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Why Every Malaysian Writer Needs Their Own Website – Stuart Danker

If you’re a writer or author in Malaysia, you need a website. That’s it. Post over. You can leave now.

Oh, you’re still here? Why? Because you want me to explain why? Well then, *gets on high horse* don’t mind if I do.

Look, this post wouldn’t have existed had my Malaysian-writer-friends owned their own websites. In fact, based on my totally credible anecdotal data, only two out of 10 Malaysian writers actually maintain a digital presence of some sort.

These people include copywriters all the way to award-winning journalists. And that’s why this post was born. How are we going to sapot lokal if there’s no Like button to click, am I right?

So without further ado, let’s jump right into this topic.

Why Every Malaysian Writer Needs Their Own Website - A guest post from Stuart Danker

Why do writers need their own website?

Picture this: a potential employer—or even better, a fan—wants to know more about you. They google your name. Maybe they come across your LinkedIn profile, or the rogue article you wrote for a magazine once. But they don’t get a central source of information about you. Now all your potential stalkers get are the grainy photos you took when Friendster was still around.

Compare that to them seeing your personal website as the first search result, replete with your bio, portfolio, and the occasional blog post.

Which do you think feels more welcoming?

I get it. To some of you, it really doesn’t matter as long as you get to write. I hate to burst your bubble but like Kopi Soh mentioned in her post, writing isn’t the only thing involved in the writer’s journey. Who would’ve thought?

Tell you what. I’ll even make it easy for you. Here’s the CliffsNotes version on why you should own a personal website as a writer (especially in this day and age):

  1. You get to look professional online
  2. Your fans will have something to follow, share, and like
  3. Your potential employers and publishers will be able to see that you’ve taken some initiative in the craft
  4. You’ll be able to announce your future books or seminars
  5. You can further build an audience by putting out quality work
  6. You’ll get to collect your audience’s email addresses
  7. You’ll be able to build SEO (which can’t be done without a website)

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

 

Okay, so where do I host my site?

There are tons of platforms for you to choose from. If you’re new to web admin, then I suggest heading over to the likes of Wix or Weebly, where everything’s just drag and drop, but for the purpose of this post, I’m going to highlight my favourite brand, which is WordPress.

Now, if you don’t already own a website and I’ve managed to sell you into starting one, then I highly suggest that you try WordPress, specifically WordPress.com. Do note that there are minor—but very important—distinctions between WordPress.com and WordPress.org.

I don’t want to get all technical and put you off, so here’s the CliffsNotes again:

  • WordPress.org
    • Customise however you want
    • More digital-marketing friendly out of the box
    • Your website is independent, and you won’t need to adhere to any T&Cs
  • WordPress.com
    • Easier to get started (free accounts available)
    • Limited control unless you pay for Business account
    • You are bound by the platform, so they get to dictate what you can or can’t do
    • But you get the WordPress Reader (main benefit of .com)

At first glance, the terms may not seem all that important, especially if you’re new to web building, but you’ll quickly learn that both platforms have very distinct pros and cons that may make or break your online presence.

 

So what are the differences?

If you want the TL;DR, then just remember this: WordPress.org allows for more independence, while WordPress.com is more restrictive but fuss-free.

One of the benefits of having your independence is that you’ll be able to insert any plug-ins you want on your website. So if you want to accept donations, or set up Facebook Pixel, or sell your books, all you’ll need to do is install the appropriate plug-ins or code. You can’t do that on WordPress.com (unless again, you pay for the Business account).

But that doesn’t mean WordPress.com doesn’t have its benefits. By losing a bit of your autonomy, you get access to the WordPress Reader, which is like the Instagram feed of blogging. And with over 409 million people on that platform, imagine the potential traffic you’ll get for each blog post, for free!

So you see, it’s not a cut-and-dried choice between the two. You just need to know your own style of building your internet presence. Do you enjoy advertising on social media and want to keep track of your traffic using Google Analytics? Then WordPress.org is for you.

On the other hand, if you’d like a ready community that would see your posts on their feed, then the .com variant would fit you well. Also, you get to try the platform for free before committing too.

There’s no good or bad here. They’re both different.

And if you’d like a more concrete comparison, Teaspoon Publishing uses WordPress.org, while my website uses WordPress.com.

Also, as a quick aside, WordPress.org costs slightly more on average (MYR16 per month for first billing, MYR60 per month after), while WordPress.com is cheaper initially (MYR16 per month forever, or MYR0 with the Free account). However, WordPress.com’s full functionality is only accessible through the Business Account (MYR100 per month).

And owning your own domain name (like www.yourname.com) will set you back around MYR80 per year.

 

What do I do after owning a website?

Okay, you now have a website to your name. People googling you will have an official page to land on. What’s next?

I’ll tell you. We’ll page Mister Cliff so we can look at his notes:

  • List your details
    This is the bare minimum. You’ll need to list email addresses, social media accounts, your experience, and portfolio. Basically, make it easy for people to learn about you and contact you.
  • Run the blog
    You’ll also need to create content, not just to look good in Google’s eyes (SEO), but also to show your audience that you’re an active personality online. The ghost house syndrome is real. Don’t let your site look like a ghost house.
  • Learn about lead magnets
    Okay, so you have a bare-bones site with your details and content. Now you should start thinking of something you can offer in exchange for emails. Is it a discount on your books? A PDF guide? A free consultation? Believe it or not, newsletters are still totally relevant in 2022.
  • While you’re at it, learn SEO too
    You won’t be able to run SEO efforts without a website. It won’t work if all you have is a Facebook page or an Instagram profile. What SEO is, is the ability to appear on Google when someone searches a relevant term. You want an example? Try searching the terms ‘isbn malaysia’ or ‘smashwords’. You should see Teaspoon Publishing on the first page of Google.
  • Network!
    Just because you build it doesn’t mean people will come. If you’ve opted for WordPress.com, hop onto the Reader and start commenting on others’ blogs. If you’re on WordPress.org, network with the friendly bunch of people in the Malaysian Writers Community group on Facebook. Networking alone (advertising not included) can actually grow your digital presence pretty tremendously. I personally grew my audience on my website purely by networking.

 

Ripe time for Malaysian writers

At the end of the day, what we want is to be discoverable, especially in the Malaysian market. I’m telling you, even famous Malaysian authors haven’t started building their web presence yet, so it’s as good a time as any to start.

And that’s it. The end of the post. For real this time. You can leave now. Seriously. Bye.

 


 

Stuart Danker has bumbled along in the writing industry for almost a decade now. His debut novel Tinhead City, KL was released in 2021, and he’s currently pursuing his passion in fiction (and he’s using the term ‘pursue’ loosely).

How to Publish, Promote, and Remain Sane – A guest post from Kopi Soh

Most people, especially first-time authors, have the misconception that “being published” is the end of the road in an author’s journey—You’ve made it. You have arrived at your destination. Errr.. actually no, you have not arrived. In fact, being published is just one milestone. There are a lot more hurdles that you need to jump over. I have been a self-published author of two self-help books (Oh I thought I was the Only One and Oh I thought I was the Only One 2) and recently, my semi-biographical fiction, Looking After The Ashes, was published by Penguin SEA.

Illustration by Kopi Soh: Image of girl holding Looking after the Ashes book with text "Yaay...I am Published!!!"

Each road has its own challenges. After publishing, I went through a period of almost going insane. Endless googling to find out where (other than Amazon, Book Depository, Shopee, MPH, Kinokuniya, Times) my books were “Available for purchase” and if they had ready stock. The publisher or distributor may provide you with a list of where they intend to send the books to but as the author you need to check if those books are actually available on those sites. If you don’t do this step and you send your readers to a site or bookstore that does not carry ready stock for your books, your readers may end up being extremely frustrated.

Illustration by Kopi Soh: image of girl clicking on her laptop, thinking "where my book?"Then comes the media and social media part: if you don’t promote your own book it may not get the publicity it needs and it may eventually just die out. If you are someone who is not very tech-savvy and not active on social media, it’s time you buck up and learn. Yes, learn Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Goodreads as fast as you can because that’s where books get promoted a lot. Do your research, know who are the bookstagrammers/booktokkers/bloggers in your genre. Reach out to them via email asking if they would do a review for you in exchange for a free copy of the book.

Illustration by Kopi soh: two people surrounded by a cloud of text captioned "So many things to learn"

Grow thicker skin and approach podcasters, bloggers, reporters, or journalists and ask if they would like to interview you and cover your book. Connect with other authors and be generous in your promotion of their books too. Your reach will be far greater if you work together and inter-promote. Do Giveaways if you can in return for Reviews. Approach libraries, universities, and schools offer to do book signings and talks.

Illustration by Kopi Soh: image of girl with face mask holding up a Please sign

Next comes the more insane part that you’ll find yourself doing (well maybe not you but certainly me). I find myself googling daily to see if there’s any media coverage, clicking on Goodreads and Amazon a dozen times a day to see if there are any new reviews, entering random bookstores and pretending to be a customer searching for my own book so that their system will detect that someone is looking for the book and hopefully the bookstores will put in an order, even re-shelving my books (a few copies) to a more prominent place in bookstores. Some authors even go as far as going into bookstores and start signing their own books. Please DO NOT do that—if you truly want to, at least ask permission from the Managers of the bookstores first. Yes, there is that temporary moment of insanity where just like a first-time parent, you wonder if you are doing everything you can to help your newborn thrive.

Illustration by Kopi Soh: Girl in bookstore asking staff, "Ekskew me... Do you have Looking After the Ashes?"

So what’s the solution? How did I stay sane? Well basically, I don’t think there is a solution; many of the things we need to do are necessary evils. I stay sane by pacing myself and taking short breaks from social media. One can easily get obsessive with commenting, posting, and replying to comments. What’s the point of this article? I am writing this to give you a heads up that this may happen to you, to let you know you are not alone, and you are not mad for doing some or perhaps all of the above.

Just remember to BREATHE and PACE yourself. Take a break if you need it.

Illustration by Kopi Soh: Image of girl sitting on a leaf and meditating

Wishing you all the best in your publishing journey and always feel free to contact me (FB/Instagram) should you have any questions.


Kopi Soh is the pseudonym of a Malaysian author and illustrator best known for her book Oh, I Thought I Was The Only One. She founded the Facebook community “Stick It To Me“, a page centred around producing healing art for the sick and needy, and organises a group of volunteers to produce art for hospitals and charities. Her work with “Stick It To Me” was recognized in the Digi WWWOW Awards 2015, winning an award in the Social Gathering category. She also served as the official illustrator for TEDxWeldQuay 2013 and has worked with various nonprofit organizations such as AsPaCC Community Hospice, Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya (PPUM), Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPUKM), Bukit Harapan Orphanage, and Cambodia Water Project.

Find out more about her latest release, Looking After the Ashes, on The Star, Free Malaysia Today, and The Sun Daily

Organising an online book launch

In recent months, we’ve personally been getting several queries about book blog tours and online book launches. After typing up email summaries several times, we’ve decided to just compile all those emails into one post about organising an online book launch!

organising online book launches

There are several ways to do an online book tour, but most of them have to do with bloggers. Bloggers are your friends, if you still know anyone who blogs (you’ll probably find some on KLBAC).

Organising an online book tour/launch is as easy as asking all your family, friends, and random strangers on the internet to host you during launch week (or any random dates you think up). It’s also as difficult as planning launch materials, coordinating dates with the bloggers, or maybe hosting a live Facebook event. There’s a lot of coordinating and networking to do, so it may be best to leave it in the hands of the professionals!

If you’re considering an online book launch, here are several standard posts to consider.

The Cover Reveal

The cover reveal is like a pre-release drip, where you share the cover of the upcoming book plus basic details. This post works best if there are existing fans who are excited about the series, and if there is an ability to pre-order the book. At the bare minimum, post materials should include:

  1. the shiny new book cover (duh!),
  2. the book blurb/description,
  3. pre-order links (you gotta channel that excitement somewhere), and
  4. pre-order sales or promotional announcements (e.g. discounted price for pre-orders, exclusive goodies, additional bonus material, previews, etc)

The Launch Post

Usually posted on the day the book goes on sale, this is a general announcement to say hey the book is now out! Post materials usually include the following:

  1. the book cover,
  2. the book blurb/description,
  3. buy links,
  4. launch promo/sales announcements, if any (e.g if the launch price is only valid for a period before it goes up, discounts on earlier books, etc),
  5. author bio,
  6. author picture,
  7. tour graphics/banner, if any (mainly because pictures make it easier to share & garner interest), and
  8. an excerpt or preview (not too long, preferably an exciting hook from the book).

A Review Post

Reviews would usually be posted on or about the launch week/month. If they’re posted before the launch, resharing these posts will help you build more organic buzz as this is what others are saying about the book instead of you just announcing BUY MY BOOK. Reviews have the most impact 2 weeks before (if you take pre-orders) and 6 weeks after the actual release date (crunch time for a new release).

Review posts are slightly trickier because you need to send a review copy (digital or otherwise) to the reviewer hopefully one to two months before the launch so that they have the time to read and write the review. It’s also tricky because there’s always the chance that the reviewer might not like the book! If you can, politely request the reviewer to also post their reviews to Amazon & Goodreads when your book is available.

Post materials should include:

  1. a review copy to be sent to the reviewer/blogger 1 – 2 months before launch (they shouldn’t be sharing this with anyone else), and
  2. Everything from the launch post (the blogger can then decide what they want to add to the post)

Guest Posts

A guest post is usually an opportunity for you to talk about your writing and/or your book. Some bloggers have a theme for their blog, others keep it open to the authors. If a blogger offers/agrees to host you, check with them if they have a specific topic in mind and if they have word count limits. Post materials would generally include:

  1. A guest post of about 500 – 800 words, and
  2. Everything from the launch post (the blogger can then decide what they want to add to the post)

Author/Character Interviews

This is just a bit of fun to get to know the author better. You can predraft a generic interview with FAQ-type things, but most bloggers would have their own questions to ask the author. Just make sure you have everything from the launch post on hand (especially your book cover and buy links)!

Facebook Live Events

Got a Facebook Page? Schedule a launch event where you invite all the fans on your page, and your newsletter, and random Facebook strangers to listen to you ramble about your book! Some launches use the live facebook video (which can be a scary thing) whilst others use frequent posts concentrated around a few hours on the web. This is a great way to interact with fans (and friends), give out some freebies, or con them into buying your book.

 

Book launches and blog tours can be exciting things… or they can be super dead. It really depends on who’s on your team and who’s excited enough to share your books (and about you) on social media! It’s also really cheap to organise if you’ve already organised your materials, can work out some graphics on Canva, and can work out a simple spreadsheet to coordinate who’s posting what when. Make sure you also share their posts on YOUR social media!