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Listen To Tyler R. Tichelaar's Many Interviews as Co-Host on Authors Access internet radio, as well as a couple times when he's been interviewed himself.
http://authorsaccess.com/archives/category/tyler-tichelaar
Book Marketing on MySpace
by
Tyler R. Tichelaar
I have actively marketed my novels on MySpace since February 2006. Here are easy ways there to get attention for your book.
1. PROFILE SETUP - Make your profile picture your book. On your profile, link to your website. Write a description of yourself and your books on your profile. The profile is an intimate way to know an author beyond the capabilities of a regular website or listserv, and provides viewers an interactive experience to write or post comments to the author. MySpace is a great way to promote your author image.
2. ADD EVERYONE - Don’t turn anyone down. More friends, more exposure. I have over 500 friends now from all over the world.
3. COMMENTS - Leave comments on all friend’s pages when you add them. That way, your bookcover (your profile picture) appears on their page and people can click to your page. More than 3,000 people have viewed my page, primarily from clicking on my comments, and I imagine the number who have seen my bookcover on friend’s pages is in the 10,000s.
4. BLOGS and BULLETINS - Post blogs frequently - people will subscribe to or read them when viewing your page. You can also post your blog as a bulletin that goes to all of your friends. Typical blogs are excerpts from my books, book reviews, announcements of author events.
5. EVENTS - Make an event posting for every appearance, book publication date etc. All your friends will be notified of your event.
6. GROUPS - Over 5,000 book groups are on MySpace. Join and participate in them. Every comment you leave makes people see your bookcover and they may go to your profile, then website.
MYSPACE RESULTS
1. BOOKSALES - I know I have sold at least 12 books to people I met on MySpace. How many people bought my book without telling me I can’t say. But thousands never would have heard of my book otherwise.
2. NETWORKING - Perhaps MySpace’s greatest advantage:
- Over 100 self-published and traditionally published authors have added me as a friend - some famous like Kurt Vonnegut. Many have traded books with me.
- I have befriended Book.of.the.Moment who wrote wonderful reviews on her book review blog of my books which were then read by her 1,300+ friends and blog-subscribers.
- I added Authorsbookshop.com, an independent bookstore—they now carry my books and displayed them at the National Book Expo this past summer.
- The World of Myth ezine approached me for an author interview, then agreed to publish two of my short stories in different issues.
- I even had a conversation with a movie star about books. You don’t know who you’ll meet there. Now if Oprah will just talk to me
MySpace is an enjoyable marketing experience. Thousands of authors and publishers (Harper Collins most notably) are members. You can also better know who your potential readers are by who sends you a friend request.
MySpace is free, easy and fun. Sign up now! Then visit www.myspace.com/tylertichelaar. I’d be happy to add you as a friend.
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