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March 15, 2012

Tips on Thursday: Twitter Connections

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A couple of weeks ago, I had Lucinda, a marketing and literary agent, on my blog. (See the post) A couple of friends asked me how I was able to make contact. The answer was simple (at least to me): through Twitter. Then they started to ask me how I used Twitter as a networking tool. During last year's ArmchairBEA (which I found out about through Twitter), I did a post about Blogging and Twitter. Almost a year later, I thought I should update it with what new lessons I've learned.

When I first started using Twitter my focus was on connecting. And I think I did a pretty good job, but sometime over the year I stopped making new connections (which to me is not the same thing as followers as I've gained 300+ followers since the end of 2011). I started looking at what I was doing differently. One I might have reduced the time I was on Twitter, but the main thing that popped out at me was the increase in promotional tweets. Promotional tweets are the ones that contain links (I don't count the ones that link to a news item I'm commenting on). As I've mentioned a few times on Twitter, I joined a Triberr group last month. One of the things about being in the group is sharing each others posts (promotion). I send out 18 - 24 promotional tweets a day from the tribe. Add that to increased promotion for my blog and promoting a few authors I work with and my Twitter stream has become a promotional feed.

To use Twitter for networking, you do not have to choose between connecting and promoting, but you do need to find a balance. It is recommended you have 3 - 5 content tweets (do not contain a link unless it is to reference the source) for every promotional tweet. A great way to create content tweets is to have conversations with people on Twitter. The thing you have to remember about Twitter is it's an open, public conversation. People tweet things because they want other people to respond (Tweet This). Did one of your followers tweet about a book you also read - make a comment. It's that easy.

Who you follow on Twitter will determine how much networking you are able to do (Tweet This). When I started, I had a "checklist" on whether to follow (remember my focus was to intentionally network and not necessarily to build my follower count). I included the checklist in the post last May, so I won't repeat it. If you want to connect with publishers, editors, authors, publicist, etc, then seek them out and follow them. And KEEP following them, even if they don't follow you back. I have roughly 100 people who I follow who don't follow me back. Would I love for them to follow, yes. Is it important they follow me back, no. I recognize while their information is beneficial to me, my tweets may not be beneficial to them. It is important to know what they are tweeting so that you can comment on them. If there is enough interaction, they may decide to follow you so keep at it.

Another way to connect without "stalking" is to join Twitter chats on topics that interest you. In fact, it was through a Twitter chat I met Lucinda. I'm not sure if she was in the chat or just responded to one of my tweets from the chat. She asked me a question and I responded. We traded tweets and then the conversation became larger and we moved to email. I have done the same with a number of publishers and authors.

Asking questions, sharing relevant news (GalleyCat and BookRiot offer great news for sharing/commenting), offering advise, and responding to others are all great habits to develop to help you network better on Twitter.

Note: I get most of my ideas for Tips on Thursday from conversations I have with others. If you have a particular topic you would like to see me cover, please leave a comment.
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March 14, 2012

Temptation by Douglas Kennedy

Waiting on Wednesday...


Temptation by Douglas Kennedy
From the New York Times bestselling author of Leaving the World comes the brilliant, breathtaking story about a Hollywood screenwriter whose “overnight success” brings about his biggest downfall.

Like all screenwriters in Tinsel Town, David Armitage wants to be rich and famous. Finally, after eleven years of disappointment and failure, big-time luck comes his way when one of his scripts is bought for television, making him the new toast of Hollywood as the creator of a smash hit series.

Suddenly a major power player, Armitage begins to reinvent himself at breakneck speed, quitting his day job, trading in his Reagan-era Volvo for a Porsche, and leaving his wife and daughter for a sleek, young producer.

Enter multibillionaire film buff Philip Fleck, who proposes an unsavory collaboration to the screenwriter. Armitage takes the bait and suddenly finds himself entering a decidedly Faustian pact—and unknowingly hopping an express ride to the lower depths of the Hollywood jungle. From Goodreads.com

I received this book as an ARC earlier this year. I've already read it and I'll be posting my review closer to the release date of April 24. But I will go ahead and tell you it was a great read. Douglas Kennedy is a wonderful storyteller. Last week so many people came to my blog to read his guest post from November I thought I would share Temptation as I am sure many of you have it on your waiting list (and if you don't you should).

Also, I wanted to tell you about a promotion from Lucinda Literary. By pre-ordering Kennedy's next book TEMPTATION you can receive a free hardcover of THE MOMENT a #1 Bestseller. (See video interview)
OR, for even bigger rewards, join Lucinda's Literary's Fangelist effort by emailing info(at)lucindaliterary.com. Your help in this grassroots advocacy program for authors can earn you an entire portfolio of Kennedy books.

LIKE Douglas Kennedy on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DouglasKennedyBooks

Pre-order from Powell's Books or Amazon
Add to your Goodreads shelf

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine.

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March 12, 2012

Video Blog #7: Book & Blog News



Win with eBooks March Event: 
Buy 1 ebook get 1 ebook for FREE


March 15-18 Buy one $.99 eBook and get the other one free! Also there are Amazon Gift Cards up for grabs. See www.winwithebooks.com for eligible titles.

 

March 11, 2012

Bloggers Impact Book's Success



There is a new success story in the Indie Publishing world: Fifty Shades trilogy by E. L. James. As first reported in the New York Times on Saturday the trilogy has been sold to Random House's Vintage Books. The Sydney Morning Herald continues the report, stating it was sold for more than $1 million. The series is erotica and will not be reviewed on this blog, but I did work with E. L. James while I was the marketing director of The Writer's Coffee Shop. I also knew of the story, reading the first installment, when it was part of the online writing community.

I mention this success story because it is exciting when an indie author makes it big and I congratulate E. L. James and the staff at The Writer's Coffee Shop. I also mention it because of the role book bloggers played in the success of this series.

"Conversation about the book online has fed many of the sales," comments Patricia Bostelman, vice president for marketing at Barnes & Noble, in the New York Times article March 10.

Bloggers were instrumental in getting the word out about Fifty Shades of Grey (tweet this) past the online writing community. The impact bloggers have on a book's success is another facet of the changes in the publishing industry (tweet this). While now being reported to have sold more than 250,000 copies, a February 4 press release states 80,000 copies had been sold. At that point the only national mention was a January 9 article in Publisher's Weekly. The 80,000 copies of Fifty Shades trilogy were sold due to the online world of bloggers, tweeters, and facebook users talking about it (tweet this).

Book bloggers take pride in your work and know you play an important role in whether a book is a success or not.
No pressure! footballer pictures

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