Yeah, I’m in an imagination zone right now and the ideas just keep coming. My experience with Write Integrity Press and The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt along with Tracy Ruckman and all of the other authors just inspired the tar out of me. I shared four main types of marketing last week. Continue reading
Tag Archives: blogging
Four Marketing Ideas for Authors
My experience with The Christmas Tree Treasure Hunt set my mind whirling about marketing. What a brilliant concept! Starting the story off in the blogs stirred up all kinds of buzz! But there was so much more to this idea! Continue reading
No Special Day Required
I have down on my blogging schedule that I share inspirational articles on Thursdays. But it’s occurred to me that the Lord is part of my life every day. And I often include Him in my routine posts whether the article is labeled “inspiration” or not. Continue reading
Blogging – What’s the Point?
I’ve been hearing lately that blogging has little effect on a writer’s career. Really? Because when I started this journey, the first few media gurus I encountered insisted that a regular blog was essential.
Hmm.
Content Matters – Three Ways to Hone Your Blog
When I started blogging, I got the idea that my blog consisted of an online journal. Whatever stimulated my imagination went onto the web. Yikes! And that’s how I feel when I look back at some of my posts from last year at this time.
Meanwhile, all of the social media articles I read clamored that I should have a focus to my blog. A platform. It took awhile for me to get the point. My blog needs to be an extension on my writing in such a way that the people who read my blog might also be interested in my books.
Not so hard for non-fiction writers since their main topics would obviously make up the perfect environment for their blogs. Anyone interested in the articles they write would easily be interested in their books. But I write fiction.
Being a novelist makes the exercise tricky. Some folks have a settled focus, like Ronie Kendig and her Discarded Heroes series about military suspense. With military being the main setting of her novels, it makes a great base for her blog. (No pun intended!)
Keli Gwyn‘s blog is another good example. Her romance novels exist in the Victorian age so her blog also details articles about romance and about the historical era she loves.
It’s quite a challenge to compile a platform. But there are some steps you can take to discover your own unique place on the World Wide Web.
1. Connect with your books.
Round of Words – 80th Day
In the final round of 2011, my successes stood out so obviously. I finished a whole novel in a month and a half – I didn’t think it could be done. So with this round, my expectations were running high.
But with the distractions of life and more importantly, the pressing need to get my written stories in a finished product form, I had little inspiration for a new novel. So what do I have to show for my 80 days? Well the braid gives a clue because things really came together in this round!
- A cumulative idea that draws my three novels together in such a tight way, that though the stories stand alone, readers will delight in learning “the rest of the story” as they go along. I’m so excited about that!
- Along with the connection to my stories came a marketing plan that I didn’t expect but have been searching for.
- A niche idea! That word, when referencing marketing has created such a conundrum for me. But all of the other plans have sparked a great idea that has me excited down to my toes. Find out after April Fools Day!
So though I don’t have a whole new book to show from this 80 day period, I’m well on my way to recreating my favorite three into a series and discovering a doable marketing plan that will allow me to start shopping these ideas soon.
Special thanks to all of the ROW80 folks who have given such enthusiastic encouragement. What a wonderful group you are and I’m so honored to be counted among you!
- shanjeniah.wordpress.com
- thefakesteph.com
- hunterswritings.wordpress.com
- ryankingonline.com
- jessicafritsche.com
- manyworldsmanyminds.wordpress.com
- thoughtsonbookss.blogspot.com
- lairdsapir.com
- myrandommuse.wordpress.com
- missaudreytomorrow.wordpress.com
- jeanfischer.wordpress.com
- scriptspot.blogspot.com
- tracykraussexpressionexpress.com
- thedailywoman.wordpress.com
- mrsbongle.wordpress.com
- themidnightnovelist.wordpress.com
- jennyhansenauthor.wordpress.com
- raelynbarclay.wordpress.com
- stacygreenauthor.com
- myrandommuse.wordpress.com
- spaciireth.wordpress.com
- caswebb.wordpress.com
- shawnannmurray.com
- genelempp.wordpress.com
- sefutychronicles-albertaross.blogspot.com
- alident.org
- showard76.wordpress.com
- heros-tale.com
- wjsmithblog.blogspot.com
- lauralynnelliott.com
- yikici.co.uk
- simplescarf.blogspot.com
- dustyjournal.com
- writenowlife.wordpress.com
- dawnsreadingnook.blogspot.com
- natashaguadalupe.wordpress.com
- shahwharton.blogspot.com
- julieglover.com
Wow! Is it any wonder I’m feeling encouraged! And this only includes the last half of the round! Whoosh! If you need support and cheers for your solitary work at the story in your head – and anything that goes along with it – look no further than ROW80! New ROWnd starts in a couple of weeks. Click the link to learn more and visit one or two of the folks above – spread some smiles back at them. And tell ’em Marji sent ya! 🙂
Favorite Blog Postings for the Week
Even though I need to take part of the weekend off, I hate skipping a day on my blog! Especially while I have the time to work on it. Once Volleyball season starts, all bets are off!
So this week as I browsed various blogs – and BOY do I browse – I linked a few onto this post. These were my favorite posts for the week. I started to do a top ten, but it would be just too tough to choose between some of these!
Sacred Cow-Tipping–Why Writers Blogging About Writing is Bad
Posted by Author Kristen Lamb in Blogging, Social Media Platform on June 7, 2011 from WarriorWriters.wordpress.com
How to Build an Online Platform That Will Last
Posted by Author, Jody Hedlund on Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Preslaysa Williams’ Thin Place: Cutting
Posted by Author, Mary DeMuth on Thursday, June 9, 2011
Notes from the Beach
Posted by Agent, Rachelle Gardner on Wednesday, June 8, 2011
E-xcited?
Posted by Jess Lourey at Inkspot on Friday, June 3, 2011
Frivolous Friday: Quirky Is The New Normal
Posted by Jessica R. Patch on Friday, June 10, 2011
5 Tips for Staying Encouraged During Querying
Posted by Author, Elizabeth Spann Craig on Friday, June 10, 2011
What did you see this week that knocked your socks off? Leave a post URL and share what you like with everyone!