Her first, pretty simple tip is this: New indie authors must network with authors in their genres. Read everything inside Amazon KDP. Click on every thing that surrounds your book.
Tip #2: Run an Amazon Giveaway
Price a book at 99c and engage in an Amazon giveaway. You can give away up to 50 books. Use “follow me on Amazon.” That way…
I can’t believe another quarter has past. For me, 2017 is flying by at a snail’s pace.
With regards to my writing life, I’m months behind. My goal to have my debut novel, Hound Dog Confidential, published on August 1st, must be pushed back. There are so many more steps to this self-publishing thing than I first thought. And, everything about the process is time consuming. If only publishing a novel on Amazon was just a click of a button.
With regards to my personal life, the days can’t go by fast enough. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and can’t believe it’s only July. That end of the year ‘blah’ feeling I usual get around fourth quarter has taken over me. Each day drags on with too many and too little hours in the day. Emotionally, I feel as though it should be Thanksgiving already.
The reason why I blog about my quarterly goals is to keep myself on track to meet the annual resolutions I wrote about on January 7th. You can read my first quarter progress in the April 5th blog post.
Reading Goals
I read the following:
Prince Lestat by Anne Rice (5-stars. Beautiful writing, memorable characters, both old and new, great twist on the Vampire mythology.)
The Thought Readers by Dima & Anna Zales (4-stars. Fast read with an interesting main character)
Vengeance Be Mine by Louisa Lo (4-stars. It’s a funny Urban Fantasy)
Discern by Andrea Pearson (4-stars. The characters are a little cliché, but it is a fun story)
Wings of Hope by Pippa DaCosta (4-stars. A prequel to her Veil Series. A little story that packs a punch)
Angel Vindicated by Viola Estrella (4-stars. A well written Angel/Demon PNR. The MC, Abby, does make some idiotic decisions)
Feral by Laxmi Hariharan (3-stars. A vividly drawn world with shifters, Bombay the year 2036 after an apocalypse, but a teen love triangle & romance isn’t my thing)
Tutoring the Wolf by Jacqueline Sweet & Devon March (3-stars. Well written with well-developed characters, but I didn’t feel anything with the romance)
Soul Ties by LJ Swallow (3-stars. A great start to an Angel/Demon series. The love interest, Keir, and his best friend/sidekick, Delilah, are annoying and at times drag the story down)
Romancing the Null by Tina Gower (5-stars. This novel was awesome. I loved the main characters Kate & Ian as well as the overall storyline)
Crimson Shadow: Noir by Nathan Squiers (3-stars. A well written book with no typos. I couldn’t sympathize with the main character, Xander, and was actively rooting for the bad vampires to kill him & his mentors)
A Touch of Darkness by Yelena Casale & Tina Moss (3-stars. There were no typos. A great Angel/Demon main plot was overshadowed by a boring romance that didn’t have a good build up and the main character, Cassie, makes multiple dumb decisions)
Currently Reading: Dream Stalker: Talented: Book 1 by Amy Hopkins
Writing Goals
I wrote two flash fiction stories and made outlines for three novellas.
I’m further along on the 3rd novel in my series, The Children of Ekhidna and Typhoeus. Because my first drafts are hand written, I don’t know how many more words I’ve added, but there are more chapters than before.
Author Goals
Hound Dog Confidential is with a proof reader. Final phase yay!
I set up TinyLetter, MailChimp and Mailerlite accounts to host my mailing list. When I’m ready, I’ll have a sign-up post for readers to join my future ARC (advanced review copy) team.
The self-editing on Through the Villain’s Eyes is finally finished (for now) and a comprehensive editing appointment has been book for later in the month.
The next things to tackle in third quarter are: 1) Write novellas for Instafreebie and my mailing list sign-ups; 2) Write more flash fiction and a short story; 3) Publish Hound Dog Confidential.
Are you on track to meet your annual or quarterly goals?
I hope you liked this week’s blog post. You can read the first chapters of my urban fantasy series The Children of Ekhidna and Typhoeus on the books page.
Please let me know what you think by liking, commenting or subscribing.
Awesome post! I had to reblog this. My favorite dogs are in Greek mythology: Cerberus (Hades’ three-headed guard dog of the gates to the underworld) and Orthus (brother to Cerberus and the two-headed guard dog of Geryon’s cattle)
The dog is the first domesticated animal, and is symbolically associated with loyalty and vigilance, often acting as guardian and protector. Dogs are portrayed as guides and companions, hence the notion of “man’s best friend.”
Dogs almost always appear in a positive light. Native American legends generally portray the dog as the symbol of friendship and loyalty. The Joshua Athapascans believe that dogs were the first beings made by their creator-figure, Xowala’ci. The Jicarilla Apache, on the other hand, tell the story of God Black Hactcin, who first created a dog and then made man as a companion for the dog.
In Irish Mythology, dogs were the traditional guardian animals of roads and crossways…
You just hit publish, right? That’s what all the articles say. Any idiot can upload a book in minutes. And yes, I suppose any idiot can, but it takes a very informed, dedicated, professional and talented individual to upload a book that people will want to read. A recent Facebook post from a first-time author seeking advice made me realise how long I’ve been doing this self-publishing thang and how I’ve kind of taken for granted that everyone has ‘the knowledge’. There are so many blogs, articles and how-to books on the subject, and yet authors can still struggle with the basics. The first author asked what she should be doing in the run up to her launch and another suggested that while there is a lot of information out there, it’s almost overwhelming. Where do you start? Where does it end?? So in an effort to share said knowledge, I’m writing…
Are you struggling to come up with something to do with your dad this Father’s Day? You’ve done the whole miniature golf, Tequila shots, and dinner at Red Lobster thing a thousand times already. So, why not stay at home, make some popcorn and watch movies? He knows you’re broke!
Star Wars: Episode V – Empire Strikes Back: Nothing will make you appreciate your father/child bond better than knowing that at least your dad isn’t a Sith Lord.
There Will Be Blood: Your dad showed you how to ride a bike. H.W.’s dad killed someone with a bowling pin. I think you know who wins the coolest dad award.
The Princess Bride: A grandfather reads a story to his grandson. This line: “My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!” Do I really need to convince you further?
Bonus:
Prisoners: I dare you not to cry and sing “Kum Ba Yah” after this one. If this movie doesn’t bring you two closer and give you the feels then that’s not really your dad. It’s a robot impersonating your dad.
2nd Bonus:
Fifty Shades of Grey: After going through an emotional rollercoaster with the above movies, face it. You both need a little “pick me up.” 50 Shades is all about perking up—and stalking and sex contracts. If there’s one movie on this list that will cause you to fly off the couch and run screaming out of your father’s house it’s this movie. As much as your dad loves you, it’s probably 2 a.m. and he wants you gone.
Dad Quotes of the Day:
“The other day, when my 4-year-old saw a flowering tree and said, ‘Daddy it’s raining petals,’ that was poetry that just melted my heart into a mushy, yummy Fudgsicle.”
–Brendan Fraser (Actor)
“He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.”
“When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.”
-Mark Twain (Writer)
“Be a dad. Don’t be Mom’s Assistant…Be a man…Fathers have skills that they never use at home. You run a landscaping business and you can’t dress and feed a four-year-old? Take it on. Spend time with your kids…It won’t take away your manhood, it will give it to you.”
― Louis C.K. (Comedian)
Hope you all have a wonderful Father’s Day!
Hope you liked this week’s blog post. You can read the first chapters of my urban fantasy series The Children of Ekhidna and Typhoeuson the books page.
Please let me know what you think by liking, commenting or subscribing.
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Like every writer in the universe, I struggle with self-doubt and the “soggy middle” of my novels. The only thing you can do is power through it.
Self-doubt is a normal and natural part of the writing process, like puberty except without the acne. Every writer feels that their work is crap at some point, especially the first draft. Acknowledge this and move on, continue writing and don’t give up.
The “soggy” or “saggy” middle is all the action that happens after the inciting incident that leads to the climax of the novel. If you don’t have a strong outline or a clear idea of how to move your plot forward the middle can turn into a jumbled, soggy mess. There are no easy fixes. You can try killing a character, introducing new characters or subplots, adding a plot twist or simply sit in a corner and pray the problem goes away on its own like that mysterious rash you found on your elbow last week. The answer for me is usually to revise my outline to figure out where I deviated or why I have a plot hole.
Three tips to help fix plot holes:
Ask a beta reader, critique partner or friend to read your work: As the goddess of your literary universe, it’s difficult for you to see minor details. A fresh set of unbiased eyes may be better equipped to show you where the story veered off course or doesn’t make sense.
Write one or two sentences summarizing: what happened in each chapter, what are the character’s motivations, why is this scene important, and how does it link to the chapters before and after it: Plot holes and inconsistencies will jump out at you if you can’t properly answer any of these questions.
Add Foreshadowing: This is the easier fix once you’ve found the problem. Go back and set up whatever it is that will fill your plot hole.
What are some of the writing issues you struggle with?
I hope you liked this week’s blog post. You can read the first chapters of my urban fantasy series The Children of Ekhidna and Typhoeus on the books page.
Please let me know what you think by liking, commenting or subscribing.
Marketing is a four letter word to most authors, and I don’t mean the word ‘love.’ Advertising and marketing are important no matter how icky it makes you feel. Writing a novel and making it available to the world doesn’t mean the world will take notice. Or care. Or fart in your general direction.
Once we release a novel, indie authors must scoop out their writer’s brain and plop in their publisher’s brain. Your book baby is now a product swimming in an ocean cluttered with thousands of other books that are published daily. Why, you may ask, is it important to market your novel? Do I need to list the reasons? Okay, here it is:
No one will read your novel because no one knows about it
That’s it.
It may seem like traditionally published authors don’t market their books, but that is not true. Every time you see an interview or feature about your favorite author’s latest tome that is advertising.
Since self-published authors don’t have a public relations team or a marketing department behind them, I’ve pulled together a small list of book promo sites. I don’t vouch for these websites in any way. Once my first two novels are published, I plan to try some of them. I will post updates on what worked and what didn’t later in the year.
Free!
Awesomegang.com: It is free, but there is also a $10 paid option to get your book featured on their homepage for 2 days, a guaranteed spot in their newsletters and more social media promotion.
Pretty-hot.com: Their service is free, but also has a featured option for $25 that guarantees a featured spot on their homepage for 7 days. Your book will also go out to their newsletter and social media channels.
eBookasaurus: From free to a Premium Book Listing is $10USD/ per listing
The Book Circle:Free: Consideration for listing on their Free Kindle Ebooks Page, 1 Tweet, 1 Facebook Post; Premium: $9.00 Guaranteed listing on their Free Kindle Ebooks Page, 1 Tweet, 1 FB post, 1 Banner Ad; Professional: $19.00 Everything included in Premium Package plus an E-newsletter Blast
Please know that all of the above have conditions in order to advertise, such as a minimum number of reviews, pricing, minimum average star ratings and availability requirements. Please read their terms and conditions beforehand.
Good luck on your writer’s journey. Do you find it hard to change from being a writer to being a marketer?
Hope you liked this week’s blog post. You can read the first chapters of my urban fantasy series The Children of Ekhidna and Typhoeus on the books page.
Please let me know what you think by liking, commenting or subscribing.
My fondest Mom memories are of her fluttering around our kitchen cooking in her pajamas. On Thanksgiving, she wakes at the crack of dawn to cook a feast that is born out of love and hours standing over boiling pots.Her work is both methodical and chaotic. It’s easy to think the rice and beans, turkey, macaroni and cheese, stuffing, curry goat, green bean casserole, and salmon popped onto the dining room table in a flurry of magic created by tiny elves, birds and friendly woodland creatures.
My mother, however, makes sure to let us know this is NOT what happens.
Thank you mom for the love and scrumptious meals.
I wish a happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers, grandmothers, guardians and mother figures out there!
Quote of the Day
“To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow.”
Wonderful writing advice about using the five senses to create vivid scenes in your novel.
Tips that I would add are:
Use specific details so readers can imagine the scene
Don’t limit descriptions to the setting. People move and touch and see while they’re interacting.
Don’t describe every single thing in painstaking detail all the time, because this bogs down the story and overwhelms readers with boring minutiae.
I hope you liked this week’s blog post. You can read the first chapters of my urban fantasy series The Children of Ekhidna and Typhoeus on the books page.
Please let me know what you think by liking, commenting or subscribing.
You’ve heard it said that writers should write using all their senses. Here’s why. A scene without sensory detail or imagery created by elaborating details is just a sentence. Create scintillating scenes by inserting unforgettable word images in the reader’s mind. Click to Tweet #amwriting #scintillatingscenes
There’s no one better to take writing advice from than bestselling author Neil Gaiman.
“Tomorrow may be hell, but today was a good writing day, and on the good writing days nothing else matters.”
– Neil Gaiman
Is anyone else looking forward to watching American Gods on Starz?
The link in the original post is broken for some reason. Please click HERE to read it.
Hope you liked this week’s blog post. You can read the first chapters of my urban fantasy series The Children of Ekhidna and Typhoeus on the books page.
Please let me know what you think by liking, commenting or subscribing.
Millionaire’s Digest Staff Team, Author, Successful Living and Writing Writer
Neil Gaiman has become so popular he is often considered the rock star of the literary world. He trades mostly in science fiction and fantasy in a variety of forms-novels, childrens books, graphic novels, comic books, and film. Among his trend-setting works: Coraline, The Graveyard Book and The Sandman series. He takes readers, of all ages, to the very edge of imagination.
Jackie Weger is more than an author of great romance novels; she’s a tireless supporter of Indies, both on her own and through her eNovel Authors at Work group. Jackie has written a score of posts detailing her (rather extensive) marketing experience; you may have read some in the past, such as Promoting With The Small Guys? Jackie Weger Shares Her Experience and Call to Arms – Jackie Weger’s Take. She recently shared some great tips on How To Get Visible & Sell Books.
I wrote two flash fiction stories and made outlines for three novellas.
Artemis & Dog. Roman copy of the 1st cent. CE after a Greek original, 4th cent. BCE. Rome, Vatican Museums. 
Three tips to help fix plot holes:
Since self-published authors don’t have a public relations team or a marketing department behind them, I’ve pulled together a small list of book promo sites. I don’t vouch for these websites in any way. Once my first two novels are published, I plan to try some of them. I will post updates on what worked and what didn’t later in the year.
Quote of the Day
