Category Archives: Business

We all want fans, you know, those people who love our books enough to buy them not only for themselves but for others too. Plus, they spread the word and soon, your book, your writing are known to the world. But fandom doesn’t happen overnight. How do you go from the cold calls of signing books in a book store or ebook promotions, convincing people to not only buy your book but to become ardent fans?

Part of that answer lies in understanding what each stage of fandom means and requires. Yup, I said the word stages! Just like writing a novel is a progression of stages (idea, concept, premise, outlining/plotting, revision, beta readers and more revision), so it is to create a fan base. The other part of obtaining readers and converting them into fandom, is to understand that this is abusiness and as a business, you have to have goals. Is it to get an email list and 50 fans this year? Is it to have 1,000 fans spending $30 a year on your books and products (hey, that’s $30,00 a year, doing something you love!)?

Any good business plan understands its market and has a systematic approach to reaching that market. So understanding market segments makes that job much easier. Read to teh end where aI reveal the one category of fan most writers tend to forget about.

For transparency, I must tell you that I didn’t come up with these amrket segments/stages of audience myself. I got them from Monica Leonelle who has a brilliant course for writing and marketing. You can find her and more information at http://monicaleonelle.com/. Her books Prosperous Creation and Get Your Book Selling: Jumpstart Your Sales With a Simple Plan that Just Works are great reads to understand marketing and sales.

There are 10 segments or stages of audience. When I first read this, it felt daunting, but now, it’s a thing to know because when you’re aware of the stages, you’ll know how to approach and therefore meet, the needs of the customer.

Stages 1 – 5: GETTING READERS TO PURCHASE YOUR STORY

As fiction writers, our goal is to find readers for our book or series. Once you get through these first steps, the conversion from buyer to fan is much easier. There may be a lot of speaking one-to-one at book signings, conventions, sales tables, at parties, and other venues. It may mean readings at the public library, talking to friends about leaving reviews on Good Reads, Amazon and other ebook sales and review sites. It’s a lot of work, but if you are aware of the stages, of what you must do, then each reader you win over becomes a big victory indeed.

A couple of notes: in these first stages, consider having an email list so you can send out notices or newsletters about offers, promotions, new book releases and book signings. Asking people to sign up is a great way to make their committing to you and your work easier.

Stage 1 – Target Audience: Reads books like yours but hasn’t heard of you.
This is the pool from which you must entice people to buy your novel. Know the sub genres, read the reviews and back cover blurbs of the best selling novels. Note the style of cover art. Become known in fan circles by contributing (not spamming or pushing your product) to discussions. Create buzz by doing things like having your social media circles choose a cover for your upcoming book.

Stage 2 – Lead: Has heard of you but is not actively considering your books
This person knows that you write books similar to what they read, but not much more. So, what can you do to provide that nudge to the next stage? What psychological triggers or marketing materials can you add? Part of these answers many come from understanding your target market. You’ve introduced your work to them, now you need them to consider your books. Options to entice may include a free sample, or a discount on the first book of the series.

Stage 3 – Prospective Reader: Actively considering your books but is looking for more information
This prospect needs more information which can be given in the form of a synopsis, background information on your website, a sample read (Amazon’s ‘Look Inside” provides this service), or a freebie link.

Stage 4 – Trial Reader: Downloads a sample of your book or freebie
This is great! Now, is the time the prospective buyer decides of you’re the writer for him or her. There’s not a lot you can do because you’ve made sure you’ve put out your very best product! However, if you’ve giving a sample read, make sure it ends on a cliff hanger.

Stage 5 – Prospective Customer: Is at buying decision, usually on the product page
They’re on your website, the cursor ready to hit BUY. What can you do? Feed on their primary needs as a buyer – is it the best thriller ever, a romance that will captivate their hearts, the hottest trend on… you get it. Appeal to the emotions, the reason why they should buy your book.

STAGES 6-10 BUILDING YOUR COMMUNITY

Once people are readers, it is much easier to give existing customers more and to keep them excited about buying your stories and products. These stages are about supporting the fans who support you. This can take many forms such as new novels (series or stand alone), give always, autograph sessions, information either about yourself or the novel on your website, an exciting newsletter/social media presence which lets fans know what your up to or talking about something which excites them like your favorite chocolate of the week.

The more you give to this group, the more publicity, recommendations, buys, and reviews you’ll receive. These are the fans who will bring in new buyers and create new fans from their enthusiasm. But the bottom line still is that if you produced a great book, these stages become self-perpetuating and sometimes you don’t have to do as much – but you will always have to give something back to your fans.

Stage 6 – Buyer: Bought the book
The book’s been bought, how do you ensure the book gets read? Perhaps its with emails, asking for a review on your website, announcing that the next book is coming, announcing a fan question and answer day, an upcoming webinar, anything which will elicit a response. Other ideas include asking readers about a story idea for the next book – anything which engages reader participation in which they have to be knowledgeable about the book. Oddly enough, this also works for manuscripts in the final stages of revision wherein feedback from experts creates a buzz – does The Martian ring any bells?

Stage 7 – Reader: Read the book and enjoyed it
Convert these readers into fans by doing things like giving a freebie sample of the next book, maybe even giving then an ARC copy to review. Let them know when book launches and signings are happening, or which conferences you’ll be attending. Be a speaker or panelist at conferences thus giving you the reader a chance to find you.

Stage 8 – Fan: Joined your email list and maybe bought another book
Keep this fan engaged and informed. See previous suggestions from Stages 6 and 7. Hook them with tidbits from upcoming books. Give them a release date, maybe the blurb. Create some buzz and get them to create more buzz. They’ll be as excited as you are!

Stage 9 – True Fan: Left a review, joined your email list and purchased more from you
They love you! Love your fans back. Thank them for allowing you to do what you love!

Stage 10 – Evangelist: Shared your book with friends and is willing to promote
They really, really love you!

For True Fans and Evangelists, consider what promotions, what events you can hold to thank them and to make them feel special. For example, some authors hold contests and the winning fan’s name becomes a character’s name. But really, all the things we’ve talked about to this point still apply to these stages.

DON’T NEGLECT THIS FORGOTTEN CATEGORIES OF FANDOM

I’ve talked a lot in this blog about the category of fan we call a reader. But there is one other category we tend to forget about because we lump all readers together. This fan base can prove to be very lucrative, even sustain careers and that fan is the writer.

Rarely do writers consider the needs of their fellow writer fans but those who do, are very successful, in part, because of it. Who do we as writers go to listen to and learn from at conferences? Other writers? Whose webinars do we pay for? Other writers. Whose fiction books and books on writing do we read? Other writers. See what I mean? Who do beginner writers take workshops from? Other writers? Who do teachers ask to come talk about writing and to teach their children about the process/craft? Writers. Make sure your marketing plan includes other writers.

Segmenting your target market and understanding their need at every stage of the buying process will go a long way for you as you work to reach your business goals and hopefully (fingers crossed) allow you to quit your day job!

Friends and Family as Your Street Team

May 2, 2018

Kristin Luna

As a new writer, it’s absolutely vital to have people in your corner. People who believe in you and your writing and want the best for you. Sometimes, these people are coworkers and friends, though they may just be your family members for now.

No matter who they are, they are your core group. These are the people who are going to help push you when you feel like giving up, and who will read your work and recommend it to others.

But this group doesn’t assemble by accident. You must assemble them. But how?

Talk to your close friends and family about your dreams. If you haven’t sat these special people down yet, now is the time. Tell them that writing is your ultimate goal, and tell them more about what you like to write. Tell them your plans. Tell them what you’d be open to doing in the future – writing for companies, screenplays, blog writing, etc. Tell them your ultimate goals for your career.
Ask them to help keep you motivated. This might mean different things for different people. One person may want their support network to hound them, constantly ask them if they’ve been writing and how much they’ve accomplished. Others may just want a casual check-in here and there without the pressure. Figure out what is best for you, and then ask your close friends and family if they would be willing to be that for you in your quest to be a writer.
Ask them if they’ll commit to reading your work. That means when you have something polished and ready to self-publish or send off to an agent or publication, that they’ll read it. You want your core group to be intimately acquainted with your writing and style. This step will also refine your core group – you might find that someone in your group doesn’t like the genre you’re writing, or doesn’t like your writing (GASP!). Don’t be alarmed – you can’t please all the people all the time. Give them a break and let them go. You want the people who really love your work in your core group.
Ask your core group to spread the word when you have something published. After your team has read your work and once it is published, ask your team to tell others about it. This might mean blasting out a link to your book on social media, putting up flyers at their work or local coffee shops, or simply telling a few people they think would enjoy your story.
Let your core group know that you appreciate them. Take care of this group of close friends and family. They’re putting in quite a lot of effort to help you build your dream. Not only give them sneak peeks of your work early, but also buy them ice cream. Take them out for dinner. Thank them over and over and over.
Repeat. Continue writing and spreading the word through your street team, even if that team remains just close friends and family.

The truth is, many of us do not have the luxury of an immediate audience who loves our work. Basically, none of us do. However, you do have loved ones who care about you and who care about your work, and those people are not to be underestimated. They are the ones who care about you the most, and can help you start your street team and watch it grow with you into a healthy, large audience of fans.

We Don’t Write in a Vacuum

May 1, 2018

Frank Morin

Business Frank Morin Interacting With Fans Interacting With Professionals No Comments

Some writers write as a hobby, and don’t really expect anyone else to read their stories. Some people put pen to paper to record their memoirs, or to produce a work for close family and friends. Some literary writers seek to push the boundaries of the written word, without the weight of commercial sales holding them back.

We are not those writers.

Professional writers write with the goal of producing stories that people want to read. Hopefully lots of people. We develop craft and work with relentless determination to give our readers stories that entertain, instruct, and explore weighty matters of human existence.

To succeed as a professional writer, we need to sell enough books to support our work. So we need to develop, expand, and preserve our fan base.

How do we do that?

For new authors, it means starting at the beginning. That might include starting our own blogs, creating a newsletter, and deciding what content people want to see.

As our fan bases grow along with our story counts, what channels do we utilize to deliver those products? What marketing efforts work, and which ones flop?

This month, the Fictorians will explore these and other aspects of building our fan bases. I know I’m looking forward to a lot of great content.

Embracing the Pain – Receiving Editors’ Feedback

April 25, 2018

Frank Morin

Editing Editors Frank Morin Rewriting Self-Awareness The Writing Life No Comments

Receiving edits back from an editor is like opening a Christmas present on the set of a horror film: exciting and terrifying at the same time.

Don’t get me wrong. I love editing. The process of revising and editing and polishing a story transforms it into its final, awesome form. It’s like taking a house that’s got external construction mostly complete, and internal walls roughed in and completing the construction, painting, and furnishing every room to make it a livable home.

Even so, that first scan of an editor’s comments can be painful.

As much as I know the draft I submitted is far from perfect, there’s a part of me that still clings to the hope that the editor will simply say, “Wow. I’ve never read anything quite that amazing. I can’t imagine how to make that better.”

Never going to happen. Instead, a good editor will shine a spotlight on every flaw, point to every weakness, and ask for clarification of every inconsistency. They’ll highlight every issue part of me was secretly hoping they’d never notice.

Feedback is something we authors desperately need and usually crave. When we’re new, we’re usually terrified by it, sometimes take it personally, treat is as an assault, or embrace the righteous anger of a parent protecting their precious child. All the wrong answers.

I still feel flashes of that sometimes when I’m first reviewing edits, and I’ve learned to laugh at myself. My pride is meaningless, my vanity useless. The story is what matters, and a good editor helps identify weaknesses and make suggestions to help that story fulfill its potential.

They do point out the things that do work, and that’s also extremely helpful, but the work and the growth comes from the constructive criticism.

So I always complete an initial quick scan of the feedback, then take a break, breathe deep, consider what I read, and sometimes take a walk as I mentally update my assessment of what I had thought I had written to the reality of what I had actually produced.

Only then can I get to work.

That’s when the fun begins. When I embrace the feedback, accept responsibility for the flaws, and embrace the work required to fix and improve the story, it’s always amazing how fast new insights and ideas flow. Sometimes that’s the point when I finally understand what story I’m really trying to tell. That’s when I can make it amazing.

Some authors are smarter than me, and perhaps their experience with editor feedback is more like a gentle, encouraging massage. For most of us, it’s a bruising beating that helps us grow stronger.

Without fail, when I keep an open mind and honestly review suggestions and critiques, not only do I see ways to better tell the story, but I gain insights into my own weaknesses as a writer. With every story, I grow. I discover blinders that I had on that prevented me from seeing weaknesses, I gain insights into higher forms of craft, and strengthen my skills.

So next time my manuscript will finally be perfect on the first try!

Or not. And I’ll fix it.

About the Author: Frank Morin

Frank Morin loves good stories in every form. When not writing or trying to keep up with his active family, he’s often found hiking, camping, Scuba diving, or enjoying other outdoor activities. For updates on upcoming releases of his popular Petralist YA fantasy novels, or his fast-paced Facetakers Contemporary Fantasy/Historical thrillers, check his website: www.frankmorin.org