Tag: writing tips

elizabeth speaks, Goals, in your corner, Uncategorized, Writing

In Your Corner : Summer Goals (Pt 2)

A Question of Energy

Last week, I started this blog series on summer goals by revealing mine (to write, and to structure my writing … loosely at least).  Everyone has different needs and goals in the summer, however, because every author’s life looks radically different from the next person’s.  One thing remains constant, however:

It takes energy to write.

And in the summertime, that energy is a complicated thing to channel.  On the one hand, the days are longer.  More daylight means more time to write (or the illusion of more time) because there are more hours in the day to take care of the basic what-have-yous of summer life, including mowing the lawn and going for an evening ramble through the neighborhood.  More time outside in that daylight equates to more Vitamin D (or so my family doctor tells me), and more Vitamin D means an uptick in mood and–you guessed it–energy!

welding energy

So far, so good.

But there’s trouble in paradise.  (There always is.  Ask John Milton.)  Just because we have more energy and (the illusion of) more time in summer, we also have an increase in demands.  You heard me: the myth of a languid summer is one we absorb from a literary canon in which people go for long vacations, long walks on the beach, languid soaks in the hot tub, or whatever else they can dream up.  The problem with this is: most of us have to work.  The world looked a little different when we were still in school (and when resumes for college didn’t mandate packing our high school schedules with summer programs), and the world still looks rather different for people of means.  But the fact of the matter is, most self-publishing authors aren’t middle schoolers or millionaires.

Statistically speaking, most self-publishing authors (that we know of, at least) are of an age and demographic that they both work and have families to wrangle.  And while jobs are as diverse as the people who work them, I can safely say that my own job is busiest in summer–by far.  And with school out for the summer, wrangling kids to and from various social activities, sporting events, and so forth occupies a lot of my (supposedly languorous) time.

I guess what I’m trying to say is this:

Protect Your Time. Treat Energy as a Finite, Precious Resource.

What does your energy budget look like?  When are you at your absolute best?  That’s the time you want to set aside to write.  For me, it’s the early morning hours.  Now, I know my basic instinct is to try and knock out everything on my to-do list first thing as soon as I wake up, to leave “more time for things I love later,” but the problems with this theory are that–

  1. the to-do list never ends;
  2. I burn myself out by midday; and
  3. I never feel like starting something new at the end of the day, when everything is quiet at last.

If I’m not careful, my best hours are over and gone before I know it.  Even worse, if I start prioritizing a to-do list instead of my writing, I end up being not much of a writer.  Luckily, my family understands this and they want to support me in my writing, so every evening as we negotiate the details for the next day, we make sure to set aside a little time first thing in the morning for me to do the thing I love–so that I can better be the person they love (and let’s face it, be a more happy and loving person in general).  I also have to remember that sleeping and eating well are vital components to feeling well and retaining energy throughout the day.  I know we all feel the pull towards strong coffee and starch after the lunch hour when our blood sugar is crashing–but I’m here to tell you we can do better, together.  More on that later!

You are not alone. ♣︎

ElizabethABOUT ELIZABETH JAVOR: With over 18 years of experience in sales and management, Elizabeth Javor works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable publishing consultants, pre-production specialists, customer service reps and book marketing specialists; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Elizabeth Javor can put you on the right path.
Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized

Conversations: 4/22/2016

THE MUSIC OF WORDS part FOUR

 

Okay…you enjoy writing poetry. When the thoughts and words are flowing onto the page you’re having FUN! Then the ideas seem to dry up. No one finds these moments, days, or weeks enjoyable. SO what to do? Over the years I’ve heard multiple responses to this question and have shared many of them in previous blogs. However, I don’t believe I’ve talked about the concept of looking to your monthly calendar page. Now, I know that sounds weird, and I thought it was too when I first heard it. Here is explanation I received.

Whatever month you’re residing in at the time, open a web-search with the words: January (February, March, etc.) holidays and events. The topics you find there will definitely bring laughter into your voice and provide just the inspiration you need to bounce back into writing. Since this is the month of April, here are a few topics to consider—and research.

  • National Humor Month: WHO is (or has been) your favorite humorist? I have two—Red Skelton and Robin Williams. Their biographies and viewing YouTube clips of their work will definitely inspire.

 

  • International Guitar Month: Have you ever been to a café-poetry-reading session when the background sounds are beautiful guitar music? This is an environment where the music of words really explodes.
  • Keep America Beautiful Month: Most of us have yearly calendars that show us the beauty of our country. There are also amazing websites that offer photographs galore from photographers past and present that display unique “corners” of our beautiful America. Combining visual inspiration with guitar melodies will definitely set the stage for your next poem and/or series of poems.
  • April 27th is National Tell A Story Day: Although this tradition started in Scotland and the UK, folks in the U.S. quickly adopted it. Poetry-storytelling is quite popular around the world and it doesn’t matter if it’s a fiction you created, or folklore, or a true story. Libraries celebrate this day by inviting storytellers to come and tell their stories. This is a great way to get your poetry books before the listening public.
  • The last Friday in April is National Arbor Day: Celebrated since 1872, it began in the flatlands of Nebraska and is focused on helping our natural environment thrive. Millions of trees are planted on this day—by thousands of outdoor and family groups. Participating and observing these activities can certainly be inspiring. However, what a great environment to bring a cooler of drinks to share and then share some of your poetry (maybe about trees) with these hard working tree planters. Did you know that the Latin word for tree is arbor? There’s another bit of trivia to inspire you.

arbor day

The poets I know who have used this method to trigger writing ideas have really enjoyed it. I hope you will too. And remember—NEVER STOP WRITING. You have the heart and soul of someone who sees things differently than the average writer. What you give to the world is irreplaceable! So, once you’ve completed a collection of your work, PUBLISH! ⚓︎

RoyaleneABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene has been writing something since before kindergarten days and continues to love the process. Through her small business—DOYLE WRITING SERVICES—she brings more than 40 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their projects. This is a nice fit as she develops these blogs for Outskirts Press (OP) a leading self-publisher, and occasionally accepts a ghostwriting project from one of their clients. Her recent book release (with OP) titled FIREPROOF PROVERBS, A Writer’s Study of Words, is already receiving excellent reviews including several professional writer’s endorsements given on the book’s back cover.  

Royalene’s writing experience grew through a wide variety of positions from Office Manager and Administrative Assistant to Teacher of Literature and Advanced Writing courses and editor/writer for an International Christian ministry. Her willingness to listen to struggling authors, learn their goals and expectations and discern their writing voice has brought many manuscripts into the published books arena.
Advocacy in Self-Publishing, elizabeth speaks, in your corner, Uncategorized

In Your Corner : Celebrate National Reading Month With These Marketing Tips! (part three)

Two weeks ago, I started us off on a month-long exploration of one of my favorite subjects: the intersection of reading with writing and publishing, a journey that I continued last week in honor of National Reading Awareness Month.  I said it then but I think this bears repeating: here at Self-Publishing Advisor, we love the fact that there’s an entire month devoted to celebrating the written word–as well as the ways in which we can spread the joy of literacy–and so I would like to invite you to continue joining me in making reading a focus all month long, here in our Thursday blog post slot.  How am I going about that?  Well, for starters, I’m running down my go-to list of tips and tricks for the new and ingenue self-publishing author.  This week, I’ll be starting with …

 

TIP EIGHT : Craft a “keep in touch” plan

Last week, we examined the benefits to putting together an active mailing list and/or using a Facebook group to keep in touch with your readers through direct messaging.  But what’s next?  Once you have put together your active mailing list, you’ll need to decide how you want to keep in touch.  And by “how,” I’m talking about the content and quality of your communication, not just the platform.  One thing is absolutely, unarguably true: over-sharing can prove more toxic to your message than bad grammar and condescension put together.  I highly recommend that you find a reasonable frequency–for example, a monthly newsletter–to touch base with your readers.  You can write about topics related to the genre of your book or other similar books that you think your readers would enjoy, or you can stick to more of a “behind-the-scenes” glimpse into your writing process, if you feel like you have enough to share without spoiling the reading experience itself.  If you plan on publishing multiple books–say, in a series–your followers would no doubt love updates on the status of each upcoming book, the research you’re doing or interesting things you’ve discovered during the writing process.  Give them just enough to whet their appetite, but not so much that they feel like they have to sift through an essay to find the important facts!

keep in touch

TIP NINE : Go to the Press

And by that, I mean: It’s time to start thinking about putting out a press release.  Any time you have important news to share about your book–such as announcing its publication, the advent of a book signing event, or spreading the news about an award it has won– you should definitely look to your local newspapers, radio stations, and other media sources … but this shouldn’t preclude you from looking further afield, to national media outlets and popular blog sites, for example.  You can use online press release distribution sites or try contacting your local newspaper as a first step, and if you’re working with a hybrid or full-service self-publishing company you should definitely check out their list of marketing options.

press release

TIP TEN : Get your next manuscript off the drawing board

Hollywood scriptwriters and directors often talk about “development hell,” but this term isn’t the exclusive property of the rich and/or famous: it applies to authors of all kinds, too!  We all know the dangers and struggles facing us in the form of the dreaded Writer’s Block, so if you’re ready to start publishing–or you’re getting close–you should definitely try to give yourself the necessary kick in the pants necessary to put the finishing touches on your manuscript and start the publication process today.  Delay hurts no one more than you, and that’s the truth!  Many companies offer publishing packages or offer the services of a Publishing Consultant to assist with this process, and sometimes a little help really is necessary.  There’s no shame in turning to a professional for help if it means your book gets off of the drawing board and into the hands of your readers!

drawing board

TIP ELEVEN : The book must be blogged!

An oft-overlooked component of a successful marketing strategy is the beloved book blogger.  We love them, we read their posts, but we don’t often think of them as partners in our journey to publication.  But they are!  They really, most definitely, can give your book a boost in visibility.  So, my last tip is more of a suggestion, really: Find those book bloggers you need to increase the exposure to your book.  Check out websites such as BookBloggerList.com to find bloggers interested in the genre of your book, and look to the book bloggers you personally admire and find readable.  Find out which bloggers would be open to reading and reviewing your book and contact them–or vice versa.  You might even get a link to your website or your Amazon book page out of it!

I’ll be back next week with some more tips!  And …

… always remember: you are not alone. ♣︎

ElizabethABOUT ELIZABETH JAVOR: With over 18 years of experience in sales and management, Elizabeth Javor works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable publishing consultants, pre-production specialists, customer service reps and book marketing specialists; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Elizabeth Javor can put you on the right path.
elizabeth speaks, in your corner, Uncategorized, Writing

In Your Corner : Celebrate National Reading Month With These Marketing Tips! (part two)

Last week, I started us off on a month-long exploration of one of my favorite subjects: the intersection of reading with writing and publishing!  It’s almost too easy, given that March is National Reading Awareness Month, too.  And as I said last month: here at Self-Publishing Advisor, we love the fact that there’s an entire month devoted to celebrating the written word–as well as the ways in which we can spread the joy of literacy–and I would like to invite you to continue joining me in making reading a focus all month long, here in our Thursday blog post slot.  

 

March may not typically be a month you think of to get started on a major project, or finish pushing said project through the publishing pipeline, but really, there’s no better time: the weather is getting warmer but where I live it’s still quite slushy and prohibitive to long road trips––perfect!  I always try to make use of this halfway-survivable weather to knock out some major projects while also taking some short local expeditions to my favorite spots in order to shake off the winter blues.

Sometimes, however, especially when I’m bouncing back from the Winter Blues, I find myself searching around a bit for a good starting point, or a way to pick back up the threads I dropped before the holiday frenzy set in, and before I got wrapped up in everything that follows (sending kids off to school, dealing with tax season, and so on).  So, I did a little brainstorming and came up with some more tips for kicking things back into gear, and making good on the potential promised by such an ambitious theme as National Reading Awareness Month!  (You can read my first four tips here.)

TIP FIVE : Ask for book reviews  

Research has shown that positive reviews makes a book sell better.  In fact, reviews written by people who have read your book often carry more weight than reviews by recognized experts!  Just think: the last time you went hunting for a new book to read, which held the most weight for you?  The blurb on the back cover?  Celebrity endorsements?  A four or five-star review on Goodreads and Amazon?  A really thorough and useful review on one of those sites?  Or word-of-mouth recommendation?  Most people would rank these metrics in reverse order, with one notable exception: a high star rating on Amazon and Goodreads is a defining factor between those people who click through to read reviews and those who keep scrolling on by.

So how do you get reviews?  We’ve written about them before here on Self-Publishing Advisor (here, for example) but in summary: be proactive.  Very few authors can rely on reviewers coming to them!  There are plenty of ways to drive book reviews, but the most important ones include offering giveaways in exchange for reviews, soliciting reviewers through easily-googled book review index websites, and simply asking for them.  You can ask for reviews even before your book is published by offering to send the reviewer a digital copy of your book.  The key to all of these interactions is not to come off as pushy or fake.  Reviewers tend to respond well to simple requests, either favorably or with regret at not being available.

USA, New Jersey, Jersey City, View across the shelf showing girl (8-9) reading book

TIP SIX: Request peer reviews

Remember how effective word-of-mouth recommendations are?  Well, another way to get the review ball rolling is to ask friends who have already read your manuscript to write a review.  Because they have a personal connection with you, the author, they’re far more likely to do so––and far more likely to become advocates for your book––if you ask them to take on official review duties.  Since writing these reviews can be time-consuming and they may suffer low confidence if they’ve had little or no review-writing experience, you might have a couple of really good sample reviews (of your book or someone else’s) on hand for them to look at.  That way, they’ll know some of the standard language used in reviews, and also get a sense for how diverse and unique each review can be!  The point of asking your peers to review your book is to get little pops of personality bleeding through the pixels of your Amazon book page––readers love the authenticity of a person who admits a real human connection to an author, and speaks honestly from that privileged position, with all the insight into the book’s backstory that they’re now privy to. 

Businessmen working together
TIP SEVEN : Create a mailing list or Facebook group  

Last but not least––for this week, anyway––you should actively seek out readers who might be interested in reading your book.  You are probably already doing this at both personal or professional meetings as well as at conferences, book club meetings, your kids’ Mother Goose sessions at the library, and so on.  The next step is to turn these casual conversations into something a bit more structured and organized; ask if you can send these potential new readers information about your book, then add them to your mailing list.  You can use the built-in mailing list features in desktop-based versions of Microsoft Outlook, or you can look to the Cloud and to web-based softwares like MailChimp.  I don’t necessarily think of social media as a substitution for these valuable programs, but you should also consider creating a Facebook group in addition to your mailing list, and take full advantage of the intersectionality of that platform––through Facebook alone, you can schedule events, send private messages and post public announcements, upload pictures, and find new readers.  Well worth a little exploration, I think!

Small Business Revolution - Bluegrass Youth Ballet

I’ll be back next week with some more tips!  And …

… always remember: you are not alone. ♣︎

ElizabethABOUT ELIZABETH JAVOR: With over 18 years of experience in sales and management, Elizabeth Javor works as the Manager of Author Services for Outskirts Press. The Author Services Department is composed of knowledgeable publishing consultants, pre-production specialists, customer service reps and book marketing specialists; together, they all focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process to help them publish the book of their dreams. Whether you are a professional looking to take your career to the next level with platform-driven non-fiction or a novelist seeking fame, fortune, and/or personal fulfillment, Elizabeth Javor can put you on the right path.

 

 

Conversations with a Self-Publishing Writer, Royalene Speaks, Uncategorized, Writing

Conversations: 2/19/2016

IMPASSIONED LITTLE PIECES

A year ago this week, one of my very, very best friends (yes, I know, it’s not quality writing to use the word very, let alone use it twice; but the truth of it stands as is) passed from this earth.  She was one of the people I consider to be an extraordinary writer; one who could write with great passion and empathy whether she was developing a children’s novel, poetry, or creating magazine articles.  Her gift of writing extended beyond the written page as she used those intricate, intuitive skills to bring out the best in all the people she knew—whether writer or not.

I will give my friend the name Suzy, so this will read more smoothly.

Suzy never wanted to stop learning.  This desire sent her back to school in later adult years, where she graduated from college the same year as one of her sons.  Of course, her favorite class assignment was writing essays, and she was often acknowledged for the excellent work.

This love and passion for writing was what drew both Suzy and me to the same Creative Writing summer class which eventually spun itself into the cocoon of our own monthly writer’s workshop.  We both fed off the high energy of our eclectic group of writers.  When we organized weekend retreats (once or twice a year), the many hours of critique and work sessions inspired us for weeks and months to come.

writing at desk

Over these many years, being privileged to know numerous writers, I’ve developed a great appreciation in the uniqueness of each individual.  But it was Suzy who taught me how to listen to their writing voices and see their unique perspectives—ideas that they were passionate about. Yet, not matter how many manuscript pages a writer produces, IF THEY DON’T PUBLISH, their voice—their perspective—their passion—won’t reach beyond the few people in their daily lives.  The writer must become the author who releases their work to the world.

Much of Suzy’s work has been published, especially in her magazine editorial years.  But she always returned to her prose writing.  At one point, Suzy became a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers which helped her hone writing techniques for this specific genre.  One story in particular carried such intensity of emotion, woven with the power of colliding circumstances, that I have not forgotten it—in all these years.  The characters were alive and the workable resolutions were clearly inspiring to all of us who were privileged to read the manuscript.  However, she never published that novel.

So it is that I dedicate my writings today—in honor of my very, very best friend Suzy—and to all those writers out there who are holding tightly to a manuscript that needs to see the light of day.  Don’t hold back!  If you need help to complete it, call a writing friend, join an active workshop, or find a ghostwriter who shares the passion for your topic, and GET IT PUBLISHED! ⚓︎

RoyaleneABOUT ROYALENE DOYLE: Royalene has been writing something since before kindergarten days and continues to love the process. Through her small business—DOYLE WRITING SERVICES—she brings more than 40 years of writing experience to authors who need “just a little assistance” with completing their projects. This is a nice fit as she develops these blogs for Outskirts Press (OP) a leading self-publisher, and occasionally accepts a ghostwriting project from one of their clients. Her recent book release (with OP) titled FIREPROOF PROVERBS, A Writer’s Study of Words, is already receiving excellent reviews including several professional writer’s endorsements given on the book’s back cover.  

Royalene’s writing experience grew through a wide variety of positions from Office Manager and Administrative Assistant to Teacher of Literature and Advanced Writing courses and editor/writer for an International Christian ministry. Her willingness to listen to struggling authors, learn their goals and expectations and discern their writing voice has brought many manuscripts into the published books arena.