Rise of the Machines - Human Authors in a Digital World
The Digital Revolution -- A Plus for Authors?
Publishing has changed drastically in the last ten years. With the advent of e-publishing, and especially of Amazon's total embrace of Kindles and Kindle publishing, authors have definite and distinct ways of getting their work into the hands of readers.
Kristen Lamb has been writing about the digital changes that have come fast and furious and knows the ins and outs and is able to help authors navigate these new waters. Her writing style is intimate and often quite humorous. I caught myself laughing out loud several times. More important is that she knows her subject well and is able to chart a safe course for writers in this new publishing era.
Can an author really be an effective blogger?
Unfortunately, as Lamb effectively points out, many authors are approaching their blog the wrong way and are not able to engage their true readership and create and cultivate their own tribe. The good news is that Lamb presents clear and effective strategies that equip today's writers with all the knowledge they need to engage the public in this new age of digital intimacy.
Does an author need to have a blog?
If you write but still haven't figured out why you would need to go to the extra trouble of having a blog, Lamb makes it clear why and how a blog can go a long way toward establishing the needed contact between an author and the public. Non-fiction and fiction authors alike often make the same mistakes when it comes to the whole idea of blogging. Lamb guides both types of writers through the needed elements and explains why most of today's authors are simply not using a blog in the right way to accomplish their goals. She then goes on to explain in detail the differences in the approaches that should be considered for non-fiction and fiction writers.
How writers should really use social media tools
Today everyone seems to be on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and all the other social media that captivates writers and readers alike. Using them appropriately and effectively to accomplish the goals of writers is another matter. Lamb discusses the pitfalls and the right ways to grab hold of these new tools and use them effectively.
I highly recommend this book for all authors whether you are traditionally published or self-published. If you are a writer who blogs or wants to blog, you definitely need this book. Gaining a firm understanding of the digital tools available and learning the best ways to use them is, frankly, golden. If you write, this a good book to have at your disposal.
