I am currently at the Dreamspinner Author Conference in
Orlando and I have to say it is Excellent. Not only is it wonderful to see
friends I haven’t seen in a long time, it is also great to be in the presence
of other people who make me feel normal. I have found often that only other
authors really get me. Other authors have an author mind and the way I think
and my creativity is often lost or unappreciated by others who just don’t get
it. I don’t say this to be unkind to those out there who are not authors and
still get me, but as information in general because “artistic” minds are
different and when you find others whose thought processes are extremely
similar, it helps to feel less of a freak.
Other authors have ideas that come in spurts.
Other authors need QUIET to write.
Other authors have ideas and dialogue come out of nowhere
and they often can’t write it as fast as it comes out.
Other authors write by the seat of their pants, no outline or
direction.
Other authors gather ideas from every little thing they pass
by.
Other authors put bits of themselves in every character.
Other authors are constantly thinking about their characters
and things to write when they are not physically in front of a computer able TO
write.
And many more things along those lines.
So one thing I came away with this morning was CONSISTENCY.
(I have none.) I set out with a goal of writing every day. I have failed. I had
a great run of 21 days and I would like to get back to that. But I NEED to be
consistent at all things. This means I NEED to stick to my schedule of
blogging. Even if they are short posts or a picture of something I thought
about that week, I need to consistently post. So if my goal is to blog twice a week,
then I better do it!
It is also important to help promote other authors. Not only
is it kind, but also it is beneficial to a genre that is supposed to be a
family. READERS can out read ANY author’s ability to write. Some readers read a
book a day or MORE. I cannot write a book a day; neither can anyone else I
would venture to say. SO banning together for support of other’s careers is
essential. It is not a competition. Marketing is a group project and talking
about other authors helps everyone.
It is important to find the social media platforms I like,
and use them well. I don’t like Tumblr so I shouldn’t spend all my time and
energy on something that doesn’t seem to help me know anyone or get them to
know me. My preferences are Facebook, Blogger, & Twitter. So, I better get
more consistent in using them. Google Plus, I TRY to use but don’t understand.
Pinterest is interesting too but I forget to post there too. Goodreads I need
to figure out.
No cross-over content. It is important to have unique content
in different social media so I don’t BORE people. (Although I think I bore them
already!) Different posts on Twitter than Facebook is best.
20% of my posts should be book promo, leaving 80% to be
about ME and MY interests. This allows readers to connect with me as a person.
This is essential. I shouldn’t be that author who only ever posts about their
books and ignores the reader comments and never engages anyone on Facebook
unless it is to say “Read my book.” That is kind of rude anyway.
What else… Um, I need to have an icon that represents ME and
use it on ALL media. It will not be my face. I would like to contact a graphics
person and show them what I have in mind and go from there. If my signature
color is ORANGE, then I should use orange on all my PLACES, like blogger and my
website and face book etc. I need to be CONSISTENT!
Using hashtags and retweeting and using terms that get you
notices and retweeted is important to keep your name in the public eye.
So… GOALS???? (I know I always set them and then fail. ONE
thing I am consistent with.)
1.
Re-establish “Friend Fridays” and give out rules
and expectations that I can consistently follow. Friend Fridays were good for
exposure of other authors and I feel bad that I dropped the ball. I even found
a couple newer authors that I wanted to help promote so keep a look out for me
on this.
2.
BLOG twice a week, PLUS Friend Fridays. Make it
about me, even if I think it’s dumb because I am selling myself and my brand
and my mission statement. What is that? Well, my tag line is “Real characters,
raw pain, and unconditional love.” Is that a mission statement? Does that get
across my desire to inspire hope and spread love and peace? Let me know your
thoughts.
3.
TWEET !!!! I need to tweet and use hashtags and
make my voice be heard, even if it is a silly voice.
4.
Last I want to keep the news feeds and currents
events and “news” of any sort CURRENT on Amazon, and Dreamspinner and MY
website. All need to be linked and current.
How and went I will get to this? Not sure. I think I need to
create a spreadsheet or check list to make sure I am on track over day until it
becomes a habit. One this is for sure, I need to go to bed consistently and get
up around 4/4:30 every day because THAT is the time when my house is quiet and
I am most productive in writing. I am a morning person. Laundry and shopping
and social media needs to come AFTER I produce words on paper! (Or computer.)
Poke me and hold me to this!
Wade
#dreamer
Poke.
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