We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amy L Bernstein. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amy L below.
Amy L, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?
The book publishing industry is undergoing enormous changes, and the media is full of news about them, including the troubled proposed merger of two of the largest publishers in the world. For aspiring and even established authors, industry changes are affecting them in many ways. Chief among these are, in my view:
1. The explosive rise in self-publishing, owing to the cheap and free access to tools that enable anyone to literally publish a book without involving any gatekeepers. Amazon has helped to fuel distribution of self-published books via KDP, but there are many ways now to get one’s book out into the world with no outside help.
2. The rise of social media puts enormous pressure on authors to establish a highly visible public profile and to constantly feed the social media beast with fresh content. Authors are being asked to master multiple social media channels to this end.
3. The tendency of all but the largest publishers to foist most responsibility for marketing books onto the authors themselves. Authors are expected to become savvy marketers–and this loops back to the reliance on social media to serve as a de facto PR and distribution platform for books of all kinds.
Amy L, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I draw on a three-decade career as a professional nonfiction writer and, more recently, as a playwright and novelist, to help authors showcase their expertise and point of view in compelling ways.
I am an award-winning journalist with experience in print and public radio; a former senior communications manager and executive speechwriter in the Obama Administration; and a former senior nonprofit communications leader for community-based organizations. I’ve published four novels.
I combine my journalistic sensibilities, love of storytelling, and experience in the querying and publishing process to bring out the best in clients and guide them through the book proposal and pitching stages.
I hold a Master’s degree in cultural anthropology.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I did not become personally active on any social media platforms until 2017. When I did begin using them, I determined at the outset I was not interested in sharing my social life or using social media to keep up with friends and family. I wanted, instead, to use these outlets for professional development, finding professional communities, and, eventually, building my own professional brand and presence.
I also decided not to pursue any shortcuts, such buying followers or engaging in ways that would only result in bot followers (i.e., not real people). As a result, my growth has been slow but steady across multiple platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Medium, and lastly, TikTok.
My advice to anyone still dipping a first toe into social media waters is:
1. Be your authentic self. Don’t try to be someone you are not.
2. You don’t need crazy graphics and videos to get attention. Content is king.
3. Give more than you get: Share meaningful content that others want and need.
4. Establish a presence on multiple platforms, as that helps you create a multiplier effect.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My creative journey has evolved over many decades. My strongest skillset has always revolved around writing. Writers are by definition communicators–and it is how I choose to communicate that has shifted. When I was participating in the traditional workforce full-time (as I did for decades), my mission was to communicate clearly and effectively behalf of whatever organization I worked for–whether that was a newspaper editor or a political appointee.
In recent years, the aims of my creative journey has changed. I now create content on two separate tracks: as a novelist (with essays and poetry mixed in) and as a book coach helping others on their own writing journeys.
The throughline of all this, for me, is a strong desire to share information, experiences, and emotions with others through the written word.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://wordfirstbookcoach.com https://amywrites.live
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/amylbernstein
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/AmyLBernsteinAuthor
- Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/amylbernstein
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/amylbernstein
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@amylbernstein00author
- Other: https://medium.com/amylbernstein https://tiktok.com/amylbernsteinauthor
Image Credits
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