Dynamic Digital Tools For Writers
In order to effectively market yourself as an author, blogger, or freelance writer for hire, forging relationships with fellow creativepreneurs and those working in other industries will be critical. It is essential you make time to build strategic partnerships based on your interpersonal skills—strengths and weaknesses.
You also want to avoid only collaborating with other freelancers and/or authors since word of mouth is still the best advertising. The more people who know about your artistic endeavors, the better. Which means that writers within your genre (or who cover similar topics for magazines, newspapers, and websites) should not necessarily be viewed as competitors because how you choose to promote your work, find clients, and develop a readership base may vary greatly from one another.
In Malcolm Gladwell's book The Tipping Point, he explains how information is disseminated by three personality types working in tangent—either consciously or subconsciously. And this potent combo is how trends get sparked, before surpassing the "tipping point," and eventually phasing out. For most, your individual skill set usually correlates with being one of these three: a connector, salesperson, or a maven/maverick. Some might straddle the line between two of these groups, but rarely is one person equally gifted in all three areas. The first step in assessing exactly where your strengths truly lie is determining whether you are more of a people specialist or an information specialist. This clarity will then provide insight on how to best scale up your tech knowledge in order to better support your professional aspirations.
Information specialists tend to be quite familiar with a variety of digital spaces. But what may be lacking is knowing how to sustain connections with others via the same platforms. An effective question to ask yourself periodically in order to authentically increase followers and engagement online is:
What words are you currently using to describe yourself?
- Freelancer…or entrepreneur? (Or “underemployed superstar”?)
- Maker or artist?
- Coach, facilitator, or teacher?
- Novice or innovator?
- Public figure or influencer?
Another practical way to keep many of your current contacts in the loop about forthcoming books, blog launches, and recently published poems is to start an e-newsletter. TinyLetter is free to use, plus low maintenance in terms of how to upload and format content.
For people specialists, curating a cache of user-friendly apps could accelerate your capacity to better promote your talents as a writer as well as any soon-to-be released work. A few to start with are:
- Anchor: Podcast app if looking to start capturing and editing audio files on a minimum budget.
- Canva: A versatile app with a plethora of free templates and graphic elements.
- Powtoon: Animation software for those wanting to add a fresh spark to a website or social platform.
- Unsplash: High res images for Instapic novices—or if you are too crunched for time to capture and edit original photography.
Final Tips:
Continuously honing one’s visual storytelling skills is useful to just about everyone. Snapping a photo with your smartphone may be a cinch, but do you know how to enhance it using pre-loaded filters or editing apps like Lightroom Mobile, KUNI Cam, or Unfold? Using such digital tools can add an eye-catching, personal flair.
In addition, social media management tools may help to nail down a consistent post schedule or streamline managing two or more platforms. The two I usually recommend to fellow writers who are digital marketing beginners are Meet Edgar and Planoly. Both allow you to create initial accounts for free, plus regularly offer user tutorials and a number of informative resources on their websites.
Other ideas worth testing out your newly discovered marketing superpower on include:
- Blog Bites: Try sharing interesting content you have read online on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter—or by offering to guest blog on a tangentially-related topic for another writer, book reviewer, or influencer you follow.
- Intentional Engagement: Make an effort to comment on or repost content other than your own.
- Pro Website Review: Evaluate how accurately it showcases your writing talent/samples—and whether or not it is as up-to-date as it should be
- Networking Goals: Increase the number of publications and writers you follow on social media.