A New Author’s Year in Review Pt. 4

This is a continuation from the blog, The Serendipity of Christmas Generosity. It took time to get to the place where I was ready to commit to writing after the events described in my previous post. But that bit of serendipity certainly affected what I’ve done this past year as well as where I’m going next year. In Part 1 of this series I’ll revealed how I’ve progressed this year in several ways but now I want to get more specific starting with my email decisions. Part 2 covers my choices with email. Part 3 addresses how I started and grew my blog.

One of the major milestones in launching my writing brand was creating social media accounts using my brand new email address (see part 2 of this series). When I started these accounts I knew I needed them but not how much. Sure there was the idea of sharing my writing and having a presence but the notion was vague.

Here’s where my crowd-funding mistake really bit me. I engaged in the campaign well before I had near the social media reach to effectively raise funds for my novel. There was nothing of substance to reach enough people for funding my writing project. Once I realized this I worked hard on my social media growth but it was much too little too late – lesson learned.

What I needed was a commitment to social media growth. This meant seeking out new connections and engaging with them. I emphasized Twitter and the following has grown with consistent attention. I’ve been working more consistently with my Facebook page following over the last few months with some success. I’m currently expanding my focus to other channels like Goodreads, Google+ and Pinterest.

Along the way, I’ve found some good advice about what type of social media is important for certain genres. For instance, science fiction and fantasy have lots of readers on Google+ so I’m working on that channel a little more. As an author, I’m also emphasizing Goodreads based on some great advice from fellow author Michael J. Sullivan. My Pinterest focus is more for the future where I am taking a “stitch in time” approach so I can share related artwork with readers as well as any possible fan-art.

The main lessons I learned about social media were to be committed to the growth and know which ones to target. Social media growth takes time so starting with a few accounts and moving into others as you go is easier than trying to gain large followings all at once. I’ve come a long way in a few months but it’s taken patience along with regular activity.

What are your social media goals? What are your obstacles regarding social media? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. See the News page for announcements and remember to sign-up to receive news and posts by email. I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. New followers can download The Black Bag via free coupon today! Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.

Clip art licensed from Microsoft Office.