In January of 2013, Suckers Guild conducted a survey of Independent Authors. The original survey can be found here: What Indie Writers Need Survey. The first three parts of the survey results can be found here:
If You Belong to Any Writer's Groups, What Types of Support Do They NOT Offer That You Wish They Did?
I teach a course on preparing a business plan. Many young
entrepreneurs know they want to open their own business but do not know what kind
of business. I tell them if they want a successful business they need to forget
about what THEY want. The best businesses focus on what the world NEEDS.
That is why we added this question to the indie writers’
survey.
Some of the responses were expected:
·
Finding readers because my current group only has
other writers
·
Help with editing, proofreading, cover art, and
launch promotions
·
Help getting word out about my blog
·
Marketing, promotion, and distribution.
Other responses were unexpected. These are things we can
use to build the kind of group you need.
1. Access to Media and More Info on Social Media.
The internet is quickly becoming the number one method of
advertising in North America. The internet
is pervasive. It is in almost every home and on almost every phone. At the same
time, many people are not marketing correctly on the internet (see below).
There are thousands of sites focused on how to use social
media. Who has time to read a thousand
pages? Suckers Guild will be your “go-to” people for promotion and social media
questions. Rather than reading those thousands sites, ask us. We will dumb it
down for you. This will free up your time to focus on writing and editing.
2. Increased Access to Marketing Opportunities.
Here are the things everyone else is already doing:
·
Facebook author pages
·
Blogs
·
Blog tours and swapping promotions on blogs
·
Shout-outs on Twitter and Facebook
·
Standard book trailers
·
Goodreads author pages
We want our members to stand out. All of the above
tactics are good and necessary for the modern author. However, if you want to
stand out from the competition you need to do what they are not doing.
Suckers Guild will help you improve your promotion by:
·
Analyzing your current promotion strategy (if
you have one)
·
Determining your strengths/weaknesses for
promotion
·
Developing an innovative promotion strategy focused
on you
3. Organized Help in the Writing Process (e.g. writing circles).
Marketing and promotion is one of the core functions of
the Suckers Guild. Improving your writing
process is the other core function. Trying to find other writers you can trust
to give an honest opinion on your work can be time consuming. Rather than hunt
for them, simply come to Suckers Guild. We have a built-in network of beta
readers.
Writing can be a very solitary process sometimes. The more you connect with other writers the
more productive you will be.
4. Post Traumatic Review Stress Counseling.
We cannot share a Haagen-Dazs over the internet. We can
help you use the traumatic review as a learning tool. Sometimes a bad review is
because the reviewer is a jerk. Other times, it is because the reviewer is
giving you the greatest gift an artist can ask for: honesty.
Years ago I interviewed for a position as marketing
manager for a national retailer. My resume said I was qualified and I was sure
I connected with the people conducting the initial interview. At the end of the
session, I asked (very cocky) if there was anything I could do to improve my
interview skills. The interviewers exchanged a look and then laid into me. I
took a deep breath and learned from it. They told me everything I had done
wrong (in minute detail) and I never did those things again.
Harsh reviews can change everything about your work if
you use them properly.
5. Divide Group Based on Genre.
From day one we will categorize authors by genre. Much of
this will be behind the scenes until the group grows.
6. Introductions to Literary Agents and Publishers. A girl Can Dream.
Absolutely. There are some big advantages to being an
indie writer today. That’s why I’m starting as an indie. Still, most writers
dream about hitting the big time. We all want to be the next Stephanie Meyer,
George R.R. Martin, J.K. Rowling or E. L. James. One way to grab the attention
of an agent or a publisher is to build your own following. It means less work
for them.
Rather than wait for them to notice you, we’ll help you
get started building your fan base today. When that happens, you won’t have to
look for agents. They will look for you.
7. More Room for Non-Fiction & Memoir Writers. We're Usually Left Out.
Another lesson from Marketing 101 is the importance of
staying focused on your target market. If you try to please everyone you end up
pleasing no one.
Suckers Guild will be focused solely on helping genre
writers. If anyone is interested in starting a group of their own for
non-fiction or memoir writers we will happily assist with the setup.
Conclusion
That wraps up the report on the indie writer survey.
Thanks to everyone who took part. It will definitely help us create a better
group focused on helping you.
Suckers Guild is a very interesting name for this project. Would you think of entertaining another name?
ReplyDeleteLouise Sorensen
louise3anne twitter
Yes, we'd love to have other names over for dinner. What did you have in mind?
Delete