marketing

Hashtags to Generate Book Buzz

Hershman Rights2 Comments

Hashtags aren’t just a fun way to spice up your post, they have meaning! And can help your post get views with a certain audience. But for today’s purpose we will talk about hashtags for your upcoming book release, because believe me there’s hashtags for everything!

Now what’s important is choosing hashtags that are most active and somewhat active. Most active hashtags are the ones that people use over and over that get the most views, however when using them they could get lost in the sea of all those hashtags. So, sometimes it is good to pair most active and somewhat active hashtags together. 

When it comes time to choosing which ones to use, you can find help! There are many hashtag generators that you can use. One being best-hashtags.com. This one is great because their instagram algorithm constantly updates to see popular hashtags and you can search based on the topic of your post , for instance a book release. 

For this they would recommend using #bookrelease and #bookstagram along with others. 

So next time you want to post on instagram check to see what hashtags work best for you!

If you don’t like the way typical hashtags look in your post you can hide them! Instagram doesn’t care where the hashtags are in the post, they just have to be there. So, for example you can reply to your own post with a cute emoji then reply to that comment with hashtags. It will then appear like you put a smiley face in the comments but within that are all your hashtags! Even if someone comments their own hashtag it will still give your post recognition. Another way you can hide hashtags in your story is by covering them with a photo or sticker, its genius!

Happy Posting!

Why Authors Need A Call-To-Action

Hershman RightsLeave a comment

First thing’s first, a call to action is a marketing term for a design that prompts the viewer to an immediate action. For example, when you go on a website and they ask for your email. That is what we are looking for!

People need to be reminded, it’s as simple as that. Having a call to action on your website prompting the viewer to put in an email so they can stay up to date is a genius tactic. If you already have one- great! Just make sure you use it. 

Your call to action can simply ask for an email, but you might want to think of an incentive to do so, such as receiving an exclusive monthly newsletter. Regardless, you should use this to give your readers notifications about upcoming books, or any highlights you have going on. 

Happy Monday!

Marketing on Goodreads

Hershman Rights1 Comment

I am sure most writers, readers, and authors alike are aware of the Goodreads universe. An endless summer reading list is just waiting to be created. But, do you know how to properly use your account as an author, especially to market yourself? 

Goodreads is a perfect platform for authors to engage with readers and fans, and here is how you can make the most of it!

Make sure you are on the Goodreads Author Program.

This will allow you to gain access to special marketing tools to promote your books and interact with readers. Read more about this program here. 

Customize your bio.

Your bio is the first thing a reader sees when going to your page. It is your job to make sure you put the best information out there. Make sure your profile picture is clear, give a good description of yourself, and attach your other socials so they can follow you! Goodreads gives some of their own very helpful tips here.

Share your love of reading.

Don’t forget this website was created so people could share their love for reading, so make sure you do the same! Write your own reviews and add books to your “Want to Read” list. You can also shelve books that have inspired your own writing, or you can customize your own shelves.

Create Kindle notes and Highlights.

Goodreads has a special opportunity to allow annotators to provide thoughts and insights on books. This is a great way for authors to engage deeper with their readers and let them in on why you chose a specific word, or go deeper into what a character is thinking. The opportunities are endless, and everyone loves an exact background story. https://f.gr-assets.com/misc/1564523884-1564523884_goodreads_misc.pdf

Turn on the “Ask the Author” feature.

 Allowing readers to ask questions specifically to the author is great for engagement. The questions will not be visible until the author answers. However, by posting a few standard questions allows readers to see them when they reach your page. Learn more about this feature here. 

Goodreads is a great platform for authors to connect to a specific community of readers. Don’t forget the power of communication!

Publishing Trends of 2020

Hershman Rights1 Comment

It is best to tackle the future with some indication of what is most likely to be on trend. While no one can truly predict the future here is some of the industry’s best interpretation of what 2020 will bring!

  1. Audiobooks will continue to gain popularity, and more indie authors will seek to have their work converted to this format.
  2. Running ads will be a requirement
    1. Getting your books in front of readers for free will be more difficult. Now is the time to get internet savvy and use paid advertising!
  3. The ebook market will grow even more in 2020.
    1. As more young readers enter the market ebooks will increase.
  4. Email lists will increase in value.
    1. Your emailing list is a valuable marketing tool. Remember readers who are giving you their email are opting in, they want you to email them!

These are just a few publishing trends that we might see in 2020, but there are definitely more! A big takeaway is the push toward alternatives to paperbacks, with the focus on audiobooks and ebooks, as well as upping the ante on marketing!

Have a great 2020!  

A Ceremonial Club

Hershman Rights1 Comment

What is so incredibly special about the weapon we are talking about this week is…it’s still in use! Maybe not for battle, but for ceremonial purposes and the pictures found online are of these traditions! Carry on…

rungu.jpg

Rungu

  • This weapon originated in East Africa. It was used in battle and in hunting originally.
  • It also serves as a ceremonial tool for male warriors of the Maasai culture. The ceremonial rungu are decorated in beads sewn in by the local women.
  • It’s similar in shape to a club, mixed a bit with a baton. The end of the club was typically a heavy knob or a heavy ball.

The Iron Claw

Hershman Rights1 Comment

Zhua.jpg

Zhua

  • Zhua literally translates to claw. And this weapon represents that entirely. It is an iron claw attached to a 6 ft. pole. Sometimes it bears a weight at the bottom to be used as a bludgeon.
  • Some of the better reasons to use a zhua in battle is to disarm someone of their shield or grabbing riders off their horses.
  • This is an ancient Chinese weapon and was a known weapon of Sun Tzu, a warrior and general.

Mother of the Mountain

Hershman RightsLeave a comment

madremonte.jpg

Madremonte | Columbia

Forest mother that protects flora and fauna from mankind.

  • The mother of the mountain has been described as an elegant woman who wears moss and leaves with a green hat to conceal her face.
  • You’ll find her living in the jungle and whenever she bathes in a river, her presence will cause flooding and heavy storms.
  • Her motive lies within protection. She will haunt those who steal land and casts plagues on those who fall under that realm.
  • She also dislikes unfaithful spouses, vagabonds, and other types of problem makers. When these people walk through her forest, they’ll encounter numerous obstacles to wear them down and force them to sleep for many hours on end.
  • She’s also compared to that of Mother Nature.

Downsizing Your Writing

Hershman RightsLeave a comment

Inspired solely on the act of decluttering a home, we’re talking about a part of editing some people dread: downsizing the finished product.

hoarding.gif

There is a such thing as writing too much. Spending an excessive amount of your time world-building all at once, having long conversations between characters to reveal information, or describing your characters in great physical detail and not focusing on the plot. These are examples! There can be all kinds of details you may be able to omit!

If you find yourself growing insecure or anxious about your ability to write effectively for an audience, you may want to begin the downsizing process.

Those moments too large (or too long)…revisit them. Break it down and see what can be taken out. What’s important to your writing is showing your reader what’s going on around your character or how your character(s) perceive the world – not telling your reader. They won’t feel it.

Small details may be important to hold onto so save them in a note on the side. They might be able to be woven into the narrative in a flowing manner.

Try to set a time frame in which you’ll work on this form of editing. And if you have to – do it more than once. You’ll realize how a whole paragraph may only needed to be one sentence.

Seven Heads

Hershman RightsLeave a comment

uchchaihshravas.jpg

Uchchaihshravas | India

“Seven-headed flying horse that became king of horses.”

Basic Facts:

  • The uchchaihshravas is the steed of the God King. But also the horse of the King of Demons.
  • The horse is described to be snow white, probably attributed to the creation of the horse. It came to life during the churning of the milk ocean, also called Samudra manthan.
  • Wonder what the name of the horse means? Long ears or neighing aloud. This is a pretty straight forward description of what horses embody.
  • Before becoming the King of horses, the uchchaihshravas was deemed the best of horses and a prototype by his master, Indra.
  • When born, there were other treasures who came from the churning of the milk ocean. The king of horses was not lonely!

Sea Spirit & Alcohol

Hershman Rights1 Comment

Welcome back to The Write Nook and HRM’s place to splurge on random information!

With a new year comes new formats and new topics. As always, we’re excited to share our list of recent publications (in the audio department) and talk about whatever aspiring writers and published authors are dying to know. Or we’re ready to sit down with a cup of coffee and talk writing. Whatever the case may be, we’re excited to share this new year with you!

Even though we’ll be diving into new things, don’t think we’re going to abandon our weekly mythology lesson. This week is our last week in Japan (metaphorically…not physically!) So, keep reading if you’re interested in spirits who like to drink!

 

shojo.jpg

Shōjō | Japan

“Red-faced sea spirit with a fondness for alcohol.”

Basic Facts:

  • Shōjō is also used to refer to someone who likes alcohol.
  • There is a Noh mask for the shōjō. Noh is a well-known form of classical Japanese musical drama. The performers use masks, costumes, and props to tell the story at hand through dance.
  • A shōjō is also a term for an orangutan!
  • There are legends surrounding the shōjō drinking the beer brewed in breweries. Watch your beer, friends!
  • They’re described to look like apes (hairy, too!) And with bright red hair and blushing faces. They wear clothes made from seaweed – and no surprise, you’ll usually find them by coasts, islands, and shallow waters.