Social Media Marketing

How to Promote a Writers Challenge?

These tips apply to your writings as well

Full disclosure, I recently launched a writers challenge. Writing an article about the process is one of the steps, but it’s not the only one — far from it.

1. Reach out to people

For a challenge to be successful, you need lots of participants.

(By the way, are you funny?)

I’m reaching out to writers both on Medium and Twitter. Medium’s private notes system is not so convenient. But direct messages on Twitter work very well.

What’s hard?

I find it difficult to shamelessly self-promote my work. Cold emailing people (or sending direct messages) isn’t something that comes easy.

But as writers, we don’t have the choice if we want people to read our articles and books. And, in any case, we already put ourselves out there by writing in the first place. So, why not follow up with the last step that is promotion?

So far, I have reached out to ‘big’ writers like Hogan Torah and Jaya Berged. I also sent a message to Roz Warren, but she didn’t reply (to date).

Fun fact, Hogan told me he would participate in the challenge by writing poetry. This is strange because he once wrote that “all poetry is bad, especially yours.” I guess his poetry is better.

Application to your writings

Reach out to other people that wrote on similar topics. There’s a high chance they’ll be interested in reading what you have to say. Of course, it works better if you had exchanges with them before.

Here’s a self-promotion exercise for you

Drop a link to one of your articles in the comments. My promise is threefold. Read. Clap. Comment.

2. Find a host

I’m not Medium, nor am I a ‘big’ writer. That means I can’t launch the challenge on my own and get people participating in it. I need backup.

Also, there’s nothing to win. So, it makes it a bit less attractive for writers. But! There’s a pledge to give to charity in the name of the winners. So, that’s nice. (Right?)

As the Smillew Writers Challenge calls for funny articles, I needed a publication focused on humor to host it. MuddyUm and its chief editor, Susan Brearley, were gracious enough to accept.

Application to your writings

That one is clear. On Medium, you have much higher chances of being read if your articles are in a publication. Unless you have a significant following, self-publishing makes little sense.

3. Participate in your challenge

I know I won’t win (that would be unethical, and, anyway, there’s nothing to win!). But by writing articles, I can bring awareness to the challenge.

Application to your writings

When writing an article, link to other articles you wrote. Another approach, which might work even better, is to link articles from other people — as I did in this piece. Again, it works better if you had exchanges with them before.

4. Promote your challenge on social media.

I tweeted about the challenge and will do it again. It might bring just a click or two each time, but that’s more than zero for a limited effort. Also, there’s always the chance that someone with a larger following than mine will pick it up and retweet or comment.

I also tried searching for questions on Quora, where it would make sense to drop a link to the challenge, but didn’t find any.

Application to your writings

Tweet links to your articles from time to time. But do not tweet only links to your articles. It would be boring for your followers.

Takeaway

To promote a Writers Challenge or your writings in general, you need to:

1. Write about the process
2. Reach out to people
3. Find a host
4. Participate in your challenge/link to your previous articles
5. Promote on social media

And, final tip, always end with a call to action.

Would YOU like to join the Smillew Writers Challenge?

It would be awesome to have you! :D