Author As Brand Is Out of Control | Author Platform in 2021

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Author platform in 2021... do you need one? (yes) But how much do you need to do? How much is too much? What does Author As Brand look like for authors, how do publishers take advantage and why is it not the best thing for authors?
This is divided into two sections: the first part is practical advice on author social media platforms and branding. The second part is discussion of the myriad problems with the increasing reliance on and demand that authors exists as brands online all the time.
00:00: Introduction
01:16 Author platform basics
03:47 Practical advice for 2021
06:25 Twitter, Instagram Thoughts
12:27 RU-vid, TikTok Thoughts
18:22 Author websites, newsletters, blogs
21:28 Author As Brand - The Problem
27:33 Harm against authors
30:15 But Author As Brand can be good...
33:55 Boo hiss publishers
37:41 What to do?
Highly recommend Kacen Callender's blog post on this topic: www.kacencallender.com/post/w...
Michelle Schusterman's video about publishing gaslighting us about marketing and sales: • Let's talk about publi...
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Опубликовано:

1 мар 2021

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Комментарии : 269

@AlexaDonne 3 года назад

Highly recommend Kacen Callender's blog post on this topic: www.kacencallender.com/post/wip-social-media-expectations And Michelle Schusterman's video about publishing gaslighting us about marketing and sales: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-nxfAp1ZA1bE.html

@MichelleSchustermanAuthor 3 года назад

Oh dang, thanks girl!!

@daleafaulkner 3 года назад

Thank you for this, Alexa!

@annejia5382 3 года назад

Alexa to add to that, if authors, whether they're from the eastern or the western part of world, has fans/readers on the eastern side = Asia. Facebook definitely would benefit them since facebook in asia is more of a daily engaging platform that even local brands/big companies (food, finance, business, beauty, etc) in asian countries are active in facebook and their consumers are active in facebook. 💓 Great video as always 💛💛💛

@annejia5382 3 года назад

specially south east and east asia 💙

@leasong1544 3 года назад

Ugh... this is something that scares me about writing. I'm not glamorous, I'm not very charismatic, and I *hate* trying to sell things. I just want to write good books.

@AlexaDonne 3 года назад

I also hate selling things! So I mostly don't. It's weirdly the thing I like about parasocial relationships--I can just be myself and people may buy my books b/c they like me... so in that sense, I like how you can use social media to "soft sell." But it's a double edged sword.

@JtheWind 3 года назад

@@AlexaDonne oh thank goodness I can be my socially awkward self

@fkdjdjcmckdjdjf3728 3 года назад

@@JtheWind if anything, people (especially younger people) love when their authors feel more relatable and less forced-professional. they still like 'professional' authors, but we tend to have a softer spot for people who come across as the opposite of pretentious. so honestly i'd follow an author if i felt like they were more of a person (and liked their work)

@DrVVVinK 3 года назад

@@AlexaDonne The great thing about youtube, and how I guess their algorithm pointed me to you, Alexa, is by following the bigger indis on youtube; Strand, Politics and Prose, City Lights, etc. Where authors give longer forum talks. Having a youtube as an author is really giving one, one's self permission to do that, as a smalltime author.

@EmilyParagraph 3 года назад

"Tumblr is irrelevant" Me, a tumblr user: and thank goodness for that

@emilyjo2158 3 года назад

It’s irrelevant and we like it that way

@Noone76590 3 года назад

It’s for the best 😍

@StellaDonna88 3 года назад

Yay for the 2020 Tumblr revival.

@angelawesneski5029 3 года назад

As a reader, my biggest author pet peeve is when I look up an author's website and their book listed as "Coming soon! Preorder now!" came out 6 months ago. I don't need someone to tweet constantly, but having an updated website makes me feel like an author cares about keeping readers informed.

@maia_gaia 3 года назад

I'm actually surprised that publishers still push authors to use social media because of all the Author Behaving Badly debacles lol

@aprilgosa5779 3 года назад

social media is not the problem certain people are the problem just like with anything I do not understand why people care how others do business

@maia_gaia 3 года назад

@@aprilgosa5779 ..... Idk what point your trying to make. But I guess il try to clarify my point? I never said social media was the problem. I'm saying that social media has given people much more immediate access to authors. In the past, your mostly only be able to get to know authors through interviews that were typically carefully monitored by their agent and/or publisher. Now, with social media, the author can pick up their phone and say anything they want. If the author doesn't understand the difference between their professional and personal social media use, this can cause issues where they say offensive things, pick fights with reviewers, or maybe even worse talk shit about other industry professionals. My point is: social media usage by a trigger happy author can quickly turn into a liability for the publisher.

@MerlinTheCommenter 3 года назад

There's no such thing as behaving badly as an author, so long as: The behavior isn't illegal The behavior isn't widely hated by most people It's all about how knowledgeable about your audience you are. For example, there were conservatives who found JK Rowling's tweets as "bad behavior" while others did not. Another example could be Orson Scott Card's voiced beliefs and how some did not care for it whereas others were unbothered. All about branding.

@Pizza_Party 3 года назад

Tumblr has like 10 accounts left. Out of those, 6 are bots; but the 4 remaining ones are straight up vibing in there

@BeethovenIsGrumpyCat 3 года назад

You got me.

@essay1269 3 года назад

I know one other person that still uses Tumblr. I'm actually tempted to try Tumblr for my webcomic, just because so little bit use the platform anymore.

@Valentine-jo7ls 3 года назад

ikr i lowkey miss old tumblr

@thecosbizwithlisad2456 2 года назад

LOL

@jenniferadam2258 3 года назад

I am so glad both my agent and my editor have made it clear that my job is to write - social media is secondary to that, and they've both encouraged strong social media boundaries. I am generally private and reserved, so social media does not come naturally to me. They said as long as I have A presence, it's fine. (I am with HarperCollins, but I am a MG writer so that's different, I know).

@AlexaDonne 3 года назад

MG is much better! I have friends who have fled there or are fleeing there and it's a much more gentle space. (Though the trade off seems to be you do way more school events if you're in MG, so authors should be aware more in person or virtual (right now) events are expected)

@erikrinard7908 3 года назад

How Neil Gaiman gets anything done with all his Twitter activity is beyond me but it definitely keeps him in the pop culture conversation.

@anival9576 3 года назад

Do you think he might have an assistant who posts stuff for him? I don't follow him, so I wouldn't know if that was possible.

@erikrinard7908 3 года назад

@@anival9576 it’s possible but considering how consistent and interactive his posts are I’d be shocked if he was delegating it to someone.

@MsNoMeGusta 3 года назад

Same. But I guess it's probably a nice break for him. I do appreciate when he acknowledges fans for their cosplays or art, it's sweet

@munchcat 3 года назад

There's a reason such assistants are paid so well c.c I was looking into becoming one for awhile and that's your entire job, in some cases.

@endlessteatime4733 3 года назад

Being in fandom on Twitter is toxic enough for my mental health that it made me go back to tumblr lol. I can’t imagine what it must be like for someone with an audience.

@MichelleSchustermanAuthor 3 года назад

"Pressure to incorporate their marginalization into their brand." YEAH. I haven't heard it worded like that before but that is SO what it is. Re: being "pretty" in publishing, I'm working on a video specifically about ageism because...yeah. I hope you make one on looks/marketing too! Man, that is just a TOPIC. Ugh.

@ketrakrelek2347 3 года назад

the odd thing about this to me as a reader is that an author's social media makes a difference to me for non-fiction, (if someone has lots of interesting opinions on twitter sure i'm going to be intrigued if they've written a book) but the only authors i have followed for fiction were authors where i already loved all their books, they were already established, and i'd find out about their new books anyway without even following them probs...

@TomorrowWeLive 3 года назад

@Lexington73300 What is 'right-wing' (or trolling) for that matter about telling someone to shut up and write? And are there even right-wingers on Twitter anymore? Gotta love good old false equivalency!

@alwaysahollyday4139 3 года назад

@Tomorrow We Live Telling popular artists (of all sorts) that they shouldn't use their platform to mention political issues is a pretty common comment by "right-wingers." This happened a lot with actors during Trump's presidency ("you're an actor; what do you know of politics. Stay in your lane."), but really came to light earlier with The Chicks' controversy (see the documentary "Shut Up and Sing"). As the other commenter mentioned the left also have issues by being TOO hyper aware of issues, where sometimes authors can be attacked for something that isn't necessarily an issue. Both sides have folks who could do better.

@ChrisWilliamsDallas 3 года назад

Speaking about being on brand, I always loved RuPaul's quote: What other people think of me is not my business.

@ImaginaryMdA 3 года назад

That's an Eleanor Roosevelt quote, actually. XD But I know it's been featured on drag race.

@toddjacksonpoetry 3 года назад

"It is of no consequence what others think of you. What matters is what you think of them." _Gore Vidal

@mrandisg 3 года назад

Everything you talked about in this video resonates with me so much. I became severely overwhelmed by all the pressure to "be an author" and "be professional" about writing. So much so that I recently decided to stop pursuing publishing in any capacity, at least for now. My co-author and I had been working toward self-publishing our book series, but I eventually realized that any time I thought about the fact we've been working over half our lives on this series and book #1 still hasn't been published yet, my anxiety shot through the roof and the pressure would bring my writing to a screeching halt. I was miserable. But whenever I was able to push all thoughts of publishing aside and just have fun with writing, that's when I would hit that flow state and amaze myself at what came out of my brain. So, I talked it over with my co-author, and she agreed it was best for both of us if we simply don't worry about trying to publish it as a series. Instead, we are converting it to a serial to post on Wattpad for free! We both care more about the story than we do about profiting from it. Therefore, we're just going to share it the way we've always wanted to! After all, it started out as fanfiction anyway. We're basically going back to our roots! lol

@ZarinaMachaAuthor 3 года назад

A quick thought: for authors who want to use social media but don't want readers to know them, using a pen name could be a really good idea in this instance. It's partly what pen names were created for; engaging with an audience while retaining anonymity. And if you wanted to do RU-vid you could do animated videos or have a cartoon icon of you or something, lots of youtubers do videos without showing their actual face.

@MS-ik7ht 3 года назад

Thank you for this take, I was thinking about this aspect!!

@MS-ik7ht 3 года назад

Do you think if someone shows their face but uses a pen name, does this still protect their personal identity in some level?

@ZarinaMachaAuthor 3 года назад

@@MS-ik7ht not really because people could see your face so they would be able to find out who you really were, the whole point of a pen name is to conceal one's personal identity and your face is a direct identifier of your identity. For my pen name I just use a logo.

@GavinUnleashed 2 года назад

@@MS-ik7ht can always get a png made of an original character of yours, that relates to your pen name persona, or put in the money sink for a vtuber model. Use a vtuber persona as pen name, create content that you find interesting with said persona, and keep the anonymity :)

@nina.reallifefairy 3 года назад

As someone who's not on social media, it doesn't factor into my decision making at all on whether or not to read a book. (I don't consider RU-vid to be social media, btw.) BUT, I have bought both of your books (and I'm looking forward to The Ivies) and honestly, I don't think I would have ever discovered you otherwise. YA is not a genre I read and the only reason I bought your books was because I love your channel. (I should mention that I've enjoyed both of them!) That's a testament to the power of RU-vid but then again, this channel is full of great content and has depth. I think a lot of people use social media and it falls flat because there's not much substance behind what they're putting out there.

@AlexaDonne 3 года назад

RU-vid is definitely my favorite, but I have the hardest time convincing other authors to join! ha. I do agree: it's the BEST, re: parasocial relationships but while maintaining some control, re: content curation and having some interaction but not so much it's overwhelming. I love it!

@pramikakadari1718 3 года назад

I would LOVE a video about being "pretty" in publishing!

@jasperdent4363 3 года назад

I second this!!

@TheINFJChannel 3 года назад

You def don't need to be pretty. Author and 'pretty' do not go hand in hand.

@smilee2566 3 года назад

@@TheINFJChannel not pretty in the literal sense but having something extra more than the book which appeals to people and draws them in. Just like social media presence.

@dorotheemackenbach4808 3 года назад

Yes. Almost all female authors in my country are blond and slim. Coincidence?

@ShannonK.OBrien 3 года назад

100% would LOVE to hear your take on that aspect ❤️

@writerbyday 3 года назад

I appreciate this topic being brought up. I feel like as an aspiring author, it’s become less about writing a fantastic book that gets people excited to read and more a popularity contest. I’m still in the drafting and revision trenches, but even though opportunities like pitmad and such on Twitter allow someone obscure to be noticed, it feels stressful. I see my fellow writers working hard to market their books and not getting the same notice as highly popular authors whose books I’ve read and was surprised at how many love them. That being said, I think everyone works hard even if it’s on their brand more than their novel, but I’m one of the “shy” ones and dread the thought of having to get noticed when I don’t even like to be noticed day-to-day 😆 pls do a video on author beauty and such, I think these are topics that need to be discussed!

@booksnlipstick 3 года назад

Ahh, so yet another industry that won’t hire me because I’m not a model. Excellent. :P

@ChelseyFuredi 3 года назад

A 40 minute video today? Blessed ✨

@harpoonspecter2 3 года назад

There's a lot of psychopathy in the publishing biz. Especially now. Especially in YA. Still, think of the books you've read this year. Think of the authors. Google them. You'll find most might have an IG or Twitter but are hardly social media stars. It's almost like the writing still matters a little bit.

@laurenpatzer 3 года назад

I’ve been a little frustrated by this simply because my own writing falls in multiple categories. I’ve honed this in to just horror now. Even though I’ve been on social media since literally the beginning, but only recently focused on growing it for a particular niche. It’s not easy, it’s not fast, and that part is incredibly frustrating. I’m on my second publisher now and, while they’ve done better marketing than the first, they’ve let me know in no uncertain terms that marketing myself is the best thing to do. You can’t “just write” as an author, you have to engage in marketing more so today than ever before. Again, frustrating because that’s not what drew me to writing.

@DrVVVinK 3 года назад

Blogs have always seemed to be (even back when they got popular with Blogger, 20 years ago), popular with 25+ college-educated, upper-middle-class adult, professionals. No matter what one is blogging about.

@mountainjune 3 года назад

I concluded that publishers have gotten lazy, years ago. Author platforms being 'gravy' went the way of the Dodo awhile ago. Its become really intimidating for me to even start the publishing process.

@cloudlake 3 года назад

I chose to self pub, because if I had to do most of the marketing anyway, why not do it all myself. I’m enjoying learning to format books, make a trailer, etc.

@heidiklynn 3 года назад

Honestly I haven't posted anything in maybe a little over/under a year because I stressed myself out to the point of panic because I think if I don't have a platform I won't be able to sell any books

@CassTeaElle 3 года назад

It's interesting to hear your take 9n this. I have to say, one of the most encouraging things in my recent writing career has been reaching out to a large group of very successful indie authors and asking them how many of them have found success without having a social media presence. I was incredibly (and happily) surprised to hear that so many of them have had very significant success just through running ads on their books, and possibly having a newsletter (but some didn't even have that). Maybe it's different with traditional publishing, but I was really encouraged to hear that it's definitely possible to be successful as an author without a significant social media presence. :)

@emilypaigewilson8437 3 года назад

Thank you so much for your thoughts, Alexa! This is something I reflect on often as someone who both wants to grow an engaged audience yet also wants to practice digital minimalism.

@opollitico 3 года назад

vulnerability with boundaries, sound advice 💕💕💕💕

@BrekkeEl 3 года назад

I love your thoughts on this - you working in marketing and it really shows. For someone who works in academia all of this is so new to me. It's disheartening to hear how little support authors get from publishers. I SUCK at marketing/platform building and it is hugely stressful to think about as I'm querying and hoping to break in to the industry.

@JonasBelgi 3 года назад

Thank you so much for this video. I've been really struggling with embracing the whole author platform thing, I'm on twitter but I am far from great at it and it does honestly stress me out quite a bit, so this video is like gold to me, especially as you go into the functions and pros and cons of each platform and as someone who gets what a lot of us out here are struggling with in regards to having a reliable means of getting information out and cultivating an audience on SM while balancing all the other demands made on any author on a "normal" day/week. So thank you!

@inkynewt 3 года назад

I haven't read any of your stuff since Brightly Burning (I'm not a HUGE romance/thriller fan) but I'm really glad you're still uploading :) Your stuff is super useful!

@WinterWind 3 года назад

People read Instagram captions? I literally just look at the pics lol 😂

@jaleesah 3 года назад

If you actually write something interesting and engaging you would be surprised. Some accounts use captions like a blog and have really great content in them that follows actually read. Others not so much.

@rdmertz29 3 года назад

I always enjoy your videos, but especially appreciated your thoughts on this one. Thank you, Alexa!

@rachelmason3164 3 года назад

Your completely unimpressed face at 22:39. I love it, LOL. Thank you for having such an active channel... Love watching!

@danib.5458 3 года назад

Hi! My comment isn't related to this video's topic and I'm not sure you'll see it, but I couldn't help writing an appreciation of your videos! I'm brazilian and, lately, I've been studying English through story telling (to have some fun with it hahaha); but I don't have any background in fictional writing and your videos have been helping me a lot!! Actually, they aren't only helping, but also giving me excitement to work more and more on my writing!! Thank you! 💗

@myribstellmesheslying 3 года назад

Omg, I just noticed. Happy 100k Alexa! 🎉🎉🎉

@laurisaborlovan9513 2 года назад

Thank you so much for this Alexa. It gave me the encouragement I needed today. I was just thinking all of these things this last week as I worked to grow my authorgram through some follow trains. I was happy to find book reviewers, bloggers, and other authors to follow, but I realized what a vicious cycle social media marketing can be. And I just want to write.

@tanahutton2681 3 года назад

Watching this reminds me of exactly why I hired a PA and have her do all the social media for me.

@Guildmasterbob 3 года назад

I'm currently working on this exact problem right now. I have a nearly completed zero draft and am looking to start branching out but since I already have a presence as a D&D DM I'm hesitant to try to “cross the streams” if you will. This has helped me clarify much of what I was hearing. Thanks for making this vid!

@ACPritchard Год назад

After 10 years in the music industry I was hoping to avoid diving back into the social media thing for my novel /: but I do think it’s good to have to earn that coveted hermit author role. Overall good take, tyvm

@esthermarieandujar 3 года назад

Boundaries are so important when it comes to social media. I think everyone (authors and publishing houses) need to remember social media are tools to assist the main job/project. Also pre-recording/creating has been something that has helped me with slowly and naturally grow my instagram while keeping my boundaries and protecting my writing time. I barely use Twitter, is just there so it exists for me to use it when I find a need for it. I’m trying RU-vid and only time will tell if it’s stick for me. Thank you for making this video and for the honesty! It certainly helps to know whenever you have the Call with the agent plus when a publishing contract negotiation happens.

@janemeredith8949 3 года назад

Thanks, Alexa! I enjoyed this and many more from you! Love and appreciation from this little corner of the world⚘

@Quietcloud 3 года назад

Are we surprised that corporate America in the form of the big publishers treat their resources like chattel?

@JoriamRamos 3 года назад

Glad to read that youtube is still relevant :) your channel was one of the reasons why I decided to start mine!

@daleafaulkner 3 года назад

Me too!

@maggiesmith3999 3 года назад

Timely discussion - I publish my debut in March of next year so the barrage hasn't really hit but I'm with a small press so I know most of the marketing will fall on me. I've shared this on 3 writer Facebook pages to start the discussion there because it's an important topic. Thanks for taking the time to think through what you think and share it with us.

@chelseabartlett8082 3 года назад

This has been on my mind a lot lately. Thank you for your really thorough and nuanced thoughts on this!

@lindseysmith2455 3 года назад

Yes, please make the pretty in publishing video!! I want to be equally mad/worried/prepared for what’s to come!! (This sounds sarcastic - it is most definitely not!)

@jaykamerling3333 3 года назад

I agree with your opinion that publishers should do more marketing for their authors. After all, their business depends on them so they should act like it by offering support. I am not a fan of social media myself and have never bought a book because of it nor does it make me any more interested in the person. It is truly a shame the 'author as hermit' era has passed because I much prefer it over what has followed. My life (filled with writing, coffee, travelling and academics) is my business and no one else's. I do admit I have started posting vlogs, though. However, truthfully speaking, I don't think I'll keep that game up.

@marykateodonnell2800 3 года назад

I love your videos and I get so, SO much great advice from them-but my biggest takeaway is your bomb eye makeup!😍😍

@amy-suewisniewski6451 3 года назад

So agree with the newsletter comment. I don't keep up with any authors newsletters, but find it all out on Instagram or RU-vid.

@authorsinterview 2 года назад

Just stumbled onto your videos (awesome, and thank you by the way!) and thought this video was very insightful on the author's perspective to digital marketing and engagement in social media. Would love to know what support do you get from your agent & publisher in terms of digital marketing?

@bencowles2105 3 года назад

Love the video. I agree I would rather do almost anything than be on social media all the time. Besides I set a goal to write 6 novela this Year. I started January 25 and just finished the first at 95,000 words now working on book two and have current word count of 28,000 words. I have enough time to watch your videos and a few other and not much else. Lol hope you have a great day love the videos. Keep them coming.

@felicitypevideos4224 3 года назад

Social media is definitely necessary, but it doesn’t have to be complex! Use Instagram and Facebook-you can post to both at the same time. You don’t even need to post all the time. I just want to know your neck book coming out, the date, where I can get it. If you don’t wanna post your everyday activity, that’s beyond fine. :)

@naraufiqa 3 года назад

this is exactly what i want to do, i want to write books and i want to be able to use my instagram to post random pictures like everyone else, not doing heavy business on my instagram. some lil' teasers for new books are fine by me

@DriveupLife22 3 года назад

Hemmingway would have been too busy drinking, fishing and fighting to have done any of this

@MargaretPinard 3 года назад

I am so done with someone else's schedule for a blog when I'm already current on social media...and I am so down on newsletter advice when mine has STRUGGLED! Reaching people in other ways. Moving forward! 😋

@ArabellaKFederico 3 года назад

Really taking a good look at this was and considering the pros and cons and the commitment it all takes is great. And how we're all perceived (along with out books) based on social acceptance is kinda sad. It just sorta is what it is, and weird. I think being authentically ourselves is the best way to go. Thanks for this!

@2HeadedRomanGoddess 3 года назад

I’m also interested in you having a separate video discussing being pretty in publishing. Never heard of that phrase before pertaining to book marketing/sales. If what you’re talking about is physical appearance what is considered pretty compared to what is not pretty? And who are the target audience? When I’m in the bookstore or book shopping online I’m all about the jacket cover blurb not how the author looks.

@saywordeller5540 3 года назад

Building my platform is killing me. It's like the more I think about needing to post and interact on social media, the less I want to do it. I think the petulant child in me wakes up and says, "NO!" lol. I prefer to focus on Instagram and Twitter, but the PR person in my agent's office recommended I also use Pinterest. I'm not vibing with that just yet, but I'm trying! Thanks for such an informative video!

@mab_cat 3 года назад

Congrats on 100k Alexa! Tough question: How should I navigate existing in multiple "spaces" -- ie, gaming and writing for me? I want to grow both as a streamer and as a writer, but I don't know if I should make both "brands" distinct or if it's viable to merge the two. I cross promote my website and Twitter on my Twitch channel, but am not sure how a publisher might feel about "sharing" space with that part of me. Thoughts?

@Mr1048Nascar 3 года назад

Second! At work but can’t wait to watch this later!

@authorphoebeross7391 3 года назад

Ooop! Often I look at my favorite authors (Nic and Angie) and their IG feeds are not *curated* so I wonder how much creative energy they redirected toward their actual creative product! Great topic!!

@soroneir1260 3 года назад

I'm following an author on Tumblr who gets messages from readers all the time. I'd definitely consider it an option for a secondary platform if you like the site's format.

@helsphoenix2623 3 года назад

Thank you for saying this. Burn out is a very real thing, so do what you are comfortable doing. I also really hate to see writing as a factory farm, with authors being expected to release a book a month. It's insane and not sustainable for most people or good for the quality of stories produced. Maybe you could do a video on that at some point?

@annejia5382 3 года назад

@oddeyes9413 3 года назад

I'm building my author platform. Going to self-publish, but I'm sticking to very specific posts relating to my novel series and the like. I'm using Facebook, Instagram and will be doing RU-vid/Tiktok in the near future.

@lilyofthefoxvalley 3 года назад

I don't want people I know finding out I wrote a book...

@lisar4601 Год назад

A year late to your comment: but check out Alexa's video on having a pen name. You may want to do that.

@brynnacjones8985 3 года назад

This is an issue I'm truly struggling with. Writing a book is hard enough, but obviously I want to work just as hard at giving it a fighting chance. I'm thinking of starting a 'bookish' type youtube channel honestly, I've already started a lot of the planning and research into it, but that's a whole other NEW thing that I'll have to be successful at. 😅 I'm already short on time because I have a toddler and I'm writing my books, but then I have to spend precious time and resources to be successful on multiple platforms (instagram posts, planning/filming/editing videos) to give my books a chance, but then doing that takes time away from actually writing and editing. It's difficult as a perfectionist who only wants to put out quality books/content. It's a viciously intimidating cycle which makes me feel like there's no hope and I'd love some advice on how to manage all of these ventures. 🙃 Not sure if you already have a video on that hahaha. It would be no big deal if I didn't need to sleep hahaha. There aren't enough hours in a day. THANK YOU for such a real video.

@madisonestes6124 3 года назад

Excellent video! You gave me a lot to think about.

@ImaginaryMdA 3 года назад

Death of the author is dead. Zombie writers reign supreme.

@jpmooneyauthor 2 года назад

Late here but this video is helpful. Thank you! I quit twitter in a month as I found it toxic 😂😅. I find social media in general quite tedious especially with the constant trends feeding that are just meh. 🙈

@solarsailer4166 3 года назад

Thank you for a great video. I've really worried about this subject.

@milam_is_ok 2 года назад

I'm gonna be honest and say that while I want to be an author on social media, I'm overwhelmed by the amount of platforms some young authors have the ability to thrive on. RU-vid, Twitter, TikTok, then open a Patreon, stream on Twitch, and so on and on and on... and I end up never hanging out in authors' spaces. My twitter is a mess, I post about everything but writing, and that pushes me to be even more shy about it and to not share it! Also, I'm not able to find a non-english centric community on social media and that's so boring...

@lilyd8908 3 года назад

I’m curious as to if these guidelines are relatively the same across different genres and age categories. Alexa, I know you write YA but I’m wondering if you know if there’s any difference depending on what genre/category you’re in. Are some platforms more helpful for certain genres? Are there some where an online presence matters more or less?

@JeffE39 3 года назад

I almost started a channel or two on RU-vid. But in the end I feel like all the time spent on social media (er editing videos -- yuck!) should be spent...well...on writing. Duh! One platform I do not see mentioned in the comments and wonder how it could be utilized to a high level under this "Author As Brand" subject is Twitch. I know it basically started for gamers and has morphed into girls stretched out on a bed messing with their phones while chumps send them free money, but it seems for an author wanting to build an audience it would be a good place to see them literally live with perhaps weekly updates. I don't think watching them sit there and write would be interesting but an update on projects or even writer talk with others in the business might work really well. Thanks for the update on this aspect to the struggle and fight toward publication. Take care. Jeff

@sarahherbison5419 3 года назад

Reddit is a decent platform for horror writers, many a horror writer got their start posting creepypasta.

@WonderWmnBB 3 года назад

I only have an IG. I’m early in the writing process. But I have noticed how some have a bigger presence online. I’m not too thrilled about getting more involved but I’m taking it as a way to “journal” my process more than anything.

@KristinaZakhozhai 3 года назад

Very interesting video! Thank you for sharing! It really made me ponder while watching. I was a trad pub writer in Russia and now create indie graphic novels in Canada (since moving here). And now I see almost no appeal in trad pub. All the things that you mentioned (that are definitely noticeable from the outside of the industry) make it loose... it’s prestige. 🤔 I find more and more great works in indie, and notice more meh in trad pub. I like the trad pub for prestige and exposure and I feel like both are going away in pursuit of sales.

@fkdjdjcmckdjdjf3728 3 года назад

35:51 really fascinating i kind of wish that that part of the video came earlier because the title implies that most of the video will be about the issue coming from authors as brands but overall this was a very insightful sort of exposee (without being a real exposee)

@fkdjdjcmckdjdjf3728 3 года назад

at the end, you said you were willing to talk more about this if i understood correctly- i would love that personally

@LivingAlbumPhotos 3 года назад

Hi Alexa, big fan. I've watched a lot of videos now about setting up social media for published authors, but what if your trying to prepare for that first submission and want to set things. I haven't got anything to push yet even though I've got myself ready. What are my realistic options?

@LizzieBelina 3 года назад

I feel like publishers are lazy because they feel the need to pump out as many authors from their publishing house than ever before to just make the same amount of money. Doesn't mean it's right, but my field is marketing and finding the cheapest and easiest way to convince the customer seems to be the way to do things now. I hate it. It's frustrating. It's why I am working on "personal branding" workbooks for those who are so fully overwhelmed by having to be the social media manager for their own work (and so they don't get scammed by some agencies saying they can do it for them and charge absurd prices). Some people are terrified it and I want to help them (while the publishing world is still a dick about it). And I do hope there's a push for publishers to be publishers again and pull some of the marketing responsibility back off the authors.

@theelizaaguilar 3 года назад

Jumping off this discussion, would you consider moderating a panel discussing author brand/identities and accurate/positive diversity in books or #ownvoices? Seeing authors being forced to out themselves and/or share private info due to the stories they share has made me think about this a lot. It's not fair to demand that of them. But I also understand that it does sometimes come from a place of wanting to make sure we're supporting authors who understand/have experienced the topics they address.

@AlexaDonne 3 года назад

I would host something like that (I love hosting people for discussions!) though my struggle is asking any author to do the emotional labor of being on a panel like that... so it would need to come about organically, re: my being able to ask friends who I know well enough to ask, you know? I certainly understand why readers are demanding a level of transparency/authenticity, but honestly as someone who knows people who were forced to out themselves... or are currently terrified of writing their own identities b/c they don't WANT to out themselves? It makes me deeply unhappy. It's out of control imo.

@angelxxsin 3 года назад

@@AlexaDonne I'm glad that the discourse on "ownvoices" is finally starting to mature and is sparking this type of videos. As a marginalized writer, I feel like it's been a long time coming. Identity matters, but when does identity become a burden and a prison instead of something to be accepted and celebrated? When is it more of an imposition meant to keep you in a box instead of freeing you creatively? And especially, when are the expectations of your identity more dangerous to your physical or mental health than anything else?

@haileyn2862 3 года назад

This was so interesting and helpful !!

@RachelBateman 3 года назад

Also, it always makes me stupid happy to see my little copy of Jane Eyre on the shelf in your videos. 😂

@AlexaDonne 3 года назад

Your book boxes were so cool! I love it! (and your candles are bomb!)

@gracemyer2148 3 года назад

What are your thoughts on your author career and platform potentially affecting other aspects of your life or your day job career? If the author is a big part of the brand, I worry about the way being and Author/public figure might cause problems for someone’s personal life or their job. Is there a way to keep things separate?

@Noone76590 3 года назад

...I bought a book that was advertised to me on tumblr, and I’ve never done that on any other social media platform 😅

@liegeman717 3 года назад

Thank you! I needed this!

@The_Open_Book 3 года назад

I'm not even active on social media like real authortubers ect and I still get burnt out, more by the idea I have standards to meet and so much to do than from actually producing. It's a rough complicated balance to meet, that's for sure!

@RJLeigh 3 года назад

The thing that made me give up on trying to grow a platform is that all the writers on these platforms are trying to build one as well, which leads to a lot of 'follow for follow', which apparently makes your follower count redundant in the eyes of publishers, if your 'following' number is the same/similar as 'followers'. Which is fair, because a lot of people don't follow others because they're interested in what they do, they just want to add an extra 'follower' on their own account.

@hannarose166 3 года назад

Omg yaaaaaas how do you always know what I neeed!!!!!

@chrisvogel9744 3 года назад

Thank you for the video! In terms of social media, dDo you think authors should start building a social media presence AFTER selling their book, or is this a pre-emptive thing? Like, will agents and/or editors look at your EXISTING social media as part of the process of vetting your work?

@AlexaDonne 3 года назад

I think it's wise to have some basic platforms as soon as you know you will be querying--but you don't have to go hard at those platforms at that point. They're just good to have when the stakes are low because you can take it easy, observe platform norms, figure out what you like etc... then once you get an agent and a deal you're ready to take it to the next level. That's my advice personally... though in many cases you'll start a platform post book deal just on timing. I didn't start my YT channel until I had a deal.

@chrisvogel9744 3 года назад

@@AlexaDonne Thank you for the information!

@ginnykemerer2708 2 года назад

This takes some of the shine off of wanting to publish. I have a hard time seeing myself as a social media maven. *sigh* And does the demand to really build an author platform tip the scales either way in regard to self-publishing vs. traditional?

@MargaretPinard 3 года назад

Dat 'Boo Hiss Publishers section' tho... (True Prodigal Son Brother vibes, for sure)

@fr3nch246 Год назад

Hey I'm currently working on a fantasy novel but wondered if I should write short stories and publish for free to build an author following first?

@ran_loona 3 года назад

Does it really impact the sales/fan interact if an author is publishing under a pen name and doesn't want to show their face/life?

@adelaideelfie4922 2 года назад

I'm a year late here. But still, excellent video! I am sort of sad that I have just recently found you. That said... Maybe some of these topics you could revisit, such as this one. I know you touched a couples times here doing a separate more in depth video on some of the key thoughts here (which I would love- like the being pretty notion of social media), but maybe revisit some of these topics post 1 year, to see if things are still the same, if some have changed or others are still going strong. I know I would be so interested!

@taryntyler1258 3 года назад

Also I have a newsletter but it is mostly just a recap of everything else I have created that month plus a free chapter of my novella.

@zyn5107 3 года назад

I joined Instagram solely for two celebrities. They're not authors. Writers need to be allowed to write in their specific area and not expected to do unrelated things. Queries and summaries and whatnot are necessary evils. But requiring social skills and photos and the ridiculousness of the script/movie industry requirements is too much.

@NyssasOrbit 3 года назад

It kinda sounds like publishers prefer influencers over authors. idk...I have bad social anxiety and ik I don't stand out much. I think I'll just continue hobby-writing and if I sell some things, I sell some things.

@SensibleSoulHealing 2 года назад

I've watched this video like 4 times. 😂 One I love this video. It is so full of validation and thought provoking information. I will figure this shit out!

@maurinet2291 3 года назад

To have an author website seems counter intuitive before you've got a book out, but I've also heard you should do it. Not sure what you'd put on there? It just feels really presumptuous. Unless, it's a "fake it until you make it" sort of philosophy. But that only works sometimes.

@jhouserwrites 3 года назад

I created one as a place where people can find things about my works in progress and to start a newsletter.

@AlexaDonne 3 года назад

You should make a website when you get a literary agent. You don't have to before. But as soon as you have rep and are someone going on submission, you should create one.

@maurinet2291 3 года назад

@@AlexaDonne Thank you! I will totally and happily do it then :).