We live in an online world whether you like it or not. It’s far easier to send an email than to send a letter. As an author, who often get asked by those who don’t have an email or website and sometimes… no computer, if it’s important to get online, the simple answer is, yes.

Being online can help authors in so many ways, so we thought it may be helpful to name a few!

• Emailing your publishing house/contacts: Some things require very quick answers. Examples of this could be a busy bookshop that have offered a signing or a radio station that has a free spot. A lot of the time they need to fill this space up within the same day, so replying to your marketing coordinator or agent is very important. Having an email can simplify this process and make it all come together smoothly.
• Book Bloggers: Many book blogger, if not all, are online. To get in contact they often only provide email addresses. So, get one!
• Author Websites: Having an author website is a great reference point. It’s great to add in at the end of your email as a signature and good for press releases too! It will give an insight into yourself and your book and make your chances of sales and opportunities skyrocket!
• Social media: One of the best tools for promotion is social media. So having an Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for yourself as an author or even just for your book is fantastic, speaking from experience – authors who are active on social media always do better.
• Submissions: We are still asked again and again if it’s okay to send work by post. The answer is always, yes – but we would prefer an email or submission via the online form. It gets to us in seconds. There’s no chance of losing post. It’s free (no postage costs) and, if accepted, will not require any typing so it will make the entire publishing process a lot faster for both parties.

So there are a few reasons why being online can be extremely helpful as an author. If you haven’t got an email address, get one!