(Writing Small Stories With a Big Impact.)

As my work began to reach viewers in other countries, I was surprised to receive messages from people who didn’t speak Portuguese yet somehow connected with the essence of what I was showing. That was when I realized: Good storytelling doesn’t belong to one nation. It belongs to everyone who feels something when they encounter truth.

Today, with digital media erasing borders faster than we can define them, every writer and journalist faces the same question: Will my story speak beyond where it was born?

Over two decades as a journalist, TV hosts and book promoters have taught me that four universal themes carry across every culture and every language: identity and belonging, change and transition, hidden voices, and cross-cultural communication.

Identity and Belonging: The Pulse of Every Story

No matter where we live, the longing to belong is what makes us human. In Rio’s favelas, I’ve interviewed young artists who used music and graffiti to claim visibility in a city that often forgets them. Their lyrics and colors said what words could not: We are here. We matter. That desire to be seen, to be counted, to have one’s story recognized resonates in every corner of the world.

When we write, it’s tempting to over-generalize in the hope of reaching everyone. But paradoxically, the more specific we are, the more universal we become. A grandmother’s accent, a childhood street, a recipe handed down for generations. Those are the details that make readers thousands of miles away feel the pulse of their own childhoods.

Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club is a masterclass in this. Its Chinese American mothers and daughters are so distinct, so rooted in their own textures like the smell of sesame oil, the mahjong tiles clicking, yet the longing for understanding between parent and child feels as close as our own living rooms.

When I write or broadcast, I remind myself: Specificity is a form of empathy. It’s how we tell our readers, “I trust you to enter my world.”

Change and Transition: The Engine of Every True Story

Every report I’ve ever filed begins with something in motion such as a system, a community, a person, or even a belief. Change is the constant heartbeat of storytelling, because everyone knows what it feels like to watch the ground shift beneath them.

Early in my career, I covered a small fishing town facing environmental collapse. The tides had changed, the fish were disappearing, and with them, a centuries-old way of life. On the surface it was an environmental story, but what stayed with me were the faces: an elderly fisherman teaching his grandson to mend nets they might never use again. That image—the transmission of knowledge in a vanishing world—was universal.

Change has many faces: social, economic, personal, even spiritual. When we frame it through human stakes, readers anywhere can relate.

Gabriel García Márquez did this in One Hundred Years of Solitude, chronicling the rise and fall of Macondo. Though the novel is deeply Colombian, the emotional truth of progress followed by nostalgia, abundance followed by loss, belongs to all of us. As nonfiction writers, our responsibility is to translate statistics into stories of transition. We interpret the rhythm of human adaptation while we inform.

Hidden Voices and Amplification—Why We Write at All

The greatest privilege of journalism is to hand the microphone to someone who’s never been asked for their story. Over the years, I’ve spoken with domestic workers, street vendors, and survivors of tragedy. Their courage taught me that dignity is something we reveal by listening well. In an era of social media noise, amplification can easily become exploitation. The key is listening without agenda, allowing people to narrate their experiences in their own cadence, with pauses, contradictions, and quiet strength intact.

When Katherine Boo wrote Behind the Beautiful Forevers, she didn’t merely “cover” Mumbai’s Annawadi slum, known for its extreme poverty against a backdrop of luxury hotels and the airport. Boo spent years with the people there, letting their words shape the story. That patience created something rare in the form of a book that reads like a novel but stands as meticulous journalism. Readers around the world embraced it because it was about persistence, a value shared across every culture.

In my own work, I think of amplification as a bridge. The goal is to make voices heard across divides.

Cross-Cultural Communication and Shared Humanity

I’ve reported in rooms where three languages are spoken at once, and yet emotion still travels faster than translation. Writing for a global audience is about translating your emotion into universally legible language. When I write a television script, I often pause to imagine how a viewer in another country would see it. Would they understand the tone? The stakes? The humor? If not, I add a line of context as an invitation.

Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens exemplifies this generosity. His language is scholarly yet clear; his metaphors simple but elegant. He trusts his global readers to think with him, not just read him. Data from BookBub’s global audience research shows that international readers gravitate toward stories that “balance specificity with accessibility.” That’s our challenge as nonfiction writers: to honor detail while ensuring that the emotion remains visible through translation.

Craft Lessons That Carry Across Every Border

• Lead with humanity. Facts inform the mind, but emotion transforms it.
• Context is compassion. A few sentences of background can turn confusion into understanding.
• Check for translation. Read your work aloud and imagine someone from another culture hearing it for the first time.
• Bridge voices. Bring together perspectives from different genders, classes, and regions. The more inclusive the narrative, the more truthful it feels.
• Verify, then universalize. Truth is the foundation; empathy is the architecture.

Will Your Story Travel?

A global-readership checklist:

1. Is it human first, local second? Emotion crosses borders faster than exposition.

2. Have you given enough context for an outsider? If a reader might not know a reference, add one orienting sentence. Context is compassion.

3. Are your details sensory, not symbolic? Universality lives in the senses.

4. Could it survive translation? Simplify without dulling the music.

5. Does it show change? Every universal story involves motion—something or someone evolving.

6. Do you feature more than one voice? Multiple perspectives broaden empathy.

7. Would someone in another time or country recognize the truth here? If it feels true beyond its coordinates, it’s ready to travel.

After decades of covering politics, art, and everyday resilience, I’ve realized that the global reader isn’t a stranger. They’re simply another human being looking for meaning in someone else’s story.

Whether I’m writing another book chapter, interviewing a lawmaker about governance or a young woman rebuilding her life after tragedy, I’ve learned that our differences only matter because they reveal what we share: fear, faith, hope, resilience.

Good storytelling is an act of translation between worlds. When we write beyond borders, we import empathy. And that, to me, is the highest purpose of storytelling: to make truth feel human everywhere.

The post Writing Beyond Borders: How I Learned to Reach a Global Audience With Storytelling appeared first on Writer's Digest.

(5 Different Types of Podcasts for Writers to Try.)

It develops naturally over time as listeners hear candid stories, recognize familiar habits, and spend hours immersed in the host’s voice and worldview. A parasocial bond can feel like genuine friendship. Listeners might think of their favorite podcaster during their daily routines, turn to episodes for comfort during hard times, or celebrate milestones alongside them. Podcasters are building thriving communities and sustainable businesses by cultivating strong parasocial ties. Their audiences do more than just listen. They buy merch, interact online, attend the live shows, and share the podcast with others. Fostering that kind of emotional connection isn’t magic, it’s strategy.

How do you build that kind of bond with your listeners? I think it comes down to a blend of trust, excitement, and connection—three emotional pillars that keep people coming back and telling their friends about you.

Building Trust

Trust is the foundation of any strong relationship, parasocial or otherwise. For podcasters, it’s not just about being honest (although that helps). It’s about showing up consistently, delivering on promises, and letting listeners feel like they know the real you. These are a few key ways to build that foundation of trust.

Authentic Voice & Personality

Listeners can spot a phony a mile away. The best podcasters develop a hosting style that feels natural and unmistakably them. That means leaning into your quirks, your humor, your rhythms, and not trying to sound like someone else. Personal anecdotes, casual asides, and moments of genuine reaction all help build rapport. Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert shines here; his laid-back, self-deprecating style is a huge part of why listeners feel so comfortable with him.

Vulnerable Storytelling

Sharing personal highs and lows can be scary, but it’s one of the fastest ways to build real credibility with your audience. When hosts are willing to open up about creative struggles, life lessons, or funny mishaps listeners feel like they’re being invited behind the curtain. You also have the opportunity to help listeners feel less alone when they hear someone else discuss difficulties they too may face.

Well-Researched Content & Expert Guests

When you promise valuable information or interviews, delivering the goods is essential for maintaining trust. That means doing your homework, preparing thoughtful questions, and choosing guests who bring true expertise. Maintenance Phase and If Books Could Kill, for example, are known for their rigorous fact-checking and expert sourcing, giving listeners confidence that they’re getting solid, well-researched information every time they hit play.

Consistent Publishing Schedule

Few things erode trust faster than an unpredictable posting schedule. If listeners come to expect a new episode every Tuesday morning, stick to it. Even better? Tease what’s coming next to build anticipation. Podcasts become part of listeners’ weekly routines, and create a dependable rhythm that feels almost like a standing date with friends.

High-Quality Audio Production

Good audio isn’t just about sounding professional, it’s about respecting your listeners’ time and attention. Clean editing, consistent levels, and subtle use of room tone or music beds help create an experience that feels seamless and trustworthy. Think of it like good writing: When the mechanics are strong, the reader (or listener) can focus fully on the story. Many indie shows, like You’re Wrong About, strike this balance beautifully with crisp production that never feels overproduced.

Sparking Excitement

Trust might bring listeners back, but excitement is what keeps them counting down the days to your next episode. To build lasting loyalty, you want to create a sense of momentum. Here’s how to keep the energy high.

Compelling Storytelling Structure

Great storytelling is probably the most important thing when it comes to audience excitement. That means hooking listeners with a strong opening, building narrative arcs that make them care about what happens next, and delivering satisfying resolutions. This can be done effectively in every genre of podcast, not just fiction.

Effective Pacing & Episode Length

It’s very important to know when to linger and when to move things along. Balancing deep dives with concise segments helps maintain a dynamic, engaging flow. Short-form bonus episodes, minisodes, or “extras” can be sprinkled between longer feature episodes to keep things fresh.

Creative Segments & Formats

Shaking up your format can inject excitement into your show without alienating your audience. Recurring features—like a “Tip of the Week” or a quarterly Q&A—become something listeners look forward to. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Narrative storytelling, interviews, roundtables, and solo monologues each bring a different energy. Reply All famously alternated between investigative pieces and playful “Super Tech Support” episodes, keeping listeners engaged in a variety of ways.

Consistent Publishing Schedule (Again!)

Yes, consistency builds trust, but it also builds excitement. Knowing that new episodes reliably drop every Wednesday morning, for example, gives listeners something to anticipate.

Narrative Cliffhangers & Teasers

Few things fuel word-of-mouth buzz like a good cliffhanger. Ending an episode with a dangling thread or hinting at a big reveal next week gives listeners a reason to keep thinking about your podcast and to bring it up in conversations. Podcast titan Serial ended most episodes with an open question or cliffhanger and people could not stop talking about it.

Strengthening Connection

Connection is where a podcast stops being just another show and starts feeling like a companion. When listeners feel seen, heard, and part of something bigger, they’re far more likely to stick around and bring friends along, too. Here’s how to make your audience feel connected.

Direct Address & Inclusive Language

Speaking directly to your listeners (“you”) and using inclusive phrases like “we” or “our community” instantly makes the experience more personal. It shifts the tone from performance to conversation.

Listener Spotlights & Interactive Rituals

Highlighting listener stories, voice memos, or comments is a simple but powerful way to show that you’re paying attention. Listeners are much more likely to share episodes with friends that feature their own email or comments. You can also create fun rituals, like a signature greeting, a recurring inside joke, or a quirky sign-off that listeners can anticipate and participate in.

Exclusive Insider Access

Offering Patreon-only episodes, behind-the-scenes updates, or private chats invite your most loyal listeners even closer. These small gestures create a feeling of belonging, and turn casual listeners into superfans.

Community Building Beyond the Podcast

Building connection doesn’t stop at the mic. Promoting episodes through social media and collaborations with other podcasters or writers extends the conversation, and gives listeners more ways to stay involved with the podcast and each other.

Once trust, connection and excitement are present for a sustained period of time, listeners will begin to feel a sense of comfort from your podcast. They know what to expect, they understand who you are and they know how your podcast makes them feel. In hard times, we all want to reach for a sure-thing, and often that can be a favorite podcast.

The post Captivating Your Podcast Audience: The Parasocial Connection appeared first on Writer's Digest.

This piece will provide you with a sampler of strategies for growing the readership of your author newsletter.

Easy strategies every newsletter writer should use

Add a link basically everywhere you are online, such as your email signature, your website, and your social media bios—and include a zippy tagline that tells people why they want to read your newsletter. Two quick examples: Jessica DeFino says that her newsletter, The Review of Beauty, is about “what the beauty industry won’t tell you, from a reporter on a mission to reform it” and Heather Lanier has a line in her email signature encouraging people to “Sign up for my newsletter, The Slow Take, here if you’d like occasional thoughts in your inbox about the strange beauty of being human.” Two really different writers, with really different approaches to their newsletter—and in a sentence or so, you can tell if their newsletter is going to speak to you.

Make sure your newsletter’s name and a link is in your bio when you publish online. Readers who like your poems, short stories, or essays are the ones who are the most likely to want to read more from you, so don’t miss that opportunity to promote your newsletter along with other publications! (And if you’ve got recent pubs that don’t include your newsletter, you could—very nicely!—email the editor or managing editor and see if they’d update your bio with a link.)

If you’re teaching or speaking somewhere, make sure to include your newsletter name and a hyperlink on handouts. I had cute postcards with a QR code and my newsletter’s logo made up a while ago, and I share those when I’m on panels or leading a community workshop.

Share your newsletter on social media—and ask your readers to share

The biggest growth I saw early on with my newsletter, Write More, Be Less Careful, came out of sharing posts on Facebook in groups of other writers. This strategy works best when it’s a group you’re already a part of and when you’re clear about why you think group members will like your newsletter. “I’m sharing this post because it provides some tips for doing research for writing historical novels” will work great for a group of historical novelists; “read my newsletter!” will get you crickets just about anywhere. If you’re not part of any groups on Facebook, you could spend a little time researching groups and see if any of them might be a good place to connect with fellow writers and/or your ideal readers.

You can also share your newsletter on any other social media platforms you’re using regularly. Most platforms are designed to keep users on their app, so you’re unlikely to get a ton of new subscribers from any given post, but I think a post for each new newsletter is a helpful reminder. (Because link sharing is clunky on Instagram, you’ll want to use your stories to share each new newsletter as well.) 

Substack offers automated graphics for each post that you can share on social media. I’ve been having fun lately making posts in Canva to share favorite tidbits on Instagram, like this interview with The Leaving Season author Kelly McMasters. Because I believe in automating as much as I can, I picked a template in Canva, so all I need to do each time I have a new interview to share is swap in new text and a new author photo, and update the colors based on the book cover. Each graphic takes me 10 minutes or so, which feels like a reasonable amount of time to invest for a couple potential click-throughs.

Ask your readers to share! Add a note, right in the newsletter. You can be earnest (my newsletter always ends with some variation on “If Write More has helped you in your creative life, I’d love it if you would share it with a friend”), direct (Karla Starr’s The Starr Report often includes a line like “Thanks for reading! If you liked this, forward to someone who’d like it”), or whatever else suits the vibe of your newsletter. But you’re much more likely to get what you want if you ask for it.

Collaborate with other writers

Keep an eye out for other writers whose newsletters you admire, especially ones you think are reaching a similar readership as yours. Collaborating with other newsletter writers through a guest post or interview is a great way to grow your newsletter, especially if you’re thoughtful about finding other writers with whom you share an audience. Two great examples: Aliza Sir and Aja Frost’s Platonic Love newsletter features five recommendations from a writer, artist, or other interesting person in each installment of their Links We Sent Our Friends series. Sherisa DeGroot’s Literary Liberation offers workshops to paying subscribers, and their workshop leaders have included great writers like Jane Wong, Shannon Sanders, and more.

A cautionary note about growth: I think it’s worth spending some time sharing your newsletter and trying to grow your audience—but keep in mind that connecting with readers is a more important goal than absolute numbers. You’re better off, I think, having a really clear view of who you’re trying to reach, writing newsletters that will engage those readers, and then sharing deliberately, rather than investing tons of energy worrying about subscriber counts. In the same way that a watched pot won’t boil, checking the subscriber count won’t make it climb.

Newsletter growth can be slow, especially as you’re getting started, but try to keep in mind that each new subscriber represents the potential for a stronger connection than a follower on social media. If you focus on writing an interesting newsletter that connects with your readers, I think you’ll build a loyal newsletter community—who will also be excited to read your next book.

The post How to Grow Your Author Newsletter appeared first on Writer's Digest.

(75 grammar rules for writers.)

Rather, we’re looking at bigger picture mistakes and mishaps, including the error of using too much exposition, neglecting research, or researching too much. This week’s writing mistake writers make is trying to write for everyone.

Writing Mistakes Writers Make: Trying to Write for Everyone

There are times when common sense would direct us to take one action when another action is actually better. Such is the case when thinking about who your target audience is. Common sense would probably lead a writer to think that the best target audience is the largest audience, so write for everyone. However, writing for everyone is often the same as writing for nobody.

(Who is your target reader?)

If you’re writing nonfiction, think of it this way: It doesn’t make sense to include a bunch of new recipes in a book about the history of automobiles. A biography on a former president probably isn’t the place for step-by-step, how-to instructions. And if it does include instructions, then it’s probably not going to provide the typical treatment expected in a presidential biography. If it tried to do both, it would come out a muddled mess.

If you’re writing fiction, think of it this way: A novel can’t be written for people who want a light-hearted romance and an edge-of-your-seat horror. While romance and horror could conceivably be combined, light-hearted and edge-of-your-seat are polar opposites. Even if it starts one way and ends the other, it’s impossible to maintain both throughout.

And that’s okay—writing for a specific audience is okay. In fact, the better you can define your audience the better your chances of finding success.

Mistake Fix: Define Your Target Audience

This can seem like a chicken-egg scenario for some writers. Which came first: the target audience or the book idea? Luckily, it’s okay if both evolve together. In fact, many successful writers take both routes.

(Simple trick to figuring out if your target audience really exists.)

For the book idea (whether fiction or nonfiction), it’s okay if the author thinks, “Hey, this would be a great idea for a book!” In this scenario, the author is probably right that they’re on to a great idea, but they can then define their idea and target audience by taking the following steps:

• Identify where the book would be shelved in a bookstore or library. If you’re writing a novel, is it a romance? Horror? Mystery? If nonfiction, where would it go? Walk around a bookstore and think: Where would this be shelved? And yes, you have to pick a section and can’t just say it would go in the front of the store. 
• Identify the age of your readers. Are you writing for children? Young adults? Parents? Grandparents? Retirees? 
• List out anything of special interest to your audience. If you’re writing a science fiction novel, this means identifying what kind of science fiction they like: near future? Space travel? Time travel? If you’re writing nonfiction, try to peg down possible hobbies, incomes, etc.

And if you don’t have a great book idea or have several book ideas, it’s okay to identify your audience before assembling the book idea. For instance, I authored a book of poetry prompts titled Smash Poetry Journal after identifying a need for a “fun prompt book specifically for poets.” My target wasn’t to write a serious book for academics; it was for people who would not only accept but celebrate the use of “poeming” as a verb. That’s a specific audience, and that audience guided the process of writing and marketing the book.

So keep that in mind when you’re looking to publish and sell your writing. It’s okay if you started writing without any comprehension of who your audience would be. But now that it’s time to get published, figure out who your readers are. It will make it that much easier to get your book in their hands.

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You’re an author on a tight budget. Or, maybe you’ve got some money, but you’re tired of wasting it on marketing that didn’t work. You’ve poured everything into writing your book hoping to move thousands of readers with your words. You’ve dreamed, hoped, maybe even prayed, that your book sales would take off. But, that reality has yet to come true. It doesn’t seem fair for your dream to die just because you don’t have thousands of dollars to spend on marketing. Is selling a lot of books only reserved for the elite authors with big budgets? No.

Click to continue.

The post Writing Mistakes Writers Make: Trying to Write for Everyone appeared first on Writer's Digest.

(Should writers use social media?)

To help you face these challenges, here are seven tips on how to effectively engage with a virtual audience for a dynamic presentation that successfully promotes your book and your brand.

1. Send out a survey before the event

Virtual presentations provide an opportunity to be more intentional with our messages and key points. By surveying attendees before the event, we are able to learn more about our audience and gain a greater understanding of the specific topics they would like us to cover. This allows us to customize our key points and deliver a powerful presentation tailored to the audience’s needs.

2. Prepare your virtual stage

Our stage has moved from an auditorium or conference room to our home, and we must become our own AV team. It is important to make sure the internet connection is strong and reliable, the lighting is soft and bright, and the audio is clear. When I am hosting a virtual event, I connect directly to my router instead of relying on a wireless connection and use lighting accessories to make sure my space is well-lit. Natural light is also a great option if you do not have the extra equipment; just make sure your lighting is in front of you, not behind you.

The web cameras built into our computers work well for virtual presentations; however, if you prefer using an external camera or more than one computer screen, make sure the screen with audience comments is close enough to your camera so you can maintain consistent eye contact instead of appearing to continually shift your gaze.

It is also important to test the audio in advance to determine whether an external microphone is needed. Setting up in a small, quiet room with soft surfaces can help to prevent an echo and unwanted background noise.

3. Create a space with minimal distractions

In addition to preparing for the technical components, we must also make sure the area is clean and organized. We can create a space that supports our brand by including some relevant items in the background, such as a copy of our book, promotional materials, or even a symbol that represents a character. Whatever you choose, make sure to keep it simple.

We should also plan to minimize potential interruptions and prevent pets, children, or family members from moving around the room. However, sometimes things do not go to plan, so if there is an unexpected event, do not dwell on it for too long; make a joke and keep moving forward!

4. Generate conversation and use shorter slides

According to a study by Microsoft, people have an attention span of only eight seconds. Other research shows that an audience’s first lapse in attention during a presentation happens within the first 30 seconds. Trying to connect virtually with an audience creates even greater challenges because people have more distractions and are more easily able to multitask while leaving you on in the background. Dialogue is key to creating an inclusive and engaging environment that keeps everyone involved.

As presenters, we must ask and answer questions to intentionally draw in focus. Taking a poll and requesting that attendees leave answers in the comments is a great way to make sure people feel included in the conversation. We should also make sure our slides are concise; the focus should be on generating discussion instead of sharing lots of bullet points.

5. Use storytelling and humor

In my keynote presentations, I share my message through personal stories to connect with the audience and capture their interest. Telling stories and using humor allows us to both entertain and engage; we are able to draw people in and hold their attention. Appeal to your audience through adventure, emotion, and personal experience to make a memorable impression.

6. Be mindful of your body language

As storytellers and presenters, our body language helps to convey our messages and share our ideas. When we speak on stage, we are able to move around, gesture to the audience, and use props to engage the crowd. Virtually, we are limited to a certain area, but we can still create energy through our voice and gestures. We should position our camera at eye level and make sure to look directly into the camera when speaking to capture attention and to create a connection with those tuning in.

As authors, we want to generate interest in our book and create excitement as we tell our story. To do this, we must vary the cadence of our voice, bring energy to the presentation and match it appropriately to our topic. We should stand to allow ourselves to move freely instead of being rooted in one space. This will encourage us to use natural hand gestures and movements as we present. Studies show that standing helps us to focus better and for longer periods of time. When we stand, we are able to grab everyone’s attention and we hold more authority. Even though a virtual audience is only seeing us from the chest up, the free movement and tall posture we demonstrate when standing allows us to gain this authority.

When I present to a virtual audience, I stand 1 – 1.5 feet away from the camera, so I can be seen from the chest up. As a general rule, you want your head to take up roughly one-third of the screen with your shoulders and upper body also showing. This will give us enough room to move around, use hand gestures in frame, and remain close enough to read the comments on the computer screen.

A standing desk or laptop stand will enable us to raise your computer to eye level. When using an external camera, use a tripod for some added height. If you prefer not to invest in the extra equipment, a stack of books can help do the trick.

7. Practice, review, and improve

Virtual events are new to many of us, and it can take time to get accustomed to speaking to a screen. This will be the “new normal” for a while, so we can use this as an opportunity to work on our craft. We can practice by recording test videos before we present and by recording our live presentations to review later. Reviewing this footage is helpful for identifying areas of improvement moving forward.

While we face new challenges, virtual presentations are a unique opportunity to connect with our audience directly from our home to theirs. We can use our space to create an inclusive environment for learning, encourage engagement through storytelling and body language, and promote our books by sharing a captivating narrative that keeps our audience wanting more. 

The post 7 Tips for Effectively Engaging a Virtual Audience appeared first on Writer's Digest.

(Improve Your Writing Platform in 30 Days.)

Street teams are meant to be an extension of an author, offering opportunities to build valued relationships with readers. They are also commonly termed “reader groups” and “fan clubs.” Let’s go through the various steps of building a street team, and how they can take your platform to the next level.

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Social media is a large part of our world today—and is thriving and growing by the minute. It’s important to know how to use social media for writers, everything from the basics to how it can benefit your career. Discover how to use social media to your advantage in this Social Media 101 workshop. 

Click to continue.

*****

A street team is a dedicated group of readers who like your work and are interested in helping promote your books. These readers are interested in helping to promote your book because your relationship with them is mutually beneficial. They get to hang out online with one of their favorite authors and receive exclusive material, and you get help with promotion to share new releases, giveaways, and special events. This group is primarily created on Facebook, where access is easier than e-mail lists or Yahoo groups.

If you’re struggling with having another group on Facebook, I understand. But for now, it’s still the best game in town and authors should be on it.

When I gathered readers who would make up my street team, I wanted to grow the group slowly and organically. I didn’t want to add a bunch of people in a mad dash to increase my numbers. I wanted the group to be made up of readers who truly loved my work; wanted to help me promote; and were reliable for feedback, brainstorming, or commiseration.

I put out a call on my social media pages for interested readers, and when I had recruited twenty, I let them brainstorm a cool name for the group. The majority picked The Probst Posse. I created a Facebook group with this name, and assigned my assistant to be the administrator.

Now, I’m still the driving force behind the Probst Posse, but my assistant’s task is to make sure the group runs smoothly. She also sets up giveaways, polls, contests, and helps me stay on top of posts. She is not a substitute, though, and when I committed to the street team, I decided to make it a priority to hang out there. This includes posting regularly (except for when I’m on deadline); checking in with members on what they are doing or reading; and sharing new release information, book sales, excerpts of my manuscript, cover reveals, and holding brainstorming sessions regarding my current works-in-progress. When I started, I wanted the page to be a fun, dynamic, and always positive place. I distributed some swag to welcome the original twenty members.

And the Probst Posse was in business.

I built my group slowly. I put a tab on my website that allowed people to request to join the group. Occasionally, I’d give the page a shout-out in my newsletter or on social media, but I never heavily advertised or pushed to grow my member list. If a reader emailed me regarding my books, I suggested she join the Probst Posse. If you’d like to grow your team a bit faster, I’d also suggest reaching out to readers who left positive reviews on your books.

I now have over one thousand members. Not all of them are active. Some like to pop in when there is an event going on; others are regulars. I embrace them all, and try to keep the page welcoming for everyone.

If you are interested in building a street team or already have one, make sure you engage with and bring new ideas to the group. During a reader poll, I found an extremely important item that helped solidify the purpose of my group: Members are not there for the giveaways. Yes, the ones who subscribe to your newsletter so they can enter to win a prize—and then quickly drop out—don’t have your best interests in mind. But the majority of members are there for the personal interaction with the author. Reader interaction is important. In this case, it helps to think like a parent: Like your children, sometimes readers don’t want a cool pen or signed bookmark; they want quality time. That is, they want to talk to the author, ask a question, or find out what you did over the weekend. Give readers quality time and they will be loyal and supportive.

When my street team begins promoting a new release, I always see a jump in my rankings during the day. You can run a street team in whatever manner works for you. You can start small and grow. Just keep the group personal and a safe place to hang out for everyone. This means no bullies, mean people, or trolls. I’ve only had to block two members in the past several years, and I’ve never had a problem with negative comments. I know authors who are very comfortable posting personal pictures on their street team pages. Some don’t. There are no rules, except the ones you set up for yourself.

Do get personal, but in a way that relates to your books, or to open up a fun dialogue.

For instance, I love to check in on my members to see how their weekends are, what they’re reading, or their thoughts on the latest hot movie.

Do make it fun.

You want your readers to want to drop into your page and check in to see what’s going on. For example, I hold a Throwback Thursday where I give away a signed copy of one of my backlist books. I give the book away to a reader for answering a specific question. Many authors encourage members to post pictures of their hero or heroine inspirations and link back to their Pinterest page.

Do offer exclusive content to your street team members.

Make them feel special. I always share cover reveals, teasers, and excerpts from my work in progress. I go there first for all announcements.

Do involve your team in brainstorming sessions.

For instance, when I need a new name for a hero or heroine, I post my request in the group. Immediately, I get feedback and usually have a lively conversation. I have written dedications in books to Posse members who have helped me name a character, develop a scene, or gave me certain feedback I found important. Members love seeing their name in your book. I have also thanked my Posse in the acknowledgement portion of my books.

Do host special events around your book release.

I recruit my team to do more work around my releases, and I try to give back. For instance, I’ve hosted a book club with my team members two weeks after a new release so we can discuss the book in depth. I’ve done a Facebook party exclusively for my team where I give away fun stuff and welcome author guests.

Don’t assign an assistant to be the primary voice of your page.

Your readers are here to connect with you—not your assistant.

Don’t persuade readers to join your group for the giveaways.

This is in complete contradiction to what you want to accomplish. Instead, offer exclusive content, cover reveals, and brainstorming sessions. Offer more of you.

Don’t treat your group like a personal page.

This is not a place to dump political or religious views, or anything controversial. A street team’s focus should be on your work and your books. Always.

Don’t focus on other author’s work.

This is not a promo page. That being said, I love using my team for introducing authors or books I have personally vetted. I also host author takeovers where I invite certain authors into my group page to do giveaways and interact with the members. This is on an invitation-only basis and is exclusive.

Don’t offer bribes for reviews.

Ever. This will get your reviews kicked off Amazon and make people angry. I offer ARCs to Posse members in exchange for an honest review. I never include any free gifts for a review. And I don’t care if they post a bad review, as long as it’s fair. Once, a reader emailed me and said she didn’t want to post a review because it would only be for three stars, then explained her reasoning. I encouraged her to post anyway because it was honest, and deserved to be included.

In the competition of this new digital world, our readers are treasures. Honoring readers by giving them their own space with you is something they appreciate, and it’s a way you can give back. It’s also a fun way to promote your books with readers who love your work.

Isn’t that a win-win for everyone?

The post How to Develop a Street Team for Your Book appeared first on Writer's Digest.

Here are 15 ways to develop an audience:

Order a copy of Chuck Wendig’s The Kick-Ass Writer: 1001 Ways to Write Great Fiction, Get Published, & Earn Your Audience.

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1. Swift Cellular Division

The days of writing One Single Thing every year and standing on that single thing as if it were a mighty marble pedestal are long gone. (And, if you ask me, have been gone for a lot longer than everybody says—unless, of course, you’re a bestselling author.) Nowadays, it pays to write a lot. Spackle shut the gaps in your resume. Bridge any chasm in your schedule. This doesn’t mean write badly. It doesn’t mean “churn out endless strings of talentless sputum.” It just means to be generative. Always be writing.

2. Painting With Shotguns

The power of creative diversity will serve you well. The audience doesn’t come to you. You go to the audience. “One book is less likely to find an audience than three?” Correction: “One book is less likely to find an audience than two books, a comic, a blog, a short story collection, various napkin doodles, a celebrity chef trading card set, and hip anonymous graffiti.” Joss Whedon didn’t just write Buffy. He wrote films. And comics. And a webseries. The guy is all over the map. Diversity in nature helps a species survive. So too will it help the tribe of storytellers survive.

[How to Use of Short Fiction Strategically]

3. Sharing Is Caring

Make your work easy to share. This is triply true for newer storytellers: Don’t hide your work behind a wall. Make sure your work is widely available. Don’t make it difficult to pass around. I have little doubt that there’s a strategy wherein making your story a truly rare bird can serve you—scarcity suggests value and mystery, after all—but the smart play for creative types just setting out is to get your work into as many hands as possible with as little trouble as you can offer. This is true for veteran storytellers, too. Comedian Louis C.K. made it very easy to get his new comedy special on the web. And that served him well both financially and in terms of earning him a new audience while rewarding the existing audience.

4. Value at Multiple Tiers

Your nascent audience doesn’t want to have to take out a home equity loan to try your untested work. If you’re a new author and your first book comes out and the e-book is $12.99, well, good luck to you. Now, that might not be in your control, so here’s what you do: Have multiple expressions of your awesomeness available at a variety of tiers. Have something free. Have something out there for a buck or three. Make sure folks can sample your work and still support you, should they choose to do so.

5. Be You

The best audience isn’t just an audience that exists around a single work, but rather, an ecosystem that connects to the creator. The audience that hangs with a creator will follow said creator from work to work. That means who you are as a storyteller matters—this is not to suggest that you need to be the center of a cult of personality. Just be humble creator of many things. You’re the hub of your creative life, with spokes leading to many creative expressions rather than just one. Put yourself out there. And be you. Be authentic. Don’t just be a “creator.” You’re not a marketing mouthpiece. You’re a human. For all the good and the bad.

6. Engagement and Interaction

Very simply: Talk to people. Social media—though I’m starting to hate that phrase and think we should call it something like the “digital conversation matrix”—is a great place in which to be you and interact with folks and be more than just a mouthpiece for your work. The audience wants to feel connected to you. Like with those freaky tentacular hair braids in Avatar. Get out there. Hang out. Be you. Interact. Engage.

7. Head’s Up: Social Media Is Not Your Priority

Special attention must be paid: Social media is a side dish; it is not your main burrito. See #1 on this list.

[Emotion vs. Feeling: How to Evoke More From Readers]

8. Hell With the Numbers

Just as I exhort you to be a human being, I suggest you look at all those with whom you interact on social media as people, too. They’re not resources. They’re not a number. They’re not “followers”—yes, fine, they might be called that, but (excepting a few camouflaged spam-bots) they’re people. Sure, as you gaze out over an audience, the heads and faces start to blur together like the subjects of a pointillist painting, but remember that the audience is made up of people. And people are really cool.

9. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

An earnest plea to your existing audience to help you find and earn a new audience would not be remiss.

10. Share Knowledge

As you learn things about the process, share them with others. Free exchange of information is awesome. Be open and honest. Be useful.

11. Embrace Feedback

Reviews, critiques, commentary, conversation—feedback is good even when it’s bad. When it’s bad, all you have to do is ignore it. Or politely say, “I’ll consider that!” and in the privacy of your own home, shred the feedback with wanton disregard. When it’s good, it’s stellar and connects you all the more deeply to the audience. The audience is now a part of your feedback loop, like it or not.

[The Top 10 Elements of a Book People Want to Read] 

12. Do Set Boundaries

That feedback loop is not absolute. I’m not a strong believer in creative integrity as an indestructible, indefatigable “thing”—but, I recognize that being a single-minded creator requires some ego. Further, the reality is that once something is “out there”, it is what it is and there ain’t anything you can do about it. So you have to know when to turn off comments, back away from social media, or just set personal and unspoken boundaries for yourself.

13. Don’t Wrestle Gators If You’re Not a Good Gator Wrestler

What I mean is, don’t try to be something you’re not. If you’re not good in public, don’t go out in public. If writing guest blogs is not your thing … well, maybe don’t write a guest blog. Again, this isn’t a list where you need to check off every box. These are just options. Avoid those that plunge you into a churning pool of discomfort. You don’t want to lose more audience than you earn.

14. Take Your Time

Earning your audience won’t happen overnight. You don’t plant a single seed and expect to see a lush garden grown up by morning. This takes time, work, patience, and, y’know, earning the attention of other fine humans one set of eyeballs at a time. It’s why you put yourself out there again and again.

15. Have Fun

Relax. Enjoy yourself. This isn’t supposed to be torture. You should have fun for two reasons: First, because people can sense when you’re just phoning it in, or worse, when you’re just moping. Second, because fun is fun. You should enjoy writing; enjoy putting your work out there.

Click to continue.

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The more you rely on technology to spread your message, the more you must be brief. We live in a world of smaller screens, smaller attention spans, and smaller conversations where media platforms continuously shrink discussions. For instance, radio and TV interviews these days are typically no longer 3 – 6 minutes. And, social media tools, like Twitter, limit your remarks to just 140 characters.

To market successfully in a world of micro-communication, it’s crucial to speak concisely with power. People no longer give authors a long time to explain what they do. You’ve got to capture another person’s attention right off the bat. 

The best way to grab someone’s interest is to speak in powerful sound bites, or “power-bites.” Think of power-bites like a newspaper editor uses punchy headlines to introduce articles. Talk about your book in a manner that makes someone curious or inquisitive.

For example, I’m starting to promote my new book, “Sell Your Book Like Wildfire,” which releases in early-June. When media reporters, bloggers, or publishing executives ask me about my book, I don’t go into a long drawn-out description. Instead, I lead my responses with pithy power-bites, such as: 

• Never tell someone what your book is about. Tell them “What’s in it for me?”
• If you want to sell more books, stop selling books and start selling results.
• Start small to sell big. Light a fire with your kindling audience first.
• My book is the bible of book marketing.
• Marketing is easy with 3 simple questions: What’s your value? Who needs it the most? Where do they congregate?

If you write fiction, here are some great examples of power-bites to describe a novel: 

• My novel is for every woman who has ever had a complicated love-hate friendship.
• Discover a story that reveals how to risk everything to be true to yourself.
• Enjoy the pleasures and intrigue of a bygone age.
• Experience how love and hate, cowardice and courage, good and evil are always a part of life, in our own time, as well as on the eve of the greatest war the world has ever known.

In a fast-paced world where Facebook, Twitter, and the 24/7 news media allow everyone to have a voice, it’s more important than ever to cut through all the noise. Use power-bites to punch through the cacophony, gain people’s attention, and spread your message like wildfire.

Action Step: Take a moment today to create three new power-bite sentences for your book.

About the Author:

Rob Eagar is the founder of WildFire Marketing, a consulting practice that helps authors and publishers sell more books and spread their message like wildfire. He has assisted numerous New York Times bestselling authors and his new book, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire, will be published by Writer’s Digest in June, 2012. Find out more about Rob’s advice, products, and coaching services for authors at: www.startawildfire.com

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If you want to build a following, especially online, the key is to position yourself as someone who is worth following. The best way to attract a large group is by becoming an object of interest, which means the ability to draw people to you by dent of your expertise or charismatic personality. 

For instance, celebrities in our society, such as actors, reality TV stars, musicians, athletes, bestselling authors, and politicians, are considered objects of interest, because people are fascinated by their glamorous lifestyle, eccentric behavior, or award-winning achievements. Likewise, intellectual experts, such as scientists, doctors, lawyers, ministers, reporters, and counselors, can also be objects of interest, because of their ability to help people discover new information or overcome personal challenges.

People won’t become your fan unless you give them a clear reason. I know this sounds obvious, but it’s that’s simple. If you’re engaging in social media and struggling to build a growing community, then people probably don’t regard you as interesting. You’re lost in the mix of more appealing authors who are getting attention. So, your goal should be to magnify the best parts of your book and your author expertise. Use your strengths to make people want to stay connected with you. For example, below is a list of ways to attract a following based on the genre of books that you write:

1. Non-fiction advice, how-to, textbooks: Deliver clear answers to common problems.
2. Biographies, reference: Provide insight into historical or current events.
3. Fiction, romance, chick-lit: Generate intense feelings of emotion or passion.
4. Gift books, children’s, religious: Serve as a constant source of encouragement.
5. Memoirs, comedy: Supply a unique sense of humor and wit.
6. Science fiction, young adult, crime: Create a feeling of fear, wonder, or suspense.
7. Business, political commentary: Express counter-intuitive opinions that challenge status quo.

This list is just a sample of the diverse ways that any fiction or non-fiction author could draw attention to their name and their books. I go into a lot more detail on this topic in my new book, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire. You might choose to rely on one approach build interest. Or, you could combine several styles to help capture an audience. The point is to establish yourself as someone who is interesting and genuinely worth following. You don’t have to change your personality. Rather, be yourself. But, give people a reason to like you, respect your skills, and want more of who you are.

About the Author

Rob Eagar is the founder of WildFire Marketing, a consulting practice that helps authors and publishers sell more books and spread their message like wildfire. He has assisted numerous New York Times bestselling authors and his new book, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire, will be published by Writer’s Digest in June, 2012. Find out more about Rob’s advice, products, and coaching services for authors at: www.startawildfire.com

The post How to Build Online Community appeared first on Writer's Digest.

(20 literary agents actively seeking writers and their writing.)

Writers frequently punt with a vague answer, something along the lines of “Anyone who enjoys a good story” or “This theme is universal.” They’re probably trying to imply that their book has equal appeal for men and women, young and old, cuts that it across all racial and national lines and thus has the potential to be a best seller. Hmmm…yeah.

The reality is, agents and publishers are rarely impressed by such claims. If they ask a specific question, they expect a specific answer. Give them generalities and you may as well be wearing a T-shirt that reads “I haven’t thought about this AT ALL.”

Who Is Your Target Reader?

Some authors write every sentence with a specific person in mind, almost as if the book is a letter, but if you don’t work like that you’ll have to think a little harder to describe your target reader. Probably the best way to zone in on the idea is to think back to what motivated you to write the book in the first place.

Let’s say you have an 11-year-old niece and you’ve watched with alarm over the past year as she and her friends have become increasingly obsessed with their appearance, their clothes, and a disturbingly premature sort of sexuality. Perhaps, not completely by coincidence, your next YA book features a plucky, tomboyish heroine and is in part a message to your niece that there’s more to life than being popular and cool. So when your agent says “Who’s your target reader?” you can say not just “10-12 year old girls” but respond with the story of your niece and her friends.

Or maybe you’re writing nonfiction and through the years you’ve become painfully aware that you and your weekend warrior athlete buddies are getting hurt more easily and staying hurt longer. This observation has resulted in “The Aging Jock,” an exercise and fitness book designed to help boomer athletes keep hitting the bike trails or ball court hard without sustaining so many injuries. So when the “Who’s your reader?” question comes up, you not only can say “50 year old men,” you can respond with the story of the sunny Sunday when a routine tackle took your buddy Dave out of the game for months.

Opportunity Knocks

This question is an enormous opportunity. When an editor or agent asks it, they aren’t just looking for a demographic – they’re looking for your motivation. Ideally you answer not just the surface question “Who’s the target reader?” but also the implied question behind it, which is “And why are you the right writer to tell this story?” 

(Does your target audience really exist?)

The smartest responses are anecdotal, showing that you have a particular passion for your subject matter, that you didn’t just dream up this book at random but that it resonates within in you. See this question as an opportunity to show both the businesslike and passionate sides of yourself – i.e., why this is a marketable book and why you alone of all the souls on earth were born to write it.

So the right answer to “Who’s your target reader?” is something along the lines of “9-13 year old girls. It really bothers me how they’re pressured to grow up too fast. Last Christmas I was talking to my niece and it hit me that her childhood is so different from mine, that….” Editors and agents may or may not relate to the story about your niece, but it’s a far better shot than responding with a big fake smile and a big fake answer like “Everyone!”

Let them get to know you. Explain where your ideas come from and how they develop over time. It will not only make you more likely to be published – they’re looking for writers, not robots – but it’s good practice for what lies ahead.

*****

You’re an author on a tight budget. Or, maybe you’ve got some money, but you’re tired of wasting it on marketing that didn’t work. You’ve poured everything into writing your book hoping to move thousands of readers with your words. You’ve dreamed, hoped, maybe even prayed, that your book sales would take off. But, that reality has yet to come true. It doesn’t seem fair for your dream to die just because you don’t have thousands of dollars to spend on marketing. Is selling a lot of books only reserved for the elite authors with big budgets? No.

Click to continue.

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