Are You Keeping Your Social Media Reservoir Full?, a Post by R. Clint Peters

It has become tragically apparent that the Internet is becoming the driving force for authors, either in their endeavors to write their novels or to publish their novels.  Why do I say tragically?  Because many, if not most, authors are not using the Internet to it’s full advantage.

I read in an obscure blog that over 5000 new novels are published each and every hour of each and every day.  Most of them are published by vanity publishers and many of those novels will sell only one or two books to the friends and family of the author.

So, how does the author stand out in the crowd of existing authors when the crowd is growing by leaps and bounds while you are reading this blog?

A simple answer is to keep your social media reservoir full.

As I endeavor to finish, or at least continue writing, one of three existing novels, I have neglected to keep my own social media reservoir full.

In my case. I have two goals:  1)  Help grow The Book Reviewers & Authors Club; and 2) Keep working on my own books (I have 7 in various stages).

I have, unfortunately, been a little lax at filling the social media reservoir of the book club.  What is the reservoir, you ask?

In the case of The Book Reviewers & Authors Club, the primary social media reservoir is  Twitter.  If I consistently tweet something about the club on @review_club, @interviewsonly, @bookreviewsonly, and @rclintpeters, (the club’s Twitter accounts), I consistently see an increase in the book reviews submitted, in the authors interviews submitted, and in the number of club members.

What does that mean to me and to you?  First, let’s break this question down to a simple observation:  If I don’t tweet, nothing happens.  If I do tweet, something happens —- and there is an increase in the activity associated with the club.

My goal for The Book Reviewers & Authors Club is to be in the right place at the right time, to be available for the right set of circumstances.  I want to have my books available to be seen by a future publisher, a future screen writer, a future reader.  However, the hour I complete my next novel, I will be competing with 5000 other novels.  Or will I?

Are those 5000 other authors using all the assets of the Internet?  Do they have their social media reservoir filled?  Likely not.  Am I competing with one hundred authors?  Two hundred?   I don’t know.

I have discovered that many authors are serious about writing a book, serious about getting it published, but not so serious about having their novel read.  They don’t seem to be willing to spend the time filling the reservoir.

If you are not yet following The Book Reviewers & Authors Club on Twitter (@review_club), follow the club.  And be sure to re-tweet any tweets from any of the club’s Twitter accounts.

If you are not yet a member of the club, sign up for membership (http://thebookreviewersclub.weebly.com).

If you have not yet answered an author’s interview questionnaire, go to http://nothingbutinterviews.wordpress.com, download the questionnaire, and submit it.

If you have reviews of your books, go to  http://onlybookreviews.wordpress.com and submit a review (or two or three).

Each time you participate in any of the above activities, your name is posted on the Internet.  If your name shows up more times on the Internet than other authors, you have a better chance of standing out in the crowd.

#RClintPeters #TheAuthorsClub