Dreame Writing Guides

Part 21 How to Gain Followers and Make Them Stay

I. Use a catchy title and blurb could arouse readers’ attention

A. Naming the title of works

1. Create a contrast:

E.g. Her Darkness, His Light; His Greatest Mistake, but My Greatest Treasure

2. Present the specific characters or show their relationship:

E.g. A Slave to the Dragon King; Married with Single Daddy; Fall in my brother’s best-friend

3. Use number to arouse the interest of readers:

E.g. 12 Years a Slave; One Angel for Two Devils; Once Rejected, Twice Desired

4. Employ hot and popular tags:

E.g. Being Loved by My Possessive Alpha; Resisting My Billionaire Husband; A Mute Rejected Mate

5. Give shocks:

E.g. My Sweet Baker is a Street Fighter? ; The Mafia Loves Me...OMG

6. Tease or flirt: 

E.g. Working Under Mr. Black; Touch Me, Honey 

7. Make the title easy to be remembered by resorting to the following methods: 

a. Use as less words as possible 

b. Avoid not commonly-used words

c. Use rhythm; e.g. Double Trouble with Terrible Twins

B. Naming the title of chapters

1. Give a summary of the most important information of a chapter and use exclamation or question mark if needed

E.g. She said yes!

2. Create conflicts or contrasts

E.g. Didn't expect that coming..

3. Leave readers hanging for answers

E.g. Who is there spying on me?

4. Build tension to creep out readers

E.g. 10 seconds to run from getting killed

C. To describe your work with a good blurb

Such blurb normally includes:

1. Some basic and brief information about the main characters or story line, such as their names, occupations, personality, traits, etc.

E.g. Marrying The CEO by Kimi L Davis

Alice Gardner was a hardworking woman who was scraping the bottom of the barrel. Despite wanting to enjoy life, Alice was stuck working two low paying jobs in order to earn money for her little brother's surgery, but to no avail. Alice needed money and she needed it fast. Otherwise, she would lose her brother. So when a once in lifetime opportunity presents itself in a form of a newspaper advertisement, Alice jumps at the chance.

Gideon Maslow is the owner of the world biggest business empire, Maslow Enterprises. He is ruthless and had the power to destroy anyone with just a snap of his fingers. In his circle, he is regarded as Dark Royalty. Despite having everything, what he wanted was an heir, who would inherit his empire when the time came. So he holds interviews in order to find the perfect wife who is going to give him an heir. 

When Alice leaves Maslow Enterprises, she thinks that she won't ever see Gideon Maslow ever again, but her beliefs are shattered when she sees Gideon again and realizes that Gideon Maslow has no intention of letting her go.

2. An introduction of the setting to place readers in that era or imply the background or keynote of the story.

E.g. A Slave to the Dragon King by DragonRider4

The Kingdom of Ignis Draconis. Former Kingdom of Surrexit autem et Leonem. A very powerful kingdom. A kingdom known for three things. The first, a reputation of nearly perfect combat. The second, a secret weapon. A weapon so powerful that it is only known to army of the kingdom. A weapon which gives the kingdom an advantage on the battlefield. The third, a feud of which has been going on for the past six years. How can one girl earn her freedom in her life of servitude? And what is the secret that the kingdom is hiding?

E.g. A Mute Rejected Mate by Twilight27

Lucy Mason didn't ask for her parents to be killed. She wasn't expecting it to happen, let alone being accused for killing them.

Over the years, Lucy is consumed with sadness, but still remains as strong as she can.

That is until the new alpha Xavier Black turns out to be her mate. He gives her one glance of disgust before rejecting her. 

Lucy, heartbroken, finally has enough. 

She doesn't run away. She just gives up leaving her in a coma. 

When she wakes up, nobody was expecting the defiant, back-talking girl they abused for years

To give up her voice and become mute.

3. Some highlights of the plot that distinguish your work from others, such as typical conflict between the main characters; questions or cliffhangers that would make readers want to know what happens next

E.g. His Purchased Wife by Vrinda.B

Emily, a very kind hearted twenty two year old girl, who has just graduated from the college. She lost her parents at a young age of ten and then she lost her property to her uncle and aunt who now treat her as the maid of the house.

As if life hadn’t snatched enough from her, that she lost her only dream when her uncle sold her to be the wife of a heartless man.

Emily’s life took a huge turn when she became ‘His Purchased Wife.’

LK in the business world is short for Liam Knight. A Heartthrob king, who has achieved a lot of fame and controversies at a young age of twenty four. An egoistic hunk who will purchase Emily just to satisfy his ego and to take revenge from her.

Hiding a big secret from others.

Will Emily and Liam fall in love? 

Why is Emily being purchased by Liam?

What’s Liam’s secret?

To know the answer, give it a read and follow this book.

E.g. His Mate And His Mistress by Irtania Adrien

"Please Demitrey, reject me, let me go and you can be with Serena forever, I can tell that you want her, and you hate me, so just do us both a favor." She begged tears streaming down her face.

So she wanted to leave me? I bet its for another man. Well over my f*****g dead body.

"I don't think so Adelina, you're not leaving, and just for speaking such words, YOU WILL BE PUNISHED!"

4. The length of blurb could be keep within 200-500 words.

Try to use short sentence instead of long sentences. The meaning of short sentences is simple and concentrated. For many readers, it's easy to read.

Also, if blurb is too short, readers cannot know what the story is going on. If blurb is too long to inform the detailed plot, readers will be easy to lost interest of the story. 

Tip: You can also use a well-written extract from your work to indirectly give readers the information mentioned above. 

II. Take advantage of “Author’s Note”

You can take advantage of the “Author’s note” to interact with your readers especially you just have started writing a new story or your work is ready to be list in the “Pay-to-Read” program. This will help increase readers’ affection towards it. 

What you can write in the “Author’s note”:

1. Solicitation: You can ask around readers who would like his/her name to be in the story or your next story.

2. Easter egg: You can add sweet plot and some humorous scenes between female and male protagonists, or some clues related to the next chapters.

3. Holiday Greetings: You can write blessing words to readers in some festivals or weekends.

4. Notice of “Pay-to-Read”: You could leave notice in the newest chapter to inform your readers your new story is about to be listed in the “Pay-to-Read” program. 

E.g. “Some chapters from 15th chapter will be on pay to read list tomorrow. Hope you guys will continue to support my book.”

5. Notice of updating chapters: You could also leave messages to inform your readers that you will update more chapters 

E.g.“ I will update 2 chapters tomorrow, would you like to know the new process between heroine and hero? Stay tuned.”

6. Forecast of story content: To tell your readers there is 18+ and erotic content in the next chapter. 

7. Discuss story plot with readers: You could initiate discussion with readers about story plot, which will arouse their reading interest. 

E.g. “ What do you think of the new process of plot? Any ideas? I am looking forward to your comments.”

                                                                                                                                                                             BY Aura