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Welcome to another edition of Top 10 Tuesdays, a semi-regular series introducing you to some of the finest bloggers around, my fellow winners of a 2011 Top 10 Blogs for Writers award.
This week, meet Larry Brooks from StoryFix.com. Larry blogs about getting real with your writing dream and the unvarnished truth about what it takes to get published.
From Book to Blog to Book Again
by Larry Brooks
People like to talk about where they came from. Their roots. As if it means something in context to the present.
Sometimes it does. Sometimes, not so much.
Blogger to blogger, I believe it does mean something in our world of writing and sharing online. Especially if, in addition to writing a blog, you are planning to write or are already writing a book.
Most bloggers encounter this notion somewhere between scoring their tenth and one thousandth subscriber.
If you are considering a book, good on ya. It’s a natural outgrowth of your evolution as both a blogger and a writer, and the field is more open than ever with the promulgation of self-publishing venues.
But, when you are about to pull that trigger, you need to know there’s a bold new criteria out there for publishing it. Something that wasn’t around ten years ago. It’s as essential for self-published authors as it is those who snag a contract from a traditional publisher, arguably even more so.
And the good news is, it’s something bloggers have a head start in accomplishing.
To sell a book these days you need an author’s platform.
An established base of readers and followers. A place to sew the seeds of your book and create a little buzz. A means of generating sales on Day One of your book’s shelf life.
Blogging is the best and, realistically, only way to get this done. Because nothing says “I’m here, read me!” quite like a provocative and consistently engaging blog.
I’ve recently been down this road, and I’d like to share a bit about the journey.
I came to blogging after having published four novels. Paperback originals, the kind that tend to disappear from the shelves after six months or so, relegated to the Used tab on an Amazon.com page. That didn’t exactly position me as the next Jonathan Franzen, but it did provide a foundation for my work as a writing teacher.
My blog site, Storyfix.com, leveraged both of those established identities. I was a published writer. I was an experienced writing teacher. Both of which substantiated my brand as one who blogs about how to tell effective stories via novels and screenplays.
And a brand is a wonderful thing. Because it can take you places you didn’t originally envision.
Frankly, I didn’t launch the blog as a strategy to get a book deal. But that’s what happened. And it’s important to note that the book deal wouldn’t have happened any other way.
The name of this game is credibility.
You need it to grow your blog, and you need it to snag a book deal or successfully launch a self-published book. Period.
There are a plethora of great blogs that aren’t based on branded credibility. These are sharing blogs, commiserating blogs, exploratory blogs. They draw readers who seek to share the journey and swap information.
These blogs don’t often score a book deal, and they aren’t really a viable author platform, at least in the sense that publishers prefer, because they aren’t positioned as expertise-based.
Exceptions abound – including Carrie’s blog to book journey on Sex in the City – but for the most part this defines your odds.
The notion of translating my blog content into a book was an evolution of the blog itself. It made so much sense on so many levels, not the least of which was that the content for the book was two-thirds already written in the form of posts.
That, coupled with my fleeting 15 minutes as a novelist, positioned me to approach a publisher with a book pitch.
Let’s be clear: without either element – the track record and then the blog that leveraged it – the book deal wouldn’t have happened.
From that initial pitch came an invitation to present a more formal proposal.
It was a massive and intimidating document, which called for sample chapters, career background, a table of contents and a vision for why readers would flock to it.
Try writing a table of contents for a book you haven’t written yet. At least with an established blog you have a shot at completing it before you resort to Xanax.
At the heart of it, though, was something I’d heard of but not expected: they wanted a detailed explanation of my author’s platform.
Had the blog not been in play, had it not already had several thousand subscribers, the book deal wouldn’t have happened for that reason alone.
No platform, no book. That’s the way it’s done today.
Bloggers With A Book Idea, Take Notice
If your forthcoming book is non-fiction, a thriving blog is non-negotiable.
It’s the first thing they’ll look for, and when they find it, the next thing they’ll look for is your established credibility to write both the blog and the book itself.
This isn’t journalism, where you research a topic and then write about it. Rather, it’s writing from a basis of proven expertise and experience. If that’s not the context of your blog, consider tailoring it in that direction.
Because that’s the Golden Ring of author credibility for publishers.
When credibility is in place, the thing that makes your blog soar – other than your writing chops and networking savvy – is the same thing that will make your book publishable.
If you’re writing fiction, the game shifts, but only slightly. Self-published novels absolutely and completely depend on an online author presence to find an audience beyond family and friends.
And while you can tweet and ‘friend’ your way to visibility, ala Amanda Hocking, there’s nothing like a blog to pave the way to book sales.
Is there a book lingering beneath the masthead of your blog?
Look again.
Because if you’ve proven that you’re there for a good reason, that same rationale just might translate to a publishable book.
Larry Brooks is the creator of Storyfix.com, one of the recently named “10 Best Blogs for Writers,” and the author of “Story Engineering: Mastering the Six Core Competencies of Successful Writing,” which comes out this week from Writers Digest Books.
One more thing: Some of you have asked for more information on my March 15 blogging 30 Design and Content Secrets webinar. If you’d like to use your blog as a platform—to help you sell your book, your products or your services—click on the banner below for a special offer that ends Monday, February 28.
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Larry, I agree that most book authors should have a website, and that a blog is usually best (self-hosted WordPress).
Having an active blog that gets a lot of traffic definitely gets the attention of publishers, and it can also allow them to actually find you in a search engine. I was actually offered a contract from a mainstream publisher to write an outdoors book last summer, and the offer came because the acquisitions editor did a Google search of hiking blogs in northern California. (I turned the offer down, in large part because of the 10% clause for all electronic editions.)
One note of caution, though. Too many writers spend too much time writing their blogs, commenting on other blogs, and tweeting. They don’t spend enough time actually writing, preparing book proposals, querying editors and the like.
John Soares recently posted..How to Succeed at Co-Authoring
John,
You bring up a hugely important issue (and it’s not one just for authors.) I am sure that Larry has some wise counsel on this because managing the social media monster is something we all struggle with. For authors, I would think it would have the potential for avoiding writing or, at the minimum, not staying on schedule with your daily output.
Thanks for sharing your experience here.
I’m with John on this one, Tweets and FBing can eat up your writing time. It’s really a matter of perspective and scale in terms of how much difference social media can make. If your book is from a traditional publisher, then it can make a small splash in comparison to what the publisher can do from their end. Not that they do all that much, but they do have the attention of the bookseller. So, if your goal is to sell, say, 25,000 copies through a traditional publisher, then you might add another 500 to 1000 to that amount, or less than 5%. But if you’re a self-published author and your goal is to sell, say, 2500 copies (if your goal is 25K copies you’re kidding yourself), then that same 500 to 1000 copies through social media — and let’s be clear, that’s social media HOME RUN — is a 20 to 40% marginal increase. It’s all in how you look at it, and frankly, how much you enjoy pimping your work online. Like I said, I’m with John… I’d rather write.
Larry recently posted..“Top Ten Tuesdays” — Please Welcome Ollin Morales
So glad to get your perspective here, Larry. Am I hearing you say that social media time is better spent on the front end to build the platform—to get publishers’ attention and prospective readers’/book buyers’ interest— before the author gets that book contract? And perhaps a little more important for writers who are going the self-publishing route?
So many variables here. Also, as far as a a blog goes, it seems as if it would make a difference whether the purpose is solely to promote the author’s work or to establish credibility in order to sell their coaching/mentoring services as well. Great discussion here.
Judy, I think you just nailed it. And for a reason we don’t like to admit about online communities, but it’s true: social media to promote a blog is a freebie for everyone who responds. Blogs are the best value — free — in the entire information universe. But social media to promote a book, well, that isn’t free, you’re asking them to “buy” something. It’s perceived as a form of spam by some, whereas an invite to discover your blog isn’t. So the numbers go way down. As you suggest, flog the blog as much as you can to build your readership, and the once you gain their trust and build a following , and have the numbers to show for it, your shot at a publishing deal goes up accordingly (dramaticall), and your author platform will translate into book sales.
As proof, I’m happy to report that as I write this, my new book (which doesn’t officially launch for two more days) is sitting in the #1 sales position on Amazon.com for fiction writing books. That’s 100% because of my blog and the trust — and branding — it created.
By the way, huge thanks to all who have ordered it already, you are much appreciated.
Larry
Larry recently posted..“Top Ten Tuesdays” — Please Welcome Ollin Morales
Great post! Loved hearing Larry’s “origins story.” I agree that a platform is absolutely vital in marketing books. It’s important to find a platform that’s sustainable – one based on a subject we’re passionate about. If we don’t enjoy what we’re doing when show up at desks day in and day out, we’re not likely to be able to stick with it for the long haul.
K.M. Weiland recently posted..5 Ways to Write Character Thoughts Worth More Than a Penny
Thanks for giving me another reason to blog about what I know, and to grow my readers. I appreciate your sharing your experience in how your blog audience was essential to position you as a viable author. Always grateful for insights into our changing world.
Barbara Breckenfeld recently posted..Why I want you to love planning
Barbara,
What I think is very interesting about Larry’s guest post is that what works in blogging for small biz owners also works for authors and aspiring authors. Can’t say enough about the trust-building that happens with blogging. Because you are giving freely, people are more open to what you might be selling—or promoting— down the road. Glad you could see applications for yourself. : )
I had heard of the requirement for an author website, and it’s one of the main reasons I joined social media only about 2 months ago. I thought putting myself out there was essential as I kept sending out stories and screenplays and hoping for publication. Now, far more important for me has been what I gain in the way of expert advice in blogs like yours.
J.J.Brown recently posted..Fifty Days at Fifty Years- the Spring of Social Media
J.J.,
Thank you! Nice to see that you have branded yourself by author name (jjbrownauthor.com). I have seen first-time authors name their blog after their upcoming (first) book and then what do you do when you reach book #2 (which hopefully you will). Good to see that you are doing it right the first time.
Thanks for stopping by and hope you visit us again.
Judy, I’m glad you told J.J. Brown that it is good if an author uses her own name as her domain name. I will do that when I begin my next blog (and I will seek to have a self-hosted Word Press site).
Larry, thank you for your encouragement that a blog can lead to a book. That is one of the reasons I began blogging. Exposure is another, and they go hand in hand, don’t they?
Barbara McDowell Whitt recently posted..Chorus Line -Thursday- February 23- 1961
Barbara,
I think when authors are getting ready to launch that first book, they are so excited and have been so immersed in the project, that they think a site with their book name would be cool. But branding the author and not the book is the way to go.
Thanks for weighing in here.
A wonderful post!Thank you Judy and Larry for sharing here on Cat’s Eye!
“And a brand is a wonderful thing. Because it can take you places you didn’t originally envision.” This caught my eye and as I read on I completely was enveloped in the confirmation of this statement.
As someone who has several books in her, and one in process, I now can even more clearly define my action plan for publishing. The idea that an idea is only as good as the seal of credibility is key insight to me now. What that translates too is…up-level my presence with the topic that is on my book list, not what moves me for the moment.
It’s the good old fashion SME rule of authority.
Thanks again!
Tammy Redmon recently posted..5 Ways to Avoid Valentine’s Day Blues
Tammy,
Larry is so wise, isn’t he? I love hearing advice from and experiences of successful authors. And I’ll be writing a guest post for Larry’s blog, storyfix.com, on building your author brand with a blog. I’ll send everyone a heads up when that’s published.
Thanks for reading—and for weighing in here.
Thanks Judy and Larry for a step by step. At first, we may look at our goals and think we may get there with some kind of a ‘magic pill’. Then, we have the effort part laid out before us and think that it’s just too hard. Alas, we can take heart in the idea, that, if Larry can do it with effort (and tweaking), and Judy can do it with effort (and tweaking), doggone it, I CAN DO IT, too. Thanks for sharing a window.
Rob,
Great to see you here! Our society is just filled with the notion of “magic pills,” isn’t it? I love Larry’s approach because he doesn’t sugar coat things. “You want to learn how to do this? It’s going to take some work. But it’s worth it.” Sort of the Dr. Phil of the literary world. : )
@Judy and gang… “sort of the Dr. Phil of the literary world…” holy cow, that’s SO cool. I love that, can I quote you? Make it my new tagline? Now I just have to work on my southern accent…
Really, thank you for your support, for having me on your great site. Hope we can work together again soon. And thanks to all the folks who have contributed to this conversation. Larry
Larry recently posted..“Top Ten Tuesdays” — Please Welcome Ollin Morales
Larry. Ha! Run with it.
You know, one of my blog coaching clients came up with her author tagline: “The Erma Bombeck of Grief.” Her blog is about losing her husband suddenly, coping as a single parent, etc. But every post is infused with humor, which is at the core of her being. I thought the tagline was very clever.
Larry, thanks for this excellent information and affirmation that time spent blogging is time well-spent. I’m in platform-building mode for my forthcoming nonfiction book. I’m using the tools that seem to make sense for me and my audience (introvert entrepreneurs), trying to make sure that I’m being strategic and not just splattering my message everywhere. Your point in the comments about building up trust is especially appreciated.
Regarding the platform, what would you say is the ideal balance of quality vs quantity? With social media, we can buy our way to thousands of “likes” on Facebook, or accumulate a gazillion Twitter followers; do agents/publishers consider the *quality* of those followers? And how much is enough, and does it depend on the type of book? I’ve been fairly aggressive with social media, and in several instances, have more followers than my esteemed published colleagues… and I don’t know that that’s going to make a difference. Any wisdom/perspective you have is appreciated (from you and/or Judy!).
Thanks for the thought-provoking post!
Beth
Beth Buelow, ACC, The Introvert Entrepreneur recently posted..The Flip Side of The Bellyflop
Beth,
I am sure that Larry knows a lot more about this than me, but from my reading of interviews with and blog posts written by agents and publishing house reps, quality trumps quantity. A Facebook page with thousands of “likes,” but no interaction, no dialogue, no discussions, what does that prove? And what does it show? I think that engaged fans make evangelists of sorts. They will talk you up, share your content i their networks, etc. And that is how you build your reader community.
Larry my have a different take on this, but that’s mine. : )
Thanks, Judy. I agree – my hope is that quality trumps quantity, and that the validity of a platform is based primarily on engagement, message and context (which is more subtle, but more important, IMHO!).
My perspective: When you’re pitching a book, it’s not so much the book that’s being published – it’s YOU, the author. They want to see that the author is willing and able to engage with people, to stir up conversation and emotion. All of that increases the chances that the book will SELL. A strong social media/blogging presence provides the evidence publishers seek. All the more reason why Larry’s contribution here is so appreciated.
Beth Buelow, ACC, The Introvert Entrepreneur recently posted..The Flip Side of The Bellyflop
“The name of the game is credibility.” Thank you, Larry, for keeping everyone’s eyes firmly fixed on this essential goal.
Years ago I read a great anecdote by an author lamenting how little effort writing appears to take from the outside. He was asked by a brain surgeon at a party what he did, and when he said, “I’m a writer,” she said, “How wonderful! I’m hoping to take six months off and write a book, myself.” And all he could think was, Yes, I’ll be taking six months off soon to learn brain surgery, too.
It would behoove us all to remember that you had four published novels before you even turned to blogging.
Credibility!
Victoria,
Thanks for weighing in here. Boy, all these successful writers and authors stopping in to comment. Wow! And your story in the second graph is priceless. That happens precisely because good writers make it look easy.
And, yes, Larry is a great role model. That he blogs after four successful books is rather amazing and is a good testimony to the power of blogs. : )
Thanks for sharing your experience Larry. That was very inspiring!
My blog started as a platform for my book… and it actually grew into something more. But I’ll be talking about how a blog can be more than just platform next week at Victoria’s Blog.
But this is advice EVERY novelist should read. Thank you.
Ollin Morales recently posted..How to Break Into Magazine Article Writing
Ollin,
Can’t wait to read your guest post on Victoria’s blog. You have piqued my interest. You are on fire, my friend! Thanks for stopping by. : )