Marketing, Networking

Sharing Book Excerpts Online for Maximum Exposure.

After my KDP experiment, I was free to not only sell my book anywhere I wanted, but I could now share excerpts from my book.  The only question was where?  There are so many story sites but which ones were worth the investment?  I only have so much time as an author to devote to figuring out apps and uploading files.  So I sifted through the trash to give you the lowdown on the best places to share your excerpts.

Goodreads

Goodreads has a thriving community of 12 million reads which is great for exposure.  First it’s important to have an author account.  It’s also vital you claim your book under that account.  Goodreads only allows those with an author’s account to upload chapters from their books in an .epub or .pdf file on their site.

Go to your author dashboard and scroll down to the “My Books” section and click edit.

Goodreads
Click image to magnify.

Immediately you’ll be taken to the edit page where you can change the details about your book and even upload files like excerpts or even the entire book.

Book Excerpts

 

Within a day or so you will be sent an email asking you to go over the work and approve it, then voila, your excerpts are available on Goodreads.

Wattpad

Wattpad boasts of a reader base of 10 million, which isn’t bad.  Though it’s known as a teen site, you have to be over the age of 13 to join.  Also you can rate your work PG-13, or Restricted.  Nonetheless there are rules as to what you can upload.  According to their Content Guidelines  you can not: “ Submit any material that is unlawful, obscene, defamatory, libelous, threatening, pornographic, harassing, hateful, racially offensive, or is otherwise inappropriate.”

It’s easy to share there as well, just create an account and go to the top of the page where you see your profile pic and hover your cursor over it.  Now go to “My Works” and near the corner where it says “New Story” click on and now copy and paste your story.

Wattpad

Uploading your excerpts to Wattpad

Like all story sharing sites, you need to gather followers like social media, or blogging.  You have to promote your own work, and make your rounds by commenting on other stories.

Your Blog or Website

Believe it or not, I almost forgot this one!  Your website needs to be your hub in case places like Goodreads, Facebook or Wattpad become obsolete or unfriendly to your work.

Scribd

Scribd is mainly a nonfiction site but I found several books being shared in various genres like; Chick-Lit, YA, and Thrillers here.  They also have a Facebook app if you want to skip using the primitive, Facebook notes feature.

Social Media

Just about every author who has a Facebook, Google+ or MySpace page shares their work.  James Patterson and Sidney Sheldon are just a few authors who use social media in this way.  It wouldn’t hurt if you gave it a try.  I did this using the Facebook notes feature but saw that the professionals are using apps like Scribd and Heyo.  There is definitely an upgrade in my fanpage’s future!

*Tip* Make sure at the end of your excerpt, you share a link to Amazon or wherever you’re selling your book, so fans can know exactly where they can buy it.

Booksie

Booksie is a sight where not only can you publish excerpts but also mp3 audio versions of your book.  Not a bad idea for those of us looking to branch out into the audio world.

Well I just about covered it, if you know of anymore free sites that allow authors to share excerpts or complete books (for free) let us know in the comments section.

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3 thoughts on “Sharing Book Excerpts Online for Maximum Exposure.”

  1. Hello Rachel. Very interesting blog, with some great advice, which I hope to utilise, as I am publishing my first book in the New Year. Thanks Dan

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