So You’ve Written a Novel . . . How to Build an Authentic Online Community for Self-Promotion

Tyndale House Publishers are Crazy4fiction!

Guest Shaina Turner, Tyndale House Publishers

Writing a novel is hard work. Once you find that gem of an idea, there is the tricky business of actually writing. You spend months and months of your life deep in conversation with your characters, and finally you turn the last page and you’re done . . . except that’s not actually the case.

If you are a novelist in this modern world, you know that the self-promotion and marketing of your book have become nearly as important (and time-intensive) as writing the novel itself. Phew. It is certainly not easy, but I have a few tips to help you think strategically when planning book promotion online.

Whether you are a seasoned pro or a debut novelist, the key to successful self-promotion is strategic moderation.

What does this mean?

Everyone loves good news, right? Even your periphery fans will be pleased to hear about your four-star trade review, BUT what about that other endorsement you received? And the nomination for the industry award? The old adage is true in this case: it’s possible to have too much of a good thing.

I always encourage our authors to create a marketing calendar for themselves. When you think of your launch as a three-month-long adventure (prerelease, release month, and post-release), you’ll feel less inclined to spam your social media audience with all the good news at once.

In addition to setting up a schedule, content is key for continued success. In many ways, we are all consumers. So ask yourself, what content do you like and share online? That adorable puppy video (something that made you smile and connect to the sharer on a personal level)? Those helpful tips for how to get your hero out of a sticky situation (something that added value)? We all, instinctively, share content that . . .

• connects with us on a personal level: This could be something humorous, an inspiring quote, or, as my example demonstrated above, a personal interest that you share with the one who posted. 

• adds value to our lives: If you browse Pinterest, for example, you will find pages and pages of beautiful lifestyle shots, but the most popular pins walk through instructions, unpack a complicated process step-by-step, etc. Think about what you are an “expert” on. This could pertain to writing, but it could also be your grandma’s famous baked beans recipe. Authors build communities—online and in person—by sharing a little bit of themselves in the process of their book launch. 

One of the easiest traps to fall into is what I have labeled “the author overshare.” Your fans are excited for you and will be happy to see your reviews, but never forget that they join you on this journey because they love your stories and want to connect with you. Keep your content varied. If you’d like to think of it systematically, divide your monthly content up into a few categories. A few of my favorites are . . .

• Author-centric content: While not always book/reading/writing related, these posts allow your readers to get a taste of your personality, as they’re all about you, the author. Readers love to feel like they know you as an author and as a person. Since you control the content, only post things you feel comfortable sharing. Example: “Today I was writing, and the funniest thing happened. . . .”  

• Writer-centric content: These posts can appeal to your readers as behind-the-scenes glimpses of how you create your novels. They could include posts about research, your writing process, how you go about crafting ideas, etc. Great reviews, endorsements, and nominations for awards would flow into this category as well. 

• Reader-centric content: For eons, writers have heard that in order to create great literature, one must first read great literature. Readers love engaging with authors on common interests, and the easiest way to start is by talking about something you already know they like: books! Dive in and discuss the one book that changed how you thought about life and shaped you as a writer.

Every author is different, and thus every community that forms around them and their novels will have a unique set of needs, but at the end of the day, we all want to feel a sense of belonging. The most successful self-promoters understand this and work hard to create a true place of community online. This will not only build brand loyalty and lifelong fans of your writing, but it’s personally more fulfilling as an author to engage online when you can have authentic dialogue with readers.

It is not easy work, but take the leap. You may not see results right away—it will be a slow growing process—but the best way to promote your stories will be by putting in that hard work and building an online community that cannot wait to shout your good news from the social media rooftops.

Thanks for having me on today!

SHAINA TURNER enjoys working at Tyndale House Publishers as their social media expert: the Social Media and Acquisitions Editor. She takes pride in helping authors best convey their heart and message across all online platforms in addition to managing Tyndale Fiction’s social media presence, Crazy4Fiction.

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Your Seekerville hostess, Pam Hillman, here. I was so excited when Shaina agreed to give Seekerville (and ME!) some tips on sharing all the great exposure on social media that comes our way during a release. Authors, please share your own tips on how you show and tell all without bombarding your fans during a book launch. Readers, I'd love for you to chime in and tell us what works for you. 

Commenters will be eligible to win any Tyndale House Publishers book, winner's choice. Print or digital in the US; Digital outside US. Here's the link to my most recent release, The Promise of Breeze Hill, but winner is free to browse and pick something else from the Tyndale website. You can't go wrong with a Tyndale book. :)