This post, by Alan Rinzler, originally appeared on his The Book Deal on 3/20/11.
If you’re an author who isn’t active on Twitter, you’re making a huge mistake, say savvy book-marketing gurus.
You’re missing out on a megaphone that can help blast out your message and attract new readers.
Your readers are wondering: Where are you?
“There’s a conversation going on right now on Twitter about your book, about your topic, about your area of expertise. And if you’re not there, your readers are wondering why you’re not participating in the conversation.”
That’s the gospel according to Cindy Ratzlaff, a 20-year publishing veteran who designed the campaigns of more than 150 New York Times bestsellers and pioneered a strategy of treating authors and books as brands. I listened to Ratzlaff the other day on a webinar about Twitter for authors and publishers, sponsored by BookExpo.
Readers are brand evangelists
“Twitter has trained readers to expect instant access to their literary heroes,” Ratzlaff said. “They want to be your partners in promoting your book.” Authors who understand that communicate directly with their followers on Twitter, allowing them to experience a personal connection and behind-the-curtains look at the author’s life – and that creates brand evangelists, Ratzlaff said.
And speaking of brand evangelists, check out these numbers, which underscore why Twitter is now an essential venue for every author with a book to sell:
Read the rest of the post on Alan Rinzler‘s The Book Deal.