So, continuing from last time, how did my favorite authors use social media to get published?  Well, lots of ways.

First and foremost they ignored the hysterical screams of the entrenched New York publishing glitterati and just got their work out there.  They recorded their books as audio novels and gave them out for free via Podiobooks.com. They did podcasts discussing the writing process and put them out for free.  They blogged.  They posted on other author's blogs.  They Tweeted and Facebooked.  They did interviews on amateur podcast shows about emerging authors.

Yep - they decided to build a fan base first by getting people jazzed about their work for free.  Customers first - crazy, huh?  Then they went to make a living on it.  When they published work that you had to pay for they had a built in audience. People (like me) bought the books even though they'd heard the novels in audio form.

And guess what they maintained? Way more control of their work and how it gets out there.

I encourage anyone interested in this new media to check out all three authors' websites.  Also, you really need to buy their books.  Now.  I mean it.  They are great books.

• JC Hutchins:  Buy the amazing book 7th Son.  I can't say enough good things about it.
• Scott Sigler: Buy what you like here. I loved Ancestor, but they're all great.
• Mur Lafferty: Get Playing For Keeps, a thoroughly original super hero novel.  And subscribe to her awesome I Should Be Writing podcast.  You'll love Mur as much as I do,

Or check them out the way I did at first - their free audio stuff.  Go to Podiobooks.comand search on their names - its all good.  Mur's Heaven series is wonderful, Sigler's Earthcore is gripping, and JC's 7th Son may be the best audio novel I've ever heard.  They guy does 10+ separate voices - amazing.

Anyhoo, this is the new way to do it.  These people have worked out the kinks.  We get to follow in their footsteps.  Good times!

Next up: So What's The New Media Process?