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The Goodreads Author Program: Turn Your Reading Time Into PR Time

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Goodreads Photo by Lilian's Pics via FlickrDid you know that Goodreads, the social media site for bookworms everywhere, has a program specifically for authors who want to promote their latest books? Even if you’re not a big fan of social media, it’s important to claim your Goodreads author account so that no one else does. But while you’re doing that, take a look around. Goodreads was recently acquired by Amazon, making it an even more powerful driver of sales and promotion.

Also remember this: If you’re a writer, you’re a reader. Goodreads was pretty much built for you. As a writer, you get all the benefits of using a social media network, and you don’t even have to add a lot of extra work to your already busy schedule. Goodreads lets you do what you do best: talk books!

Why Is Goodreads Especially Powerful For Writers?

Consider this: When you’re on Facebook and someone clicks “Like” on a post about your book, that person’s friends will see the Like on their timeline. But how many of those friends are readers? And how many of those readers are reading in your genre?

On Goodreads, you’ve got direct contact with your target audience. Readers on Goodreads tend to be prolific.

According to Forbes: “Goodreads is one of the primary tools on the Internet for book recommendations, particularly for active readers.”

In other words, these are serious book lovers. They read more passionately and more regularly than typical readers. That means they’re book evangelists; they’re powerful drivers of sales and trends.

When power-readers are looking for their next literary delight, chances are they’re going to poke around and see what their friends are reading and reviewing on Goodreads. And since Goodreads is now under the Amazon umbrella, it’s good to have Goodreads friends if you’re hoping for Amazon sales.

Who Can Join The Goodreads Author Program?

If you’re a writer published in book-length fiction, be sure to sign up for the Goodreads author program, which is different from its profiles for users who are not authors. While regular users get a profile page, Goodreads authors get a fan page, a profile page, and lots of fun marketing and advertising opportunities.

Any author with a book featured on the website of a major retailer (like Amazon) is welcome; in other words, whether you’re traditionally published, self-published, or publishing overseas, you can probably join the Goodreads author program.

Tip: Check out this Goodreads group specifically for self-published writers.

What Exactly Does The Goodreads Author Program Do For Writers?

Your Goodreads page is the hub of your life as an author; it’s all about who you’re reading and who’s reading you.

Along with using Goodreads to post and share book reviews, you can compel visitors to become fans by

  • Uploading pictures or videos: Share additional cover art for overseas additions or shots from your research trip
  • Syncing your blog posts: Set up your Goodreads page so the blog posts on a third-party site will automatically load into Goodreads. And you can manually post your Goodreads reviews to your personal blog just by grabbing a bit of code.
  • Syncing your social network feeds: You can sync your Facebook or Twitter feed so that it automatically updates to Goodreads (and vice versa). It takes some research to do this, but it’s well worth the investment!
  • Hosting contests: Organize book or other giveaways, which Goodreads can help promote to your fans and friends.
  • Creating quizzes: Encourage participation by creating quizzes that focus on your book, related topics, or books in general
  • Sharing your calendar: Publicize your upcoming speaking engagements or book signings.
  • And more!

The more active you are on Goodreads, the better. To learn how to do these things, visit the Goodreads author program.

Here’s A Fantastic Video Overview Of The Goodreads Author Program

One Last Word About Goodreads

Let’s say you hate Facebook. You loathe Twitter.

Before lumping Goodreads into the same category as all of the other social networking sites, we urge you to give it a try. If you love books and can’t get enough of talking about them, reading them, and getting/giving recommendations, Goodreads won’t feel like social networking; it will just feel like you’re doing something you love. AND you’ll get the added benefit of meaningful promotion.

Photo by Lilian’s Pics via Flickr

QUESTION: Are you on Goodreads? What do you think? 

The Art Of Texture: Incorporating Textured Images Into Your Author Website

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When designing your author website, why not go for texture? These days, there are more creative ways to incorporate textures into your site than ever before.

Adding texture engages Web visitors by using images that have a 3D feeling, giving your site dimension, visual interest, and freshness. Textured images can add that “pop” that distinguishes a website that’s spectacular from one that’s just okay.

And using texture can be an easy, fun way to exercise your creativity!

Examples Of How To Incorporate Texture Into Your Author Website

Matt C. Werner
This Web Design Relief client wanted to convey knowledge, sophistication, and an element of classicism for his business as a professional history lecturer. We chose a fantastic aged paper background to reinforce the subtext of his message without being overly distracting.

The vintage photograph on the homepage of the client’s site drove much of the design, including what direction we chose for the background texture. Because the picture has personal value to her (her mother took the photo when she was a child), she wanted it to look almost like it was hanging on a wall. We chose a background texture that looked like a real wall, but also a bit like canvas. This texture complements that of the picture as well, giving the site a soft, feminine feel.
Kathleen Glassburn

Denny Ceizyk
The client’s book has great cover art that inspired our choice of background texture for his site. The cover features two shadows and a man walking on a beach—and what better texture is there than sand? We also incorporated a diagonal pinstripe pattern to the sand texture to change things up a bit. The subtle combination of both really invigorates the white main content area.

Since this client wanted an “artsy” feel to his site, but done subtly, we thought the perfect way to spruce up the plain grey background of his content would be to incorporate a colorful, textured background. We chose a bright, stucco-like background that makes the gray of the content “pop.”
J.R. Stewart

Here Are Some Ideas To Texturize Your Website

If you haven’t already, take our What’s Your Web Personality? quiz. Then, based on your answers, find a texture that works to help your site transmit a cohesive message.

  • Chalkboards
  • Windows
  • Glass
  • Mirrors
  • Metals
  • Wood planks
  • Plastic
  • Moss
  • Leaf litter
  • Book pages
  • Metal
  • Clay
  • Sand
  • Rocks
  • Tile

The list goes on!

Where To Find Textured Images

Textural images are easy to find on the Web, and if you’ve got a website that allows for easy changes (like those that WDR develops in WordPress), then adding a new image can be as simple as a few clicks.

The following websites offer textured images. To find an image you like, just search on the word “texture.” You can also add words like “pavement,” “cardboard,” or “tin.”

Don’t Overdo Your Textures

Although we love adding interesting textures to a website in the same way that we love adding interesting spices to a meal, it’s important not to overdo it.

Too many textures can work against one another, confusing visitors by not giving them a clear, defined focus on each page. Also, overdoing textures can make a website look too busy.

It’s best to pick one texture you love, then leave it at that. But most of all, have fun! Don’t be afraid to use texture in your design for big impact.

QUESTION: Add to our list! What else can you use to add texture to a website? 

11 Misconceptions And Myths About Author Websites

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misconceptionsEven the best writers sometimes get bad information. And when it comes to author websites, there’s a lot of misconceptions and myths about author websites going around. If you have a promotional website or are thinking of starting one, be sure you aren’t carrying around any of these common (but largely wrong) ideas.

11 Author Website Myths Busted

1.      Only famous writers have websites. I don’t have an awesome writing bio (or my book’s not done yet), so I have no use for a website. This is easily the biggest misconception we at Web Design Relief encounter. It’s so big that we wrote a whole article about it. If you’re under the impression that being in the early stages of your career means you can’t benefit from a website, stop everything and read this right now: Do Pre-Published Authors Need A Website?

2.      Having a website isn’t really going to do anything for me. Having a website puts you in a position to take advantage of opportunities that you might not be able to see at this moment (opportunities that someone who has a website can make use of). Read more: What An Author Website Can Do For You

3.      Having a website is going to make me rich and popular. While some people are totally pessimistic about their Web potential, others are hyper-optimistic. A website alone probably won’t make a writer’s career. Your website is just one component of your entire author platform. And that, in total, can have a big effect on your reputation as a writer or your sales.

4.      People will visit my website just because it exists. Oops! Not really. People will visit your website if you a) tell them it exists and b) give them a reason to visit it. That tends to be where social media comes in.

5.      I don’t want to be on social media, so what’s the point of a website? There are plenty of authors out there who don’t tweet, poke, post, stumble, dig, or Like. But their website functions as the central hub for fans of their exceptionally strong writing (which translates into steady sales and readers who come back again and again). Also, see point #1 above.

6.      My old website is good enough. Most writers find they have to update their site at least every couple (or few) years to keep it from looking stale, tired, and out of touch. If your writing speaks to contemporary readers, your site should too.

7.      I can get a fantastic website for free. Well, no. You can probably get a website for free. But it probably won’t be fantastic. It will be a cookie-cutter site, possibly covered in ads. Be wary of free offers (especially if you won’t get to control your content or your URL).

8.      Making an awesome website is going to be expensive. Okay, this one is true…unless you know where to look. The Web Design Relief team has done our research; we offer the BEST VALUE that balances personal expression and customizations with money-saving design.

9.      I have to be a techie to maintain a website. If the ideas of SEO, hosting, and coding seem a little mysterious, you’re not alone. That’s why WordPress is so popular; non-techie types can have full control over their own websites without learning to write code. Web Design Relief sites are WordPress sites, and clients have full control of their content.

10.  I don’t have time to maintain a website. Your site is what you make of it. You can spend as much or as little time on it as you feel is appropriate. That’s really the bottom line. And there are tools available to save you time, like social media programs you can use to update multiple social media sites at one time.

11.  If I have a website, my whole life will be out there on the Web, and I’m a private person. Your website doesn’t have to feel like an invasion of privacy; you have complete control over what you choose to share. And there are specific steps you can take to stay safe on the Web.

 

QUESTION: What have we missed? What do you think writers are getting “wrong” about author websites?

Web Design Relief Links Roundup, May 2013

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linksroundup2In this month’s Links Roundup, we’ve got great advice for writers trying to build their online author platforms PLUS an awesome Web design tool for people who love color, and lots of it!

Enjoy!

12 Most Simple Social Media Mistakes We All Make via Ragan.com — There are a lot of articles out there telling you what to do when it comes to social media—but what about what NOT to do? Rebekah Radice pinpoints the most common mistakes people make on social media so you can avoid them and boost your credibility.

Where Do Readers Hang Out Online The Most? via Jody Hedlund — Somewhere out there is someone just waiting to read your work. The trick is to find them! In this blog post, author Jody Hedlund provides awesome insight into the most effective ways an author can expand his or her brand and interact with potential readers.

What Writers Need To Know About Tumblr via GalleyCat — Tumblr is a fantastic—and extremely fun—social media tool. This article describes how writers can best use it to promote their efforts. Just try not to get distracted by all the cat memes!

Color Palette Generator via Stephen DeGraeve — Sometimes a single picture can inspire your entire site’s design. With this nifty little tool, you can upload any image from the Web and it will generate two color palettes for you to draw from, complete with the hexadecimal codes to use in your design. Cool!

8 Great Author Websites via Apt Design — Need some inspiration before you commit to a design for your author website? Check out these 8 amazing examples of sophisticated, professional design. And if that’s not enough, you can also check out our own design portfolio, of course.

 

Photo by Darwin Bell.

7 Steps To A Bigger Reputation As A Writer

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Bigger RepuationAre you feeling a little low on the literary street-cred list? Ready to build a bigger reputation as a writer?

While writing can be a solitary experience, a writer has to break out of his/her shell in order to do any self-promotion. There are steps you can take each day to improve and expand upon your reputation as a writer, and we’ve outlined them below. Let the 7-Step Program begin!

7 Steps To A Bigger Reputation As A Writer

Step One: Get An Author Website. There’s no doubt that an author website is the new business card. Creating an author website lets everyone know you’re serious about your craft. Remember: As your author platform grows, your author website will grow too—and you can have it for a lifetime! Find out how to get a fantastic website at a great value.

Step Two: Sketch Out A Social Media Strategy. With so many options to choose from (Facebook, Google+, Goodreads, Pinterest, Tumblr, Twitter, and on and on…), it shouldn’t be too hard to find a social media platform that speaks to you. Use social media to promote your latest work, tell friends, fans, and family a little about what you’re up to and what future endeavors lie ahead. Learn more: Author Platform Tool Kit.

Step Three: Show Your Face. The writing community is huge—like, ginormous—and to stay (or become) relevant, you’ve got to be an active participant. Showing your face (and showing off your writing chops) at writers conferences and other events is a great way to build an audience and get to know your fellow writers. And what better way to build a good reputation as a writer than meeting other writers face-to-face? (Be sure to direct everyone to your author website before your leave!)

Step Four: Ask Friends And Family To Spread The Word. Let this be the one instance in which you’re not embarrassed by your mother’s bragging about you. Tell the people you love and trust the most to shout it from the rooftops that you’re a writer, and a good one at that! They can tell their friends, and their friends’ friends, to check out your author website or to start following you on Twitter.

Step Five: Reward Your Fans With A Contest Or Giveaway. Who doesn’t love free stuff? One sure way to keep people interested (and to make them want to promote you and spread the word about your writing) is to offer a giveaway or host a fun writing contest. If you’re enthusiastic about promoting yourself as a writer, others will be enthusiastic too. It’s infectious! And contests are a great way to give back to your friends and fans.

Step Six: Submit Your Work Regularly. Getting your name out there isn’t just about word of mouth and making personal appearances. Submit your work regularly  and editors of literary journals will be more likely to remember your name. Submitting and getting your work accepted is a great way to stay active as a writer, build an audience of readers, and share your work with the writing community.

Step Seven: Keep At It! Building a reputation as a writer and maintaining your author platform requires a lot of legwork, but it’s absolutely necessary to stay relevant. Be active on your social media platform—or platforms!—keep your website up-to-date, get out in the world and interact with other writers, and, most importantly, write! Eventually, it’ll all feel like second nature.

Next time you’re feeling a little anonymous in Writer Land, take another look at these steps and consider how you can implement these ideas in your writing life.

 

QUESTION: Which of these steps have you practiced or found most beneficial to building your reputation and author platform?

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