Guest post by: Chris Larson, Assistant Professor of Journalism, University of Colorado
When “Fifty Shades Freed” opens in theaters on Feb. 9, fans will no doubt flock to see bad boy Christian Grey (played by Jamie Dornan) bested by naughty-but-nice heroine Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson). A less racy but equally thrilling story, my research shows, is how romance writers are getting ahead in the digital era. 
With the rise of the internet and social media, the common wisdom says that fewer people are reading books. But, according to multiple sales reports, there are still billions (yes, billions with a “B”) of books being sold worldwide every year. Hardbacks and paperbacks have made a slight comeback lately, but not surprisingly, the segment with the highest growth expectation is still ebooks. This is good news for indie authors who almost always choose to release their books electronically, given the economic advantages of that publishing method.
 Goodreads is an author’s dream. It’s chock-full of book addicts just hoping to get their next quick fix, to find their next favorite author. Those readers just might be looking for your book. But sadly, some authors do their best to shoot themselves in the proverbial foot on Goodreads, alienating potential fans with preventable acts of douchebaggery and literary asshattery. With that in mind, here are the top 5 violations of readers’ Goodreads trust that can drag your book sales down into the muck, along with your good name:
 How bad author behavior can cost you fans and sales
If you're reading this because of the title, you might be disappointed. No, we don’t have pics of JK Rowling flashing the crowd in NOLA for Mardi Gras beads. Sorry we disappointed you. But if you’re an author or aspiring author who is interested in building AND keeping a fanbase, this might be the article for you.  With Facebook users totaling over a billion worldwide, most authors have made an effort to integrate it into their author platforms and online marketing plans. But even authors who’ve embraced Facebook can be guilty of behaviors that alienate their fans. Whether you're new to the complexities of the Zuckerberg empire or a seasoned pro, we highly suggest you become familiar with these common fumbles that are bound to ruin your author Facebook page:
Ever wonder why book bloggers have been turning down your review requests? It’s possible they’re just moody and mean and picking on you. It’s possible they’re grumpy and in a rejecting mood because of the price of the new Nora Roberts release. Or...and this might hurt to hear...it’s possible that you’re doing something (or multiple somethings) that’s causing reviewers to reject your book baby.
Guest post by Brett Halbleib
Check out this promotional blurb for a book called Half Way Home, by Hugh Howey: Five hundred of us were sent to colonize this planet. Only fifty or so survived. We woke up fifteen years too early, we had only half our training, and they expected us to not only survive ... they expected us to conquer this place. The problem is, it isn’t safe here. We aren’t even safe from each other. Do you want to keep reading? I do. And it took only 57 words to convince me. 57 words, that’s it. (The blurb is so good I’m concerned the book might be a letdown.) And whether your blurb is on Amazon.com or the inside cover of your book, a good blurb is vital to your success. Other than perhaps your mom, no one is going spontaneously buy your book. You must convince them to. |
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