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    Goals, a target, and paper to reach writing goals
    7Jan, 2024
    Have you Set Your Writing Goals for the New Year?

    Goals, a target, and paper to reach writing goals

    Goal-Setting

    Have you set your writing goals for the new year? If you’re like me, January is a time for taking stock of the prior year and setting up goals (not resolutions) for my life in the year ahead. I always feel inspired in January because I see it as an opportunity to set myself up for success. I set quarterly and a few year-long goals that keep me focused on the things I want to be focused on. My goals are my compass.

    Below are my steps for goal-setting for the new year. Use them to help you get focused your writing life and what you want to accomplish.

    "The more you reflect the more you learn" QuoteFirst things first, take a moment to reflect on the previous year

    I believe it’s so important to end each year with a bit of reflection. This means taking some time to take stock of your writing life.

    • What worked well for you last year?
    • What challenges did you conquer?
    • Were there things you were unable to achieve? Why?

    Reflection = Insight. It’s not about getting stuck on what went wrong, but rather thinking about how to learn from everything that happened to help make the new year even better. 

    Year-Long Goals?

    One thing I like to do is focus on when I’m setting goals at the beginning of the year is quarterly goals. Instead of looking at the entire year, which can feel overwhelming, breaking your goals into bite-sized pieces is far more effective. You may have a year-end goal. If you do, great! Still, look at the steps you need to take to achieve that goal and revisit those steps quarterly to see if you’re on track. 

    A clock showing a quarter and 'goals'No, QUARTERLY GOALS!

    Now, imagine your year as a road trip across the country. Quarterly goals then are the checkpoints where you can take mini-breaks, stretch your legs, look back at what you just accomplished, and plan the next part of your route. In writing, these checkpoints allow you to look back at the prior three months, reflect, evaluate, and use this information to inform your goals for the next three months.

    My Three Steps to Creating Quarterly Goals
    Dream Big, Start Small:

    First, begin at the end. In education, this is called ‘backward mapping’. I used it all the time when planning my lessons. I knew what students needed to learn by the end of the year (the end goal). I used that as my guidepost, then mapped backward to figure out the steps needed to get them there.

    Y’all, you can use this same concept with your writing goals. What do you want to accomplish by the end of the year? Is it finishing the manuscript you’re working on? Starting and finishing a new one? Submitting to agents? 

    Whatever it is, identify it then step back and break it down. What are the steps you need to take to make that goal a reality? 

    SMART goals for writers illustration with a man working on a laptopSMART Goals 

    Next, use SMART goals. SMART goals are another tool I used in the classroom. They help the vague become tangible. They are: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Let’s take a closer look at them:

    • Specific:

    Define your goal with clarity. Instead of “Write a book,” go for “Complete the first draft of my novel”.

    • Measurable:

      How will you know when you’ve achieved your goal? Use metrics like word count, completion percentages, or specific milestones as your gauge.

    • Achievable:

      Set goals that challenge you but are within reach. It’s about pushing boundaries, not trying to bust your way through the wall at Platform 9 3/4 when you’re not actually a wizard.

    • Relevant:

      Ensure your goals align with that big, audacious vision you defined early on. If your goal is to become a published author, taking a coding class might not be the most direct route. Taking a comprehensive course on writing a novel might be (link).

    • Time-bound:

      Assign deadlines to your goals. This adds a sense of urgency and keeps you accountable. It also gives you something to celebrate, and the accomplishment can motivate you to keep going.

     

    Finally, at the end of each quarter, celebrate your wins and set up the next quarter’s goals.  

     

    Quarter by Quarter Phases

    Q1: Phase 1 (January – March)

    First is Q1. This is the beginning. Break down your big goal into smaller tasks and focus on building momentum. 

    Set a weekly target word count for the first few chapters

    • Set a daily word count goal
    • Front-load your research
    • Map out your chapters or complete your synopsis
    • Do your prep work
    • Complete character studies

    Whatever your goal is, think about the first things you need to do to get there.

    Q2: Phase 2 (April – June)

    Next is Q2. This is a chance  to check in with yourself. How did your Q1 goals go? Celebrate your wins! 

    Once you’ve done that, move on to your next steps. Hopefully, you’re in a rhythm. Fine-tune those daily or weekly word count goal if necessary. Adjust based on your real life and keep going.  

    Q3: Phase 3 (July – September)

    Next is Q3, the halfway point, take a full stop and evaluate the first six months of the year. In education, this is MYR, or Mid Year Review. Educators evaluate their students to see if they’re on track with where they should be to reach those learning objectives that were set at the beginning.

    Do the same thing with your writing. Are you on track? Are you where you wanted to be? Now is an opportunity to give yourself grace and pivot if you need to. YOU set your expectations…and you can adjust them if you need to. Again, set yourself up for success. 

    Success with Goal-Setting graphic showing fireworksQ4: Phase 4 (October – December)

    Finally, you’re at Q4. This is the final stretch of road before you reach your destination. Give it a big push. Pick up the pace, if you need to. By the end of the quarter, you will hopefully have reached that big goal you set for yourself…and you should celebrate! 

    Celebrate and Learn:

    Y’all, every goal achieved, big or small, deserves a celebration. Seriously. We are all about the celebration! Treat yourself to that fancy coffee, take a day off, or simply bask in the glory of your accomplishments. And remember, setbacks are not roadblocks; they are only detours that take us on unexpectedly interesting paths. Learn from them, pivot if necessary, and keep moving forward.

    Wrapping Up:

    I hope you embrace the power of setting quarterly goals in the new year!

    Are you ready for the next step in your writing process? Hire me as your developmental editor and partner. Together, we will take your writing to the next level!
     
     
     
     

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    Know a writer, aspiring or other, who might like this content? Share this site with them!

    23Aug, 2022
    Understanding Back Cover Copy and How to Write it

    PART 1:

    There are many, many steps in writing a book. Understanding Back Cover Copy and how to write it is one of these steps. 

    What is Back Cover Copy:

    Simply put, back cover copy is an incredibly important marketing tool for your book. It includes a hook to grab the reader’s attention. It then hits the core elements of the plot in the most enticing manner possible.

    This copy is the second thing a potential reader will use to judge whether or not the book is for them (first is the cover). Just like a teaser from a television show or a movie trailer, the back cover copy in a book gives the potential audience enough about the story to pique their interest. It is what draws them in and gets them to commit to reading the first page (which is the third step in a reader’s decision-making process).

    What should Back Cover Copy Include?

    Your back cover copy should include some specific elements:

      • Introduce the main character(s)
      • What does is the main character’s goal?
      • What is the conflict preventing him/her from achieving this goal?
      • What is at stake for the main character?

     

    What is its Purpose?

    The main purpose of your story’s back cover copy is to communicate the exciting premise of the story.

    This may seem like an easy task; it’s not.

    To make it easier, do your research.

    • Read the back cover copy of many (many!) books in the same genre as your book. Look at:
      • the structure
      • the hook
      • the point of view (in a romance, for example, there will likely be two—one paragraph for the heroine and one for the hero)
      • how the goal and conflict are presented
      • and the length

    Examples

    Here is the copy for Murder in Devil’s Cove, the first in my Book Magic mystery series:

    After twenty years, Pippin Lane Hawthorne and her twin brother, Grey, return to their birth place—the Outer Banks island of Devil’s Cove. But what was supposed to be a chance at a new life turns sinister when their father’s old fishing boat reveals a dark secret.

    Now Pippin must embrace her fate as a bibliomancer and learn how to ‘read’ the books she’s always shied away from. Only then will she be able to discover the truth about what really happened to her parents and continue their efforts to break the curse that has haunted the Lane family for two thousand years.

    You can see how this hits all the elements.

    Hook: A second chance turning sinister with dark secrets

    Setting: Outer Banks island of Devil’s Cove

    Character and point of view: Pippin Lane Hawthorne

    Goal: to learn the truth about her father’s death

    Conflict: a curse

    Here is the back cover copy for the second book in the series, Murder at Sea Captain’s Inn:

    Generation after generation of Lane women die in childbirth, while the sea claims the men.

    Pippin Lane Hawthorne’s grand opening of Sea Captain’s Inn is tainted when a scholar studying the Lost Colony of Roanoke is brutally murdered. Like the black crow that hangs around the old house, could the untimely death be a harbinger of dark things to come?

    When her twin brother, Grey, begins bucking the curse by risking his life in the waters of the Outer Banks, Pippin lives in terror that he’ll be the next Lane male to be swallowed by the sea. Now she must use her gift of bibliomancy to save her brother, solve the murder, and end a two thousand year old pact.

    Hook: Generation after generation of Lane women die in childbirth, while the sea claims the men.

    Setting: Sea Captain’s Inn

    Character and point of view: Pippin Lane Hawthorne

    Goal: Pippin must save Grey and solve a murder

    Conflict: a curse, and a murderer

    Let’s take a look at one more example, this one from Kneaded to Death, the first in the Bread Shop mystery series.

    When an artisanal baker is accused of murder, her sleuthing student rises to the occasion . . .

    Everyone swears by Yeast of Eden, the Mexican bread shop in town. But tonight, the only thing on the menu is la muerte . . .

    Struggling photographer Ivy Culpepper has lots of soul-searching to do since returning to seaside Santa Sofia, California. That is, until the thirty-six-year-old enters a bread making class at Yeast of Eden. Whether it’s the aroma of fresh conchas in the oven, or her instant connection with owner Olaya Solis, Ivy just knows the missing ingredients in her life are hidden among the secrets of Olaya’s bakery . . .

    But Ivy’s spirits crumble when a missing classmate is suddenly discovered dead in her car. Even more devastating, the prime suspect is Olaya Solis herself. Doubting the woman could commit such a crime, Ivy embarks on a murder investigation of her own to prove her innocence and seize the real killer. As she follows a deadly trail of crumbs around town, Ivy must trust her gut like never before—or someone else could be toast!

    Hook (in a cozy, as well as in other types of book, the hook is often presented as a teaser above the copy; in a cozy, it is also often punny): Everyone swears by Yeast of Eden, the Mexican bread shop in town. But tonight, the only thing on the menu is la muerte . . .

    Setting: Santa Sofia, California and Yeast of Eden, an artisan bread shop

    Character and point of view: Ivy Culpepper

    Goal: To deal with her mother’s death, and then track down a killer

    Conflict: Solve the murder before another happens

     

    So, take time to write great back cover copy.

    Eventually, it will be used for pitches to agents, as a marketing tool on online websites and retailers, for press releases, and any number of other things.  

    Finally, one last thing to note is that there is never only one way of doing things. There also isn’t a single right way of doing things.

    Publishers have their methods, editors have theirs, and writers have their own approach.

    Next time I will share my method and approach to writing back cover copy .

    Until then, happy writing!

    I go into this concept in depth in the Field Guide to Writing a Cozy Mystery course. If you’re writing a cozy, this course is for you!

    Did you read about understanding the building blocks of a scene? Read it HERE!

     
     
     

    By the way: Follow the WriterSpark page on Facebook.

    Join the WriterSpark Academy newsletter! And share with your writing besties.

    Know a writer, aspiring or other, who might like this content? Share this site with with them!

    Need help with your back cover copy or developmental help with your manuscript? Hire me as your novel editor and partner.

    14Jun, 2022
    This is Why I Teach Fiction Writing

    I’ve been reflecting lately on why I teach writing.

    It started as a calling. Truly. I feel…I believe…I know…that I am a good teacher. My approach in the classroom was certainly teaching the curriculum, but also teaching students how to learn…why to learn..the process of learning. I was teaching metacognition before metacognition was a “thing”. 

    Later, after having left public education for a career in writing, I found I hadn’t actually left my love of teaching behind. Not long after my first few books were published, I began teaching at Southern Methodist University in Dallas with their continuing education program. I found I loved teaching creative writing. I started blogging about the Hero’s Journey (a passion from the beginning). I shared what I had learned and what I was currently learning in a variety of ways. I wrote articles for several industry magazines, including RWA. 

    I felt a need to continue teaching. 

    In On Writing, Stephen King says he doesn’t believe writers can be made, but rather they are formed. He says he believes “large numbers of people have at least some talent as writers and storytellers, and that these talents can be strengthened and sharpened.”

    I believe this, as well. I can’t beat the craft and art of writing into an aspirating writer anymore than I could into a twelve or thirteen year old during my middle school teaching days; but I can teach the craft and art of writing. I can guide. I can be a mentor and a coach. I can help mold one’s writing and storytelling abilities into something stronger and more salient. 

    That is my teaching gene roaring loud and strong. People sometimes ask me why I bother teaching, presenting workshops, why I spend time developing WriterSpark Academy when I have a successful writing career. 

    Roarrrrrr! My teaching gene is never fully tame or quiet. I am the type of person who won’t ever rest on her laurels. A moment after I typed this idiom, I looked it up:

    rest on (one’s) laurels

    To stop putting in effort, trying to innovate, or working to advance one’s career or status 

    and instead rely on one’s past achievements or accolades to remain relevant or successful.

    The example given resonated to a degree:

    I know your first novel was a smash success, but if you just rest on your laurels, 

    you’re going to fade into obscurity.

    It’s not that I want fame (although the fortune would be lovely), so I sought another example.  Further down in the idiom entry I found this:

    I know you got a very good degree from Oxford but what are you going to do with your life now? 

    You can’t rest on your laurels for ever, you know.

    I connect to this example more than the first (minus the fortune that comes with fame 😂). By anyone’s measure, I do have a successful fiction-writing career (mid-list, but still…). To date, I have had 26 novels published. Many have been national bestsellers. Several of my books have risen to #1 Amazon bestseller status (and not because they were free!).

    Discounting the fact that I still need to earn a living, I can’t stop writing. The need runs deep in my veins. I can go days without writing, but eventually, a story idea, a character, or simply the need to place my fingertips on the keyboard and let them move rises to the top again like cream. I couldn’t rest on my laurels in terms of writing, even if I wanted to.

    But why isn’t that enough? Why take time away from my writing career to teach? To be an entrepreneur and develop WriterSpark Academy? Why teach? 

    I see the concept of resting on my laurels in two phases:

    1- I could let my success as a writer be enough. I could stop learning and growing in my own craft, stop trying to make my books better, whatever that means. I know the formula for writing a cozy mystery, but that isn’t enough for me anymore. I want to push myself. I want to get better, to write better, to tell a better, bigger, more meaningful story. I can’t rest on my writing laurels.

    Also…

    2- I could let my writing life be enough. Except I actually can’t. I have more to give. 

    It’s like my husband and the life he has spent as an educator. He’s been in all areas of education, from teacher to a “turn-around” principal, to a central office administrator, to deputy and even superintendent. All of those positions are so difficult and challenging in their own ways. Teachers are overworked and underpaid. I know, I’ve been there. 

    The job of a principal is massive, and that of a principal of a large comprehensive high school is almost unmanageable. They are, in essence, running a little city. 

    My husband has had success after success after success. Of the positions he’s held, I’m not sure what the easiest was, but he is not willing (or even able) to choose that easy (ish) job, sit back, and coast into retirement. 

    He can’t rest on his laurels. 

    He is driven by the need to make a greater difference…a bigger impact. He impacted the lives of so many students as a teacher and principal. As a central office administrator, all the way up to superintendent—especially as superintendent—he found he was hog-tied by the politics. The job became less about helping students succeed and more about pleasing the higher ups or the school board to keep his job. 

    He’s at the point now where he could settle into the easiest of the jobs he’s held. Instead, he has recently taken a position as an Executive Leadership Coach, helping other principals navigate through the many obstacles and problems they face in their day to day lives. He’s walked the walk, and now he’s helping others by walking it alongside them. He’s chosen the job that allows him to have a bigger impact on more students by helping to reshape part of the system itself. 

    No resting on laurels there.

    When I started writing, the Internet wasn’t the behemoth of information that it is now. YouTube didn’t exist, and when I first published, it was in its infancy. Access to resources was limited to who you knew or where you lived. 

    This fact meant I had to learn a ton along the way, and it was a long road wrought with mistakes and ignorance and a simple lack of information. I had to teach myself, find obscure resources, and depend on luck and the generosity of others to grow as a writer and as a businessperson in the publishing industry. Allison Brennan. Brenda Novak. Kathia. Virna DePaul. Wendy Watson. Tonya Kappes. 

    I grew up as a writer with these amazingly talented women. Some of us were in critique groups together–Hey, Allison! Hey Kathia! Hey Virna and Wendy!

    Some of us blogged together,–Hey Tonya!

    And some of us collaborated on things outside the writing world (Juvenile Diabetes research) –Hey Brenda!

    Most of us were all at the beginning of our writing careers. 

    I knew them before…and they knew me before…

    We learned together before we had other resources.

    We’ve all figured it out.

    But, like my husband, I want to give back. I want to have an impact—for readers, yes, of course—but also with writers. It’s the idea of paying it forward. If I can help other writers jump the line, so to speak, then I’ll do it. If I can condense 15 years of learning into courses, I’ll do it. 

    I feel compelled to do it. 

    Not sharing what I’ve learned isn’t really an option for me. That’s not how I operate. I’m always thinking, what next? What more can I do? What else can I create, and how else can I help?

    King says right off the bat that for him, becoming a writer and storyteller was a “disjointed growth process in which ambition, desire , luck, and a little talent all played a part.” 

    I, too, had that ambition, desire, luck, and some talent. 

    I also sought information. I sought to learn.

    I go back to King’s belief that “large numbers of people have at least some talent as writers and storytellers, and that these talents can be strengthened and sharpened.” I can’t rest on my laurels. I need to push forward. To teach. I help people harness their innate talent as writers and storytellers, strengthening and sharpening through the process. 

    That’s why I teach. No resting on my laurels.

    Tell me Wordsters, have you read Stephen King’s On Writing? Thoughts?

    By the way: Follow the WriterSpark page on Facebook and the Memoir Challenge group!

    Join the WriterSpark Academy newsletter! And share with your writing besties.

    Know a writer, aspiring or other, who might like this content? Share this site with with them!

    Are you ready for the next step in your writing process? Hire me as your developmental editor and partner. Together, we will take your writing to the next level!

    25Nov, 2021
    Tips to Finding a Literary Agent

    Whoever knocks persistently, ends by entering. :Ali (A.D. 600?-661), Maxims of Ali

    Tips to Finding a Literary Agent

    Finding an agent is only one step (after writing a great book) in the challenging process of building a career as an author. My experience taught me that the industry adage No agent is better than the wrong agent is completely and unequivocally true. I was completely green when I started taking my writing career seriously. I’d written a book that I thought was pretty good, with characters that I loved, but I was afraid to send it out to agents.

     

    An Anecdote

    One day, after my hard-written book had been sitting untouched in my computer for untold months, I had the good fortune to come into contact with a semi-retired literary agent who agreed to read my book. I jumped at the chance to get some authentic feedback. Several months, and a few revisions later, Agent X agreed to take me on as a client. Needless to say, I was thrilled!

     

    A Year Later

    But a year later, after three rejections from different imprints of the same publisher, I was not so thrilled. The process of submissions and rejections was disheartening and I hadn’t yet developed the thick skin required of an author. The bottom line was that this agent and I did not see my book the same way. When the last of the three rejections came, I asked what was next, thinking she’d branch out to different publishers and begin marketing my book from a different angle. Instead she told me that she didn’t have the energy to submit elsewhere.

    I was crushed. I had to start over. I contemplated giving up my dream right then and there.

     

    No Quitting!

    But I didn’t, and perseverance and commitment led me to my dream agent.

    I made myself look at the situation with a ‘glass half full’ philosophy. I evaluated my relationship with Agent X and realized that I’d learned a ton from her and I’d grown as a writer and a person in the year she’d been representing me. The most important things I’d learned?

    She encouraged me to join Romance Writers of America and my local chapter, Sacramento Valley Rose, two amazingly supporting writing organizations.

    She encouraged me to find a critique group. I did. We’re called the Scarlets and they have become an integral part of my writing life. And they’re great friends, too.

     

    Understanding What You Want

    The process of working with an agent helped me to define what I want to accomplish as a writer and set goals for myself. I believe these are keys to success–for anyone in any field.

    Once Agent X and I had amicably parted ways, I regrouped and began a search for a new agent. I spent hours on Agentquery.com, identifying agents who were looking for the type of book I’d written, who were taking on new clients, who accepted email queries, and who had a proven track record of sales. I drafted a query letter and submitted.

     

    Snail Mail

    After what felt like a thousand trips to the post office to mail off partial and full manuscripts from the requests I received, three agents were interested in my work and contacted me. Now that was thrilling! Ultimately I had to decide what direction to take my book and who I wanted to work with as the agents each saw my book a little differently. I made my decision (one of the toughest I’ve ever made), and have actually changed agents twice since that decision.  Initially, I listened to other people rather than my gut. Instead of going with a good agent from a boutique firm, I went with a high-powered agent in a huge firm. In the end, it just wasn’t right for me. Lesson learned.

    I ended up parting ways with her and signing with the person who had been her assistant and was now going out on her own. That was a great decision.

    I recently (2022) said goodbye to the agent I had for nearly 20 years. It felt like the end of an era, but the direction of our careers diverged. With her help, I landed someone amazing and now feel very invigorated. Everything feels fresh and new again.

     

    Having Someone Who Believes In You

    Having someone who believes in you and your writing is huge. And it’s not something to be taken lightly. Finding any agent is hard work. Finding the right agent can seem nearly impossible. But doing your research, targeting agents that represent what you write, and believing in yourself, your talent, and your goals can and will result in your success.

     

    5 Tips for Finding a Literary Agent

    1. Believe in yourself. 
    2. Learn how to write a Killer Query letter. 
    3. Do your research. Learn what literary agents are looking for what you write. Check out HERE and HERE.
    4. Be patient. Everything in the publishing world is a long game.
    5. Trust your instinct. I didn’t, and while it worked out okay in the end, I often wonder how things would be different had I gone with my gut.

     

    Read about the difference between marketing and promotion.

    28Oct, 2021
    The Difference Between Marketing & Promotion

    The Differences between Marketing and Promotion & Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone (This was first released in the RWA PROspects Newsletter as part of a larger joint article with Nikki Duncan.)

    It’s never too early to begin marketing yourself and promoting your stories, but knowing how and where to begin can be tough. In this series of articles over the next few months, Misa and I will discuss the differences between marketing and promotion and share tips that we’ve learned along our paths to publication and things we’ve picked up since our first sales.

    What’s the difference between marketing and promotion?

    ND: Marketing is when you spread your name far and wide. Promotion is spreading the message of your product, your book, far and wide.

    MR: Marketing and promotion work hand in hand. I see marketing as keeping me, the auhor, in the minds of readers. This is where branding comes into play and is a valuable tool. You can brand yourself, brand your book series, brand a character… and then use specific activities to promote that brand in every way possible. Building the brand–or marketing your name, your book, or your series–helps stimulate demand.

    Marketing means committing to some sort of advertising (which can be free or paid) and publicity (meaning being mentioned in the press, having articles written, etc).

    Promotion, on the other hand, focuses on one specific thing…like your first release. It focuses on immediate sales and means doing things to ensure that you’re continuing to give your readers what they want. How you market this first release, or a book in one series, will likely be very different from how you market book 2, or a book in another series. Some promotional tools that work within a solid marketing plan (and you should have a plan!) include bookmarks, postcards, book signings, speaking engagements, informative web sites and paid advertisements found in publications like Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, etc. You have to be proactive in marketing yourself and promoting your book. Instead of bookmarks, I created recipe cards for Living the Vida Lola. This was a promotional tool. I then sent these recipe cards out to independent booksellers as part of my marketing plan. I also handed them out at book signings as a way to promote my presence at the bookstores.

    To successfully market, you have to first identify your potential audience, and how to reach them. You then go back to promotion by using the ‘brand’ you already have in place (continued advertising, promotions, public relations, etc) to reach that audience.

    I’m not outgoing. What can I do that will fit within my comfort zone?

    ND: Judi McCoy said in a workshop recently, “You’re a writer. You aren’t allowed to be introverted.” Marketing and promotion may be uncomfortable for you, but at some point if you hope to be a huge success you have to step outside of your comfort zone. You have to promo your books and talk to people. The internet can lessen the burden for you. People always think that I’m an extroverted person rather than introverted. “It’s easy for you to join a group and get to know people,” or “You leave a crowd feeling energized whereas an introverted person is exhausted afterwards,” they say to me. Based on my natural tendencies, both statements about me are false. You’ve heard the phrase “Fake it till you make it.” That’s what you have to do.

    It’s my choice to succeed as a writer. To do that, I have to step out of my comfort zone, because no one is responsible for my success except me. In crowds of people I don’t know, that means putting on a brave face. It means telling myself every day that I am not afraid of rejection and that I can handle it if someone doesn’t want to be my friend, agent, or editor. Some groups are easier for me to meld into than others, but if I don’t put the effort forth to let people get to know me then it’s my fault. It’s exhausting and draining and I crash into bed at night like a brainwashed zombie (is that an oxymoron), but with the crash is a satisfaction that I’ve done what I can for the day to ensure my success.

    MR: There are things you can do to look confident, even if you aren’t feeling confident. If you’re at a book signing, for example, try to stand. Don’t sit behind a table! Have something to hand out (like the recipe cards I mentioned above). If you’re handing something to someone, chances are they’ll take it. They may not buy your book, but they’re walking away with something concrete, something that has your name on it, your book title/cover, and it will act as a continual form of marketing.

    With e-publishing, book signings don’t happen, so you’re off the hook! However, like Nikki said, creating an online presence is so important no matter what path you take to publishing. Maintain a professional attitude, find your voice and use it, and market yourself! It’s not always easy, but it is part of the job. If you want to be successful, you have to devote a certain amount of time to the marketing of your books/brand. Eventually, it’ll become more comfortable.

    ND: To piggy back on what Misa said about e-publishing and book signings, keep in mind that in many cases there will not be book signings as an e-published author. However, there are e-publishers that release books in print as well as electronically, so you may still have the option of book signings if they’re important to you. Regardless of the publishing medium, if you’re nervous about a book signing, invite your friends and family to help create buzz during the event to people in and out of the store. Ask the CRM to make announcements throughout the event to encourage people to come see you. One author I know sends out eVites to everyone she knows when she has a book signing. Another holds only one book signing after each release and invites everyone she knows to that signing. Both authors have huge turn outs. The people they know help put them at ease and draw in new readers by watching for people who are looking on to see what’s happening. Caveat: It is important to not use these people as a crutch to keep you from talking to new people. Stay aware for people looking curious. Say hi, offer candy or a bookmark or something. You’ll be amazed how many people will stop and chat with you, and even buy your book.