(How to Make More Human and Successful Pitches.)

Now I want to expand beyond pitches to how we interact with everyone we encounter (or want to encounter) in our writing and publishing work. From community involvement and collaborations to marketing and reader engagement, a human approach based on authenticity and generosity leads to better results … and is a lot more enjoyable.

Connect With Individuals, Not Audiences

Technology can make our author lives easier, but they can distance us from the people we want to reach. Automated social media scheduling tools and templated newsletters may save time, but efficient processes can lead to lackluster content and can dull our authentic voice.

When listeners of The Indy Author Podcast decide to support me via one of my patronage platforms, the thank you I send is very similar from patron to patron, and it’s tempting to write that message once and use it every time. But writing out the message fresh to each new patron ensures an authenticity I wouldn’t achieve with a generic message.

I’ve even switched away from pointing listeners to my website Contact page if they want to get in touch and instead provide my email address. (Anyone who tries out the firstname@domain.com standard could easily figure it out.) This removes a point of friction of connecting with an individual fan or follower.

Automations and standard operating procedures can be useful tools, but they should be used in the service of authentic communications, not as a substitute for it. When we communicate with individuals, we should treat them as individuals.

Ask yourself: Does this sound like me—or like everyone else?

Treat Connection With Generosity, Not as a Zero-Sum Game

If you’re approaching your author career as a business rather than a hobby, then you will have practical, goal-oriented reasons for reaching out to writing and publishing colleagues: to obtain a blurb for your book, to land a speaking opportunity at a genre reader conference, to connect with a librarian or bookseller. But approaching such transactions with a “What can I get?” mindset eliminates practical benefits you might otherwise gain. It makes the interaction transactional, where even a one-time “win” devalues the potential of a connection.

Instead, ask yourself “What value can I provide?” That will smooth the way to success in that transaction but, more importantly, it paves the way to a long-term connection that will benefit both parties.

For example, I have recommended colleagues as writers for publications and platforms that offer a limited number of slots, which means that every successful recommendation reduces my own chances of landing one of those slots. But for every recommended colleague whose work I’ve seen on that platform, I’ve been paid back handsomely: They’ve promoted my work, notified me of opportunities, and introduced me to other professionals whose connections have proven valuable to me.

Find ways to provide value. When a podcaster hosts you on their show, promote their work in return. When you ask another author for a blurb, read and share their books.

Ask yourself: What relationships in my professional life could become more productive if I offered value first?

Humanize Your Marketing

It’s easy to fall into the trap of treating readers or followers as data points: email opens, link clicks, conversions. But people aren’t metrics; they’re individuals who choose to let you into their lives. A more human approach to marketing focuses less on selling and more on connecting.

I used to use a social media posting tool that enabled me to post the same content on multiple platforms, but it prevented me from optimizing the content for each platform’s audience, and I wasn’t checking in on most of the platforms to see how that audience was responding. Now I’m focusing on one platform, where I actually interact with the people who are responding to my posts.

In what other ways can we humanize our marketing? Respond personally to messages, spotlight another author whose work your readers would love, or simply write your newsletter in the same conversational tone you’d use with a friend.

Ask yourself: How can my marketing sound more like a conversation and less like a campaign?

Choose Human Connection Over Scale

We’re often told to grow our followings, build our platforms, and scale our reach—but sometimes, smaller is stronger. A few hundred engaged subscribers who feel seen and valued will do more for your long-term success than tens of thousands of passive followers.

I’m frequently a guest on others’ podcasts, and the extent of that outreach is almost always more closely tied to the quality of the engagement of the host’s followers rather than with the number of followers.

Especially when you’re starting out, don’t design your processes for connecting with your colleagues to accommodate a network that’s substantially bigger than the one you currently have. You’re more likely to create barriers than efficiencies.

Whether you’re running a newsletter, a podcast, or a reader group, prioritize depth over breadth. The time you spend doing this builds loyalty and trust that no algorithm can replicate.

Ask yourself: Where could I trade quantity for quality in the way I connect with others?

The Human Advantage

In a world that’s increasingly automated and genericized by reliance on AI, your humanity is your differentiator: the warmth of a sincere message, the generosity of a thoughtful recommendation, the curiosity of a genuine question. Lead with empathy, authenticity, and reciprocity in every interaction. It’s the surest way to build not only a successful author career, but a meaningful one.

The post How to Make Human (and Successful) Connections appeared first on Writer's Digest.

(100 Common Publishing Terms.)

Of course, one great tool is by reading magazines, books, and online articles about the business (or subscribing to our free Publishing Insights newsletter). But one other super helpful way to understand how publishing works is to stalk publishing professionals on social media in an appropriate way (as opposed to inappropriate ways).

What Is Appropriate Social Media Stalking?

First things first, let’s define stalking, because that’s a loaded term. Stalking means to follow a person or animal closely without being seen or heard. It’s often used as a hunting term, but honestly, I know many people who use social media this very way: They friend or follow people and then silently stalk them, maybe giving an occasional like or share.

There’s nothing wrong with this sort of stalking on social media if you’re using it to do a couple things:

1. Learn how the business of writing works in general, and…
2. Learn the wants and needs of said publishing professional specifically.

For instance, you write science fiction and learn that an agent represents science fiction writers and has an Instagram account. So you follow the agent on Instagram and get hit with writing memes, publishing event selfies, and whatever else the agent posts on the platform. 

From time to time, you may even learn about an open submission period and/or see a note about something they’d really like to see from writers. This is where appropriate social media stalking can be especially useful.

When Is It OK to Break the Silence on Social Media?

Well, honestly, any time can be alright to make a comment. But think about what kind of comment you make.

Let’s say you’re still a science fiction writer, and the agent mentions how they’d really love to see a YA fantasy adventure set in a dystopian future Manhattan. Don’t comment on that post with something along the lines of, “Hey, I write science fiction and have an AI robot thriller set in the contemporary Midwest.” 

(Should Writers Use Social Media?)

The agent just said they want an orange, and you responded with asparagus. The agent might like asparagus too, but they just talked about wanting an orange. That said, you could comment about how that fantasy premise sounds cool and kind of sci-fi. That’s one way to engage in the conversation without making it about you and your project.

Mentioning You and Your Project on Social Media

In fact, let’s talk about “you and your project.” The appropriate time to mention you and your project on social media is usually “not now.” The example scenario above, for instance, was not an appropriate time to butt in with “you and your project,” because it’s not what was called for.

Also, it’s a nice gesture to send a personal message when someone accepts your follow or friend request. Not mandatory, but it doesn’t hurt to let the person know why you’re following them. At the same time, this is not the appropriate time to mention “you and your project.” 

(6 Effective Steps to Promote Your Book on Social Media and Feel Good About It.)

I’ve often received friend requests from writers—only to immediately get hit with “them and their project.” Usually something along the lines of, “Hey, thanks for the friend request. I wrote a book and would love it if you would read it and help me get it published.” Or some variation on that theme.

There’s a time and place for that, but not on social media…unless the agent or editor is specifically asking for it. 

It’s OK to Follow but Don’t Be Creepy or Pushy

By nature, stalking is a pretty silent process. But know that the publishing professional you’re stalking is a human being first and should be treated as such. Don’t get creepy or pushy while following them. 

Many publishing professionals put themselves out there, so that they can engage with other publishing professionals, including agents, editors, publishers, writers, conference directors, and readers. But that doesn’t mean they’re seeking conflict, arguments, or unwanted attention. In fact, many (like myself) are naturally introverted and shy in person (regardless of how extraverted they sound on the screen). So be respectful.

There are many great things to learn on social media. And there’s the possibility of making some great connections and maybe even a chance at getting a break as far as publishing. So definitely follow, friend, and engage, but do so in an appropriate way.

By the way, you can find, follow, friend, etc., me at the following places:

• Facebook.
• Twitter.
• Instagram.

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 course.

Click to continue.

The post How to Stalk Publishing Professionals on Social Media in an Appropriate Way appeared first on Writer's Digest.

(What is BookTok and Why Should Writers Care?)

Ever since our book publicity firm joined TikTok and launched a BookTok service for authors, we’ve received a ton of questions from eager authors about the app. We’ve also witnessed firsthand the mistakes and misconceptions that authors encounter concerning what they should do—and not do—on the app to build their audience.

Here are five common mistakes authors should avoid on TikTok:

Mistake 1: Not engaging with the app except to post and promote your own content.

If you’re not actively, regularly engaging with the videos that are currently on TikTok, you probably shouldn’t be posting your own. In order to really use TikTok to your advantage, you have to understand the app’s content, trends and audience—and in order to understand it, you have to use it. 

Watch videos regularly on TikTok, paying attention to the BookTok community, but also to the other types of content you naturally engage with and enjoy. Follow and interact with users who produce content you like, and “like” and “favorite” their videos as well. Get a strong grasp for the app’s trends, peculiarities, niches, sense of humor and fun, and the vastly creative ways of producing videos. 

The app will feel less intimidating and far more intuitive the more you use it. You will better understand how to improve your posts and engagement if you use TikTok as a “viewer” yourself, as well as a content creator.

Mistake 2: Not spending enough time learning the app’s features and functionality.

Do you know the difference between “Stitching” and “Duetting,” and the purpose of one or the other? Can you save “Sounds” to your Favorites folder, and sync them properly with your videos? Do you know how to apply filters to your videos, or edit videos within the app? 

(Should Writers Use Social Media?)

If these questions are making you nervous, you haven’t spent enough time learning how to use TikTok’s functions. While it may seem intimidating at first, once you try out a few features, you’ll be amazed by how intuitive and varied the app can be. Create “test” videos using the various app functions, and save them in your unpublished drafts folder. 

The better you understand TikTok features and tools, the more creative, trendy and attractive your content will be.

Mistake 3: Using the app to try and sell, sell, sell.

This is one of the worst approaches you can take on any social media platform, but it is content-death on TikTok. I will scream it from the rooftops: TikTok’s audience values creativity, humor, and above all, authenticity. 

They are looking to connect with you first and foremost, not your brand. Don’t pander, over-promote or plead for sales—it will get you nowhere. Instead, make diverse and creative content. Be entertaining, insightful and occasionally even vulnerable in your videos. 

Seek to create a genuine connection with other users and your audience, beyond trying to get them to buy your book. If people feel like they have an authentic connection with you and they genuinely enjoy your videos, they will support you.

Mistake 4: Not realizing how your genre determines your audience on TikTok.

YA is the most predominant genre on TikTok, with YA Fantasy and Romance being the biggest subgenres. This makes sense given that 50% of TikTok’s more than 700 million monthly users in the US are under the age of 35, with the majority of users being 16-24. And because TikTok hosts a predominantly younger demographic, progressive content will generally attract more views (think an adventurous dystopian romance with a diverse LGBTQ+ cast fighting the patriarchy vs. a cozy mystery featuring heterosexual white protagonists over the ages of 25). 

If you don’t write YA, Fantasy or Romance, you can absolutely still find a following on TikTok with some extra creativity and strategy to engage your audience.

Mistake 5: Underthinking—or overthinking—your videos.

No video editing experience is necessary prior to joining TikTok; the app’s video tools are very intuitive. However, while you don’t have to be a pro, do pay attention to the aesthetics in your videos. Use good lighting, varied angles and shoot vertically rather than horizontally. If your hand is unsteady, prop your camera against a surface or use a tripod. Videos don’t have to look flashy or overproduced to do well, but some effort should be made (again, the better you understand the app’s functions, the easier this will be). 

Alternatively, some authors worry so much about creating the perfect, influencer-worthy content that they fret themselves into inaction, or create unnecessary work for themselves. TikTok videos tend to be more informal and spontaneous-feeling than what you’ll find on most YouTube channels. Don’t become such a perfectionist that TikTok becomes a grueling job; experiment with producing different kinds of videos, sometimes on the fly, to see what works and doesn’t work. 

Your initial videos won’t be your best (and you can always private them or delete them later), but if you’re willing to keep engaging with the app, your content will improve and your platform will grow!

*****

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.

The post 5 Mistakes Authors Should Avoid on TikTok appeared first on Writer's Digest.

Anyway, I mention this only because (as someone who cut his teeth on social media way back in the MySpace days and wasted time on Google+ when that existed) social media can sometimes feel a bit like the hydra for writers who are trying to build a platform. Master one platform and two more spring up. 

(Should writers use social media?)

Enter TikTok, which is the video version of Instagram, which is the image-based version of Twitter, which is the condensed version of Facebook, etc. Those are over simplified comparisons, sure, but the point is that it’s another unique social media platform, which may be exciting for some writers and overwhelming for others.

If you’re already established on other social platforms, moving to a new one may sound like more work than it’s worth and a distraction from your writing, which are both great points. But if you’re looking for a place to establish your social media foothold where there’s still opportunity, TikTok may be right for you.

What Is BookTok?

So I’ve been seeing a lot of pieces on this thing called BookTok recently, and it’s pretty simple. If you’re familiar with hashtags on other social media platforms, then you may have already guessed that BookTok is a hashtag used on TikTok to tag content related to book reviews, recommendations, and funny memes related to the “book life.” 

As with many social platforms, the hashtag is also used as a way to build community around a specific topic: In this case, the topic is books! I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a pretty awesome community to me.

Why Should Writers Care About BookTok?

Most writers love to read books. So on a purely book-loving level, BookTok may appeal to you for that reason alone. It’s a great way to learn about new books and share a laugh or three about how book lovers see the world versus, well, the rest of the world. 

Beyond that, many writers like to write and publish books. As such, participating in a community built around recommending books could conceivably be a good match when you write and publish books, whether that happens today or in the future.

The publishing world is beginning to take notice. Here just a few stories I’ve found from this summer on the topic: 

• The Rise of BookTok: Meet the teen influencers pushing books up the charts, by Alison Flood from The Guardian
• BookTok Boon Is Changing the Publishing World, by Chase Beech from Spectrum News 1
• BookTok’s Novel Approach Is Helping Canadian Authors, Retailers Attract New Audiences, by Jessica Singer from CBC Radio
• BookTok: A new kind of book club, by Cara Lee from Nouse

Next Steps

If your interest is piqued, then now is the time to create a TikTok account and begin browsing around and getting a feel for the platform. After you’ve seen some things you like and don’t like, have fun experimenting with your own videos. And if they’re book-related or of interest to the bookish, don’t forget the #BookTok hashtag.

With so much interest pouring in, this may be your last chance to get a foothold before the next big social media platform (or two) emerges.

*****

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.

The post What Is BookTok (and Why Should Writers Care)? appeared first on Writer's Digest.

(Should writers use social media?)

The simple answer: It’s where the people are. Depending on whether you count YouTube and Reddit, Instagram is either the second or fourth ranked English-speaking social media network (based on traffic). Of course, Facebook is the other social media site.

Another answer: It’s where the young people are. I joined Instagram, because my teenage boys pressured me to join. And I’ve learned to listen when others encourage me to try a new social media network, especially when they’re younger than me.

But again, it’s an image-based platform. So how can writers use Instagram effectively? Below are 10 things to consider.

*****

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.

*****

What Should Writers Post on Instagram?

Before we launch into this list, make sure you create an account. It’s free and easy. Go to instagram.com, add a head shot, include a concise (and interesting) bio, and don’t forget to include a link to your website or blog.

Once you’re set up, here are 10 things for writers to consider when posting to Instagram. (Oh yeah, and be sure to give me and Writer’s Digest a follow while you’re at it.)

1. Writing Quotes

I love sharing quotes on the Writer’s Digest Instagram account. Many come from the magazine or content from our website, but quotes can come from anywhere. If you’d like to play around with this, try using an image-creation site like Canva to create interesting quote images that you can share with your followers.

2. Share the Writer’s Life

Where do you write? Take a picture of your desk, work station, bus or subway seat, shady tree, etc. Share your version of the writing life on Instagram, whether that means taking selfies in interesting locations or snapping pics of writers at events, books at bookstores/libraries, or (insert great writer’s life image idea here).

3. Ask Questions

It’s hard to say “social media” without saying “social.” (Go ahead and try it.) As such, make sure engagement is part of your strategy regardless of the platform. And one tried-and-true way to engage is to ask questions. Ask for book recommendations, potential character names, plot twists, and any number of other things. People love playing along and being human. So ask away.

4. Share Actual Writing

Many poets have learned Instagram is a great place to share their poetry. In fact, Instagram has launched more than one career, but that doesn’t mean Instagram is only for poets. Of course, flash fiction might work as well for sharing complete pieces. But what about interesting scenes or short snippets of dialogue. You’re a writer; don’t be shy about sharing a little writing here and there.

(How writers can use social media to find more success.)

5. Give Things Away

One popular trick that continues to work for building followers and engagement is to give things away, whether it’s advanced review copies of books, signed letterpress prints, posters, and so on. If you give things away, be sure to share what people have to do to be eligible and how you will go about drawing a winner. And, of course, be sure to announce the winner with another post!

6. Promote Stuff (Sparingly)

It’s common to see people promote the idea of using an 80/20 split for content vs. promotion on social media. However, I think it’s much better to do a 95/5 split. That’s one promotional post for every 19 non-promotional posts. If you post daily, that comes out to one or two promotional posts a month, which is plenty for an author.

7. Use Hashtags

One of the best ways to get found on Instagram is through the strategic use of hashtags. With each post, share a short (or long) thought followed by 10-20 relevant hashtags. For writers, tags like #writingcommunity, #IGwriters, and #writersofinsta are popular, but include others that are more specific to whatever your post is about. For instance, a post about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle might include hashtags like #ArthurConanDoyle, #mysteries, #SherlockHolmes, #MyDearWatson, and #Moriarty (or even something seemingly unrelated like #Cumberbatch or #BakerStreet). This is a great place to see which hashtags other similar writers are using.

*****

A key to success for any writer is having an online presence. Blogging is one way to share your expertise and—at the same time—build an author platform. Don’t know how to start a blog? Not sure what to focus on? Don’t fret! This online writing workshop will guide you through the entire blogging process—how to create and setup a blog, where to start, and much more. You’ll learn how to attract readers and how to market your writing. Start a successful blog today and get noticed by editors and publishers.

Click to continue.

*****

8. Share Stories

You might think I covered this in the fourth point, but I’m actually referring to Instagram Stories here. Instagram Stories is an application that allows users to share images or short videos for a limited period of time. These posts don’t stick around on your profile forever, but they do offer people a way to engage with you and can draw people to your profile (to see those stickier posts).

9. Think Big Picture

Each post you share on Instagram should be able to stand on its own. However, sophisticated Instagram users think about how their posts look when cobbled together on their profile pages. Some writers will post in a way that patterns emerge. For instance, some writers will alternate between text-based images and selfies. Or they’ll play with color combinations.

10. Experiment

For all of the preceding points, remember to experiment and consider what’s working or not working. Writers (like other artists) make their mark on the page by being creative. There’s no reason to abandon that creativity when using social media. See what others are doing, imitate what you like, and then try things that have never been done before…or at least, things that have never been done by other similar writers before. Be unique and have fun.

(Is social media changing how we write?)

Bonus Tip: Post frequently and consistently. This is one of those social media 101 tips that I give regardless of social media platform. The reason? Frequent posts (once every day or three) helps let people know you’re there and using the platform. Consistency helps people know when to expect posts.

Instagram is the type of platform that works best if you’re posting daily most of the time. In fact, multiple posts work better on this platform than some. But, as with all social media, trust your gut and remember to always put your writing first. After all, social media is meant to complement your writing career, which doesn’t exist if you’re not writing.

The post What Should Writers Post on Instagram? appeared first on Writer's Digest.

(3 steps to social media domination.)

Don’t get me wrong: I’m still glad I used (and continue to use) social media. But time has shown me that social media is not for everyone. It has also shown me that one platform (let’s say Facebook) can work for one writer but not another, but that other writer may really connect with Instagram (or YouTube).

Should Writers Use Social Media?

I believe wholeheartedly that all writers should try out social media to see if it works for them. Because it’s honestly one of the easiest ways to connect with other writers, editors, agents, and readers. Maybe start off with Twitter, because you can start off just following other folks before dipping your toes into the waters of tweeting.

(Publishing FAQs for Writers.)

Then, give Instagram or Facebook a try. There’s a chance you find value in one (or more) of these platforms and that it helps your writing goals. But if you find yourself struggling to “make social media work for you,” then maybe it’s not a good fit. And that’s okay.

After all, social media is not all sunshine and book deals. These sites are meant to grab your attention and hold it forever. I mean, why do you think they invented infinite scrolling? This, of course, presents a danger to writers and their precious writing time.

So yes, I endorse social media for writers. But I also endorse writers knowing when social media isn’t right for them…or when it’s not right for them right now. Please try the various platforms out, but be aware of whether it’s helping you write and get published—or if it’s distracting you from your goals.

*****

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.

The post Should Writers Use Social Media? appeared first on Writer's Digest.

(Should Writers Have a Blog?)

For this reason, many aspiring and published authors consider giving up their blogs. That time spent might be better spent writing a book, right?

Wrong.

Your blog represents the cornerstone of your author-platform-building effort. You need a platform if you want your book to succeed. But you know that. That’s why you blog.

Here’s what you may not know: Your blog provides an effective way to write your book. In fact, you can write your book on your blog. You already may have written a book on your blog.

As a blogger, you produce lots of valuable content every year that you can use for more than just blog posts. Indeed, with the right focus and planning, your blog can become a book-writing machine.

The following five strategies transform your blogging time from a promotional activity into a book-writing activity as well.

5 Ways to Turn Your Blog Into a Book-Writing Machine

1. Book Your Blog

If you have been blogging for a while, you might have produced enough content for a book. Look in your blog archives. Do you see the foundation of a manuscript? When they stop to look, many bloggers realize they have produced a book’s worth of content—or more. Then they decide to “book” their blogs or to repurpose their posts into a manuscript and then a published book. If you want to book your blog, follow these five steps:

• Plan the outline or table of contents for the best book you could write from scratch.
• Find published blog posts that fit your outline.
• Copy and paste the posts into a word processing document to create a manuscript.
• Fill any content gaps with new material.

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2. Blog Full-Length Books

If you already post consistently to your blog, you have time to write a book. Intentionally produce a manuscript on your blog, or blog a book. To do this, write your manuscript in blog-post-sized pieces and publish them regularly on your site.

As you do so, you’ll build platform—a loyal fan base of readers eager to purchase the book you are blogging. (Yes, your blog readers will buy the published book.) And you’ll have great content to share on your social networks.

Blogging a book is easier for nonfiction writers, but novelists use the strategy successfully, too. In either case, don’t publish whole chapters as one post; publish each chapter as many post-sized bits.

Take these steps to blog a book:

• Create a table of contents or outline
• Break each chapter into post-sized pieces.
• Plan to keep 20 percent of your content as “unpublished material.”
• Write each chapter as numerous 300-to-500-word blog posts.
• Produce a manuscript as you blog.

3. Blog Short Books

Once you know how to blog a full-length book, you can blog short books, too. Short books are your ticket to branding, expert status, customers and clients, and cash! Today, you can produce 4,000 to 20,000-word e-books on Kindle, so do not think you need to produce a magnum opus to become an author.

To blog a short book, brainstorm a series of ten to 30 posts. Once you’ve published these on your blog, repurpose them into a book manuscript.

My book, 10 Days and 10 Ways to Return to Your Best Self: A T’shuvah Tool Bridging Religious Traditions, started out as ten blog posts I’d written as a series. Now it’s a 72-page print book.

This year I released an e-book called Authorpreneur: How to Build a Business Around Your Book. I originally blogged it as a series over a period of about six weeks.

Next month, I’ll release another short blogged e-book called Blogging Basics for Authors. That took me about three months to write on my blog as a sequence of “lessons.”

4. Book Short Books

Maybe you already published a series of posts—or many posts related in some way. At the time, you didn’t write these with the intention of producing a book, but that shouldn’t stop you from creating one now. Short series are the easiest books to blog!

I recently took a series of 12 posts I’d written called “Demystifying the Nonfiction Book Proposal,” added additional published posts on the topic, and wrote an introduction and conclusion. Then I published it as an e-book called The Nonfiction Book Proposal Demystified: An Easy-Schmeasy Guide to Writing a Business Plan for Your Book.

I’m not the only one booking short books. For example, Frank Hecker, published 23 posts on the topic of redistricting in Howard County, Maryland. He then created an e-book called Dividing Howard: A History of County Council Redistricting in Howard County, Maryland.

I also know someone who produced 18 short (4,000-to-20,000-word) Kindle e-books in 18 weeks. Most of those were booked blogs. She plans to combine them into a full-length book.

5. Blog or Book an Anthology

If you use guest posts on your blog, create an anthology. Either publish a series of guest posts with the intention of producing a book, or book the guest posts you’ve already published. To do this, look for guest posts you’ve published on the same or related topics.

My e-book, The Write Nonfiction NOW! Guide to Writing a Book in 30 Days, also produced within the last 12 months, provides a good example of a booked-blog anthology. It is comprised of repurposed guest posts (published with permission) from my National Nonfiction Writing Month and posts I wrote, too.

Blog a Book Fast

It won’t take long to write your book if you use your blogging skills to do so. Publish three posts per week, each one about 500 words long, and you write a 10,000+ e-book in seven weeks.

Or publish 100 posts, each one about 500 words long, and you produce a 50,000-word manuscript. Publish posts three times per week, and you finish your manuscript in 34 weeks.

Publish more posts more often to finish your book faster. Or increase the length of your posts to complete in record time.

But keep this in mind: It’s better to publish shorter posts more often (especially when trying to build platform). Don’t publish 2,000-word posts once every two weeks. Overly long and infrequent blog posting doesn’t attract readers and makes the book writing process feel harder.

So stop complaining about not having time to write. Turn your blog into a book-writing machine. You’ll build your author platform and finally get your book—or many books—written.

Click to continue.

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This is the writing world we live in. Publishers and agents say we need platforms before we pitch, and having a platform means learning to love Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs, the works—and the blurred line between our public and private selves that comes with them.

As writers, we’re right to be concerned about our privacy—for both personal reasons and professional ones. But being too cautious can also backfire. How can editors discover us if we never share our successes? How can we benefit from other writers’ expertise if they don’t know what we’re working on? How can we build a platform if we’re reluctant to reach out to readers any way we can?

Therein lies the conundrum. In the oversharing age, our privacy is being sacrificed at the altar of freelance assignments and book sales. Social media’s rise has made it easier to connect, yet demands more of us. We have to work at privacy if we want it. With that in mind, consider these guidelines.

1. Remember who’s reading.
Michelle Goodman had been using Facebook for close to two years when her writing life and her personal one first clashed on the site. A Seattle-area freelancer and author of The Anti 9-to-5 Guide and My So-Called Freelance Life, Goodman was writing a piece for a college friend, an editor at a major magazine covering the media business. “The story was very involved and took a few days to report and a couple of days more to write,” she says.

Hours away from deadline, Goodman took a break from her writing to post something innocuous on Facebook. Her friend noticed, writing “hey, focus!” in reply. Goodman was mortified. “I felt like I did something bad,” she says.

Her friend would later say she was only teasing, but the damage had been done: Goodman changed how she was using Facebook. She divided “friends” into lists to control what they saw on her feed. “I don’t want people to see me on Facebook when I’m supposed to be busy,” she says.

While Goodman and many others like her struggle to manage their private lives online, freelancer Ron Doyle believes that for writers, the pursuit of privacy on the Web is futile. “Privacy is dead, we’ve just refused to bury it,” he says.

It’s an interesting take coming from Doyle, a Denver magazine writer who also blogs for Psychology Today. He says he’s lost work by being too open. Months ago, he let it slip to editors from local magazine 5280, a regular client, that he hadn’t been getting out much. “These editors know me as someone who knows what’s going on around town, yet I reveal to them that I haven’t left the house in weeks,” Doyle says.

Shortly thereafter, Doyle began using the location-based social network Foursquare to “check in” during nights out. When 5280 editors he’d befriended on Facebook saw where he’d been via the Foursquare feed,
an assignment followed.

While Doyle credits Facebook for helping him redeem himself with 5280, he’s aware there are both pros and cons to the network. It’s tricky to navigate because unlike public Twitter feeds and blogs, which anyone can see, Facebook connects friends while redefining what it means to be one. “I have a lot of friends on Facebook that a part of me wonders if I should [have],” Doyle says.

Goodman says even though she’s divided her Facebook “friends” into lists, she still sometimes feels trapped by her account, a mashup of actual friends, colleagues and clients. She knows that her lists aren’t really boundaries, but simply filters that control what certain users can see when it comes to her activities on that one network. They offer not so much privacy but a chance to help define ourselves in the eyes of those who watch us. And managing that definition takes awareness and effort. Altering our online identity for different groups can lead to a sort of digital schizophrenia. “We turn ourselves into a house divided,” Doyle says. For this reason, many writers find they prefer to lose some privacy in order to keep their sanity.

2. Focus on your brand.
Doyle’s strategy is based not on being cautious about what he posts, but on maximizing his career opportunities through what he posts. He thinks of himself as a brand, and of social media as his arsenal for developing it. “We have to define our brand on our own, and make our definition the one that is most accepted by the public,” he says. “The only way to do that is to lack privacy.” Consider how he uses Foursquare. In revealing his sometimes-unusual travels around Denver, he’s established credentials for covering the quirkier aspects of the city.

How far should you go? Doyle draws the line at the parts of his life that are wholly separate from his writing: He won’t dish about his wife or kids. But everything related to his freelance career is fair game. Sharing that information feeds his platform and reinforces his identity. “Carl Jung said if there is a truth, it’s a concert of many voices,” Doyle says. “When it comes to the truth of my personal brand, I want to make sure I’m the loudest voice in the chorus.”

Both Doyle and Goodman say there’s a benefit to using social media for brand building. They’ve both been assigned work through Facebook and Twitter.

Lydia Dishman, a veteran freelancer who writes from Greenville, S.C., broke into national markets thanks in part to relationships built on social media. I should know; she and I were partners in #Editorchat, a weekly discussion between writers and editors on Twitter. Today, she’s writing for BNET (bnet.com) and Fast Company, among others. Freelancers who’ve had similar success on social media have found a way to reveal information that editors want to know—and to their advantage. Any sacrifice of privacy along the way very well may have been worth it.

3. Consider what readers want.
For all the freelancers who’ve been assigned work through Facebook and Twitter, there are as many or more authors who use those services but haven’t sold one extra book as a result. Literary agent Rachelle Gardner says “sales aren’t very different” for many of her longtime author clients who are active on social media. So the good news is that if you’re writing or aspiring to write for the bookshelves, you might not have a compelling reason to risk posting anything beyond the minimum you’re comfortable with.

That said, you’re not totally off the hook. Publishers are increasingly demanding authors maintain some form of online presence. A study conducted by Toronto consultancy Syncapse found that people who declare themselves fans of a brand on Facebook are willing to spend $71.84 more every year for that brand’s products than people who don’t declare themselves fans. If writers are brands, as Doyle asserts, then the more we’re on social media—the more we’re known—the more salable our work becomes, whether or not that translates into instant sales. “To say that you don’t want to have any kind of Internet presence—that you want to be invisible—is now kind of a radical thing to say,” Gardner says. “A publisher isn’t necessarily going to take kindly to it.”

She recommends focusing your online activity on what readers need to know about you to form a connection. Unless you’re a memoirist, you don’t need to (and probably shouldn’t) treat the Web as a confessional. And what you had for breakfast doesn’t matter to your Twitter followers—unless, that is, they follow you because you’re a food writer. “The bottom line of social media is not to sell and promote books, but to create relationships with readers,” Gardner says.

Of course, readers can cross lines—and the only one who can set and maintain boundaries is you. Novelist Elise Blackwell says that while her publisher has never pressed her to forfeit her privacy, readers pursue her all the time. “A couple of people pushed me to post more information about a recent trip to Spain, when what I really wanted was to get away from everything,” Blackwell says. Call it a side effect of readers wanting to know her better.

Literary relationships aren’t much different from any other bond. The strongest ones are built when writers reveal themselves in ways that both relate to their readers and are germane to the work. A sex columnist might blog about her sex life because she’s writing a book about sex, and because her readers expect advice on how to improve their own sex lives. By contrast, readers of my financial coverage at The Motley Fool don’t need to know about my rolls in the hay, nor would they be interested. My stock portfolio is far more interesting.

Privacy, Gardner asserts, is relative to what readers want to know. Consider this when weighing the risks against the potential benefits of any revelation you find yourself questioning. It can help you know when the price of your privacy might be worth it, and when it’s just an unnecessary cost.

4. Err on the side of caution.
On the other hand, Gardner says, publishers appreciate writers who are careful. The instant nature of today’s Web makes it more like face-to-face conversation, and flippant or rude remarks are not only harder to take back—the Library of Congress now documents tweets—they’re harder to fix.

“I look at social media as a great salon,” author Bethanne Patrick says. “Whatever image you choose to present, consider each foray into social media as part of that image.”

Take writer Catherine Connors, who got caught posting what was meant to be a hidden rant about her mother-in-law. She’s still apologizing for the essay, which appeared on a friend’s blog. “Posting it was not my most prudent move,” Connors writes in a retrospective at the AOL women’s site Lemondrop.

In this case, Connors did more than reveal herself. She allowed others a look at her mother-in-law, without her consent, in what might be considered private moments. And that had a cost.

Participants on social media are only human, and even the literati can be guilty of disrespecting privacy. Jon Clinch, author of the novel Kings of the Earth, says he’s witnessed authors suffer at the keyboards of those who ignore privacy rights. He describes one thread on a private writing site in which he objected to praise for a literary agent who’d blogged about an unpublished writer whose correspondence she hadn’t liked. What followed, he says, was a storm of venomous posts directed at the writer. “I found out that I was nearly alone in believing the aspiring writer in question had any right to privacy whatsoever, and that struck me as a very unfortunate sign of the times,” Clinch says.

5. Don’t underestimate its power.
Like it or not, sacrificing privacy can work to your advantage. Reality TV shows remain popular, as do books like comedian Chelsea Handler’s Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea, which stayed 62 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list thanks to reader interest in the unfiltered descriptions of her partying and bedroom conquests.

In the entertainment world, privacy is for sale, and writers are part of that world. Doyle cites as an example not just his own freelance success, but that of authors like Alisa Bowman, who once confessed during a TV interview that she wished her husband could find her G spot.

On the blog Project: Happily Ever After, Bowman details the ways she and her husband have strived to improve their marriage and sex life. Her wide-open writing has led to a related book, forthcoming from Running Press.

“She’s going to have a bestseller,” Doyle says. In the oversharing age, it wouldn’t be the least bit surprising.

This article was written by Tim Beyers

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More important, can some quick math help you reach them?

Two years ago, my life changed dramatically: My wife and I had our first child and, at 38, I left my 10-year career to become a stay-at-home dad and writer.

I continued writing daily (as I had been for years) and faithfully submitting both finished work and queries to the appropriate markets. And I guess you could say it was going fairly well: My articles were selling, and even the rejections had nice things to say. But when it came time to pay the bills each month, it became obvious that the sales just weren’t coming in fast enough. There were ups, sure, but there also were more than a few times when we had more month than money.

It was frustrating.

One afternoon, while I sat staring at my monitor, I scribbled the following formula on a handy rejection letter (they make great scrap paper, you know):

(ei/ts) x x = gi

I know what you’re thinking: “Huh?” As a former straight “C” math student, I’m not usually given to scribbling equations of any kind. When we go out to eat, my wife usually has to figure the tip (that’s what happens when you marry a writer).

Still, I can add and subtract as well as the average sixth-grader, and I realized that if X number of submissions equals Y number of dollars, the easiest way to increase my income would be to increase my number of submissions. And thus the formula: TS stands for “Total Submissions.” This includes every written work and query I’ve sent off for possible publication in the last year, whether it resulted in an acceptance or not. EI is “Earned Income”: every penny brought in from my writing in the same period of time. And X is the factor by which I realized I’d need to increase my submissions to reach my Goal Income (GI). Put all this together, and you have a mathematical breakdown of any freelance writing career:

(Earned Income divided by Total Submissions) times X = Goal Income

Now, of course, the process of writing and submitting your work is not an exact science, but what this equation does is illuminate the overall average you need to hit to achieve your writing goals. The simple truth is, if you can produce quality work, then the only other factor you can control is how many paying markets you’re giving the opportunity to compensate you for that work. After “doing the math” I increased my average daily submissions from 2.5 to 15, and my sales figures exploded. Within 90 days, I was achieving my income goals.

Here’s how doing the math can work for you, too.

Putting Two + Two Together
Here are the figures you’ll need to get started in evaluating where you are now:

1. Total number of submissions you’ve made in the last year (a year is ideal, but six months or even three will work)

2. Total amount you’ve made in sales in the same period of time

3. Your monthly income goal.

The goal income is the biggie—and if you’re just starting out in your freelance writing and you don’t yet have No. 1 or No. 2, it’s also all you really need to start doing the math. For me, the goal income is what I need to be making to consider my stay-at-home-dad funds sufficient. For you, it might reflect an ideal supplementary income to your full-time career. Your goal should (and will) be flexible, growing as you meet each milestone, and as your skills and contacts improve. (In other words, over time you can and should be making more and writing less.) For now, be honest with yourself about your goals so you can create a realistic plan for achieving them.

Let’s say, as a simple example, that I made 2,000 submissions last year, and from these I earned $20,000. My average income per submission would equal about $10, regardless of the number of published articles to rejections.

Assuming five-day workweeks (that’s 260 submission days per year), when I do the math, this rounds up to about eight submissions a day. If my goal is to make $20,000 again next year, my daily average needs to be eight submissions.

Eight submissions per day?

Don’t freak out! We’ll get to that in just a minute.

Remember, this is based on averages. Some submissions will earn hundreds (even thousands) of dollars; many will earn nothing but a rejection to add to the pile. You never know until you query, and you’ve got to start somewhere.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the numbers:

2,000/260 = 8

Total yearly submissions divided by 260 = Average subs per day (rounded)

$20,000/260 = $76.92

Total earned income divided by 260 = Average daily income

$76.92/8 = $9.62

Average daily income divided by average subs per day = Income per sub

The figure $9.62, the income per submission, is the magic number. That’s what I’m averaging every time I click the “Send” button or drop a letter in the mailbox. Once I know that, I can determine how many more times I need to be clicking “Send” to be on task to reach my financial goals.

Let’s say my goal freelance income for next year is $35,000. If I divide that by my number of writing days (260), it comes out to about $135 per day. At an average of $10 per submission, I’ll need to make about 14 submissions per day.

OK, now you try it:

/ 260 =

Total yearly submissions divided by 260 = Average subs per day

$ / 260 = $

Total earned income divided by 260 = Average daily income

$ / = $

Average daily income divided by average subs per day = Income per sub

Now you can take your income per submission and calculate the average you need to hit to achieve your monetary goals for next year. But how are you supposed to make that many submissions every day?

Making More Efficient Submissions
If this equation overwhelms you, take a breath. First of all, you may not need to make $20,000 a year in writing income. In today’s economy, maybe you’re just trying to fill a gap created by an all-too-common “downsized” salary, or to compensate for that pay increase you didn’t get. Perhaps you’re looking for another $300 or $500 each month. Using the numbers above, that’s 1.5–2.5 submissions per day—or, put another way, an average of eight to 12 submissions a weekend, with the week free to focus on your day job and other obligations.

But what if you do need to make a full-time living from your freelance writing? Does this equation emphasize quantity over quality?

No. I’ve experienced that it’s possible to achieve both, with judicious use of resources, a focus on tight queries and the elimination of time-wasting distractions.

When I first began using this system, the first thing I had to do was change the way I utilized resources like Writer’s Market.

Instead of using it like I would a phone book—looking only to find specific information on a publisher I was interested in writing for—I decided to read through the book, cover to cover, to find every publisher that might be interested in my writing.

I’ve since had my writing published in dozens of magazines that I never would have heard of if I hadn’t approached Writer’s Market as a “help wanted” list instead of simply a Rolodex. I’ve also discovered that market resources can be brainstorming tools to create a list of article ideas—along with a matching index of publishers to query for each.

If you use this method, then you don’t actually need to find eight markets a day, think of an idea for each and then craft eight specific query letters.

Instead, I recommend you first spend a couple of days reading about hundreds of markets and conceiving as many ideas as you can. Jot down the name, page number, URL, preferred word count and pay rate of each potential market, then move on to the next. You can keep article ideas in the same file or in a separate one; take the time now to create a system that works for you, and it will (literally) pay off later.

Add to this list the occasional new market or article idea found in or inspired by e-mail newsletters, writing magazines, writing groups and the like, and you’ll never be short of markets (or potential articles) to query. Each day, pull an idea (or eight, or however many you need to reach your target submission number) from your files, reread the writers’ guidelines of the potential markets you’ve already found, and get busy on your query.

You’ll find it takes a lot less time to think up topics for a specific publication as you’re reading its guidelines than it does to conceive or write a piece, search for markets and then tweak your article idea to fit each publication. In fact, when browsing guidelines, you’ll often come up with several ideas at the same time. Pick one to query now, and file the others for later.

Perfecting the Art of the Query
As far as crafting query letters, many of us freelancers waste a lot of time on this. An excellent query should require only a minimum of customization for one publication or the next, as the basic concept of the article will remain the same. Save your query template by the name of the article idea it represents, and use it whenever you submit that query.

The only thing that usually needs to change, besides the contact information and suggested word count, is the “hook” you think will work best for that publication.

Remember, you’re not writing on assignment; you’re simply taking the initiative to recommend the assignment to an editor in advance. If and when an editor expresses interest, you’ll follow that publication’s style and guidelines in writing the article itself.

I’ve noticed that the tighter and more concise (read: shorter) my queries are, the faster I’m getting responses. With the increased workloads brought on by downsizing in the current economy, many editors would rather not take the time to wade through long, detailed queries.

Try condensing your queries down to a few highly targeted sentences, trusting that an editor will e-mail for clarification if you’ve piqued her interest.

Just FYI: That’s exactly how you came to be reading this article.

Practicing Your Math
With practice, preparing submissions should take no more than 20–30 minutes for new markets and as little as 10 for editors you’ve already worked with, or whose magazines you read regularly. Here are some more tips for efficiently reaching those target numbers:

SET REASONABLE GOALS. If you’re averaging $100 a month making 10 submissions a day, you need to realistically consider that goal income of $2,000 a month and adjust accordingly. You also may need to target your queries to higher-paying markets. Which brings me to the next point.

CAST TO THE BIG FISH FIRST. To steal a line from a popular movie, “It ain’t ‘show-friends,’ it’s ‘show-business!’ ” After you sit down with that market guide and make a list of all the publications that might be interested in your query, reorganize that list beginning with the highest-paying market. Then, start at the top.

QUERY RATHER THAN WRITING ON SPEC. Focus your energy on developing your ideas, perfecting your query letters and researching to find the most lucrative markets that need your work. Don’t put hours into an article that no editor has even considered yet. If you can write five good queries in the same time it takes to finish an unrequested article … well, you can do the math.

BUILD A CLIENT LIST. It should be a no-brainer to maintain relationships with publications you’ve worked with. If you don’t have a client list yet, the “doing the math” approach to submissions is the fastest way I’ve found to build one. The key importance of the client list (besides the income) is that it takes far less time to conceive and customize a query letter for a known market than for a new one. So once you land an assignment with a new market, work to make it a valued member of your list by submitting ideas regularly.

FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES. This isn’t part of the math analogy, but everything above is moot if you don’t give editors what they what, when they want and how they want. The biggest time and money waster for a freelancer is to shotgun articles to markets that don’t fit.

With a shrinking pool of publishers and an expanding number of part-time freelancers, knowing how much you need to earn, and how to earn it, is critical.

If, like many of us, you occasionally find yourself with more month than money, maybe it’s time to do the math.

Not sure how to get your freelance career started? Consider:
Starting Your Career As A Freelance Writer

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That’s because you’re doing it wrong.

I know what you’re thinking: You’ve followed every tip in this magazine. You’ve perfected your queries. Your ideas are solid and well researched. But the key to selling isn’t just nailing queries or writing irresistible stories—it’s networking.

Given the choice, most editors will hire someone they’ve met or worked with over a random contributor. This isn’t nepotism; it’s human nature. And it works both ways: A relationship also means you, as a seller, can get the scoop on buyers’ ever-changing needs.

I had wanted to write for WD ever since I first subscribed in junior high. So years ago, when I was working for a TV company, I e-mailed the editor and asked to read that year’s screenwriting contest winners. The editor was excited because it would get WD winners in front of producers and execs; I was excited because it would be the beginning of a relationship with the magazine. We e-mailed, talked on the phone, discussed scripts and she eventually asked if I’d judge the next contest. Only then did I feel I had a strong enough relationship to pitch an idea. That subsequent article led to others and, eventually, a 10-year writing relationship. But it all started with a simple e-mail.

Of course, forming relationships can be daunting, so here are suggestions to make it fun and productive.

THINK OF WAYS TO “HELP” EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS. Before pitching ideas, provide helpful nonwriting services. Use a magazine’s masthead or website to find low-level employees, then introduce yourself by offering something they’ll find valuable. If you work somewhere that uses ads, coordinate “swaps” or discounts. If you host charity events, ask the publication to be a sponsor. If you work in the food business, offer to cater the magazine’s next office party. Basically, think of ways to become valuable without pitching.

DON’T NETWORK TOO HIGH. People often think they should network with folks at the top of the food chain. In actuality, it’s more helpful to network with people lower on the chain (low-level execs or assistants). This is because: a) They have more time to network; b) they have a greater need to network; and c) finding talented new writers and articles is part of how they get recognition.

INVITE PEOPLE TO LUNCH OR DRINKS. Track down the e-mail addresses of low-level employees. Then send friendly notes, explaining you’re a writer and a fan of their magazines, and you’d love to take them to lunch or coffee to learn about their work, how they interact with writers, etc. You’re not taking them to pitch; this makes them more amenable to going, because they don’t feel pressured. Plus, everyone likes to be asked for advice … especially over a free meal.

NURTURE THE RELATIONSHIP. After meeting someone, grow the relationship by doing little “favors.” Let her know about local happenings. Introduce her to contacts. Once you sense a good rapport, then e-mail saying you have an idea that “may be right” for her publication. These words are key—they create a no-pressure situation—e.g., “I thought you might be interested in this, so I asked you first. If it’s not right, no worries. I just wanted to give you the courtesy of a first look.”

There are many ways of reaching out to buyers without actually pitching, so get creative. Many cities have industry-specific associations that host networking mixers and parties. You also can meet colleagues on Facebook and other social networks, or through churches, writing groups and other organizations.

As your network grows, people will soon see you as someone likable, competent and trustworthy, and that’s when you strike—because at that point, you’re no longer a stranger
with an idea. You’re a friend.

This article appeared in the March/April issue of Writer’s Digest.Click here to order your copy in print. Click here to a digital download of the issue, click here.

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