Sure. I always love it when readers ask questions or suggest topics they would like to know more about. Takes the pressure off of me to always come up with the topics, and it really helps ensure that I am blogging on the topics that matter to YOU GUYS. This blog is nothing more than a self-indulgent on-line journal if I am not serving you guys as writers. Thanks for the suggestion. I already have a couple authors in mind to ask to blog about that. Thanks, Lynne!

Thank you for your reply!

I hope that one day you will be able to do a post about it or have a guest post. I just always wondered if those giveaways and contests actually convert to readers for the author.

Thanks again for all that you do.

Lynne

That’s a good question. A lot of it just depends on the writer, I suppose. I know that when “We Are Not Alone” came out, that a friend and talented blogger I knew from Twitter, Jamie DeBree, wrote a lovely review. I donated a book for her blog as a giveaway. People had to comment what they hated the most about social media, and then Jamie drew from the comments and the winner received a signed book from me.

I have never had one, so can’t tell you about the experience. I think I will have one at the beginning of the year for writers who have New Year’s resolutions. Right now I have too many deadlines to do a contest like that justice. But this might be a great blog topic. Maybe we can get some feedback from authors who hold contest like these and who do them well. Heck, that might make a good guest post…..*thinking*. Thanks for the suggestion and I am happy you enjoyed the book and that you are liking the blog! 😀

I’m sort of late coming here, but I just discovered your blog and book. In fact, I just finished reading your book yesterday. I’m working on implementing the steps you layout in it. Thank you for writing such a great book for writers.

But the reason I’m writing you is that I was wondering, what do you think about giveaways and contests to promote your writing? I noticed that many writers do this, but you don’t address this in your book. I was thinking of one day, when I get to that point, of having a giveaway/contest to draw people to my site and hopefully attract readers to my content that way. What are your thoughts? Maybe this would be better answered as a blog post, perhaps? 😉

Thank you for your generosity.

Just got a blog up and running over the last month and it has been a great tool as a newbie writer. Most importantly, it has motivated me to write on a consistent basis. The blog has given me an audience to write for, as well, which gives me a platform to sort of feel out my own voice and material to see what resonates with readers.

Really sound advice, Kristen, and I look forward to reading more.

Thanks and take care,

Chase

“Some Species Eat Their Young”
http://somespecieseattheiryoung.com

Coolness! Man, Piper is great isn’t she? If you notice, her blog is in the Mash-Up. That’s the point of social media…being social. Having a SOCIAL network. Supporting and edifying each other. Thanks, Susan, so much for the comment and I am so glad you follow my blog and that you find it helpful 😀

I, too, attended the RMFW conference in Denver this weekend. While there, I met Piper Bayard. During our very first conversation, the topic turned to blogs and she recommended yours – but before she had said more than a couple of sentences, I realized she was talking about a blog I already read. I found you via Twitter (there are some great aggregator Tweeps out there) about 3 weeks ago. The point is: as big and empty as the Internet may seem, once the connections start rolling they pick up steam of their own accord IF you’re providing valuable content and investing the time to really care about the people you interact with in the social media as well as just pointing at your own navel.

Awesome advice, awesome blog.

You only need one blog. Spread yourself too thinly and you minimize how effective you can be. If you want to blog on more than one topic, that is fine too so long as you consistently provide great content. Just remember the more you change topics, the harder it is to gain a following (unless there is a common theme–like observational humor as an example). This blog changes. Monday is the craft of writing. Wednesday is social media. Friday is my choice.

So take heart. You are doing the right thing. Last June, this blog only got 30 hits in a day ;).
Best of luck.

Oh, and thank you very much for purchasing my book. I hope to help you grow to be an amazing success, :D.