Writers, Taking a Break This Summer? Here’s How To Be Productive, Too

Ah, summer. Freshly mowed grass, sunshine, grilling kabobs on the barbecue, a pitcher of mojitos…does it get any better than this?

Some of you have likely decided to take time off from writing. Totally understandable. You’ve worked hard and have absolutely earned down time with the family, some nights out on the deck, and a few reading sessions in the hammock. Enjoy every minute!

BUT.

If I can make a tiny suggestion, it is this: a break from writing also provides a unique opportunity to turn your attention to some of the things that generally fall by the wayside.

Like…investigating marketing ideas and pinpointing the exact audience for your book. Or making a list of the movers and shakers influential with your readers. Or reading up on how to collaborate with other authors.

Many authors feel drained when they think about marketing. I totally get this.

It can be frustrating when we try something, and it doesn’t seem to work, or what does work takes a lot of effort. And yet, I can’t say enough how important it is that we fight past these feelings and work at broadening our knowledge to chart the path to a satisfying writing career.

So, it’s summer and mission number one may be to refill your creative well, but while you’re doing that, why not also add to your business well, too? You know, while you’re in that hammock, or sipping that mojito. 🙂

If you read one article every day or three, think about how much more knowledge you will have by summer’s end.

Here are some excellent articles that might fill in gaps & provide ideas.

SUMMER READING

Finding Your Book’s Ideal Audience: If I told you that the single most important marketing step you can take is to really understand who your exact ideal book audience is…would you set time aside to do it? I hope so, because connecting with the right group of people will save you a boatload of time and money. Plus, you’ll enjoy marketing more because at the heart, it’s really about finding people who have a lot in common with you and building relationships with them.

Authors, Do You Know Who Your Influencers Are? The other side of the marketing coin is finding your influencers: people who have already established trust and authority with your potential book audience. I’ll show you how to determine who these influencers may be for you, and how you can reach out to these influencers to create a relationship that will benefit both parties. Plus, I’ve created a downloadable Influencers Hot Sheet to help you make it all happen.

Inside a Successful Book Launch: How to Manage a Book Campaign: This webinar recording is worth a watch. Author Accelerator’s Jennie Nash peppers me with questions on how to successfully launch a book, gain visibility online and run a Street Team. And, you can access a PDF Swipe File of our book launch emails, posts, and promotional materials to see exactly what Becca and I did.

10 Sites like Goodreads for Authors and Readers: Here’s a list you might not be aware of. Why not check them out over the summer, and create a few profiles for you and your books? By fall, you’ll have a nice set of websites for new readers to discover you.

Six Smart Ways Indie Authors Can Collaborate When Marketing: Any job becomes easier when we share it, including book marketing. And really, whether you are traditionally published or not, you can use these ideas to further your own reach and gain more readers. Finding other authors whom you admire who have a very similar audience can really open the door to some great creative collaborations, so start building your tribe!

A Book Marketing Truth Few Experts Will Admit: Unfortunately, sometimes no matter what it seems a person does, their marketing doesn’t gain traction. Most experts will tell you that all you need is to take their course, or sign up for their coaching program, or buy their automated marketing funnel system, but the truth is that sometimes other factors are at play. This post looks at a list of reasons (and some may be hard to hear) as to why your marketing may not be successful (yet).

Want more links but don’t have time to scour the web for marketing help? Try these Facebook groups as they often post good links: Build Book Buzz and Marketing For Authors.

Happy writing, reading, and relaxing this summer!