AUTHORS: THRIVE IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD
To publicize themselves or their work, there was little change for authors, writers, politicians and performers for hundreds of years. Printing pamphlets, standing in town squares and having candidates and entertainers travel from town to town for their appearances.
Radio and television in the 20th century expanded the exposure of authors and others. In the 21st century, the skilled use of social media can permit an unknown author to reach a national or worldwide audience.
As a first-time author, and not a regular on social media, it took time for me to appreciate the power and how to best utilize social media. It is a platform, a platform for authors to expand their reach to strangers in ways never before possible.
Social media plays a role in my novel Roll the Dice. The book’s protagonist Tyler Sloan is a rock star, a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Sloan exits the stage to campaign for the United States Senate. More than a rock star, Sloan is a savvy businessman who invested in internet start-ups.
Sloan’s media adviser Bree Baker is skilled at the use of social media in political campaigns. Bree constantly posts videos of Sloan. She grasps Sloan’s celebrity status, telling him that he should “campaign like a rock star and she will shoot video of him as a rock star.” Bree merges social media with Sloan’s fame to gain him constant exposure at a minimal cost.
Here are some ideas on how an author can use social media:
Trust the Experts. As an attorney, I have learned it is prudent to “trust the experts” in their fields of expertise. If you are not experienced in social media, retain someone at a reasonable price to get you started. There are students and recent graduates who can assist you at a minimal cost. If you can afford more, retain a true expert. You may need a push from someone with expertise. Hire someone to get you started, but if you can write a book, you can do this.
Social media is not an end to itself. Think of it as the launching pad. My most effective posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram drive traffic with links to my webpage and/or to blogs I have written.
Have two Facebook pages, one for your personal account, one that focuses more on your book. One lesson I learned is not to ask too many times for followers or friends to buy the book. Your goal is to post periodic and regular updates with occasional pleas.
Curate. This simply means to link articles others have written that relate to your field. Importantly, when you cite another article, include your own comments, have your own “take.” You want to be the wizard on your subject matter. I add my views on political/social/cultural/business stories. Choose your field; curate food stories if you wrote a cookbook, parental guidance if you wrote a children’s book, or intriguing relationships such as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle if you wrote a romance novel.
Be Creative, Serious, but never Dull. Maybe it’s me, but I do not feel comfortable being silly on social media. It may be fine to have an avatar, but unicorns are not many people’s idea of a serious author. The most followed posts include videos or visuals. A picture has always said a thousand words.
Write blogs. Pick your subject matter and write 300-700 words. Post the blogs with links to your webpage. It is easy to locate ideas for blogging topics by searching your general subject matter and reviewing internet articles for inspiration.
Advertise on Facebook and Target Your Ads. Whether you love or loathe President Donald Trump or are indifferent to politics, social media was one of the main reasons he was elected. As a primer on how to target your ads, do a search to view the 60 Minutes segment on Brad Parscale, the director of Trump’s digital efforts. That segment was revelatory.
Micro-Target your Ads. It is a trial and error process, but you can micro-target your audience utilizing profiles to connect with your best audience. You want 20-25-year-old woman who “like” shoes? You want 30-50-year-olds that make under $50,000/year? Parents with small children? People who love Game of Thrones? It’s all available.
The Facebook Lesson from the Trump campaign. Google, Facebook and Twitter employees were embedded within the campaign. These publicly held, tech mega-companies are all business, they offered the same service to Hillary Clinton, but her campaign rejected the offer. In Trump’s campaign, Google recommended the locations to target ads, Twitter analyzed the success of tweet-based fundraising, and Facebook identified which images performed best on Instagram. It is estimated that Trump’s campaign spent nearly $100 million on social media, $70 million on Facebook alone.
Get Your Copy Today!
Roll the Dice
by: Wayne Avrashow
Political Thriller
Coming November 28, 2017
What happens when one of America’s biggest rock stars leaves the Las Vegas stage to run for the United State Senate?
The ultimate celebrity candidate, Tyler Sloan is no stranger to politics – his estranged father was a California governor who narrowly lost a Presidential campaign. He runs as a political independent, refuses campaign contributions, and dismisses special interests and lobbyists.
Sloan is caught in a political campaign fraught with; sexual scandal, corruption and conflicting loyalties. Will he be able to navigate through political turbulence and his own past to win the race?
Editorial Reviews
“...hilarious, politically savvy...politics at its corrupt, dysfunctional, inspiring best.” ~ Kirkus Reviews (pre-publication review, “Best Manuscript” award winner)
"Avrashow’s book is an entertaining reveal of an unconventional candidate and campaign and it is filled with drama, hope and conflict,” ~ Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor of Los Angeles 2005-2013
“In the tradition of Allen Drury and Richard Condon comes the next great author of political thrillers, Wayne Avrashow.” ~ Michael Levin, New York Times best-selling author
“A political thriller that draws on Avrashow’s considerable experience…a great read,” ~ Zev Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles City Councilman (ret.) and Los Angeles County Supervisor (ret.)
“a riveting, totaling involving page-turner…Roll the Dice has all the elements to develop into a memorable film dramatization,” ~ Peter Saphier, executive at Universal and Paramount studios, o read and recommended the novel “Jaws” for production at Universal, co-Producer “Scarface”
“Intriguing spin on the phenomenon of celebrities-as-candidates.” ~ Bob Ronka, Los Angeles City Councilman (Ret.)
About the Author:
Wayne Avrashow was the campaign manager for two successful Los Angeles City Council campaigns and a Deputy/Chief of Staff to those two elected City Council members. He served as a senior advisor for a successful city-wide referendum in the City of Los Angeles, co-authored ballot arguments on Los Angeles County-wide measures, served as Chairman for a Los Angeles County ballot measure, and was a Los Angeles government Commissioner for nearly twenty years. He currently serves as a Board Member of the Yaroslavsky Institute, a public policy institute founded by long time Southern California elected official, and now UCLA professor, Zev Yaroslavsky.
His background in politics, government, business, and law provides unique insight into the machinations and characters that populate political campaigns.
Wayne is a practicing attorney who specializes in government advocacy, real estate, and business law. Formerly, he was an officer in two real estate development firms. As a lawyer-lobbyist, he has represented clients before numerous California municipalities and in Nevada and Idaho. He has lectured at his law school and taught at Woodbury University in Los Angeles. He has also authored numerous op-ed articles that appeared in daily newspapers, legal, business, and real estate publications. In addition, he is the author of a self-published book for the legal community, Success at Mediation—10 Strategic Tools for Attorneys.
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