No Capcha, Please

Funny story: I was supposed to do a blog critique today and got tied up with family here for the holidays and an emergency at work. So I've moved the blog crit to Friday and here's Friday's post today instead. (Um, I guess that's not really a funny story, but that's what I'm going with.)

I've said this before, but I must blab about it again. The other day I was bloghopping and one of the sites had a captcha (word verification) you had to enter before you could follow and I just couldn't enter it right for whatever reason. (I'm a moron, maybe?)

This is an example of a captcha or word verification.

So I gave up.

Seriously.

I would have followed that blog and maybe would have loved it forever and ever, but I got frustrated and walked away. That blogger lost a reader and a potential customer.

Moral of the story: Make it easy for readers to follow you.  Make it easy for them to comment. Make it easy for them to interact with you. You want readers, remember? Don't put up barriers unless absolutely necessary (like a million spammers, then I understand but I'll still be sad about it).

That's not just from a marketing perspective, it's also a pet peeve.

Are there things that will keep you from following a blog? How do you feel about captchas?

Comments, Comments, Comments

So because you guys are all so awesome with the comments you make on my blog critiques, I now am somewhat reevaluating the thoughts I have about comments. Responding to comments that is.  I first talked about this subject here. You don't have to go and read that post though because these are the basic rules I gave about responding to comments (in blue):

• When you are building readership and have, say, two followers, you should always respond to their comments.
• When you have hundreds of followers, you do not have to respond to each and every one - they are usually commenting on each other. 
• Do respond if a comment contains a question or complaint directed at you.
• Do respond if you said you were going to respond.
• Don't respond when people are having a debate. Let them work it out themselves while you remain unbiased.
• Don't respond when you can't remain calm in your comments. It's the old addage: If you can't say something nice, don't reply to a comment.
• Do respond if you are genuinely moved to respond.

Now, like I said because of what I'm hearing from experienced bloggers, I have to say I stand by everything up there. But one important question has come up:

Is it silly to expect people to return to your blog to read your response to a comment?


Hmm. That's a good point. Many readers will not ever return to your blog to read your response. Some people do subscribe to responses, and I guess I've always thought that if someone really wanted a response they would do so. But you might have something to add to a comment and that person may NOT have subscribed.

Blogger Matt MacNish emails responses to his readers which, turns out, many people seem to really appreciate. This is a great tool for building relationships and I greatly admire this response tactic. Particularly because it really seems to fit with Matt's personality.

But here's the thing: when someone publicly asks a question or makes a comment they are leaving it for other people to see. Lots of times a reader will come a long and NOT comment because something similar has already been said or asked. But that second reader still wants to know what the blogger's response would be. I've been really frustrated, in fact, when I've read a blog, seen a question that I want to know the answer to and then never see a back up response. It's not fair to only respond to public comments in a private place. 


It also is somewhat about appearances. It looks better to readers when the blogger takes time to respond to readers.

Some bloggers like Michelle Fayard leave a comment on the blog but then email the person who left the comment to say, "I have left you a response to your comment on my blog".

This is a better tactic and I personally really appreciate it. But it could be argued that it creates more work for the person who commented. Maybe an even better idea is to both comment on the blog PLUS email a copy of the comment to the person who posted it.

There still is a problem with that last idea: the person who originally commented might have missed out on other things readers said related to that comment if you just email what you said.

The one last problem with emailing and commenting is that it takes time. Which takes you away from other things.

I guess in the end I would say this: What is your goal with your blog? If you are trying to build relationships, make every effort to make it easy for your readers. Email and comment on your blog. If your goal is to maintain a presence in the blogging world while you focus on your writing, then don't spend too much time responding to comments.

What do you think about the subject? Do you like to be emailed responses? Do you like it when authors respond on their blog?

Author Blogs - Wrong Audience? No Way

Did you read Wednesday's post? If not, you may want to read it now because I'm not in the mood to recap.

Oh, okay, here's the post in a nutshell: Author social media guru, Kristen Lamb, reaffirmed in a recent post her long-held belief that author blogs that are about writing do not target the people who will read your books (unless you also write about writing). She maintains authors should blog on topics related to their books to pull the right audience. Wednesday I posted why I strongly agreed with her.

Today I'm posting why I strongly disagree. (Yeah, I'd be a bad politician - too waffley). Here's my thoughts:

Writers Are Readers Too.  Would you believe it? I'm a writer AND a reader. Weird, huh? I read a lot of YA and MG - I have kids and I like those books - and I pick a lot of my books by reading blogs. Blogs on writing. I buy books based on writing blogs. If someone who purchases books is the "wrong audience" then I don't understand what the right audience is. A purchase is a purchase

There's Strength in Numbers.  So maybe the writing community is small compared to the whole slew of readers that are out there. But we are a community. A very giving and supportive community. And most of us who blog also Facebook and Twitter. And most of us feed our posts on to these other social media vehicles where we all have non-writer friends. Lots of non-writer friends. Lots of blogging writers with non-writing friends. That's a lot of people who we are connected to through blogging. And...

People Buy Books They Recognize.  Perhaps the non-writers we connect with on FB don't actually read our blog posts but they see the picture and the title of the books that we are reviewing or the guest author we are showcasing on our FB page and it makes a connection for them. So the next time they are standing at the bookstore trying to decide between Book A and Book B, they choose B because they saw something about it somewhere even if they don't remember what it was. In marketing we call this creating/maintaining a presence. Coca-Cola and Pepsi do it with ads: TV ads don't sell Coke and Pepsi, the taste does. But the ads remind us of them so when we go to get a pop we say, "Can I have a Coke or Pepsi?" rather than "Can I have whatever cola you have on tap?" We buy what we recognize. Having a community that is so willing to promote you increases your chances for recognition.

You Can Have More Than One Blog.  It is a lot of work, and we should make sure our real writing comes first, but we can have more than one blog.  One for each book, one for our writing. And the "On Topic" notion can really work well here.

You Don't Have To Blog To Sell Books.  There are many social media mediums, and one size does not fit all. You don't have to use your blog to sell books. Personally (do you want to hear my personal opinion?) I like websites for books or published authors - interactive websites. Perhaps they can include a conversational area for interaction, but a blog isn't absolutely necessary.  

And most of us didn't start blogging because we wanted to build readers, did we? Most of us wanted to build community. We wanted support groups. Places to turn for advice. A place to practice writing. A place to voice all the words in our head! A place to say, "I'm writing a book" and not be laughed at and feel more committed to actually doing it because we said it out loud on blog.  And if we are lucky, we carry that support group from first draft to post-published.  And maybe our followers become readers. But even if they don't, I don't actually believe that writing blogs gain the "wrong audience".  No, it's exactly the right audience, I think.

What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Both? Why did you start blogging? 

Author Blogs - Wrong Audience?

Is Your Blog Capturing Your Audience?

Last week I read this post,Author Blogs-Solid Platform,Wrong Audience by Author Social Media Maven Kristen Lamb (yes, I'm behind on blog reading). For those of you who don't want to click over, let me summarize: Kristen reiterates what she says in her books and has always maintained on her blog that authors should blog about things related to their book, not about writing.

I think I heard a big collective gasp from many of you.

Well, immediately after reading it I knew I had to compose my own post about why I agree - and disagree - with Kristen Lamb's idea of blogging on topic.

First, why I agree: Kristen Lamb is totally spot on right. She says she doesn't do marketing besides what she does for authors. My background is in marketing and it is exactly what I have thought from the very beginning of my endeavor to get published. If you want people to buy your book, draw them with a blog on a related topic.


Think about it. Do regular, reader people care about the craft? Not really. They pick books based on subjects they like. When they go searching online for the author, they usually want to either find personal author info or more stuff like in the book. The reverse is true. If a reader is interested in fiction and 17th century art and you blog about artists of the 17th century, the reader may find you, like your blog, then want to read your book.

Roni Loren who was on my site this last Saturday said it about her own pathway. She wished she had started a blog for her readers from the beginning. Her author blog is now geared for readers. It is all about romance and flirtation and sexiness. A few years ago I went through a real romance reading phase. (If you do the math you might find it was when I conceived my youngest, but I'm not saying anymore than that.) I searched online for leads to new books I thought I might like to read. A blog like Roni's would totally have drawn me in. And then I'd see that amazing cover and want to read her book.

Now I write children's books. So most of my thoughts on this subject are related to children and preteens. That means my main readers are children. It is hard to imagine children following blogs, but it's not impossible. My first book that I am currently querying is about a 12-year-old super spy. So imagine I started a blog with weekly "spy tips and tricks".  If I included some cool interactive things or secrets, it's exactly the type of website my 9-year-old would visit. And if she visited it, believe me she'd tell me she wanted whatever book that blog was advertising.

And you don't have to be exactly so literal with your "on topic" blog. The trick is to think about who your reader is, what they like, what they search for online. Here's some examples I came up with from well-known children's books:

• Harry Potter - a blog about magic tricks
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid - a blog about real life stories of sibling rivalry
• Lemony Snicket - a blog where Snicket answers reader's questions about the book/life in general (in Lemony's voice, of course!)
• Judy Moody - a blog about potentially awesome summer activities 

These aren't great, but you get my drift, right? This works for adult books too.

Now before you completely dump your writer blog or think that I'm telling you to dump your writer blog just stop. I'm not dumping this writing blog, after all. Because although I strongly agree with Kristen's "On Topic" philosophy, I also kinda strongly disagree.

But you'll have to come back Friday to find out about that. 

Speaking of Friday - I have come to the point where I don't feel like Facebook Friday should be an every week event. Yes, I will still include Facebook Friday as an occasional series, but I have other things to talk about and I think other things you might want to read. So come back Friday for the conclusion to this.

Meanwhile, what are your thoughts on blogging on topic? Can you think of some books and blog ideas to go with them? I'd love to hear what you come up with!

Do as I say, Not as I do

Maybe I don't actually have to say this out loud but I feel like I need to: Most everything I put on this blog I would tell a client of mine, but I'm not always so good at following my own advice.

Isn't that lame?

I know, it totally is. But this blog is really about building MY platforms and recording it and my advice as I go along my journey. Most of the time I tell you about something I am also just implementing it myself.  Other times I realize I need to be doing such and such, but for some reason am not able to implement it in my life yet, so instead I just share it with you.  And some times I know that a particular tool or technique is not for me, but it may be for one of you so I post that. 

Here's some examples of things I think I need to do differently:

• my font consistency is lacking - in interviews I copy and paste whatever the interviewee used and don't make it my default font
• I need to have About Me and Sample Chapters of my books on other pages
• I should tweet more
• I should comment on more of the blogs I read
• I should respond to more of the comments on my blog
• my posts should be shorter
• I don't have an FB author page or use my personal page for all the writer things I should/could
• my blog template doesn't really say much about my writing (though it does speak to my personality)
• more things, but now I'm starting to feel defeated so I'll just stop

In short, I'm at a place in my writing where my main focus is on my first draft of my current manuscript. I'm also really occupied with being a mom. I'm not ashamed of those things, but sometimes my marketing suffers. That's just a fact. It's ok. But I hope that when you are searching for examples for your own platform building you look to my words not my actions. And be proud of the good things you do with your online media presence - don't dwell on the things you feel are lacking.

What do you think you should be doing that you aren't?

FAMP: Have Some Depth

Alright, one more FAMP before blog reviews begin next week. Let's talk about depth. When I say depth I am talking about pages on your website or blog in addition to your home page.

You may have noticed that I recently added pages to this blog. Before, I simply had my blog. Now I have a page for Blog Awards, Contact Info, and Blog Critique. This is considered depth because you can now go "deeper" into my website. 

Why should we have depth?


Because there are critical pieces of information that should be easily accessible to readers. 

Those of you who are thinking that blog awards is not critical info, you are correct.  I simply moved them to their own page so that they wouldn't clutter up the home page. Critical information for an author includes:

1. Contact Information. Please give people an easy way to find you. If for any reason an agent or someone who could help your career is looking for you, don't you want them to find you easily? And what about later when you are published? Shouldn't your readers have access to you? They want to be able to connect - online media makes this possible. Do your part make it easy for them. Yes, usually they can click on your profile and get your email (if you have it listed) but that takes more work. A contact page including an email is better. Even better than that is a contact form so people can leave you messages directly from your site. (This is different than being able to comment because they can talk to you privately.)
2. About Me Page. I don't have this info on my blog yet. I don't know why - maybe I haven't figured out who I am. Again, a blogger profile button can give this info, but a page dedicated to telling all about you is preferred. It's easy to find and is searchable. Include what you write and your FULL NAME or PEN NAME in a clear location. You'd be surprised how many people's blogs I visit that have their name hidden away. It's frustrating. Don't let your readers be frustrated!
3. A Link to Your Books. This is mostly important if you're books are on sale or on the way to being on sale. Make it easy for people to buy your books. That's critical. Also important is letting people know what you write for easy identification. If someone sees your name and book title and synopsis a lot, they start to say, "Maybe I should read that..." If you are published, make sure you have your cover posted.  If you aren't published, you should have writing samples. This gives people pre-agent buzz (yes, it can happen) and gives agents and publishers easy access to your work. Many agents research your blog on a query. Make sure they can find your material. (Again, I haven't done it yet. Ooh, I'm a slacker!)
4. Anything else you want people to get to easily. I want people to get to my blog critique info. Maybe you have appearances or events you want to notify people about. Or you offer editing services. Or you have good reviews of your books. Or you have won writing awards. Or you have a really popular blog post. Maybe its contests. Or photos. You get my drift.

One more thing - please make your navigation to these pages easy to see. Top of the page is best.

Any other things you want to see in on a separate page of a blog or website? Do you have depth?

FAMP: Darkness Overwhelms

In the past we've talked about color on blogs and how it draws attention, but we haven't really talked about dark blogs. I know, some of you LOVE your dark blogs. And, actually, I'm sort of attracted to them myself. But from a marketing perspective, they don't speak to the majority.  In fact, the majority of readers are turned off by dark blogs.  Especially if the blog has white writing on a dark background.  Again, I admit, looks cool, but hard to read.

You don't have to take my word for it though. A blog poll taken by Darren Rowse of ProBlogger showed the following results:

Safest choice is light, as you can see.

BUT you do notice the 36% that says it depends, right? This is true. If you can justify your dark background, I'll buy it. If you make it more than just "I like to be cool so I have darkness around me" then I'll support you with all my marketing background even.

And it's not just my marketing opinion. Have I mentioned one of my longest marketing client relationships is with an eye doctor? I used to work in the office full time, actually, and have become quite skilled on what bugs the eyes. Black backgrounds are a no-no. They contribute to Computer Vision Syndrome (yes, it's a real thing) and automatically the majority of people feel uncomfortable staring at them for long.

So if your blog is dark, I just challenge you to think about why it's dark. If you can't think of a reason besides, "I like it" then I'd reconsider.  The same goes for really busy patterned backgrounds, btw. You want plain white or light colored background for optimal reading comfort.

What's your opinion on dark colored blogs? Is this poll accurate? Do you care about backgrounds when you blog hop?

FAMP: Link Up

A few short months ago when I began blogging I posted a comment on another person's blog and clicked to follow her.  The next day I returned to her blog and found her post was directed at me (without saying my name).  She informed her readers that she was super irritated with people who left comments but didn't have their own blog on their profile so she could follow back. I hung my head in embarrassment and quickly rectified the situation.

Through the last few weeks I have read comments that reveal I was not alone in this mistake. Others of you have made it.  This recent blogging campaign has shown me that others of you are doing it now. So this post will teach you how to make things right.


Please know that if you don't have your blog linked to your Google profile, I am not irritated or full of judgment. I simply want to help those who want to learn.

And From A Marketing Perspective, you should always have your link in your profile to make it easy for people to find you.

1. Open your blog.
2. Click on the "View My Complete Profile" under "About Me"
3. Select "Edit Profile"
4. By "Show My Blogs" hit "Select blogs to display"
5. Choose your options and save

Now when you follow someone or comment on another blog, anyone can click on your profile and see hyperlinks to your blog(s) under the heading My Blogs. (See below). Tip: Don't keep out-of-date or private blogs on this list. It's irritating to your followers to not know which blog they should follow.

I hope this was helpful and less pointed than the way I learned.

Are you linked up? How long did it take you to learn? How did you finally figure it out or were you always completely on top of it?

Saturday Savvy Sensation: Elana Johnson

Today's Savvy Sensation is, wait for it, Elana Johnson, author of Possession!!  I know can you believe it? Sqwee!! If you don't know anything about Elana then I have to first say, where the heck have you been?? And follow that with: go and read every blog she's ever written plus her books (especially From the Query to the Call if you are or ever will be querying) because she knows her stuff. Oh, and here's some random trivia for ya: I went to school with her husband (who I considered a very good friend) and her older sister (yes, that means I'm older than Elana Johnson) so I kinda feel cool to be only 2 degrees away from her on the whole separation stuff.  

LB: Who are you?

My name is Elana Johnson. I write angsty teen girl novels, mostly. My debut, published by Simon & Schuster in June 2011, is called POSSESSION. I blog at http://elanajohnson.blogspot.com and http://leaguewriters.blogspot.com. I also co-organize WriteOnCon (http://writeoncon.com), teach elementary school, and enjoy bacon.

LB: Um, like all of those things are SUPER AWESOME. Who missed WriteOnCon? Cuz you shouldn't of.  I digress...Where can we find you online (blog, twitter, facebook, etc.)?

Oh, I put that up there! Ha! Okay, here’s the rest of my online endeavors:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/elanajohnson

POSSESSION fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/possessionthebook

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ElanaJ

Author website: http://elanajohnson.com

POSSESSION website: http://possessionthebook.com

LB:When did you begin your online platform building?

I started blogging for the QueryTracker blog in January 2009. That’s a full 2 ½ years before my book came out, 11 months before I had an agent, and 14 months before I sold my first book.

LB: What is your message, if any?

Hmm, I’m not sure I have a message. I just like to interact with people online. My blog motto is “Navigating the publishing world with splashes of real life.” That’s basically what you’ll get on my blog.

LB: How have you built your followers -

What have you done that has been the most successful?

Comment on and follow other blogs. This is almost always reciprocal. You want more people to comment on your blog? Comment on theirs. I’ve also found that giving away free stuff brings people to your blog, as well as participating in promotions with other authors that reach outside your network.

LB: What have you done that has failed?

Organize very complicated giveaways. They’re a headache for me, and everyone else.

LB: What else should we know about you?

I enjoy reality TV, sleeping in, and laughing.

LB: Any additional advice for our readers?

Write the best book you can, and then be brave and submit it!

LB: What makes you unique?

I’m double jointed in my hands, which means I can bend the first knuckle on all my fingers without bending any of the others. It’s quite freaky.

No,Elana, freaky is that you are on my blog because I think I'm a super fan (is that a little weird? ok, pretend I didn't say it).  And everyone else, I have to say from what I have seen Elana is one of the hardest working, most genuine, and generous authors out there.  There is much to learn and admire from her.  Not that you need an award, but here it is, Elana. Feel free to share it if you like and thanks so much for being here today!! :)

The Importance of Image

I have been listening to a YA audiobook in my car whenever I travel.  I don't want to name the title of the book because I'm not enjoying it. Ok, that isn't true.  I'm starting to enjoy it, but I've had a real difficult time getting into it. And it's not because of the actual story, which is really quite cute.

It's because of the actress reading the story.

She's AWFUL.

She reads with sort of a whine in her voice that makes this supposedly level-headed sophmore sound more like my whiny 6-year-old. And that's not what the story should sound like, IMHO. I probably would have stopped reading it because of this actress except that I needed to read this novel for a whole other set of reasons that really aren't the point.

So what is the point?

The point is that even a really good story can lose its readers because it isn't showing them what the story really is . And it got me thinking about image in general. Your image that you are so diligently building (maybe) on your blog may help you in so many ways, but if it isn't an honest portrayal of who you are, it can hurt you.  It can hurt you enough to turn away a potential reader, or even more specifically, a potential agent reader. Say an agent reads your query and then glances at your blog (as I have read many interviews of agents that say they do) and he or she sees that you only post really sporadically even though the sidebar says you post MWF.

What does that say to the agent?

Possibly they will think, "This writer isn't diligent or committed. What will this writer be like when I ask for edits? Will this writer turn in the next book on time?"

It could happen. For real.  Why else do you think those agents are looking at your blog? To see what you look like? No, they want to see who you are.  And if you aren't who they want, the agent may not request your book after all.

They might also think, "Ooh, fun and whimsical author who doesn't waste her time conforming to rules." And that's cool if that's who you are. (But I'd make sure you don't say you post MWF then, because it's that false advertising thing again).

This isn't really meant to be a high-pressure post. I'm not telling you to be someone you're not. This is just the type of conversation I have with my clients. I ask them, who do you want your customers to see when they look at you? Do you show it in every message you put out there? It's ok if your customers come to your website and leave if they realize you really aren't what they are looking for. Like if they come looking for YA and find you write Adult Mystery. But it's devastating if they come to your website and leave not realizing that you are exactly what they are looking for because you didn't tell them.

So now I'm asking you: Who do you want agents to see when they come to your blog? Do you show that?

FAMP: Get a Little Color, You're Looking Pale

Let me tell you a little secret:  readers like pictures. I know, we're all grown ups and our books don't have pictures anymore, but we are still drawn to reading material that has color. That's why advertisers are willing to pay more for a color listing.

That being said, it's a natural conclusion that adding color (pictures, variety in font color) to your blog will also draw people to read your posts. But here's the catch, when I say add color and pictures in your posts, I don't mean to your background.

If your background is too colorful, it will draw the attention away from the post - remember, the color should be where you want your readers to look. A background with a minimal amount of color isn't bad (like the one on this site, though this is even a little more color than ideal) but when you post a detailed picture in the background of your blog, a snapshot, for example, you really risk losing your readers.  Yes, it looks cool.  But did you bring people to your blog to look at pics or read your writing? Just sayin'.

The best tips for adding color that draws your readers:

• Stick to using color in your posts, not your background.
• Add a picture to every post...
• ...but try to only add ONE picture unless absolutely necessary (too distracting!).
• Use one or two primary colors (or dark colors) to liven up longer posts or draw the readers eye to important bullets.
• Don't just add color arbitrarily.  Make it mean something or your readers feel like they were cheated. You told them "Read this, it's important" with the color and if it isn't then you kinda lied.
• Don't add too many colorful badges and ads on the sides of your blog. It gets cluttered and the eye doesn't know what to do.

Of course, this is all From a Marketing Perspective. If you love your background busy and filled with design, keep it.  If you love your posts simple and white, go ahead and keep them that way.  Just know it's against my marketing advice.

How do you use color in your blog? Do you like to use pictures? What draws your eyes to a post?  

Saturday Savvy Sensation: Carol Riggs

Today's fabulous Savvy Sensation Award goes to Carol Riggs.  Carol is repped by Kelly Sonnack of Andrea Brown Literary Agency.  She writes YA novels and lives in Southern Oregon with her husband. She's also an artist with a Studio Arts degree (writing and illustrating your own picture books anytime soon, Carol?).  She is a great example of perseverance - it was her 14th novel, Shapers, that got her an agent. See? Don't Give Up!  And now, Carol...

LB: Who are you (what do you write, what are your personal stats)?

I am a YA writer who writes a variety of contemporary, magical realism (which is contemporary with a magical twist), light science fiction, light fantasy, and dystopian fiction. At the end of April 2011 I gained representation from agent Kelly Sonnack of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency for my light sci-fi novel, SHAPERS. We are in the process of revising it before going on submission to editors.

LB: Where can we find you online (blog, twitter, facebook, etc.)?

BLOG:  http://carolriggs.blogspot.com/

WEBSITE: http://www.carolriggs.com/

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/#!/artzicarol

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002675198947&sk=wall

LINKED IN: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/carol-riggs/17/464/93

GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5762308-carol-riggs

When did you begin your online platform building?

In earnest? June 2010. The first year of my blog was written more like an online journal, and it bored even me. Then I got serious and decided to social network rather than talk to myself. I went from 30-some followers up to the 330+ I have now, a year later. I changed the focus of my blog at that time, and realized that finding bloggy buddies was a mutual thing--I had to venture forth and be a follower of other blogs. I couldn't just wait for others to come to me. I joined Twitter in February and Facebook in July.

LB: What is your message, if any (is your blog about anything specific, for example)?

My blog now focuses on writing tips, using random pieces of advice that I've learned during the last 10 years of writing. I also do first-page critiques for anyone who sends me a sample, for a public post. Many people find this useful, to see not only what I have to say, but what other writers have to say in the post's comments. I concentrate on young adult or middle grade critiques, but I've done a few adult posts as well.

LB: How have you built your followers:

What have you done that has been the most successful?

I gained the most blog followers by joining in on two very huge blogfests. The first was a Jolly By Golly blogfest at Christmas time, and the second was Rachael Harrie's second annual Writer's Platform Campaign (formerly called Crusade), which she developed to help writers build their online platforms. Blogfests are great ways to meet other writers and readers in record time, and expand like-minded contacts.

LB: What have you done that has failed?

Fail: making my blog an online journal, and waiting for others to follow me. And trying to read my blogroll from my Blogger dashboard; it's SO much easier to log into gmail and click on Google Reader! I also thought I couldn't "follow" more than about 40 blogs--mistakenly thinking I had to read every single post. While it's not possible to comment on over 450 blogs that I follow, I set aside a block of time on Wednesdays and Saturdays to read/skim the posts and try to keep up with most of the news. 

LB: What else should we know about you?

I keep writing because I love it, despite having accumulated 300+ rejection slips and written 15 novels. Keep going, everyone! Don't give up.

LB: Any additional advice for our readers?

Be yourself, and don't write blog posts or make comments on other blogs just to gain followers. Enjoy the relationships, because it's about more than numbers. That's what social networking really is.

LB: What makes you unique (can be anything - can you put your leg behind your head? are you a trivia sensation? etc.)?

LOL, I certain can't put my leg behind my head! I'm an artist with a Studio Arts degree, and I had thyroid cancer at 18. No recurrence of the cancer since then, but the experience made me re-evaluate my life at the time. 

Thank you so much, Carol, for sharing with us! Enjoy your Savvy Sensation Award (you deserve it!) and feel free to pass it on to someone else if you like.

Saturday Savvy Sensation: Theresa Milstein

Today's Saturday Savvy Sensation Award goes to substitute teacher and YA writer, Theresa Milstein.  Theresa writes paranormal/fantasy YA. I met Theresa through Deana Barnhart's Blogfest last month. Well, Theresa can certainly tell you about herself and her fabulous blog better than I can, so here she is:

LB: Who are you (what do you write, what are your personal stats)?

I write children’s books, mostly YA contemporary fantasy.  I’ve been writing for about five years.  I have a short story “Daisy” included in the 100 Stories for Queensland anthology.  This October, my short story “My Moment” will be part of the Tiny Dancer anthology.  I’m waiting for the release date of Fang Tales, which will include my vampire short story “Allured”.

LB: Where can we find you online (blog, twitter, facebook, etc.)?

My blog “Substitute Teacher’s Saga” is at http://theresamilstein.blogspot.com

Find me on Facebook: Theresa Brown Milstein

I’m also on Google+: Theresa Milstein

LB: When did you begin your online platform building?

I began blogging in September 2009 because I was about to begin substitute teaching, and I figured the best way to get through it was to vent about each and every painful subbing day.  At some point, I wrote more about writing than subbing, and the majority of my followers were writers.  It took me a long time to understand platform.  I’m slow.

LB: What is your message, if any (is your blog about anything specific, for example)? 

My blog is about writing, teaching, and life in general.  If something happens to me and I think, I should write about this, I turn it into a blog post.  I rarely do interviews of book reviews.  Whether I’m being humorous or dealing with something hard, I try to write from the heart. 

LB: How have you built your followers –

What have you done that has been the most successful?

My follower count was pretty low until Nicola Morgan had a Blog Birthday in January 2010.  We were invited to link our blogs and tell a little about them.  Then we were supposed to comment and follow at least 5 other blogs.  Some of the followers I gained back then, I now count as friends. 

I had my own version of the Blog Birthday with a Halloween Haunting, where I told people to haunt other blogs.  There have been a few opportunities like that around the blogosphere.  Rachael Harrie  http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com/ periodically has a Writer’s Platform-Building Campaign to get other bloggers together.  I think I gained at least 50 more followers from being a part of her last one. 

LB: What have you done that has failed?

When I first blogged, I didn’t focus on writers’ blogs.  Often, those people didn’t follow me back.  It also took me months before I realized my blog wasn’t linked to my profile, so when I followed other blogs, people couldn’t easily find my blog to follow back.

LB: What else should we know about you?

For me, blogging is more than platform.  My posts let me express my humor, frustrations, anxieties and accomplishments.  I try to maintain a certain amount of privacy, but every once in a while I cross the line.  And when I do, the outpouring of support has been uplifting. 

LB: Any additional advice for our readers?

Use your blog to build relationships.  I’ve found beta readers and friends.  I’ve met some of these friends in person.  I’ve received invaluable advice.  I’ve stumbled upon wonderful opportunities. 

It’s a generous community out there, so give as much as you get.  

Theresa, thanks so much with sharing your wonderful thoughts and advice! Rachael Harrie is having another of her platform building campaigns starting this Monday, August 22.  You only have until August 31st to sign up.  Will I see you there?

Saturday Savvy Sensation: Karen Cioffi

This week's Savvy Sensation award goes to published author Karen Cioffi of Karen Cioffi - Writing and Marketing.  As the title says, her blog is a great companion to mine. Please stop by to get some amazing tips from someone who's been there. 

LB: Who are you (what do you write, what are your personal stats)?

Hi, Laura, It’s so wonderful to be interviewed for your site. My name is Karen Cioffi-Ventrice, but for the writing world I go by Karen Cioffi. I’m not sure what you mean by my personal stats, but if you mean personal information, I have two daughters, two very young grandsons, and a husband who puts up with the crazy hours I spend online and writing. I live in NYC and gave up an accounting career due to multiple sclerosis. So, I put down the pencil and took up the pen.

I’m a published author, ghostwriter, and an editor for 4RV Publishing.

I have two children’s books published:

Day’s End Lullaby (a children’s bedtime picture book)

Walking Through Walls (a middle-grade fantasy adventure)

I also have a few nonfiction e-books, including:

How to Write Books for Children: Writing, Publishing, and Marketing Children’s Books

How to Attract Customers With Informational Marketing

How to Create an eBook and What You Can Do With It

Writing, Marketing, and Publishing – You Can Do It!

You can learn more about my books at:

http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html

LB: That's exactly what I meant by personal stats. Thanks! Where can we find you online (blog, twitter, facebook, etc.)?

My websites and blogs include:

http://karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com

http://karencioffi.com (my central site)

And, you can connect with me at:

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karencioffiventrice

Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarenCV

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Karen-Cioffi-Ventrice/157731977630305?sk=wall

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kcioffiventrice

GooglePlus: Karen Cioffi-Ventrice

LB: When did you begin your online platform building?

I began my online platform the end of 2008, after attending my first Muse Online Writers Conference. It was inspiring and one of the workshops in particular motivated me to create Writers on the Move (then called VBT – Writers on the Move, or something like that, I can’t remember the original name).

Around the same time I also became a member of Suzanne Lieurance’s children’s writing group and that also helped me realize the importance of creating and building visibility.

LB: What is your message, if any (is your blog about anything specific, for example)?

My blog is about writing and marketing. It also touches on ghostwriting, freelance writing, and has the occasional book review. I also have a free monthly newsletter, A Writers World, that offers writing and marketing information, along with writing and marketing information, links, and training/workshop opportunities,  publishing and contest opportunities, bragging rites, a feature article, and more.

The goal of my site is to help new writers and those already in the trenches move forward in their writing and marketing endeavors.

LB: How have you built your followers –

What have you done that has been the most successful?

My most successful marketing strategy has been article marketing. Taking advantage of online article directories other article marketing opportunities helps broaden your visibility reach.

LB: What have you done that has failed?

While I wouldn’t exactly say failed, I don’t think my social media strategies are as effective as they might be. But, this in part is because I don’t invest enough time or focused time on using Twitter, Linkedin, and Facebook.

There are just some many things that need to be done as a writer, and so many marketing avenues to take, that we often find ourselves behind the eight-ball, struggling for more time to do what we should.

LB: What else should we know about you?

I’m a professional ghostwriter specializing in business and health related content. I also specialize in children’s books from picture books to middle grade.

LB: Any additional advice for our readers?

Here are a few quotes I think will help writers and marketers, and hopefully your readers:

"If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut." ~ Stephen King

"A writer who never gives up is called Published."~ J.A. Konrath

“Don't let your learning lead to knowledge; let your learning lead to action.”~ Jim Rohn

“It’s not what you’ve done that matters - it’s what you haven’t done.”~ Mark Twain

Laura, thank you so much for having me as a guest today. It’s been delightful!

Great to have you, Karen! Beautiful quotes. Thanks so much for stopping by.

Saturday Savvy Sensation: Michelle Fayard

Michelle Fayard of Bird's-Eye View

Welcome to today's very first installment of the Saturday Savvy Sensation. I am so excited to share my first guest, Michelle Fayard of the Bird's Eye View.  Michelle is quickly building her followers and has many great techniques.

From Michelle's profile page:

Pre-published author Michelle Fayard has more than 20 years’ experience as a writer and editor, and her nonfiction articles have been published internationally. She has worked as both a public-relations specialist and a newspaper reporter. A Chicago native who also has called Kansas City, the mid-South and the Gulf Coast home, Michelle lives in Northern California with her husband, Marcelo, and their 12 rescue cats, where she writes historical YAs and nostalgic to quirky PBs.

And now I give you Michelle:

Laura B Writer: Who are you (what do you write, what are your personal stats)?

Although I started off writing quirky to nostalgic picture books for a series of online college classes, my true love is historical young adult novels. In April I completed my first book, The Underground Gift, which is set on the Kansas-Missouri border on the eve of the Civil War. The idea first came to me five years ago following a comment from our Kansas City Realtor, who asked if I knew about the possible role coded quilts played on the Underground Railroad. In July, Tamar Rydzinski of The Laura Dail Literary Agency  asked to see the first 50 pages, and Allie Maldonado of WiDo Publishing asked for a full.

LBW: Where can we find you online (blog, twitter, facebook, etc.)?

I blog on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and whenever there’s late-breaking news, at Bird’s-eye View . I also tweet  and have a Facebook fan page.

LBW: When did you begin your online platform building?

I started March of this year, once I realized a former newspaper reporter whose average article was only 15 column inches long really could write something comprised of tens of thousands of words—and fictionalized words at that. (Although some would rightly say news journalists engage in fictionalizing all the time!)

LBW: What is your message, if any (is your blog about anything specific, for example)?

My goal is that my blog always will be more about and for my followers than about and for me. To that end I run book reviews and author interviews on alternating Tuesdays/Thursdays and have a new Books by Blogging Friends  page, which includes a mini review as well as links for more information. On alternating Thursdays I run guest posts by other bloggers, and on the alternating Tuesdays I run what I call Bird’s Words, a series of writing and social media tips.

LBW: How have you built your followers? What have you done that has been the most successful? What have you done that has failed?

Whenever someone leaves a comment on one of my posts—whether it’s on my blog or a blog I’m guest posting on—or follows/subscribes to my blog, I write a personalized reply then send an e-mail message letting that person know they have a response to their comment. I also follow their blog and leave comments on their posts. As I’m following these blogs and the blogger mentions one of their favorite friends, I try to comment on and start following that blog as well. I want people to know that their comments are more than just a number on a counter; they are the life and soul of my—and any—blog. I also try to have blog content that will attract and retain bloggers I haven’t gotten a chance to meet yet. So far, both methods have been equally successful.

LBW: What else should we know about you?

I am grateful for all the years I spent in the newsroom working with incredibly gifted writers and editors who challenged me to ask questions and love listening to the answers then sharing what I learned with others in an inspirational way.

LBW: Any additional advice for our readers?

From adversity comes strength. Never stop believing in yourself. If you’ve ever asked whether you should keep on keeping on, ask yourself which would hurt worse: The pain of rejection or the pain from denying your muse? And, as my mom says, housework done properly will kill you. Get out there and be creative instead; it’s cheaper than paying a psychiatrist. Amen to that!

Thank you so much, Michelle, for sharing your amazing journey and techniques. I encourage you to add Michelle to your follow list if you haven't already.  She's a real gem!