5 Tips for Digital Authors in 2011

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="147" caption="Image by Mooganic via Flickr"][/caption]

Lately it seems my worlds are colliding. I've made my living as a digital business strategist for over a decade now. And for nearly that same amount of time, I've been peripherally involved in the publishing world. The chocolate of one is mixing with the peanut butter of the other.

Here are five themes to help authors adapt and relate to the digital world of 2011 (and beyond) I'm noodling over currently. They appeal directly to authors -- fiction, non-fiction, screenplay... you name it. In the next few weeks(?), I'll flush them out in greater detail, perhaps ad nauseum.

But until I do, here's a taste to whet the appetite:

1. Promote you, not your book
   It's a personal and connected world out there. People are more influenced by people than promotion. And you should be working on your career as a writer, right? So before you spend another minute planning the most epic website ever for your book, see how your personal digital credibility stacks up.


2. No, you can't have a private life
   Because of what I just said, this isn't an option. Boycotting social media on principle is premptive career suicide. People will find out where you live. Fans will find out where you are going to be. Your privacy is an illusion. Deal with it.


3. Fail fast
   The future is unwritten. Authors who try interesting digital experiments will fail more often than they succeed. The trick isn't to avoid failure, it's to quickly recognize it, bail and move on to the next new idea.


4. Publishers won't help you
   Publishers aren't evil. Some are even pushing the forefront of technology. But they are here to make money. As long as they can make money off of you, they'll be on your side. But they aren't your friend. Nor should they be. It's just business.
   


5. The past has passed
   Publishing doesn't mean the same thing as it did 50 years ago. Hell, it doesn't mean the same thing as it did five years ago. Adapt, or die.

Feel free to agree or disagree below. As I said, I'll dig into more of this stuff in the coming [unit of time]. And I'm looking forward to concentrating more on the publishing world!

Related articles

• On ebooks: A Publisher's View of the Digital Transformation by Dominique Raccah, CEO and Publisher of Sourcebooks (teleread.com)

Digital Marketing Audio - Podcasting for Authors

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="120" caption="Podcamp AZ -- Four years strong!"][/caption]Last weekend, I had the honor of speaking at PodCamp AZ 2010 to a small group of authors interested in using podcasting as part of their marketing efforts. And by small I mean two-authors-and-three-interested-friends-some-of-whom-might-become-authors-some-day-but-probably-not. Not that I'm terribly surprised -- PodCamp AZ probably isn't high on the radar for local authors, and the connection between podcasting and authorship is anything but apparent, though I've been working in that space for over five years.

My friend Dani Cutler was kind enough to record audio of my talk. She's the host of a political podcast called the Truth Seekers and was one of the aforementioned friends in attendance. She was also kind enough to do all the editing and cleaning up of the audio as appropriate. She tells me it's difficult to hear the audience interaction, which I obviously did due to the intimacy of the crowd. So your mileage may vary.

If you're interested in the topic, Podcasting for Authors, jump back in time through the magic of the interwebs. It's about a 50 minute file, so find a nice long drive where you need something to listen to.

Note: I'm violating one of my cardinal rules: always listen completely to the audio file before releasing to the public. No, I didn't. Mostly because I simply don't have the time this week. And Dani knows how to clean up audio. She's a seasoned vet and I likely wouldn't be able to do any better. And it's live audio, so deal.

Note #2: I've been doing lots more of this digital marketing for authors stuff as of late. And I rather enjoy it. Niche, anyone?

Are you ready for Podcamp AZ 2010?

It's almost Podcamp AZ time once again. I'm looking forward to Podcamp AZ 2010 even more than the three that came before because I'm not helping to run it this year! A great group of volunteers has picked up the reigns and is busy putting together a kick-ass event that we'll all enjoy. It's happening soon: November 20-21 2010 in Tempe, Arizona. So get registered now!

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="450" caption="Podcamp AZ 2010"][/caption]Podcamp AZ is a relevant media unconference. I rather like that title, particularly the word relevant. There is no more "the" media. Some of the biggest media from the perspective of impact is ran by the smallest number of people. The media giants of yesterday continue to speak to a disinterested audience. Print is dead or dying. My media is not your media, and that's a Good Thing.

I'll be a part of two events at this year's Podcamp AZ. The first is a "genius panel" (their word, not mine). It's a special Podcamp session that is 100% dedicated to questions from the audience. I'll join fellow podcasting thought-leaders Debbie Walker, Dani Cutler, Jack Mangan, Teel McClanahan, Marc Spagnuolo, & Nicole Spagnuolo on the stage. You'll come with plenty of questions. Sounds like fun!

I'm giving a solo-session as well, continuing my focus in the new world of publishing. Here's the description:

Podcasting for Authors
For almost six years now, some “underpublished” authors have found success behind the microphone. Some record their own serialized audiobook and release it as a podcast. Others hit the podcast interview circuit. Many have found themselves video darlings. But they all share one thing in common: a do-it-yourself mentality. I’m the co-founder of Podiobooks.com and the author of Podcasting for Dummies. I’ll walk you though those who have done it well, how to avoid pitfalls, and teach you how to rock this on your own. If you have the drive and desire, that is.

Get registered. Get here. And get podcasting!

Social Media 101 – Social Media Mistakes

Tonight is another Social Media Club Phoenix meeting, and once again I'll be leading the Social Media 101 class before the main meeting. In case you've forgotten the details:

When: Second Thursday of each month, 5:30 SHARP!

Where: Jobing.com, 4747 N. 22nd Street (between Indian School and Camelback) in Phoenix

Cost: FREE to attend.

Of course, you're welcome to hang out for the regular #SMCPHX meeting that kicks off at 6:30 and goes until 8:00. Their topic: Social Media Strategy – If you don’t have a plan, how do you know if you succeed?

But back to me and the class I'm leading. We'll be talking about the biggest mistakes you can make in social media, and I hope to make it an interactive class. I have 10 examples of major faux paus, some of which I've made myself and all of which continually crop up as new people discover the supreme coolness that is social media.

Do you have suggestions? Leave comments here. Or better yet, come to the class and share! While it's designed for beginners, there's plenty of room in this session for others to share, too. See you at 5:30, SHARP!

Google Webmaster Tools and Your Site. Do It Now!

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="240" caption="Infection by KayVee.INC, on Flickr"][/caption]A few days ago, the fine folks at Google sent me a note. It seems that they -- Google -- had detected malware on one of the websites I manage. Anyone visiting that site ran a risk of having their computer infected with malicious code. That's bad. Muy mal.

Luckily the fix was easy. Google even pointed me to the exact place where the problem was happening. Google. The giant company. They could have removed my site from their index. But they didn't. Instead, they contacted me. I fixed it. The warning went away. And all is right with the world.

I'm not special. I'm smart. I added my site -- as I do all of my sites -- to Google Webmaster Tools. Yeah, it's a crappy name that brings up memories of 1998 when there was as single person who "mastered" the website. Those days are long gone, but the name has stuck.

Google Webmaster tools gives you a ton of insight to how users are interacting with your site. And also how Google sees your site. It's specifically because I had added the site to Webmaster Tools that this notice was sent to me. If I had not, Google would not known who to notify about the problem. And eventually, my site would have been removed from Google's index. And once that happens, it's a royal pain in the ass to get it back in. Without being in Google's index, your site might as well not exist at all.

Have you signed up for Google Webmaster and added all of your sites? No? It's free and just takes a minute to get going. What are you waiting on?

When to charge for advice you give away for free

"When you ask me to consider your specific business challenges, the meter is running."¹

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="160" caption="Please Pay Here 3-14-09 19 by stevendepolo, on Flickr"][/caption]Figuring that out was one of the hardest things I've ever done. Not that I don't like to get paid, you understand. I'm a huge fan of making money. For me, the challenge was coming to grips with the fact that my opinion was worth something, sometimes.

I'm a problem solver by nature. I'm not talking about logic puzzles or those infernal Rubik's Cubes. But give me a business challenge to overcome, and my mind can't help but start turning it over and over. Eventually, a solution comes tumbling out. Most of the time, I'll spot challenges before others, even business owners. I was at a local eatery recently chatting with the owner, and innocently offered up a two solutions to help reinforce his brand and increase traffic to his location. His comment: "Do you ever stop thinking?"

Nope.

Which brings me back to the aforementioned hardship: figuring out sometimes.

If you catch me at an event or a social engagement, free advice from me is there for the taking. That may sit strange with other consultants, but not with me. I'm there, and am quite capable of making sure one person doesn't monopolize my time and finding something else to do when someone whips out a business plan.

If you want to take me to breakfast, lunch or dinner; the situation is similar. Again, others who make their living delivering business strategies may squirm here. Even if you take me to a fancy restaurant, I'm likely not to eat and drink my way through $225 in an hour. But I eat fast, and complex business problems likely won't be solved over a meal.

For everything else, we need to work out a business relationship. That's hard for a lot of people to understand and perhaps even more to afford. Sorry. But the advice and counsel I give is valuable. And outside of the times mentioned above and perhaps a few others, my time is precious. Sometimes that time is spent in ways that enable me to earn my rate. Sometimes it's spent on things I want to do, learn about or see. I'm a huge fan of free, but in the absence of fee, I get to decide where my time is spent. Your worthy project has to compete with my worthy projects. Which do you think will win?

While I'm on the subject: I'm not really interested in taking equity in lieu of fees. Can it work? Yes. Have I done it before? Sure. Will I do it again? Probably. But the chance is pretty slim. I'd have to really love the idea. Not just like it. And just like with my time before, there are a lot of things I already love. I probably don't have room for one more unless I have to give up a current love.

And keep this in mind: skills and talent are important. But only marketable skills and talent are worth money.

^{1 - Those words of wisdom were uttered... or at least typed, by Jason Falls. He's a social media educator and strategist. And very smart. Start reading Social Media Explorer. You'll thank me.}

Coping when clients will not take your advice

"As anyone who consults to brands via an agency or consultancy can tell you, companies often hire experts... and then don't follow the experts' advice."¹

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="240" caption="Don't Do That by jemsweb, on Flickr"][/caption]If you're considering a career in... hell, just about anything; get used to the aforementioned fact. It will happen. And a heck of a lot more often than you expect.

It happens to editors when authors balk at their suggestions. It happens to designers when clients insist that they get rid of all that wasted space. It happens to brokers when clients want to hold onto a stock for sentimental reasons. It happens to waiters, plumbers, doctors, trainers... everyone. And it's not changing anytime soon.

So how do you cope? Start by accepting it. Develop a "I'd advise against that course of action for these reasons, but it's your money" script. It'll largely go unheard, so you'll want to find a way to fix it in something a bit more tangible than a conversation. Email is good.

And don't get cocky: You could be wrong. You're a fool if you think you understand your clients' business, intent, desires and goals better than they do. Granted, you may understand the landscape and environment better than they, but don't confuse the two.

And develop a thick skin. Sometimes you're being paid to be a comfort to someone. To make them feel like they've gone through the motions by asking your advice, then ignoring your advice. Don't take it personal. You were compensated for the delivery of the advice. That's enough of a reward. If they actually follow your advice, that's just icing on the cake.

But don't be complacent. Sometimes, wrong is just wrong. Wrong tends to be cloaked in statements like this: "I don't care how shitty it looks. If it gets the phone to ring, it works!" Your clients expect you to point out when their short-term goals may displace more important longer term goals, or when the measured outcome doesn't match with their prior stated objectives. If they are caught up in the moment, you must remain objective.

Finally, make sure you're in the right relationship with your client. You know if it's not working out. You know when it's past the point where neither of you are getting what you need. You know when it's time to walk away. Of course, knowing when it's time and actually acting on that is another thing all together.

So take my advice... please?

^{1 - Taken from a post by B.L. Ochman. She writes on a variety of really smart topics in the social and digital space. If you're not reading her, you should.}