Friday Reader-Writer Connections

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August is “Reader-Writer Connections” month here at TKZ.

Recently I invited readers of my newsletter to send me ideas for topics of discussion in future blogs. Deb Gorman suggested examining how writers succeed at connecting with readers. We began discussing the topic, and decided to look at the topic from both the perspective of the writer and the reader. Eventually we divided each perspective into (a) making the initial connection, and (b) maintaining a connection. Thus, we have four topics, one for each Friday in August.

Deb will be co-hosting these discussions. She’ll be asking the questions of the writers. I’ll be asking the readers. So, put your writer/reader hats on and prepare to give us some good advice from your experience.

Today we’ll look at #1, the Reader’s Perspective for finding a writer they want to follow.

And the questions:

As a reader

  1. What about a writer captures your attention or interest enough to make you begin following that writer’s blog/newsletter or social media or other content?
  2. What social media platform or site do you use to find new writers to follow?
  3. What specifically attracts you enough to try a new writer?
  4. Anything that is a big turn-off?

~~~

Deb Gorman lives in the Pacific Northwest and writes stories of redemption and reconciliation. Her next book, No Tomorrows, is due to be released this fall. You can connect with her at her website: debggorman.com

37 thoughts on “Friday Reader-Writer Connections”

  1. Good morning, Steve.

    This sounds like you and Deb have provided the fixings for an interesting August. I’ll try not to bring things to a screeching halt. So…

    1) What about a writer captures your attention or interest enough to make you begin following that writer’s blog/newsletter or social media or other content?
    Their background. If it’s military, law enforcement, or private investigation I’ll take a look.

    2) What social media platform or site do you use to find new writers to follow? I’m somewhat uniquely situated. My years of reviewing books put me on a great number of emailing lists and though the reviews have stopped I am still on blast, if you will, with regard to new book notifications. Otherwise, I turn to http://www.bookreporter.com.

    3) What specifically attracts you enough to try a new writer? A protagonist who is a fish-out-of-water. These days I seem to find myself gasping on shore and wondering how I wound up there, so I identify.

    4) Anything that is a big turn-off? I am immediately not interested if the description indicates someone ticked off a bunch (one or more) of woke boxes.

    Thanks, Steve. Hope you have a great weekend!

    • Good morning, Joe, and thanks for your comments. Very helpful.

      1. The writer’s background. That makes sense, because it will determine to a large part what book a writer writes, and how they will approach it.
      2. Book Reporter. Thanks for the link. Is that the site where you wrote reviews?
      3. A protagonist we can identify with. Excellent.

      These are excellent! They also provide insight when we approach the subject from the opposite perspective.

      Have a great weekend!

    • Morning, Joe!

      I’ve never thought to look into “the writer’s background” when deciding on trying a new author. I like to read crime/action/espionage/courtroom drama and thrillers, so I guess I should take a peek and see if the author raised rabbits as a career…

      Thanks for the link to http://www.bookreporter.com. I’m now signed up.

      Agree with you totally on 3 & 4.

      Have a great weekend!

  2. – What about a writer captures your attention or interest enough to make you begin following that writer’s blog/newsletter or social media or other content?
    To my recollection I follow no writers on social media that I can think of. No time for it. For blogs/newsletters, it is limited to authors here at TKZ–so I guess the quick answer would be because of the community building work that has been done. I can think of perhaps 2 author newsletters I receive that are not affiliated with TKZ–one writes history related blog posts which can be of interest to both writers AND readers.

    – What social media platform or site do you use to find new writers to follow?
    Very limited user of social media, but the way this would happen is if someone with similar writing/reading interests to mine mentioned a book that catches my attention.

    – What specifically attracts you enough to try a new writer?
    1. If I’m surfing Amazon for books to read, they have to pass the book cover test. Is it attention grabbing? Does the cover immediately make me think this is going to be a book I’m interested in?
    2. Does the book cover blurb grab me? Is it a ‘more of the same’ book or does it seem to have a unique angle that grabs me?
    3. Then I read a few reviews. Not only to get a hint on quality of the book, but also because if the reviewers point to, as their favorites aspects of the story, things that I find boring, I know whether to move on to the next book possibility or give it a shot.

    – Anything that is a big turn-off?
    1) Agree with Joe’s number 4
    2) Overdone story ideas

    • Thanks for your comments, BK. These are very helpful.

      Your views on community building and social media presence are points that are really significant. And then, of course, the book – the cover, the blurb, and the reviews.

      Good information. I look forward to hearing (next week) how this has influenced your approach as a writer.

    • Good tips, BK. Thanks for commenting.

      I agree with your insight into reading reviews. It’s important to not just look at the rating, because although it might have dozens of 5 stars, seeing why all those readers liked the story is key. I’m not much of a reader of romance, so if the reviewers are all fired up about boy-meets-girl, that’s not the book for me.

      Overdone story ideas . . . yes, if it’s not a fresh take on it, I’ll pass.

      Have a great Friday!

  3. Great topic, Steve.

    1. What about a writer captures your attention or interest enough to make you begin following that writer’s blog/newsletter or social media or other content?

    I have this disease where if I enjoy a book or even story, then I have to learn more about the writer and his process.

    2. What social media platform or site do you use to find new writers to follow?

    I’m not on any social media (and proud) but I’ve found YouTube is a wealth of content in terms of author interviews and lectures.

    3. What specifically attracts you enough to try a new writer?

    I’m old fashioned. Author blurbs work on me. If a writer I love blurbs a book by a different author, I’ll give it a shot.

    4. Anything that is a big turn-off?

    Politics. Even if it’s the side I’m on. I read to escape, not go deeper into the political stresses of our time. Takes me right out of the story/fictive dream. (I’m looking at you, Mr. King).

    • Great comments, Philip.

      I found myself agreeing with you on all your points. I, too, get interested in an author after I have read and enjoyed their book(s). I am on social media as little as possible. And, I am most prone to read a new author when it has been recommended by someone, especially here at TKZ.

      Thanks for your comments.

    • Good morning, Philip.

      If a writer I love blurbs a book by a different author, I’ll give it a shot. Agreed! And particularly here at TKZ.

      And, just curious. Are we all looking at Mr. King this morning? 🙂

      Thanks for your input, and have a great day out there!

  4. Great topics to explore, Steve and Deb.

    1. An intriguing or unusual guest post on blogs I respect (Jane Friedman and Anne R. Allen come to mind, plus TKZ of course). If a writer has a fresh new take on an old subject, I check out their website and newsletter.
    Like Joe, someone with an interesting background i want to learn more about. Examples: Patrica Cornwell, Kathy Reichs, our own Elaine Viets.

    2. Not much social media, although tweets or posts with a quirky, ironic sense of humor may make me curious enough to follow the author.

    3. Recommendations from trusted sources, usually friends. After I check out the sample on Amazon, If the author’s voice captures me, I buy the book.

    4. Boring, two-dimensional characters; heavy-handed proselytizing; long descriptions that slow the story; bestsellers with a compelling plot but bad writing.

    • Good morning, Debbie.

      I also follow a few authors who consistently interview/blog other authors. I read those with the hope I’ve found a new writer to read.

      Your point about the sample read on Amazon to take a peek at the author’s voice is one that hadn’t occurred to me. That’s a great idea.

      …bestsellers with a compelling plot but bad writing. Isn’t it a mystery how some books climb to the title of “Bestseller”?

      I picked up a book several years ago that I’d heard about from a friend, can’t remember the name of it (what does that tell you?) and could not believe what I saw on the first two pages. Punctuation missing, misspelled common words, incorrect use of words like “there, their, they’re” . . . The blurb on the back was good, no errors, etc., so I thought, why not?

      Not!

      Have a great day!

    • Thanks, Debbie, for helping us explore this subject today.

      Good point on guest posts. Humor in social media posts. Recommendations from trusted sources and author’s voice. And avoidance of 2-D characters, preaching, and long descriptions.

      Wow, that’s a great list, and the start of an excellent article. I have a project for you…

      Have a great weekend!

  5. 1. What about a writer captures your attention or interest enough to make you begin following that writer’s blog/newsletter or social media or other content?

    I have an eclectic approach. If I buy a book on Amazon based on someone’s recommendation (e.g., I bought How to Read a Book based on Garry’s TKZ post yesterday), I’ll follow the author(s). I follow blogs if they speak to my interests, and I follow lots of authors on Twitter (aka X) because I’d like to build my overall author community. I also follow groups on facebook that I’m associated with.

    2. What social media platform or site do you use to find new writers to follow?

    I don’t usually find authors through social media, although I have bought a couple of books by authors I follow on Twitter.

    3. What specifically attracts you enough to try a new writer?

    I find books/authors through my book club, recommendations here on TKZ or elsewhere, podcasts I listen to, or just looking for books in my areas of interest.

    4. Anything that is a big turn-off?

    I don’t mind a few typos, but a lot of grammar and punctuation mistakes that interrupt my reading will make me put the book down.

    • Hi Kay…thanks for chiming in this morning.

      Agree with everything you said. One thing that caught my attention was your mention of following authors on Twitter. That’s a platform I haven’t paid much attention to. Perhaps I should change that.

      Also, listening to podcasts. I haven’t done that much, but maybe I’ll look into that, too. Any suggestions for me?

      Have a wonderful Friday, my friend!

      • Podcasts: I have so many on my phone, but the top ones I would recommend are:
        – The Creative Penn Podcast (Joanna Penn)
        – Novel Marketing Podcast (Thomas Umstadt Jr.)

        I was interviewed on the two listed below and I recommend both of them:
        – The Because Fiction Podcast (Chautona Havig)
        – The Cozy Corner (Alexia Gordon)

        There are tons of others. You just have to pick and choose podcasts and episodes.

        Thanks to you and Steve for an interesting topic!

    • Great comments, Kay. You cast a wide net in your search for books and authors. And your use of social media is to be admired. I wish I could find the time. You mention your book club. That is certainly a wonderful place for finding authors and books.

      I look forward to reading your comments next week when we look at the subject from the other end of the equation.

      Thanks for sharing your approach!

  6. ❖ What about a writer captures your attention?
    ❦ Voice, mostly. Prose that is clever, but self-effacing, not too OTT clever.
    ❖ What social media site do you use to find new writers?
    ❦ I’m on Facebook and X, primarily. Quora, occasionally. But I often check writers out by reading samples of their work on Amazon.
    ❖ What attracts you enough to try a new writer?
    ❦ Good reviews, of course. Certain topics: Nazi Germany, Psychology, Astronomy, Addiction, Art, Cryptography, Archaeology, Firearms …
    ❖ Anything that is a big turn-off?
    ❦ Bad writing. It’s amazing how awful some books are. Writers complain on social media about bad reviews. One writer’s Amazon sample was absolutely schrecklich, full of mistakes, poor word choices, pleonasms, etc. I suggested he hire an editor. He said he planned to do that “for the next revision.” He’d put his book out there without making it as good as he could, then whined, moaning and groaning and kvetching when someone gave it a one-star review. Imagine that! (I did not burst his bubble by enlightening him.)

  7. Hi, J!

    Entertaining paragraph about bad reviews. I can’t imaging NOT having an editor. Mine usually goes through the MS at least twice, sometimes thrice before we’re satisfied with it.

    You mentioned “X”. Is that like FB, IG, and Twitter? Haven’t heard of it.

    Thanks for commenting, and hope you have a nice day.

  8. Great idea, Steve and Deb!

    What about a writer captures your attention or interest enough to make you begin following that writer’s blog/newsletter or social media or other content?
    Content draws me in first. Personality and/or informative, funny, or amusing content keeps me from unsubscribing. Unless, of course, we’re friends. Then I’ll stay no matter what.

    What social media platform or site do you use to find new writers to follow?
    I don’t use social media to actively search out new-to-me writers. If I’m a fan of an author’s work, I may look them up online, but never the reverse.

    What specifically attracts you enough to try a new writer?
    Word of mouth tops the list, though I’ve also bought books based on cover alone.

    Anything that is a big turn-off? Ego and negativity. I can’t stomach either, regardless of how much I may love their work.

    • Hey Sue!

      Ego…yeah, big turn-off for me, too.

      Content. Very important to me also.

      I follow one author/blogger who usually posts on subjects others most of the time avoid. And she pulls no punches, is straightforward and blunt, without being nasty, cruel, or egotistical. To me, her voice is compelling and refreshing.

      Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day. (Stop by next Friday for the flip side discussion…)

      🥳

    • Thanks for contributing, Sue.

      1. I liked your answer about content drawing you in. I expected more people to say that today.

      2. I expected your answer about not using social media to find new writers. That seems to be a common answer. But I had to ask.

      3. Word of mouth is the top of your list for trying a new writer. I expected more people today to say hearing the writer speak on a topic – on line or live.

      4. And a turn-off. No one wants to spend time with someone who has a big ego and lots of negativity.

      I don’t know if anyone at TKZ has posted on how to choose content of newsletters/blogs/etc., but you would be a great person to post on that subject.

      Thanks for your answers. Have a great day!

  9. Thanks to everyone who played the Connections Game with Steve and I today!

    As always, I learned some stuff.

    See you on the Flip Side next Friday…

    👊👊👊

  10. Hi Deb & Steve. Sorry to be late but I’m squeezed for time so I’ll makes this short. Very short.
    1. Value 2. BookBub 3. Good cover 4. Bad cover

    • Thanks, Garry!

      Great summary…no fat there for an editor to trim.

      Bookbub. I get their emails, but never used. I must check them out.

      Happy weekend!

    • Good evening, Garry. You’re never late. We’re always open.

      Thanks for your feedback. I like a man of few words, who can express his ideas succinctly.

      Have a great weekend!

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