Taming the Email Box

Email has been around for a while, but it seems to take over my life from time to time. I get about 400 emails a day among all my personal and work accounts. If I don't stay on top of them, they expand exponentially. Here are some ideas I use to control the chaos.

1. I have one home email address that I use when a company or website asks for an email address. I skim that inbox and delete the junk quickly.

2. I have one email that I use for my writing, publishing, and book promotion. I also have one that is for personal things like hair and doctor's appointment reminders. This helps me keep my life organized.

3. I create folders in my email program for emails I want to keep for reference. I have LOTS of folders (e.g. book events, book marketing, critique group, etc.). I make subfolders if needed. This helps me keep contacts with book events and reporters with news articles.

4. Only things that are not addressed stay in my inbox. Emails either gets deleted or filed.

5. If I receive a new contact, I add it immediately to my contact list - before it's lost.

6. I update my calendar immediately when things change.

7. If I need to keep my reply for some reason, I move a copy to its folder. When I'm booking events, this helps me remember details of proposals, recommendations, and confirmations.

8. I make sure to keep a copy of all contracts, royalty reports, and any other important documents.

9. I read and delete emails throughout the day on my phone. If there is something I need to address, I leave it in my inbox as a reminder. 

10. I also print all receipts for tax purposes when they arrive. This makes it easier at tax time.

What else would you add to the list?

Writing Tips - What I Learned at Festival of the Written Word

I attended several of the panels this year before mine on "Developing Characters Your Readers Will Care About" with Bill Blume and Keesya Hill-Jones, who are so talented and fun. I enjoyed our talk. Here's what I learned from this year's creative writers:

1. Dale Brumfield encouraged writers to focus on reading, researching, writing, revising, and repeating all the above. 

2. The authors recommended creating a writing schedule for yourself to ensure you have time to write and revise during your busy life.

3. Find and build your library of resources. Collect business cards and connect online with people you meet. You never know when you can help them or they can help you.

4. Make sure that you back up your computer files. It's heartbreaking when you lose your work in progress.

5. If you really want to write something powerful, fictionalize your worst secret.

6. Use your writing as a safe space to explore your deep and creative thoughts.

7. Writing also lets you experience things inside the minds of your characters.

8. Balance is key in your writing. And if you write short stories, you need to pay attention to this because you have smaller space to tell your tale.

9. Exploit everything you hear or come in contact with. Make sure you jot down notes when you observe people or hear dialogue. It will provide you with ideas for your stories.

10. Writing is a business, and you need to treat yours as such.

This is one of my favorite annual book/writing events. If you're in Central Virginia, make sure to check it out. 

Blogging Tips for Writers

Even before you start to publish, one of the first things you hear (all the time) is to build your author platform, get a website, and start a blog, all important parts of your marketing. Your blog is where you can post your updates and share information. A blog allows you the opportunity to build followers and readers outside of your books. And you can set up a place to collect newsletter subscribers. Here are tips I've learned through the years about blogging.

1. Your blog needs to be on your website, so that you drive traffic to your site. If you have a website and a separate blog, you're missing an opportunity to have your blog readers check out your home site.

2. You need to decide what you want to blog about. If your subjects are too broad, then it's hard to build a following. On my personal site, I blog about the writing life and writing tips. I also have another group blog called Pens, Paws, and Claws. Here, we blog about writers who love pets (and all things pets). I also have a #WriterWednesday feature on this site to promote other authors.

3. Decide how often you want to blog. I used to blog twice a week, and it became a difficult schedule to maintain with all the other things going on in my life. I blog on my site on Fridays. On Pens, Paws, and Claws, one of the featured authors blogs each Saturday, and we have guest interviews on Mondays. Find a schedule that works for you (and doesn't take away from your writing time). 

4. Use your other social media sites to promote your blog and share your blog posts. Post links to your other sites. It will drive traffic to your blog (and website).

5. During the week, I schedule Tweets about my current blog post and others from the past. This is a good way to share your information. I use TweetDeck to schedule these, but there are a lot of different applications out there to help you with scheduling.

6. There are lots of blogging promotion groups on Facebook. If you participate in these, you agree to share their content, and they share yours. It's a good way to find new readers and bloggers. It's also a great way to get your information shared to a variety of social media sites.

7. There are several sites that will help you ping your site to let search engines know about your site. It's important to do this from time to time to ensure that people can find you. I use Ping-o-matic, but here are plenty to choose from.

Best wishes with your blogging. Let me know what else you'd add to the list.

How Did I Miss That? Tips for Proofreading

I can spot a typo or misaligned text a mile away in someone else's document. After working on a project for a while, I'm no longer able to spot them quickly in my work. Here are some things I do to help improve my proofreading.

1. I proofread a paper version each time there are edits or major revisions. I miss things when I proofread on the computer screen.

2. If I'm tired, I put it down and come back later. I miss things when I'm not 100% focused.

3. Turn off the TV. I can't proofread if the TV or a movie is on at the same time. I do listen to music. I proofread best to jazz or light classical.

4. I often read aloud to check for errors or cadence problems in the dialog.

5. When I proofread, I read word for word. When you read fast, you tend to skip words. A pro told me once that to be very effective, you need to start at the bottom of the page and read each word (right to left). It takes the words out of context. 

6. After my manuscript is edited and corrected, I ask several beta readers/proofreaders to go through my manuscript. The more eyes, the better.

7. When I'm checking the final copy, I look at everything (title page, chapter numbering, headers, footers, acknowledgments, etc.). I have had typesetters make mistakes or omit a header on a page.

8. These are my favorite editing/proofreading/grammar resources on Twitter. Check them out. They have the best advice on all things grammar and editing.

• Kris Spisak
• Annie Acorn

Advice from the Muses...

Disney (brunette) and Riley

We share our home with two bundles of energy - our Jack Russell Terriers. Disney (the brunette) is the relationship manager and official household greeter. She is always joyfully exuberant. Riley, her older brother, is calmer for a JRT. He's our Director of Security and ensures that no delivery guy, squirrel, or dog escapes his scrutiny.

They're great company, and they hang out with me when I'm writing. In addition to their other roles, they're also the muses. They listen intently when I read dialogue aloud or hash out plot points. 

Here are some other things I've learned from them. 

1. Live in the now. Today is what's important. The past and future don't matter as much as being present today.

2. Play hard. Life can't be all work. Everything is a game to a Jack.

3. Nap when you need to. You need to recharge every once in a while.

4. Don't waste a beautiful day inside. Go outside and have fun. And they let me know when we've been sitting in the office too long.

5. Know when it's time to cuddle on the couch with a good book and a blanket. 

6. Bark if you need to, but not too much.

7. Wag and make friends. Relationships are important.

8. Make sure that you celebrate the wins. These two will do just about anything for treats or cheese.

Low Cost/No Cost Book Promo Ideas

Writers are always looking for ways to promote their books. You need ways to create a buzz about your book. Here's my list of some low cost/no cost ideas.

Newsletter Swap - Find another author who has a newsletter and readers similar to yours. You create a newsletter that she sends out, and then you do the same for her. Each group of readers get introduced to a new writer.

Facebook Takeover - Find an author who will let you take over her Facebook site for a promotion. Promote the event. Then on the day of the takeover, chat with readers and offer small give aways. Usually, these are done for several hours. 

Guest Blog - Find other authors/book bloggers who will let you do a guest post or an interview on their site. (Our blog, Pens, Paws, and Claws does author interviews on Wednesdays. I'm currently recruiting for spaces for the summer of 2018. Let me know if you're interested. This blog is about writers and their pets.)

Twitter Party/Chat - Host a Twitter Party or Chat. It's usually better if you can recruit several authors to help. Talk about your books and writing and have small give aways.

Facebook Party - Host a Facebook Party on your author site. Talk about your writing projects, chat with readers, and do some contents/give aways. It's usually better to start a new post for each different topic. 

Facebook Hop - This is a scheduled event (usually over several days). When you organize one, you recruit authors who will participate and give away a prize. The organizer lines up all the participants, provides the promotional information, and the links. Each stop on the hop is linked to the next one. (All links have to work, or the hop stops.) It takes a little bit of time and energy (and patience) to organize one, but it's a way for all the authors to gain new readers and followers. (I have a blog post on how to host one if you're interested.) 

What else would you add to my list? Best wishes with your writing and book promotions!

Ways to Promote Your Author Blog

A blog is a part of an author's platform. It's a great tool for networking, promoting, and sharing ideas and your work. I have this blog on my website, and I post about writing and books. I am also part of two group blogs, the Lethal Ladies Writes and Pens, Paws, and Claws.The group blogs allow the participants to share the load of content creation and marketing. 

Here's why it's important for authors to build their platform and post regularly.
 

1. It is best to have your blog on your website. And a blog is a great way to keep your web content fresh. People usually don't revisit sites with old or stale information.
2. You need a regular blog schedule, My work, writing, and life calendars are jam packed, so I blog weekly (on Fridays). With group blogs, you blog on your assigned day or rotation. For Pens, Paws, and Claws, there are ten of us, we blog every ten weeks. It's best if you can keep a schedule. 
3. Group blogs are a great way to share the love (and the work). Lethal Ladies Write is made up of members of my local Sisters in Crime chapter here in Central Virginia. Pens, Paws, and Claws are all writers who love animals. We're from all over the US and Canada. Most of us are mysteryand thriller writers, but we also have those who specialize in paranormal, romantic suspense, and YA. I like the mix. We all love our pets, and I'm honored to blog with so many talented writers.
4. A blog is also platform to promote others. The ten authors blog on Saturdays for Pens, Paws, and Claws. Recently, I added #WriterWednesday. It's a chance for us to interview and showcase other authors. (I put out the call that we were doing interviews, and I'm booked up through June of next year.)
5. Make your content relevant and useful. Share information (e.g. product reviews, book reviews, services, how to's, great stories, etc.) It shouldn't always be "buy my book."
6. You need to get the word out about your blog. I share posts on Twitter, Facebook,  Facebook groups, Yahoo groups, Instagram, Google+, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
7. Blog promotion groups are a way to market your posts. I am a member of several online promo groups on Facebook. There are calls for blog or social media shares. Read the rules of each carefully. The requirements vary from group to group. By participating, you agree to share others' works on your social media platform. I've doubled my blog traffic by participating. I prefer groups that don't require that you follow or share all posts. I like to read them and choose ones that my readers would be interested in. I've learned a lot and met many talented bloggers and writers.
8. Make sure that you linkyour blog feed to Goodreads and your Amazon author page. This is a way for readers to find out what you post.
9. Make sure to put a link to your website or blog in your signature of your email. You'd be surprised at how many people will stop by to check it out.
10. I also put my website/blog on my business cards, bookmarks, pens, and pencils that I give out at book events.

What I Learned about "Stepping up to the Stage" from Joan Bowling - Public Speaking Tips for Authors

This week, I attended the James River Writers' Writing Show, "Stepping up to the Stage" with Joan Bowling. She had some great presentation and public speaking tips for authors. Here's what I learned...

1. Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Make sure that you're ready for your event. 
2. Relax! You are more confident when you feel comfortable.
3. Make the butterflies you feel fly in formation. Get control of your nerves.
4. Breathing helps. Calm your thoughts.
5. Nervousness means you care. Use that energy in your presentation.
6. You need to create an impression or mood with what you're going to say.
7. Start off with a question or an "imagine a time when" story. You want to draw your listeners in.
8. Practice your opening. 
9. You want your presentation to be an easy conversation. She said to avoid the "wind up." "Hi. Thank you for having me here. I am so honored to be here..."
10. Know your audience and have questions prepared.
11. Listening is crucial. 
12. Be present.
13. If you're on a stage, do a sound check. Walk around and get to know the environment before the event. 
14. If you've not used to using a microphone, practice at home with a hairbrush.
15. The microphone is an extension of your chin. Hold it below your chin. Your audience needs to see your mouth.
16. When it doubt, use a microphone. It's hard to sustain a voice loud enough for the audience to hear for 45 minutes.
17. Mingle with the audience before an event.
18. When you are on stage, scan the audience. Don't do a windshield wiper thing with your head. Scan in a slow "W" formation, so it looks more natural. 
19. If you're terrified, look at your audience's foreheads. They can't tell that you're not looking directly at them.
20. Be hydrated before you speak. Stay away from dairy. 
21. If you're doing a reading, animate it. Leave them with an emotion. Read a funny, scary, or sad excerpt. 
22. If you're reading, hold the book so they can see it, but don't cover your face. They shouldn't see the top of your head during the entire reading. 
23. Some people print out the excerpt and read from the paper. (Just make sure that you have your book on the lectern or table, so they can see the cover.
24. Know the power of a pause. Pause from time to time to let your audience catch up and to draw them in.
25. Don't do accents in readings.
26. Get comfortable with the sound of your voice. Tape yourself and listen.
27. If you're doing TV, make it a live conversation. 
28. Always have your book with you.
29. When you're doing a presentation, don't end on a question. End where YOU want to leave the audience. Leave them with an impression.

Joan had some wonderful advice. Check out her website and her newsletter. These are all great ideas that writers need in their toolbox when they're doing a reading or a presentation.