I have always wondered what a great topic would be for engaging the public on social media, for an author. I had an “aha” moment when I was listening to a podcast recently. Tom Corson-Knowles, a successful indie author, had a suggestion.
He said novelists should post excerpts of their work that they’re not too happy with and ask readers for advice on fixing it. Characterization issues, scenes falling flat, that kind of thing.
Now, that’s the opposite of what I would naturally do.
People are happy to hop in and give advice, he says, and that’s actually how he learned to write. With John and Jane Q. Public as his editors. Now he’s making lots of money and lives in Hawaii.
He is not a fiction author, but he says he’s advised novelists to do this, and it’s been a good thing for some of them. The idea is to be transparent with people and ask them for help, and they may be happy to help you. And stick around. Become part of your mailing list, your tribe. Boost you to their friends, and so on.
Something to think about, huh?
Source: a podcast on The Author Hangout, http://bookmarketingtools.com/blog/replay-013-book-marketing-success/
For discussion on how to listen to a podcast, find our podcast resource page.
Pam Halter says
Interesting – kinds of like reverse psychology. 🙂
Phyllis Wheeler says
True!!