Authors: do you use the right way to promote yourself?

These days I was faced with intruders in my personal inbox. Goodreads and Facebook brought me messages from strangers. Shortly, they wanted a kind of education about sales and promotions, and to be a member of their groups.

I am always fascinated by how someone can write to an unknown person, without checking her profile. What kind of genre do I write, do I wish to communicate with people I don't know, all could be clear from my profiles.

How do I answer these messages? With blocking, I don't want to waste time explaining what I want and what I don't want.

This made me think, how many authors promote themselves in the wrong ways? I understand the desire to sell your book, but you can make a contra effect by forcing others to notice you.

Social media are filled with book links. Authors are focused on numbers, they are automatically collecting followers, but a big number of followers doesn't mean selling by default.

You will get a bunch of people on Twitter, Tik Tok, and Instagram, who will not buy your book.

Why? Because you have no interaction with them.

If you interact with your followers, your chance to sell something will increase.

How to get an interaction?

First, don't send private messages to people you don't know. Especially, don't ask for education from other authors, and don't try to sell them books.

If you want to talk to the author, do it in public. In the same way, you can comment under my blog posts, express your opinion and share this post.

People don't like to be used as tools. Everyone is in lacks time, and what made you so special to think someone will give you the information in private?

Promotion is not a blind alley, so if you ask readers, you need to make a conversation and collaboration. Promoting others' work will make you trustful, and this is a step forward.

Many newsletters are promoting authors' books and they are getting subscribers.

Many authors are doing interviews, making groups, or sharing ARC copies with their readers.

I know, this is a hard path, but have patience.

My follower base increased even though I am not sugarcoating, I was telling truth about my experience.

Comments

Should we respond to negative reviews?

Recently I had a discussion in my social media about negative ratings. There was a situation in Goodreads, where I got two negative reviews on my two books. The point was in the way how the ratings were set up. First rating for my book "Body in the waves" was placed under 5-star review from another reviewer. While the reviewer praising my book, the troll came under to say "This is really bad book." Second rating was described as " Poor author needs writing lessons." Both reviews broke standards of reviewing, because there is no visible evidence that book was downloaded in Kindle unlimited or purchased. It was a clear troll act from a new page, without a profile photo and with a nickname. I reported this to Goodreads and they responded me they are processing this. Meanwhile, I heard from other authors that Goodreads failed to do anything about trolling. In these terms, Goodreads should delete such profiles and forbid the access because of breaking rules. T...

Swapping books - a devil's deal

"I will read your book if you read and review mine." This is an example of author's deal when it comes time for reviews. Reviews is hard to get. If you sell books, it is still not guarantee you will get reviews. If I could get a review for every book I sold, it would be great. People will buy book to collect it on the shelves and leave it un-read. Or, they will read but not rate it. Many reasons are for not getting reviews, but some people don't know where and how to write reviews or are not eligible. That is the reason why authors will turn to other authors, with a proposition for review. The danger of such review is on Amazon rules: author can't review other's author books on request. I love to read indie authors and they inspire me, but I have my circle and I never accept offers to read someone I never heard about. Once I got a proposition :" Hey, I saw your review for XX author, can you write it for me, too?" I ignored it. When you have a deal ...

Why is refund damaging indie authors?

I understand someone can be disappointed with a book. It is like I was disapointed with my trousers online and returned it. What makes a difference, my trousers were 40 euros. The book was 2.49 cents. This makes return funny, because what can you do with this money? Some readers don't understand story behind the refund. The author will get minus royalties. - 0.13 c in my Kindle report, that will vanish when someone else buy the book. The situation happens. Someone accidentaly clicked and bought a book. A random customer wants a refund. Maybe it was not a random move. Maybe the customer clicked, bought and did not like the book. When you don't like the book choose another options, instead of damaging authors. Write a negative review. Write negative one star rating. Don't purchase another books from this author. Or, maybe to reconsider and read it, again? If you write negative reviews or rate it with 1 or 2 stars, you are making a favor to authors. You are moving algorithms i...

Rebelious rules by Kristina Gallo

Search This Blog