Tips for the Self-Published Author #1: Facebook

August 24, 2013 2 By Brian
Tips for the Self-Published Author #1: Facebook

Being a self-published author is both exciting and intimidating. You lack the support of a publishing house, but you have all the freedom and get a bigger piece of the pie.

I’m going to assume you’ve already got your book in “print” on Kindle or Nook. It’s selling well, but it’s not awesome. What can you do to kick up the sales? I’m going to cover a few tips that I’ve seen successful authors do that keep their fans engaged.

In this first edition, I am going to cover using Facebook as a tool to help you gain readers.

A Page For Yourself in the World

You can do more than just have a Facebook account, you can create a page that separates your “personal” self from your “professional” self. Start by heading over to the Create a Page section of Facebook. From here, you have two choices.

Option A: Author Page

Click on Artist, Band, or Public Figure. Then in the first drop-down menu, pick Author or Writer. Put your name (or your Nom de Plume) in the name space. Agree to the Terms and click "Get Started."

Option B: Book or Book Series

Click on Entertainment. Then in the first drop-down menu, pick Book or Book Series. Give it a name, agree to the terms, and click "Get Started."

You now have a space that’s unique from your personal account to accumulate fans. Go through all the menus and options to fully customize the space before you release it to the public. Nothing looks sloppier than “under construction” messages or half-finished work.

Now, there’s nothing to stop you from doing both options above, it just means a little more maintenance.

For myself, I went with Option A, but I chose Actor/Director as the type (there’s no Voice Actor category, sadly). But the rules of the page are the same. You can check me out at Facebook.com/thevoicesinmyheaddotcom.

So What Do I Post?

Whatever you want. Well, within reason.

New Books You’ve Published

This is a no-brainer. You want your fans to know when a new book is out in print or audio. You can even get them hyped up beforehand with excerpts and cover art.

Interviews and Reviews

So the local paper or an indie blog just interviewed you? Great! Share it with your fans. The same goes for professional (or semi-professional) reviews.

Book Signings and Appearances

If you’re appearing somewhere (like a bookstore or library), spread the word.

Discounts and Sales

Your first book in the series in a few years old and you want to drum up some new readers? Drop the price and let people know about it.

What You Are Reading

For myself, I love to know what my favorite authors are reading. Some authors (like Neil Gaiman) are very vocal about what they like to read and that’s awesome.

Get Topical

This can be touchy, but if your books touch on certain topical concepts, then it may be of interest to bring those issues up with your readers (who are, more than likely) of the same mind. Be informative, not preachy. If you do it right, people will share your posts and presto, new potential readers.

What Next?

I will be posting more tips and tricks soon, including how to use Twitter, WordPress, and how to get the most out of your voice talent as an author.