Friday, August 30, 2013

Why Social Media is Killing Your Business

We all hear how important it is to be the King (or Queen) of social media. We need to be on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, and, of course, Pinterest. But did you ever consider the aspects that might actually be hurting your business?

A number of productivity experts have commented on the idea that we live in “busyness,”meaning that we feel we are busy because we continually enmesh ourselves in doing things for the sake of doing them, without being cognizant of the actual result. We feel that we have to be on social media so we are, often to our own detriment. Consider these numbers:

According to Empowerednetwork.com, 22 percent of time spent online is spent on social networking (see article here: http://bit.ly/10PJM9r). People spent twice as much time on Facebook than they did exercising. The average user spends 24 hours a month on a social networking site. Also, the research related to student productivity is alarming as well. According to this piece, the GPA of college students that regularly use Facebook is a full point lower than their peers who do not log on.

One out of ten workers spends more time on the Internet than they do working. Workers are interrupted once every 10.5 minutes with things like IMs and Tweets; once that happens it can take as long as 23 minutes for employees to get back on task.

So what do you do if you need to stay on top of your industry and keep up with your social media? And what if you are a solo entrepreneur trying to market your business? Sometimes we are faced with tough choices: finish the proposal for a new client, or market yourself on social media to get future business. If this sounds like a familiar battle, here are a few ideas to help you control the time you spend on social media:

Make sure you're doing the right things: I realize this is kind of a no-brainer but it's still worth considering. When was the last time you checked your engagement on any of these social sites? Are people responding to you or are you just posting and ditching? Make sure that your message is getting to the right people on the right sites. Maybe you don't have a message that will resonate with Facebook, maybe your people are really on LinkedIn or Google+. Consider taking a close look at how "social" your social networks really are and whether they're really benefiting you.

Scan headlines: Unless you are sitting in a really boring industry that doesn't make a lot of news, we can't possibly keep track of everything that's going on, all the time. That's why I suggest doing a quick scan of your headlines in the morning. You have to be really diligent with this. Delete whatever doesn't immediately spike your interest, read what does. If you spend the morning reading everything in your market you're probably gaining a lot of knowledge, but not a lot of value. Not everything matters. Pay attention to only what does.

Get a media alert system: Since Google Alerts is going away, I've been recommending some new systems (either Talkwalker.com, http://talkwalker.com/en, or Mention.net, https://en.mention.net/) - both of these sites are very robust and will keep you apprised of any goings on in your market. The keywords you select here will be very important so don't pick a keyword that's too general. Also, you'll probably want to modify these keywords as your market changes. With these services, you will get one email, once a day, with every headline and story that the service mentions. Some services will even send you tweets that mention the keywords you're looking for which is also helpful because if your objective is to engage in conversation around a particular keyword, you can dig in as soon as you get the notification email.

Get over FOMO: Many of us suffer from FOMO (fear of missing out); in fact, a number of newspapers have done stories on this. We stay hyper-connected to everything because we're afraid we'll miss something. I can almost guarantee you if it's something major, you'll find out. If it's not, don't worry about it. Get yourself out of the FOMO habit by turning off your devices after a certain hour, or for a certain period of time during the day so you can concentrate on work.

Watch your numbers: Much like point #1, you'll want to watch your numbers closely. Check your social media engagement and make sure that people are, in fact, engaging with you. When we do this, we always find places we can enhance or draw back on. Don't waste your time on things that won't matter. A lot of what folks do in social media is also related to FOMO. They want to be "everywhere" because they feel like if they don't, they'll miss out on business, news, speaking gigs, whatever. People don't enter your message through every portal, you'll find that the majority of your customers is on one or maybe two specific social media sites. Be there and ignore the rest.

Limit your time: It's hard to do, but I really recommend that you limit your time to thirty minutes in the morning and thirty minutes at night on social media. Let's face it, we can watch the stream of conversation all day but if we do, we're losing valuable time that we could be investing elsewhere.

Busy vs. productive: We're being constantly bombarded with "busy" messages. Consumers are busy, we're busy, everyone is busy - but are we busy or productive? The two aren't the same. If spending too much time on social media is limiting your productivity, you have a problem. Often before each task, I'll ask myself whether this is just part of being busy, or if it is productive. Is the task leading somewhere or just keeping me on the constant loop of "busy?" Imagine how much more free time you'd have if you pulled back and assessed busy vs. productive for everything you do at work. It's great to be busy. Better to be busy than to be sitting around waiting for the phone to ring, but we often associate success with being busy. If you're not accomplishing anything, then being busy is, well, just being busy. The problem with social media is that it "feels" busy, which can be a bit deceptive.

Consider outsourcing: If you feel like you can't handle everything you need to do in social media, considering hiring someone who can help you reach your goals. Social media experts and assistants are popping up everywhere. If you want a recommendation, go onto LinkedIn and put out a call for some resources. LinkedIn can be a fantastic place to find new vendors, by the way. Recently I put out a call for a collection agency and found some really amazing companies. People on LinkedIn love making recommendations, so go there if you're trying to find someone.

Productivity experts will often encourage shutting down your Internet or turning off email to help you focus. While these ideas are great, there's still a huge time-suck that is social media. It's part of what we need to do to gain exposure and new business, but it can also be a serious detriment to our success. Finding a balance between being "social" and being productive isn't always easy, but it's a balance worth striking.

Reprinted from "The Book Marketing Expert newsletter", a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com
 

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Poetry and Prose Corner August 2013

For Labors Unheralded

Heaven bless the working man,
Or woman, as the case may be,
For labors that have built a nation,
Made it strong,
Kept it free.

Day by day endures the trek,
Spaghettied byways
Overflowing.
Ceaseless days of repetition,
Watching with frustration growing.

Even while complaints may linger
As the endless hours drone,
Though his ire may peak aplenty,
He will never take it home.

Home to where his world makes sense,
A different kind of recompense,
Where labors wear a sweeter flavor
Sheltered by a picket fence.


Dennis S. Martin
Lulu Storefront: http://www.lulu.com/dsmartin
Plays: http://sites.google.com/site/playsbydennissmartin/


Memory Lane

by Femke Weidema and Deborah Wilbrink c. 2012

When he sailed the raging sea, was he scared of what would be
Or hitched his wagon to a star, ‘cause it would take him far
Walking streets paved with gold where the nights were never cold
And people won’t grow old before their time
When I climb the Family Tree, I know so much more about me
I should write that down, I should save that story
I should write a book so the kids remember me
I’ve got things to say, I know they are still learning
I could steer away some pain with a drive down Memory Lane.
Did he find his wife to be, barn-raising in the field
Like grandpa found his bride and never left her side
Though many things were never said, he’d tell the story how they met
With love I won’t forget before my time.
When I climb the Family Tree, I know so much more about me.
I should write that down, I should save that story
I should write a book so the kids remember me
I’ve got things to say, I know they are still learning
I could steer away some pain with a drive down Memory Lane.
Memory Lane…
I will write that down, I will save that story
I will write a book, I will write a perfect memoir
‘Cause I’ve got things to say, I know they are still learning
I will steer away some pain when they drive down my,
When they drive down my Memory Lane

Available on the CD Imperfect Memoir by Deborah Wilbrink or listen at perfectmemoir.com

Then and Now

When I was growing up, I did the stroll.
I had no clue that I would ever "troll",
nor that the future meant someday I'd grapple
with entities like Microsoft and Apple.
Rap's beat could never "shift a paradigm,"
nor did its passion cause an "aha" time.
To "push an envelope" seemed odd to me,
involving planes or plain stupidity.
A solid bank graced every downtown street.
Of course, our cancelled check was our receipt.
Nobody "spoke to" things like "bells and whistles."
"Sunsets" were nouns that didn't mean "dismissals."
Expanding firms were praised for their potential,
but growth was never labelled "exponential."
I don't recall "proactive" workers then.
Nobody "tweeted" like a finch or wren,
or hissed with venom, "Have an awesome day";
and speeches were complete without "segue."

My greatest bliss in being embryonic?
Not hearing, even once, the term "iconic."

Rita Janice Traub
 

Friday, August 23, 2013

How You Can Help Your Favorite Authors

Okay readers, listen up. This one is for you. Being an author isn't easy; in fact, it's a pretty tough job. We write our books for you and, in return, we'd love a little help now and again.

Most of my articles are around marketing, social media, and advising authors on what they can do. Often I am sure that authors read these pieces and feel like they need a nap. Yes, there's a lot to be done, but you shouldn't go it alone. Your readers can be your best ally to help you market, and readers, listen up: it's not easy being an author in a world where everyone can get published.

Often readers do want to help, but aren't really sure what to do. Also, there's a bit of a mystique around authors. Many readers think, "Well, the book has been published, they probably don't need my help." But this couldn't be further from the truth. Authors (especially those who are starting out) do need our help. Here are a few things you can do to help support your favorite author, and for authors, don't hesitate to post this list somewhere on your website. If you need help (and who doesn't) you need to ask for it.

* Review the book: I've been doing an experiment with a book that I published anonymously. I included an email address for readers to write to share their thoughts on the book and I was shocked at all of the emails I got. Most of them complimentary (whew) and many of them asking when I'd write another book (something every author wants to hear). I would write them, thank them and ask them if they had the time, would they consider reviewing it on Amazon. This has netted me over fifty reader reviews. Authentic opinions about the book, written by a reader. Fantastic, yes? Readers are some of the best resources for reviews. If you are an author, ask for a review. You might even include a note at the end of the book to your readers inviting them to review it and telling them why. I'm surprised that many readers don't do this; it's not because they're lazy, but because they wonder if their opinion matters. Guess what? It does! Like a book? Please review it. Even if you don't like it, review it anyway. Most authors welcome feedback if it's constructive. Always be positive.

* Video reviews: If you're ready to take this a step further, why not offer a video review? Amazon lets you do this and I know, as an author, I would be thrilled if someone reviewed my book on video! If you do this, send the video clip via Dropbox or Hightail (formerly YouSendit) and keep the clip to under a minute. Hold up the book and smile!

* Photo sharing: This is another thing that I would love so much. A reader holding up my book, snapping a picture and posting it on social media! This is a fun, visual way to share your love for a book. Even better, snap a picture where you're reading it. Taking a book on vacation? Why not show yourself enjoying the book (cover out!) reclining in a hammock or sitting somewhere sipping espresso (Paris?). If you don't have any travel planned, take a picture anyway. Authors love, love this so much!

* Local bookstores: Though it may seem like every author who is published gets a shot at bookstore shelf space, the truth is that most don't. If you've found a book you love and had to buy it on Amazon because your local store didn't carry it, tell them. Bookstore managers have told me if they get multiple requests for a book, they will consider stocking it.

* Reading groups: This is often a tough one for authors to get into. Reading groups are a fantastic way to get the word out about your book but many are tough to reach and often pick their books months in advance. Unlike The Pulpwood Queens, which has a website and a strong online presence, most local book clubs don't have that kind of exposure but their regional reach can be fantastic. If you know of a local book club let them know about this book and then put them in touch with the author. It's a quick thing to do and I speak from experience when I say that any author would be very, very grateful to have this kind of a connection.

* Buy the book for a friend: This is pretty basic. If you love the book you just read, buy a copy for a friend. I do this almost every year for Christmas. If I love a book, I gift it. When you gift it, remind the person to review it.

* Social Media: Sharing has become part of our lives. We share good and bad news, but when was the last time you shared what you are reading? Here's where that great picture you just took of you reading a book can come in handy. Or even better, hop on over to Goodreads or Library Thing and share your love for this author to the millions listening there.

* Bookmarks: Most authors will get things printed up like bookmarks, postcards, etc. Bookmarks are especially fun because despite the eBook surge, many of us are still reading printed books. Email the author and see if he or she will send you a stack of them that you can share with your local library or bookstore. Leave them at the counter or pop them inside of similar books. Sort of like Amazon's "Other customers also bought", which pairs up similar titles. I know of a few times when this has happened, meaning readers contacting authors and the authors are blown away and grateful. Again, this takes very little effort. Ask for the bookmarks and the next time you're at a bookstore drop them off. Easy and the authors will really appreciate the local exposure.

* Authors on tour: It's not often that authors tour anymore, but if you have someone coming to your area, why not offer to help them get the word out? Maybe drop off fliers, or if you are so inclined, call your local paper and let them know this author is coming to town and that, as a reader, you'd love for the paper to do a story on it. Getting a heads up about an author coming to town from a reader can be ten times more effective than even a well-polished pitch. Why? Because the media is serving the local community and if a resident is sharing an idea, they're bound to listen.

* Libraries: Authors can have a tough time getting into libraries, so why not buy an extra book and donate it? Then let the author know that you did this so they can let readers know where they can check out the book. I know most authors would love to have a reader do this. It's impossible to reach everyone and most authors don't have the budget to do a library pitch on top of everything else. Many will submit their books to publications librarians read and hope for the best. Having a local connection is a fantastic way to get a book some local exposure.

When I've offered these tips in a session sometimes someone will pop up and say, "But big named authors don't need this kind of help." That's possibly quite true, but if you're only reading big names you're missing out on a whole crop of wonderful new writers. And, candidly, most authors, no matter how big they are, will appreciate the help. The publishing world isn't just shrinking for the little guy; it's shrinking for every author. As a reader, you have a unique opportunity to make a difference and help an author who has poured his or her heart and soul into a book. As an author, if you need help from your readers, ask. Post this article on your website or excerpt pieces of it that you feel best fit your needs. Even better, create your own list. When you ask for help, you might be very pleasantly surprised by the results.

Reprinted from "The Book Marketing Expert newsletter," a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com
 

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

WITS Book Reviews August 2013

Title: Family Can Be Murder
Author: Chris Hammer
Publisher: The Fine Line (May 15, 2013)
ISBN: 978-1908825100
Reviewer: Dana Micheli

There’s nothing better than a murder mystery that can keep you guessing and laughing at the same time. Chris Hammer’s new novel, Family Can Be Murder, does just that. This fast-paced thriller is a wonderful combination of family drama, skeletons in the closet, and good, old-fashioned suspense.

Jane Grotto, the star of the story, isn't looking for any trouble. She is content to run her car repo business, have Sunday dinners at her parents' house and hang out with Fred, her feisty but good-natured Chihuahua. But when Jane's favorite cousin is accused of murder, trouble finds her. As she races to prove his innocence, she stumbles into a closet full of family secrets, one of which is definitely worth killing for. Jane isn't looking for romance either, but when sexy NYPD detective Lou Lotedo shows up on the scene...well, let's just say there's only so much temptation a good Catholic girl can resist.

Like any book you can't put down, Family Can Be Murder is over far too soon. Luckily for us, it is only the first installment of the Dysorganized Crime Series. Jane and Fred return in the second book, due out this fall. Part of the proceeds go to funding Irving House, the organization Hammer founded four years ago for the care of senior and special needs animals. Family Can Be Murder is available on Amazon, Goodreads, and Kobo, as well as through the Irving House website. 

Friday, August 16, 2013

Top 7 Strategies for Blog Marketing

by Joel Friedlander

In this series on author blogging, we’ve already discussed how important it is to have a linking strategy, opportunities to get lots of kinds of organic traffic to your blog or website, and what I like to call the holy trinity of blog traffic.

Despite all this, many authors are still missing one essential truth: if you want people to visit your blog—engage with you and your ideas, subscribe, sign up for something and perhaps someday to actually trust you enough to buy something you have to offer—then you have to market your blog.

For most of us, it won’t be enough to simply write great blog articles, to fill up our archives with terrific content. The voice crying in the wilderness may be screeching or it may be beautiful. The point is in the wilderness, there’s no one listening.

And the fact is that once you understand exactly what this “marketing” thing is about, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy it.

Why?

Because you enjoy the topic you’re writing about on your blog, or you wouldn’t be doing it. Marketing your blog just means taking that conversation to other readers, different audiences, in more places.

That sounds like more of a good thing to me! So, here are the top 7 strategies for marketing your author blog:

Blog Commenting

There’s a good reason why commenting on other people’s blogs is often listed first when talking about how to start getting traffic to your own site. Comments are in your voice, express your views, and allow you to introduce yourself to new audiences and create connections with bloggers and other readers directly.

Look for blogs that already have the readers you’re trying to attract, since those blogs have succeeded at what you’re trying to do. Also, look for other bloggers who are about at the same point in their growth as you are. These peers will grow along with you, creating a great marketing network.

Make substantive comments that really advance the discussion. It’s fine to disagree with the blogger, as long as you have a rational point of view, an openness to discussion, and a respect for other people’s viewpoints.

Keep doing this and you’ll soon get on the blogger’s “radar”, opening up lots of other opportunities. And you’ll be surprised at how these little links in the comments can turn into rivulets of traffic back to your own blog.

Forum Posting

Group discussion sites keep evolving online, and our marketing should evolve along with them. Why? Because we want to be where the conversations about our topic of interest are taking place, where people are gathering specifically when thinking about this topic.

Forums are still active online, and making expert comments there that help other posters can enhance your reputation. You also have a marketing opportunity in the signatures forum software allows you to create, so don’t forget to link back to your blog in your signature.

But now there are also lots of great discussions happening in social media. Active groups with rich social media connections are available on LinkedIn, Goodreads, Google+, and other venues. Locating the right groups for you and contributing valuable content will attract readers who want to see what else you have to say on the subject.

Article Marketing

Although article marketing isn’t as popular as it once was, it’s still a legitimate, free way to get links and traffic for your blog by submitting posts to article sites like ezinearticles.com.

One great way to utilize article marketing is by taking long blog articles and splitting them up into shorter posts, since the articles that seem to work best on article sites are around 250-350 words. This also gives you a chance to create more headlines on the topic of your article, and headlines are the most important part of these kinds of articles.

But also consider contributing your articles to sites that aggregate content in your field, or which rely on expert authors for the bulk of their content. These kinds of sites often have high readership and can direct lots of traffic your way.

Speaking and Teaching

Even though your blog is an online asset, don’t neglect the outstanding opportunities to build your author platform, including your blog traffic, through speaking and other live events.

Because these events are usually sponsored by a larger organization, you’ll get prestige and credibility from your association with the event. You’ll also need to find a way to connect people who attend the event with your blog. You might want to have business cards or handouts with a QR code that links to your blog, or offer a freebie that people have to go to your blog to collect.

Guest posting

Whole books and courses have been written about guest posting, because it’s such a powerful tool in helping to grow a blog, an author platform, a reputation, and a persona.

Many blogs have submission guidelines for guest authors, and most bloggers are happy to consider articles from legitimate authors within their field.

Obviously, if you’ve created a connection or established a relationship with the blogger beforehand, it’s going to be much easier to get your article considered for publication.

When you blog as a guest on someone else’s site, they are “handing you the microphone” along with the responsibility that comes along with it. Make sure you’re very familiar with the content on the blog and the kinds of questions readers ask in the comments. And make sure you hang around to answer questions, and promote the post through your own network. That will make it much more likely you’ll be invited back.

Blog Tours

Many authors associate blog tours with the launch of a book. It’s a great launch strategy, and I consider it a basic marketing tool, whether it’s connected to a new book or not. Maybe you’re just launching a new review service on your blog, or a new PDF you’ve put together.

A blog tour will give you the opportunity, like guest posting, to meet the readers of other blogs. But in the case of a tour, you’ll travel from one blog to another in quick succession over the period of a week to a month, depending on your pace and stamina.

You’ll want to concentrate on why your new offering should be interesting to readers at these various sites. You can create excitement with contests, giveaways, and special offers to readers at the tour stops. And take a word of advice: interviews deliver great content but take a lot less time than writing lots and lots of articles.

Blog Carnivals

This is probably the most overlooked form of blog marketing, simply because blog carnivals are not as popular as they were in the early days of blogging. If you can find a blog carnival with good circulation in your field, by all means, start submitting your best articles. Set a reminder for yourself so you don’t miss the deadlines.

Blog carnivals collect articles submitted by bloggers in a specific field, then publish links to all the articles. Sometimes bloggers take turns hosting the carnival, and sometimes the carnival is run by a single blog, like our own Self-Publishing: Carnival of the Indies.

Either way, these links contribute to your overall linking strategy giving your blog a bit of authority as well as traffic from people who want to explore your content. It’s all good.

There are bloggers who have grown incredible sites using just one or two of these strategies. Over the course of the last few years, I’ve tried all of them at one time or another, and I can tell you from experience, they all work.

Which strategies will work for you? Finding out will be a fun and exciting journey. Some will appeal more than others, and that’s fine. Diversifying your efforts ensures that you’re more likely to find things that work and that you enjoy.

Great content, effectively presented, is the foundation of everything that happens on your blog. But when you find a way to market your blog that’s fun for you, and that attracts readers too, you can really say you’ve “won” at blog marketing.

Joel Friedlander is a self-published author, an award-winning book designer, and an accomplished blogger. He's the founder of the Self-Publishing Roadmap online training course, and a frequent speaker at industry events, where he talks to writers about how the new tools of publishing can help them reach and inspire their readers.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

WITS Announcements

As a subscriber to Writers in the Sky Newsletter, you are entitled to share your announcements with our readers. See guidelines at http://writersinthesky.blogspot.com/p/submit-your-material.html and send your material to us before the 24th of each month to make the next month’s issue. Anything posted in the WITS Newsletter is also shared with our blog readers at http://writersinthesky.blogspot.com.


DO YOU LOVE ME? by Gigi Goodall
ISBN 9781484877241

A heartrending true story of abandonment, redemption, and forgiveness, Do You Love Me? inspires and motivates. Gigi tells of her experiences, beginning at age five, of being shuffled to various foster care homes and work-for-board situations. The gold in this true plot is the turn-around: a family of five and a gift of helping others. This girl with a minimal education makes a lifelong, substantial career with special relevance and heart: helping the poor find better housing. Her stories of both sides of life, neglect and care, shine a light for readers. Already a book club choice in Florida!

Do You Love Me? by Gigi Goodall, edited by Writers in the Sky’s Deborah Wilbrink, is available on Amazon and by request at your retail bookstore.
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Read the first chapter for free and then decide if you want to download the 3-hour-long MP3 audio book of More Than Meets the Eye ~ True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife for only $7.00. http://tinyurl.com/bd7qhy8
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IMPERFECT MEMOIRS Shares Stories in Song

Imperfect Memoirs by Deborah Wilbrink contains 10 original alternative folk and country songs. Of special interest to writers are the story songs: “Edgar,” a tale of gang recruiting in the middle schools; “Little Pony,” about a woman whose childhood incest experience affects her new marriage; and “Memory Lane,” a call to write your memoir. Available now on cdbaby.com, iTunes, Amazon, and more.
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Each story in The Sid Series ~ A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children focuses on life skills such as environmental awareness, helping others, being true to one’s self, overcoming fear, and following inner guidance. http://TheSidSeries.com
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The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest is open to anyone who loves expressing innermost thoughts and feelings into the beautiful art of poetry or writing a story that is worth telling everyone. Write a poem or a short story for a chance to win cash prizes! All works must be original. Visit our website for details: http://www.dreamquestone.com
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WITS editor Deborah Wilbrink would like to share some tips about writing memoirs. She says that memoirs are significant events, and that you have many of them. In her blog, “Using Plot & Conflict, she gives some tips on constructing a chapter or vignette from the story element model of literature.  To download this PowerPoint presentation, keep following the link Using Plot & Conflict and it should open on your screen. Deborah Wilbrink teaches and facilitates the recall and writing process, tailoring the small class to meet student goals. Mrs. Wilbrink is an editor, ghostwriter and personal historian. She is a publishing journalist and former English teacher. See http://www.perfectmemoirs.com/point-of-view-blogpage/ or http://writersinthesky.com/meet-the-team.html#teacher for more information. 
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Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those around You is a guidebook for empathic people who have been unknowingly carrying energetic burdens that belong to someone else. See all purchasing options at http://whosestuffisthis.blogspot.com/p/purchase-book.html.
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If you are looking for someone to create an original piece for your book cover, you might want to connect with Diane Daversa on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Diane-Daversa-Fine-Art/109782219119036.
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Writing career won't budge? You need The Morning Nudge! Get your free subscription now at www.morningnudge.com
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Shifting into Purer Consciousness ~ Integrating Spiritual Transformation with the Human Experience is about how to embrace multidimensional frequencies, lessen physical and emotional symptoms of rapid spiritual ascension, and offers tips to make the ascension process easier and quicker. http://shiftingintopurerconsciousness.com.
 

Monday, August 12, 2013

Editor's Corner August 2013

Welcome to the August 2013 edition of the WITS newsletter!

Lately, I have been thinking about the roles of inspiration and confidence (or lack thereof) in a writer’s success. If you are thinking, “Well, duh, what writer isn’t obsessed with these things?”, just bear with me. We pray for that flash of inspiration, that a-ha book idea; however, the a-ha is often followed by the uh-oh. We start thinking, “How would I make this work?”, or “That would never be believable.”, or–my favorite—“No one would buy this idea!”

Creative people tend to compare themselves (negatively) to the superstars in their respective fields (because, let’s face it, we never hear of the actor who didn’t get the part). This makes it difficult, particularly in times of self-doubt, to imagine that we can achieve our goals. In these moments, it would behoove us to remember that JK Rowling was unknown—and destitute—when she starting jotting down ideas for Harry Potter. But she refused to give up, and she made publishing history.

If that doesn’t convince you, I recommend checking out the Writer’s Room, a new show on the Sundance Channel. Each week, the writers from highly acclaimed shows (i.e., Breaking Bad) talk about their creative process and how hard they worked to convince TV execs that their stories would work on the screen. Here’s a hint: they didn’t do it by comparing themselves to others, but by distinguishing themselves from others.

Happy Writing!

Dana Micheli
Writer and editor, Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services
http://writersinthesky.com
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Writers in the Sky is a team of ghostwriters, editors, and book marketing specialists committed to the craft and business of writing. We work with our clients on all levels of the publishing process, from editing and manuscript assessments to book formatting and marketing. So whether you are a first-time author or a veteran of the craft, let Writers in the Sky help you get your book out into the world. We also provide assistance with résumés, business documents, and academic essays. For more information, visit www.writersinthesky.com.