I have a small placard that reads, “Writer at Work: Bystanders will be written into the story.” It’s a fitting tribute to the fact that inspiration and character development can, and often does, come from anywhere.

In my novel, one of the characters has an aversion to sex. It’s a tidbit of backstory that isn’t revealed until the very end of the book and I liked having him juxtaposed with the main character, who happens to be the village whore. I even went to the trouble of borrowing sex therapy books from my counselor in order to craft a better backstory for him.

Ultimately, I returned the books defeated and stuck with what I know: livestock. In my AVS 222 class, Reproduction, Breeding, and Physiology of Lactation, I learned that if a stallion’s first experience is bad, if he falls, is kicked, etc., he will be ruined and never mount again. Apparently, there’s no human equivalent for this, or at least there wasn’t in the books I borrowed from my shrink.

I’m pretty sure the only thing I accomplished with that foray into psychology was convincing my therapist that I have some strange sex hang-up. I’m under the impression that he still doesn’t believe it was research for a book. He also insisted, “There are better ways to get your jollies than reading case studies.” Regardless, we shouldn’t discount psychology when it comes to character development. This is a lesson best learned compliments of the brothers Grimm. Continue reading →

Getting Interviews & Making Waves

A well-placed piece of press can help you reach a wider audience. But how do authors get interviews? Well, it’s not by sitting around and waiting for the media to come knocking.

The best way to expand your reach is to find media outlets in markets you want to target and send them a press release. Press releases inform editors and reporters about items that might be of interest to their readers.

Press Release: Any information sent to the press and/or media outlets is considered a press release.

Media outlets get a lot of press releases, so here are some tips to make yours stand out. And you can breathe easier knowing the resulting interviews will flow smoothly because you’ve prepared everything beforehand. Continue reading →

To start, ask yourself a couple questions.

First: “Do you want your book to sell?”
Second: “Do you want to sell your book?”

These questions illustrate vastly different mindsets. Most authors want their book to sell. Few are willing to actively sell their book.

Self-published means self-promoted. If you want your book to sell, you must sell your book. There is no magic formula that will compel people to hand you cash. Authors need to employ all the same marketing strategies to promote a Kickstarter campaign as they do when promoting their books.

Earlier this year I used proven business skills to successfully launch a Kickstarter that raised over $3,000 for my debut novel in just 30 days. In this post, I share my marketing tips.

Continue reading →

A lot of authors feel lost when it comes to self-publishing. When should they hire a professional? When should they forge ahead alone? And who can they ask for help?

From editing to cover design to marketing your finished book, there’s a lot to consider. Below are 10 steps to self-publishing. Continue reading →

My favorite stories have strong sense of place. I absolutely love when an author pulls you into the story so deeply that you’re startled to find there isn’t six feet of snow outside when you put the book down. This is achieved though worldbuilding.

Most people think worldbuilding is easy. Science fiction and fantasy writers get told it’s easy because they can just make stuff up. Historical fiction writers get told it’s easy because they can just look stuff up. Writers who use contemporary settings are told it’s easy because it’s just the real world, duh. Savvy writers know worldbuilding is anything but easy. Continue reading →

Debut and self-published authors struggle to compete with the thousands of other books published each year. Writing awards come with the feeling of validation that your writing is “good enough.” They are also a marketing tool.

Awards drive sales by catching the eye of new readers and opening doors to new sales opportunities. Many readers and booksellers are skeptical about trying an unknown author. A good way to allay their fears is adding the tagline, “award-winning author.”

If you win an award, don’t be shy—let everyone know! Announce the award in your newsletter and on social media. Post the information on your website and include it in your press kit. Get extra milage out of an award by adding it to your Amazon author page and on GoodReads.

If you don’t enter, you can’t win. Continue reading →

A writer’s first priority is to set aside dedicated time to writing books. Their second priority is to sell those books. Since most writers juggle a day job in addition to caring for family and finding time to write, marketing often falls by the wayside. Yet, marketing information is the most common request I get from authors each year.

When authors think about marketing, often times they envision an advertising campaign that will magically draw people to their book. In reality, marketing encompasses much, much more. Marketing is defined as any activity an author undertakes in order to sell books. Consequently, a good marketing strategy begins the moment an author decides to write a book.

Below is a step-by-step guild that walks authors through the various stages of book marketing and includes a downloadable checklist to keep authors on track. Continue reading →

Every author needs a newsletter. Newsletters get mixed in with blogs, guest articles, and social media posts . . . all things an author must write when they’re not writing a book. If it sounds painful, it shouldn’t. Why? Well, because newsletters are letters. They’re a special way to share your personal life and build connections with readers.

An author newsletter should contain the kind of updates you’d send a favorite cousin. The email format allows authors to be more personal and candid than they would on Facebook or Twitter. It’s the place to open up, be a little vulnerable, and totally authentic because newsletter subscribers truly care about and support the author as a person.

Develop a loyal readership by showing off your personality, sharing stories from workshops, and occasionally including pictures of pets. Don’t turn your emails into a diary. Just give small insights into your personal life and be sure to include something fun. Once readers understand that your newsletter is a conversation, not an incessant one-way sales pitch, they’ll be more engaged and far more likely to open the email. Continue reading →

In order to compete with traditionally published books, many self-publishers choose to found their own publishing houses. Not only does this lend an air of professionalism to their writing endeavors, it serves to separate book publishing activities from personal income, providing a necessary level of legal and financial protection to self-publishers.

America’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) represents a nationwide network of the most comprehensive small business assistance in the United States. Hosted by colleges, universities, state economic development agencies, and private partners, there are nearly 1,000 local centers nationwide. Aspiring indie publishers (and other entrepreneurs) can connect with their local SBDCs for no-cost and low-cost business consulting. While it is entirely possible to establish a publishing house on their own, indie publishers may feel more confident knowing that they have the support of their local SBDC to help guide them through the process. Continue reading →