Creating an Author Page for Distributor Sites
Once a writer has finished creating a book, they still have a number of steps to take before they can actually get their book out on the market, and a great first step is creating an author’s page. Advertising a book can be just as difficult as writing one. As a writer gets more and more books published it becomes easier for them to advertise since they’ll have attracted more of a fan base, and for writers that are working with a major publisher there’s usually someone to help them with the editing process. Recently though, there has been a huge surge in the number of writers that are choosing to self-publish their books, in no small part thanks to the popularity of self-publishing sites such as Amazon or Smashwords.
Because so many authors are now self-publishing though, it means the market is going to be filled with more competition, which makes it harder for new writers to actually get anyone to read their books, simply because they have no way of knowing that it exists in the first place. It doesn’t matter if a writer has created a literary work of art if there isn’t anyone around to actually read it. One of the ways that a self-published author can advertise their work is through their author page.
Physical book copies tend to include at best, a very brief author page. Usually this will mention where they came from and where they currently live, a small blurb about their family, and some information about their previous works. The reason these parts are so small in physical book copies is because publishers don’t want additional pages being added onto the hard copy of a novel. Most readers tend to skip over these parts anyway because they want to get right into the story. Even if they don’t skip it, once they do start reading the book they’ll probably forget everything that they read on the author page.
When it comes to online distributing though, things are a little different. The author page isn’t something that actually gets included in the book. Instead, that information will be found on whatever distribution site they are using. Because it isn’t physically part of the book, authors have a great deal of freedom in how much they put into their author page. Of course, they should still try and keep it on the shorter side; otherwise many will just choose to ignore it.
The best thing that an author can do with their page is advertise any other books that they have written, as well as any sites that they use to promote their books or to talk with their audience. Social media pages are great for this, and if the writer has any sort of blog it is highly recommended they share this. Having a constantly updated blog, whether it is just about the book or other things, is a great way for readers to stay in touch with the writer. Even if the author isn’t getting another book out for another year or so, interested readers will have a place they can go to keep reading their thoughts, which means they won’t just forget about the author and be less likely to buy their future books when they do come out.
Author’s pages are your calling card to the world, and your way to build a fan base. Publishers of the traditional sort, also look for this type of platform, so utilizing the author’s page in this way shows that you are serious about marketing your book. The best way to put one together is to begin to do research, collecting the bits and pieces that you like from other author’s pages. Creating an author’s page is a great first step toward your overall goal of developing a fan base and advertising your book.
Leave A Reply!