So here I am, scrolling down my WordPress reader feed, sorting through the posts with the tag “Writing”, and then I find a bunch of brilliant writing with zero likes or comments.
Seriously, there’s a bunch of talented authors out there who are simply invisible because they don’t know how social media works.
It’s all about engagement, people.
Anyway. I’m all about encouraging talented writers, so I go ahead and leave them a message. “Hey, great job!”, or “Hey, I liked this!”, and I click ‘like’ on their posts too, because their writing deserves some love.
And then I never hear back from those authors again. This is super common (specially amongst newbies).
Look, it’s a simple rule: Engage with your audience.
When someone reaches out to you, reach out to them, especially if they say they like your work. Check their blogs, figure out how they would fit in your audience, earn fans, or perhaps, find some writerly friends along the way. But ENGAGE, otherwise your beautiful words will remain forever lost in cyberspace.
And something tells me that’s NOT what you want. ; )
In other news:
I’m building a list of honest reviewers for “A Courtroom of Ashes” and “Tales of Love and Emeralds”. If you regularly review books on Amazon or Goodreads, and would like to review my little fellas, please make sure to let me know (click on the tab “CONTACT” or on the pictures below).
Don’t forget to say which book you’d like to review, and I’ll shoot over a free copy to you before they go live. That simple.
Free books, yay!
Cheers!
C.S. Wilde writes about fantastical worlds, love stories larger than life and epic battles. She also, quite obviously, sucks at writing an author bio. She finds it awkward that she must write this in the third person, and hopes you won’t notice.
C.S. Wilde 
I hope i engage with my fellow readers well enough. We all have room for improvement I think.
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I think you do it quite well, Tony ; )
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Don’t we all.
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I agree – it’s about engaging each other and being supportive. When I had first started blogging, I got zero page views. It wasn’t until I started reaching out to other bloggers that I started to have visitors to my blog.
Rob
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Well said, Rob!
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Me too. It’s hard to find an audience, but everyone I’ve connected with has been lovely.
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Super helpful girl!! I try to engage as much as possible and really do like talking with other bloggers. Your coachella event was genius by the way. You should do another event. I’d participate!
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You know what, I might do something like that again very very soon! : D ❤
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For a second there, it felt like you were speaking directly to me! 🙂
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Lol I get that a lot. Thanks for engaging ; )
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This was super helpful. Also my WordPress reader is effed in the head. New posts just won’t show up. Gah!
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“When someone reaches out to you, reach out to them, especially if they say they like your work.”
THIIIIS! Bloggers who return favours/visits are golden. The others? Not so much.
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Agreed!
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This was a really nice lecture 😊. YOU are so true about engagement! … BTW: those books seems to be interesting!
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Thank you so much, Shandryss ❤
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I agree, this is SO important! And it’s fun. Someone you may have never met in your lifetime can become a great friend.
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Very true.
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I’m always up for a great conversation.
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I’m always surprised at how little people understand this. Blogging in particular is supposed to be about community.
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Exactly!
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Great post 🙂
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I love the banter with my readers. I wish I had more time to comment on other blogs that I like, but I have to be practical and realistic with my computer time. A great, thought provoking post 😀 ❤
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Great post, if someone makes the efforts to reach out to you in a positive way why wouldn’t you want to at least come back and say thanks?
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Right? : )
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That’s why I love you, you know 😉 You’ve always replied to each and every comment and have also visited my lame-ass blog every time I make a post.. You dear, are AWESOME ❤
Btw I'm loving the cover of your book (that ghost guy is looking damn fine) 😀 Is that the final version?
And I'm not a regular reviewer on Goodreads 😦 But can I still write a review for you there? Or is being a regular a must ?
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Your blog is AWESOME Potahto! Never think otherwise! The cover for “A Courtroom” is not the final one (something really kickass is coming soon) but the one for Tales is the final one. Oh and you dont need to be a regular in Goodreads or Amazon at all, just post a review on one of those sites ❤
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Yaaay alrighty then ^_^
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You are such a go giver. It’s fantastic
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Learning to engage is probably the hardest thing about blogging for me. I’m so wretchedly introverted, even on the internet!
I’ve really been enjoying your blog, so I’ve nominated you for a Liebster Award. I hope you don’t mind! http://theliterarycounsellor.com/2015/06/06/liebster-award/
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So great to see such popular bloggers like yourself still passionate about giving back to the community 🙂 It really is about engaging – post things online without an audience and you’ll never get any decent feedback! Congrats on the books as well, I’m sure you’ll be inundated with review offers
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Ahwww I hope so lol
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…and it’s also about writing something people want to read, because as a reader engagement alone just doesn’t hold me.
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Of course. But I’d say engagement plays quite a huge part. There’s a ton of fantastic posts out there with one or two likes and zero comments.
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I can’t argue with that. Actually, I wasn’t trying to.
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; )
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That’s really helpful, thanks Dan. I feel like I’m starting to walk now rather than crawl. Cheers Lindsey.
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I always engage people who visit me, and always try to leave comments that actually show I’m interested in their work rather than simply spreading my presence around, and I’m still lucky if anyone pays me any mind. I feel like there’s a lot more to it than simply clicking a social media button, like luck and subject matter and general personality.
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I’d say it’s a bit of all these factors. On vacation right now, but will engage back when I return ^_^
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I read and comment or like the blogs I am following all the time. It is good to engage but I wish more would engage with me and leave feedback on my short stories and such, i think I`m doing something wrong? Anyway time will tell, i am slowly building up a following and those people are great writers and creative people. thank you for the post.
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Yeah, they seldom do -_- I’m on vacation right now, but as soon as I’m back will catch up. As for getting feedback, agentqueryconnect or ladies who critique could be a better idea!
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Reblogged this on Kim's Author Support Blog.
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Reblogged this on J.A. Stinger.
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Reblogged this on The GUNDERSTONE review.
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Yep – reblogging is another way (and I have done just that).
Greg stuff.
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Thank you ^_^
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This needs to be shouted from the rooftops! I have stopped reading at least five blogs that I left comments on more than once. I would also suggest that the blogger go back and revisit a post. Sometimes you’ll find that comments were added a day, week, or month after you first posted. Personally, I need to get better at acknowledging Twitter followers and at thanking those who retweet me.
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Oh yeah, twitter is a fun animal. On vacation right now but will engage back when I return!! ^_^
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Too true…engagement is critical! 🙂 🙂
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