By Freelance Writer and Books Author Denise Turney

It’s no longer simple. Ways to connect with online readers are growing, expanding. Reasons readers turn to books are also changing. In fact, entertainment is only one reason why readers choose engaging novels. Technology finds people reaching for books to be entertained, educated, to watch videos embedded in stories and brain train with audiobooks.

Connect with Online Readers on the Hunt for Good Novels

Keeping up with these changes is important for authors who want to connect with readers, introducing their stories and selling more books. Also, knowing why someone seeks books to read can reveal the best ways to connect with these readers.

For example, if someone is looking for books to unleash their imagination, joining fantasy discussion forums could be a good move for an author. Good events to attend are offline and virtual fantasy events. Mystery dinner theater plays, especially plays that encourage attendee discussions before or after the play, are also great events to connect with readers who are looking to enter a world of imagination.

Fortunately, bookshelves are lined with great novels, stories ranging from the classics to modern mysteries to family sagas to cultural depictions. Yet, if you’re an avid book reader, you’ve come across good novels that, had you not accidentally found the books while rummaging through a library or local corner bookstore, you may never have had the chance to read the books.

If you’re an avid book reader and an author, yours is a two-prong goal. In addition to finding great novels to read, you want to do what you can to help book lovers find the novels you’ve written. Following are three great ways to connect with readers online. As a tip, I’ve also included several ways to find and connect with book lovers offline.

3 Great Ways to Connect with Online Readers

To begin, social media is a way to connect with online readers. But you need to try different social media platforms to discover which platforms yield the best results for you. Also, stick with a few social media platforms. Why? As an author, you want to be able to invest enough time in each social media platform to build genuine connections with readers. And:

• Develop and distribute a weekly or a monthly newsletter. Spotlight your new books in the newsletter. Also, you could include questions that readers submit to you in the newsletter along with your responses. It’s another way to connect with online readers.
• Post details about your books at book club and book directories that accept book listings. And, if these sites have discussion forums, participate in the forums by asking and fielding questions.
• Attend book festivals. Bring a signup sheet with you to book festivals. Make it easy for readers to share their contact information with you so you can send those readers details about your new books, discounts, coupons and details about upcoming book events you plan to attend.
• Speak at colleges and universities. Before the close of your speaking, let attendees know that a good way to learn more about topics you just spoke about is to read your book.
• Treat people who buy your books to holiday postcards, birthday announcements and other communications that say, “Thank you”.

Finding Great Books

Sure. Word of mouth is one proven way to find great novels. But your family, friends and colleagues can’t possibly read every book you’ll love. Therefore, you’re going to have to search for good books on your own.

If you’re fortunate, you’ll find clever ways to connect with authors. Many authors are seeking ways to find you so they can share their stories with you. If those authors write from their soul, their very essence, you’ll be in for a real treat if you find one another.

When I think back to my childhood and challenging times as an adult, there were books that helped me to keep going, to get over the hump. They weren’t motivational books. Instead, they were entertaining stories with characters I cared about, characters facing long odds who left me with no choice except to root for them. It’s those types of stories I hope authors of great novels help you to find.