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Okay, so the title’s a tad silly. But…have you been waiting to read me? Wondering about my closing line at the last Reader Time post? Have I lost you as a reader?
(side step…would be nice if you were missing me on this 😉
Let’s face it, finding readers is simple compared to keeping them. You can tweet, facebook, pinterest, google +, email everyone you’ve ever met till the cows fly home, bingo there’s your readers. Potential readers, sure.
Say if even twenty of them read your story, how do you keep them for the next book.
You are writing the next book? It’s finished and submitted, right?
No?
Why not?
If anyone needs to be a multi-tasker it’s a writer. You need to work to keep our attention. You need to pamper us, coddle us, give us some treats and attention. We’re a fickle bunch. We don’t like waiting around.
Yes, I over exaggerate. We’re not that fickle.
However, there is truth to the saying, strike while the iron is hot. Keep writing. Let us know there’s more. Share with us the process. Don’t forget about us. Don’t take us for granted.
I’ll go out on another limb and say you probably don’t like waiting for the next book in a favourite series. Or worse…waiting and questioning if there is a next book, say to complete the cliffhanger from the book you’ve just finished reading.
It really is simple. Think of your author career along the same lines you view yourself as a reader. What draws you to an author and their book(s)? What keeps you coming back to them? What drives you mad about them?
Everything that pulls and pushes you with your favourite authors is the same as what will pull and push your readers. Put on your reader hat when promoting your writer-self. Ask yourself if what you’re doing would get your reader-self’s attention. Yes…great. No…why?
I only have my experience to go by, but it appears we writers do two things when promoting:
1…think too much
2…think too un-creatively
We’re creative people but when it comes to selling ourselves we’re dull and boring. We bang our heads thinking of complex plans on how to grab attention.
I’m your reader.
I’m excited when you’re excited.
Write a fun read and I’ll be back. Scare me with your story and I’ll be back. Give me interesting characters and I’ll be back. Capture my attention by being yourself and I’ll follow you.
Readers are authors’ friends. Treat us with fairness and honesty and we’ll not only support you, we’ll talk about you to everyone we know.
Warning…break that trust, show us a second face, and like any friend we’ll walk away, but we’ll still be talking. You just might not want to hear it.
Complex simplicity at its best.