1. Introduction
2. Tailoring Your Market Approach
3. Conventions
4. Social Media Marketing
   1. Choosing the Right Platforms for Your Audience
   2. Creating an Effective Social Media Strategy
   3. Building and Engaging with Your Community
   4. Leveraging Platform-Specific Features
5. Writing Exercise: 15-Minute Author Marketing Quick-Start
6. Conclusion
7. Writing Update

Introduction

Welcome to Christmas Eve for those who celebrate the holiday. I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season. If you’re celebrating something other than Christmas this week, drop it in the comments! I’d love to hear about everything else going on in the world. Now, let’s look at something that might help get your books in stockings next year!

Marketing is a crucial aspect of success if you’re wanting to make a living through your writing. While it’s often viewed with fear and doubt, marketing helps you reach your target audience, build a fan base, and sell more books. The great and challenging thing about writing in science fiction and fantasy is that these genres are full of niche audiences. Once you figure out who your audience is, you can build your brand and fan base.

Marketing channels offer many ways for you to build your brand and fan base. Many people are already using social media platforms, but that has often proved the weakest supporter of authors’ success. There are many forms of marketing channels that you may have yet to access. You may already know about some marketing channels discussed in previous posts, while others might be new to you as a marketing avenue. While you’ll leverage some new and old knowledge, don’t forget to keep your goals realistic for you, your books, and what you want to achieve with them.

Tailoring Your Market Approach

Let’s start with a hard truth that’s worth repeating: your book will not be for everyone. It shouldn’t be for everyone. Each book you write should have a specific audience. While you may write a series with a very similar audience for each book, the readers will grow with the characters, hopefully, and you’ll see that the target audience for the second book is slightly different from the first.

Where we’ve talked about identifying your ideal reader in the post “Building Your Platform as a Speculative Fiction Author,” I won’t bother you with too many details here.

Identifying your ideal reader involves creating a specific description of the person you’re writing the story for. Consider factors like age, gender, hobbies, personal identities, etc. These will combine into a semi-clear profile that represents your book’s audience. As you lock in these details, you can research what your ideal reader might prefer, how they read, and other facts that will impact how you market to them.

Once you know who you’re marketing to, you can craft your message. Your message is the hook that attracts readers and keeps them engaged. They may stay for a few days or until your dying days. Either way, your message highlights what’s unique to you and your story. This could be a compelling magic system or innovative technologies. Make sure that as you craft this message, you match your language to your genre. Your message is essentially your elevator pitch that tells readers why they should be interested in you and your book. As you write more books, that will expand to encompass your work and grow your message.

Once you’re ready to share your book and your message, it’s time to brave the outside and digital worlds to spread both.

Conventions

One of the greatest ways to sell your work is to go out into the world and sell it yourself. While there are writing groups, fan pages, and social media accounts to bolster your following, getting face time can be your biggest seller. Even though it may sound crazy, people like knowing authors, being able to say they met and bought a book directly from the author is a badge of pride. Conventions offer a great opportunity for you to represent yourself as a writer and your books.

Taking part in panels and workshops at conventions can significantly boost your visibility and credibility as an author. Sharing your expertise and engaging with attendees can make you a respected authority in your field, attracting more visitors to your booth. These sessions also provide a platform to promote your books subtly and interact with potential readers, increasing the likelihood that they will remember you and your work.

Networking with other authors and industry professionals is another important strategy. When you connect with your peers, you can work together on projects or promotions. These connections can offer valuable insights into market trends and promotional strategies, helping you stay ahead in the industry. A strong network also provides a support system where you can share advice and experiences.

Engaging with fans and potential readers is essential for building a loyal readership. Interacting with readers at conventions helps build stronger connections and turns casual readers into loyal fans. These engagements provide direct feedback on your work and help you understand what your audience loves about your books. Enthusiastic fans are likely to spread the word about your books, both in person and on social media.

Finally, follow-up strategies post-convention are vital for maintaining the momentum. By sending email newsletters to those who shared their contact information, you can continue the conversation, share event highlights, and promote your books. Engaging on social media by posting photos and updates from the convention helps continue the interaction online. Strengthen your new relationships by sending personalized thank-you messages to those you had meaningful interactions with. Offering special discounts or early access to new releases for convention attendees can also incentivize continued interest in your work.

Social Media Marketing

While I said that social media marketing doesn’t offer the greatest return on investment, they do play a critical part in our culture. Social media marketing allows for you to advertise yourself and your book to the mass crowds the algorithm sets you in front of. Word of mouth can spread so much faster over digital spaces like this versus the holiday gathering where your great aunt Janice swears your mother should read this book. Though that’s more of a sale than most people might think. The reality is, Social media is a tool that you can use as an author to further your sales and connect with your audience.

Choosing the Right Platforms for Your Audience

Not every platform is created equal. Each has a unique use and demographic that may draw you to it over others. While the statistics below identify the majority age range, the true range of users’ ages is far outside of that. So stick with the format that works best for you. Your readers will eventually find the way to connect with you as long as they have something to connect with.

1. Twitter: Perfect for short, impactful updates, interacting with the writing community, and participating in trending conversations. Many of Twitter’s users are between 30-39.
2. Instagram: Great for visual storytelling, book covers, character art, and behind-the-scenes shots. Use Stories and Reels for more dynamic content. Instagram users can range from 18-39.
3. Facebook: Excellent for building groups and communities, sharing longer posts, and hosting events. Facebook is used by more of the older demographics of 30-39 and 50-64.
4. TikTok: Ideal for short, engaging videos, book teasers, and connecting with a younger audience through trends and challenges. TikTok is most often used by younger audiences 18-29.

Note: All age demographic information was pulled from here.

Creating an Effective Social Media Strategy

As with any tool you use, social media works best when you have a strategy that aligns with your overall goals and objectives. Developing a well-thought-out plan not only helps you identify your target audience and the type of content that resonates with them, but it also ensures that your messaging remains consistent across various platforms. By using data and analyzing how well you’re doing, you can improve your approach and build a powerful community around your brand. When you approach social media strategically, it becomes an ally in your marketing endeavors.

This is by far not my strong suit and something I’m working on. Below are a few highlights, but I’d redirect you to an expert Lara Ferrari who’ve I’ve found is the best to learn from.

1. Developing a Consistent Brand Voice: Establish a voice that reflects your author persona and resonates with your target audience. Whether it’s witty, mysterious, or inspirational, consistency is key.
2. Planning Content Calendars: Create a content calendar to schedule your posts in advance. This helps maintain a regular posting schedule and ensures a mix of content types.
3. Balancing Promotional and Engaging Content: Promote your books, but also share engaging content like writing tips, polls, and personal anecdotes to keep your audience interested and interactive.

Building and Engaging with Your Community

Connect with fans and authors by interacting with comments, joining discussions, and sharing their work. Building connections creates a powerful community, and engaging thoughtfully is key. By interacting genuinely, you show appreciation for your fans and create a welcoming space for conversation. Promote fellow authors by sharing their writings, attending their events, or collaborating on projects. This not only increases your visibility but also strengthens relationships. A strong community depends on support from everyone. Start conversations about shared interests or popular books to create meaningful interactions.

Participating in Online Events: Join Twitter chats, Instagram live sessions, and virtual book tours to connect with a wider audience. These platforms let you interact with your audience, share insights, discuss your work, and answer questions in real-time. By being active in these events, you create a community where others feel encouraged to share their thoughts. Being active online allows you to connect with industry professionals, stay updated on trends, and possibly collaborate on future projects, while also building your personal brand for your followers.

Show your audience how you write by sharing behind-the-scenes content, updates, and moments of inspiration. Provide glimpses of upcoming projects like excerpts or character sketches and give daily updates on your progress. Sharing personal stories about how your life impacts your writing can help you connect with readers and gain their loyalty. This deeper connection makes your audience feel involved in your journey, eager to see what comes next.

Leveraging Platform-Specific Features

Each platform has its own unique features that help it stand out in a busy digital space. These features attract loyal users and shape the platform’s identity. While others might later copy these ideas, users are drawn to the original concepts when they first join. For many users, these unique aspects are essential for their ongoing engagement and satisfaction with the platform. So, it’s up to you as an author to use your tools to their fullest potential.

1. Instagram Stories and Reels: Use Stories for quick updates, polls, and Q&A sessions. Reels are perfect for creative, short videos that highlight your books or writing tips.
2. Facebook Groups: Create or join groups centered around your genre to connect with readers and writers. Host discussions, share exclusive content, and organize group activities.
3. Twitter Hashtags and Trends: Utilize relevant hashtags like #AmWriting, #SciFiFantasy, and #WritingCommunity to increase your visibility. Participate in trending topics and engage with popular hashtags to reach new audiences.

By using these strategies, you will effectively market your speculative fiction and build a loyal readership that values your work and engages with you as an author.

Writing Exercise: 15-Minute Author Marketing Quick-Start

Set a timer for 15 minutes and complete as many of these sections as you can. Don’t overthink – go with your instincts!

1. Quick Reader Profile (3 minutes)

Fill in the blanks:

• My ideal reader is _____ years old
• They love books like _____
• They spend their free time _____
• I’m most likely to find them on _____ (pick one: Instagram/TikTok/Twitter/Facebook)

2. Your Hook (5 minutes)

Complete these sentences about your book:

• “If you love _____, you’ll enjoy my book because _____”
• The one thing that makes my book unique is _____
• My story in 10 words: _____

3. Action Plan (7 minutes)

Choose ONE of these paths and complete it:

Path A: Convention Focus

• Closest convention to me: _____
• One topic I could confidently discuss: _____
• My book pitch in one sentence: _____

OR

Path B: Social Media Focus

• Platform I’ll focus on: _____
• Three types of posts I’ll make:
• Best time of day for me to post: _____

Pick THREE actions you’ll take this week. That’s it!

Remember: You can always expand on this later. The goal is to start somewhere manageable.

Conclusion

Marketing your speculative fiction doesn’t have to be overwhelming or inauthentic. Build authentic connections with your audience by focusing on who your ideal readers are and reaching out to them in places they already frequent, such as conventions or specific social platforms. Remember, successful marketing isn’t about reaching everyone; it’s about reaching the right readers who will truly appreciate your unique voice and storytelling. Start small, stay consistent, and let your authentic self shine through your chosen marketing channels.

Writing Update

This last week hasn’t been my best writing week. After family events and just the mental drain of the holidays and winter, it has been one of my less productive writing weeks. I’m sure I’m not the only one battling the darker months, but I hope you know that it’s okay. All we can do is all we can do, and sometimes all we can do is enough. I hope you’ve been able to have a strong second-to-last week of 2024. If you’re feeling like you’ve missed the mark, know it’s okay, and you’re not alone. Keep trying to write, read, and work on yourself. I managed to have one good morning working on a short story I’ve been meaning to finish and made more progress on these blog posts. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday week before we begin 2025!

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