5 Things I Want My Readers to Know

Beach bums or my next cast of characters?
(Photo: Morguefile)

A while back, a fellow author posted things she wanted her readers to know about her. I thought that was a pretty cool idea, so I jotted down a few ideas of my own, and thought I'd share five writer-type things I want my readers to know about me. 

It all starts with the characters. For me, everything begins with the people -- the story, the plot, the entire book. I start by creating a cast of characters -- who they are, what they like, what they dislike, what they want -- and a problem or inciting event. From there, the rest of the story emerges.

I'm a pantser. I don't plot. Sure, I have an idea of where I want the story to go, but my characters usually express their opinions, too. In the end, I may or may not end up where my synopsis said I was going (I usually don't). You've heard of flying by the seat of one's pants? That's how I write.

I enjoy promotion. Although I truly dislike promotion of the "buy my book" variety, I love any form of promotion that puts me in touch with readers. I like writing newsletters, crafting blogs, tweets and Facebook posts and meeting people at book signings and events. It feeds a different part of my creative side than writing does, and the feedback I receive really does get filtered into my books. One reader comment can trigger an entire subplot. 

I don't read nearly as much as I'd like to -- at least not when it comes to novels. As much as I try to squeeze in my stack of novels, I end up reading mostly non-fiction unless I'm on vacation. During the school year, I read a lot of articles and books in the psychology/social science realm, but, since I believe everything we read impacts us in some way, I draw inspiration from these materials, too -- not just for the classes I teach and the articles I write, but also for my fiction, if indirectly.

I find a lot of my reading material on Twitter. My Friday Feature has become one of my favorite things to write, and I often find the article that sparks it all in a tweet. I read very little in the way of print media any more, instead finding the "latest and greatest" via social media, which leads me to the electronic version.

As much as I complain and become frustrated over a lack of writing time, I really do believe that a writer can't write unless she has a life and experiences to inspire her. Fortunately, my life provides plenty of those things. 

When Work Meets Play

"Finding the proper key, that's the trick of them.

Everywhere another door."

--Richard Maltby Jr. & David Shire, "Doors" (Closer than Ever)

Last Friday, I got to do perhaps the most unique author event I've done so far. Capitalizing on the adult coloring craze, the library near my parents' home in Cinnaminson, NJ has started a monthly event called "Colorful Conversations." It's an emerging program, drawing (no pun intended) first timers like me along with repeat visitors and offering the librarian who came up with it lots of opportunities to experiment with content. The coloring happens at every session; what happens surrounding it changes from month to month.

This event, like so many others I've done, met my primary qualification: it had the potential to be fun.

And it delivered.

As the featured guest, I spoke briefly about the stories behind my books (a topic I selected) and then I got to color, too, as we all chatted, first about books and writing and then about whatever came up. It was low-key (okay, it helped that my family made up half the audience) and I got to introduce my work to a whole new audience.

Like it or not (and many don't), authors have to promote their work. And, since most of us lack the money, resources and dedicated promotion time of, say, John Grisham or James Patterson, finding a way to get our books out there that goes beyond screaming, "Buy my book!" from the rooftops can be a challenge. And, since screaming, "Buy my book!" from the rooftops is incredibly annoying and tends to drive people away, we need to find better avenues. We need to do what we do best: get creative.

I'm one of the lucky ones. I enjoy promotion. But, that's mostly because I've decided that if an event doesn't have the potential to be fun, I'm not doing it. When I'm not having a good time, my audience isn't either. Fun events don't guarantee sales, but they create connections, and, if we're really lucky, wonderful memories as well.

So, the next time you see an author at a bookstore or event, smile at her. If you're really brave, go up and say hello. Ask him about his book. If you start to feel overwhelmed by a sales pitch, steer the conversation back to process -- how long it took to write the book, which character was most fun to write (if it's a novel), whose books serve as inspirations. Just chat. Although we'll appreciate it if you buy a book, there's no law that says striking up a conversation with an author means you're required to make a purchase.

Just have fun. And, if the book sounds good, maybe tell a friend about it.

Why Blog?

Photo: xandert via Morguefile

Last month, not long before my nine-year blogiversary, I attended Joel Friedlander and Joan Stewart's webinar, "How to Sell Books Using an Author Blog." Loaded with information, the webinar helped me generate a list of new directions to explore, as well as sparking ideas from a creative perspective.

But it also reminded me that it's not opportunities for promotion that have kept me typing out posts for nine years. Unlike a lot of writers who blog infrequently -- or not at all -- because they consider blogging a waste of good writing time, I find that creating and maintaining a blog benefits me as a writer in numerous ways. Here, in no particular order, are eight of them.

Blogging teaches self-discipline. There's very little that motivates a writer more than knowing someone is waiting to read his or her words. Creating a posting schedule and sticking to it keeps me writing regularly, even when life is busy and/or I don't feel like it.

Blogging teaches you to write efficiently. After nine years of blogging, I can hammer out a decent 750-word first draft of almost anything quickly and easily. Over time, sheer practice has made me a faster, better writer, not just with blog posts, but with drafts of chapters, articles and query letters as well.

Blogging chips away at perfectionism. When you know readers are expecting a post and the clock is ticking and you have other projects you want to work on, you learn to allocate a set amount of time to writing a post and to accept "good enough" as a standard. Posts should be error-free when it comes to basics like grammar and spelling, but when you're posting regularly, not every post has to be stellar. And if you decide you're disappointed with a post (or you find a typo after you've already put it out there), you can always go back and fix it.

Blogging helps you establish your voice both creatively and professionally. Posts are conversational and informal, which takes the pressure off, but at the same time, they're very, very public -- much like a book. Writing posts on a regular basis helps you find the line between sharing and oversharing and helps you put your thoughts into words that can be released for public consumption.

Blogging helps you connect with readers. Long before my novel released, I had "regular readers" thanks to my blog and social media. Sure, every blogger harbors the not-so-secret hope of being "discovered" by an editor or agent proffering a contract, but even if that never happens, you're still starting a conversation with an important audience: readers and book buyers.

Blogging improves your tech skills. If the mere mention of technology makes you cringe, you can begin with just the basics and expand from there. I started with a free template and for the first several years, posted text only. Over time, I've learned how to find free clip art and photos and integrate them (with credit!) into my posts, as well as adding gadgets and links and pages to my blog. Since it's your blog, you're in control of the learning curve. Not ready to venture to the next step? Take your time, and just keep posting.

turbosquid.com

Blogging is a plank in your platform. As writers, we're always looking for ways to get our work seen, and a blog can be the perfect way to do just that. In addition to providing online writing samples for those people we hope will discover us, we attract the attention of search engines when we post regularly. This means that if we query someone, they can find us online -- kind of like building a resume. And if we point friends, family and potential readers in the direction of our blog, they can become fans as well.

Blogging is fun. Sure, there are days that I struggle to put something on the page, but most of the time, I genuinely enjoy coming up with posts, and I love it when someone comments favorably on something I've written, or when a reader finds one of my posts helpful.

Looking back, I can't believe I've been at this for nine years. But, when I see how much my writing has improved, I know that the benefits of blogging go far beyond promotional opportunities. Someday, someone with clout may discover me, but until then, I'm happy just to be discovered by readers.

A Tisket, A Tasket, My Book is in a Basket

Is it still Wednesday? Yeah, I didn't think so.

It's been a busy week. As my body struggles to adjust to the extra hour of sleep (which puts me off schedule and leaves me inexplicably tired for a week or more after I've finished moving clock hands), life goes on.

Lately, part of life has been book promotion. Although a writer's main task is, not surprisingly, to write, promotion is also -- always -- part of the deal once a writer is fortunate enough to see her work in print. Publishers help a little in the promo game, but the book that is the author's baby is merely one inhabitant of the nursery for the publisher, who, like the author, is also busy conceiving the future population of that nursery.

I'm one of those crazy writers who enjoys promotion. I don't like the time it takes away from working on my next book, but I decided early on that if I couldn't escape it (and I can't), I might as well  have fun with it. Over the past year, through a combination of research and experience, I've developed three rules for promoting a book: make it novel, make it meaningful and make it fun.

1. Make it novel -- no pun intended (well, maybe a little). I love bookstores. The fact that they're full of readers makes them a great, if predictable, place to have a book event. But they're also full of books, and it can be hard to stand out. Choosing less typical locales for book events not only makes an author stand out, but also keeps things interesting.
2. Make it meaningful. Anyone who knows me knows I love Starbucks, and most of my friends know that Starbucks is often my office away from home.  So, when some of the work I created there made it into print, it seemed like a great place to have a party. (Sometimes it helps to be a regular). Not only did it fulfill rule #1 above, but the location (and the people who work there) meant something to me, which meant the whole event felt like a natural extension of who I am and what I love.
3. Make it fun. If creating promotional events and ideas feels like drudgery to me, it will feel like drudgery to those around me as well. Sure, I mumbled and grumbled as I was making up gift baskets for my latest harebrained scheme, but that was just my perfectionism rearing its ugly head. And I had to stifle a few groans as I added up the cost of the prizes for my online launch party, but I had a great time coming up with things that complemented the book both thematically and visually. Book parties, promotions and events are meant to be celebrations, and celebrations are meant to be fun.

Are you wondering about my latest novel, meaningful and fun promotion yet? If so, check back on Saturday for details. Can't wait that long? Stop by Bluett Bros. Violins, Book Ends or EPIC: A Michael Alan Salon and take a look around. Meanwhile, the picture below is a hint. :-)

Book Butterfly

One of the best things about writing a book is the people you meet as part of the journey.

It begins with the company of other writers. Long before the book is even a completed manuscript, my critique group reads each chapter, giving me feedback and encouragement. At conferences and on social media, I meet other writers who are sharing this journey, toiling away on manuscripts of their own. We share stories, news, successes and disappointments, but mostly, our interactions help us to feel less alone in what is typically a solitary pursuit.

Once the book is out, new journey begins: promotion. A dirty word to many writers who'd prefer to stay in a happy little writing cocoon, toiling away at the next work-in-progress, promotion isn't really so bad if you find a way to make it your own.

For me, that meant beginning my publication celebration in a place where I write: Starbucks. On a snowy night in February, I spent four hours with good friends from all aspects of my life: family, church friends, theatre friends, co-workers and former co-workers, fellow writers...It was so much fun, I did it two more times, at three different Starbucks stores in all, and each time was wonderful. The book was merely a starting point. The conversations and connections were what made each time special.

Each of these book events, whether at a Starbucks or a book store, has given me the opportunity to connect with current friends and re-connect with old friends -- those from whom my path has diverged. And now, as I move forward, those re-connections are something to be cherished anew. People who come to celebrate with you when the time on different paths is measured in decades are people whose friendships are worth savoring. And savoring, by definition, is a process which requires both time and attention.

Writing a book and getting it published is definitely something worth celebrating. But without friends with whom to celebrate, it's merely another item to be checked off a bucket list.

When life gets hectic and it's hard to find time for that coffee or that lunch -- perhaps even because it means sacrificing time spent working on the next book -- it's important to remember that without friends, life really is just a bucket list. We can spend our time checking things off and feeling accomplished, and at the end of the day, that makes us feel pretty good. But at the end of a lifetime, it merely feels empty.

So as I set out on the journey that is the next book (and the next busy week and the next crazy month), I have to keep in mind that remaining in a cocoon may be the best way to write a book, but it's not the best way to live a life.

And in the end, I'd much rather be a social butterfly than a solitary caterpillar.

butterflywebsite.com

Celebrations: You've Got to Have Friends

Last Friday, I had a great conversation with a fellow writer about the publishing industry, promotion, social media and, of course, writing. We talked for over two hours about our projects, our trials and tribulations and the expectation that writers will donate a substantial portion of their writing time to the promotion of their own work, something that makes most writers uncomfortable. But we agreed that we're among the lucky ones.


We actually enjoy the promotion aspect -- provided it's done the way we want to do it.

Jenna, manager of the Gettysburg Starbucks 

It should come as no surprise that a Jersey girl wants to do things her own way, but when it comes to promotion, I think this is true of most writers. We're excited about our work, and we can talk about it endlessly, but there's a line between organic discussion and obnoxious pressure, one that most writers try very hard not to cross. If you ask me about my book, I'll tell you anything you want to know, but that doesn't mean I expect you to buy it. Sure, I'd love it if you did, but if you're my friend, I'll still love you even if you don't.

Brenda Newman

So today, I'm sharing celebration pictures. My rule of thumb for promotion is that it has to be fun, so it should (once again) come as no surprise that I began my celebrations at Starbucks, my writing home away from home. I've done three Starbucks signings to date and every single one of them has been a blast. I've also done a signing at the Village Library in Jacobus signing, as well as a Bookiversary party and I'm looking forward to some upcoming signings at the beach at the end of this month.

Becky, Steve, John, Vicki & Bill at my
first (snowy) Starbucks event

But the fun at these events doesn't come from book sales. Admittedly, sales are nice, but the real fun comes from sitting and talking to the people who've been kind enough to give up a chunk of their day to come see me. Every single event has brought laughter, joy and conversations that have brightened my day and reminded me of how very, very fortunate I am to have such wonderful people in my life.

To all of you who have been to an event, read the book, liked my Facebook posts, sent me messages, signed up for my newsletter, asked me about the book….thank you. For a writer, very little rivals seeing her name in print, but even that pales in comparison to the blessing of family and friends.

Pat Walters

Tammy Deardorff and Pam Mikesell

So when I have an event, and I invite you to stop by and say hi, please understand that there are no strings attached. I really mean it when I say "no purchase necessary" because while I surely appreciate the purchases, the pleasure they bring is secondary to the pleasure of your company.

Family - Linda, Steph and a shy Josh

Shawn & Vann

And if you've been part of an event, but aren't part of today's photo archive, stay tuned. Still getting all the photos in order.

Hey, I'm a writer, not a photographer :-)