Why did you become an author? I bet it wasn’t to spend hours marketing your books. That’s the problem with being an author these days.
Even if you are traditionally published by one of the Big publishers, you are still expected to:
- have an author platform and brand
- constantly promote your book(s) to your readers
- guest blog/podcast
- show up regularly on social media to talk to your readership
- build a mailing list
Where’s the time to write your books?
I’m a published author myself so I understand the dilemma that we all face as authors wanting to make our dream into a life-long career.
So how can I help?
One of the biggest drains of an author’s time is social media. Should you be on Instagram or Facebook or Twitter, or all of them? How often should you show up? What’s the right mix of ‘buy my book’ posts and retweets of other authors?
The answers to all of the above will of course depend on you, your books and what you feel comfortable with, but a little help from a fellow author can go a long way.
I regularly blog and post on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter about how authors (and businesses) can use social media to their advantage. Want an example? Read Why I Don’t Do Perfect Social Media Posts (And 5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Either).
I also send out Fi’s Content Catch-Up for Authors at the end of each month, containing advice and tips on how authors can achieve a successful – but manageable – online presence. The sign-up form is on the right of this page. In return for your email, you’ll also receive a freebie – 3 questions to ask yourself before you create any social media post.
Nothing to buy here?
At the moment, my offering to authors is completely free – my advice on how you can use social media more effectively – but here’s the exciting bit. I have a book in the works.
In 2021, I landed a publishing deal to write a book that lays out a straightforward, step-by-step method for authors to handle their social media presence. The current plan is to release Social Media for Authors (working title) in 2022.
So as they say, ‘watch this space’.
Image by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash.