Outskirts Press Best-Selling Author Shares Her Four Steps to Social Media Success

How do successful authors build their brands? And what does ‘success’ look like when it comes to crafting a social media presence? These questions can lead to some complicated answers. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Author and actress Mirtha Michelle Castro Marmol is perhaps best known for her roles in the “Fast & Furious” franchise and the upcoming film, “AWOL-72.” Her first book of poetry, Letters, To The Men I Have Loved, was released by Outskirts Press in June of 2014 and quickly climbed through the bestseller ranks. In a recent interview with us, Mirtha Michelle credits much of her success to a quality relationship with what she calls her “social media family.” In her own words, here are four simple tips she offers to the newly published author:

Diversify your platform. Mirtha Michelle keeps readers up-to-date on her activities and poetry through Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram-a rigorous and diverse digital platform that ensures her words reach as many people as possible. “Social media has helped me get to know my readers and my audience,” she says, and it is important that she reach her readers wherever they are to be found.
Create original content, and regularly. “Two years ago,” Mirtha Michelle tells us, “I just posted about my life a little bit-my outfits, if I went out somewhere exciting, and so on. But after a while, I started posting quotes I liked, and I started to see that social media was an outlet to express myself and show what I was working on.” She began posting more intentionally about her ongoing projects, with the intent of bringing her followers alongside as her work continues to evolve: “I see it as a job, to be honest. I pay close attention to my social media.” She makes a point of posting new and original content several times a week, including artistically and professionally shot photographs of her poetry.
Positivity helps. Mirtha Michelle’s initials make up a personalized hashtag, #MMCM. This hashtag helps her readers connect across social media platforms, and has become a bastion for positivity and healthy relationships. In their comments on her blog, fans often cite her work as instrumental in helping them through difficult times. “I wish I could reply to every single person who writes a comment,” she says, “and I wish I could thank every person.” It can be challenging to keep up with every follower, but Mirtha Michelle goes to great lengths to ensure they know she’s listening: “I try to respond to everyone on Tumblr, because I really, really care.” Readers return to Mirtha Michelle’s blog, and her poetry, again and again-in large part because of her optimism and her genuine interest in their lives.
Be authentic. “Write your heart,” Mirtha Michelle advises. “Imagine you’re meditating with your computer, with words. Really listen to your soul, so you can express what it wants to say.” Even on social media, she tells us, “I don’t try to be anything I’m not.”

Mirtha Michelle’s book, Letters, To The Men I Have Loved, is available through iTunes, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the Outskirts Press Direct bookstore. You may not already be a social media expert, but Outskirts Press is here to help! With our Author Platform Set-up Through Social Media option we handle everything you need to launch your book in the social media world. Plus we make it easy to sell your book through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple’s iBook store. When it comes to creating a digital platform, we’ve got you covered.

Are you ready to begin marketing yourself and your book?

IT’S TIME TO ENTER BOOK AWARD CONTESTS!

There are many book awards and contests available to authors; Outskirts Press has vetted them all to identify 6 of the most promising and meaningful. Now is the season to enter these great book awards! The Book Award Submissions Package includes everything you need to enter these 6 major book award contests. And the best part is, Outskirts Press takes care of all of the details!

The six awards are:

Writer’s Digest International Self-Published Awards
The National Best Books Awards
The Next Generation Indie Book Awards
The Reader Views Literary Awards
The Benjamin Franklin Awards
ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Awards

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the award submission fees
registering your book with each contest
sending each program the necessary review copies of your book
accurately and completely filling out the necessary entry forms
selecting the most appropriate category for your book
shipping and handling costs of your book to each of the contest’s multiple judges

Many awards only accept books in the current copyright year (some will accept older books). If you just published your book this year, it is definitely the time to enter before it’s too late!