Comments on: Making a Love Connection with Readers

By: Melissa McClone

Melissa McClone — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 17:20:07 +0000

I love when people comment on my blog or reply to the comments I leave on their blogs. Between writing and little kids, it’s my version of breaktime water cooler conversations.

By: KeVin Killiany

KeVin Killiany — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 13:58:31 +0000

Interestingly enough, Karen Traviss — the writer who convinced me I should have a Live Journal — has shut down her Live Journal. Her bolg — like mine — was as much about life in general than it was about writing. She does still appear regularly on the webpage her publisher maintains for her. (No, I don’t have a publisher who does that for me. Yet.)

I’ve met several interesting people through their Live Journals and other blogs. (Some are too interesting. I have to limit my blog reading time.) As a writer I particularly enjoy the blogs of agents and editors, but there are some reader/reviewers’ sites where I lurk regularly. There is no way I would have access to these people without their blogs — and I have discovered dozens of new and exciting books through following their recommendations that I would never have read otherwise.

So keep blogging, everyone.

By: Kimberly Nee

Kimberly Nee — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 22:41:22 +0000

I should’ve also added that I try to keep my blog updated as often as possible, especially if I’m working on a new book. And I don’t keep it strictly to writing – I’ve yapped about everything from my husband’s recent surgery to an argument I’d gotten into with someone on another blog. Sometimes it helps when I get bogged down in whatever I’m working on.

Kim

By: Kim

Kim — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 22:32:16 +0000

It always gives me a jolt when someone leaves a comment on my blog, or one of my readers e-mails me. I have a ‘I have READERS?’ moment. It’s nice to reply to someone who’s actually read something of mine (and liked it:smile:)

I blog hop, but don’t always leave comments – but after seeing this, I think I’ll have to remedy that!

By: Shelli Stevens

Shelli Stevens — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 22:17:25 +0000

I’m a blogger and blog hopper. But to be honest, I’ve always considered a forum kind of a waste. Unless I get ‘big’ I don’t see the point. I rarely visit an author’s forum if they have them, mainly because I know that it won’t have much activity in it. The exception would be the big author’s who have a huge following and conversation can get lively.

Sometimes I reply to a blogger’s comments in the comments section, but usually in the next post I make or I’ll visit their blog and reply in their comments. When I do blog hop, I don’t usually go back to see if someone replied to my comment.

But you’ve inspired me to reply to people more often in my comments section! I think I just overdosed on the word comments.:lol:

By: Sara

Sara — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:28:01 +0000

Great post. Your advice is wonderful.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 19:34:50 +0000

I love going to my favourite authors’ blogs, especially those who do interact in their comments. I like the interspersing of personal and promotional. Sometimes I feel like I have a bit of insight into why they wrote XYZ . It has also got me interested in books I would have otherwise not read.

By: Maria Duncan

Maria Duncan — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 19:20:27 +0000

I love blog-hopping, and I love when I get the chance to converse with romance authors and my fellow readers about books and things.

By: Vikki

Vikki — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 19:17:08 +0000

Whilst the benefits might not always be instantaneous, I don’t believe that it can anything but beneficial to engage with your readers this way. But I agree, Kimber – the connection has to be genuine. A blog put up as a transparent marketing tool is unlikely to be as successful as the genuine thing.

By: Samantha Hunter

Samantha Hunter — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 15:22:14 +0000

Talking with readers is fun, but talking about your book with them is very rewarding, yes. When you get a reader who has really paid attention, who asks great questions or who notices the little things, it’s enough to make you want to adopt them. I answer all of my emails, pop in on two boards, and now run one group blog and contribute to several — it’s been a great way of making contact with readers and writers, and it’s just fun.

What I’ve enjoyed the most is discovering that my readers are some very interesting people who I like and enjoy getting to know over time, which blogs in particular seem to facilitate. I’ve found on blogs in particular, if you respond often, you do learn a lot about each other, and it becomes a close group, and a nice social connection since writing can often be so isolating.

Sam