31 Day Author Platform Challenge Day 23: Offer Thanks

<NUDGE NUDGE Have you followed 10 new people yet?>

**Don’t make a jpg like this! Use real, clickable hashtags**

Let’s take advantage of the national day of thanks-giving. Our task today is about uplifting others in a Thank You post. It will feel so good! And will take mere minutes.

If you haven’t been a part of the #writerslift movement on Twitter/#, now is your time to join the party.

Think about critique partners, for example. Find the right ones and they are worth their weight in gold, amiright? These gems of fellow writers, whom you trust to read your work-in-progress, provide constructive feedback and help you improve your craft. They can act as a sounding board for ideas, catch typos and plot holes, and offer fresh perspectives on your writing. They are not only helpful, but supportive and committed. Aren’t they worthy of celebrating? Let’s give them a shout out of gratitude today.

If you don’t have CPs at the moment, think about people who have helped you in any way this week or month or year. There are plenty of people that are helpful! You don’t have to know them personally. Maybe their mentor texts or inspiring feeds got you through a rough patch. These fellow creatives you’ve never met would love to know you appreciate them. Why not reach out and and connect by tagging them with a short flattering post?

Today, Day 23, we are showing fellow authors some (virtual) love.

We’ll do that by giving them a shout-out across all your social media outlets using the hashtag #writerslift. This task is another example of how an automation tool is handy. You only have to post once if you use a scheduler, and it’ll go out to all your outlets at once.

Publicly acknowledging people not only shows gratitude, but boosts their profiles and helps to establish them as respected members of the writing community. You know they’d do it for you! In fact, they probably already have. It’s a part of supporting each other. Rising tides lift all boats, right?

Make it pretty with a Canva-type app, or make it a simple text post. Your call. While of course it’s honestly the thought that counts, this is one rare time I suggest a regular post vs creating a graphic. Why? As you can see in the .png I created above, there is no way to tag my CPs in the image, so I have to tag them each all over again in the post–and I have to add the #writerslift tag to the post anyway. WHY DO I MAKE THINGS SO HARD FOR MYSELF lol. Just make a simple post for this.

Some tips for creating feel-good #writerslift shout-outs:

  1. Be specific: Details, baby! Use full names and highlight what they’ve done to help you. Did they catch a major plot hole? Publish a PB that inspires you to be a better writer? Support you when no one else thought you could do it? Give credit where credit is due.
  2. Be generous: Don’t be shy. Offering praise to someone who has helped you means A LOT to them, esp if you’re not the touchy-feely type. It can help strengthen the CP bond. Knowing it had an impact on you can help encourage them to be helpful to others again in the future. And it will warm your own heart at the same time!
  3. Be authentic: Don’t write a generic post just for the sake of giving a shout-out. A list of names is great, but it’s virtual lip service. Write with sincerity and share genuine appreciation. If you can’t be specific to any one piece of feedback for whatever reason, it’s okay to thank them for their support over the years or months. The important thing is you are sharing gratitude.

You DON’T have to go big or go home

The kidlit industry is FULL of kind-hearted, helpful people like you. Shout-outs like this keeps that supportive feeling alive. Simply saying thanks to one person can make you both feel good! (No need to gift them, a simple THANKS is all that’s needed.)

One great example of an AMAZING week-long show of author love in May, created and run by fellow PB author @SylviaiChen. It’s a (free) weeklong co-celebratory event with prizes that is everything our Day 23 is about: uplifting and recognizing our fellow writers and illustrators! What an effective and thoughtful way to give mass shout-outs! This goes above and beyond any shout-out Tweet I would have thought up. Don’t worry, I don’t expect level that from you! She probably worked on that for months. You can take 11 mins 🙂

Recap: Send (several) posts thanking your crit partners and anyone who has helped make you a better writer, and use the #writerslift hashtag. Be specific with the appreciation if you can, and don’t tag too many people in one post.

Share the love!

PS I am thankful for you, cheering me on and helping keep me accountable this month!

31 Day Author Platform Challenge Day 16: Did You See That?

[Hang on–have you followed 10 new people yet?]

Making moves, and movies

young woman in trendy outfit with notepad recording vlog
Photo by Anete Lusina
on Pexels.com

Today we make and post a short, quick video.

We’ve posted a bunch of things so far, from the comfort of our rooms or office (and probably PJs). Time to up the ante. Studies show videos get far more views and engagement than simple photo posts on social media. According to Forbes in late 2022, social video generates 1200% more shares than text and image content combined. And get this: viewers retain 95% of a watched video message compared to 10% of a text.

“Why the hay haven’t you been encouraging video all along?” you may ask, in a rather aggressive (and unappreciated, quite frankly) tone. Well, I’ll tell ya. We are authors. And almost by definition that means most of us are introverts. Or maybe extroverted introverts. Who else volunteers to lock themselves up in a proverbial cave most of the day to crank out words on a page that will be edited and rewritten 10,000 times? (That’d be us.) I get you. I get us. The very thought of me asking you to create a video may fill you with dread.

But hear me out.

The video doesn’t have to be of you! You don’t have to appear on camera! (some ideas below) You don’t even need sound! You DO need text, though. Studies show 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound–but 80% of videos WITH sound and/or text get much higher results. People need to know what they are watching, and why. (They also tend to watch in places they aren’t supposed to have their phones, so the volume is off. Captions are very helpful.) Tweets with video are said to get 10x the engagement than a static post!

It’s time to shine, cupcake

As you can see, to maximize the eyeballs on our content, to drive a higher number of RTs, to encourage engagement, to increase our author platform…we need to graduate to video. I have been an actress since the third grade [not to brag but yeah that was me playing the lead bunny in the school play]. I am a ham, I seek out the camera in every instance — and yet, I am still dragging my feet on video when it comes to promoting my own work. It feels so personal, right?! You’re not acting, you’re you. And that’s much harder, I get it. We just have to rip off the bandaid and get creating. Or recording, as the case may be.

I know once we get started, it will be easier and easier. We just have to make and post that first one. Or that first five.

I mean, don’t we want a 1200% increase in shares? Of course. If we are in control of that, why wouldn’t we go for it? Today we are.

Instagram makes it super easy to make videos with text and “stickers.” Canva allows taking a template and adding animation which is ALMOST a video, but that won’t count for today. Find yourself an app or service you feel comfortable working with, like Vimeo, YouTube, Visme, ClipChamp, etc.

Please tell me which [free!] app/sites you like best! I like trying new stuff.

The video can be 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 30 seconds. Animoto reports Instagram videos that are around 26 seconds long receive the most comments. Don’t be thinking your vid has to be two minutes! (Who has time for that, really.)

Worried about how you’ll look on camera? I have a ton of getting-camera-ready tips on this post: https://bitsykemper.com/zoom/.

Some great tips on creating effective content (do you want to explain a new fact? do a tutorial?) is here from later.com, here from eclincher, and there’s a list of ideas from sproutsocial here.

Camera shy?

Let’s say you loathe the idea of being on camera. You can still use video to up your author platform. Here are some ideas of videos (with sound and text!) that will build your brand that DON’T need to have your smiling face.

Here are some ideas on effective videos you can make where you aren’t playing an on-camera role:

  • Book Quotes: Use text overlays to display your own, your favorite, or popular book quotes. Zoom in and out while reading the quote. [Or be holding the book as you read, be standing in front of the printed quote that’s on a wall, etc.]
  • Show Your Bookshelves: Give an inside look at your bookshelves while explaining how they made you a better writer (or reader). Ask viewers to share their experiences. [Or be there Vanna-White-ing it.]
  • Create a Book Trailer: iMovie and other apps make this easier than ever. If you have picture books, talk to your illustrators first–they might have ideas and/or equipment.
  • Start a Live ‘Ask Me Anything’ Session: No need to have yourself on camera, just zoom in a whiteboard with those words as you talk over a short script “Time to ask me anything! Write a question in the comments…” [Or of course, you can have cam focused on your pretty face.]
  • Answer Those Anythings: Record yourself answering those Qs while writing on a whiteboard, flipping through pages, waking through the woods, whatever.
  • Recommend Books: Share fun book recommendations, including your own book(s).
My personal brainstorming space

Those are just a few thoughts. I can’t wait to hear what you end up doing! Tell me all about it.

31 Day Author Platform Challenge Day 8: Conference Research

Conferences and workshops and training oh my

We’ve worked on the wording about ourselves this challenge. Now let’s look outward on how we can interact with others. We’ll do that by being of service. Today we broaden our view and help our fellow writer or reader grow, so that our own author platform can grow.

There are a ton of conferences, webinars, retreats, and training courses out there. Most are online. As a writer, you should already be aware of writing conferences yourself, so talking to fellow writers makes this a snap (and if you’re not already aware of the events, you’ll be helping yourself today too). Or maybe you want to look into conferences that can help your reader, like ESL or Book Fairs, or things your main characters are interested in, like whales or shyness. Maybe you write non-fiction and can look into events based on that topic.

Research educational opportunities for your followers.

Day 8 entails searching for conferences/classes/workshops et al that are specifically, say, for your audience’s age range and your genre. It sets you up as a reliable resource.

Google, for example, “2024 nonfiction picture book conferences” and see what comes up. Do the events look legit? Only mention what you think looks decent. It can be hard to tell, I know. Be careful when looking up classes and sessions. Scan through what you think might be the highest-quality training based not only on who is hosting the conference/event but who is presenting. Look for tried and true, national author groups/clubs like Children’s Book Insider, SCBWI, Authors Guild, Serious Writer, etc. Contact people you know that have attended the events and get their feedback before posting. Don’t blindly hand your recommendation (or suggest readers hand their money over).** (see Note)

Once you get a feel for what’s out there, in that first search, keep going and google variations like “2024 nonfiction picture book webinars,” “…online classes,” “…online training” etc., and do the same vetting process. Read carefully. Ask yourself…Which might offer the biggest bang for the buck? Do they offer refunds? (I’ve honestly found those that do tend to be the worst offenders for some reason. Could just be my experience.)

I bet you’ll find events you never heard of, or events you’ve been meaning to try but completely forgot about. Yeay you!

**A note of caution:

It’s easy to make yourself look good online. It’s easy for people with no experience to convince you they have it, and convince you to give them your money for a consult or class. It can be hard to verify what they say about their qualifications is true. It might never occur to you to verify it.

For example, I was surprised to find a writer’s service that has a quote from me on their home page, as if I am endorsing their training. I have never taken their class, I do not know them, they did not ask me for permission. BUT — they must have looked up public quotes that fit what the training covers, and since it’s public, they are legally allowed to use it, I guess. If you look carefully, it does not say I took the class. It does not say I am referring to their training in that quote. So it’s not “false.” Is it ethical, though? No.

In another example, I know an online business that claims to have launched MANY careers when in fact those authors’ successes had nothing to do with those classes–the authors were published before taking the classes!

A third example is actually something I come across almost daily. First-time authors and even those NEVER PUBLISHED are offering consults, sessions, and conference-like courses on how to get published. It baffles me they get away with it. They look so good online. They might be OK. But are they really the level of expert you want to listen to?

Do your research. Beware “post hoc ergo propter hoc.” Shop wisely.

Recap: Research conferences, workshops, and learning opportunities that are of interest to you and/or your audience. Make a list of the ones you would want to or would want to suggest they attend. Add them to your handy notebook (as noted in the prep post). Publish that list, or a link to that list, across your social media outlets.

You’ll look like a hero!

Your friends will thank you.

And you will thank yourself.

[Oh, and don’t forget to follow 10 new people today!]

31 Day Author Platform Challenge Day 7: Headshot Tips

[Before we start, have you followed 10 new people yet?]

Smile for your close up!

Broadway-like lights surrounding mirror of a makeup table

Day Seven of the 31 Day Author Platform Challenge is upon us. We’ve looked at our home page and bio.

Today you take–or schedule–a new headshot

I bet most of you are clenching. Relax. You look better than you think you do. And today’s filters will ensure it! Today we’ll review your current headshot, look at expert headshot tips specific to authors, and start clicking. (You are allowed to tell no one you are doing this and lock yourself in a room for 30 minutes.)

If your posted headshot is more than 10 years old like mine, no matter how good it is, it’s time for a change. You can keep and still post that pic, but today is the day you’re going to add a new one that will be your MAIN headshot.

My first question to you how recent is the headshot you have on your website and/or the ones you use for social media platforms?

Since I’m not a photographer, I feel it’s best to let some experts give you advice. Some links are below.

Common advice across the board is:

  • Be yourself! Let your “youness” shine through. Readers want to know YOU, not a fake version—and they can tell! Your audience needs to know they can trust you.
  • Don’t wear any busy patterns, or excess make-up or jewelry, as they detract from your sweet face, which is what people want to see.
  • Lighting is more important than you think! (It’s really the shadows that can be unflattering).
  • I have a personal aversion to the stoic arm-crossed and other-hand-on-the-face pose. It’s unnatural. No one walks around like that. I beg you to keep your hands at your side, or hold a book, pen, etc. Unless it’s candid or silly, please don’t be touching your face.
  • Hairstyles change so fast that a hip cut today can quickly date your pic even before your book comes out. Try to avoid anything overly trendy.

Hire a professional?

Most assume a professional headshot should be taken by, well, a pro. But increasingly, odds are you don’t need to hire a pro; cell phones today do an amazing job and even have good editing tools and filters. But a pro will make you look AMAZING and could be worth every penny. Make sure you get a reliable referral, you get a certain number of chances to get a pose you like, that you own the rights, and do the courtesy of crediting them whenever the photo is used.

I once had a photographer who came recommended and showed up with backgrounds and cool equipment. She said top images would come edited, but at the end of the shoot all she gave me was a file with all the raw shots; none of them were edited, and they were all crap. I didn’t know until I got home and opened the file; no calls were returned from then on. So…make sure there is a clause for what happens when you’re unhappy with the final image(s). Pay a deposit but never the full amount until you have pix in hand.

Here are some links to more expert tips for author headshots:

  • Penguin Random House has suggestions to research what other authors in your genre have done.
  • Scribe Media offers examples of good and bad headshots.
  • Site Arcade has even more examples as well as a discussion on backgrounds.
  • Pinterest shows an array of kidlit author examples.
  • Splento.com discusses different kinds of shots used for different purposes.
  • City Headshots specifically talks to actors but does a great job explaining bad headshots and how to do better.

I suggest you spend part of today trying it out on your own. Modern cell phones take amazing photos. Have a kid, neighbor, or friend help. Consider asking for their help on editing as others will see things you don’t.

If you still aren’t thrilled with the results, try again with different outfit, location, lighting, props, etc.

If after a third time it’s still not working, book an appointment with a professional. I bet your local SCBWI chapter will have some contacts or suggestions for you.

If after reading this you honestly feel YOU DON’T NEED A NEW HEADSHOT then your task today is to clean up another website page, the way we cleaned up your home page on Day 5 (go back and look if you need a refresher).

IF YOU DON’T HAVE A WEBSITE AND YOUR HEADSHOT DOESN’T NEED RETAKING, create a cross-platform post that includes your headshot, describing the time you had it made. What was going thru your mind, who was there, what you’d change, etc. Ask other people to share their experiences. Use this as an opp to open up and engage!

Recap: If your headshot is older than 5 years, or if it looks dated or unprofessional, redo it. Today. If you don’t need a headshot, use yours as a conversation starter for a social media post.

Smile for that camera, now!

31 Day Author Platform Challenge Day 6: How to bio

[Before we start, have you followed 10 new people yet?]

It’s all about YOU!

Yesterday was a big-picture assessment of your homepage.

Day 6 hones in on your Bio, which you need for your website as well as every social media platform you’ve got.

Let’s make sure you are presenting the best possible version of yourself (that’s still truthful of course).

snapshot of Bitsy Kemper's bio page

I sorta cheated on this task, since my home page right now is my bio page, and I worked on that yesterday. But I do need to revisit the bios I have on Twitter (oh, wow, noticed outdated info right away!) and Insta (how long has that link been broken?! Oh and did you know they now let you add FIVE links on your Insta profile?!). I bet you forgot about those platforms and were only thinking about your website! But they are ALL our brand, and they all have bios–even if just five words.

I’ve culled bio tips other professionals (I searched the web so you don’t have to) and blended them with my own advice. For example, Leaders Press lists reasons WHY the bio is so important and offers some tips of their own. So today we create (or enhance) it.

How to create a writer’s bio:

First off, think about your audience. Who is reading this bio? Is it parents, past and potential buyers of your books? Specialists from schools and libraries considering whether to book you for an author signing? Kid fans? Literally picture them in your mind as you write your bio. As we’ve talked about, different platforms will have slightly different audiences. It’s OK to vary them. Every social media outlet doesn’t have to say the same thing in the same words.

Secondly, write it well! Be engaging! If you can’t write a good bio about yourself, can readers trust you can write a good book? Remember you are your own brand. Your bio needs to reflect who you are, so that when someone reads it, they “get” you. Some great examples of writing in your own voice are here offered by Rocket Expansion. Granted, those are mainly jacket flap bios, but you get the idea. This bio isn’t for jacket flap, which has an even more centralized audience—potential and current reader/buyer OF THAT BOOK. Right now, work on your webpage since it’ll be the longest. Adapt accordingly for Insta, Twitter, etc.

Third, don’t sweat wordcount. It can be as simple as a paragraph. Don’t bore anyone by cramming in too much information no one needs. (You’ll have stricter parameters on most of the other platforms.)

Lastly, don’t forget a CALL TO ACTION! More on that below.

On websites, I’ve always appreciated the almost-all-encompassing two or three sentence bio, followed by a few paragraphs of more-detail-that-isn’t-crucial-but-is-nice-to-have. That way, if your reader only has a few seconds, they can get enough from those first few sentences. It’s something they can cut and paste if they need to introduce you. To nail down the super short “elevator pitch” of your bio, check out Scribe Media (scroll about halfway down to Template heading). 

OK, let’s get down to it. What should you include on your bio page?

YOUR HISTORY

  • Where you’re from, and where you live now. I like to keep this generic, as in “from NY, now live in CA” as I honestly don’t think it’s anyone’s business what town or exact city I live in. Plus, with cybersecurity issues, you don’t want to give out too much info on yourself. But if you have an unusual city name, like Boring, OR – please keep it! Have some fun with it.
  • Personal info but IMHO only AS IT PERTAINS TO YOUR WRITING such as if you write about the environment and you have a biology degree. Or, say, if you mainly write male characters b/c you are a mom of four boys, talk about how they influence story ideas or creative work hours.
  • Toss in some “PERSONAL TAGS” like something you’d call out on a main character to show their personality or make them memorable. Do you love Orange Crush? Root only for the Mets? Enjoy fly fishing? Hate the Oxford comma? Show readers what makes you uniquely you. Be relatable!
  • Recognition or awards you’ve received. Go ahead and toot your own horn! But no need to be a jerk about it. “I was excited to win the MOMMA 2022 Book of the Year” is different than “I beat out 200 other mostly-lame entries to capture the coveted award that most other authors only dream about” which makes you sound like a poo-poo-head. Be specific, spell out all acronyms, and give dates/years (unless it’s over 8ish years ago as then it’s old news so don’t give the year). Bonus points if you can toss in a few kid-friendly things like “baton champ of 5th grade” or “voted worst penmanship in 12th grade.” Remember that note about being relatable?

YOUR NOW

  • Books published. If none, don’t say you’re unpublished. Consider saying something descriptive like you have “a middle-grade novel for shy girls in the works.” Find tips for unpublished writers from Gatekeeper Press here.
  • Your main age level and genre. For example, although I have CB and MG manuscripts that I’m working on, I am mainly a PB fiction writer, so that’s what I talk about. If I get published in the other age ranges, I’ll talk more about them. If you say you “write for all ages” then it looks like you’re unfocused. It’s more impressive to be specialized.
  • ALL your current social media handles WITH LINKS. (Exception: if you haven’t updated Pinterest since 2006, say, don’t include it.)

YOUR PHOTO(S)

  • Headshot that’s within the last 5 years please! NOTE: HEADSHOTS ARE TOMORROWS TOPIC. Cute, old selfies are fine as long as there is a reason (say, a book signing) current ones are also there.
  • People love pets so feel free to also add a few of those.
  • Book covers! Add all of ‘em.  Feel free to have the pic linked to an indy book store where the book can be purchased—but do NOT say anything about buying the books. Simply have the linked book cover images.

YOUR CALL TO ACTION

  • Don’t miss the opportunity to ask people to leave a comment, sign up for your mailing list, click on a link to your blog or recent recorded interview, follow you on social media (with links), etc. Do NOT have the call to action be a sales pitch. No one likes that. It ruins the great impression you’ve just created.

Did we miss anything? Let me know if you have crucial info you think has to be included.

Once you hone your revised bio, make sure you update your bio’s main points on all your social media accounts. They don’t have to be exact; as mentioned, most people have slightly different personalities on each platform. But make sure they sync up and make sure they are all current.

Recap: Update and rework your bio(s!) as needed. Make sure each social media service you use has a bio that fits the audience (adapt your new one accordingly).

Happy multi bio-ing!

31 Day Author Platform Challenge Day 5: Homepages (re)visited

[Hey there–before we start, have you followed 10 new people yet?]

Bringing that website home

Welcome to Day 5!

Today we are going to apply your brand to your website. We’ll start with your homepage.

Tell me you have a website. If not, you’ll start today! A great starter guide is here by the lovely Jane Friedman. Worth reviewing even if you’ve had a site for a while.

Let’s tidy up the house so we are proud when company comes over. We’re first looking at your home page because you only get one chance to make a first impression. No major changes yet, just taking notes at what people see, and asking if it’s the best projection of your brand. Grab that notebook.

Go to your homepage:

Open your website. View it with fresh eyes, as if you were someone that doesn’t know you, and is there for the first time. As far as the big picture, do you see a clear author brand? Would a stranger see it? Is your site a visual mess, or is it a place someone would want to stay and linger? Take notes on what needs to change overall. Does it need to be friendlier or more welcoming? Is it clear you’re an author or illustrator? Maybe it’s too focused on YOU and not what you can do for the reader <um, guilty>.

Now take closer inventory. What is the first specific thing people see and feel? Take notes on the following:

  • When someone sees it, do they get an immediate sense of who you are?
  • Perhaps more importantly, is it welcoming to the point people want to stay?
  • Does it represent the current you, and your brand?
  • Are the colors right? Is font readable? Do you have enough whitespace?
  • Is it current? As in, when was your last post or update? How would they know?
  • How old is your bio pic? Be honest with yourself here.
  • Is every subheading correct, necessary, and relevant?
  • Do you have clearly marked Contact info and links to social media?

Now get to work.

RIGHT AWAY, get working on anything in those notes that can be done in under five minutes. Document any work you still need done. Give yourself a deadline to complete it. Even if you end up needing to push the deadline out, give yourself one. Trust me (and science!), it is more likely to happen when you hold yourself accountable by being SMART (remember–Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.) Don’t have time to add the icons and links to all your social media platforms today? Write down you’ll figure out how to do it by Friday the 5th and complete it by Saturday May 6th.

If editing a website is above your pay grade, contact someone today with SPECIFICS on what you would like them to do for you. Not “help me with my homepage” but “change the colors on the homepage, update my contact info, and remove this image.” Give them a (reasonable) deadline too – or at least a timeframe. Ask a teen to help in exchange for a Starbucks.

I just got done assessing my homepage, and FWIW this is what I realized:

  • My colors were too juvenile so I changed them
  • I hate the random, ugly ads that are generated in the free version of WordPress that I use, so did what I’ve been thinking about doing for years: upgraded to the no-ad version. Not saying you need to! Just something I’ve wanted to do and finally did, whew. Glad I did.
  • “Upcoming Events” list was waaay too long. I shortened it and put stuff from 2020 on a diff page.
  • The “long version” of my bio was, well, too long so I pared it down (it’s still too long, but progress…).
  • My homepage is still too self-serving and not enough “what’s in it for you to be here” so I am working on that.
  • I realized my tagline, held over from when I spent more time marketing than writing, feels dated, so I edited it.
  • While my formatting skills are horrendous, I cleaned it up a little bit at the bottom (it’s still terrible but it’s good enough for now. I added it to my To Do list to fix later.)
  • I added a “subscribe” button in the top right column — please sign up so you get emails on each daily task! (It’s now on the top right of every page)

I had time and was able to handle all of it within about an hour.

Now it’s your turn.

Recap: Take a birds-eye view of your homepage. What needs updating, changing revising? Take note (literally) of larger things To Do and change what you can right now.

Let me know how it shakes out! Leave a comment below.