Writers in the Storm

Penny Sansevieri

According to a recent New York Times article, users spend an average of fifty minutes on Facebook. Fifty minutes! And though this number includes Instagram and the Facebook Messenger app, you can bet that the lion’s share is still spent  on their main platform.  Now more than ever it’s really important to turn your Facebook Page into something that isn’t just getting you likes, but making you sales as well.

I don’t know about you but I sort of have a love/hate relationship with Facebook, when it works it works well but when it doesn’t work, well… crickets. The challenge is that Facebook is always changing and as it does, our strategies need to change as well. Whether you have a strong Facebook page, or want to try and up your engagement on an existing page let’s have a look at some of the new and exciting features Facebook offers.

Facebook Livestreaming

In the past few months many of you have probably seen the little icon for the new Facebook Live, which gives you the opportunity to do livestreaming video right onto your Facebook page. To start a livestream, open up the status bar as though you were going to write a new post and click the little head with the circles around it. This will push you into a cue to start your livestreaming. You will then be prompted to name your video feed and choose your audience, meaning you can choose to Livestream to everyone, or just selected followers. Once you do that, you’ll click the button to go Live and voila, you are now broadcasting to your Facebook audience.  Also important to note, you can save the video if you decide you want to share it later – so perhaps add it to your YouTube channel, etc.

Tips for using Facebook Livestreaming:

• Ideal video length: 5 to 20 minutes
• Use a short, snappy video title. If you need to add a longer description, do it in the comments.
• After the live event be sure to add a little narrative to the post, a call to action and change up the thumbnail (Facebook let’s you pick 1 of 10 images)
• Tags will help folks discover your video so add any that tie into your topic.
• If you’re interviewing people in the video, you can also tag them under “edit video” (one note, you can’t edit the video yet on mobile, just on your desktop)

Facebook Ads

One of the trickiest things these days seem to be Facebook Ads. Facebook has pulled together an elaborate ads dashboard with seemingly endless choices. But for this piece, let’s have a look at some things you may be doing that could be amplified a bit, as well as some newer features you may not have considered.

Boosted Posts: These types of ads are often too go-to for most of us and while they’re easy to do, they are the single biggest ad-dollar suck of all the ads Facebook offers. Why? Because most people use these wrong. When Facebook invites you to boost a post, it’s generally because the post is already getting a significant amount of engagement but it could do better, at least according to Facebook’s algorithm. The key to successful boosted posts is to limit their exposure.  When you boost a post to everyone, sure you’ll get into the stream of some new folks,  but statistics show that boosted posts do better when they’re shared with fans only. Boosted posts from your timeline are automatically optimized for page post engagement – but specifically to your fans. So if you boost a post to everyone, you’re spending a lot of money on very little engagement. In fact boosted posts are some of the most expensive ads you can run if you’re focused on ‘everyone’ instead of your fan base. Also, when you do fans only, you can also limit your budget. I’ve run hugely successful boosted post campaigns for as little as $15.

Ads to Drive Newsletter Sign Ups : I see a lot of people doing Facebook Ads geared toward driving people to a Leads Page or some other sales page to sell product. This is often a pretty expensive endeavor actually because CPC is much higher when you’re driving people to a sales page. So what’s a budget-minded author to do? Drive folks to a blog post that invites your readers to sign up for something. The key is, you’d better have a fantastic blog post so let’s look at that first.

Blogs

A blog post that’s designed to drive engagement should be kind of epic and by epic I mean: how to, actionable, or a list post. Also, did you know that people love to share stuff that makes them look smart? So if your post does that, bingo!

If the idea of writing an epic blog post makes your head spin (what on earth would I write about?), think about the top three things that people ask you about your work.

Fiction Writers: Maybe for you fiction authors,  it’s about how to get published. I always tell our fiction authors that 83% of Americans want to write a book and, guess what? These folks are probably also your fans or might want to learn more about your books. So while you don’t need to become a go-to publishing guru, sharing your experiences could be helpful.

Non Fiction Writers: For non-fiction authors, this is a no-brainer. You probably even know what your epic blog post might be about, even as you’re reading this article. To save time, if you already have a post that did really well, you can change it up a bit, maybe even update it and relaunch it.

Freebies:  So people love free stuff like checklists, cheat sheets, etc.  Maybe if you’re the author writing a blog post about becoming a writer, you give folks a list of your resources to get them started! Whatever kind of freebie you’re offering, make it irresistible. You may have to test a few to get a sense of what gets the most bounce.  Think of something you would want, something you wouldn’t be able to say no to. But don’t overthink it and spend a lot of time on this type of blog. You don’t need to write an entire book to make it valuable. We have a simple Amazon Optimization checklist that’s literally just a one page list and our readers love it.

Blog Traffic and Delivery: AME uses a system called LeadsPages,  which you can get for free or purchase the paid subscription. They have pre-set up templates and it’s easy to get started. The reason you want to use a system like LeadsPages is because if you get a flood of traffic to your blog (and that’s the goal!) you don’t want to be emailing each of these folks the giveaway and then manually adding them to whatever newsletter system you use. And, as I said, it’s a very simple system to use. In fact some pages integrate with MailChimp and other newsletter providers.

Once the page is set up, go back to your blog post and add the link to the bonus content in the middle of the post and again at the end.

Now you’re ready to do your Facebook ad!

Facebook Ad Tips

In general, Facebook ads work better when you don’t work so hard to create them.  Using  casual language on a Facebook ad tends to pull better than a formal, structured ad. So when you’re running ads, especially if you’re driving them to a blog post, keep it casual, as though you were doing a status update to your page.

Imagery:  I don’t recommend using Facebook’s stock images. I would highly encourage you to use something that will really catch the eye. A lot of authors like to use their own image.  This is perfectly fine if you’re doing an ad just to your fans, but if you’re doing an ad to drive more newsletter sign ups, you’re pulling in a lot of people who don’t know you.  Having your image on there may not have as much pull for folks who don’t know you.

You can also just do text with a color background, I’ve tried that and in some cases it worked brilliantly. As a matter of fact, Yellow seems to be the power color if you’re doing just a color ad with text overlay.

I recommend Canva for ad design. The site lets you choose the exact size of the ad so you won’t wind up having to redesign your ad because of Facebook ad size limitations.

Optimizing Your Facebook Posts

Posts that aren’t related to ads don’t tend to do as well as they once did. But since I don’t like to be forced into the ad funnel, I wanted to do some research and find out if there was a better way to do posts that could drive engagement, without spending money. Here’s what I found:

Pictures: We all know that posts with pictures drive more engagement, but did you know that with the right picture you could boost your engagement by as much as 179%? But the key is finding quality images. So images with stunning views, lovely scenery, smiling faces, you get the idea. If you want some ideas, head on over to Trip Advisor’s page because they’ve really made an art out of using a simple, stunning image and creating a discussion around this. For example a beautiful picture of a waterfall with the simple phrase: “Caption this,” got over 251 likes and 30 shares.

Memes: A lot of folks think that funny memes are great for sharing and they are, but they don’t really help with your engagement. For example I shared a meme that got in excess of 300 shares (yeah, it was pretty darned funny) but it didn’t really boost my engagement overall. So stick with stuff that’s relevant to your market, or tied to your book. Also, make sure that you brand all your images so when that one post goes viral, your website address is on there so people know how to find you.

Posting Time:  While this is often subject to your audience demographics, I  find that that highest engagement is on a Sunday which tends to increase by 52.9%. The best posting time window seems to be  10-11am EST. I know that’s really for you West Coast and Hawaii people, but if you’re really trying to push engagement, it could be worth getting up early on a Sunday.

Talking points:  I mentioned Trip Advisor’s simple “Caption this” on their image but did you also know that questions drive 162% more engagement. And I’ve tested this on both my personal profile and our Fan Page. Even asking something as simple as: “Do you agree?”  can help to give engagement a significant boost.

Post length: Three years ago, shorter was better on Facebook, but  that’s actually no longer true. Posts with 150-200 characters get on average 238 shares. Wow, right? After Prince died I posted this: “5 Things I Learned This Week,” which was really just about this odd new world we live in where rockers from our youth are dying off. I wrote it, figuring no one would see it or care but it got a lot of likes (I think in excess of 100) and a ton of shares as well.

Facebook is sometimes a monster that you feel you just can’t tame, but I promise you if you spend some time with these tools, you’ll turn your Facebook page from “blah” to “wow!”  in no time. Wouldn’t  it be nice to grab some of that fifty minute window for your page? Good luck!

What do you think, WITS readers? Any other tips for us?

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About Penny

Penny C. Sansevieri, CEO and founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc., is a best-selling author and internationally recognized book marketing and media relations expert and an Adjunct Professor with NYU. Her company is one of the leaders in the publishing industry and has developed some of the most cutting-edge book marketing campaigns. She is the author of fourteen books, including How to Sell Books by the Truckload. AME is the first marketing and publicity firm to use Internet promotion to its full impact through online promotion and their signature program called: The Virtual Author Tour™

To learn more about Penny’s books or her promotional services, you can visit her web site at http://www.amarketingexpert.com. To subscribe to her free newsletter, send a blank email to: mailto:subscribe@amarketingexpert.com

Copyright @2016 Penny C. Sansevieri

Top photo credit: MariaGodfrida - Pixabay

 

But first, an announcement~ The winner of Chuck Sambuchino's book, How To Get a Literary Agent is...morgynstarz!  Chuck will be in touch, and will send you the book. Now, on to today's blog.

I’m a tight writer (I’m cheap too, but in this case, I mean no spare words), so short-short fiction has always fascinated me. But deadlines for novel-length fiction means experimenting with short has remained on  a way-back burner. But I’ve just turned in two proposals, so I'm shuffling burners, and playing with this. I thought I'd pass on what I've uncovered about this type of writing.

What is flash fiction? Definitions vary, but generally, they’re complete stories of anywhere from 100 to 1,500 words. All genres lend themselves well to this type of story.

How do you write it? There are some guidelines:

• Few characters – Many I've read only have one, but you don’t have time for more than three. Make them count with good, short descriptions and unique voices
• Show vs tell – short-short means your words have to do double duty
• Verbal efficiency and tone – Margie Lawson is the master here. Use her power words, backloading, alliteration and other rhetorical devices to set the tone throughout
• Big impact in few words: think Hemingway’s, “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
• Use few elements, but use them wisely for best impact
• Complete story. Beginning/middle/end. Shouldn’t leave the reader wondering what happens next
• Focus one conflict – one theme – in one scene
• The first, last line and title are crucial
• Surprise the reader

More wisdom from STACE BUDZKO

• Start at the flashpoint –By definition Flash begins at the moment of conflict, when all the action is nearly complete. Think: the final gesture of a love affair, or the start of a good old-fashioned gang fight. All of this is to say we need to avoid preambles or introductions (unless working on a specific conceit).
• Focus on the powerful image(s)- Find one or more powerful images to focus your story on. A wartorn street. An alien sunset. A Going Out of Business sign. They say a picture worth a thousand words. Paint a picture with words. It doesn’t hurt to have something happen inside that picture. It is a story after all.
• Hit them where it hurts- Go for an ending that offers an emotional impact. As flash writers, we are in the punch-in-the-gut business. Play against expectations with a sense of narrative mystery or devastating twist, a poignant implication or declarative last sentence that leaves the reader breathless, and going back for more.

Why write it?

• Get your name out there
• People can read it fast, so they're more likely to read
• You can write it fast
• Sharpen your skills, learn to write tight
• Can count toward membership in professional writing organizations
• You can use it as free content for marketing
• Competitions
• Inspiration

Example: Warning – the visual is a bit brutal

Forecast by Nik Eveleigh

The wrinkled man pokes a finger in to the slew of guts strewn across the parched ground. The day-dead rabbit that had previously contained them lies on its side three feet away facing east.

A drag of the finger further displaces the ropes of intestine. Cocking his head the man lifts the finger to his lips and tastes. He hops from foot to foot and rolls his eyes in rapture.

Several minutes pass before his eyes drop and regain their focus. With a nod he creaks to his feet and turns to face the silent, expectant crowd.

“Rain. Two Days.”

I'm all in. How about you? Have you ever written any Flash Fiction? Share with us in the comments!

photo credit: Dr. Frankenstein's dream II via photopin (license)

 

A bit about Laura's latest release - Days Made of Glass:

Harlie Cooper raised her sister, Angel, even before their mother died. When their guardian is killed in a fire, rather than be separated by Social Services, they run. Life in off the grid in L.A. isn’t easy, but worse, there’s something wrong with Angel.

Harlie walks in to find their apartment scattered with shattered and glass and Angel, a bloody rag doll in a corner. The doctor orders institutionalization in a state facility. Harlie’s not leaving her sister in that human warehouse. But something better takes money. Lots of it.

When a rep from the Pro Bull Riding Circuit suggests she train as a bullfighter, rescuing downed cowboys from their rampaging charges, she can’t let the fact that she’d be the first woman to attempt this stop her. Angel is depending on her.

It’s not just the danger and taking on a man’s career that challenges Harlie. She must learn to trust—her partner and herself, and learn to let go of what’s not hers to save.

A story of family and friendship, trust and truth.

How To Close an Open Book

Lynda Cohen Loigman

I’m an open book.

Ask the people who know me best, and that’s what they’ll tell you. I’m not secretive. No one has ever described me as “aloof.” I’ve never answered an invitation with the phrase “I have other plans,” because I’m fine just telling you what my other plans are. If you ask me something about my personal life, chances are I’ll give you the answer, even if I don’t know you that well. There is nothing enigmatic about me, and I’ve always been comfortable with that.

Except now that I’m working on my second novel, I wish I knew how to be a little more mysterious. Now, for the first time ever, I’m beginning to realize the importance of keeping my thoughts to myself.

Part of why I’m having such a difficult time keeping silent about my second book is because of the way my first one developed. That story had been in my head for over a decade before I wrote a word, and I lived with the characters for almost as long. They were part of my life, so I spoke about them with my husband and friends. Their saga became part of my conversational repertoire. I never cared about keeping it secret, because I had no expectations. Even when I began to write the words on paper, the idea of publishing a book was just a far-away dream. And after the dream turned into reality – after the book was out in the world – it was even more fun to talk about.

With my next novel, I’m finding that talking isn’t such a good idea.

First of all, I’m not sure what to say. Even general questions like “What are you working on?” have begun to confuse me. When I started writing this second book, I thought I knew my story. I thought I knew my characters. But in the process of researching, another path began to show itself, a path with richer history and more compelling people. My ideas began to shift, my priorities changed, and now, my story is not the same. Answering questions prematurely has made me a little bit of a liar, and there is no guarantee that it won’t happen again. I have learned that ambiguity can be more virtuous than honesty, and a lot less likely to generate regret.

The same is true for sharing excerpts of my unfinished story. I’m not saying I want to lock up my laptop until this novel is finished, but I have begun to understand that sharing incomplete work is a risky endeavor. What if a friend wants me to keep a character I’ve eliminated? What if a necessary plot point is somehow unpopular? Even if I do away with it in the end, the act of writing it might still be necessary in order for another aspect of the story to emerge.

I love my writing group friends and I adore my classmates. But right now, I’m not ready to share too much. Even the thought of it makes me feel vulnerable – like I’m letting go of something that isn’t mine to give away.

Because she is so wise and generous, and because this isn’t her first second novel, my agent instinctively understands my position. Mine was a single book deal, and though the publisher has asked about my next novel, my agent knows me well enough to know that I’m not yet ready to pitch the manuscript. She knows that my story is still developing, and that adding outside voices or deadlines at this point will only muddy my thinking.

Imagine watching someone learn to ride a bike. The rider hits bumps and falls down. The process is messy and it’s easy to criticize technique. There are plenty of moments where you might want to cover your eyes rather than watch the rider swerve around with no apparent control of where she is going.

If I speak too much about my second novel, or if I give too much of it away in advance, it feels like the people listening or reading are watching me learn how to ride a bike. I want them to trust that I am capable enough not to crash, but the fact is, until the words are printed, there are an infinite number of choices and mistakes to be made. I think it’s best if I make those in private.

So I’m going to try to close the book. I’m going to try to hold my cards a little closer to my chest. I’m going to try, as much as possible, to offer the literary equivalent of “I have other plans” when people ask questions. I suspect that most other authors have already mastered this practice, but for me, it’s something new.

If I happen to meet you sometime soon, I hope we don’t talk about my next novel. You already know my weakness – if you ask, I’ll probably tell you everything. I might even confess that I never learned how to ride a bike.

Damn. I wasn’t supposed to tell you that.

Tips To Avoid Discussing Your Novel-in-Progress

Tip #1: Blame Research

When someone asks:  What’s your new novel about?
Answer this:  I’m still in the middle of my research.
If the follow-up question is asked:  What is the subject of your research?
Answer this:  My research takes me in so many different directions. It’s difficult to describe.
If there is additional follow-up:  Your research sounds so interesting. Tell me more about it.
Look for the nearest exit and say this:  I’m sorry, but I have to go. I need to get back to my research.

Tip #2 Feign Ignorance
When someone asks: When will your next novel be published?
Answer this:  I don’t know.
If the follow-up question is asked:  When will you be done writing it?
Answer this: I don’t know.
If there is additional follow-up:  How long does it usually take you to finish a novel?
Look for the nearest exit and say this: I don’t know.

Tip #3 Keep Your Answers As Short As Possible
When someone asks: Are you working on another novel?
Look for the nearest exit and say this: Yes.

In all seriousness, only you can decide how comfortable you are sharing the different phases your unfinished work. You might be a person who benefits from brainstorming with others, or you might be secure enough in your abilities that you are easily able to ignore unwelcome comments or advice that is inconsistent with your vision. But if you are like me, too many outside voices might make you doubt your original path or, even worse, trigger you to stop writing altogether.

Of course, we all need to share our work eventually – whether it happens in class, in a workshop or with early readers. I will welcome that point in the process, but first I need to reach a place of critical mass with my story. Despite all my insecurities, I trust my instincts enough to know that I will recognize that place when I get there. I can’t wait to see what it looks like.

How about you? How do you avoid this dreaded subject? Please share with us!

Lynda Cohen Loigman grew up in Longmeadow, MA. She received a B.A. in English and American Literature from Harvard College and a J.D. from Columbia Law School. She is a student of the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College, and lives with her husband and two children in Chappaqua, New York. She is a failure at enforcing reasonable bedtimes. THE TWO-FAMILY HOUSE is her first novel.