Thanksgiving Gratitude
First of all, Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoy kind moments with family and friends. Thanksgiving ranks as the favorite holiday in my house. Lots of good food and company without the expectations of other holidays. It is a day for sharing the bounty, the food, and friendships. On this day in particular, I reflect…
To write more, conquer the time-suck
With all the distraction in one’s life, is it difficult for you to find the time to write? If you are like most writers, you juggle work, family, book promoting, blogging, and the demands of life in general. Your intentions to sit down and write are illusive; you never manage to put pen to paper.…
Why Pinterest is important to indie authors
Have you converted your personal Pinterest account to a business account? After reading Pinterest Finally Rolls Out Business Accounts: How to Set Yours Up Today, I converted my account. Following the steps outlined in the post, it only took a few minutes. Hopefully, the conversion will lead to benefits that are just as easily implemented.…
Use the Indie Process to hone in on your marketing strategy
Six months ago as I was getting ready to launch the release of my first indie book, I started listening to the “experts,” attending webinars, downloading lots of free tips, reading everything I could about indie publishing, and even sitting in lectures. I now have a spiral notebook full of quotes and suggestions and a…
Separating real from wishful thinking
Last night at Toastmasters, one of the speakers talked about creating a new holiday, Get Real Day. He proposed that on this day people contemplate what is real in their lives versus what is wishful thinking. Sorting out the real, he said, helps one focus on what is important and provides “a filter for our…
Do you feel more like a juggler than an indie writer?
October had so many opportunities to learn that my head is still spinning. Many bloggers talked about the importance of engaging the readers, each offering a number of best practices for doing so. They suggested commenting on other bloggers’ posts (which means you have to read them), posting content multiple times each day—5 to 15…
Indie writing/publishing is analogous to FreeCell
I usually start my day with a game of FreeCell; the challenge helps get my juices flowing . This morning my first moves were critical to winning the game. Luck drew the cards, but with experience and close observation, I easily overcame the odds. It then occurred to me that this game paralleled what was…
Resetting the tally each month is shocking and is KDP Select for me?
On the first of each month, the book publishers reset the tally for books. Each month, I hold my breath waiting for sales to happen. Which publisher will be the first? How long will it take to make this month’s first sale. Will it be sold in Europe (which is ahead of the US by…
Three articles on successfully promoting your book
I’ve been thinking a lot about how to promote Women of the Way, Embracing the Camino. Coincidentally this week, many bloggers are opining on this topic. Behind Closed Doors posts 5 Ways To Successfully Advertise and Market Your Book For FREE or Less Than $6? In her article, E. F. Johnson discusses using KDP Select Free…
Editing books, Twitter headers, and Gravatars
I have just finished revision 3.0 of Women of the Way: Embracing the Camino. The first version was prior to the copy editor’s corrections. I should not have published the book prior to having a professional look at it, but in my rush and naivete (believing that my reviewers would catch the errors), I went…