The Long Game

Welcome to this week’s episode of The Murder School. Today’s theme is all about the long game for your writing career. In this world of instant gratification and living in the present, making long term plans for anything sounds dull, I know. And marketing can feel like the bane of a writer's existence. We'd much rather be crafting twisty plots and compelling characters than hawking our wares on social media. But the truth is, if you want to build a sustainable career as a crime fiction author, you can't afford to ignore the business side of things.

The good news is, with a little bit of thoughtful planning and a lot of persistence, you can create a marketing strategy that will help you build a loyal fan base and keep the royalties flowing for years to come and continue writing what you love. Here’s how.

Underpinning any good marketing strategy is knowing your readers.  Who are you writing for? What kind of crime fiction do they love? What are their demographics, their interests, their pain points?

Take some time to really dig into your target readers. Look at the reviews and comments on books similar to yours. Hang out in online forums and Facebook groups where crime fiction fans congregate. Pay attention to what they're saying, what they're looking for, and what turns them off.

Once you have a clear picture of your ideal reader, you can start tailoring your marketing efforts to reach them where they are. Which brings us to your author brand. I’ve touched on author brands in a previous episode, so if you listened in, you will already know that in today's crowded book market, it's not enough to just write a great story. You also need to create a compelling author brand that sets you apart from the competition.

Think of your author brand as the personality and promise of your writing. It's what readers can expect from your books in terms of tone, style, and subject matter. It's also the way you present yourself online and in person – your bio, your headshot, your social media presence.

To build a strong author brand, start by identifying your unique selling proposition. What makes your crime fiction different from everyone else's? Maybe you write gritty, realistic police procedurals, or maybe you specialize in quirky, cozy mysteries. Whatever it is, make sure it comes through loud and clear in everything you do.

Next, create a consistent visual identity for your brand. Choose colors, fonts, and imagery that reflect your writing style and personality. Use them consistently across all your marketing materials, from your website to your book covers to your social media posts.

Finally, craft a compelling author bio that captures the essence of your brand. Focus on the details that are most relevant to your target readers, and don't be afraid to let your personality shine through.

Now that you've got your audience and your brand nailed down, it's time to start creating content that will attract and engage your readers.

Content marketing is all about providing value to your audience beyond just your books. It's about building a relationship with your readers and establishing yourself as an authority in your genre.

So what kind of content should you create? The possibilities are endless, but here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Blog posts that delve into the themes and topics of your books

• Behind-the-scenes glimpses into your writing process

• Interviews with other crime fiction authors or experts in related fields

• Book reviews and recommendations for your favorite crime novels

• Short stories or bonus content that tie into your existing books

The key is to create content that is genuinely useful, interesting, or entertaining to your target audience. Don't just churn out bland, generic blog posts for the sake of having something to post. Put some thought and effort into it, and your readers will take notice.

Love it or hate it, social media is a crucial component of any modern author's marketing plan. It's where your readers are hanging out, and it's where you need to be if you want to connect with them.

But with so many platforms to choose from, it can be overwhelming to know where to focus your efforts. My advice? Pick one or two platforms that your target audience is most active on, and commit to showing up there regularly.

For most crime fiction authors, Facebook and Instagram are a good bet. But if your audience skews younger, you might want to consider TikTok or Snapchat

Whichever platforms you choose, make sure you're posting a mix of promotional content (like book news and events) and non-promotional content (like the content marketing ideas we talked about earlier). Aim for a ratio of about 80% non-promotional to 20% promotional.

And don't forget to engage with your followers! Respond to comments, ask questions, and start conversations. The more you interact with your readers, the more invested they'll become in you and your work.

If there's one piece of marketing advice I could give to every author, it's this: build your email list. Your email list is your most valuable marketing asset, hands down.

Why? Because unlike social media followers, who can disappear if a platform changes its algorithm or shuts down altogether, your email subscribers are yours to keep. You can communicate with them directly, without any intermediaries.

To start building your list, create a simple sign-up form on your website and share it regularly on your social media profiles. Offer an incentive for signing up, like a free short story or a sneak peek at your next book.

Then, commit to sending regular newsletters to your list. Share updates on your writing progress, exclusive content, and special offers. But most importantly, use your newsletters to build a relationship with your readers. Let them get to know you as a person, not just an author.

Finally, remember that building a sustainable career as a crime fiction author is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time, patience, and persistence to build a loyal fan base and establish yourself in the genre.

So don't get discouraged if your first book doesn't become an instant bestseller, or if your social media following grows slowly at first. Keep showing up, keep creating great content, and keep connecting with your readers. Over time, your efforts will pay off.

And don't be afraid to experiment and try new things along the way. The beauty of a long-term marketing plan is that it can evolve and adapt as your career grows and changes. Stay open to new ideas and new opportunities, and always be learning.

Building a sustainable career as a crime fiction author takes more than just writing great books. It takes a solid marketing plan that focuses on building relationships with your readers and establishing yourself as a go-to authority in your genre.

In the craft segment, I’m talking about a decision that will directly affect your marketing efforts is this: will you write standalone crime novels or a series of novels featuring the same characters?

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So, does that killer idea have enough substance for a whole series? Or is it best suited for one great novel? How do you decide which route to take?

First, let's talk about what makes a great standalone crime novel. In my opinion, it all comes down to one thing: a strong, self-contained story. A standalone novel should have a clear beginning, middle, and end, with a satisfying resolution that ties up all the loose ends.

Think of it like a classic whodunit. The mystery is introduced, the clues are laid out, and the detective (or the reader) puts the pieces together to solve the case. Once the culprit is caught and the motive is revealed, the story is over. There's no need for a sequel or a spin-off.

So if your idea revolves around a single, compelling mystery or crime, a standalone novel might be the way to go. Maybe it's a cold case that your detective protagonist finally cracks, or a twisty psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping reveal at the end. As long as the story feels complete and satisfying on its own, you are good to go.

Another advantage of a standalone novel is that it can be a great way to test the waters with a new character or setting. If you're not sure whether readers will connect with your protagonist or your fictional world, a standalone can be a low-risk way to find out. If it's a hit, you can always consider turning it into a series later on.

On the flip side, there are some ideas that are just too big for a single book. If your concept involves a sprawling cast of characters, multiple intertwining plotlines, or a richly detailed fictional world, a series might be the way to go.

Think about it: crime fiction is all about the journey, not just the destination. Readers love following a detective or a cast of characters over the course of multiple books, watching them grow and change as they face new challenges and uncover new secrets. A series gives you the space to really dig into your characters' backstories, relationships, and inner lives.

Plus, a series can be a great way to build a loyal fan base. When readers fall in love with your characters and your world, they'll be eager to gobble up each new installment as soon as it hits the shelves. And from a business perspective, a successful series can be the key to a sustainable career.

So if your idea feels too complex or too expansive for a single book, a series might be the way to go. Maybe it's a police procedural that follows a team of detectives as they solve a new case each book, or a spy thriller that spans multiple countries and decades. As long as each book feels satisfying on its own while also contributing to a larger story arc, you're on the right track.

If  you're still not sure whether your idea is better suited for a standalone or a series, here are some questions to ask yourself to help clarify your thinking:

Can the central mystery or crime be solved in a single book? If the answer is yes, a standalone might be the way to go. If the answer is no, or if solving the mystery would require multiple books, a series might be a better fit.

How much do you want to explore your characters' lives and backstories? If you're content with giving readers a snapshot of your protagonist's life, a standalone could work well. But if you want to really dive deep into their past, their relationships, and their personal growth over time, a series will give you more room to do that.

Is your fictional world rich enough to sustain multiple books? If you've created a vivid, detailed setting that feels like a character in its own right, a series can be a great way to explore different facets of that world. But if your setting is more generic or isn't essential to the story, a standalone might be sufficient.

Do you have ideas for future plots and character arcs? If you're already bubbling with ideas for sequels and spin-offs, that's a good sign that a series might be the way to go. But if you're struggling to imagine what might happen to your characters after the first book, a standalone could be a better fit.

What do your gut and your heart tell you? At the end of the day, only you can decide what feels right for your story. Trust your instincts and go with what excites you most as a writer. And remember, if you are writing a series, you’ll be spending a lot of time with your cast of characters.

If you do decide to go the series route, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Make each book satisfying on its own. Even though a series is building toward a larger story arc, each individual book should still have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Readers should feel like they've gotten a complete story, even if there are still some overarching plot threads left dangling.

Develop your characters over time. One of the joys of a series is watching your characters grow and change from book to book. Make sure each installment brings new challenges and revelations for your protagonists, and that their relationships with each other evolve in interesting ways.

Balance the familiar with the new. Readers come back to a series because they love spending time with the characters and the world you've created. But they also want to be surprised and delighted by new twists and turns. Strike a balance between giving readers more of what they love and introducing fresh elements to keep things interesting.

Plan ahead, but leave room for surprises. It's a good idea to have a general sense of where your series is heading, even if you don't have every detail mapped out. But don't be afraid to let your characters and your story surprise you along the way. Some of the best moments in a series come from unexpected detours and revelations.

At the end of the day, only you can decide whether your crime fiction idea is better suited for a standalone novel or a series. But by asking yourself the right questions and considering the pros and cons of each approach, you'll be well on your way to making the best choice for your story.