Making the most of your Facebook Groups

Anything you do, which relates to your book should be done professionally, constantly updated and you should try to interact with those who have taken the time to look at your work or join your ventures as this will only enhance your followers and increase your networking chances.

As a self publisher, if you are like me, everyday you are constantly thinking about what you need to do for your book!


Whether it's finishing a chapter, trying to keep up with your Tweets, updating your Facebook account or thinking of new ways to improve your marketing chances, it can get overwhelming.


I always wondered how people, who made these Facebook groups, got so many members and unlike Twitter (where it has been known that some individuals will go to the extend of buying people to ensure the 'Trends' they have created succeed!) it's quite simple:

• You need to post messages everyday, 

• Be interested in your group members and there work, 

• Make it slightly more personal by posting pictures and telling them about your highs and lows about your writing experiences, 

• Post helpful hints and tips you have come across, 

• If a member is posting something which offends or is going against the tone of your group then removed them, then post a message to ensure your group members understand what will not be acceptable in your group and;

• Make your group look professional by taking a few minutes to create a 'Cover Picture'. This picture should be in tone with the theme of your group, be eye catching and attract potential new group members and make the name of the group clear.

I created some cover photo's for my Facebook groups and although I will probably update them every few months, it shows that you are taking the effort to make your group succeed.

In Macromedia Fireworks, I created my cover picture by getting a nice background image and using a good font generator to create the title and this is the finished product:

This is my first group I started on Facebook. It allows authors to discuss there experiences of self publishing and offers the members a place to offer advice and helpful hints and tips based on there own experiences.


The Self Publish or Wait in Hope Group - http://www.facebook.com/groups/219185778188759/

This is the second group I created on Facebook. This group allows authors to have their say on how they have found these groups and give hints and tips on how to successfully use these websites to enhance your chances of success with the work you are publishing.


The CreateSpace? Lulu? Kindle? Group - http://www.facebook.com/groups/333302013385928/

This is the last group I created on Facebook and is probably the most dearest to me as it allows the members to discuss all things 'Chick Lit' and all there women's fiction experiences. This group has recently been revamped as I found myself spending more time on the other two groups as more members began to join.


The Chick Lit Group - http://www.facebook.com/groups/156066371136923/


All groups also allow authors to promote their own work as well as speaking to other members who maybe in the same genre as themselves.

It does take time out of your day to compete with similar groups as you are constantly updating the groups, replying to messages and doing the general up keep but just like most self publishing tasks, you have to put in the work yourself at first as you don't have an agent to do it all for you just yet!

Good luck xoxo

How important Twitter is to your book?

I was never a fan of Twitter (mainly because I didn't understand the point of it and...I didn't really understand how to use it effectively!), however, I am now addicted.


Any social networking medium is going to be beneficial to anyone wanting to market themselves but what I have found out is, the way you fail is not understanding how to use it to it's maximum potential.

I used to dabble with Twitter but never really knew what to write and always wonder why some people had over 5k followers and some only had 50?


Then I started to do my research.


I was happy and comfortable marketing my books through YouTube and Facebook but realised I needed to 'up my game' and get on board with Twitter so I started following fellow authors and looked at how they conducted there accounts.


Without overloading their followers with information about their work, instead, they posted quotes, got involved in trends and set up automated messages, which would allow new followers to feel special as it sent them a personal message thanking them for taking the time to follow the individual.


Feeling confident with my first stage of research, I amended my account, started following some fellow authors, published messages in the trends which were primarily about writing and authors and took full advantage of the trends in influential countries (e.g. UK, USA, India, etc).


Now my followers are rising steadily but I'm also (finally) having fun with my messages as I'm not bombarding anyone with my work or trying to sell myself constantly, I am building up a contact base to learn from my fellow authors and to get my name out there by taking an interest in my followers and what they have to say, instead of forcing my marketing down there throats!


More to come about my Twitter experiences!

LinkedIn Initial Review

Looking at other ways to market my book, I was told about a networking site called, 'Linkedin'.

Now, I have signed up but haven't explored all it's features yet but another networking website couldn't harm any promotion you want to do for your books.


From the outset, (for myself) the layout is not fantastic as when I signed up, I didn't really know where to go or what to do.


I joined a few groups but at the moment all but one are still pending my request.


I have not gone into the group that has accepted me yet, however, when I do, due to it specialising in, 'New Writers', I plan on taking full advantage of all the help and support from other users by asking lots of questions and promoting my work in a discrete manner.


My sister in law is launching, 'Designer Chocolates' and was the one to refer me to the website as she is just starting her business and wanted to see what it was all about.


She has now received help, advice, referrals to alcohol distribution companies, meetings with directors and managers of some of the most prestigious restaurants in the UK and has been able to market her chocolates on the website and direct others to her website from Linkedin, which shows if you keep at it, it can be beneficial for your type of work.

Advertising Techniques for your Book

Researching different ways of a new writer trying to get attention to their first book has been interesting!

I have read writers giving advice from making use of YouTube to leaving a copy of your book in popular coffee shops in the hope that someone would read it and not throw it in the bin!


The methods I have used are:

• Facebook
• YouTube
• Blogs
• Forums

And will be meeting with the local newspaper at the end of this month for some free publicity.

Networking and going to new writer events in your city, would be a great way to get yourself (and your work) out there and to mingle with those who could help your work go from selling 100s to selling 1000s.

I always have a set of business cards in my bag as you never know who you will meet and I would suggest that if you do get a chance to meet someone who could help your book go further, always have the following to tell them:

• The synopsis
• Will there any sequels?
• Where are the books currently being sold?
• How many have you sold?
• What is your marketing plan?
• Have you had anyone interested in helping you take the book further? And if so, what are there plans to do this?

But, even if you meet a literary agent and they ask you all these questions, don't forget this is YOUR masterpiece and even if you are desperate to say yes to their offer straight away, weigh up the pro's and con's and always think about their offer and don't accept it straight away!

Exchange business cards with them and let them know you are very interested in their offer but will need to think about it over night (to give you time to think clearly and not just seeing the advantages of the offer which is all they will tell you, until you get to the paperwork part).

Finding Support within your City

Writing has now become my passion, however, I have realised it can be a little lonely.

Trying to express your highs and lows to friends and family, who don't understand or do not see the relevance of the topic (until you show them the profits as that's how most of society deems success!) is difficult and even though using the forums is great to network and get your questions answered, wouldn't it be even better to have like-minded people face-to-face with you, so you could meet new friends in the same field as yourself? Network? Organise outings? etc.

Speaking to one of my massage therapists (for those of you who never take time out and go for a massage or just to a mini spa to pamper yourself...I suggest you do so! It is worth the money and you leave feeling like a new person! I will touch on this again in a future post which has some relevance to helping new writers!), I didn't realise she also enjoyed writing and was speaking to a journalist from the BBC.

Through this we spoke about all aspects of writing and we got to thinking, why don't we set up a monthly support group?

This support group helps all writers (especially new writers) come together and just socialise, have fun, speak about any new updates or just have a coffee and a laugh.

We are thinking of publicising our new monthly group on:

• Meetup
• Facebook Groups
• Writing Forums

We are still in the process of finding a location but even if only handful of people turn up, it is better than being alone, tapping at your keyboard and the only communication you get, regarding this topic, is from a stranger in a forum.

Forum First!

I must admit I love forums!

Not only are they from, 'Joe Public' but you can find out anything you need to know about a particular website from the actual users and not from the website providers, who may, 'go around' certain facts or answers.


I especially like forums as you can meet fellow authors, who may have information which would be useful to you, its great for networking and also promoting your work.


However, the latter is slightly more delicate to do.


No one likes to see someone in a forum just promoting their work on every message and some people will complain and the following could happen:

• Your messages could get deleted from the administrator of the forum,
• Members of the forum could send you messages telling you to stop publicising your work (some messages can be quite embarrassing) and;
• Due to you over publicising your work, it makes you look desperate and this could affect your potential reader straight away.

How to use a forum

• Do use forums for genre's your book is in and participate in the conversations to make yourself known
• Do share your own experiences with people and refer them to your work if they ask
• Do ask questions and initiate topics (not only will this indirectly bring people to you but it can direct people to your work.

Ok, so now the things that you shouldn't do!

• Do not just go into forums and post links to your work! It's like Spam in your email...no one likes it!
• Do not send messages/answers without proof reading it first! If your an aspiring writer and your sending replies with spelling mistakes, people pick up on this and can become quite funny about this and may bring it up in their reply.
• Do not send nasty or negative messages even if the question asked seems quite stupid! Everyone was an amateur once and no one is perfect! Every question should be valid and treated that way!

Again, I hope I do not sound like I am preaching, as all these things are what I have experienced (minus the last in the 'do not' section) and hope you don't make the same mistakes I did!