On social media as well as on your blog, make a point of replying to as many people as possible. If a follower, reader, or visitor has taken the time to say something or ask a question – get in there and offer a reply. If nothing else, this will […]
Matthew Brown
We here at Author Buzz like to write about authors and books (surprising that). That’s why we set up a self-directed interview system. How it works is like this. You decided that as a writer, author, or awesome person you would like to be interviewed. You learn that we would […]
Your interview starts whenever you are ready.
On your prefered social media platform, ask your followers some open-ended questions. You might also want to post a poll. This benefits you in two ways: First, your followers are enticed to interact with you which is usually good for the algorithm. Second, you will have a pre-made blog post […]
Platform Building: Ask some questions
The true elegance of writing contests as an author is that you never have to mention the ones you did not win; only the ones you won. A shiny list of competitive writing contest wins that you have been awarded will impress readers, agents, and publishers alike. I like to […]
Platform tip: Enter writing contests
1 Comment Author Buzz is introducing IndieWeb features – something we hinted at a few months ago. What is IndieWeb and why should authors use it? First the boring answer IndieWeb is a community of people building software to enable independent websites to maintain their social data on their own web domains. […]
What is the IndieWeb and how can it help authors?
Your website or blog needs an about page. That page should be all about you. It should answer common questions the press might ask and supply common things bloggers might want to use when they write about you – like quotes, a photograph, and some biographical information. I call this […]
Platform tip: Your about page
As an author, you are going to have to show your face sooner or later. You might as well invest in that one recognisable headshot now. Putting a face to your name makes you seem more trustworthy and a single image that you use everywhere gives you an easy to […]
Platform tip: It’s headshot time
We all use email these days. I would be willing to bet that many of us have some sort of email signature. Most businesses do. Why not make sure your signature has your blog and primary social media accounts linked. This turns all your email correspondences into a recruitment tool […]
Platform building tip: Put your email signature to work
On your blog, craft a post to start a conversation on the themes and issues that matter most to your next book. Explore your theme through a blog post and end with some questions to encourage your readers to engage with those themes. This is great for your book as […]
Platform tip: Explore your themes
This week’s tip is a selection of blogging ideas that you can write about. A childhood memory – relatable example of your writing Something you might not have known – a good place to talk about an unusual hobby, qualification, or record that you hold. My favourite recipe – authors […]
Platform Building: Blogging Topics
Somewhere private start building a list. On that list should go the most influential bloggers and social media personalities in your genre or field. Make sure to pay attention to what they are doing – what works and what does not. Do not just watch, though. Take the time to […]
Platform building: Identify the leaders of the pack
If you have yet to do so, pick your social media channels to invest in. It is best to figure out where your potential readers like to socialise. Our author platform social media guide breaks down the figures for social media use.