Tips: How to Leave Digital Breadcrumbs by Guest @LolaAkinmade

“We are like Hansel and Gretel, leaving bread crumbs of our personal information everywhere we travel through the digital woods.”…Gary Kovacs

The last few months have been rather surreal workwise and I will share a Latest News & Updates post soon but there’s something that has been on my mind the last few weeks surrounding my LAGOM Book.

We’re now up to 17 language editions (!) and I thought I just spotted a Ukrainian version recently on Instagram? I still haven’t found the right words to express the gratitude I feel for catching this wave at the right moment when it crested.

But I digress…

The number one question I get surrounding the book is how I got a major publisher.

People are curious about my proposal and pitching process. How did I land that specific publisher? Do I have an agent? (No, by the way). How did I get on their radar? Especially people who are coming across my work for the first time, or have lived in Sweden much longer than my eight years here.

Why Did I Get to Write About Lagom?

This got me thinking about Hansel and Gretel and their trail of breadcrumbs which they left so they could be found. And more importantly, to be found by the right person.

You see, I didn’t do any of the traditional things when it came to publishing. The pitching, the book proposal, the chasing this time around.

The publisher found me because I had left them virtual breadcrumbs.

My beat is exploring culture through food, tradition, and lifestyle. I have been writing about Sweden for over a decade for several high-profile publications. I contribute to Sweden’s official website and have written some of their most viral stories to date on Swedish culture. I contribute images to Sweden’s official image bank and was their photoblogger for many years, crisscrossing the country. I’ve written deep reflective pieces on Swedish culture and I’ve written more light-hearted pieces as well. I also happen to run an editorial site dedicated to exploring my stunning city called Slow Travel Stockholm.

Plus, my signature piece on Lagom for Roads & Kingdoms/Slate called “The Silence of the Swedes,” which I wrote 4-5 years ago before it ever became a trend has been quoted in several articles this year.

That was the final breadcrumb that led the publisher to me.

And the timing couldn’t be more perfect.

Tips: How to Leave Digital Breadcrumbs by guest @LolaAkinmade via @BadRedheadMedia and @NaNoProMo #DigitalBreadcrumbs #breadcrumbs

My relationship with Sweden is deep, raw and complex. Like lovers who throw things at each other only to find themselves in each other’s heated embrace the very next second.

You see, what we deem as success never happens overnight. There are often decades of preparation, daily toil, and unrelenting passion that go into doing what we love and potentially making it our career as well. We never go it alone either as we often have friends and family members who fully believe in us and support us beyond words but with tangible actions that make a huge difference too.

We have those special contacts who say our names in important rooms when we’re not physically there.

Like an artist working fervently on a piece, leaving dabs of paint here and there, splashing paint in their wake, on their clothes, on their walls. Those are their own breadcrumbs. Those symbols and signs that let us know a passionate artist resides there.

In essence, my whole writing career, one in which I proactively advocate having a clear niche too, has been a virtual book proposal strewn all across the internet as breadcrumbs.

The publisher only had to follow those breadcrumbs… pages in my virtual proposal… to find me.

Tips – How to Leave Digital Breadcrumbs

Here are some of my tips as you begin your journey of leaving a digital trail connected to the work or subject matter you want to be known for:

  1. First of all, pick a subject matter you are passionate about. The more interested you are in a topic, the easier it is to write about it with authority.
  2. Register social media accounts linked to that subject matter if you have the bandwidth to do so. For example, I run Slow Travel Stockholm and want to be known as an expert when it comes to exploring Stockholm. So, I registered @SlowStockholm across Twitter, Instagram and on Facebook. Same with my LAGOM Book and securing @LagomBook across social media. There are at least 12 other Lagom books on the market but only one with its own social media accounts… mine!
  3. Write for high profile publications on the subject matter. This will begin to secure credibility for you as a strong voice on that subject matter across various platforms.
  4. Find opportunities to connect with other writers and bloggers who have a larger web presence. You can offer guest posts on your subject matter for their blogs, get interviewed on their podcasts, participate in a takeover of their channels, to name a few opportunities.
  5. Be consistent when it comes to sharing information about your subject matter. The more you write about it, the more content is out there tied to your name via Google.
  6. Always include your subject matter expertise as part of your bio and bylines when writing about it.
  7. Above all, remember to have fun and keep reminding yourself why you were interested in this particular subject in the first place.

Long Story Short

My advice is to leave a trail of work you love and are proud of. In small corners and in unlikely places. Leave specific breadcrumbs, not generic ones, because it will lead the right relationships to you.

Lola-Akinmade-LAGOM-cover

Lagom: The Swedish Secret of Living Well by Lola A. Åkerström

…the Swedish way to happiness based on the idea of not too much, not too little.Lagom is not just a word but the very essence of what it means to be a Swede. …Lagom teaches you to strive for the ultimate balance in all aspects of your existence, including well-being, relationships, work, finances, diet, and home life.

rocket

THE GIVEAWAY

One print copy of Lagom: The Swedish Secret of Living Well

“Embrace the Swedish Way to Balance and Happiness”

Tips: How to Leave Digital Breadcrumbs by guest @LolaAkinmade via @BadRedheadMedia and @NaNoProMo #DigitalBreadcrumbs #breadcrumbs

Want to win this giveaway? Simply leave a comment WHY below!

All comments must be left prior to midnight on Friday, May 31st, 2019 in order to be eligible to win. Winners for the week announced on Saturday, June 1st.

Good luck!

Lolá Akinmade Åkerström

Lola-Akinmade-Akerstrom-August-2018-009

Born in Nigeria. Educated in the United States. Based in Sweden.

My photography and travel writing are often characterized by vibrancy and hope. I graduated with a Masters (MSc) degree in Information Systems from the University of Maryland with a minor in Geography. I specialized in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for 12+ years and my affinity for the geosciences and maps meant I was born to travel.

Recipient of the 2018 Travel Photographer of the Year Bill Muster Award

In addition to contributing to several travel books, I am the author of the following books:

I have recently signed on to be represented by Craig Literary

My photography is represented by National Geographic Image Collection; and I have been recognized with multiple awards for my work. I was honored with a MIPAD 100 (Most Influential People of African Descent) Award within media and culture in 2018.

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9 Comments

  1. Raiscara Avalon on May 23, 2019 at 5:34 am

    Hmm, very interesting idea. I’ve been doing somewhat of the exact opposite in recent years…pulling things in instead. Lagom sounds like an interesting concept, I’d love to read the book!

  2. Lexi on May 23, 2019 at 9:32 am

    I have absolutely no idea what Lagom is, but your breadcrumbs analogy from finding a publisher is great!

  3. Cathy Parker on May 23, 2019 at 1:11 pm

    Love the article – Ms Akinmade Ackerstrom has a beautiful writing style which comes through even in this short post. For that reason and because my life definitely could use a better balance, I would love to read the book

  4. Justin Bienvenue on May 23, 2019 at 2:03 pm

    What a fun and pleasant article! I enjoy your personal story and I enjoy your tips as they are simple and you don’t have to go out of your way to do them. Go to the right places and in a small way make a name for yourself. In this case leaving breadcrumbs is a perfect example of a little goes a long way.

  5. Monica-Marie Vincent on May 23, 2019 at 3:20 pm

    I will bookmark this article for later. 🙂

  6. V. R. Craft on May 23, 2019 at 8:42 pm

    I’d like to learn more about putting these elements in action.

  7. Denise on May 23, 2019 at 11:29 pm

    I’m super curious about your book, and also my son is beginning to check out colleges with geographic information science programs.
    Peace.

  8. Iola on May 24, 2019 at 3:00 am

    Breadcrumbs are an excellent analogy – thanks for sharing. I love the sound of LAGOM a whole lot better than the current Marie Kondo trend 🙂

  9. Pauline Wiles on May 26, 2019 at 6:05 pm

    Hmm, I really like the advice here to pick a specific niche and to keep showing up. And what a gorgeous image bank Sweden has, too! Congrats on your book, Lolá.

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