Hopefully, you'll get lots of comments on your blog tour. The more you engage the more likely this is. Don't miss the opportunity to turn a comment into a reader. Most sites allow commenters to link to their own social network site (either a blog or twitter). Be sure to click on all the links for everyone who leaves a comment and thank them for stopping by the tour.
I realize tour days can be hectic, but if you have time to take a peek around their site and comment on their own content, even better. Again, readers like to be engaged. So engage them already.
And yes, all of this is going to take a lot of time. I get that. I suggest making it known that you are going to be mostly unavailable during your tour. This is even more important if you work a day job since your interaction hours will be limited. Just remind yourself that you want to get the most productivity out of your tour as possible. These extra steps are extra, and no one will notice if you don't do them. But when you do put in the extra effort, you're likely to reap the rewards.
Yup, I've seen many a writer disappear from their blog and normal activities during their tour. Some have a really long tour. Months. It's so time consuming...
ReplyDeleteIt can seem overwhelming, but I like to put it in perspective of all the work that went in to getting your book this far. The months of writing, editing, working with CPs and betas, querying, getting an agent, getting a contract, then all those edits, plus all the time spent putting the tour together. When you think about all the hours spent creating your novel, it doesn't seem like all that much to dedicate a few hours a day to give it the best chance of success you can. :)
DeleteI feel weird commenting on reviews that are part of my tour because I really try to avoid them, and I worry my presence on the post will affect how people comment. What's your take on that, Sarah? Do you still interact on the review posts for the tour?
ReplyDeleteYes, the important part is what you said, "interact". If all you do is go down the line and say thank you after each post, you are going to look silly and possibly make commenters feel uncomfortable. Interact with the comments. If someone mentions being a fan of an aspect of your novel, recommend a book you loved they might like. Talk with people and not to them, and you'll avoid the awkwardness of being "the author".
ReplyDeleteGreat advice. Thanks, Sarah! :)
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