Most readers think that writers only write. (I wish) But these days, most authors have to either help promote their books or, with indie publishing, do all the promotion. Marketing that works involves connecting with readers, so I’m always looking for ways to engage readers (after writing a gripping story). I found a few to share with you.
#wordoftheday
Our own Terry Odell shared in an interview that she had been posting #wordoftheday on her social media sites, and I asked if she’d mind if I copied her idea. She agreed after threatening to make me the villain in one of her books and killing me off <G>…What she actually said was, “Sure. I stole the idea from someone else, anyway.”
Every day Terry posts a new word on Facebook (I’m sure you could post it on Instagram and Threads, too) that she chooses from Dictionary.com and asks her readers to make up a definition for the word. You can schedule posts to drop in, allowing you to schedule as many as you’d like or do one each day. It doesn’t take long. You can see that Terry has 19 comments on this post, which is a good response.
#PunDay
Amy Lilliard, another writer friend, creates Pun Day posts. She and a friend each make up a pun, and Amy puts it on her Facebook page and lets her readers pick the best pun. Like Terry’s Word of the Day, these competitions have generated a lot of engagement from readers.
Pinterest Boards
Another way to engage readers is to create a Character Board for your latest WIP on Pinterest. You can ask your readers what they would like to see on the board, or here are a few AI suggestions:
- Photos or drawings showing what the character looks like.
- Specific outfits, shoes, and accessories they wear.
- Places they live, rooms, or nature backgrounds that match their mood.
- Small items like weapons, books, animals, or food tied to their story.
An X offering:
A couple of years ago, there was a Twitter post going around where you posted either the title of a book or the first line, and then added “And then the murders began.” So I thought I’d try it using one of my books. It’s a way to get your book out there without saying, Buy me! This is something you can do on any social media site. I love seeing what readers come up with.
Polls
Polls are a great way to engage readers. I’ve created polls to see if my readers preferred the beach or mountains as a setting. You can put the poll in your newsletter, a social media post, or on your blog, if you have one. My next book is set in the mountains, and I made that decision after polling my readers.
Blogs
Blogs are a great way to connect with readers. TKZ is a great example of that. I have a blog with over 600 subscribers, over 1,000 visitors each week, and usually 25-30 comments that I always answer.
While those numbers aren’t astronomical, I started out about seven years ago with only 10 visitors each week (my family) and zero subscribers. I’m gaining more each week with my Mystery Question blog, where I have four statements (usually crimes). Three are true, and I make up one. Readers guess which one. Then on Friday, I review a book by another author.
If you decide to start a blog, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.
- Provide something that ties into what you write. I write suspense, so the Mystery Question ties into my books. And my Friday post readers appreciate that I promote other authors.
- Be consistent. I’ve occasionally had to suspend my posts, and when I began again, it took a few weeks to get engagement going again.
- Always respond to the comments — connecting with readers is the whole point of the blog.
Readers like to connect with the authors they read. We should give them the opportunity to learn more about us and our books. Take the time to share a little about yourself with your readers. It’s a win-win situation.
Do you have any ideas you’d like to share?