I wrote this as a post on Linkedin a few weeks back. I keep getting emails about it from indie writers (indie writers disguised as people who want to sell me viagra). I thought that I would share it here. Plus, I am sick as a dog’s butt and don’t want to write anything new. Anyway, if you want to sell tons of books, talk to someone else. If you want to sell as many as I do, listen to me!
1. Be kind and outgoing and generous.
2. Offer to help people with things you are good at.
3. Accept help with things you are not good at.
4. Meet other writers and be cool to them; most of them will be cool to you.
5. Don’t set your expectations too high or too low.
6. Use social media, but don’t expect it to solve all your problems.
7. Don’t get so busy Marketing that you don’t Write!
8. Market, it’s important. Be creative.
9. Come to grips with your various definitions of ‘community’. Become an active neighbor.
10. Beware those with all the answers.
11. Seek out those with all the questions.
12. Use the internet to learn as well as to have fun and blow off steam.
13. Don’t put your blinders on. Your work is important. It is not as important as your friends and family, your health, etc.
14. Pay attention to the small things. Those are the things most people miss.
15. Put your pride aside, but not away.
16. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
17. Help others before yourself. Push THEIR work.
18. Promotion involves motion. Get off the couch.
19. Everything I just said is gospel.
20. Disregard everything I just said.
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JD Mader is currently sick and choking on his uvula. You should still buy his book Joe Cafe and visit his website www.jdmader.com. In fact, you should especially do it now when he could be watching ‘The Big Lebowski’ and eating macaroni and cheese.
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You are right, Dan on your point of remembering and helping others (Writers, family, friends). What you give is what you get in return…
Thanks. I agree, I wrote this in the context of indie promotion, but it is pretty universal.
Oh! And I thought Twitter WOULD solve all my problems. Now you tell me.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Rosanne.
You missed Bribe with chocolate! Great piece Mader
#21! Thanks Kristina!
Great write up! I especially liked the fact that you didn't instruct people in the art of torturing and killing pretty little song birds.
Good job!
Oh, and I hope you feel better soon!
Oh, believe me, I thought about it. 😉
Good stuff Dan. Get well and Happy New Year.
Thanks Yvonne, back at ya.
Nice post Dan. Get well, remember, "This too shall pass in time."
Thanks Robert. I gotta get better. Sleeping all day always sounds so appealing in theory…