethora of Facebook groups. Find one for writers, one about your specialty or your life stage. It will take the vast FB world and make it smaller, more manageable while giving you the opportunity to connect with new people on a heart level.
5. Don't Ignore the Numbers - No I'm not talking about the number of your followers. I'm referring to the little red numbers that hover all over your page. Those are there to alert you to activity. Depending on where it's located you might have a new friend request, a new post to your timeline or new activity in a group of which you are a member. Let those numbers help you so you can "catch up" every time you log on.

Still need some help understanding Facebook? Hop on over to the Southern Writers page, my professional page or the Facebook info page and add some additional faces to some names!

Face It: Your Book Needs Facebook

by Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor

It has been said Facebook now has over 800 Million followers. Although most of us are familiar with Facebook, I doubt any of us fully realize what a force it is today. This week Steve Harrison reposted an article from his paid printed newsletter Book Marketing Update. His newsletter is available to the members of his Million Dollar Author Club which you find out more about at his website.

Harrison revisited his article and some of his stronger points. He recommends the use of Facebook and its tools to add Friends. The prompts Facebook gives you for Friends are based on your profile. Be sure your profile is updated to reach the people that would be interested in your book. But he feels you shouldn’t add friends or join groups blindly. Harrison states it is good to have a lot of Facebook friends but they should be quality Facebook friends. 

Harrison also recommends you join groups that have shared interest in your book’s topics. If you have written about pets, join a group that has an interest in pets. These groups can be found by simply entering a subject like pets then click on the Groups tab of the results page.

Harrison tells us not to be a broken record. None of us like friends that do nothing but ask us to buy something. Your every status update should not be asking for someone to buy something. If this is done people will quickly learn to ignore you or even unfriend you. Share something of value in your post like new ideas, interesting websites, commentaries, downloads and discounts. Be interesting.

In light of Harrison’s article being a repost I feel we should add the obvious. Facebook changes made within recent months. The new setup for groups, timeline and other changes can be confusing and may cause us to miss an opportunity to share important information with friends. Take the time to understand the new format and take advantage of all the additional tools. Facebook is indeed a great tool and the price is right. Put it to good use and share with us how you are using it.  

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Do you want to learn how to sell more books? Visit Southern Writers Magazine and subscribe today!

One Day Starts Today

by Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief

David J. Schwartz, PhD said, “The person determined to achieve maximum success learns the principle that “progress is made one step at a time.”

We would all love to wake up this morning and be a successful bestselling, sought after author with people clamoring for our books, so much so the publisher can’t get them printed fast enough. Movie studios are knocking at our door with contracts.

The truth is that normally doesn’t happen to anyone…and if it should, there is a strong possibility that it will be just for that one book because they haven’t built their foundation. Long-term writing success requires a foundation and as Dr. Schwartz said, “foundations are built one brick at a time. Football games won a play at a time.” When you see someone hit it big, look close, you will see that person used the one-step at a time approach. One-step upon another until stardom was attained.

To become a bestselling author, many steps come into play. We have to write every day to finish our manuscript. Then we need to find an agent who will find the publisher or we need to find a self-publisher. Our work doesn’t stop there. Then comes the marketing phase of this foundation. Every day we have to make efforts to market our book. We have to Facebook, Twitter, and then we need to blog. There are many bricks needed to build our foundation. Remember in anything we undertake, to succeed we need to take one-step, one brick, and one day at a time.

When we have a project to work on, we should never look at the entire scope of the project, just the part that can be achieved that day. We have all heard the expression ‘One day at a time’. That is all we have. Take today; write what you can, market what you can; your one day starts today!

A Facebook Page Arthur Fonzarelli Would "Like"

by Shannon Milholland, Social Media Director

"Ehhhhhhhhhhh, I give this Facebook page two thumbs up." The coolest dude in Milwaukee would not click to register his like. He'd probably just thump the side of the computer screen and it would magically appear. The better question isn't how the Fonz registered his like but why. We'll unlock the answer by making our pages more Arthur Fonzarelli and less Ralph Malph.

Fonzie Showed Up

Whether Richie was in an unfair fight or Joanie was in a compromising position, the Fonz always showed up. You build a successful page by being an active participant in it. Comment back when someone drops in. Post updates three or four times a week. Occasionally I'll visit a Facebook page that hasn't been had a post since October 2010. If you aren't hangin' around the juke box, nobody else will dance.

Fonzie Had a Cool Name

Have you ever seen a facebook url that looked something like this? www.facebook.com/wowthisisareallylongname/userprofile/#!/whatintheworldisallthisstuff/123456789 This is the Facebook url of an Arthur. If we want to be a Fonz, we need a direct url. With just 25 likes, you can claim your cool at www.facebook.com/username with a custom url such as: www.facebook.com/coolestwriterever. The next thing we know, you'll write wearing leather.

Fonzie Had Something Worthwhile to Say

The Fonz was a man of few words. Therefore, the ones he used were heeded. We'd do well to follow his example.

We spent many hours in the Cunningham's home but we never watched them cut grass for an entire episode. Mr. Cunningham would occasionally show up at the hardware store but he never spent thirty minutes explaining the difference between a circular saw and a drill. To be successful on Facebook, we need to invite our friends and followers to the family dinner table without serving them meatloaf every week. Keep our message simple and others will read it.

Grab a malt and hop over to Facebook. Implement a few quick changes. In no time, your fan page could garner a like from Arthur, Potsie and even Mrs. C.

When the Sleeping Giants Rise

by Shannon Milholland, Social Media Director

Embracing a life of passion and purpose was like waking from a 39 year slumber. The fog lifted a bit at a time. Eventually I penetrated layers of insecurity, doubt and timidity caked decades thick.

Perhaps you, like me, never pictured yourself as a writer. Just behind the label "Least Likely to Write a Novel", you would badge yourself with "Least Likely to Self-Promote". If the label fits, you're a kindred spirit.

• As a child I shuddered when faced with telephone usage. I recall tearful pleas to my parents to make calls on my behalf.
• As a teen, I allowed self-doubt to overshadow confidence in my ability to attract and retain a date.

How then does an awkward youth blossom into a social butterfly who today works as a Social Media Director and delivers talks to audiences of any size? I slayed the giant sleeping dreams.  All those years, the dream of speaking and writing hid beneath the surface. I awoke the behemoth with one Herculean leap of faith - I began a blog.

Here are three easy steps to awaken the dreams within you:

Acknowledge the Passion

Passion fuels purpose. Passion writes in twilight hours. Passion dares to share the written word. Passion acknowledged is passion kindled. Acknowledgement ignites your dreams.

Plan Your Purpose

Make specific, achievable goals which plot your purpose in actionable steps. Do you need to join a social media such as Facebook or Twitter? Should you submit your first article? Will you fine tune your book proposal?

Plan your purpose and live your passion.

Commit to Consciousness

The familiarity of sleep overtakes the dream left to smolder. The safe position is retreat. Commit to consciousness. Refuse to sleep once more. A conscious giant delivers mammoth results.

Did you feel the splash of cold water on your face? Now that you're fully alert, walk in your purpose. Will you self-promote? No. You will love your corner of the world enough to share your gifts. Let your sleeping giants rise.

Happy Birthday To...You

by Shannon Milholland, Social Media Director

Today is my birthday.  Due to the onslaught of Social Media, I've already had enough greetings to make me feel like a celebrity.  The question is whom am I celebrating?  If I am serious about my message and delivering it to others then even my birthday is an occasion to celebrate others.

My desire is for my birthday to be a celebration of life because I approach everyday with the expectation of finding extraordinary in the ordinary.  Can one use social media to turn a birthday into a celebration?  Absolutely!

Ask Questions

If someone posts on your Facebook wall and you haven't seen them in a bit, ask how they are.  Use Twitter to ask a thought-provoking question and ask for the answer, as your "present".  Utilize questions to turn the focus back on others.

Be Thankful

Traditionally, birthdays are an opportunity for wishes.  I use social media to be thankful for others.  Whether I type or whisper my gratitude in my heart, I send up thanksgiving.  I allow myself to wonder at a life this blessed and ponder how this ordinary life can impact others. 

Let Someone Else Sit in the Birthday Chair

I asked my friend, Patti, to blog for me today.  Not only did I get a break on my birthday but I got to step aside in humility and let someone else shine on "my" day.  It is much more fun to let another sit in the birthday chair.

The next time your birthday rolls around, consider throwing an online party filled with questions, gratitude and humility.  Sing the birthday song as loud as you can and remember the final word is you not me.