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 on all the reasons I am thankful. This has been a very good year for me: I wrote and published my first book and started my second. I created this blog to provide strategies and support for the indie author. I have gone on a speaking tour and sold books as a result. I have come a long way, but only with the help of other bloggers and authors. Without them, it would have been a very difficult journey and I would not have come this far. Through this blog, I hope to “pay it back” to others who are on this indie-authors journey. I hope you find my posts helpful.
My 5 most influential bloggers
I have followed many bloggers, as least until I figured out if we were a match or not. The five below have been the most helpful to me. They are listed in the order in which I started to follow them, not in order of most helpful. Theirs are the emails I open first, knowing that, in all probability, I will learn something.
- The Creative Penn Joanna Penn provides resources to help you write, publish, and market your book.
- Firepole Marketing Danny Iny is a “super friendly guy” who has taught me about marketing, engagement, community building, and giving.
- The Publicity Hound Joan Stewart’s email ” The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week.” has simple suggestions that can make a big difference.
- How To Write Shop posts articles on writing and the writing business.
- Jeff Goins, Writer writes about “getting back to the heart of writing — doing it for love of the craft, not accolades or acclaim.”
In addition to bloggers, I have been influenced by experts who promote their wares through webinars and teleconferences. Most of these teaching sessions are free and chock-full of information and advice. I listen to their sales pitch and, after hearing the spiel, decide whether to purchase the book or course they are offering. Except for one webinar, I have been glad to spend the hour or so learning from these experts. I have filled notebooks with advice and lessons and refer back to these notes often. I am grateful for their willingness to share their expertise and for the technology that allows me to participate in these learning experiences. Imagine how difficult it was for upcoming authors a mere ten years ago.
On this day of reflection, for what are you as a writer most grateful? Also, who has been your greatest influencers and why?
