Technology, a tool for bestselling authors

Bestselling author Laurence O’Bryan in the Old    City, Bucharest

Let me tell you a story about how I got to write about technology as a tool for bestselling authors . It was March, I think, when I saw a tweet about a conference in Dublin called “BooksGoSocial”. I had no idea that BooksGoSocial is a service for authors run by the Irish bestselling author and digital marketing expert Laurence O’Bryan. To be honest, I was not aware that Laurence O’Bryan existed. After a few days of hesitation, I enrolled. The price was affordable, I had never travelled to Dublin before (but it was on my list) and wanted to meet other independent authors. Did I mention I’m a huge fan of self-publishing, digital marketing and author-entrepreneur concept?

End of June, I packed my bags and went to Dublin. I confess I hoped for the best – finding more about how to become a bestselling author. Not only learned useful lessons on promotion and creative writing and had a great time, but also forged new friendships and business partnerships. Laurence O’Bryan‘s book “Social Media Is Dynamite” (a book that is a must read  for all self-publishing authors) was translated in Romanian and launched last week-end at Gaudeamus International Book Fair in Bucharest.

I seized this opportunity to find some extra tips and tricks from Laurence related to book digital marketing. I can tell he is a generous person and he inspires other people to follow his example. He is the source of knowledge and inspiration for  a series of three posts (this is the first) packed with useful advice for authors. And the first one is…

Embrace technology

“I like technology. I’ve been working in technology for twenty five years and it has paid for my life. It has helped me a lot. I believe strongly in the power of technology to help people. There are so many things about it. It’s brought us together, it brought millions of people together. It’s better than anything else in the modern world in terms of how it can be used. It’s a new communication system. It allows people to connect with each other, to enjoy their friendship, and to write and create things. Whether  you’re creating art or toys, you can reach out and sell your products to other people all around the world.”

Tweet and blog for your success

“When I started, when I got my contract with Harper Collins five years ago, I had a blog and a Twitter account. I always enjoyed it. I met so many people through it, people sending me friendly messages. And I got such pleasure out of just talking to people online. So I thought this is a good thing to try and help other authors reach out and find people so that they are not alone.”

Listen to the audio interview:

This series of posts is supported by Europa Royale Bucharest Hotel, the place Laurence chose for his stay. If I travelled to Bucharest, I would chose this hotel for several reasons: great rooms, friendly staff, secure parking, tasty breakfast and one of a kind location. The hotel is situated in the heart of Bucharest, next to a Starbucks coffee shop and to one of the famous Old City’s landmarks, Hanul Lui Manuc (Manuc’s Inn). Fun, history, shopping, sightseeing  are within a walking distance!