When Less Really IS More

We all know some glaringly obvious places where less is more.


Perfume....

Makeup... (although depends on who you talk to...)

Stress...

But what about our writing life?

I've been contemplating the concept lately, because it feels like I'm always feeling the pull to DO more and BE more, but as I strive to do so, it doesn't feel like I have more of anything except items on my to-do list.

We need a BIGGER platform, MORE books MORE frequently. We're told to post more, blog more, write more, network more, market more. We're given so many different social media sites to keep up with to help do all that--but it just burns us out and in the end, can be counter productive.

I've long been a avid fan of the concept of WORKING SMART.

Have you ever had a job where there is that one employee who works ALL the time? They come in early, leave late. They are constantly stressed. Everyone thinks, WOW, what a good worker are THEY. But then they leave the company due to burnout... and their replacement is hired... and comes in on time. Leaves on time. Actually takes a lunch break instead of working through it. They must be huge slackers, right? But their work is still getting done, with more accuracy than it was ever being done before.

They've embraced the concept of working smarter.

I think writers can do the same thing. It's still gonna be hard work. I'm not preaching laziness here, but more of a balanced work-life. If we take the time to step back and see what VALUE each of the things we are doing adds, if we put a little time into strategizing instead of just throwing as many darts as possible and hoping one sticks and sells books, we'll have a lot more confidence and a lot more time than we thought possible.

And as Christian authors, I want to add that this doesn't discount the leading and direction of God. God's plans trump ours EVERY day of the week. I do think God wants us to be wise stewards of the time he's given us though.

I started this post with the intent of giving you specific ways you can work smarter instead of harder.

But honestly?

The concept looks different for each of us. What is smarter for ME might not work at all for you.

The Writer's Alley chose to cut down our blogging days from 5 to 3 this month, because we felt that we would add more value if we posted less and focused more on quality verses quantity. But that might not be what YOU need to do. Maybe working smarter for your blog is planning your posts better, or cutting down to one day a week, or creating a more uniform format, or even cutting out blogging all together.

Facebook and social media is another area where we all really need to figure out how to manage better. For some people, scheduling posts to automatically post works, but that rarely if ever is a good idea for me because it doesn't fit into my "brand" if you will. I WILL say that Facebook is one place that I think we tend to over post sometimes. More posts does not mean a bigger platform, in fact it can often times weaken it.

And then there is writing time in general. I used to take every little nook and cranny time I had to write. But I became very burnt out on writing because of it. I'm finding that I can write more words--and better quality words--when I, for example, write for 4 hours at a time verse 6 stinks of one-hour-writing times. But that is me. YOU might find the opposite.

So my encouragement to you today--especially if you are time strapped and feeling overwhelmed--invest a few hours into really looking at your writing life. Pray about it. Examine what you are doing and identify what isn't working--what is taking up your time and energy and giving you little or no return (be it money, word count, platform, blog followers, etc) on your investment.

Because time and energy are just as much investments as money is. Just a different variety!

Let's chat!

What are some areas in your writing life where you need to "work smarter?" I'll be around throughout the day, and would love to help brainstorm some ideas with you!

Why An Author Should Try Pinterest

Social media plus platform is all the buzz these days. We, as aspiring authors and published authors, have many avenues to take in order to connect with a potential readership, gain knowledge, and "be known".
Right now, I am active on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. The usefulness of Pinterest has been such a pleasant surprise when I once thought of it as a way to instill mommy guilt of all the crafts I was not doing with my kids.

For an author though, Pinterest is a great tool to have, and I will give you three reasons why you should get your own Pinterest account started today!

1. A "scrapbook" for research and brainstorming:

Whether you write Historical or Contemporary, SciFi or Romance, at some point in your writing you will need to look something up. Perhaps it might be the type of shoe a nurse might wear in your medical suspense novel, or the latest fashion trend for your young adult protagonist, or...the kind of fabric an 18th century woman would choose for her ball gown as she debuts into society. For me, my "Tudors" board has been the most popular as I collect information and research on the historical family centered in my current novel.

Pinterest is an amazing tool that gives you visual nuggets of articles, posts, and archives as you create your story world. And it gives potential readers a glimpse and anticipation for all the colorful things to come from your writing.

2. A "filing system" for writing craft/how to's:

The other day, I wanted to look up how to write a short story.  I know what the three act structure looks like for a novel, and I know the major parts for a story, but how does that look in a concise work of 5-7000 words? Pinterest is a fabulous place to look up a craft question and find dozens and dozens of links to blogs, websites, GRAPHICS (if you are a visual person, this is such a great thing...not only reading about the plot...but finding actual visual pieces that illustrate it is awesome). In our busy lifestyles, Pinterest gives you a quick and easy way to archive or "pin" your finds so you can return to them whenever you need that bit of knowledge to move forward in your writing craft.

3. A "bulletin" for building platform with different hooks about YOU:

The greatest thing that makes Pinterest a social endeavor, is that it gives you visibility in the eyes of potential readers. As an author, you can display images that give a sense of your stories, characters, and settings, like I mentioned above, as well as create boards to give an idea of what kind of person you are besides an author-- you become an ACTUAL person to a reader, allowing them a peek at your other interests. Basically, you are providing boards or pins that will hook a reader with that same interest as you...outside of the story world...and ultimately, they will feel connected to you in a realistic way. I am a stay-at-home mom and love finding pins and memes on parenting advice. Well, how cool is it to connect with other moms, like me, who might just also be interested in reading historical fiction...or even writing it? (Connecting to the writing community is just as important as connecting to a readership!) How great is it for a reader to know the story was written by someone who understands their season of life, or, for example, also likes to garden in their spare time? Pinterest can hook readers not just to your stories, but to your common interests, and they will see you as a person and not just as an author trying to sell a book.

Do you have any questions about Pinterest? Or maybe you already have a Pinterest account and have some great boards to share. If you do, let me know below! I would love to come browse your pins.:)

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Angie Dicken is a full-time mom and lives in the Midwest with her Texas Aggie sweetheart. An ACFW member since 2010, she has written six historical novels and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency. Angie also spends her time designing one-sheets and drinking good coffee with great friends. Check her personal blog at angiedicken.blogspot.com and connect at:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dicken.angie, 

Twitter: @angiedicken

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/agdicken/

Let's Talk Niche Marketing: Part 2

Today, I'm continuing the conversation about niche marketing because my last post was getting way too long :) To refresh your memory, we talked about identifying potential niches for your book/platform, and today I'm going to share a little bit about reaching said niches along with a refresher on common marketing etiquette because I can't resist.

Whether you're branding yourself as a pre-published author, reaching out to new readers as an established blogger or someone with a few published books under your belt, or you're starting a new business/project/venture, there are several avenues you can explore to find the people who will best benefit from what you have to offer.

Let me preface this by saying it's important to have a good handle on your ideal audience and to be intentional about who you reach out to before you begin. You don't want to be like that guy who sends daily mass emails full of clickbait and optimized keywords. Just no. You don't want to be associated with a certain processed "meat" that comes in a can.

Once you have this down, you're in luck. Because you live in 2015, and it's easier than ever for like-minded groups to congregate online, for one, and also relatively simple to find them. You can look for:

• Facebook groups
• Twitter labels
• Hashtags across multiple platforms (Don't forget Instagram!)
• Online groups, including book clubs, support and special interest groups, blog communities, etc.

You can also find groups like this through your local library and community organizations. Though you may reach a smaller sample of people, it can still be beneficial to seek out groups in your area.

Specialized publications and media outlets can also lead to great opportunities. I've had clients garner attention from a quarterly quilting magazine to an allergy-friendly support network. And these days, there are podcasts that cover pretty much every subject. You'd be surprised.

So, say you're coming out with a children's story about pugs (what?) and found a few groups that you think would be interested in your book, a local gathering of preschool moms that hosts a weekly storytime and a Facebook group for pug fans with 10,000 members. What next?

Find out who runs each group and try to contact an individual before you leave a blanket message on a Facebook wall or an answering machine. Try to discern if it's appropriate to reach out to that individual directly, because if so, tailoring a pitch personally instead of making it look like a mass email is always the way to go! Have a good sample of your work at the ready if they request it so they can make an informed decision.

I will repeat my marketing mantras at every opportunity: 

• Remember that potential readers, editors, followers, and clients are human beings and deserve personalized communication when at all possible. I would recommend keeping detailed notes to avoid getting your people mixed up. It happens!
• View your interactions with them as conversations, not blanket sales pitches.
• Focus on what you have to offer that can serve and benefit them.
• Be gracious with every yes, and know when to take no for an answer.
• Be intentional and do your research before you make contact.

I think that about covers it! Hope this has given you some good food for thought. 

Super helpful pug book example aside, I'd love to discuss what projects you're working on and any new niches you'd like to reach!

---

Laurie Tomlinson is a wife and mom from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who is passionate about intentional living, all things color-coded, and stories of grace in the beautiful mess. Previously a full-time book publicist, she owns a freelance copywriting, editing, and PR consulting business called 1624 Communications. 

She's a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a two-time Genesis Award winner, and the runner-up in the 2015 Lone Star Contest's Inspirational category. Her work is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary.

You can connect with Laurie here:

Facebook - AuthorLaurieTomlinson

Twitter - @LaurieTomlinson

Web - www.LaurieTomlinson.com

When Your Friends have Book Deals . . . And You Don't

 

Reality check! Our emotions aren’t always pretty. We’ve all undoubtedly been on both sides when the green monster rears it’s ugly head! Jealousy. No one is immune but luckily we are not solely run by our inner-caveman. We have highly evolved reasoning skills and coping mechanisms. Whoo hoo! Go us! And yet, we still hear authors lament broken friendships as a casualty of their success. Almost as if we are bound together by our mutual flightless struggle, yet when one of the birdies catches some air they are leaving the rest behind. No room for superstars in our nest of brooding, misunderstood artists. Bullocks!

The thing I LOVE about the writing community is the antithesis of this jealousy issue. From the newbie to the best-seller, we ALL actually rely on each other in so many ways. In publishing the big fish helps carry the risk the publisher takes in signing the debut author. The award-winning author endorses your book or gives you a shout out because someone once did it for them. And conversely, the dedicated blogger reviews that best-selling book. Posts and tweets about their favorite author’s newest release. The middle of the roader hones their skills under the tutelage of the masters. Getting a leg up when they start floundering and succumbing to the heavy-hitting rejections. It may feel like a hierarchy at times but in reality, it’s a family. Each one of us starting as kidlets looking up to the big brother, or the mom and dad, or wise grandparent to mentor us along the journey until we can walk on our own and carry the torch they passed along.

No matter what you are feeling, we are better and more successful as a team.

And while it may suck that someone else has a book releasing and you don’t, it only sucks because you don’t have a book releasing right now and they do. If you don’t give up, your time will come. Perseverance is key. So while we wait…let your friends have their day in the sun.

So here’s what you do:

1.  Muster up some enthusiasm! Start with a “Congratulations!” and work your way toward more genuine happiness. Baby steps.

2. Street team like a superfan! Post, share, retweet! Help spread the word!

3. Be the bigger blogger! Have your friend guest post on your blog. This is great networking and gives your friend their due in the spotlight.

4. REVIEW and SHARE! Because books live and die by their reviews. Help give a friend a fighting chance to climb the ranks in an utterly saturated marketplace like Amazon where great books might easily fall through the cracks.

5. BUY BOOKS! Don’t expect a handout. BUY THE BOOK. Buy extra! Throw a giveaway! Give some as gifts. Do what you secretly wish someone would do if it were YOUR debut.

6. GUSH! Be a gusher. No matter how good it is, someone is going to hate your book. You will get dinged by a reviewer. You will be rejected over and over. And quite frankly, the writing life can be really discouraging at times. So when you have a kind word, say it. Say it with enthusiasm and give that tortured writer the validation they need to keep on going when the weariness and doubts are winning.

7. BE happy for them. Make up your mind to be happy and then do it. Mind over matter. Your time will comes and your community will have your back!

 

Alright… How about I practice what I preach a bit here? GIVEAWAY TIME!!!! And since this post is inspired by my immense pride for my crit partner and bestie Pepper Basham whose DEBUT novel The Thorn Bearer was just released yesterday, if you help spread the word I’ll buy someone a copy of her book!

 

 

 

Here’s how we’ll play this!

1. Leave your email address in the comments section (Or your facebook addy so I can message you there).

AND

2. Share this post on Facebook with a SHOUT OUT for Pepper Basham and the giveaway for her outstanding book The Thorn Bearer!

I’ll draw a winner out of a hat and gift some lucky winner a beautiful read for Mother’s Day!

Prepublished writers: Why NOT to Focus on Building a Platform

From the moment I started taking this writing thing seriously, I've had this word "platform" tossed at me from all sides.

Agents say you need one in order to get a contract. Editors say having one helps them decide if you, an unpublished author, are worth the gamble. And other authors tell you how important it is too, and give you ideas using their OWN methods of platform building.

What if I told you that you needed to stop worrying so darn much about platform building?

Did your ears just perk up...or did I just make you scowl since you've spent the last five years of your writing life fretting about it?

First, let's back up a second, as I know we might not all be on the same page.  

What IS platform anyway?

The quick answer on how *I* view it is to picture standing on a stage (i.e. a platform). How many people can see you? The BIGGER the stage, the HIGHER the stage, the more of your audience you can see and reach, right?

Same with writing. Your platform is your sphere of influence. Is your platform a book you stand on? Is it a shoe box? Is it a step stool? Is it a local theater stage? Is it a Broadway Stage?

(Platform, by the way, differs from audience, as your audience is how many people are in the surrounding seats, wanting to read your particular type of writing. But that's a different blog post!)

The size of your platform, in theory, gives publishers an idea of how wide your original "net" will be cast once you're published.

We've been spoon fed ways to build one. Heck, I've probably written blogs here myself with suggestions. Blog regularly, get active on all the major social media websites, do speaking engagements, etc.

As I mentioned in my last post, I attended a local showing of IF:Gathering in February. There was SO much great information, and it really shook my spiritual life from a very dormant state it had been in.

The theme of the conference was JOSHUA, and one of the speakers said this super profound thing about platform that literally made me gasp out loud.

She was talking about Joshua in his early days. He wasn't this big, well-known person like Moses. No, he was just a helper. He was in the trenches, fighting, assisting Moses, and was definitely not super noteworthy at first. He had to put in his time, he had to learn, he had to grow. All of his experiences, including going into the promise land and being one of the two to say, "GOD CAN DO THIS, let's go!" all helped mold him into the man that, 40 years later, God called to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.

What if Joshua hadn't put in the time? What if he'd complained like the others? What if he'd been so focused on being a LEADER and taking Moses' place that he hadn't let God grow him organically into the calling he was meant to have? What if he'd gotten inpatient and decided to form a revolt within the Israelites against Moses? (that last one was purely the fiction writer in me hypothesizing)

The quote from the speaker was something like this (I didn't write it down verbatim...)

God is equipping you for something great. At some point He is going to come to you, ready to bring you into your calling, but you won't be there because you're too busy out chasing after some platform.

YIKES!

As a writer, I almost wanted to laugh at the truth of that. How many of us, my hand raised, have spent SO much time on social media and other avenues in the pursuit of platform building instead of crazy things like, let's say, WRITING and craft learning?

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying close down your Facebook page and blog. Those things can totally be a valid part of God's prepping, equipping and calling us.

But if you are blogging just because everyone tells you that it's a great way to build a platform---yet you have no desire to blog and have no clue what to blog about---do you think that's a wise way to use your time?

Are you on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Tumbler, LinkedIn, Google+ and spending hours a day to cultivate a following in the name of platform but wishing all the while you could just be writing?

Are you spending $$$$ you don't have to build a website--or building one yourself that looks like something my 10 year old could put together just because, well, everyone says you HAVE to have one and you don't have money to do it yourself. But you have NO clue what info to actually PUT on one since you aren't published! (no judgement on self-made websites... I've had one of those myself since 2008 and it spent many a years looking my five year old put together... it wasn't pretty!!!)

There are definite smart tips to listen to as a prepublished author. RESERVE that domain name if you can. RESERVE that Facebook/Twitter/Instagram handle.

But don't forget where you focus should be.

On letting God equip you for HIS calling. Both spiritually and in your writing.

Instead of getting so caught up in platform building, get caught up in Jesus. Spend time in the Word of God. Spend time praying for God to lead you. Spend time writing, journaling, seeking wisdom and discernment. Ask God what HE wants to do with this whole writing thing you feel Him calling you towards.

And of course, spend time WRITING the stories he lays on your heart and learning from others the craft, so you can shine bright when it is your time.

No amount of platform building could replace the value in WRITING and the value you of seeking God during this time of waiting.

Let's Chat: 

Prepublished authors: Have you started trying to build your platform? Are you having a difficult time with the concept?

Published Authors: What things did YOU do as an prepublished author that you look back that a.) thought was a huge waste of time and b.) was the BEST thing you could have done?

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Krista is a follower of Jesus, a wife, a mother, and author of Sandwich, With a Side of Romanceand A Side of Faith. She blogs about finding JOY in the journey of LIFE at http://www.kristaphillips.com. She is represented by Sarah Freese of Wordserve Literary.

Instagram for Writers

There’s a new social media sheriff in town: Instagram. And it’s not just for teenagers. Here’s how you can utilize this valuable platform to connect with other writers and potential readers – over 200 million of them.

Hashtags

If you're familiar with Twitter, you know these are links preceded by the pound sign. (For those who existed after the age of landline telephones, I’m talking about the # symbol. ;) ) The #amwriting hashtag is one of the most popular among writers from all stages of the game, a great way to connect and see who around the world is currently working right now.

For published authors or authors who plan to go indie, creating a hashtag for your latest book or series title can connect current and future readers. There’s nothing like community, and I’ve noticed that’s especially true among readers. Hashtags are the virtual equivalent of sitting next to someone who’s reading the same book on an airplane. You instantly know that person is awesome because of his or her great taste. Hashtags are how you can use social media to help turn your readership into a community.

Behind the Scenes

On the subject of community, it’s a beautiful thing when writers post behind-the-scenes glimpses of their process. From images of a historical writer’s research findings to a real-life snapshot of a hot mess of a desk to a picture of an author’s kid holding a debut novel, readers love to see this.

Of course, there’s a fine balance. You don’t want to give away all of your trade secrets. And you certainly don’t want to jeopardize your privacy – or the privacy of your loved ones. There’s just something about a little glimpse of an author’s humanity to connect and endear him or her with readers and give context to the characters and worlds they love reading about.

Promotions

Approaching release day? Running an eBook sale? Posting an article on your blog? You can make graphics, even on your smartphone (I don’t have enough room on my laptop for Photoshop, so I use the Rhonna Designs and A Beautiful Mess apps on my phone) for announcements, blog post graphics, and other promotions. In today’s digital age, having an attractive image or graphic to accompany your content greatly increases your visibility, not only according to the algorithms of major platforms like Facebook but based on people's natural tendency to gravitate toward what’s visually appealing.

I’ve also known authors to run promotions on Instagram and other social media platforms (sometimes with their own hashtags). For example, around release day, they will run giveaways inviting readers to post a "selfie" with their copy of the book or the book on the shelf at a store in exchange for prizes.

{Tip: Since hyperlinks don’t work in Instagram, changing the link in your Instagram profile will give readers direct access to the link you're working with.} 

{Two writers who are doing it right}

Mary C. Weber, author of The Storm Siren Trilogy (Instagram: @maryweberauthor)

        

If you follow Mary Weber on Instagram, you'll see everything from news about giveaways to extras from her books to pictures of the author at work to funny quotes from her kids. As you can see above, she recently used Instagram to alert readers to a special Valentine’s Day promotion for her eBooks. She used the hashtag #kindle, so people who happen to click on that hashtag looking for books on kindle will see her graphic and be aware of her book's special price. 

Mary is definitely one who is doing her social media promotion right because it doesn't seem like promotion. It's a fun gathering place for her readers with a really inviting sense of authenticity. The middle screenshot is from a video she made talking about her Storm Siren for Schools program. And the one on the far right answers the number one question readers ask about her first novel. Love it!

My only complaint? How much she likes to TEASE readers about her enticing upcoming sequel, Siren's Fury. :) 

Jenny Bravo, author of These Are the Moments, writer behind BlotsandPlots.com (Instagram: @blotsandplots) 

  

Jenny Bravo is an indie author and one who is spot-on, in my opinion. If you visit her Instagram profile, she is doing a phenomenal job preparing the way for her self-published novel by posting enticing snippets, being transparent about the process and the valuable things she's learning, and inviting readers into a gorgeous yet cozy space. She is nailing the hashtag game with consistency too, with the abbreviation #TATM for her novel, the #TATMtent for her amazing writing tent, and #TATMTuesday for {usually handwritten} quotes from her book.  

Like Mary, Jenny offers authenticity to her readers. And I think the biggest thing I can commend her for is what she gives back to her readers. Obviously a lot of people who follow her blog and Instagram are aspiring authors themselves, perhaps a good percentage who wish to go the indie route. She gives great writing tips, selects gorgeous quotes from her book to feature, and again fosters that sense of community by offering snapshots of her personal process. Her posts don't feel gimmicky and don't have the sketchy undercurrent of self-promotion.

Whether Jenny knows it or it just comes as second nature to her, this is excellent strategy for a self-published author as she anticipates her release, opposed to some who just slap up their finished product on Amazon and call it good with no marketing legwork.

Instagram is pretty easy to use

If you’re apprehensive about having one more social media platform to manage, know that you can connect Instagram to Facebook and Twitter. A few little clicks and you can instantly post your image and caption to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Flickr, foursquare, or all of the above.

It also has built-in cropping and photo editing capabilities that are as easy as sliding through a range of lighting/color filters and picking the one you like most. Once you get used to Instagram, it’s super easy and takes no time at all. 

What have you heard about Instagram? Is anything keeping you from taking the plunge? 

Are you already on Instagram? Link us to your username and tell us how you like to use it.

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Laurie Tomlinson is a wife and mom from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who is passionate about intentional living, all things color-coded, and stories of grace in the beautiful mess. Previously a full-time book publicist, she owns a freelance copywriting, editing, and PR consulting business. 

She's a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and received the Genesis Award in 2013 (Contemporary) and 2014 (Romance). 

Her work is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary.

You can connect with Laurie here:

Facebook - AuthorLaurieTomlinson

Twitter - @LaurieTomlinson

Web - www.LaurieTomlinson.com

What should a fiction writer blog about?

In my last post, I discussed how blogging can help your writing.

The topic sparked in interesting discussion in the comments thread. The question was posed - what should a novelist blog about?

Ah. Good question.

It's a question that stumped me for a good number of years. In fact, that's why I only started blogging at the end of last year - even though I've been writing fiction much longer. It took me a long time to figure out my blogging niche.

If you're struggling with the same question, I'd like to suggest some approaches you could take... and one that perhaps you shouldn't.

1. Blog about writing
Now, this is a fairly common strategy. After all, they say we should blog our passions, and for a writer - writing is a central passion. It's a subject we "know" and are constantly learning more about.

The problem with this approach is the target audience. Who is attracted to a blog about writing? Other writers. And while it's a brilliant way to connect in with the writing community, network with other writers, and form meaningful friendships with like-minded people, it may not be the best platform for marketing your books. The writing community is, by its very nature, over-saturated with book promotion. It's chock full of authors who all constantly have new releases and soon-to-be-releases and cover reveals and e-book promotions, not to mention the backlists they'd still like to sell. It's enough to make you giddy, trying to keep up with it.

Not convinced? Wendy Lawton of Books&Such literary management wrote an excellent post on this topic: The Trouble with Tribes. I highly recommend you check it out!

2. Blog your subject matter
If you write historical or genre fiction, you've hit the mother lode of blog material.

Historical writers love to research, but many of those details and anecdotes won't find their way into your books. Why not blog your fascinating discoveries? An example is WWII novelist Sarah Sundin's "Today in WWII history" feature, where she shares a brief anecdote for each day of the year.

If you're an author of murder mysteries, you could blog about relevant news headlines; police procedure; a layman's guide to forensics; biographical sketches of serial killers... the list goes on.

Do you write romance? Blog about romance. Tips for a first date. 10 ways to bring the sizzle back to your marriage. Best honeymoon getaways. 5 ways to date your husband for free. Conversation-starters with your spouse. Thoughts and anecdotes and inspiration regarding relationships, love, and commitment.

3. Blog your themes
Perhaps you're not a genre author. That doesn't mean you don't have something to blog about.

Take a look at the themes running through your work. You may have themes of forgiveness, redemption, trust, identity, belonging, surrender... and many others. Your blog is a chance to delve deeper into some of these ideas as you journal your ideas, thoughts and reflections on life.

Friend of the Alley, Jeanne Takenaka, does this beautifully on her blog. I love my friend Megan Sayer's tagline "Deep thoughts from an ordinary life." These women are gathering an audience of people who resonate not only with their writing style, but with the quality of their insights into everyday life - characteristics that will draw this same tribe of followers to their novels.

4. Blog your characters and settings
If you worry that you're not inspiring enough or don't have enough to say of a thematic nature, there's other blogging material to be found in your novel.

You could interview your characters; write journal entries from their POV; share photos of models or actors who look like your character as you imagine them; discuss the settings in which your novel takes place; share short excerpts or deleted scenes; and include recipes inspired by your novel. These can all be effective teasers.

One caution is that it could prove difficult to build an audience using these methods, if you're starting out with no platform and have no publishing contract yet in sight. Readers will probably not be interested in hearing endless details about characters they haven't yet "met" in a book, especially when there's no immediate chance of doing so. This approach would work best once you have an established audience and are building buzz for a newly-released book.

5. Blog short fiction
Why not give your readers a teaser of your writing style by blogging a weekly short story? If the writing you offer for free is consistently good, you'll slowly but surely build a fan base who'll be first in line to get their hands on your full-length work - simply because they like your stuff and want more of it.

Another creative approach: one of my favorite writing blogs, Novel Matters, are currently running a serial story - written collaboratively by their blog readers and posted in short instalments.

Alternately, you could write your own serial story. Bestselling action/ thriller writer Matthew Reilly did this with his story Hover Car Racer, and then released the whole as an e-book.

5. Blog about books
If you love reading and reviewing, this approach makes perfect sense for you as an author. What better way to reach a book-loving tribe than by blogging about books? Regular book reviews and meet-the-author chats are fantastic ways to connect with readers who enjoy the same type of books as you do.

Two great examples of this approach are the She Reads blog and our own Casey Herringshaw's blog, Writing for Christ.

6. Blog to your target demographic's interests
At this point, it's time for me to confess that I don't use any of the above 5 approaches. I've gone a different route altogether.

Why? Because first and foremost, you need to blog on a topic you're passionate about. If your heart's not in it, your blog will feel lacklustre, and you'll struggle to keep up your commitment for the long haul.

For various reasons, none of the above felt like quite the right fit for me. Hence why I wriggled around uncomfortably for years and put off blogging altogether.

Finally, it was Wendy Lawton's excellent post, The Trouble with Tribes (also referenced in Point One above) that gave me my lightbulb moment.

The point of a blog is to gather a tribe of readers. 

I write contemporary, inspirational women's fiction. Therefore, my ideal readership is women: particularly (but not exclusively) Christian women.

Women who enjoy picking up a novel for entertainment, but might not be drawn to a non-fiction style blog.

I started thinking - what does this readership want? What do we enjoy doing in our downtime? What inspires us? What do we watch on TV? In other words, outside of reading, what are the concerns and interests of this particular demographic?

Clearly, there's no one right answer to these questions. We're all unique, with different interests. But stand back far enough to survey the big picture, and you'll notice trends.

Women are - not always, but more often than not - the home-makers. We are the creative CEO's of our family, called upon to organize, feed, decorate, entertain and educate.

The explosion of Pinterest highlights the enormous popularity of lifestyle and DIY among women. Lifestyle TV is huge - cooking shows, decorating shows. It's a thriving niche market, and it falls smack dab in the middle of my target demographic.

As an ex-Creative Arts teacher, mum of small kids, and a part-time interior decorator, I knew I had something to offer in this field. To women, like myself, who want to mother creatively and make their house a home.

Most excitingly for me, it's something I'm actually passionate about. It's a topic thrilling enough to me that I have more blog fodder than I have hours to blog about it. So, I launched a home-making blog: a house full of sunshine.

It's an experiment, of course. Will I gather a tribe of readers who love my lifestyle and DIY posts, but have zero interest in my someday books?

My strategy is to use the posts themselves to constantly refine and focus my audience. I'm launching a monthly book-club. (Hate reading, and annoyed by those posts? You'll probably step off here.) I post openly about my faith in God. (Militant atheist? You'll no doubt unsubscribe at this point.)

I try to see those unsubscribes and un-follows as a positive thing. They're a sign that my audience is becoming more honed, more targeted, more clearly an embodiment of my ideal readership, day by day.

Most importantly, I'm building a tribe of readers who are connected with who I am as a person, and interested in what I have to say.

Do all of them start out as passionate fiction-lovers? Of course not. But it's my belief that every person can be a reader. And by looking outside the traditional avenues - writers who read writing blogs; readers intentional enough to look up book reviews - I'm tapping into a new market of people who are just women... like me.

Women who might just pick up a good book if it comes recommended by a blogger they've connected with.

How about you? What do you blog about? What is your target demographic - and how do you plan to reach them? How would you describe your ideal reader?

TWEETABLES

Help - I'm a fiction writer and I don't know what to blog about! Find inspiration here: Click to Tweet

Novelists - can you describe your ideal reader? If not, your blog may be missing the mark: Click to Tweet

Why writers shouldn't blog about writing - and a wealth of other ideas to try instead: Click To Tweet

Karen Schravemade lives in Australia, where she mothers by day and transforms into a fearless blogger by night. She's a Genesis finalist for women's fiction and is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such. Find her on Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and getting creative on her home-making blog, A house full of sunshine.

How blogging can help your novel-writing

In my last post, I talked about how short-story writing can improve your long fiction.

Today I'd like to discuss another form of writing that will help your career as a novelist: blogging.

Maybe you already do it. Maybe you've considered starting. Or perhaps it's not on your radar at all.

Here's why it should be.

1. Blogging will help you relax your voice
Us novelists tend to take ourselves a bit seriously at times. After all, writing a novel is a big undertaking. It's challenging and important and... and... kind of lofty. Right?

As a novelist shut away in our writing cave for months and years on end, it's easy to get wrapped up in the grandeur of the story we're spinning, and forget all about that little thing called the reader. And the problem is, if our storytelling voice becomes all lofty and self-important, we've lost most of those said readers from the get-go.

Blogging is different. There's a matter of hours between writing something and having it go live before a real-life audience: an audience who gives us immediate feedback on our work. Therefore, it's easier to write with said audience front and center in our writing brain. The result? A tone that is conversational, friendly, down-to-earth, and relatable.

Once you've been blogging long enough, you'll find that more natural, conversational voice finding its way into your longer fiction as well. And that's a good thing.

Blogging will help you strip affectation from your voice, simplify, relax, and keep things real.

Image by Ambro, freedigitalphotos.net

2. Blogging builds self-discipline
Blogging is like the stomach-crunches of the writing world.

Maybe it's not as exciting or glamorous as signing that big book deal, watching your novel climb the bestseller ranks, or any of the other delightful things we like to daydream about.

But it gives you a solid foundation as a writer. It requires you to be consistent and meet small, regular deadlines. That is great practice for one day down the track when you have deadlines set by a publisher.

3. Blogging will improve your productivity
Sometimes the best thing for a story block is to switch writing gears and hammer out a blog post. It's an easy and immediate style of writing, and it'll give you the satisfaction of completing something - which is a great antidote to frustration.

Besides, the more you write, across all genres and platforms, the quicker you get. Wanna be a prolific writer? Start blogging. Your output will increase overall, because it has to.

Before you know it, ideas start flowing faster from brain to fingertips, and you're all limbered up and ready to dive back into your story-world.

4. Blogging will help you find and connect with your audience
This flows on from the first point. Blogging puts you in touch with readers - right now, without having to wait for some "maybe day" in the distant future.

Publishers want to see that you have a platform. We all know how essential that is in today's marketing climate. There is no better time to start building a platform than before the book deal.

Wait till afterward, and you've probably left it too late.

When you blog consistently and strategically, you are building a tribe of people who are interested in what you have to say.

And after all, that's what every writer wants, isn't it?

To have a voice, and someone to listen.

Do you blog? If so, why do you do it, and how do you find it helps you as a writer? 

If not, what are your reasons for not blogging? Is it something you'd consider?

TWEETABLES
I'm a novelist, not a blogger! Why novelists should have a blog, & how it'll help your writing: Tweet this

Karen Schravemade lives in Australia, where she mothers by day and transforms into a fearless blogger by night. She's a Genesis finalist for women's fiction and is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such. Find her on Twitter, Google+, and getting creative on her home-making blog, A house full of sunshine.

YOU HAVE TO BLOG! (or do you?)

My Blogging Story

When I started on my writing journey, blogs were this fantastic up and coming "thing". If you wanted to be IN this whole writing thing... OF COURSE you had to blog. ALL agents and editors look at that. For fiction authors, it was the ONLY way to get a platform/following if you will.

So... I cracked my knuckles and started a blog.

And rejoiced at my 5 hits a day. I mean... come on. Those were FIVE PEOPLE who were reading what I wrote!

Eventually it grew to about 20 a day, give or take, and I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.

I blogged about writing and about parenthood and The Bachelor and kissing and romance and a variety of stuff.

I started avidly following other blogs and commenting, spending WAY too much of my day doing so (time that really should have been spent writing...), to try and drum up a few more followers on my blog.

And... it worked. A little. I think I had about 30-40 hits a day by that time.

Then this very sad thing happened. We found out that the sweet little baby I was carrying... baby #5 for us (including sweet Abigail who went to be with Jesus super early) had a heart defect. Only half of her heart was formed.

So she took over my blog. Blogging came much less about numbers and much more about sharing my heart as we went through the journey. Writing my raw feelings and having to express in writing what was going on was therapeutic for me. I NEEDED it.

Then sweet Annabelle was born. And my blog became a way to let people know how she was doing and how to pray for us.

Needless to say, my numbers increased, but at that point, I didn't care nearly so much. I wanted my baby to live. That was all I cared about. And on many days, that looked very questionable.

My numbers REALLY increased when fellow heart-parent, Matt Hammitt (lead singer of the Christian Band Sanctus Real) linked to my blog from his blog devoted to his and Sarah's sweet son, Bowen.

I had over 3000 hits that day.

The number didn't hit me so much in blog terms... (okay, maybe a little...) but the knowledge that 3000 people read Annabelle's story and were actively praying for her that day... during a time that was very touch-and-go.... was humbling and amazing.

Over the next year or so, my numbers stayed humbling high--high for ME that is. Like 15k visits a month, give or take.

Eventually, after 308 days in the hospital, 4 open heart surgery's later including a heart transplant at 8 months of age, Annabelle came home for the first time. And after some bad turns, she finally started to improve.

And with her improvement, my numbers dropped to a much more "normal" range. Yet they remain much higher than previously.

Lately, I'm trying to find a semblance of normal in this new life I've been given. I dropped from 3 to 4 times a week blogging to 2... or 1 on really crazy weeks. And I'm trying to focus my time more on my family than my blog. Balance is key. Yet I'm still invested in making it work. I still LOVE to blog and love to share my heart with people.

Blogging Lessons I've learned

1.) Blogging with the sole purpose of building a platform for a writer is not a great idea. It doesn't work. Your MOTIVATION is not where it should be. It's like writing a book just to make money. Chances are you'll be disappointed on both counts.

2.) A SUCCESSFUL blog has a purpose. A need to fill. And that NEED is what your motivation needs to stem from. Some people, like us Alleycats, blog to encourage other writers. Our heart is connect with writers and be able to foster an environment where we can learn from each other. Others have a niche they love... crafts or coupons or DIY projects or birds or a time period in history or politics or poetry.... There is a long list of potential purposes.

3.) BE UNIQUE. There are a TON of writer's blogs out there. 5 years ago when I started... there was a decent number, but it has EXPLODED since then. Everyone heard the "edict" like I did... and started a writers blog. Because that's our specialty, right? Writing? If you are going to start a blog for writers, you have to find a niche... a need that no one else is meeting (or that you can meet better.) If you don't... it's a waste of time. If you are going to do a craft blog... there are a TON of others out there. How is yours different? How can yours be unique?

4.) IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT YOU! Oh, this one is hard for me. Because I am SO SO SO guilty of this on my blog. My goal on my own blog though, is to help women learn to find "joy" in the journey of life by sharing my own experiences, my own struggles. I try to be as honest as I'm allowed to be online, and show the VALUE in finding JOY. But... I know I tend to be "my family" centered too much. The "masses" don't always want to hear about YOU... unless you are a celebrity, of course:-) Write something for THEM.

5.) YOU DON'T HAVE TO! Honestly? I feel like the fad of blogging... as a whole... is wearing off a bit. Maybe this is just me who feels this way. I have no numbers to back me up. I still believe in blogging though. I love mine, and I LOVE The Writer's Alley of course, but I find more people connecting on Facebook and Twitter and limiting their blog reading time than before. Did you know The Writer's Alley has a Facebook page??? Yup, we did that JUST for you all! We all stalk it at various times throughout the day, so if you ever want to connect more real time with us, or just want to chat, COME SEE US!!

The deal is... if you don't have a blogging purpose... if you don't have a unique angle... if you have no desire to put the time, effort, and (if you wanna make it look super good) money into it... your time might be BETTER spent building your platform elsewhere.

But if you just want to blog for YOU... to have a fun outlet to get your thoughts out... with no care about who reads it or if anyone reads it... then go for it. Just make sure you manage your expectations and know your goal.

6.) If you know a famous person with a ton of followers who will link to your blog... buy them chocolate or something. (just... mostly... kidding!)

Discussion: Do you have a blog? If so, what's your purpose? Or are you thinking about blogging at some point and just haven't found your sweet spot? Any blogging questions?? Let's chat blogging!

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Krista is a follower of Jesus, a wife, a mother, and author of Sandwich, With a Side of Romance. She blogs about finding JOY in the journey of LIFE at http://www.kristaphillips.com. She is represented by the fab agent, Rachelle Gardner.

The reasons you write

Have you ever struggled with the daily commitment to writing?

Image by m_bartosch, freedigitalphotos.net

Perhaps you started out strong, but the middle has become a hard slog, and you feel like you’ve lost your way. Perhaps you’ve received negative feedback from people whose opinions you value, and you wonder if the whole thing is a waste of time. Maybe your characters have fallen down a plot hole and you can’t see any way for them to climb out. Perhaps your life circumstances have changed (new job? New baby? Elderly parent to care for? Fill in the blank) and your writing routine has been thrown so badly out of kilter that you’re scrambling to make any time to write at all.

I could put my hand up for all of these things. I’ll be honest: the book I’m working on right now has become a struggle. A mental, emotional, physical, spiritual struggle.

 

Recently I’ve been reading “Platform” by Michael Hyatt. Great book. Hyatt suggests writing down seven reasons for why you write, and reviewing these daily.

I did this. I actually came up with eight. Today I’d like to be completely transparent, and share them with you. These are very personal, very intimate reasons, and while it makes me feel quite vulnerable to share them, I hope my honesty might help someone else who may be struggling just as I am.

Eight reasons why I need to finish my novel.

1. To finish what I started. “I want to suggest that you finish what you started to do… Let your enthusiastic idea at the start be equalled by your realistic action now.” (2 Cor 8:10-11, TLB) Finishing when it’s tough takes character. I CHOOSE to be a woman of character, no matter how I feel.

2. To experience pride in my accomplishment. The results of not writing? I feel defeated, useless, inadequate. The results of writing? I feel energised, completed, purposeful. This state of mind flows out to every other area of my life.

3. God wants me to finish this book. A pastor once stopped me after a service and spoke this word over me: “You’ve sometimes thought that writing is your dream and your desire. But God wants you to know, it’s His desire.” I love him so much, and writing for God is my expression of love to him. It’s my daily sacrifice of praise.

4. Writing is my purpose in life. If I want to live a life that’s purpose-driven and meaningful, I need to walk within my purpose. To walk outside my purpose is to live a half-life, an incomplete life that doesn’t fulfil my potential.

5. I want to impact others. My biggest prayer has always been that I might produce fruit for God’s kingdom. God has given me a voice, and writing is my platform. Through the power of the written word, my sphere of influence will expand to reach countless more people than I could ever reach alone. My greatest privilege and joy in life would be to impact many others for God. 

6. I am a better mother when I follow my dreams. Following my dreams feeds my spirit. Do I want to feel begrudging and resentful that I don’t have time for myself, or do I want to make that time, and then mother with generosity and joy, out of an overflowingly abundant heart?

7. I believe in this book. I love my story. I love my characters. Those who’ve read it so far have found it gripping and compelling. I believe this story has the potential to be a success.

8. I choose to live my dream. Writing is what I’ve always wanted to do, ever since I was a little girl. The dream will not happen on its own. I alone have the power to make it happen through my daily choices.

The power of a reason

I’ve begun a practice of reading over my eight reasons at the start of every writing session. It centers me on the purpose behind the task. Gives me a bigger perspective. Inspires me to continue when it’s tough.

What are the reasons YOU write?

28-Day Challenge check-in:

For those participating, how is your new habit coming along? Don’t forget – double entries for the Amazon gift card in two weeks’ time if you’ve stuck with your habit every day!

Karen Schravemade lives Downunder and likes to confuse her American friends by using weird Australian figures of speech. When she's not chasing after two small boys or cuddling her baby girl, she spends her spare minutes daydreaming about the intricate lives of characters who don't actually exist. Find her on her website and Twitter.