Celebrating Independent Authors
When people ask me how many books I have written, that’s a tough question to answer. It may seem cut and dry to many, but I’ve not only created novels, non-fiction books, children’s books, and workbooks, but also calendars.
Is a calendar actually considered a book? A title? I don’t know. One would think the answer would vary depending on who I ask, but no – everyone says yes – the calendar counts.
So, why do I have such a hard time counting it? Continue reading “When Is a Book Not a Book?”
I like you, will you like me? Here’s my Facebook author’s page… And you’re all reading that sing-song style like that annoying purple dinosaur, right? Does it irritate you when you log into Facebook and find you have a message from someone who said they liked your page, and will you like theirs? To me, that’s SPAM. If you discovered my page through someone or some outlet (like the back of one of my books), that’s cool. There’s probably not a single author out there that would turn down a “like” on their fan page (unless it’s someone who is an ex, a stalker, or just plain creepy). But to ask for a reciprocal like just because they liked your page—that’s bordering on rude. Continue reading “Social Media and Social Graces”
Studies conducted by the scientists at Indies Unlimited show that people who remember to vote in the flash fiction challenge have better memories than those who forget.
Check out this week’s entries here. Vote for your favorite, then use those share buttons at the bottom of the post to spread the word.
All our winners will be included in the next edition of the IU Flash Fiction Anthology. Participate in this week’s voting, then share the link to let everyone know the vote is on.
Polls close tomorrow at 5 PM.
Who really nailed it in the flash fiction challenge this week?
Total Voters: 56
Loading ...NOTE: Entrants whose submissions exceed the 250 word limit are eliminated from the poll.
The stereotypical story of a fledgling or wannabe author from ten or more years ago had several consistent elements. Besides the countless queries, submissions, and rejections virtually all of them experienced, many would mention attending writing conferences. It was a great way to network, socialize, and learn from those more experienced on issues of importance to writers, both writing craft and other skills to help them succeed. But these conferences were also money pits. The cost of plane tickets, restaurant meals, and hotel rooms add up fast. There ought to be a better way.
Several weeks ago I was approached by an IU reader (thanks Tasha) who was looking for people willing to act as moderators for WanaCon, an online writing conference put on by WANA International, Kristen Lamb’s organization with which many of you are probably familiar. The quid pro quo was free “admittance” to the conference. Continue reading “And I Did it All in My Pajamas”