Web Strategies For Writers (Part 04)

Case Study Mur Lafferty

In parts 1-3 of this series, I've burned a lot of electricity putting web strategy into some sort of context. A loose framework of principles to "light the way."

Whatever. No one reads that long, wordy shit online anyway, so I'll proceed to interviewing famous people. Starting with the lovely, multi-talented, and entertaining Mur Lafferty:

Q: What are the three most effective promotional strategies you've used to grow your audience?

Mur Lafferty: 

• Making myself known among other podcasters - when they become friends they'll want to help you.
  
• Along the same lines, helping other pocasters creates a sense of wanting to help each other out. [JJ: a great example of "Giving Back" to your tribe]
• Lastly, communicating with the community and answering feedback makes your listeners want to evangelize for you. [JJ: a good example of "Interacting"]

Q: Over the course of an average week, how much time do you devote to the following activities:

• writing new fiction?
  Mur Lafferty: 5-15 hours [JJ: note the priority is on the work. Easier said than done.]
  
• podcasting your work?
  Mur Lafferty: 2-3 hours
• promoting your work?
  Mur Lafferty: 3-6 hours [JJ: even a free podcast needs to be promoted for people to learn about it.]
  
• reading books?
  Mur Lafferty: 4 hours (not nearly enough!)
  
• listening to podcasts?
  Mur Lafferty: 8 hours
• working a day job?
  Mur Lafferty: 0 (laid off recently - writing and podcasting is the day job)
  
• sleeping?
  Mur Lafferty: 49 hours

Q: In an age of podcasting, better e-book reading devices, and digital mediums yet to be invented, how do you think the business of publishing is likely to change, and how will these changes effect authors who want to make a living writing fiction?

Mur Lafferty:

It will change, but I don't know when. It will take a while for the publishing company to come to terms with it, I think we're still in the "radical first days" of moving it to the 'net. Sure, I have numbers that wouold make a first-time author a pretty hot commodity, but that's because there's no risk with trying out my work.

The world is definitely going to have to look at the Ben & Jerry's way of doing business - on free cone day the line stretches out the door and they make no money. But every other day they're still pretty busy with fewer, paying customers. And it's free cone day that helps that happen. Free stuff on the net is similar. Everyone is going to rush in when it's free. But you will connect with paying customers as well. Moreso than otherwise.

Q: What are your favorite tools and software for creating a podiobook?

Mur Lafferty: I have a love-hate relationship with Audacity. It's unstable on my machine, but it has the best functionality.

Q: What are the top three resources you recommend for writers interested in promoting their work online and getting started in pod-fiction?

Mur Lafferty:

• Podiobooks.com
• twitter.com
• and a personal, fequently updated blog.

Thanks Mur!

Next up in Part 05: Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff