Guest post from Nickie Seidler:
I’ll introduce myself first, I’m Nickie Nalley Seidler, a romantic suspense author trying to make herself known in the community. I’m a mom to my beautiful baby girl who’s two. A wife to my amazing husband of almost eight years. Living in the suburbs of Chicago, I write part time, work behind a desk part time, and mommy full time.
Alright, now that you know just a pinch of my life, thought I’d share some of my experiences thus far. When I first started writing, I had no idea what an indie author was. I had no idea you could publish your books, get paperback books printed, sell your babies-basically, it’s what it feels like-haha. I was EXCITED. But I will say, I’ve never written the same after knowing that. Let me explain. When I wrote my first book, I was writing for FUN. I wasn’t expecting the world to see it, I was expecting my mom to maybe read it and maybe some family members, but not the whole world. Then the writing community gets introduced to you. AKA-facebook. My husband came across an indie author somehow and she was basically my manual to getting started. She introduced me to some blogs, who went and shared my facebook pages, told them to check me out, that I was a new upcoming author writing in the romance genre. It BOOMED from there. Next thing I know I was being taught how to make teasers, and excerpts to show on your books and getting your potential readers to be excited about the upcoming releases. Blogs wanted to read, review, be a part of my amazing new start of a journey. It was GREAT. I was a wreck. I was so nervous to let anyone read my baby. My first. It was scary! I got wonderful feedback though, good and bad but when I say bad, I mean uplifting. People with advice on how to better myself. Yeah, occasionally I got the mean ones, but I learned to put them aside. From there, people just shared my facebook posts. Or I created sponsored ads to get more visibility, but again that was back then, things have kind of changed on that home front, mainly due to Facebook controlling visibility.
I started writing a list of blogs down. Whoever shared for me, read my books and reviewed, I would contact for future things. Blogs can host cover reveals, sales to your books, new releases, and some even do blog tours, as much as they aren’t that popular anymore. These were all big deals and what most authors were doing to get seen! It worked! Before I knew it, I had a following. I would take over blog pages, they would give me a time frame and I’d post games, and things to get to know people, or giveaways, even copies of my book. Mind you, again, this was on their facebook pages. Facebook has been KEY to my success. It’s the easiest way to connect with people. You name it, search it on facebook. There are TONS of groups and pages out there that connect you with the community of authors and books. TALK, PROMOTE, WRITE. That’s my three most successful points.
Talk – people want to hear not only about books, but about you. They view us as rock stars. Believe me, it is possible to fan girl over an author! I’ve done it! Talk to people, have everyday conversations. RELAX. They are just people like us. They want to know what inspires us, where we get our ideas. Most people know me now by my daughter. I post a lot about my daughter and to many people that was the best thing in the world. To see happy pictures, baby pictures, an author being a mommy. Talking is key to developing relationships with your readers.
Promoting – do it as often as you can! Don’t let people forget your name. Post a teaser from one of your books with links to purchasing it. Give them a line that will make them click that book of yours. Throw a sale every once and a while and promote it like crazy! Giveaways, get some swag made, bookmarks, post cards, rack cards, vista print is wonderful and gotprints for bookmarks is fantastic! I also have amazing designers, inexpensive, that can design things for you well. Throw a game on your facebook page or blog to get readers to win a copy of whatever you put up. Whether it be a copy of your book, or a bookmark, or even an amazon gift card! That one reader may be a lifetime reader from then on, who may promote or spread the word to her friends. WORD OF MOUTH is the best! Just don’t stop promoting. Share your other author friends releases, cover reveals, teasers and giveaways. Support others and they will support you! Well, most will. Talk to the bloggers, ask them to share a thing or two if they don’t mind. They love supporting authors and usually most willing to share anything!
Write – Just keep writing. No matter what, WRITE. Even if it’s a sentence a day. It helps. Sometimes I should take my own advice, but that’s how I was able to publish eight books with a ninth one on the way. Tell your readers you’re writing, they’ll be the biggest pep in your step! They’ll be your inspiration, your motivation to keep going. It’s been mine since I shared my baby with the world. The reviews kept coming, the readers kept messaging me, and the common theme was MORE. They wanted more from me! It was great! I felt on top of the world! I felt like the rock star they envisioned! Which also made writing more challenging. I was focusing on “what would they think” more than write it however it speaks to you. Who cares what they think this is how the story goes! If your story needs extra detail, write it! If it’s a quick read with less details, that’s ok too! There is no right or wrong way to write a book. It’s YOUR book and you write it as you want as short or long as you want it. Only want a chapter to be two pages? FINE! You are in control! But write from your heart, write for FUN! Write because the voices don’t give you an option! Don’t let the following you gain or the reviews you’ve read hinder your writing process or HOW you write! From there, signings fell into play!
Blogs would throw out some forms here and there for signings they’re hosting and I’d fill them out or readers would send them to me in hopes I’d fill them out. Why? Because they wanted to meet me! So I’ve traveled to Greenville, NC where my first signing was and it was great. I got to meet a reader who came all the way from the Detroit area to meet me! These people traveled FAR to meet ME. It’s an amazing feeling. I took so many pictures with my readers and sold some books. I gave away a lot of swag; bookmarks, pens, wristbands, buttons. They love it! I signed sooooo much and it was all overwhelming, but amazing at the same time. I met some author friends that I’ll probably have for life. We can all relate and we share our tactics.
From Greenville, I visited Nashville, TN and then I went to a Chicago Windy City signing and sold a ton of books and met so many more readers. I also did the Elgin library which is also coming up this year. I’m also involved in a signing in June at a distillery. I’ll list the dates and locations and links to buying tickets below!
What you may need to attend a signing?
Books, about 10 of each of your books!
A banner with your name or fun design to advertise yourself! (Think vistaprint)
Bookmarks or something people can take for free from you!
Sharpies! All colors ! You’ll be signing a lot!
Notebook to start a newsletter. (think mailchimp-free newsletter site)
I’d be happy to add you on facebook, just search for Nickie Nalley Seidler. I’d also be more than happy to promote anything you like! Let’s get you seen in the book community!
Come visit me at the 2nd annual Authors Fair, to be held Sunday, April 23rd, 2017 from 2 p.m.—4 p.m. at the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin, IL
Free admission.
Or
Friday June 16th, 2017
Fox River Distillery Author Event
204 Dearborn Court
#Unit 110
Geneva, IL 60134
7-9pm
Tickets will be through Eventbrite : https://www.eventbrite.com/e/friday-fan-girls-an-author-event-with-a-little-nip-to-it-tickets-31196582819
Time: March 13, 2017 at 6:11 pm
WRITERS CO-OP: A WRITER COMMUNITY FOR YOU. 