Audience growth is my obsession lately. If you’re a writer with the same goal, you might benefit from what I’ll share below about online publishers.
Online publishers present your work quickly and to a high standard. They’re less prestigious than literary journals, but more so than self-publishers like Wattpad. If a good edit is important to you, and good art to accompany your writing, you’ll get it with the two that published me: Public House Magazine and Logos Literature.
Since February, both re-issued a handful of my vampire stories, each of which is a chapter in a forthcoming novel. While I’m not being paid, these one-time licenses keep my writing in circulation which allows me to reach new readers.
I also debuted a story with Logos which could be the opening chapter of a future novel.
The main benefit of online publishers, beyond their quick turnaround, is the shareability of their content. This is not the case with print publications which operate differently. Even when they offer online content, it isn’t always available via a direct link.
Every day, I spend more time sharing my stories than writing new ones (I still don’t know how I feel about that and may address this in a future post). Twitter is where I spend most of my efforts because I can schedule tweets using Tweetdeck, and monitor hits using Bitly. My recent efforts scored a third invitation this year to appear on WCGO-Chicago’s “Playtime with Bill Turck & Kerri Kendall.” And I keep getting more followers which will help during my 2020 book launch – an event I hope will finally generate income.
Another benefit of online publishers is the speed at which they build your brand, which is essential to growing your audience. You probably know a brand is basically a promise to your customer that when they buy your product (or devote precious time to read you), they’ll know what to expect each time. I’ve been branded “that vampire guy.”
I’m hoping to elevate this to “literary vampire guy,” but have embraced the label for now, and have every intention to deliver what my readers expect: stories about creatures that will kill you if you’re not careful.
You might prefer a different venue for your writing, and I’m curious to know where your path is taking you. What’s right for me – an author in his 50s who still has a day job — may not be appropriate for someone in her 70s. Or a college-aged writer still trying to find her voice.
But if you’ve written something quirky, or perhaps a bit dark, visit the above websites. You might find them a good fit for the current phase of your journey. I, for one, will encounter your work much sooner this way. I look forward to reading you.
Best,
DK
danklefstadcom 