Lisa Betz is a writer, blogger, and occasional director who lives in an empty nest perched on a wooded Pennsylvania hillside. She loves to bring characters to life, both on stage and on the page.
Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!
“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”
The Dos and Don’ts of Book Launches with Bethany Jett
Bethany shares her expertise in what we good-naturedly call “drinking-from-the-firehose” presentation that includes tips on building a following on Instagram using ads, focusing on “national days” to soft-sell your book, and planning a long-term strategy. We dabble in related areas such as getting reviews, providing special giveaways for your launch team, and so much more. If you have a book that launches this year or are still in the writing process, this is an episode you’ll want to watch a couple of times.
Watch the May 4th replay.
Bethany Jett, founder of Serious Writer, Inc. and co-owner of Platinum Literary Services, is a multi-published author who launched two books almost simultaneously last year. Additionally, she works with clients to create book proposals that include creative marketing sections and assists clients with their own book launches. You can connect with Bethany on social media or at www.bethanyjett.com
Split Time Fiction with Melanie Dobson and Morgan Tarpley Smith
One of the great things about writing is it never stays the same. In this episode of Writers Chat Melanie and Morgan discuss a relatively new genre, split time fiction (also known as dual time or time slip fiction). They share great ideas on how to bridge the past to the present by using an object like a ring or a book. Fans of this genre love reading about two or more parallel stories taking place in different times. Whether you’re simply curios or have written in this genre before, there’s something for you in this episode.
Watch the May 11th replay.
Melanie Dobson loves any excuse to explore abandoned houses, travel to unique places, and spend hours reading old books and journals. This award-winning author of more than twenty novels enjoys stitching together both time-slip and historical stories including Memories of Glass, Catching the Wind, and her Legacy of Love series. Five of her books—including two Legacy of Love novels—have won Carol Awards for historical fiction. You can connect with Melanie on social media or at www.melaniedobson.com
Morgan Tarpley Smith writes inspirational fiction that transports women to faraway places and weaves past and present to explore questions of truth and faith. Besides writing and traveling to over a dozen countries, her interests include hanging out at coffee shops, listening to records, and researching genealogy. She works as a newspaper reporter and lives in Louisiana with her husband and son. You can connect with Morgan on social media or at www.morgantarpleysmith.com
Join Us
Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133
To put it simply, a marketing copywriter is a person who creates texts to sell products. It can be email messages texts to send them to probable customers, materials for advertising, articles for company websites, or short slogans for TV or radio. In other words, it does not matter what kind of text marketing copywriter delivers, but it does matter how it impacts the company sales volume.
The need for marketing copywriting specialists is huge: there are 3,406 Marketing Copywriter jobs on the Glassdoor site with an average salary of $25-200K per year.
Where to Start
The main must-have skill for a marketing copywriter is the competence to create in readers the desire to act. For instance, to click the Buy button right after reading the text in the company blog, or to visit the company website after hearing the advertising slogan on TV. Therefore, a proficient marketing copywriter knows how to make entertaining content and understands how it will impact readers.
So, if you are interested in a marketing copywriting career, you should find out more about marketing strategies and PR. It will be not enough just to catch the main trends or tricks for marketing copy. Still, since selling is very connected with human emotions and behavior, it will be incredibly useful to study a bit of psychology.
Also, you must not forget about writing skills themselves. Although a marketing copywriter sells products, his or her tool for doing so is words. That means, your materials must be easy to read, informative, catchy, and entice customers first read till the end and then react in accordance with your marketing intentions, whether it is purchasing, checking the website, or something else.
Additional knowledge can enhance your copywriting CV. For instance, if you want to get a marketing copywriter job in an IT company, a degree in Computer Science will look like a strong advantage.
Steps to Become a Marketing Copywriter
Step 1. Defining your current skills
Now, when you know where you want to be, you need to define where you are at this moment. Maybe you are an experienced freelance writer; then you have to improve your skills in marketing. Or maybe you have just started your way, but you have already successfully participated in some volunteering projects. Explore your potential: sometimes, it is not apparent what heights you can reach.
Step 2. Boosting your skills if needed
Once you have defined where you have a gap in knowledge or experience, fill it with training or practice.
Step 3. Create a portfolio (you can get some freelance orders for that at low price)
It is essential for the copywriter to tell potential employees about the quantity of your experience and showcase the examples of what you can do. So, your portfolio becomes as important as your CV or even has more weight.
How to create a marketing copywriter portfolio:
● Find a task at the freelance exchange, from your friends in the field, or even create it on your own. But the first two options are preferable. Why? The explanation is below.
● Fulfill the task and measure its results. The master in marketing copywriting creates not just grammatically correct and interesting copy, but copy that helps to achieve some marketing goals. So you need to show this to potential employees. That is why it is much better to take a real task than to come up with it on your own. This is not always easy without experience, so just do the best you can.
Step 4. Finding an internship or full-time jobs
The path really begins on this step. Many newbies think that the hardest part is getting a job, but actually, you have to work even harder once you get it.
How to Make Progress at Work
While working as a marketing copywriter, you need to continue improving your writing and marketing skills. To do it effectively, you must learn to take an example from other people’s work, ask the right questions, and critically evaluate yourself. Specific marketing metrics will significantly help you with this last point: checking whether the copy achieved its goal with conversions, a percentage that shows how many customers read the text and how many of them did desirable action (buy, click, etc.).
You will also find the following tips helpful:
● Read more. The more you read examples of other people’s good work, the more you understand what to strive for, and the faster you notice your own mistakes. For writing skills, any text is fine, but only marketing samples are useful for mastering your selling techniques.
● Determine for whom and for what you write. It’s essential to do this every time before you start working on a new piece. Always keep in mind that your text must accomplish the task. Draw in your head a portrait of your potential reader and answer the questions: what he or she wants, what he or she is interested in, and, most importantly, how to hook them.
● Follow the trends. Marketing is a very changeable area, so it’s important to know what is essential and relevant now or you will be hopelessly outdated. You can find out what’s trending on Medium from the blogs of the top experts.
How to Grow
A specialist in marketing copywriting can work on enhancing one’s skills in the niche or move into related areas. The first option might involve career growth to becoming the head of the department. The position will require writing articles, building strategies for development, and giving subordinates tasks. The second option is possible due to the fact that marketing copywriting already combines two specialties. So you can grow in the direction of pure marketing, up to the creation of your own agency.
Marie Barnes is a Marketing Communication Manager at Adsy, where you can write as a guest blogger. She is an enthusiastic blogger interested in writing about technology, social media, work, travel, lifestyle, and current affairs.
The beautiful prose that came to mind in the shower somehow transformed into clunky sentences by the time I got to the computer. The more I wrestled with the words, the more unwieldy they became.
I have often read that true writing is in the rewriting. Most of us are not satisfied with a first draft. We know it takes several passes before writing is shaped into something acceptable to show others
Yet I get frustrated going over and over sentences trying to make them both clear and winsome. Why is my thinking so muddled? Why do I take so many words to say what I mean?
Wordy written in red by my teacher often adorned my school compositions.
The person who performed my first paid critique mentioned my “long, convoluted sentences.”
My husband told me after we had dated for a while that he used to wonder when I’d get to the point when I told a story. (After being married for 40 years, I’ve learned to jump to the main point first, especially when talking about the car or an appliance. Otherwise, he spends my whole narrative wondering what he’s going to have to fix.)
Yet, I’ve received enough encouraging feedback from my writing that I am not totally without hope. And now that I am aware of my writing mistakes, I can battle them with determination and knowledge.
I’m encouraged by a legend concerning Michelangelo. Supposedly, someone asked him how he got the statue of David out of a hunk of marble. The artist is rumored to have said, “I just cut away everything that’s not David.”
Before we can create a work of art, we’ve got to drag out our hunk of marble. As many have said, we can edit a bad page, but we can’t edit a blank one. The marble that Michelangelo used had previously been considered and rejected by two other sculptors. He saw the potential in it that others missed.
So we dump the words in our head onto paper. We study the craft of writing and learn ways to “write tight.” We carve away unnecessary words and cumbersome descriptions. We chisel adverbs and polish with stronger verbs. We sand away passive verbs in favor of active ones. We brush away clutter. We chip off multitudes of facts and illustrations and keep only the most poignant ones. And we can pray with the Apostle Paul, “that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak” (Colossians 4:4).
Visualizing excess verbiage as clumps of rough stone adorning the statue of David helps encourage me to get rid of clutter-words in my writing.
A statue as detailed as David takes time to sculpt, and so does editing. Blaise Pascal once wrote in a letter, “I have made this longer than usual because I have not had time to make it shorter.” But the time is well worth it.
We might not become the Michelangelo of words. But we can sculpt our manuscripts as close to a masterpiece as possible.
Barbara Harper lives with her husband of 40 years in Knoxville, TN. They raised three sons, one of whom added a lovely daughter-in-law and an adorable grandson to the family. Barbara loves reading, writing, and card-making. She has blogged for almost 14 years at https://barbaraleeharper.com/. She wrote a newsletter for women at her church for 15 years as well as magazine articles, newspaper columns, and guest blog posts. One of her passions is encouraging women to get into the Word of God for themselves. She’s currently working on her first book-length project.
Sure! The Heart Changer is a middle-grade historical fiction that puts a fresh spin on an Old Testament story as seen through the eyes of a young captive who made an impact on the lives around her. It debuted April 26, 2019 with Ambassador International. My back copy says it best:
“Can an Israelite captive, wrenched from all she loves, serve the very man who destroyed her village?
Miriam is asked to do the impossible: serve the wife of Naaman, commander of the Syrian army. Clinging to treasured memories of home and faith, Miriam faces captivity with worry and bitterness. Little does she know the Heart Changer is wooing and preparing her for a greater mission—far beyond what she could imagine.
This middle-grade historical novel reflects the heartache and angst of a young refugee in a foreign land where all hope seems lost.”
The Heart Changer, written for ages 8-12, has short chapters so reluctant readers will not be intimidated, although the language is descriptive and vibrant.
Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?
Yes. Not only do I want to inspire my young readers by bringing a historic hero to life in a relatable way, but I also want to bring hope in this sometimes confusing and dark world. My debut novel in particular shows that even though their lives can be full of angst and uncertainty, God is writing their story behind the scenes, working everything together for good.
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been keeping a diary since I was a teenager, but didn’t begin writing in earnest as a career until my almost 100-year-old mother passed away. Thinking I might forget events of my childhood, I began writing my memoirs. Soon after I was drawn to writing picture books, and eventually landed comfortably in the middle-grade historical fiction genre where I could share my love of history and description using many more words!
And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract? Or are you published non-traditionally? How did that come about?
It took me almost seven years before Ambassador International found my story at a Twitter event called #FaithPitch. After signing a contract, it took another year to bring my story to young readers.
Which of your books is your favorite?
Since I’ve published only one, it’s The Heart Changer. But if you ask me about my WIPs, I’d say the middle-grade historical fiction, Fair Investigations! set at the 1893 World’s Columbian Expostion. Therefore, I continue to diligently seek for it’s perfect publishing home.
Do you have a favorite character or scene in one of your books?
Yes. In The Heart Changer, Adara, (wife of Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army) is at her loom weaving, while Miriam, the servant girl (MC) is brushing her long dark hair while recounting her nation Israel’s history. Adara is so taken with the stories, especially of Joseph (who was sold into slavery) that she is sure Miriam has come to their household at the perfect time to help them — and she is right. Adara uses her weaving as an example of how God works in a life, which creates a memorable scene.
Tell us about an award you won that was particularly meaningful.
My first award was the most meaningful — an Illuminations Silver Medal in the Children’s/YA category. It gave me joy and confidence knowing my story had value, and it urged me to keep on writing! Since then, I’ve won two others: a Purple Dragonfly Honorable Mention Award in the spiritual/religious category, and the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award — a Bronze Medal for a Young Adult Fiction E-book.
How long does it take you to write a book?
It depends. I wrote Fair Investigations! a 50,000 word MG novel in 30 days for National Novel Writing Month. Others, like Soli’s Saving Grace, a MG historical fiction about a Huguenot girl who escapes persecution and flees to England, are still in the rewriting phase, and I’ve been at this one for about five years. My debut novel, The Heart Changer, I wrote in two years as a chapter book, then expanded it to a middle-grade novel. After signing with Ambassador International, my editor and I spent another 6 months revising it before publication.
What’s your writing work schedule like?
I work in my Victorian sitting room most days during the week, using my writing skills in many ways — blogposts, newsletters, social media posts, and my latest manuscript which I am revising with my faithful critique group. I’m also taking three classes online, and continue to tweak my website and fine-tune my brand. Since I have many writerly friends online, I connect with them weekly, whether at a conference, a Zoom meeting or on social media. I am very organized and driven, so I have no problem staying on task. But I must admit I drag my feet when it comes to revision, but my insightful critique group motivates me to press on.
Do you have an interesting writing quirk? If so, what is it?
I’m not sure if it’s a quirk, but I love finding unsung heroes in history, especially children, who have made a huge difference in the world. I am inspired to bring their stories to life. Although I have not written a new story lately, I have a computer file with many ideas. I also write exclusively on my iPad. It’s so much easier to tap away on a flat keyboard rather that a laptop. And I always have a candle lit and a cup of White Peony Tea or coffee with coconut sugar and homemade almond milk by my side.
What has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing career?
When a child tells me my story and characters have inspired and encouraged them to be courageous and hopeful, especially in their faith, that brings me joy. I want them to know that children who lived long ago were just like them, even though their way of life may have been different. All kids have the opportunity to be heroes in their own stories.
Last year at family camp, two young friends, each with a copy of The Heart Changer, decided they’d create their own book club. After reading a chapter on their own at night in their cabins, they would meet at breakfast to discuss what they had read. That made my heart sing.
Another young friend (8) in the UK where I was visiting, read my book through twice in two days — she couldn’t put it down. That was quite an encouragement to me!
Could you tell us about a dark moment in your writing career?
When my favorite historical fiction novel which I wrote during NaNoWriMo over four years ago is continually rejected, I get extremely discouraged. Many editors and agents praise me on my descriptions, setting and plot, but somehow, the characters need attention. So I am working diligently with my critique group to fix that problem once and for all!
How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you?
I am constantly bombarded with good news from fellow authors who have just signed another book contract. Although I am very happy for them, it makes me question my gifts as a writer. I feel rejected and despairing of ever publishing again. But, deep down inside, I know God has a purpose for the gift He has given me, and will bring a contract to pass at the perfect time.
Where do you get your ideas?
Travel is my go-to for inspiration. When I am on a historic tour and discover a fascinating tidbit in history, I am inspired to delve into the story and bring it to light. Especially if it involves a child, since I want to bring historic young heroes to life.
Sometimes, it’s insight I receive during a sermon, or in a nonfiction book I’m reading. During our homeschool years, while reading one of our engaging historical textbooks, we found a few fascinating gems. This is how I discovered material for the story I’ve entitled, The Orphans Who Saved the World. It recounts a Spanish vaccine expedition organized to eradicate smallpox from the New World back in 1802. There is very little information on the event, so I am free to use my imagination, within limits of course. I’m always on the alert for curious pieces of unexplored history or faith insights.
Who is your favorite author to read?
Ahhhh, that depends! If we are talking about present day Biblical/historical fiction authors, Tessa Afshar, Lynn Austin, Anthony Doerr, and Heather Morris come to mind. Since I am attracted to the classics, Charlotte Brontë and Jane Austin are two of my favorites. There are so many authors I love, but they all have a historic bent to their writing.
What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have heeded?
Breaking into the publishing field is not easy. It involves much research, writing, reading and most of all, waiting. I didn’t realise just how much effort it would take, with very little results to show for it. I would tell aspiring writers to read in the genre they wish to write, write every day, (keep a journal, or write a story, daily writing prompt, blogpost or article), and study the current market. Connecting with other writers is a must, especially in professional groups such as SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators).
What are common mistakes you see aspiring writers make?
They expect immediate success and accolades. It takes years of writing and revising to get your manuscript to submission-ready status. And even then, there is no guarantee. You must write because you love it, and have a story to tell, not because you want to be rich or famous. Keep on writing, but don’t quit your day job. You will eventually be rewarded for your perseverance.
Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market?
Jarm (’J’ pronounced as a ‘Y’) Del Boccio finds her inspiration in everyday life, but in particular, when she travels the globe, observing the quirky things that happen along the way. Focusing on the lives of characters from the past, her passion is to breathe new life into the pages of history, offering her young readers hope, heart and a hero. Her award-winning MG Historical fiction, The Heart Changer puts a fresh spin on an Old Testament account of a young captive who made an impact on the lives around her. You can find The Heart Changer teaching resources at:Jarm Del Boccio, Authoror connect with Jarm on her social media platforms: Goodreads, Pinterest, Facebook andInstagram.
Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!
“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”
Come Write with Us
When it comes to writing projects, getting started sometimes can be the hardest part. In this open mic episode of Writers Chat, Brandy Brow, one of our weekly cohosts, leads us on a free writing trip. She shares the different types of writing prompts people use to bring twists and turns to their stories. Then she leads us on a five minute free way of writing. After this, we journey through another prompt of writing to music. If you’re stuck, or simply want to know some different ways to get ideas, this episode is for you.
Watch the April 20th replay.
Diving into Devotions with Julie Lavender
Whether you write devotions or are curious about them, this episode is a wonderful how-to for writing and submitting devotions. Julie shares a wealth of information from her years of experience as a devotion writer, covering everything from writing to submitting for publication. For more information check out this week’s episode.
Watch the April 27th replay.
Bio
Julie Lavender, whose maiden name is “Bland,” jokes that she loved trading her dull name for a colorful one. Julie is a journalist, author, and former homeschooling mom of twenty-five years with a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. She is an award-winning writer and her newest book, 365 Ways To Love Your Child: Turning Little Moments Into Lasting Memories (Revell), released in October. Julie enjoys making memories with her family and would love to connect with you at www.julielavenderwrites.com or on her Facebook group page, 365 Ways to Love Your Child. You can connect with Julie on social media or www.julielavenderwrites.com.
JOIN US
Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133
TikTok is currently one of the most popular video sharing applications in the social media world. It’s filled with lots of videos such as dancing, lip-syncing, duet, performing stunts, and comedy clips.
Once you start to scroll TikTok videos on the For You page, you won’t want to stop. Because TikTok videos encourage users to watch videos again and again. Whether you’re relatively new to TikTok or already a member, the following tips will help you to go viral on the TikTok app.
However, whether you’re just a viewer or planning to upload videos yourself, you have a clear idea about how to use TikTok to become a famous person in time.
TikTok – Short Intro
TikTok is the combination of all social media content with short and long form videos from 15 to 60 seconds. It has an effective music library, comedy, dancing, and trending videos. You can find popular videos, follow people and explore hashtags on this platform.
There are two main reasons that TikTok is really unique:
Type of content you post
How posted content is reaching your audience
Set Up Your TikTok Account
Before you get the TikTok For You page, you need to create a TikTok account. Here are the steps to create a TikTok account:
Go to the google play store/ App store.
Search the TikTok app in the search bar and download the app.
Once downloaded the app, sign up for your account by using Facebook, Twitter, or email.
Otherwise, use your email to create a new username and password.
Once logged in to your TikTok account, you’ll get a TikTok homepage to access videos.
Optimize Your TikTok Profile
Are you ready to edit your profile?
A profile is a place to show your identity across the world. You can add your unique profile image, username, short bio with clickable links, and attractive emojis.
To edit your TikTok profile,
Tap the ‘Me’ profile icon in the bottom of the screen.
Click edit profile.
Here, you can change your profile picture. TikTok allows you to choose either a static image or a video.
Next, you can add a unique username that easily remembers and identifies your audience.
Add a short bio to your profile, and it will appear at the forefront of your profile.
You can add your website link, Instagram, and YouTube profile links in the bio section. It will display at the bottom of your bio, so people can directly visit your website.
Create And Upload Your TikTok Videos
TikTok is the best social media platform to create amazing videos and engage people to follow your profile. Here are few ideas to create your TikTok videos:
Click the + icon at the bottom center.
The camera will open, and you can start to film your videos.
But before starting to record videos on TikTok, you need to choose your song.
However, if you want to capture videos at the moment, you can skip the option and start filming videos without music.
Like Snapchat, TikTok provides AR filters and effects, which helps to change the look and color of videos.
Click the effects option on the left-hand side to find more features.
The world tab includes options like environment and the effective background designs.
On the right side of the recording screen, you can see a beauty button to change the look of your face.
TikTok allows you to create videos from 3 to 15 seconds, and you can also merge multiple clips together for up to 60 second videos.
Once you start to post videos regularly, try duets, dance, and lip syncing features because these videos are more popular among the TikTok audiences and viewers.
TikTok For Marketers
Nowadays, many applications have helped businesses to promote their products and services and reach target customers. TikTok is undoubtedly a fast moving platform to get maximum reach and reach your message to the viral audience. Marketers use different strategies for brand awareness and increasing sales growth.
Here are some most effective strategies to brand a particular product or service on TikTok:
Make a Trend
TikTok is the best platform to find trendy content and hashtags. One of the best ways to increase brand awareness and drive traffic to your website is by making the most recent content and using a perfect hashtag to get your content in front of the exact audiences.
Engage With TikTok Users
Engagement is a two-way process! Uploading engaging content for your TikTok followers is important. Additionally, spending some time to see your post comments and commenting back to the audience is also needed. You can also comment on other users while watching trending videos, which helps to create good conversation and build strong relationships.
Promote Hashtag Challenges
Hashtags are the most popular and inspired activity on every social media platform. It will help you to generate audiences and spread your message organically. Hashtags challenges are a non-sponsored method to reach potential customers. Even you can grow organic TikTok viewers by using trending hashtags that may help you achieve immense growth.
Partner With TikTok Influencers
Like other social media platforms, TikTok’s influencer presence and growth are huge. Partnering with TikTok influencers to promote your brand is a great way to increase brand awareness and generate sales.
In fact, people are more likely to trust a brand and buy products based on their influencer recommendations. That’s why influencer marketing helps to improve your marketing growth and establish your brand to loyal followers.
Conclusion:
TikTok provides endless opportunities for users to create TikTok accounts and become more popular among younger audiences. Incorporating TikTok into your marketing strategy is a long process. But, with a perfect guide, you’ll be able to create awesome content and attract many people to visit your TikTok profile. Therefore, don’t miss this amazing platform for your business success!
Alison Williams is a social media content writer who works at Flatfitty, she is an experienced social media analyst, and her passion is to contribute to engaging content for authority blogs and websites. You can also visit her online at Twitter.com!
Guest post writing is one of the best tools you can use to create a good reputation and help people find out about your business. You reach out to different sectors of your target audience and get great results. Quite simple, isn’t it?
However, many people ask “How to write a blog post that will drive people to action?”
While there are a lot of “how to” articles, here you will find 5 essential tips that will level up your game. Some of them might seem easy, but are you actually using them in your writing? Think critically, and if the answer is “No”, I’m not sure“, etc., then try these techniques out as soon as possible.
1: Have Your Own Unique Style But Be Ready to Adapt a Little
If you want to be recognized as a blogger, you need a style. It may develop as you write. To find out if you have one, ask for feedback. Let your family, friends, coworkers, or a test group of readers provide honest, constructive comments.
You can also create a poll asking your followers about your writing style and whether there are any recommendations.
And finally, it’s crucial to get inspired in order to develop your unique tone of writing. Reading favorite bloggers will motivate you to create a combination of special features of your own. This doesn’t mean you should copy a fully-developed style of a person that’s been working hard on it.
You just read, interpret, combine, and create your own unique “language” if you will.
However, be ready to adapt it a little bit for some websites. You see, many webmasters are concerned about a single style of writing on their blog. So, if you know you’re working with such a person, do it as a beautiful gesture of respect (and to be actually published).
2: Know How to Find Proper Platforms for Writing Blogs
You may have the best guest post writing skills, but if the platforms you choose aren’t fit for the purpose, it’s a losing game (like in that sad song).
Here are some recommendations on finding a perfect match:
Use Google. First of all, using Google to find blogs that accept writing contributions is an incredible hack. Type keywords like “guest post by”, “contribute to my blog”, etc. While there will be many articles about writing if you type “guest post writing”, focusing on phrases that would be on the needed platforms will provide a better result.
Only collaborate with relevant blogs. Only look for blogs that share a topic with yours or that have a focus niche somewhere near yours. The exceptions are news platforms and general blogs where you can post about anything. There, you’ll find potentially interested people. But on sources close by spirit to yours, there will be a curious audience passionate about the topic.
Become an inspector. Don’t just believe claims some blogs make. Analyze them, see what people write about them, where they are in the ratings, etc. Only after that, consider communicating with the owner.
Be a good talker. Considering you write guest posts, this shouldn’t be a problem. Talk to the owner, offer your posts, and then maybe you’ll find a chance to offer your terms as well.
3: Browse Useful Content
The sheer amount of amazing professional recommendations online is staggering. But not all of it is suitable for you. A lot depends on the topic. If you’re writing business content, the recommendations as to the style, tone, vocabulary, etc. will differ from a florist writer.
The purpose of your article writing also changes the need for tips. If you want to build backlinks, you need more tricks on how to incorporate them naturally. In case your goal is to get more exposure, you’ll have to learn how to make your brand an eye-candy first.
Nevertheless, it’s useful to browse general content editing tips by professionals to avoid common mistakes. Because both business and flower arrangement writers may encounter similar mishaps.
Over time, you’ll see many lists of the same common issues and solutions, which means you’ve learned enough and are ready to proceed to more difficult topics. These may be:
New SEO strategies
Link building
Profile improvement
Storytelling
Portfolio creation, etc.
4: Collaborate with Professional Services
In the first couple of months, it might be tough to constantly improve and learn. Here are some things you may have problems with:
One of the most difficult things for many beginner writers is including links naturally, for instance. There’s a guest posting service where you can read more about building links and get help when things get too tough.
If you have issues with material uniqueness, adopt anti-plagiarism tools that will test your articles in minutes. You can also turn to professional bloggers that rank TOP on Google and read their tips.
If the lack of ideas is your main obstacle, use creative tips and tricks from professional writers.
And in case grammar isn’t your best feature, there are Grammarly and similar services.
If many blog owners say your posts are too difficult to read, maybe there are readability issues. Hemingway will become handy in such situations.
There’s a service for every stone you stumble upon. But let us give you one general tip. Read a lot on the topics you write about. Don’t copy articles or their ideas. Instead, read them fully and keep the most important recommendations or examples in your head. A couple of months of such information feeding, and you’ll become:
A better writer in terms of uniqueness and grammar
A more creative writer with lots of ideas
A more logical writer with an example and proof for every argument
5: Practice Makes Perfect, and It’s True
We’ve all heard it at school, and many of us were so irritated by this saying. But it works.
Here’s an idea. Find your first piece for guest posting and compare it to the ones you create now. It’s the result of constant practice. If it’s not constant or you don’t see a lot of improvement, then practice!
Think about the topics you are passionate about and write about them. Look for ideas, read relevant information, implement tips from the useful services we’ve mentioned earlier. And be consistent with it!
A Wrap-Up
Never stop learning and implementing these recommendations. Even if you consider yourself the best professional who doesn’t need an example or tips, don’t underestimate theory and practice.
You may know everything about writing blogs, but are you sure you remember all the information? Maybe it’s time to freshen it up a little?
Just try to do it once, and you’ll get on a new level, the one you never knew existed. Improve and adapt your writing style, learn how to look for better platforms this year (each year has its updates). Don’t hesitate to ask for help when necessary, there are so many amazing services for guest blogging, editing, etc.
Seek advice, don’t be too arrogant. There are people who evolve in a different way; maybe they have something you’re missing from your strategy. And finally, keep practicing and incorporating new engaging elements in your blog posts.
Nancy P. Howard has been working as a journalist at the online magazine in London for a year. She is also a professional writer in such topics as blogging, IT and marketing.
The story setting in literature describes the where and when of a character and action. The setting of a story establishes the fictional environment built in the reader’s mind while they read the novel. However, it is not easy to flesh out or describe your setting.
As a novel writer, it’s tempting to want to go straight to the plot and describe your character in detail. However, your story and the character news need to coexist within a space – the story’s setting. Being able to describe your story setting correctly adds vibrancy to your love and keeps the audience engaged.
Learning to describe the surroundings and setting of a story is, therefore, an essential skill that authors need to have. The descriptive words that you use are capable of showing character, mood, and appearance. A well-described setting will draw the readers in and keep their rapt attention inside the scene.
A good setting uses different elements to create a picture that’s clear in the readers’ minds. It also provides a good background for character and plot development. It is the framework for different narrative elements to come into play.
How to write a good setting or describe the surroundings in a novel?
With an understanding of what a good setting is and its role in writing a novel, we will now discuss how to write one.
In writing your setting, you’re descriptive, so you will use descriptive words that you can combine in different ways to create the vision for your story’s environment. However, there are several tips that you should use to make it more descriptive without boring your audience.
Start early
You shouldn’t go too deep into your story without describing the setting. It would be best if you did it from the very beginning of the scene. Once you launch into the scene without describing the setting, it becomes too late when you need to do it later on in the action. You would have lost your readers at that point already. If you don’t describe the environment from the start, you will have characters talking and acting in space, and it becomes difficult to place it later on.
Include specific details
In describing your setting, it’s not enough to start early: you need to be specific in your description. Using generic words will fail to engage the readers, and you will end up with a bland and unfocused description of your setting.
Including specific details adds some spice to the setting, makes it more exciting for the readers to flow along with, and helps you create a unique fictional environment.
Incorporate sensory details
Your description will be more effective if you are able to use sensory details. You must be able to use the five senses when describing the environment or settings to your readers. This will help them to become more immersed in the fictional environment that you’ve created. Those seemingly small details about the smell of the wood in the old house, the chirping sound of the crickets at night, etc., all go a long way in making your setting more exciting and immersive for your readers. This will make it more straightforward for them and open them to the plot you’re building within the setting.
Build your description with the story
Building on your descriptions gradually gives you more descriptive power. You can’t and shouldn’t take a whole page to describe the background. A paragraph is enough to introduce the setting and give the readers an idea of where they are, and then continue to build the story’s description.
If you mention that the character was outside a building that looks abandoned, don’t forget to build on that with more abandonment signs once they walk into the building. The setting description doesn’t stop at the start of the scene: you carry it along as you build the story in that scene.
Show the setting, don’t just say it.
You have to do more than list off the description for the readers. You must show it to them. If the characters are in a hostile environment, make the readers see how the environment interacts with them. Be more descriptive. If the set includes a factory, show how the factory affects the environment. Show how it smells, the gas it emits, how it makes the sky look, etc. Rather than say there’s a factory around, show how it affects the story and its relevance in the setting. Or even better, show your setting through the viewpoint of your characters!
Get inspiration from a real setting.
If you are looking for inspiration to describe your fictional setting, then you should look at the nonfictional world around you. You’re trying to describe an old church in your novel; while it might not be the same as the old church down your street, you should take a stroll to the church. You’re likely to see things in real-life locations that could trigger ideas and give you inspiration for your fictional environment. It’s the same way that you draw the behavior of your character from examples in real life. You can get inspiration from places that you visit in real life, too.
Select the details to describe
One thing about describing a setting is that there are more things that you would not mention than the ones you’ll tell. Don’t be tempted to mention every detail. Be selective about what you share. Describe only details that are relevant to the story or help make the setting clearer. You could give accurate descriptions while sharing many unnecessary details. Being accurate doesn’t make it necessary or exciting. You could end up with a very bland description of the setting that doesn’t win over the readers. The fact is, your readers don’t care about the information. They want the mood and the atmosphere.
Conclusion
Writing a good setting description is essential to creating the story, plot, and character within that scene. So if your setting description is bland, it will affect the story that you are creating altogether. It also determines if the readers go on with reading the novel or they close the book. So knowing how to write your setting is of utmost importance as an author.
Leon Collier is a blogger from the UK, and assignment writer at dissertation service the UK. He loves to write about everything: pop-culture, history, travel, self-development, education, and marketing. When not writing, you can find him behind a book or playing tabletop games with his friends. Follow him on Twitter @LeonCollier12.
The book publishing industry is one of the largest in the world. In 2020 alone, printed book sales increased by 8.2 percent. Due to the pandemic, a lot of people rediscovered their love for reading and books. For example, in the UK, the time people spent reading books doubled. The US and UK rank 2nd and 3rd in book publishing worldwide. Therefore, it will be interesting to know the major differences in their respective book markets.
Just like culture and environment have an effect on what people eat, movies they watch, clothes they wear and so on. It also impacts what people read and how they perceive book design. The best writing companies understand this difference and use it to their advantage. Below, we will discuss some major differences.
Book Cover Design
Publishers understand that book cover design is essential. They appeal to cultures in different ways. Therefore, they pay attention to the design when introducing a book to a new country.
Additionally, American publishers are often comfortable with portraying the characters on the book cover, contrary to what most British publishing firms would do. They usually leave the readers to imagine what the character looks like.
A book series that explains this difference is Harry Potter. You notice the variance in the different editions. Even more, the publishers changed the title of one of the novels to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (US edition) from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
Appreciation of Story Tone
You will always find authors whose books become bestsellers in both the UK and US. Most of these books also go on to become best sellers in other countries. Some of these authors include Stephen Kings, Ruth Ware, and Paula Hawkins.
But popular authors are not the only bestsellers. There are other authors who are able to become best sellers in only the US or UK, respectively. The tone of the book greatly impacts how the different audiences receive it.
British humor is quite different from American humor. In the same light, there are differences in the use of words and phrases between these two cultures. These affect how readers relate to a book, and ultimately, how the book sells in each county.
Author Gail Honeyman, for instance, is a successful UK author. Her books contain some dark tone and humor that most British readers appreciate. However, US lovers of women’s fiction would rather have family drama and romance without the dark side.
Standard Book Sizes
Pocket Book (4.25 in x 6.87 in) vs. A-Format (178 mm x 111 mm):
The pocketbook is the US easy-to-carry version used to print cheap paperback fiction, while the A-format book is the UK easy-to-carry version. Many classics, humor, or self-help books are written in this version.
Digest (5.5 in x 8.5 in) vs. B-Format (198 mm x 129 mm)
The US trade size comes in different categories. Digest is the smallest and often used to print fiction and non-fiction books. The B-format is UK’s most popular publishing standard. Most paperback fiction is printed in this format.
US Trade (6 in x 9 in) vs. Demy (216 mm x 135 mm)
US Trade 6×9 in is the most common trade standard size. Most publishers demand this size for paperback fiction. The Demy standard is the UK’s large-format paperback used widely for airport fiction, in place of A-format books.
Hardcover (6 in x 9 in to 8.5 in x 11 in) vs. Royal (234 mm x 156 mm)
US Hardcover sizes vary widely. They are used for premium fiction and non-fiction, and mostly by publishing firms. Royals are UK hardcover standards used for novels and nonfiction. They are larger than other UK standard sizes.
Conclusion
Most writers want to serve readers across the globe. But it’s important to understand the inclinations of the readers in various cultures and pay attention to reviews. Paying attention to little differences like words and phrases, book cover, and book size will impact how much your work will be appreciated in the US and UK book market. Talk to your editor about how to balance your writing to reach your desired audience.
Frank Hamilton is a blogger and translator from Manchester. He is a professional writing expert in such topics as blogging, digital marketing and self-education. He also loves traveling and speaks Spanish, French, German and English.
Every writer’s heart stops when I utter the words, ‘writer’s block’.
We’re ready to write: we have our tea, our snacks, our pens and we’ve told everyone in the house we’ll be writing upstairs. But then we sit down. We munch on our snacks and stare at the incessant blinking of the cursor on MS Word.
We’re people. We have lives. We’re constantly distracted by our phones, friends, families and work. Everything and everyone demands our attention. It’s easy to get lost in it all and lose focus when it’s time to write.
It took me three years to write my first novel and then less than a year to write my second. That’s because I learned some tricks along the way which I’m going to share to help you out if you’re feeling stuck.
1. Make sure it’s not really something else
‘Writers block’ isn’t always simply being stuck for ideas. Sometimes it’s a mindset. Before you skip to the next step, take a moment to evaluate how you’re feeling about yourself and your writing.
Is the reason you’re feeling ‘blocked’ because you think your writing isn’t very good? Bad writing (and good writing now I think of it) is subjective and yours isn’t as terrible as you think it is, trust me. Be brave and believe in yourself. The rest will fall into place.
Writer’s block can also stem from other struggles, health or be situation related. If you’re struggling with more than your writing and you need to talk to someone, I encourage you to seek support.
2. Start with the characters
Do you have well-rounded characters with extensive backgrounds? Shallow characters don’t live interesting lives. Once you’ve created a remarkable person, they will likely write the story for you.
3. Re-imagine the story
Once you’ve determined the characters aren’t the problem, take a step back. What do you already know about the story? Walk yourself through it from the beginning and trust your instincts on what has to happen next.
If you already know what genre your story can be categorised under, I recommend researching plot structures. They provide general advice in how to shape your story and will probably give you the boost you need to get you back on a roll!
4. Make a plan
It’s recommended that you write a plan before you write a novel. I’ll admit, my fourteen year old self disregarded this advice. (It could be argued, that’s why it took me four years to finish my first book.)
My mistakes aside, writing a plan is an effective way of getting out of a rut. Write it as a mind map, bullet points or a paragraph summary and then take a step back.
What’s missing? Where are you going with this story and how are you going to get there? You don’t have to stick to your plan, but I can almost guarantee it will help you get back on your feet.
5. Content
Is there too much going on in your story? Is it chaotic with too many loose ends, things to tie up? Cut it. Be brutal. If a character isn’t contributing anything to the story, do they have to have a happily ever after? Do they have to exist at all?
Is there too little going on? Is your story too straightforward? Add some emotion. Get distracted with a romantic subplot. Sprain your main character’s ankle and have them limp for the rest of the journey. You know what you need to do. Do it.
6. Build up
Sometimes a lack of foundation can lead to an uncertain future. If you don’t know what’s going to happen next, maybe you need to revisit what’s happened already. Does something more have to happen or is that the end?
7. Seek inspiration
Sometimes nothing works. We spend hours pouring over the characters and the plot and still feel as though our writing is speeding downhill.
Take it easy. Read a book or go outside. It will come to you eventually. It always does. Don’t overthink it.
As Paul Di Filippo said, “If the writer is not surprised by the events, then chances are that the reader will not be either, and grow bored.”
You’re a writer and you have a story here. Sit down and write it. You’ll surprise yourself.
Deborah Rose Green is the author of Dragon Pearls (2019) and Crown My Heart (2020). She’s the Contributing Editor for the ‘Hey Young Writer’ blog and starting her Creative Writing degree in September.
Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!
“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”
Why YOU Should Write Short Stories with Lisa Godfrees
Have you ever thought of writing short stories? Whether you’ve never written a short story or are a veteran at it, there is something in this episode for you. Lisa joins us to shares her expertise on writing flash fiction and explains the Who-What-Why and the Where-How-When of Short Story Writing/Publishing. She also explains how completed short stories can be submitted to Havoc (an ezine and biannual anthology), used as a lead magnet, or as content on your website. Watch the replay of this episode and you’ll be inspired and challenged.
Watch the March 30th replay.
Lisa Godfrees is the Operations Manager and a daily editor for Havok Publishing (gohavok.com), a flash fiction ezine and bi-annual anthology. More than twenty of her short stories have been published online and in anthologies, and she’s the co-author of one novel. Lisa also serves as the Director of Operations for Realm Makers, a faith-based community for fantasy and science fiction fans (realmmakers.com). You can find Lisa on social media and at https://www.lisagodfrees.com/stories/ (where you can read or listen to some of her stories).
Realm Makers: Engaging Pop Culture Through Speculative
Scott and Becky Minor join Writers Chat for a delightful discussion on how speculative fiction fits in the general market today. The Minors also discuss writing fantasy from a Christian worldview and whether dragon can be good or not. Scott shares how Realm Makers has created a supportive community to help “writers who are Christians” find an audience for their stories. Want more? Check out this week’s replay.
Watch the April 6th replay
Besides helping with the creative vision for Realm Makers, Becky Minor writes fantasy novels of the sword and sorcery variety. She is the author of two fantasy trilogies, The Risen Age Archive and The Windrider Saga, along with a handful of spinoff short stories set in the same story universe. When she’s not writing stories, she illustrates them, having helped bring more than a dozen children’s chapter books and graphic novels to life.
Scott Minor is the Executive Director of Realm Makers, having assumed the role in 2020. Since that time, he has established a new foundation for the organization to help Christian authors of speculative fiction navigate the realities of a quickly evolving publishing world. He oversees all aspects of the company, from their online presence, to the bookstore, to the annual conference. Scott’s passion for excellence in the arts, entrepreneurial spirit, and willingness to expend copious amounts of elbow grease have helped propel Realm Makers to the forefront of the Christian writing community.
Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133
Part one of this two-part article covered how to get started on Instagram. This second part explores growing your audience. I offer my advice from my own experience—as one who is not particularly proficient in technology and approached Instagram with trepidation.
Growing Your Audience
In a year and a half, my followers went from zero to over 8,400. Some authors build faster using Reels, but I’m happy with my progress. Here are some tips I learned.
Remember, in the end, social media is about relationship and community, not about you. If you support, love, and encourage others, they will, in turn, do the same for you. So be real. Share your hopes and dreams, triumphs and disappointments, fears and hobbies. Besides making new friends, you’ll discover people who will root for your success.
Post great content. Although this was covered in the last article, it cannot be emphasized enough. Stay true to your brand with your posts. You can use the stories feature of Instagram to put out information that your followers might find interesting but does not fit into your overall brand you want your profile to promote. Like Snapchat, it disappears in 24 hours.
Post consistently at a regular time. In general, the best time is between 10:00 and 3:00 during the week. I post at 7:00 a.m., prior to the start of my workday, and during my lunch break. My followers know this and are more likely to look for me at those times. Many authors plan media in advance using an Instagram scheduling tool. Or this video shows you how to schedule from your desktop for free.
Interact with people. Liking their post is great but leaving a comment of at least five words has more impact. Always respond to those who comment on your posts and return the favor by commenting on one of their posts. Sometimes these interactions help build a relationship. Sometimes they give you a chance to promote your book. Sometimes it’s just plain fun. No matter your motivation, this small investment can reap big benefits.
Join an author challenge—daily writing prompts on a variety of topics, such as science fiction, poetry, romance, and other genres. It provides you with material to post. Plus, if you follow the challenge hashtag, you will find like-minded people to connect with. This mutual interest builds community.
Follow trains can bring in a large number of followers very quickly. Anyone can create a one. Most include specific rules, such as following the host or certain accounts, in order to join. Select one that fits your audience profile. If you follow someone on a train, let them know by leaving a comment. Otherwise, it’s easy to get overlooked, and they might not follow back. Take a snapshot of the accounts you follow too. Then check on them in week to see if they followed back. If they didn’t, feel free to unfollow them since they did not, in good faith, fulfill the purpose of the event. (A good train host will be alert to this abuse, but many rely on you not to be fooled.)
Use hashtags reach your target audience. For example, if I use the hashtag #embersgram, which is geared for Christian writers, I can find posts by anyone using it and, even better, they can find me. Instagram automatically provides hashtag choices when you start typing, similar to how a search engine operates. Here are some middle grade book and writing tags to get you started, but research to find more: #middlegrade #bookstagram #middlegradebooks #middlegradefiction #mglit #middlegradereads #middleschool #authorsofinstagram #middlegradefantasy #mgbooks #middlegradeauthor #middlegradebook #mg #christianwriter #christianauthor #authorlife #writersofig #writinglife #writingcommunity #igwriters
There is much more to learn about this fast-growing social media tool. Now that you know how to get started, you can grow the platform you need to improve your chances of getting published. Follow me too at @Lori.Z.Scott. I’ll follow you right back!
Elementary school teacher Lori Z. Scott usually writes fiction because, like an atom, she makes up everything. Her down time is filled with two quirky habits: chronic doodling and inventing lames jokes. Neither one impresses her principal (or friends/parents/casual strangers), but they do help inspire her writing.
Somehow, her odd musings led her to accidentally write a ten-title bestselling chapter book series and on purpose write over 150 short stories, articles, essays, poems, and devotions. Lori also contributed to over a dozen books, mostly so she would have an excuse to give people for not folding her laundry. (Hey! Busy writing here!)
Lori loves speaking and leading workshops and enjoys visiting local elementary schools to share her writing journey. Follow her on Instagram @Lori.Z.Scott.
The Cottage on Lighthouse Lane, Kensington Books, April 2021
Sometimes life flips the script . . .
Billy Walker is a North Carolina boy whose Hollywood star is beginning to shine. His rough past is in the rear view. Now seeing the world from the back seat of a limousine, Billy has no regrets about what he had to do, and the choices he made, to get there. But all it takes is one death-defying moment for Billy’s world to shift. When an on-set accident leaves him shaken, plagued by haunting dreams, he’s in desperate need of a rest cure. Given keys to a getaway cottage on Lighthouse Lane in Miramar Bay, he’ll regroup, relax, and recover. Yet as Billy’s dreams grow darker and more fearful, his only promise for light is in a stunning, mysterious, and uniquely gifted stranger . . .
And your next act is rewritten . . .
Mimi has never forgotten her tragic childhood in eastern Ukraine. Violence, a vanished family, abandonment, and a hard-won struggle to escape. Miramar Bay couldn’t be a more beautiful or unexpected refuge. In yoga, teaching dance, and imbued with a talent to read the unrestful visions of others, Mimi has a seemingly divine ability to comfort. She may be everything Billy desires, but Mimi knows what Billy needs. He must confront his troubling past—and not just in his dreams. As their connection deepens, Billy finds himself falling in love, and waking up to something he’s never felt before. But when the real world comes calling again, how can he say goodbye to a woman who’s changing his life one illuminating sunrise at a time?
Poignant, powerful, and surprising, The Cottage on Lighhouse Bay is a love story for every wounded heart that hoped for a second chance.
Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?
It seems like I transition from one theme to the next every three or four years. In my current version, I’m looking at stories based around the idea of lost hope, the unexpected opportunity to renew. Lighthouse Lane is book five in the Miramar Bay series, which is based around a mythical town on California’s central coast. Whoever finds their way to this place is offered a second chance at what is most important, what vital element is missing from their lives. If only they manage not to make the same mistakes all over again.
How long have you been writing?
I have been a published author for twenty-eight years. Before that, I wrote for nine years and finished seven books before my first was accepted for publication.
Which of your books is your favorite?
Some of the frequently-asked questions are so tough to answer honestly. Just two days ago completed a new first draft. It has dominated my life through this loooonnnng UK lockdown. Right now, I can’t see much further than this newest story.
Do you have a favorite character or scene in one of your books?
I had a book, a legal thriller, that came out last September entitled Burden Of Proof. I wrote the first sixty pages seven years ago. They were powerful, really potent stuff, but I couldn’t find a way to make the rest of the concept live up to what I had done thus far. So I set it aside. Seven years passed, every now and then I’d reread the pages, until finally…
I was under huge unexpected pressure. My publishers had an empty slot in their list, another author was late delivering, could I help? It meant giving them a story in seven and a half weeks. Just as I was about to write and say no, literally staring at the email, ready to say so sorry, not a chance, it hit me. The missing theme came as one scene. The pivotal moment I had waited seven years to find.
How long does it take you to write a book?
As you can see from the last answer, it can sometimes take as little as two months. I do tend to write a lot. I think it comes from being so determined, so desperate, to make it work. During those looooonnnnnggggg nine years of struggle, I ran a consulting group based in Germany and operating through all Europe. I was in two, sometimes three countries every week. The temptation to quit, give up, go back to my well-paying day job was just so intense. I had no choice, not if I wanted to make this my professional life. I had to write every day. Become a regular, disciplined writer, accept this as a SECOND JOB. Whether I liked it or not, whether it felt good or not, this had to happen. I learned to write in taxis, airports, waiting rooms, hotel lobbies, wherever I could carve out ten or fifteen minutes. I developed a series of triggers to help me depart from the outside world and re-enter the story, the emotional state, the creative mood. I use these still.
So what’s the end result? Okay. Revealing secrets here. In the past twelve months I have written…
Wait for it…
Two full-length novels,
And
A feature-length screenplay,
And
A new series pilot,
And
The second series episode,
And
The season one bible (used in series to establish the character and story arcs for the season)
And
Half a Christmas novella
All because of the discipline learned in sheer desperation during those initial years.
What has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing career?
The creative bliss. The unexpected moments when I become lost in the new story. When it becomes alive and I become transported. Elevated. Reformed in union. Bliss.
How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you?
I have been rejected over forty times in the past twelve months. If you are going to keep growing, push beyond the boundaries that the commercial world wants to use as defining traits, this is going to happen. Learning to live with rejection, moving beyond, continuing the creative struggle, all are crucial to success.
Who is your favorite author to read?
I am researching a new story. As usual. What I look for on the non-fiction side are authors who manage to make the situation live for me. Who are not afraid of emotions. Who do not feel it necessary to write from a dry, dead-as-last-autumn-leaves perspective. So right now I’m reading Ben Mezrich’s amazing new book, Bitcoin Billionaires.
On the fiction side, I’m studying two authors who have taken their success as screenwriters and allowed this to refashion their approach to sentence and scenic structures. These are Robert Crais and Michael Crichton.
What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have heeded?
My very first mentor was Arthur C Clarke (2001, A Space Odyssey). When we started out, he required two things of me. One was, write a new page of new first draft every day. Second drafting, adding to what was already written, did not count. He forced me to confront the challenge of the empty page each and every day.
The second was, read at least one book by a living best-selling author in my chosen genre every week. The aim was for me to come to terms with what was working in the market in this present time.
A very wise man.
Davis Bunn’s novels have sold in excess of eight million copies in twenty-four languages. He has appeared on numerous national bestseller lists, and his titles have been Main or Featured Selections with every major US book club. In 2011 his novel Lion of Babylon was named Best Book of the Year by Library Journal. The sequel, entitled Rare Earth, won Davis his fourth Christy Award for Excellence in Fiction in 2013. In 2014 Davis was granted the Lifetime Achievement award by the Christy board of judges. His recent title Trial Run has been named Best Book of The Year by Suspense Magazine. Lately he has appeared on the cover of Southern Writers Magazine and Publishers Weekly, and in the past three years his titles have earned him Best Book and Top Pick awards from Library Journal, Romantic Times, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Kirkus. His most recent series, Miramar Bay, have been acquired for world-wide condensation-books by Readers Digest. Currently Davis serves as Writer-In-Residence at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University. Until Covid struck, he was speaking around the world on aspects of creative writing.
What do you do when you feel weary? Burned out? Uninspired and ready to give up?
How do you find the energy to move forward in creative projects when you face personal trauma like the loss of a loved one?
How do you escape the creeping sense of panic when life feels chaotic, overly busy, or out of control?
In all these scenarios, one key to help you move forward is to give yourself adequate rest. And I don’t mean just a few more hours of sleep. True restoration is often active rather than passive, intentionally feeding what is lacking. And we need many different types of rest to fully restore our body, mind and spirit.
Physical A lack of physical rest may cause symptoms like exhaustion, pain, or poor health. Our bodies need rest in order to function properly. Resting our bodies means sleep, but also includes stretching, exercise, and a wholesome diet that allows our bodies to stay flexible and healthy. If you experience frequent headaches or brain fog, you might be suffering from food sensitivities. If so, avoiding trigger foods can restore your body and help you feel well again.
Mental Our brains experience a constant deluge of information. We can exhaust ourselves with unhelpful mental habits such as dwelling on negative thoughts, reliving the past, or worrying about future what-ifs. If you experience decision fatigue, mental fog, or feelings of overwhelm, you probably need mental rest. You can find rest by focusing on what really matters and allowing yourself to let go of the non-essential mental chatter. Meditation, brain dumps, and morning routines can help.
Emotional The emotions that surround us—whether from real or virtual people—affect our emotional health. If we don’t monitor the emotions we allow to fill our minds, or don’t process our emotions in a healthy way, we end up with emotional fatigue, which may lead to anxiety, irritability, anger, or depression. Journaling or talking things out with a friend can help us find emotional rest, but sometimes we may need therapy to restore traumatized or burned-out emotions.
Spiritual Our faith and relationship with God affect our ability to feel rested in other areas of life. When you feel distant from God, or feel hopeless and defeated by life, those are signs that you need to renew and restore your spirit.
Social We humans were created to be social creatures. Even introverts need healthy social interaction. While periods of solitude are restorative, too much time alone can lead to loneliness, a tendency to avoid people, and depression. Solitude may seem like the best solution to avoid the drain of difficult relationships, but in fact our soul needs positive relationships in order to be restored.
Sensory Our modern world is filled with noise, music, blinking lights, flashing images, enhanced flavors, perfumed cleaning products, and a million other things that stimulate our senses. Our modern habit of constant screen time is like living on a diet of junk food. The constant bombardment on our senses can lead to becoming either overstimulated or desensitized to the world around us. Find sensory rest by intentionally escaping or blocking out the sensory inputs like screens, bright lights, or constant noise. Instead, focus on one thing that brings you joy, like savoring a favorite food or taking a bath and really paying attention to how the water feels on your skin.
Creative We can be so busy juggling career and family responsibilities that we forget to be mindful of the world we pass thru on the way to checking off our next to-do item. When we don’t allow ourselves time for creative play because we’re too focused on the next action item, we lack joy, wonder, and satisfaction in life. If you are struggling with writer’s block or you’re writing feels flat and uninspired, you may need to put your creative “work” aside and give yourself time for creative play that’s unrelated to your WIP.
In order to produce our best work, we must give ourselves permission to pursue proper rest in all seven of these areas. We need to understand which areas of our lives are being drained and how to replenish those areas. For more information on the seven types of rest and which ones you are most in need of restoring, try Dr. Dalton-Smith’s Rest Quiz.
I hope I have encouraged you to seek the rest you need to be whole and healthy.
Lisa E. Betz worked as an engineer, substitute teacher, and play director before becoming an award-winning mystery writer. She brings her analytical mind, quirky humor, and positive outlook to all she writes. She draws inspiration from thirty-five years of leading Bible studies to create entertaining mysteries set in the world of the early church, and then she fills that world with eccentric characters, independent females, and an occasional sausage-snatching cat. Her first novel, Death and a Crocodile, garnered a gold medal in the Illumination Book Awards.
My mom always called the period of time when people are becoming friends the “Ddo you like peas?” stage. This is when you are learning about each other’s likes, dislikes, and backgrounds.
Do You Like Peas? is a story about Olive and Marie, two friends whose friendship began with this simple question. As their friendship blooms, they discover a new friend who is actually everyone’s friend — including yours!
Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?
Since my writing is faith-based, my goal is to equip women with tools to do life as Jesus would. My writing theme focuses on living a wild and wonderful life. I believe a wild life does not have to be defined only by hard, crazy and difficult circumstances. A wild life can also describe the exciting and passionate times too. I’ve discovered that often wildly hard and wildly good happen at the same time. No matter what, though, Jesus promises to join us right where we are, and that makes life wonderful.
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing on and off for twenty-five years. But serious book writing for seven.
And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract? Or are you published non-traditionally? How did that come about?
Both of my books (A Wild & Wonderful Life and Do You Like Peas?) are self-published. However, I utilized a professional book designer and professional editor to assist me in the book writing process and development.
Which of your books is your favorite?
I’ve written two books for two distinct audiences, so I can’t say I have a favorite. A Wild & Wonderful Life is written (primarily) for women who desire to live out their “immeasurably more” Jesus story while Do You Like Peas? was createdfor children. However, I might add that the Do You Like Peas? story line is based entirely on Chapter 1 of A Wild & Wonderful Life.
Do you have a favorite character or scene in one of your books?
I’ll tell you a secret. Do You Like Peas? is based on the true story of me and my best friend. So yes, I do have a favorite character; it’s Marie, who is my best friend in real life.
Tell us about an award you won that was particularly meaningful.
The Illumination Book Awards are designed to honor the year’s best new titles written and published with a Christian worldview. Illumination Book Awards honored Do You Like Peas? with a silver medal. For me, this was meaningful because it recognized my book as exemplary among many new children’s books released in 2019.
How long does it take you to write a book?
That is a difficult question to answer. My first book took seven years from start to finish. I took a leave of absence from it for about five years. My second book, a children’s book, was completed in a year with the actual writing encompassing about 3 months and the remainder of time dedicated to editing and illustration work.
What’s your writing work schedule like?
Sporadic. I am not a disciplined every-day writer. Yet, when committed to a project, I am usually writing most days.
Do you have an interesting writing quirk? If so, what is it?
I’m not sure if I have a quirk per se, but I seem to be able to write best after “chores” are done. This means I cannot have any distractions around me. If something is fun or inviting, I’m in trouble.
What has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing career?
Perhaps my greatest joy comes when a reader says they had an “aha” moment. Knowing that something I’ve written has had an impact on someone’s life is huge.
Could you tell us about a dark moment in your writing career?
I had just completed the rough draft of my first book, but couldn’t seem to move on to the editing stage. During a late-night conversation with my grown son, he asked me why I was unable to finish the book. I answered him by saying, “Honestly, Satan is sitting on my shoulder and he’s telling me that I am not a good writer and that no one will read my book.” In response, my son asked me the most life-changing author question, “Mom, let’s say you finished and published your book, and yet, only one person read it. However, because that one person read your book, their life was transformed in a dramatic way or they met Jesus because of your writing, would you still finish your book?” I knew at that moment I had to complete my book and make my simple message available. A year later, the book was released.
How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you?
I have been rejected too many times to count! Rejection can be a good thing if it helps you re-evaluate. Perhaps the topic isn’t perceived as relevant or meaningful. Perhaps it’s not the right time to share a particular message. Maybe an idea needs to be polished, clarified, or re-worded. These are all potential reasons for rejections. It is important to be able to share clearly what you are trying to say, how it’s being said, and managed in a timely fashion. If you feel like you have addressed potential reasons for rejection and still feel confident about your writing and message, don’t give up!
Where do you get your ideas?
My ideas come from life experiences and Scripture. I keep a file of stories and ideas so I can refer back to them when I need an example or inspiration.
Who is your favorite author to read?
I can’t say that I have a favorite author. I enjoy reading historical fiction and any fiction with a good story-line and interesting characters. I read a lot of non-fiction Christian and faith-based books and enjoy the ones that expand on Scripture in new and interesting ways. Irwin McManus is an author who I think does this.
What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have heeded?
I was given the advice to hire a professional editor. Quality sentence structure, proper grammar and good writing flow are musts in writing. A good editor will help you with these things.
What are common mistakes you see aspiring writer’s make?
Some common mistakes I see are lack of good editing and authors who wish their books would sell rather than working to sell their books.
Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market?
Writing your book is only the beginning of the book process. Unless you are satisfied with a limited amount of book sales, your time and commitment must be built into your book release. Utilize friends, family and other relationships to help tell your book story. This is a nice start to building your author platform, which is one of the most important aspects of marketing your book (other than good writing!).
Bio
Susan Campbell is the author of two books, A Wild & Wonderful Life and Do You Like Peas? Founder of More Than You Imagine Ministries, Susan loves Jesus and loves the hearts of women. She has trained thousands of women on the Bible, leadership, volunteerism and program development during her twenty-some years of serving and hanging out with women. Her desire is to equip women with tools that help them live a wild and wonderful life. Learn more about Susan at morethanyouimagine.org. Susan’s books are available at Morethanyouimagine.org, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!
“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”
What It Takes to Win a Literary Agent’s “Yes!”
Cynthia Ruchti joins Writers Chat to share her perspective on the different aspects of the agent-author relationship. The foundation of her advice to writers is based on Galatians 5:22-23 which lists the “fruit of the Spirit.” Whether you’re a novice or a pro, this episode is sure to encourage and inspire in the writing journey God has placed you on.
Watch the March 16th replay.
Cynthia Ruchti tells stories-hemmed-in-hope through novels, nonfiction, devotionals, and speaking events for women, drawing on 33 years of experience writing and producing a scripted radio broadcast. Her more than 30 books have garnered retailer, reviewer, and reader awards. She serves as the professional relations liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers and is a literary agent with Books & Such Literary Management. She and her plot-tweaking husband live in the heart of Wisconsin, not far from their three children and six grandchildren. Her tagline is, “I can’t unravel. I’m hemmed in hope.”
5 Ways to Live Me-Free in This Measure-Up Influencer World
Shannon Popkins joins us today on Writers Chat to present five ways we can elevate Jesus instead of ourselves while we build social media platforms and market our books.
In this inspirational presentation, Shannon uses measuring cups and Scripture as she encourages us to be “measured by the spout” instead of by the line.
Watch the March 23rd replay.
Shannon Popkins is a writer, speaker, and Bible teacher who loves toblend her gifts for storytelling and humor with her passion for Jesus. She regularly speaks at Christian women’s events and retreats, inviting women to live like God’s Word is true.
Shannon is the author of Comparison Girl: Lessons from Jesus on Me-Free Living in a Measure-Up World, Control Girl: Lessons on Surrendering Your Burden of Control from Seven Women in the Bible, and co-author of Influence (Building a Platform That Elevates Jesus
(Not Me). She’s been featured on FamilyLife Today, Revive Our Hearts, and Proverbs 31.
Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133
As a writer, you need to know how to act and what to do in order to get more people to hear about your work, read your books, and start following your career. It’s not enough for you to have brilliant books if no one knows about them. That means that you need to build a personal brand and become more active in showing it, especially online. And, the best place to do it is on social media.
Social media is the most powerful tool you can use to build a personal brand as a writer. If you’re not sure how to do it, but want to learn, just keep reading. Below, you’ll find a list of 7 best tips for writers to build a personal brand on social media.
Let’s get started.
1. Build Strong Profiles
Let’s start with the essentials. To build a strong personal brand on social media, you need to make sure your social media profiles are fully updated.
Here’s what that implies:
profile and cover images
personal information
business information
short bio
fun facts
contact information
You want to make sure that your social media profiles are professional, informative, and complete. Also, make sure to delete any profiles you might not be using anymore to avoid having them ruin your online presence.
2. Get Personal
People love to see the non-business side of their favorite writers, so you’ll need to get personal. This doesn’t mean you’ll need to reveal your private life completely. It just means you’ll be giving them a sneak peek into who you are when you’re not an author.
That means you’ll share:
pictures of you with your dog
your family holiday photos
your thoughts on global or local events
your favorite musician
etc.
You need to let the people get to know you and start feeling like they’re your friends. The closer they feel to you, the more they’ll be interested in your work as a writer. Share the content that shows who you are as a person and allows them to learn about you every day.
3. Communicate
People following you on social media will love communicating with you and getting feedback on their comments, messages, or remarks. This is why to build a personal brand, you need to be active in responding to your followers.
That includes:
replying to the comments that ask a question or deserve your attention
thanking people for their nice words or support
answering DMs
reposting stories of people reading your book or mentioning you
Apart from giving feedback in this form, you should also try and inspire people to talk to you. You can ask questions, ask them to leave a comment, and share their thoughts. This way, you’ll be able to see how they feel and what their thoughts are on your new book or anything else you’d like to discuss.
4. Be Active
To build a personal brand, you need to present in people’s lives. And, every now and then when they’re scrolling their social media feed, they need to see or hear from you.
This will create a habit of checking your content and staying interested in what you’ll post next. To make this happen, you’ll need to:
post regularly (at least 3-4 time a week)
create engaging content that your audience will like reading or seeing
be innovative and post something fresh and different
Since you’re a writer, it shouldn’t be too hard to come up with interesting new ideas for your social media posts. Try making them fun, unique, and creative.
5. Show Consistency
Consistency is another super-important ingredient in your mixture for a winning personal brand on social media. Why? Because it makes you relatable and authentic.
Consistency means following a set of rules you created that define you as a brand. Those include:
your personality
your style of writing
your tone and voice
the colors you’re using
the type of visuals you’re posting
You should try and come up with a unique style, and use it in all your posts on all your social media. This comes through trial and error or, if you don’t like to risk, an editing company can do the work for you. This way you will help people recognize your posts before they even read it’s you.
This way, your brand is becoming truly powerful.
6. Understand Who’s Reading
As a writer, you can have a colorful audience of different people following you for different reasons. Understanding and knowing your audience is the key to successful brand building. Your audience can consist of:
young writers looking up to you
people who have been following your work from day one
new followers who only read one of your books
Learn who they are and create content for each of these target groups. Make sure there’s something for everyone.
7. Talk Work
Just because you’re trying to build a personal brand doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to talk about your work as a writer. On the contrary, your social media is supposed to help you build awareness about your latest work and overall career.
This means that you should include updates from your professional life on your social media. You should post about:
your work in progress such as a new book or switching to a new genre
the release date of your new book
promotions and events
behind the scenes of a writing session
announcements and big revelations
Your social media profiles are there to support your professional career and make a connection between you as a writer and you as an everyday person.
So, don’t be afraid to talk work, but make it fun, genuine, and authentic.
Final Thoughts
Building a personal brand on social media is a great way for writers to gain more attention and expand their readership. When you’re present online the right way, people have a chance to get to know you, like you, and develop an interest in your work.
Hopefully, the 7 tips we’ve shared above will help you build a strong personal brand on social media so use them to reach new career heights.
Jessica Fender is a professional writer and educational blogger at Bestwritingadvisor, an aggregator for useful college resources and websites. Jessica enjoys sharing her ideas to make writing and learning fun.
Raise your hand if you’re a writer on Twitter! Same. Twitter is a great place for building that writing community and growing your visibility. However, simply building your brand through a follow-for-follow plan can cheapen not just your brand, but your writing.
So how do you build your platform and build the credibility of your writing?
As I’ve mentioned before, personal brand is not just what you write. It’s who you are. Your public, personal brand is what you decide to portray of who you are to your audience. Who are you impacts what you do or don’t write, how you engage with others on social media, and what you do or don’t post.
If you scroll through writers on Twitter, you’ll quickly see users who are there to promote their work, gain followers, and call it a day. Other than linking their book or blog, they don’t appear to be there to bring you, their potential reader, quality content.
Then you’ll see the few diamonds in the rough. The users who post quality content over and over, engage with other users, and work at pouring into the writing community, not just build their platform.
The great thing is, when you post quality content and genuinely engage with other writers, they’re apt to follow you. Thus, you build your platform.
So how do you bring your brand to Twitter? Ask yourself some questions:
Are you on Twitter to share what you’re learning from a come-alongside perspective, or to give writing advice from the standpoint of an expert? If you choose the come-alongside approach, you can share anything writing-related that you’re learning. If you choose the expert approach, to maintain brand integrity, only share advice you are an expert in. Do you write YA fiction in a specific genre, and have you sold thousands of books? You’re probably on your way to becoming an expert. However, you probably want to steer clear of handing out nonfiction advice.
Next, there are countless ways to engage with the writing community on Twitter. Choose what group you want to invest in, and go all in. Retweet pinned tweets, offer retweets on pitch fest days, jump into the comments to offer your expert advice, or share your own tweets as you progress through the writing journey.
Twitter is a sea of advice, book and blog promotions, writers’ lifts, etc., so choose carefully where you want to invest.
If you choose the expert sharing advice approach, writers’ lifts probably aren’t the best place to jump in. Twitter users who almost only engage in writers’ lifts, follow-for-follow trains, and endless promotions of their work are going to be viewed differently than those who genuinely engage, share writing advice, and provide great content every day.
Yes, follow writers, tweet, retweet—do all the things! Just choose how you choose to engage. What does what you tweet, retweet, and promote say about your writing brand?
With that in mind, happy tweeting!
Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Creator and writer. She helps authors build their platform through branding and copywriting. With a BA in Strategic Communications, Sarah equips writers to learn how to communicate their message through personal branding. She writes fiction and nonfiction and offers writers behind-the-scenes tips on the publishing industry through her blog itssarahrexford.com. She is represented by the C.Y.L.E Young Agency.
Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!
“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”
Scrivener Basics with Brandy Brow
In this two-part tutorial series, Brandy explains how to use Scrivener. By the end of part one, you’ll be able to use the basics of Scrivener, even if you don’t understand how to use the many bells and whistles this program offers. In part two of the series, Brandy takes us on a more in depth exploration of a few of the more popular aspects of Scrivener, like the corkboard and the outliner. Whether you use Scrivener or not, this two-part tutorial is informative and encouraging. Check out the two link below to catch the replay, but be sure to have a notepad and pen ready.
Watch the March 2nd replay.
Watch the March 9th replay.
Brandy Browis a writer, editor, vocalist, and artist who loves magical realism and science fantasy. Currently, she’s working on flash fiction and children’s stories. Brandy lives in Vermont with her husband and several children. You can connect with her on social media.
Join us!
Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133
Most people judge a book by its cover. You put years of your work into a book. Therefore, it deserves a cover that does justice with the story you put into it. The cover of a book should be designed to pique the reader’s interest in an instant. The blurb on the back should draw the reader into opening the book and reading what’s inside.
This indicates the cover of your book has to be stunning. It should not only intrigue the readers but also complements the content. If you have finished your book, now is the time to choose the right cover for it. If you are worried that you might end up making the wrong decision, this article is for you.
Today we are going to share some tips with you that help you choose a winning cover for your book. So without further ado, let’s get to the details.
Tips for choosing the right cover for your book:
There are various ways to ensure that your book cover not only stands out but also does justice to the story. Some of them include:
1. Get inspired:
Get inspired with what sells. Go to your favorite bookstore and explore shelf after shelf. Take a pen and notebook with you. Flick through covers and note down what attracts you. More importantly, go through the cover of those books that your intended readers love. Choose those elements that make the covers of these books unique.
Look for the design elements that go with your story:
Go to the bookshelf you want your book to be displayed on and use your designer eye candy to look for the elements that make it stand out. Go through the latest releases to learn about the latest trends in designs and technologies. Design a book cover that goes with pop culture.
Bring innovation by comparing your genre with others:
Most of the books that belong to the same genre have similar book covers. Although main features depend upon the story but most of the time similar colors are used. It’s similar to how different brands use color schemes to craft their identity. However, there is no harm in bringing innovation to your book cover. To make that happen, you should compare your genre with others.
Explore other genres as well. For example, the covers of fantasy books are a mixture of photography and illustration. Crimes thriller covers are often only photographic. Moreover, titles of fantasy books are heavily stylized. On the contrary crime book, covers have crisp san serif fonts.
Explore sub-genres:
You can also explore sub-genres to get more creative ideas. Also, keep the latest design trends in mind. For example, the covers of modern, dark fantasy books are composed of highly realistic illustrations of photography, whereas the traditional ones mostly contain paintings. Some crime mystery novels have illustrated covers.
Keep your target readers in mind:
While choosing a cover for your book, you should also keep the age of the target audience in mind. If your target audience is young children painted cover with an illustrated character will do. One of the best examples is the different design covers of Harry Potter books for children and adults.
Don’t forget the competition winners:
The winners of recent cover design competitions also serve as a great source of inspiration for your book’s cover design. You can also look through the personal lists created by professionals or avid readers of your genre.
Keep the best-sellers within and outside your genre in mind:
Don’t forget the best sellers while adapting to the recent design trends. If you have written something similar to an old bestseller choose an older cover style to go with. To conclude, the cover design of your book should represent its heart and soul. It should suit your story and hook your intended segment of readers.
2. Discover the tone of your book:
Digging deep into the genre helps. However, you need to go a step further to create a cover design that conveys the emotion of your story. You need to identify the overarching feel of your story and the sentiment your story is written to put across.
It might be hard to find the tone of the story. However, once you figure it out, it gets easier to communicate what you want through the cover of your book. You can translate this tone into a visual form and design a stunning and meaningful cover for your book.
3. Look for the right designer to create a cover for your book:
Make a list of your favorite book covers. Choose the ones similar to what you want your book cover to look like. Look up the designers of the book covers you like. Find their website and have a look at their portfolio. Check out their previous work and understand how their design process goes. If you have a publishing house contract, it is part of the publisher’s job to find you a designer. However, to make it a success, you need to actively involve in the process.
4. Keep it simple:
Minimalism is all the rage when it comes to design trends. If you look at some of the best book cover designs, you will find them minimal. However, going for a minimal book design doesn’t mean you have to be boring.
You need to work towards achieving a simple design that is unique in every aspect and effectively conveys the emotion of the story.
5. Your book cover should be thumbnail friendly:
With the advent of technology, reading habits have changed. People interact with book covers differently than they used to. People read e-book more than hardcover. They also shop for books online. Therefore, it is important to create book covers that turn out to be good thumbnail images.
Creating a thumbnail cover requires a minimal design with contrasting colors and fairly large text. The image file should also be of the right size and resolution. It shouldn’t stretch and display correctly on the screen.
6. Go with a step by step approach:
Your story goes through multiple drafts before it takes its final form. The same goes for a book cover. Once you have figured out the basic features of your book cover design, you should consider various design options. Select the option that closely meets how you want your book cover to look and keep tweaking the design until you get what you need.
Emphasize important design elements. Experiment with abstract or realistic design options to make your book cover stand out.
7. It’s time to test your design:
Once you have the final cover design options ready, you need to share them with the world. Get opinions from everyone you know, specifically your intended segment of readers. Request them to choose their favorite out of the final design options. Also, take the design critique seriously. Keep track of the features they like and dislike about your cover design.
Wrapping up!
It takes years to write a book. You put your heart and soul into it and do your best to make sure it makes it to the list of best sellers. However, what most writers don’t realize is it takes much more than a compelling story to captivate your intended audience.
The cover of a book is the first thing that compels readers to pick up a book and start reading it. Therefore, it has to be a classic one. There are various things you can do that ensure that the cover of the book effectively conveys its emotions, personality, and tone. By following the above-mentioned tips you can ensure that your book stands out from the rest.
Elice Max is a A marketing professional with seven years in the industry. Mostly interested in personal branding and emerging trends. Mom to two humans and one Persian cat.
One month ago my first novel officially released. As you might guess, I am proud of finally achieving that goal!
Death and a Crocodile is a fast-paced mystery set in ancient Rome, featuring a feisty female sleuth, quirky humor, a glimpse of the early church, and a naughty, sausage-snatching cat. It was recently named a gold medal winner in the Illumination Book Awards mystery/thriller category.
In case you’re wondering, my meteoric rise to fame began long, long ago in a phase of life far far away from my current reality. (As in mother of toddlers to grandparent.)
Over the intervening years I’ve spent countless hours learning, writing, getting feedback, writing some more, attending conferences, building platform, and writing. Ten years ago I actually completed an entire novel manuscript. Four years ago I complete the manuscript that became my first novel. Two years ago that manuscript was a finalist in the ACFW Genesis award. One year ago I signed a contract for the book with CrossLink Publishing. And now here I am, at the start of my career as a published author.
Author interviews often include a question something like “What advice do you have for beginning authors?” Since I have just transitioned from unpublished author to published author, I thought I would take a stab at answering that question.
Believe in yourself and your stories
When I first discovered that I enjoyed creative writing, I wrote short articles and drama sketches. Sometimes I would work on a few scenes of a longer story, but I never got very far. Partly because I hadn’t yet learned how to structure a story, but mainly because I didn’t think anyone would want to read the stories I made up.
My inner critic whispered that no one wanted to read my stories. My plot ideas weren’t good enough. They were stupid, lame, boring, or too odd for anyone else to enjoy.
It took me years to get over this hurdle.
And it was only after I decided to believe my stories were worth reading that I began to take myself seriously as a writer. Only once I had moved past that mental hurdle could I risk my work being seen in critique groups or actually decide to finish an entire story manuscript.
Give yourself permission to be a beginner
You’ve probably heard the advice that you must turn off your inner critic and give yourself permission to write a “bad” first draft. I suggest you take that concept further and give yourself permission to write a “bad” first novel.
Let me clarify! By “bad” I don’t mean poorly written, or awful, or a piece of junk. I merely mean not yet good enough to be published. I call them practice novels. A practice novel is not bad. A practice novel is not a waste of time. I think of practices novels as a hands-on writing course that helps us learn and improve our craft.
I recognize that God has called some of you to write a specific book, and therefore you need to continue improving and polishing that manuscript until it is publishable. However, for many of us, and particularly those who write fiction, our calling is to be a teller of tales, not necessarily any one particular tale. Therefore, creating practice novels that helps us hone our skill and find our voice is a perfectly acceptable use of our time and talents. I have heard many successful authors mention the practice novels they wrote, which gave me mental permission to do the same. I wrote three practice novels before writing Death and a Crocodile.
Do you need to give yourself permission to call your manuscript a practice novel and set it aside to begin working on something better? And who knows, a plot point or character from a practice novel could always end up in a future work.
Network even if you don’t know what you’re doing.
I am a card-carrying introvert. I was not born with a networking gene. One of the things I hate most in life is feeling alone in a crowd of people. Attending any large social event drains my energy big-time. (Are you getting the picture?)
So attending writing groups or conferences is a HUGE stretch for me. But I do it.
Because interacting with other writers face-to-face is an important piece of growing as a writer. All of the one-on-one meetings I’ve had at Christian writing conferences have been encouraging, and several of those meetings have led to further interaction with helpful authors. Also, every time I have attended a live conference, the Lord has guided me to people I could befriend. So even though I’m not a natural networker, and I didn’t realize I was networking, I have collected writing acquaintances over the years that I can turn to for advice, encouragement, and even an endorsement or two.
In other words, attending writers’ groups and writing conferences enables God’s providence to operate and lead you to open doors.
An example of networking and God’s providence: A woman I befriended at a local writers’ group met Cyle Young through attending a writing conference. When he was starting Almost an Author, she heard about it and passed the word to me, so I was able to begin writing a column here. That led to Cyle becoming my literary agent. Which eventually landed me a publishing contract. See all that networking? And it began with me talking to ONE writing friend and making the effort to join a group writing blog. That’s all I thought I was doing, but God had bigger plans.
If you know any beginning writers, take the time to encourage them in whatever next step they need to take on their writing journey. Encourage them to believe in the worth of their stories. Or perhaps invite them to come along the next time you attend a writing event.
Lisa E. Betz worked as an engineer, substitute teacher, and play director before becoming an award-winning mystery writer. She brings her analytical mind, quirky humor, and positive outlook to all she writes. She draws inspiration from thirty-five years of leading Bible studies to create entertaining mysteries set in the world of the early church, and then she fills that world with eccentric characters, independent females, and an occasional sausage-snatching cat. Her first novel, Death and a Crocodile, garnered a gold medal in the Illumination Book Awards.
Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!
“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”
Writers Chat Recap for February Part 2
Featuring…
Mentor Text with Annette Whipple
In this episode of Writers Chat, Annette Whipple demonstrates how authors use mentor texts to strengthen structure, voice, timing, and addresses the basics of writing as a business. She gives an inside look into her processes to show actionable steps for applying Mentor Text to your written works. Annette also shares wonderful tips, tools, and resources.
Watch the February 16th replay.
Annette Whipple writes nonfiction to inspire curiosity and wonder in children. She inspires curiosity and wonder in readers while exciting them science and history through her nonfiction books. Annette provides interactive programs and workshops to engage participants in topics like writing, science, and history. Learn more about Annette’s books and presentations at https://www.annettewhipple.com/
Color Me Perfect(ly) With Jann Martin and Rhonda Dragomir
Did you know there was psychology behind color? In today’s episode, Jann Martin and Rhonda Dragomir join us to share just how important color is to your brand and website. Jann shares with us the meaning of different colors and Rhonda explains how to use color palette apps on Canva, Coolers, and Palleton. If you’ve been thinking you’re website is missing something, maybe your colors are sending the wrong message. Check out this week’s episode to learn more about the psychology of colors.
Watch the February 23rd replay.
Bio
Jann W. Martin is an author, proofreader, teacher, speaker and blogger. Her dream is to captivate the hearts of children, by writing stories that teach them the Bible through the eyes of a child. She has written curriculum for children and adults on several different topics.
Her first published book, This Babe So Small, tells the nativity story through the eyes of the innkeeper’s daughter. Her Bible Characters Through the Ages series features two children who build a time travel machine called Yahweh’s Express that allows them to meet important Biblical persons. Connect with Jann at https://jannwmartin.com, https://www.facebook.com/booksjann.christianchildren, and https://twitter.com/JannWMartin
Rhonda Dragomir is fascinated with knights, castles, and all things Scottish, Rhonda Dragomir lives out her own fairy tale life in central Kentucky. She has published stories in five Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies and was named Serious Writer’s Writer of the Year in 2019. Rhonda is represented by Linda Glaz of the Hartline Literary Agency and is currently pursuing publication of her debut novel, a 16th-century Scottish historical romance. Rhonda writes stories that reveal God is more than a concept or a disinterested deity—he is a loving Father who wants a personal relationship with the people he loves. Connect with Rhonda at https://rhondadragomir.com/, https://www.facebook.com/rldragomir, and https://www.pinterest.com/RhondaDragomirAuthor/_saved/
Join us
Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133
Are you looking for the perfect guide to improve your marketing strategy on Instagram? Follow these 7 effective steps that will help you to enhance your business.
Before we enter into the main topic, a quick look about Instagram marketing.
Instagram is one of the most popular and influential social networks in the world. As more and more people use Instagram to update their valuable information. Instagram is an excellent platform for publishing your visual thoughts.
Instagram marketing is the process of promoting your brand among Instagram users. It helps you to reach a large & new audience, increase brand visibility, build strong brand & customer relationships, and generate more sales and revenue for your business.
Okay, shall we move to our main topic: 7 unique Instagram marketing tips for beginners:
Tip 1: Make A Great Profile
When someone enters your profile, the first thing they see your profile picture, short bio, and your most recent posts. Your Instagram profile clearly explains who you are and what your business does. It can help to show your brand personality and get people to notice your actions.
Here are some important parts of your Instagram profile:
Profile Image: The image that you use should be relevant to your brand or business.
Username: Add the right username that is searchable.
Bio: You have 150 characters to write an effective bio. So, spend some time making the right impression.
Clickable Links: Bio is an excellent place to take people to your product page directly.
Call to action: You can insert additional call to action buttons such as call, email, etc.
Tip 2: Follow A Unique Content Strategy
A solid content strategy is essential to succeed on Instagram marketing. Without useful and relevant content, it is hard to grab the attention of your target audience.
So, you should analyze what type of content is best to gain more potential followers to your account.
But, how to find & improve your content strategy?
You should upload more photos and videos that are relevant to your brand/products.
You can make videos that show your company culture and give a behind the scene look.
Create a mixture of contents with different formats.
Focus on high quality and subject matter contents.
Post one or two times per day when your followers are more active.
Tip 3: Collaborate With Target Influencers
Influencer marketing is the best strategy to reach out to your potential customers and gain followers on Instagram within a short time. Partners with the right influencers can show your brand in front of a wider audience.
According to the research, more and more people purchase products based on the content of influencers.
Usually, Instagram influencers have a large and loyal follower base. So, most people trust their recommendations to make a successful campaign.
Ensure that you should choose to partner with those who have a highly relevant audience based on your product and services.
If you partner with the right influencers, you can easily build strong brand awareness with your target audiences.
Tip 4: Take Advantage Of Instagram Stories
Instagram stories are similar to Snapchat posts, and it is a great way to keep your followers engaged and get more engagement.
Instagram stories are easy to create and get more user attention when compared to Instagram photos. Because Instagram stories appear at the top of your followers feed. So, your followers can easily notice your stories and expose your content to a lot of people. Moreover, stories are a great feature to get more views on your profile page.
When you boost Instagram story views, you get a chance to increase organic views for your stories. It can also help to drive traffic to your profile and expand popularity within a short period. It even encourages people to share more of your content with others.
Tip 5: Use Powerful Hashtags
Hashtags play an important role on Instagram, and you can use up to 30 hashtags per post. Hashtags can help you get more people to see your content and connect your brand with a wider audience.
There are two types of Instagram hashtags that can get more visibility:
Brand Hashtags
A brand hashtag is basically your company name or the name of your marketing campaign. You can create branded hashtags to promote your business on Instagram easily. But, make sure your hashtags are easy to remember, unique and trending.
Content Hashtags
The content hashtag is essential for getting more and more people to discover your content. You can use these hashtags within your content when it is relevant to it.
If your content wants to become popular on Instagram, using a content hashtag can help you to show your content in front of your target audience.
Tip 6: Leverage Instagram Ads
Most marketers use Instagram advertising to enhance their brand to a huge audience. On average, there are 2 million users who use Instagram as an advertising platform.
Here are few strong reasons for you to use Instagram advertising:
You can introduce your brand to a target audience through Instagram ads.
Instagram ads are more engaging, which can help you to get a better conversation rate.
It provides huge creative features for both images and videos when promoting your products.
Instagram ads increase the chance of generating more sales and getting revenue.
Tip 7: Access Right Metrics
Understanding your metric performance is the first step to improve your marketing strategy. Instagram provides a free inbuilt analytics tool to measure the success of your profile, content, audience demographic and more.
These include:
Follower Growth Rate: The number of followers you have in the last 7 days.
Engagement Rate: It includes likes, comments, and shares per post.
Click Through Rate: You can know how many people are clicking through to your URL.
The above metrics will help you to market your business more effectively on Instagram.
Conclusion:
Instagram marketing strategies are the best marketing strategies in the digital world! You can use the above mentioned 7 marketing tips that can develop your marketing level and help to move the next! As a beginner, you must know the importance of Instagram marketing and their stats.
Good luck for your business!
Caterina Taylor is an experienced social media marketer and writer who works at PlanYourGram.com. She loves to work on content creation for social media blogs and has the potential to deliver engaging content on various platforms and networks.
The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson is another contemporary cozy set in the idyllic town of Coraloo. It’s a standalone novel, however, follows the antics of characters introduced in my first novel, The Death of Mungo Blackwell. It centers around the impending marriage of Margarette Toft to Roy Blackwell – super controversial as the families have been feuding since before the town was founded. The real chaos ensues as the families attempt to plan the wedding amidst a month-long festival and a town secret involving an actor with a severe case of kleptomania and the mysterious marriage of Innis Wilkinson. It’s a quirky modern-day tale of love and family with a heavy dose of absolutely loveable side characters.
Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?
You know how sometimes you get to the end of a movie or book and it’s kind of like you exhale when it’s over – suddenly you want to tell everyone you know about it because it was just… lovely. That’s the only word for it. I find it most in children’s film and literature – creative storylines, maybe a bit of adventure, the out of the ordinary, a dose of imagination, and characters you remember forever. That’s my goal, to create something full of childlike wonder for grown-ups.
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing for ten years. My first adventure was with an indie-pubbed middle-grade series (that I still play with a occasionally) called The Books of the Gardener. I currently have six of the ten books complete and probably would have at least three more finished by now had I not taken a bit of a break to write for grown-ups, a venture that continues to surprise me.
And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract? Or are you published non-traditionally? How did that come about?
Seven years! I had always hoped my middle-grade books would find a traditional publishing home, but alas it was not to be. At the time my agent felt the market was just not acquiring middle-grade – it was during the social media boom when middle-graders hadn’t quite found their place and publishers didn’t know how to market to them.
So, she suggested I continue to indie-pub my MG series and write that “thing” – that quirky thing I had been talking about writing for two years but kept insisting I had to finish my ten book middle-grade series before I started on it. She had another idea. Hit pause on the MG series and write “that thing about the man who has his funeral before he died”. She knew I needed some refreshing and thought this might be good for me, especially since I talked about it all the time!
I wrote it in six months, pitched it at a conference to several houses, and had three requests for full manuscripts by the end of the day. Long story short… two years later after a bit of rewrites, I signed a two-book contract with Lion Hudson in England for The Death of Mungo Blackwell and The Marriage of Innis Wilkinson.
Which of your books is your favorite?
The Death of Mungo Blackwell is absolutely my most favorite thing I have ever written! While there is this quirky side story about a man named Mungo Blackwell who sailed with pirates, married the maharaja’s daughter, and had his funeral before he died, the real story is of a husband and wife who go through a major financial loss. So, this is a very personal book for me as well – my husband and I felt every inch of the financial crash of 2008, losing our home, selling our belongings, and doing our best to find contentment as we dug (and sold) our way out of it. It’s our story… just really exaggerated.
Do you have a favorite character or scene in one of your books?
Granny Blackwell will forever be my most favorite character, she’ll just have to make an appearance in one way or another in each of my books set in Coraloo. She has a bit of both my grandmother’s in her. She’s witty, funny, insightful, and has no problem speaking her mind. She also has an absolutely lovely backstory that I can’t wait to share with my readers.
Tell us about an award you won that was particularly meaningful.
Oh this just makes me all swoony to even thing about! I still can’t believe it! The Death of MungoBlackwell recently won the American Christian Fiction Writer’s (ACFW) Carol Award for Contemporary Fiction. I’ve attended this conference for years – even before the book was a thought. It’s where I first pitched the novel. I’ve sat at the awards banquet so many times watching friends and fellow writer’s accept awards. I wondered so often what it would be like, and now I am just absolutely beyond grateful.
How long does it take you to write a book?
It usually takes me about four months to get the first good draft on paper and then I have several layers of editing before I let anyone read it. So… I’d say around six months before it goes to my editor or agent.
What’s your writing work schedule like?
I’ve fallen into the schedule of writing in the afternoons once all my distractions are out of the way, at least four days a week. Right after lunch and before my kiddos get home from school seems to be my sweet spot. That gives me the morning to tidy up my house, run errands, and do all the grown-up things that need doing. I try to do any marketing, interviews, phone calls, etc. in the morning as well – that’s usually first thing after the kiddos are off to school and my husband has gone to work.
Do you have an interesting writing quirk? If so, what is it?
This is really weird, but I have to have movement around me – a candle burning, a fire flickering in the fireplace, a fan spinning. Stillness is so distracting! It makes me want to just get up and do something else, anything else – usually laundry, dishes. It’s so silly, I know. Maybe it’s because I’m so ridiculously fidgety.
What has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing career? I would have to say (next to winning the Carol Award) was going to England with my family for the UK release of The Death of Mungo Blackwell – visiting my publishing team, radio interviews on BBC radio, seeing my book in a magazine on a grocery store shelf, and chatting with a book club at a library outside of London. It was absolutely magical! As my daughter and I would say, it was “Roses for days!”
Could you tell us about a dark moment in your writing career? Oh… right… there are those. And I had one hit me really hard in the months before the release of The Death of Mungo Blackwell. It’s really easy as a writer to set expectations of how everything is going to look, especially when you have writer friends who are releasing at the same time. On top of that, my children were entering private school after I had homeschooled for ten years, we moved into a new home in a new and unfamiliar community, and I was working on my second book that I just couldn’t seem to get right.
I felt like I had lost my identity as a homeschool mom (which had been a huge platform for me marketing my middle-grades), and I was not seeing my “launch” go as well as I had intended. Or let me be honest, I didn’t have as much to post on social media as my friends who were launching their books around the same time. That spirit of comparison is a beast! It all seems so selfish looking back on it, but I had found myself in a really dark place. I was sad, just really sad. It was hard for me to find joy in anything.
The trip to England changed everything and it really had nothing to do with the book – it had everything to do with reminding me who I was and that my identity isn’t defined by book sales or how I choose to educate my children. I had to find contentment in other areas of my life before I could find contentment in my author life. I feel like I found myself in England and was happy to bring her back home.
How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you?
I’ve seriously lost count. I think there were five rejections on Mungo before he found a home. And dozens on my middle-grade series. I learned to be patient and that if you pray for the right fit, you just have to be willing to wait for it. Every rejection was absolutely worth finding my publishing home with Lion Hudson. I’ve always been in love with England—all things England! So having a British publisher was truly worth the wait.
Where do you get your ideas?
Dead people. I’m just kidding! Sort of… Mungo Blackwell was originally inspired by an actual man in my family who had his funeral before he died. But mostly I’m inspired by life, real people, and that bit of oddness in all of us. I find that people tell me a lot about their quirky family members. And while my characters aren’t directly based on any of these stories, I do like to document tendencies, mannerisms, and uniqueness that make us so fun.
For example, when I was teaching… years ago… I had a co-teacher who had a great grandmother who kept misplacing her letters. I twisted it a bit and created a grandmother in one of my middle-grade novels who kept losing another kind of letters – A, B, C. I could people watch for days! We’re just a fascinating creation.
Who is your favorite author to read?
Roald Dahl. I know… children’s author. But he’s usually my go to when I’m starting one of my novels for grown-ups. I just love how far he reaches into the imagination, his use of language, and words. He has a tone that is so lovely it bounces. I’m a huge fan of story, and he was an amazing storyteller. Grown-up novels shouldn’t have to be so heavy. We live heavy lives. Our reading should allow us to escape into those same worlds we lived in as children.
What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have heeded?
Find your people. The author world can be a lonely world filled with unnecessary anxiety. It helps to have people in your life who know exactly how you’re feeling when your spouse has no idea why you are melting down over a self-inflicted deadline. Find people to join you on the journey – those who have published and those who haven’t put the first word on paper but have a really good idea. Glean from the experience and be willing to share what you learn – at all levels of your writing career. I truly wish I had found my people sooner, but now that I have them… I don’t want to ever let them go.
What are common mistakes you see aspiring writer’s make?
Rushing. It seems that a lot of aspiring writer’s (my early writer self included) find themselves on self-inflicted timelines. They set goals for when the story will be done, when they will get an agent, and when they will publish. And when these goals aren’t met, they rush into indie-publishing. Indie-publishing is great, but it is really hard work! There are no short cuts. Most of the successful indie-authors know their audience and how to market to them. They stay on top of the trends, keep spreadsheets and are as good at the business end of the industry as they are at writing. The road to publication whether indie or traditional is long and hard. Don’t rush into either one. Take your time. Get it right.
Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market?
Network! Network! Network! Online is great, but it’s not the same as meeting face to face. So find a local writer’s group and attend at least one writing conference a year. It’s where the industry hangs out – authors, editors, agents, publishers. We’re all there for one purpose – books. It’s where you build relationships, learn the trends, hone your craft, and most often have the opportunity to have real conversation with editors and agents. My agent once told me that I had to be the one to pitch my book because nobody knows my story like I do… and I tend to get really excited and passionate about what I write. I imagine my wide-eyes and flailing arms are a bit amusing. Apparently, it worked – not sure I really could have been myself in front of a computer screen.
Lauren H. Brandenburg is an author and storyteller who happily blurs the lines between traditional genres in both middle grade and cozy fiction. She was longlisted for the People’s Book Prize in the United Kingdom and recipient of the ACFW Carol Award in contemporary fiction for The Death of Mungo Blackwell, as well as a two time Selah Award finalist.
Lauren is a former junior high and high school English teacher who stepped away from her profession to raise and homeschool her two children. She currently lives with her husband and their two children in a lovely little town just south of Nashville, Tennessee where they cook, play games, and laugh a lot.
Emails and newsletters are the most effective digital marketing tools to promote books by self-published authors. Sending an email is much cheaper than many other marketing tools, and yet it is more effective.
Campaign Monitor reported that for the past decade, email marketing has generated the highest ROI for businesses worldwide. In fact, for every 1$ marketers spend on email marketing, they receive $38 back.
Given its affordability and its effectiveness, Email marketing is the best promotional tool at the disposal of self-published authors. Let’s take a look at 7 tried and tested strategies to help you get more bang for your buck through email marketing:
1. Segment your Email List
First things first, you must divide your email list into small segments based on geographic, behavioral, psychographic, and demographic factors. Your subscribers and potential readers will hardly be a homogenous bunch.
They will differ from each other in terms of preferences, interests, personalities, behaviors, and other features. Therefore, it makes sense to divide them into smaller groups and design email content specifically for each segment.
Geographic Area
Sort your email list based on their geographic location. Why? Research suggests that people are more likely to open emails at certain times of the day. Marketers consider midweek, between 1 – 3 PM, the ideal time for sending emails.
However, 1 PM in one part of the world means midnight at another place. If you send one email to all subscribers, only those in your time zone will end up opening it. Hence, it’s better to divide the subscriber list according to geographic area and send emails at the appropriate time.
Open rate, purchase history, and user status (new/old) are some other segments to consider when dividing your email list.
2. Develop an Email Sequence
Next comes the sequence of Emails. Are you bombarding the reader with information in the first go? If yes, then try a different tactic for more success. Make use of Drip marketing, a strategy in which you send multiple emails to your subscribers at certain times and dates in order.
What does this do? Instead of an in-your-face sales pitchy approach, the email sequence prepares the reader for purchase by providing them the information they will find useful and interesting.
Here is a sequence that you can try:
A welcome email to new subscribers.
Email containing an excerpt from your book based on the reader’s previous reading history with a CTA button.
Email containing an incentive such as sale price, reward, bundle pricing, etc., with a CTA.
Email containing a limited time only offer with a CTA.
You will need an email automation tool to set up this sequential email marketing strategy, which brings us to our next step.
3. Get a Reliable Email Service Provider
You may be thinking that johndoe_01@gmail.com is a good enough address for your email marketing campaign, but rest assured it’s not! ESP accounts are more likely to end up unread in the spam folder.
Hence, you should get an official email account such as Gmail business suite, MailChimp, MailLite, and more. If you have an official website, you can even install a plugin, which will allow you to create emails from your own server.
Secondly, you will need email automation tools. Mailchimp and MailLite have their own automation tools. You can also use third-party software for email automation, such as software from Hubstaff or Moosend.
Email automation will help you keep track of your emails, what has been sent, what is scheduled, and so forth.
4. Focus on your Strength
Many self-published authors bog themselves down by worrying about email design. They end up wasting a lot of time on the perfect font, image, and style, that they forget the essence of the email.
Yes, it is true that emails with multimedia are more likely to succeed. However, it is not a given. You can simply write to your readers in a natural way to get a conversion. If you want to add design, you can use premade templates from your email marketing software instead of wasting hours designing the perfect layout.
5. Be As Natural As Possible
You are a writer, so do what you do best; write. Write the content of the email from your heart rather than adopting a corporate-esque stoicism. You readers, the ones who subscribed to your website because they love your writing, are more likely to respond to your words than some formal, template-style email.
Here are a few tips that you can keep in mind:
Use a friendly tone and talk to the subscribers as though you are familiar with them. It will invite them to continue reading your email to learn more.
Use simple language; resist the urge to add hard to read, fancy words. People connect with what they understand and what feels real to them.
Speak to them like you are speaking to a friend. If you are sending emails to old readers, share an inside joke, catchphrase, quote, or poem from your previous book to make them feel like they are a part of an exclusive club.
6. Freebies do Work
Take a hint from Software as a Service model and offer free previews to hook your readers. If you are selling e-books, then you can include a free preview for the first few chapters to entice the reader into buying.
Similarly, you can offer discounts, additional perks like buy 1 book and get the audiobook free, and so on. Perks and rewards never fail to convert if done in a classy way.
7. Include a CTA
Always include a clear and visible Call To Action (CTA) button in your email. What do you want to achieve with the email? Do you want the reader to subscribe? Purchase? View? Download?
Whatever your intended result, include a CTA to drive action. You can include the CTA at the end of your email and highlight it, so it pops up.
A few examples of popular CTA are:
Subscribe Today
Download Now
Purchase Here
You can experiment with the CTAs and see what works for you.
Arslan Hassan is an electrical engineer with a passion for writing, designing, and anything tech-related. His educational background in the technical field has given him the edge to write on many topics. He occasionally writes blog articles for Dynamologic Solutions.
