Tips on Thursday: Picture It

Photo by Chris Looney

A picture is worth a thousand words. We were taught this in grade school. I vividly remember a school writing lesson involving a landscape photo. The photo above of my dog Schatz is worth 1,162 views garnered over 3 days (but most where achieved the first 24 hours as I linked to it at Reddit.com). Now, with Pinterest there is even more interest in photos, pictures, graphics, whatever you want to call them. See the Top 5 Most Repinned Items on Pinterest here.

A blog needs to be visually appealing. While layout and design are important, but it is the content or post that needs to be the focus.  What images are you using within your post. I hope every blogger is at least including a picture of the book cover. You can easily link to the book covers at Goodreads or any affiliate bookstore programs, if the author/publisher does not send you a jpeg. But there are so much more you can do to make your post visually stimulating to your readers which in turn will increase readership. Also you might find Pinterest is a new traffic referral to your site.

What images should you include? A popular choice of late is the infographic. You can find a multitude on the web to include (while most usage on a blog will fall under the fair use clause, please check the websites reprint policy and properly attribute - link back - any infographics you borrow). I used Visual.ly to find the infographic below which was created by Goodreads. Visual.ly also has a create function so you can create your own infographic.

Browse more Entertainment infographics.

Source

If you have a penchant for photography you can include your own photos, like I did with my post about You Are What You Wear by Jennifer Baumgartner.

I pinned the above picture to my Helpful Tips board at Pinterest and had one of my highest repins/likes for a pin (which translated into 35 hits to my blog within a few hours of pinning). Food, crafts, and home are some of the highest viewed, liked, and repinned items on Pinterest. If you can tie into a book, then use it as a marketing tool.

You can include photos of places or objects that are significant to the book you are reading. If, like me, you need some help gathering photos of items not locally found or not easily photographed by yourself, I use Photopin.com and Zemanta for getting images for my post. Both Photopin.com and Zemanta provide the correct attributes and licensing info for you to legally use the images on your site. Check out my posts (here and here) for Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman by J. B. Lynn to see how I used photos from PhotoPin.  I also ask authors to send photos if they wish to include in their guest posts.

A word of caution. Don't go overboard with graphics as they can be distracting as well as use up a lot of bandwidth. Free hosted blogs (Blogger, Wordpress.com) and some self-hosted servers have limits on the amount of bandwidth you can use. Also, blogs which are heavily loaded with high resolution photography can be slow in loading.

A graphic or two, when used wisely, can transform a word heavy good post into a highly visual great post.

Your Turn: Do you use pictures/graphics in your post? What kinds of graphics do you like to use/find most helpful in a post? Are they pictures/graphics you made or ones you find on the web?

Related articles

• Tips on Thursday: Pinterest (girl-who-reads.com)
• 4 Reasons You Should Consider Pinterest as Part of Your Marketing Toolbox (neolane.com)
• How to Create an Infographic in an Hour or Less [5 Free PPT Templates] (hubspot.com)

Entertaining: Temptation

Temptation by Douglas Kennedy
ARC, 320 pages
Published April 2012 by Atria Books
ISBN13: 9781451602104
Read February 2012
Get it: Goodreads, IndieBound, Powell's Books, Amazon

From the opening line, you know something bad is going to happen. The entire time you are reading, you are just waiting for the "other shoe to drop". You know it will and can even see it coming, but you won't realize how bad it is until the shoe drops. And oh my what a huge shoe it is.

Douglas Kennedy is a wonderful storyteller. This book breezed by for me and I'm not a fast reader. I was worried because the chapters were so long, but it flowed so well that I would become totally immersed in the story.  

While reading Temptation I could never put my finger on why I was so drawn to it. When I read the summary and saw the cover of a previous edition, I thought it was a modernized The Great Gatsby. It does have a sheen of glamor that glosses the surface of the scandal. I'm not a Hollywood gossip tabloid reader, so I wasn't overly drawn to the scandal. And before you start thinking typical Hollywood scandal, let me stop you right there. David is a script writer, so not the celebrity scandal you think. However, he does possibly commit the worst crime a writer can (and no it wasn't killing off your favorite character). It is the type of crime that gets one blackballed.

The combination of Kennedy's excellent storytelling and relateable characters drew me to the story. Notice I didn't say likeable. Some of the characters aren't really likeable. And this might be a point I struggled with. I wanted to like David. I always root for the underdog and immediately I was rooting for David. But he cheats on his wife, that doesn't tend to be the kind of people I like. But I definitely didn't like his wife, which in a usual situation I would be on the wife's side. So my character loyalties were all topsy turvy.

While reading Temptation, I participated in a chat about whether a book needs a purpose other than entertainment. If you think about it, out of all the forms of entertainment, books are almost always thought to provide more than entertainment. Before reading Temptation, I would have said books expand one's horizon, provides thought-provoking content, and a slew of other "purposes". Reading Temptation was purely entertainment. And perhaps it was this paradigm shift that left me unsettled at the end.

I thought that the story would be a moral lesson of sorts. Is it our bad choices that lead us to a given point in life? Or are there outside factors? Can we own up to our bad choices or will we always look for the scapegoat, the one to point a finger at as the cause of all the problems? These questions could have easily been addressed by the story and were touched on. The story definitely made me think of these questions.

When I read a book, I like to know at the end that the characters will be okay. I'm not sure if David learned anything or if it will just be business at usual. I had hope that he would be fine, but an interaction with a studio higher up had me wondering if it was false hope.

I could go on about why the ex-wife irked me, the stupid, idiotic things David did, or the creepy Phil that anyone with half a brain would know to stay away from. But that would take away from the good feeling of having read something purely for entertainment. While there was a bit of doom and gloom, there were light moments. If nothing else the ridiculousness of how everything spins out of control will have you laughing loudly (I scared my dog at one point because a line just hit me as funny. And not that it was particularly funny in itself, but it indicated how far things had spiraled out of control.)

If you are looking for something "fluffy" that isn't romance, but still just a fun read pick up a copy of Temptation.

Your turn now: What is the biggest crime a writer can commit? Does a book need a bigger purpose than just to be entertainment? Why or why not?

Related articles

• Temptation by Douglas Kennedy (girl-who-reads.com)
• The Moment by Douglas Kennedy (promo) (girl-who-reads.com)
• Douglas Kennedy: Guilty as Charged (a guest post) (girl-who-reads.com)

W!n Helen Keller in Love

When I posted I received Helen Keller in Love in my mailbox a few weeks ago several people expressed interested in it. Well, here is your chance to win a copy.

Helen Keller in Love by Rosie Sultan
Hardcover, 256 pages
Published April 2012 by Viking
ISBN13: 9780670023493
Find it: Goodreads, IndieBound, Powell's Books, Amazon 


Summary:

A captivating novel that explores the little-known romance of a beloved American iconHelen Keller has long been a towering figure in the pantheon of world heroines. Yet the enduring portrait of her in the popular imagination is The Miracle Worker, which ends when Helen is seven years old.

Rosie Sultan’s debut novel imagines a part of Keller’s life she rarely spoke of or wrote about: the man she once loved. When Helen is in her thirties and Annie Sullivan is diagnosed with tuberculosis, a young man steps in as a private secretary. Peter Fagan opens a new world to Helen, and their sensual interactions—signing and lip-reading with hands and fingers—quickly set in motion a liberating, passionate, and clandestine affair. It’s not long before Helen’s secret is discovered and met with stern disapproval from her family and Annie. As pressure mounts, the lovers plot to elope, and Helen is caught between the expectations of the people who love her and her most intimate desires.
 
Richly textured and deeply sympathetic, Sultan’s highly inventive telling of a story Keller herself would not tell is both a captivating romance and a rare glimpse into the mind and heart of an inspirational figure.


Praise:


“With empathy, imagination, and vivid sensory detail, Rosie Sultan’s HELEN KELLER IN LOVE gives voice—and scent and touch—to an iconic American heroine during a little known chapter in her life.”

—Jane Mendelsohn, author of I Was Amelia Earhart

“In this richly imagined and moving novel, Rosie Sultan brings alive the history of Helen Keller—the brilliant, miraculous creature who stole the heart and sympathy of the world—while also exploring how she must have felt as a woman: the loneliness, longing and great vulnerability. The result is a vivid, sensuous portrait full of sound and vision.”

—Jill McCorkle, author of Going Away Shoes

“HELEN KELLER IN LOVE is involving, passionate, and deeply felt. It tells this little-known, remarkable story with a loving heart, beautiful language, and great commitment to its heroine. Helen Keller was a woman with blood in her veins—this book makes you feel it.”

—Martha Southgate, author of The Taste of Salt


About the Author:

Rosie Sultan earned her MFA at Goddard College and won a PEN Discovery Award for fiction, on the nomination of historian Howard Zinn. A former fellow at The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, she has taught writing at Boston University, the University of Massachusetts, and Suffolk University in Boston. Her short story "Blue is Your Color, Dear" appeared in Other Voices. She lives with her husband and son in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Visit Rosie Sultan online 

Q&A with Rosie Sultan:

What triggered your interest in Helen Keller's life, particularly her private life?
I've always been fascinated by Helen Keller. I read my first book about her when I was in the third grade, and I've read almost everything about her since. A few years ago I read a new biography of Helen: toward the book;'s end a short chapter - maybe six pages long- said she had a love a affair at age thirty-seven with a twenty-nine year old journalist from Boston. I couldn't believe that Helen Keller had a secret love affair; I couldn't believe she had defied her family and tried to run away with him and I couldn't believe the chapter that told that story was six pages long! I put the book down and said, "There's story here. I'm going to tell it."


In conducting your research in Helen Keller, her family, and inner circle, did you come across any places or documents that were particularly noteworthy? Or, say...shocking?
Yes, absolutely. I found some articles in the New York Times that surprised me because in them Helen protested the United States entering World War One. In biographies I found that the public who attended her speeches against the war revered her courage. They mobbed her after her speeches and even took the flowers off her hat. Other surprises were that at the turn of the century Helen supported Margaret Sanger and the use of birth control and she gave her support to the NAACP. Her southern family was scandalized.


Helen is a very independent thinker, yet, based on her disabilities, she's very dependent on those around her. What was it like writing a character with such a complex dynamic?
What was it like to write about her? It was thrilling. I discovered that she's not the person we all thought we knew. I got to bring to life her many dimensions: Helen was a public figure, an author, a daughter, a sister, an activist. And I go to bring alive her secret desire for love.

Giveaway:


Viking is giving away a hardcover copy to 1 lucky reader of Girl Who Reads. It can only be sent to a US or Canada address. 

 

Tips on Thursday: User Engagement

Engagement (marketing) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How many followers do you have? What is your average daily page views? What are your unique visitor and returning visitor counts? These are just a few of the questions that bloggers either are asked by others or they ask themselves. I like numbers so I thought I was the only one obsessed about the numbers for my blog. But it turns out most bloggers are concerned about their numbers.

But the number of followers, unique visitors, and returning visitors is not really important. Page views are slightly important, but only in how it relates to the the most important factor for a book blogger - user engagement. We have recently seen how important word of mouth recommendations can be in the success of a book. There have been countless number of obscure authors catching fire because someone told someone else who then told someone else and so forth.

How well do you get your followers talking and buying what you are writing  about? There are several ways to measure user engagement. Comments are a good measure of user engagement. Are you able to generate discussion? Take a look at which posts on your blog have had the greatest response based on number of comments. If only your giveaways are getting comments (because it was a stipulation to enter), then you need to work on your regular posts.

I've been hit or miss on garnering post comments. People often do not know what to say in a comment. They feel lame just saying "Great blog!". Ask thought provoking open ended questions (something that requires more than a yes or no) in your posts. Then encourage the discussion by responding to comments. Since blogger changed it commenting to allow for replies, comments to blog post have increased. Controversial points of view can also generate great discussion. Did you hate a book everyone else loved?

I didn't mean to spend so much time on comments. Comments is not the only measure of user engagement. Closely related is discussion on Twitter and Facebook. Are you tweets being re-tweeted or replied to? Do your status updates on Facebook get likes, comments, and shares? Again a simple question can lead to a great conversation (Try asking your followers what they are reading).

Probably the measurement authors and publishers are most interested in is how well do you spur your followers to action. Sales obviously comes to mind. This conversion can be difficult to measure. I like that as an Amazon Affiliate I can see what links have been clicked and what is purchased through my links. But did you know that tracking how many people have added the book to their Goodreads shelves can also give an idea of user engagement? Next time you post about a book check to see how many people add it to their shelf in the following days. Most people who put a book on their shelf are highly likely to buy (or check out from the library) the book.

Have you heard of the 80/20 rule? It states that 20% of people do 80% of the work. I think this rule applies to blogging - 20% of your followers will be doing 80% of the interactions - and serves as a good base line. With this number in mind, how high is your user engagement? Do you have less than 20% interaction (comments, retweets/replies, adding books you recommend to their shelf, etc.)?

If you are below this baseline, I encourage you this week to try one thing to increase your user engagement. This might be adding a question or two to your posts or making personal recommendations to your friends on Goodreads (I'll have a post on using Goodreads in the coming weeks if you don't know how to make recommendations). Also increasing your interactions with your followers - leaving comments on other blogs, replying/retweeting your followers on Twitter, etc. - will have a positive impact on your user engagement.

For those who have high user engagement, do you have advice or any tips to share?

Related articles

• Tips on Thursday: Facebook (girl-who-reads.com)
• N = New Authors. How do you find them? #AtoZChallenge (bookbloggerscollaborative.com)
• Word of Mouth Power Reigns. Boost Yours with Facebook Strategies. (sjccopywritingsolutions.wordpress.com)
• 6 Sure Fire Tactics to Develop a Loyal Blog Following for your SME Blog (vendio.com)

Nancy Scrofano: Author Influence (guest post)

Today, I'm happy to welcome Nancy Scrofano to Girl Who Reads. If you missed my review of her new book True Love Way, click here. 

Author Influence: Why I Admire Hester Browne’s Novels

There are many wonderful writers, especially in the chick lit/women’s fiction genre. One particular author influenced me so much that her novels compelled me to write chick lit, too. That author is Hester Browne. She has written five novels, including the three books in The Little Lady Agency series, The Finishing Touches, and Swept Off Her Feet.

When I read her first book, I said to myself, “This is exactly what a romantic comedy should be.” She always gets it spot on, and I’m never disappointed when I read her novels. Hester Browne expertly crafts stories that anyone can relate to. I can see myself in all of her main characters in some way, which brings me even closer to the story. I feel like I know her characters, like they could be friends of mine. The relationships in her novels are believable and written incredibly well. Browne really distinguishes her characters, conveying them with fresh, witty, heartfelt dialogue. She writes with such exquisite detail to draw readers in, making them feel like part of the characters’ world. Browne expertly develops romantic relationships in all of her novels and always delivers charming, unique stories that inspire me. Whenever I close a book written by Hester Browne, I always want more. She knows exactly how to create a happy ending that is satisfying, yet still leaves the reader wondering about the characters. Her books leave lasting impressions, an extraordinary feat for an author.

When I write, I write for myself, but I also write to entertain people and somehow affect them with the story I create. If a reader continues to think about my novel and my characters and even re-reads my novel, like I do with Browne’s novels, then I would be overjoyed. I hope that readers will connect to my novel and enjoy it as much as I enjoy Hester Browne’s novels.

While I was writing and editing my debut novel, True Love Way, I re-read The Little Lady Agency three times and Swept Off Her Feet twice. They were like guides on how to write great chick lit. I have studied Browne’s books and her writing style because I think they are the best in the genre. For anyone who wants to write chick lit or even for authors who already write in the genre, read Hester Browne’s novels. For readers who want to read fantastic romantic comedies, read Hester Browne’s novels. I know I will continue to learn from them and be inspired by them. And I can’t wait to read what she writes next!

About the Author:

Nancy Scrofano is the author of True Love Way and writes book reviews for a prestigious book review magazine. Additionally, she is the founder and managing editor of The Chick Lit Bee, a book blog that promotes and celebrates women’s fiction. Nancy is at work on her next novel. For more information, please visit http://www.nancyscrofano.com.

Related articles

• Chick-Lit: Yes or No? (unputdownables.net)
• Amusing: True Love Way (girl-who-reads.com)
• Sunday Shorts: Sex, Life, & Hannah (girl-who-reads.com)

Amusing: True Love Way

True Love Way by Nancy Scrofano
ebook, ARC
Published April 2012 by Simon & Fig
ISBN: 9780985352004
Read April 2012
Get it: Goodreads, Powell's Books, Amazon

What a fun read True Love Way turned out to be. I enjoy chick lit but it is always a fine line for me between the good and not so good. From the start I liked the cover and really hoped it would be funny and not a downer (though chick lit is suppose to be fluffy, sometimes it leaves me a bit depressed). I'm happy to say True Love Way is amusing. And definitely a book I'd like to read again, soon.

I loved Marlo. Her love of old television shows really endeared her to me. I grew up watching reruns of Happy Days, Brady Bunch, Three's Company, etc. It was fun to see snippets and shared memories from beloved TV shows. Oh! I almost forget Marlo idolizes Lucy so much she dyed her hair red.

True Love Way is your predictable chick lit: The love triangle-ish story line was quickly identified by all but the main character. However, this was not a negative. Instead, there was something comforting about knowing how the story would play out. (There were enough unique nuggets hidden within to keep you interest). Like a the great sitcoms of old (kind of like The Cosby Show - when Rootie was still cute).

Macaroni and cheese in a white bowl. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Maybe I liked this book so much because I've been referencing movies and television shows so much with my book reviews. I kind of envied Marlo's vivid dreams. The best I came up with this weekend was making macaroni and cheese.

It was so comforting in fact that I'm putting it in my Get Well Kit. You know I'm single so when I'm sick I have to take care of myself (I'm sure moms have something similar for themselves). My Get Well Kit has all the essentials to make me feel better and keep me entertained while I lay on my death bed (Okay, I'm a bit melodramatic) and I keep it within easy reach so I only have to get out of bed once. My kit includes:

• The Basics (tissues, meds, etc.)
• Food & Drink (juice boxes so I don't have to worry about a pet knocking it over and Progresso Chicken Noodle Soup - I love the carrots)
• Movies (Harry Potter and Don Knotts' Shakiest Gun of the West)

I've never included a book before. However, while reading True Love Way I knew it would be something that would cheer me up, but not take a lot of energy. Summer vacation is coming up and you'll want an amusing read while laying by the pool or traveling the country. Make sure you have a copy of True Love Way in your comfort kit.

Please stop back by tomorrow when I have the author Nancy Scrofano here for a guest post.

You can enter to win a paperback (US/Canada) or an ebook (International):