10 ways to deal with a negative book review
Last night, I got a negative 2-star review. It was titled Have read cook-books written with more elan and aliveness than this travel report/book … . This reader was unhappy with the book. Have you ever had a bad review? Did you get upset? Did you laugh? Even though I know that a book may…
Things to consider when setting up a blog
Have you just written your book and wonder what to know next? I was at that point just six months ago. I had read about how successful bloggers are in driving readers to the website, and I wanted to do the same. Since I had experience with the Internet and even had a personal blog,…
Positive influencers in the indie writing community
One of the lessons I learned while hiking the Camino de Santiago was the importance of community and camaraderie. As I walked over 500 miles in northern Spain, many people crossed my path. Through their kindness and generosity, I learned that what is important in life is giving. Returning home, I joined a new community,…
Five things I learned in the past six months as an indie author
Happy holiday! Whatever are your beliefs and traditions, I hope you that you find today enjoyable. I have double reason to celebrate: today is the six-month anniversary of the release of my first book. Do you recall the excitement you felt the day your book went public? I felt proud of the accomplishment, anxious about…
How to prepare for a successful book signing
Over the past six months I have had several book signings. I love attending these events and meeting my readers, though there is usually little time to chat with them. I love the gala atmosphere, the personal contact, and the actual signing. There is nothing more thrilling than having someone tell you how your book…
The indie author and book clubs
I recently read the post How to Get Your Book Accepted and Read by Book Clubs by Shamontiel Vaughn. Until reading this post, I had not thought about approaching book clubs. It seemed like a good idea, the more people who read the book, the more there would be talking about it. Also, most book club…
The author platform—a long-range career growth tool
If you are like many of us, you have recently published a book. Congratulations! Whether you self-published or went with traditional publication, you now need to market your book. You sent out an email to everyone you know telling them of your accomplishment. Having a little social media savvy, you told everyone on Facebook or…
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…
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.…
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…