April Theme: Writing for Readers

This month’s theme is Writing for Readers. So many authors complain and lament about all the promotional responsibilities falling on their shoulders, throwing up their hands and saying, “But I’m not a marketer! I’m just a writer!”

What many authors don’t realize is their skills as a writer can be their greatest asset as a marketer.

Any type of promotion begins with storytelling. For books, you tell the story of how your book came to exist, what inspired you to write it, and why it’s important. You share your author journey, your path to publication, your research process, and sometimes insight into your personal life. You may do this through blog posts, newsletters, or social media content. You may apply these skills to your media pitches, op-eds, or written interviews. Writing skills are necessary for so many aspects of promotion that I’d argue you, as an author, have an advantage over many of the so-called professionals.

You have the skills, but how can you apply them to launch Your Breakout Book? That’s exactly the question I’m posing to this month’s guests. I’ll speak with content strategist Eman Ismail who will share the power and principles behind email marketing. We’ll hear from award-winning author and Your Breakout Book member, Ellen Byron, about the impact guest blogging has had on growing her audience. And tomorrow, I’ll share my personal journey of applying my writing skills to marketing and publicity.

Hit subscribe wherever you’re listening to this podcast and ensure you never miss an episode. I’ll be back in your earbuds tomorrow.