by DiAnn Mills @diannmills

Whenever I speak about the value of social media, writers groan, frown, and complain. Too many writers are not willing to get past the learning curve needed to develop their brand.

My response is always that a writer’s life requires flexibility to learn craft, marketing, publishing, and branding. If a new technique in the writing world emerged, we’d find a way to master it. Just like we would do so to learn a new writing technique, an open mind and a great attitude will help us acquire the skills needed to develop our online presence.

The basic question is “Why are we writing?”

Most of us want to reach others through our books. We have a message in fiction or nonfiction that we are passionate about and want to share. Just ask a writer about her latest project and be prepared to listen. The writer’s eyes will dance, and her excitement is contagious.

Once we’ve established why we are writing, we have to consider how we are going to find our readers.

How do we find readers?

First, we look to our immediate audience: family, friends, and extensions of those.

Book signings.

Community organizations and clubs.

Speaking events.

Print advertising.

Radio and TV.

An online presence.

Let’s unpack an online presence and what it means.

Every person in the world who is connected to a WiFi network has access to us and what we write. In 2015, over 3 billion people were using the Internet.

Can we reach that many people through ads, book signings, speaking events, even radio and TV? I don’t think so. But through social media, we can form relationships with people we may never meet face to face. This is a remarkable advantage of technology.

Now we see why social media is important, even critical to the writer’s life. But there are so many platforms.

So, how does a writer choose a social media platform?

This is determined by the writer’s genre and the readers’ interests, age, and culture. A professional writer delves into her readership to discover where they are hanging out and joins in.

For instance, YA authors may want to turn to Instagram or Snapchat because that’s where the teens are hanging out.

Which ones do I need?

Basically, a writer needs a website, a presence on Facebook, Twitter, and a blog. Other platforms are important if your readers are there. A blog doesn’t have to be the writer’s; posting regularly on a blog that receives a lot of hits works well.

I still don’t get it. How does a platform sell books? 

We’ve talked about why, the target audience, and the various platforms, but how does all that work sell books?

This is accomplished through posting content that is relevant to our readers’ interests. Writers don’t post, “Buy my book.” They provide useful information in their posts. Social media isn’t about the writer. It’s about the reader. Each one of us has unique skills and gifts that are purposed to help others. Therein lies our content.

When a writer learns what attracts her readers, she can weave other content or posts from other sites that contain those things which are important. The key is to know our readers and sincerely make a decision to provide valuable content. The reader is sent the subtle message, “This person cares about me.”

Does social media sell books? Is your platform reader-ready? Register now for Mountainside Marketing Conference scheduled for January 18-22, 2019.

What’s your favorite platform to post from? Now, what’s your reader’s favorite platform? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She is a storyteller. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, Suspense Sister, and International Thriller Writers. She is co-director of The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference and The Mountainside Marketing Conference with social media specialist Edie Melson. She teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed at www.diannmills.com.