Your Ever-changing Author Platform by Rolynn Anderson

Wisdom sharing time, team!

A colleague of mine, Mara Purl, and I are putting on an AUTHOR PLATFORM workshop at the InD’Scribe Conference. We’ve got a good handle on the talking points and I’ve developed a handout for attendees that encourages them to write down their ideas as we talk. We’ll have a wide range of experience in our audience…some of them in the biz as long as you have been.  We could use some tidbits from you!

We think the four ‘legs’ supporting an author platform are: GENRE, BRAND, GOAL, PASSION. The Hope: If an author can clarify for herself what she writes and can consistently articulate those premises to readers, she’ll find her niche…increase her readership.

Mara and I consider this a dynamic process. (Notice the table-top in my picture is quite worn :-) For example, my genre of choice these days is contemporary mystery with romantic elements.  (Used to be contemporary romantic suspense).  By examining my reviews and re-reading my own books objectively, listening to my editor’s comments along with my beta readers', I’ve see themes/patterns in my books I didn’t know where there.  As a result, I redesigned my website and aligned with new authors who were 'like me.' The path to pinpointing genre, brand, goal, and passion is quite a journey of self-discovery.

My questions for you…any one of these five or all:

1.  How much has your genre/brand changed over the years you’ve published?

2.  What do you wish you’d known about these concepts early in your publishing career?

3.  What’s your next step in polishing your author platform?

4.  What’s a author platform strategy that's worked for you?

5.  Critique all the above according to your experience. 

Thanks for your ideas, team.  I’ll be sure to give you feedback about what I learned from InD’Scribe workshops I attend (at InD’Scribe Oct. 4-7)!  Stay tuned for my blog entry on October 10. Cross your fingers for me, too.  BAD LIES is up for a Rone Award in the suspense/thriller category...at the conference.  Hope springs eternally!

Fire is Nice is coming out soon.  Here's the cover:

http://rolynnanderson.com

Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rolynn-Anderson/188767867821613  

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/rolynnanderson

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4990049.Rolynn_Anderson

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/author/rolynnanderson

Marketing Tips from #RT2018 by Jannine Gallant

All ready for the Giant Book Fair to start!

My experience at the RT Convention was interesting. I loved the Kensington signing and getting so many of my books into readers' hands. The Giant Book Fair was quite a scene, although not very productive for selling books unless you're a big name author. I wasn't impressed with the evening parties, to be honest. I used that time to talk to authors I knew. What I did find helpful were some of the workshops. My favorite was the "Cuff Me, Choke Me" workshop that featured a daytime cop who is a nighttime author and her special forces husband. They were adorable together while she demonstrated how cops really take down the bad guys in a series of holds that won't translate into a blog post. The one tip I can pass along is that cops use humor in grim situations to defuse the tension. Something for you suspense authors to keep in mind. Mostly I went to marketing workshops since that's where I need the most help. I'll share the highlights and my insights.

From "You Just Think You're Marketing" with Tara Lain: The focus was on the difference between marketing and sales. Marketing is a series of steps to create an environment for sales. Marketing does not equal sales. One of the interesting points was about creating a brand. Your brand isn't who or what you think you are. It's how readers see you. Everything you do on social media creates your brand. And you have to do it over and over to make it stick. I think our own Alison is very good at this with her Pine Cone tidbits and Useless Info facts. She is creating a persona that reflects the style of her books. I wonder at the authors who constantly whine about things or are blatantly political (tempting I know). Is that how they really want to be seen? Something to think about, and I need to do more to brand myself on social media. You may be seeing more pictures of Ginger in the woods coming your way... Tara Lain (and other presenters) did stress the importance of sticking to one or two compatible sub-genres and not being a bouncing ball. That's part of your public persona. Meet reader expectations for your sub-genre, and it doesn't hurt to let them know that your books are a whole lot like "Big Name Author's" books.

"Dive into Data" from a Sourcebooks editor didn't give me much I could use. But here are the main points I found interesting. 15% of new authors are discovered in bookstores and 15% by word of mouth. Other channels were lower. I guess it's hard to get noticed on Amazon... The message/content of the book (back cover blurb) is the main reason people buy a book. Price came in at #4. However, a cover should speak to the reader and be relateable in order to get someone to actually look at the book. Here, it is the feeling a person gets, not a direct message, that triggers interest.

"Make Marketing Your Bitch" had a panel of mostly hybrid authors. They stressed branding and coming up with 10 terms you want associated with you. Then work on showing those traits in your social media presence. They stressed being personable--not just talking about your book ad nauseam. Talk about your life. Be authentic and interactive. They mentioned having a Facebook group readers can join since visibility is poor on your actual author fan page. But even there, asking questions to get interaction will help you be seen. They did say #1linewed on Twitter has a lot of followers so it can be a good avenue. Use hashtags! Time to get an Instagram account, people. Visuals with words are strong there (think memes). They said you need a whole series before 99 cent sales or free books are really effective. Newsletters are the best way to cultivate readers. But they have to be interesting! Exclusive content and excerpts (link to book funnel for anything long) are good. They touched on joint newsletters and co-operative marketing, but I'll get into that with the next one.

"Marketing that Pays" was the group from 1001 Dark Nights. One woman (Liz Berry--she's in marketing not an author) started a co-op and asked indie/hybrid authors with strong sales to form a group. They all wrote a novella that had a central world and character interaction between books. They published 6 at a time, I believe. Each author brought her fans into the world, and those readers bought all the other authors' books, too. She organized several of these series. They're HUGE! The suggestion was for us to do this with other similar authors to each draw in more readers. I've seen The Wild Rose Press use this strategy with their series, and it doesn't sell all that great if the authors are little known. This is kind of like KindleWorlds, which is shutting down. I think the goal here would be to try to convince bigger named authors of your value to their group, or to try to draw them into your world--we can dream! But it is an interesting concept. They do a lot of crossover promo. Other topics were again newsletters and the importance of the subject line being intriguing to get a better open rate. They stressed that you own your newsletter contact list, while contacts on FB etc. could disappear at any time at FB's discretion. Think MySpace. Check out authors who are like you but sell really well to see where they promote and emulate them. They talked about thinking outside the box and using other products. Cookbooks, calendars, etc. that are tied to your books/brand, which you can sell (donating proceeds to charity was also mentioned since the charity is another avenue to use for publicity). All good ways to get noticed in new markets.

Two hybrid authors put on "Having a 20 Year Career." The focus was on finding a tribe--other authors to work with. The importance of critique partners/groups as a microcosm of readers to get feedback on your work. Being flexible with a changing publishing world, and not giving up on writing when the going gets depressing. Having a recognizable voice and not writing to trends. More talk about newsletters. (Are you seeing a trend?) I think that about covers it.

For you authors out there, I hope this proves to be useful. I'm happy to try to answer questions if something isn't clear. I feel like our group here is a great tribe. We're lucky to have each other! Oh, and since I am trying to sell books...find buy links on my WEBSITE or sign up for my NEWSLETTER where I'll share recipes and exclusive content if I ever get enough signups to make it worth sending... Happy reading!

New Book Covers and Branding by Jannine Gallant

A few months ago, I received the cover for the first book in my new SIREN COVE series, releasing in 2018. Then, a couple of weeks ago, I got the cover for the second book. They're all scenery and have a suspenseful vibe. I've been given permission to share, so...tada!!

What do you think? I love them! Not long after the first cover was finished, my editor emailed me to say they were giving my BORN TO BE WILDE series a new look. Everyone at Kensington loved the cover for BURIED TRUTH so much, they wanted a do-over for the current series.

I know lots of self-published authors who've gone through multiple incarnations of a book cover, making it more professional and going for a different look. But usually with a publisher, we only get one shot at a cover. So, why is my series being repackaged? The original covers are professional and eye-catching. They feature an attractive couple. They're upbeat. Romantic. Cheerful! I always thought they better suited contemporary romance than romantic suspense, even though they accurately reflect the story. They capture the content but not the mood.

I think there's more to this than going for a suspenseful look. I've always wondered about the mystery of author branding. I never could quite grasp the concept, but with these new covers, I'm beginning to see the light. Kensington is feeling their way with me, finding my specific niche in their company. My brand. I write suspenseful stories where rugged, outdoor settings are a focus of the plot. They're repackaging my books to give me an identifiable look. Currently, only the first two covers are finished. Until all four are available, the old covers remain up on retail sites. I'm giving you all a sneak peek to make my point!

I love this new look, this brand they're giving me. So here they are, the old...

And the new...

What do you think? For those of you who read my books, does this look more like me? I hope one day readers will pick up my books and identify me by the covers the way we do authors who have a brand we know well. For now, I feel like I've found my niche in the world of romantic suspense.

The final two books will get their face lift soon. Stay tuned... And if you haven't started this series yet, read WILDE ONE...with the old cover. Get your copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, or KOBO now. Or, pre-order BURIED TRUTH. The buy link is on my website. Happy reading!

How a New Cover Artist and Website Designer Tightened My Brand by Rolynn Anderson

Those of us writing our blog entries immediately after the election have up-front emotions; to not talk about them seems wrong.  The author in me makes comparisons: I feel like a frog blinking my eyes in a hailstorm.  Or...I'm the Survivor, who after twenty-five days, is blindsided and voted off the island.  I'm seeing Brexit in America...my new term is 'Amerexit;' Britain and America are shocked by the shout-outs of the disenfranchised.  

But (re: Survivor), as a 'jury' member, I'm still a player in this game called life in America.  I've earned the right to have my say, so I do not despair.  

Now, on to my blog entry:

Four events pushed big changes in my publishing life:

-My old website (iWeb) couldn’t be updated and didn't look great on small screens http://www.rolynnanderson.com

-My former cover artist was too busy to work with me

-I attended a PAN session on Branding at RWA San Diego

-I met Kris Lynn and Cora Ramos at a Conference in Universal City and saw the covers Kris had made for herself and for Cora

Yup, my life in choas followed quickly by a serendipitous alignment of events and people.  Magical!

I’ve already shown you my new website, which took a good six months of work with Kris Lynn.  I’ve told you what I learned about BRANDING on my new website: http://www.rolynnanderson.com/single-post/2016/09/20/Time-to-Rethink-my-Brand-How-about-you 

Working on my website and my covers with Kris made me realize a part of my brand was the variety of settings in my novels as well as the lighter side of mystery/suspense/romance…all of which need to be conveyed in my website as well as my covers.

You’ve seen my cover for CÉZANNE’S GHOST, but I’ll attach it here, again, because I'm so proud of it and Kris's work. 

 

Drum roll, please!  For the first time, you’ll see my cover for BAD LIES.  Yes, you see a golfer poised next to my name; she’s a late-comer to golf competition; he’s a NATO geologist, both facing danger on a Rome golf course and in the caves of the Amalfi Coast.

Funny story about this ‘golf’ book.  Back in 2009 when I was shopping this book to agent and publishers, I got scoffs and ‘women don’t want to read about golf.’  In 2011, I went to a conference where a pair of publishers said, “We want a golf book.  How come no one has written a golf romance?”

That’s our business.  Crazy!

After revisions and pithy advice from my geologist brother, here’s BAD LIES:

Italy’s haunted caves spell danger for an American golfer and a NATO geologist

****

Sophie Maxwell is a late-blooming, unorthodox golfer, and mother of a precocious thirteen year-old.  Determined to put divorce, bankruptcy, and a penchant for gambling in her past, Sophie goes to Italy for a qualifying golf tournament.

Jack Walker turned his back on a pro golfing career to become a geologist.   As a favor to his ailing father he’ll caddy for Sophie; off hours, he’ll find caves on the Mediterranean coast, suitable for NATO listening posts for terrorist activity.   

Someone is determined to stop Jack’s underground hunt and ruin Sophie’s chances to win her tournament.

On a Rome golf course and in the Amalfi coast’s haunted caves, all the odds are stacked against Sophie and Jack.  In their gamble of a lifetime, who wins?

BAD LIES comes out in December, 2016!  

Soon: EIGHT Suspense Novels Spiked with Romance

http://www.rolynnanderson.com  (sign up for my newsletter and get one of my short stories, free!)

http://www.amazon.com/author/rolynnanderson

Rebel Without A Genre By Donna Michaels

Yep, you guessed it. I’m the rebel.

In the writing world, branding is a huge way to get recognized and to gain a following. I should know. It happened to me without even trying. See, I write romaginative fiction, romance mixed with comedy, contemporary, suspense, sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, adventure, time travel. I love to read variety and write variety. My books range from short to epic, sweet to very hot, and I’ve even written a story in first person. Variety. It is the spice in my writing life.

But something happened almost two years ago. The Wild Rose Press released my contribution to their Honky Tonk Hearts Series, COWBOY-SEXY.

Amazon offered Finn for free for four days. This was all new to all of us. I made up promo, and advertised on Facebook and all social media I could think of, plus I handed out cards to anyone locally who would take one. lol The gals at the annual Vampire Diaries Party ( or as I like to call it-VD Party) were given special promo and, bless them, they all promised to download my free book and tell a friend. 

It worked. I had thousands of downloads. Who knew cowboys were so hot?

I do now. Those thousands of free downloads somehow got the book into Amazon emails and I actually sold a good chunk. Good enough to generate a royalty check that could pay for more than lunch. Yeehaw! It also generated fan mail and readers wanting more. This got me thinking. Cowboys sell. I love cowboys. I have more cowboys. I’m going to turn those cowboys in to a series and see if that makes the readers happy. It did, and does. My Harland County Series is an Amazon Best Seller. With four books out so far, I have plans for four more, and I already have another cowboy series talking in my head.

But I told them to simmer down, especially since the contemporary military series I put on hold to wrangle those Harland cowboys was starting to chant really loud. I was getting antsy. Variety. I needed to mix things up or I knew I’d start twitching. Probably develop an eye tick, too. So my cowboy heroes and military heroes starting talking and negotiating. Here’s what they came up with:

They’re sharing custody of me. ☺

I get to write a Harland County spinoff series that ties the National Guardsmen from PA to my Texas cowboys. There will be characters crossing over from both series. In fact, the hero and heroine in cowboy book #3 will be getting married in the first book in the Citizen Soldier Series.

Brilliant. I’m happy. They’re happy. Now, I just hope my readers will be happy. The PA Guardsman aren’t exactly the quintessential cowboys, but they are outdoorsman. They own a resort in the Pocono mountains, so there’s hiking, fishing, boating, white-water rafting, skiing, horseback riding. Those men are no slackers. And they have great bodies to prove it. They may not wear cowboy boots, but they do wear boots. Combat boots. 

As you've probably guessed, even though I write several genres, I’m mostly known for my cowboys. But that’s okay. I love writing them. I’m just not going to write them exclusively. That’s the rebel in me. Guess you could say the rebel made me do it. J

So, if you see me at a convention you’ll find two boots on my table, but they don’t match. One is a cowboy boot and the other is a combat boot. Too bad they didn’t make a suspense boot, or a sci-fi boot, or a paranormal boot…

What are your thoughts on branding and writing? I’d love to hear your input. Especially since my first book in the new series isn’t out until next month. I’ve no idea if it’ll bomb, or if my readers will embrace the change and go with the flow. I sure hope so. I really don’t want to twitch. And that eye tick thing doesn’t sound very fun.

My fourth Harland County book, Her Forever Cowboy is up for Book of the Month over at SSLY!

If you've read Kevin's story and would like to vote, I'd sure appreciate it. Click HERE. Thank you! I'll love you forever and back!

 

Pssst! Speaking of conventions, I’m in New Orleans right now...TODAY, this very minute! at the Author Reader Con at the Marriott. If you’re in the neighborhood, I hope you’ll stop by for the book fair today, it’s 2pm-6pm. You can’t miss me. Just look for the boots!

 

Visit me anytime at www.donnamichaelsauthor.com