Lessons Learned at Indie Bookfest

I went to the Indie Bookfest Conference in Orlando recently and met a couple of my favorite authors whom I admire (Claudia Gray and Sarra Cannon). I also had the chance to hear indie authors share their advice on topics such as hybrid publishing, writing serials, marketing strategies, and writing romance.

I learned a few things that I want to share here, bullet-style so as to not take away from the importance of the message. What you get from my observations is yours. Here they are in no particular order:

1. Write the story you’d want to read. Others are probably out there waiting to read it, too.
2. Don’t worry about marketing right away; focus on writing.
3. Get more than one book out there. If readers like your first book, they’ll want to read more from you.
4. Facebook is not dead to 18-30 year olds. It’s still a great way for authors to interact with readers.
5. Be willing to try new things. Whether it’s a new social media (like Tumblr for me) or a new way to be interactive with your readers (like videos on your website of scenes from your book), incorporate innovative strategies into your marking marketing and promotion plans in order to reach your audience .

Those are some of the things I learned about writing and marketing while at the Indie Bookfest Conference. Do you have others that are working for you or that you think sound interesting and worthwhile? Share with others here.

~Be blessed.