Viral Marketing Checklist - 7 Things You Should Be Doing on Twitter

Source: http://blog.kissmetrics.com/viral-marketing-cheatsheet/

Twitter is not the place to sell your books. It's a place to get other people to sell your books for you.

Too many authors turn their Twitter accounts into billboards. Or worse: infomercials.  Ask yourself, how often do you tweet the following:

• please buy my book
• please like me on Facebook
• my books are on sale today

Now check the Twitter account of a successful writer you admire. Check to see how often HE or SHE tweets about buying a book.

SEVEN THINGS YOU SHOULD BE DOING ON TWITTER.

1. It is social media. Be social.
2. Have conversations about things other than books.
3. Respond to people's tweets and retweet them.
4. Be funny without being offensive.
5. Tweet things related to topics trending on Twitter.
6. Tweet about current events.
7. Live tweet during your favorite shows or while at conventions.

Must-Read Links on Social Media for Writers:
Twitter for Authors by Jonathon Gunson
Social Media Train Wreck Authors Must Avoid

Viral Marketing Checklist - Surprise Your Audience

Source: http://blog.kissmetrics.com/viral-marketing-cheatsheet/

Do Something Unexpected

If you want your campaign to go viral you MUST do something the audience does not expect. Think about Gangnam Style for a moment. I know that may hurt your brain, but it is a perfect example of the power of viral marketing.  People watched and LOVED this video because it was something very unexpected. Funny and weird.

Do not simply copy the videos below. Throwing your book in a blender or singing your version of "Call Me Maybe" is not going to work.  A few weeks ago, however, your version of Harlem Shake might have. 

Suggestions:

• If you write about vampires, walk down the street with a video camera. Ask random strangers what they think about vampires. Post to your blog and YouTube.
• If you write erotica, walk into your local adult store. Interview staff and customers.
• If you write mystery, investigate cold cases or profile famous murder cases in your area.

I'm doing a documentary on the Windsor Hum. It's something that is local to where I live. It's a real-life case of creepiness and Big Business interfering with regular people.

Homework: 

1. Watch the videos below.
2. Watch for the moments you laugh or smile.
3. Relate those moments to something YOU can do.

Will it Blend? Viral Campaign by Blendtec

20 Best Viral Videos of 2012 including my favorite at #5.

Sentence Fragments vs. Complete Sentences

COMPLETE SENTENCE

A complete sentence makes sense standing alone. Every sentence needs a subject (someone doing an action) and an action. For example:

John ran. 

This is a full sentence. You can easily see who is doing what.

SENTENCE FRAGMENT

A sentence fragment is any sentence that does not make sense standing alone. If you've written an incomplete sentence (or sentence fragment), it is likely a "subordinate clause". That's fancy English for a series of words that do not complete an idea. Subordinate clauses are also called dependent clauses because they depend on an independent clause to complete an idea.

See below for examples of sentence fragments:

Since John Lennon was in the Beatles. (So what?)

Due to the weather. (What happens because of the weather?)

Unless the gun is found. (What happens if the gun’s not found?)

None of these make sense in and of themselves. They do not complete an idea you wish to communicate. 

See below for examples of how to fix these sentence fragments:

Since John Lennon was in the Beatles, he was one of the coolest people alive.

Due to the weather, the picnic was postponed.

Unless the gun is found, we cannot prove he committed murder.

Each part that is underlined is an independent clause. They make sense by themselves and do not need the 'help' of the part in italics (the dependent or subordinate clause).

WHEN IS IT OKAY TO USE SENTENCE FRAGMENTS?

Sometimes a sentence fragment is exactly what your story needs. Seriously. If you want to add a sense of tension, emphasize a point or play with pacing, a sentence fragment may add just the right 'beat' to your writing. Just be careful: sometimes your sentence fragment is needed; other times it is the result of bad punctuation.

For example:
"Classic. A book which people praise and don't read." That period should be a colon. "Classic: a book which people praise and don't read."

Here are examples of 'acceptable' sentence fragments that improve pacing or tension:

"I can't believe you're making me do this." She took the gun and shot him. In the head. 

You've created a sentence fragment by adding the unnecessary period after him. However, it adds extra tension or emphasis to "in the head".

I knew then I would love her forever. Until I died.

Again, this example plays with punctuation. "Until I died." is a sentence fragment. Using it adds an extra 'beat' after 'forever'. It may be the effect you are looking for. However, use this structure sparingly or it will lose it's impact.

LINKS:

The Subordinate Clause by Robin L. Simmons

Common Causes of Sentence Fragments by Literacy Education Online

Quiz - Repairing Sentence Fragments

Quiz - Sentence Fragments and Run-On Sentences

Sentence Fragments - Purdue Online Writing Lab

Viral Marketing Checklist - Neutrality is Useless

So now that you understand what viral marketing is, how do you do it?

As you'll see on the graphic below, one key element is doing the unexpected. Stop doing what all your competitors are doing. You'll never stand out if all you're doing is blending in.

I'll spend the next few posts talking about each item on the checklist below.

1. Stop Being Neutral

Controversy breeds notoriety. Look at Ann Coulter. I think she is a vile human being. She has said so many offensive things many people want her dead. Here's the thing: the only reason she's relatively famous is because she says stupid things. Things that get people talking.

Now, I'm not saying become the next Ann Coulter. Lord knows one of her is more than enough. As a writer, you never want your image to outshine or distract from your work. The one and only piece of credit I will give Ann Coulter is she knows how to get people talking about her.

Here's your homework:

1. List five public figures (e.g. politicians, celebrities, etc.) that you strongly dislike.
2. Pick one thing each person has said or done to make you dislike them.
3. List five public figures (e.g. politicians, celebrities, etc.) that you admire.
4. Pick one thing each person has said or done to make you admire them.

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The below graphic is from the Kissmetrics Blog. They provide html coding if you want to include this on your own blog (because they understand viral marketing.)

++ Click Image to Enlarge ++

Source: The Viral Marketing Cheat Sheet Infographic

What is Viral Marketing?

Source: http://blogs.ubc.ca/ivyzhongqi/2011/03/17/do-you-know-about-viral-marketing/

As writers, the most important marketing tool we have is word of mouth. Today, word of mouth is only limited by your access to social media. 

However, most people are not using social media correctly. Plugging your book on social media is a waste of time. If you want to get the most out of social media, you need to understand viral marketing.

WHAT IS VIRAL MARKETING?

"Viral marketing is an idea that spreads--and an idea that while it is spreading actually helps market your business or cause."

Seth Godin

"The key to effective viral: create and execute an idea that's intriguing enough to get consumers to interact."

Theresa Howard, USA TODAY

Few things spread faster than gossip. If there was a way you could get hundreds or thousands of people spreading good 'gossip' about you, would you be interested?  

Viral marketing is normally done in video format. It is easier to spread on Facebook and Twitter. People watch videos because they are fun. Most of us are so inundated with advertising that we tune out as soon as soon as it sounds like someone is selling us something.

So stop selling.

Relate.

Entertain.

Over the next few weeks I'll be giving you some ideas on how to do this. To get you started, here are a few free ebooks on viral marketing brought to you by experts in the field.

Free ebooks on Viral Marketing

UNLEASHING THE IDEA VIRUS by Seth Godin

HOW WILL YOU CREATE A WORLD-WIDE RAVE? by David Meerman Scott

THE NEW RULES OF VIRAL MARKETING by David Meerman Scott

Review - The Canterbury Tales Vol I by Luke Bellmason

 

Have you ever read a book that was so well-written you kind of hate the author? That's pretty much my feeling for Canterbury Tales. It's brilliant.

Amazon Synopsis

Every ten years each spacer pilot must make the pilgrimage to Vale, where the mighty and all powerful Federal Galactic Spaceflight Licensing Authority resides. From all corners of the nine galaxies they come, on ships such as the GSS Canterbury.

To pass the time over their three nights journeying through the void each traveller tells their story. Volume One features the tale of the Smuggler, the Merchant, the Assassin and the Knight. Join them to hear their tales of rivalry, revenge, piracy, insurrection, daring escapes and adventure in this all new re-imagining of the original Canterbury Tales.

This is what Geoffrey Chaucer might have written if he'd owned a ZX Spectrum when he was 12 and wasted his formative years playing video games through the 1980's.

If you're not familiar with the original, here's an overview:

 

What I Liked

The first thing I noticed was the very literary and witty writing style. I was hooked by the first few paragraphs. I also like that each story has an element of social commentary just below the surface. That's what science fiction is supposed to do: use fantastical situations to make us look at ourselves.

Each character is unique and interesting. You also get the sense of a  much more complex world in the background without the author wasting page after page in useless worldbuilding exposition. There are moments of horror, adventure, romance and intrigue. It hit all the right buttons.

What I Didn't Like

I have to wait until next year to read the second part. Seriously. That's my only negative reaction.

Conclusion

If you haven't read Canterbury Tales Volume 1 by Luke Bellmason do yourself a favor and pick it up. I'm sure you're going to hate Luke as much as I do.

Links:

Luke Bellmason's Website

Luke Bellmason on Goodreads

Luke Bellmason on Twitter

Buy the Book: Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk

Stages in the Writing Process - An Overview for Indie Authors

Source: http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/writing/secondary/writingprocess.html

I've taught business writing at a local college for the last six years. It has given me an opportunity to  appreciate the process of writing since it is a complete mystery to most people. Most experts will tell you writing should be done in stages. While the names and numbers of these stages vary, I've listed the most common ones below.

Pre-Writing (25% of Your Time)

For non-fiction works, this is when you:

• Analyze your Target Audience
• Anticipate their Response

Some fiction writers waste too much time waiting for "inspiration". They wait for the "right" story to come along.  However, if you understand your target market you will never run out of ideas.

I'll give you and easy example. Joss Whedon has repeatedly discussed coming up with the idea of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He was tired of seeing women in horror films portrayed as helpless victims. He wanted to see one kick butt.

So how does this relate to target markets? In many ways it all comes down to you. You know that old saying "write what you know?" If you're ever stuck for ideas ask these question;

• What kind of stories do I like?
• What did I like about those stories?
• What did I hate about those stories?
• What would make them better?

If you're trying to write for a target group you don't belong to (e.g. middle grade or YA), make sure you truly understand their needs and wants before you writing

Writing (25% of Your Time)

To be clear, "writing" has several stages. For my students, I break it into three basic categories:

• Research
• Organize
• Compose

Research includes worldbuilding as well as historical/factual research. I have a tendency to spend too much time worldbuilding. Remember ,most readers care more about story and character than worldbuilding. That's why they're reading a novel and not an almanac.

Organizing may include a detailed outline or a simple bullet points of key scenes and themes.

Composing refers to completing your first draft. The best advice I can give you is to power and just get it done. Too many authors waste time looking for perfection in their first draft. For most of us it's simply not possible. The real artistry comes in revision and editing, not the composition.

Revising/Editing (50% of Your Time)

And here's the hardest part. Most people have no clue how to properly revise or edit their work. Over the next few months, I'll provide helpful tips on how to properly edit your story or novel.


Links:
The Writing Process:  Target towards Public School Audience but a concise reintroduction
Perfection Your Writing Process   Focused on University Papers but very helpful.