Jeff Whelan [4] : Learn more, stay in touch...and life

"What have you got and where is it?  How do readers learn more about your writing and keep in touch with you if they want to?"

          Ah, here comes the shameless self-promotion I was talking about.

          For starters, Space Orville can be found at:

          Amazon 

          Barnes & Noble

          Smashwords 

And, still, Lulu 

I have a wordpress blog that I try to keep entertaining (although it pales in comparison to this Gonzo Journal I keep hearing about): http://jeffwhelan.wordpress.com/

There is my author page at The Independent Author Network: 

I can also be found on Goodreads 

And I have two facebook pages; one for me  and one for Space Orville http://www.facebook.com/pages/Space-Orville/297378956967791?ref=hl# We appreciate visits, comments and likes!

Finally (I think), there is twitter,  where my handle is @SpaceOrville.

"Anything else you want to talk about?"

I'm sure I've missed a thing or two, but I'd say this is more than enough out of me.

Thanks so much for this opportunity to share with your readers, Charles!  May I go out with a quote from your namesake?

"Life has become immeasurably better since I have been forced to stop taking it seriously."

Cheers!

Thank you too Jeff for an interesting insight into your world and your writing.

Please post a comment for Jeff...

Author Jeff Whelan [2] : Marketing Books

"Your marketing seems really strong.  Any tips for other indie writers?"

          As long as we're on the subject . . .

          As I said, I find marketing to be the hardest part.  For years, I shunned the social media, having no use for facebook, twitter and the like.  Once Space Orville was out there, however, my wife wisely said, "You've got to get out there now, you know."  Alas, she was correct. And so, I built my profile pages, started friending and following, sharing and retweeting.  I started a blog, learning as I went along, featuring snippets of Space Orville along with some of my other older work - poetry, short stories and what not.  I began following other blogs and hooked up with The Independent Author Network.  Inside of a month or two, I found myself immersed in this vast, global community of independent authors all working to not only promote themselves, but to encourage, support and promote the work of others as well.

          I must say that, initially, I tooted my own horn quite loudly.  I'm sure it would be rather embarrassing to go back and look at some of my early tweets and facebook posts.  Not that I don't still make a lot of noise on my own behalf, but I soon learned that the basic idea behind successfully marketing oneself on social media is "pay it forward". We indie authors share a mammoth boat and dominating the soapbox can get one thrown overboard.  Shine your own light, but carry the torch for others as well.  You'll find that they will pick up your torch and pass it along, too.  I've been helped out by dozens of other authors and bloggers who have not only shared my message, but offered me interviews, guest posts and reviews and I've done what I can to help them back, each time learning a little more about how to do it even better next time.  I believe that diligence coupled with an air of some humility goes a long way toward making a name for yourself in the indie publishing community.

Gonzo Guide to Social Networking

When using social networks, what makes somebody worth following? It's important to know this, so that you might be followed by the maximum followership.

In order to help to determine whether you are worth following, I present my crucial choice criteria below. Don't forget to add yours below as a comment, if you wish. Good luck gaining followers!

To be an ideal follower, you should be:

1. Gender-matched

Ideally female, you will need to include a hot photo of yourself.

2. Have a bio - bots don't usually have bios. If you can't be arsed to tell me about yourself, then I can't be arsed to hit the "follow" button.

3. Brunette and sexy - women usually should be brunette to gain the most followers - nobody takes blondes seriously - they never did. People with gingivitis are usually repulsive, unless they're hot.

4. Keep your bio interesting - boring, numbskull turnoffs on bios include comments such as "I'm addicted to coffee," "I'm me," "I'm interested in living life to the full." These appear to be risque and show you as an "off the wall type of dude." However, they really expose the fact you have a small mind and little imagination. You are boring.

5. Never say anything negative about yourself. I never follow weak, stupid or unconfident people. They're needy and they creep me out. They are losers.

6. Never pretend to be a rap-star.

7. Never imply you're in a relationship. This instantly extinguishes any potential hotness factor.

8. Never give your precise location on line. Remember, be safe while you're surfing. The last thing you want is some weirdo jerking off outside your bathroom window.