Rebecca Graf's Blog - Posts Tagged "readers"
When Authors Refuse to Get Personal
Getting personal is very imporant when it comes to authors. I don't mean knowing all the intimate details of one's life. That crosses line in getting personal. I'm talking not keeping keeping yourself at a distance where readers can talk to you.
There is a very famous romance author who I love to read. Well, I used to. On facebook, I reached out to send her a message about how much I loved her books. I heard nothing back. Okay. Then I read where she never responds to the messages from fans. She wants to keep her life separate.
The author refused to get personal. By doing so, she eventually lost me as a reader. She refused to connect with readers. I didn't want to know about her morning routine. I just wanted to tell her that I thought her writing was amazing. I was ignored. That turned me off toward her.
Not everyone reacts in such a way. But not letting your readers reach you will drive them away eventually. Readers want to know that they can touch something real from their world of fantasy.
Another famous mystery writer took time to send my daugther, a big fan, a letter and a free, signed book. Every now and then, he answers her messages. That makes him appear even bigger in our eyes. The result? We read more and more of his books. We promote his work. We do some of his marketing for him because he was willing to get personal.
Again, readers don't need to know TMI details. But don't put up too many walls and keep the readers at a such a distance.
For further reading:
https://writingcooperative.com/author...
There is a very famous romance author who I love to read. Well, I used to. On facebook, I reached out to send her a message about how much I loved her books. I heard nothing back. Okay. Then I read where she never responds to the messages from fans. She wants to keep her life separate.
The author refused to get personal. By doing so, she eventually lost me as a reader. She refused to connect with readers. I didn't want to know about her morning routine. I just wanted to tell her that I thought her writing was amazing. I was ignored. That turned me off toward her.
Not everyone reacts in such a way. But not letting your readers reach you will drive them away eventually. Readers want to know that they can touch something real from their world of fantasy.
Another famous mystery writer took time to send my daugther, a big fan, a letter and a free, signed book. Every now and then, he answers her messages. That makes him appear even bigger in our eyes. The result? We read more and more of his books. We promote his work. We do some of his marketing for him because he was willing to get personal.
Again, readers don't need to know TMI details. But don't put up too many walls and keep the readers at a such a distance.
For further reading:
https://writingcooperative.com/author...
Controversial Posts
What items online get the most attention? I think we can all agree that is the controversial ones that people comment on the most. Controversial topics draw people in stampedes. Kind of like not able to stop staring at a disaster scene. Then why not use them to your advantage?
Now, I want to point out right here that I'm not saying that I want to start riots or to set out to receive death traps. I'm suggesting this is a great way to get attention and get conversations started. Controversial posts are extremely hot and get lots of visits.
What is a current controversial topic? How can you write about it without getting too biased or too heated? Right now, race relations are a hot topic. Write about your first experience at realizing there were issues. Write about a different perspective. Play devil's advocate. However you write it, do it in a way that isn't hostile but thought provoking.
I wrote an article that seems to very controversial. I didn't think so at the time. Actually, the hosting site asked me to write this article. You can find that article here -
https://owlcation.com/humanities/The-....
I noted at the very beginning of the article to state that this list is just my opinion and other events could replace any of them I listed. That didn't stop people from calling me racist for not putting more Asian events. I had them calling me stupid for not putting more ancient history in the list. Then I had the ones who condemned me for putting a picture of a religious figure in it. Even had one message threatening me. This is my most visited post on this site.
Opinionated posts get attention. It can get bad attention, but it gets attention and gets people talking. Give it a try.
Now, I want to point out right here that I'm not saying that I want to start riots or to set out to receive death traps. I'm suggesting this is a great way to get attention and get conversations started. Controversial posts are extremely hot and get lots of visits.
What is a current controversial topic? How can you write about it without getting too biased or too heated? Right now, race relations are a hot topic. Write about your first experience at realizing there were issues. Write about a different perspective. Play devil's advocate. However you write it, do it in a way that isn't hostile but thought provoking.
I wrote an article that seems to very controversial. I didn't think so at the time. Actually, the hosting site asked me to write this article. You can find that article here -
https://owlcation.com/humanities/The-....
I noted at the very beginning of the article to state that this list is just my opinion and other events could replace any of them I listed. That didn't stop people from calling me racist for not putting more Asian events. I had them calling me stupid for not putting more ancient history in the list. Then I had the ones who condemned me for putting a picture of a religious figure in it. Even had one message threatening me. This is my most visited post on this site.
Opinionated posts get attention. It can get bad attention, but it gets attention and gets people talking. Give it a try.
Why Don't You Write Reviews?
There are millions of readers in this world. They read a variety of genres and have a lot of influence on each other. You would think that would mean millions upon millions of reviews, right? Far from it.
Most readers never write a review. They read one book and just move on to another one. No reviews are left for other readers to find.
Did I just describe you? Are you one of the readers who devours books but never share your views with others? Then I need to talk to you.
Book reviews do a number of things. They aren't just present to fill space. They serve a purpose.
First off, it tells others your opinions of the book. Did you like the book? The review answers that and more. It also describes the writing style, the character development, and the pace of the plot. A review is a critique of the writing and how a reader, you, received it.
It also communicates with the author. If I read a book and could not follow the plot, my review tells the author of the problem so they can either fix in that book or improve their writing methods in the next one. If the author gets enough of the reviews that say the same thing, they should pay attention. That also includes the positive aspects of their writing.
When I'm about to buy a book, I check out the reviews. That helps me decide if I should buy it. If I read the review of someone I know has similar reading taste to me, I'll be more inclined to listen to their opinion. It is those trusted opinions that are so powerful.
What is stopping you from writing reviews? Is it time? Yes, a review takes time, but you can write a quick review of 300 words in just a few minutes. Sounds like a lot of words, but it really isn't. If you can take a week to read a novel, you can take less than thirty minutes to write a review that will help others.
It doesn't have to be long. It doesn't have to be as in-depth as some reviewers do. Put down your thoughts. Give your opinion. Warn of any spoiler alerts.
Write reviews on any site you buy books. They can be written here or on your own site. There are so many ways to write reviews.
Again, why aren't you writing reviews? Why aren't you sharing your opinions on books so others can enjoy reading as much as you.
Most readers never write a review. They read one book and just move on to another one. No reviews are left for other readers to find.
Did I just describe you? Are you one of the readers who devours books but never share your views with others? Then I need to talk to you.
Book reviews do a number of things. They aren't just present to fill space. They serve a purpose.
First off, it tells others your opinions of the book. Did you like the book? The review answers that and more. It also describes the writing style, the character development, and the pace of the plot. A review is a critique of the writing and how a reader, you, received it.
It also communicates with the author. If I read a book and could not follow the plot, my review tells the author of the problem so they can either fix in that book or improve their writing methods in the next one. If the author gets enough of the reviews that say the same thing, they should pay attention. That also includes the positive aspects of their writing.
When I'm about to buy a book, I check out the reviews. That helps me decide if I should buy it. If I read the review of someone I know has similar reading taste to me, I'll be more inclined to listen to their opinion. It is those trusted opinions that are so powerful.
What is stopping you from writing reviews? Is it time? Yes, a review takes time, but you can write a quick review of 300 words in just a few minutes. Sounds like a lot of words, but it really isn't. If you can take a week to read a novel, you can take less than thirty minutes to write a review that will help others.
It doesn't have to be long. It doesn't have to be as in-depth as some reviewers do. Put down your thoughts. Give your opinion. Warn of any spoiler alerts.
Write reviews on any site you buy books. They can be written here or on your own site. There are so many ways to write reviews.
Again, why aren't you writing reviews? Why aren't you sharing your opinions on books so others can enjoy reading as much as you.
