Image courtesy johanl on Flickr

Today’s article is written by Suzannah Windsor Freeman, founding editor.

Remember that friend-of-a-friend who wrote her first novel and got picked up by a literary agent right away? Or that self-published guy who scored a book deal with one of The Big Six?

Some writers have all the luck, right?

With the ever-increasing number of wannabe authors out there, we can’t be blamed for feeling the odds are against us.

Some say it’s all a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Take, for example, author and blogger Jeff Goins. His debut book Wrecked, by Moody Publishers, didn’t come about the traditional way. In his post, Every Writer’s Dream: Never Pitch Your Writing Again, Jeff says:

[…] I didn’t write a book proposal, hire an agent, or do any of the stuff the “experts” tell you to do. I just started this blog. And the publisher came to me. Then, I figured I had better get an agent. Then, we signed a contract.

We could say, “He just got lucky. There are millions of blogs out there.” But aren’t there plenty of ways give luck a hand? Couldn’t we look at writers like Jeff Goins and see what it is they did to increase their odds of being noticed?

Since creating Write It Sideways more than three years ago, I’ve both been approached, and approached others for writing opportunities. The approaching has always been the direct result of both parties being visible, and having something to offer each other.

Tired of waiting for opportunities to fall into your lap? Consider the following three steps:

1. Make yourself as visible as possible.

I often read an excellent piece of fiction online, only to discover said author has no blog, no social media accounts, no nothing. Don’t expect anyone to notice you if there’s nothing to notice.

If you have a blog, what’s on your About page? This is a golden opportunity to show people what you’re all about. In terms of social media, make yourself as visible as possible on a few, well-chosen ones. I mostly use Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. My About page and each of of my social media accounts features a professional headshot and short bio.

Here’s a real-life reason to put some serious thought into your social media bio:

I’m in the midst of a very special project—one that requires me to work with a number of other writers. When looking for potential collaborators, I went through my list of Twitter followers and skimmed their bios. How many writers might have missed out on a great opportunity because little thought had been given to those few lines?

Now, just imagine that instead of me, it was a literary agent or the editor of a big magazine. What would you most want that person to know about you? Busy people tend to skim bios, so consider putting your most important information first.

You might need more than one Twitter account. I have one account for my blogging persona (@Writeitsideways), and another for my fiction writing (@suzannahwindsor). Each bio contains a link to the opposite account, so people who find me through my fiction can discover my blog, and people who find me through my blog can discover my fiction.

Guest posting on a lot of popular blogs over a short period of time is another great way to make yourself more visible. Jeff Goins is a prolific guest poster (he even wrote a guest post for Write It Sideways, once). Lisa Cron, whose book Wired for Story I recently reviewed, has also been popping up everyone in the blogosphere, lately. It’s difficult to not notice writers who use this strategy.

If you want to attract attention online, remember that who you are is just as important to people as what you do. Your headshot and bio/byline work together to give people a little glimpse of both—and hopefully leave them wanting to learn more.

2. Showcase your stuff online.

Even if you don’t blog, at least have a landing page with links to samples of your writing.

Print publications are generally more prestigious than online ones, but you’ll probably get more exposure by linking to your online work (a mixture of both print and online publications is a winning combination). A simple online portfolio can give people a sense of how you write, what you write, and why they might want to work with you.

Even if you’ve never been outrightly published, try to get some short pieces featured on other blogs. If you’re struggling for pieces to showcase, make it your goal to accomplish something worth showcasing. Spend some time polishing a short story or article and try to get it published in a place that offers prestige or exposure—ideally both.

I was recently approached to be an interviewee for a popular blog (details to come), and all because the blogger’s interest was piqued by my published fiction. That probably wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for my online portfolio.

3. Network, network, network.

Networking with more experienced writers, editors, and agents has never been easier thanks to social media and blogging. I’ve had the chance to work with some wonderful writers over the past few years.

One networking strategy is to introduce yourself to others via email. Find a common ground, or read their book and tell them how much you enjoyed it. Offer to do a book review or interview them, or pitch a guest post for their blog. Once that door is open, keep the relationship going on social media, or just by saying ‘Hi’ once in a while.

For the special project I mentioned earlier, I contacted some published writers I’ve connected with in the past, and asked them to pass along some information to any colleagues they thought might be interested. And guess what? The very next day I heard from another published writer who was interested.

Writing conferences are another opportunity to meet writers and get yourself noticed. Living in small-town Australia and having four young children means I’m not presently able to travel to conferences, but it’s something I plan to do in the future. Right now, Anne R. Allen has a great article on the different types of writing conferences.

The more you make yourself visible, the more you grow your portfolio, and the more effort you put into connecting with people in the writing industry, the greater your circle of influence grows.