If you’re a regular reader of IU, you know that writing a book is only part of the recipe for success. You’ve taken all the advice about punctuation, plot, characters, and story arc to heart, you’ve written the best book you could, gotten first-class editing, paid for an eye-catching cover and now your book is up on the web just waiting for the orders to roll in.
But they’re not.
Okay… you’ve sent out an announcement to your email list, you’ve posted on Facebook and Instagram, tweeted on Twitter, touted your book on LinkedIn. You’ve sent press releases to the local media and to any distant locations that might be interested (i.e. the setting for your book, your old home town, etc.).
Still no sales spike. What’s up with that? Continue reading “I’m Promoting My Book — Where’s My Sales Spike?”
Writing is hard enough, and even harder when you’re really busy. How many times have you been doing something and a great scene pops into your head? It may have to deal with your current WIP (or sometimes even a sequel you haven’t thought about writing), or it may be a scene far toward the end of the book. Writers joke about the worst places inspiration can hit: the car, the shower, in a restaurant, out shopping, or the most common: in bed. If you’re like me, your characters are with you all the time — and sometimes it’s annoying. They sneak into your thoughts and create scenes that are amazing when you least expect it. Yeah, thanks, guys!
It is very easy to have your own voice. Basically your voice is anything in your writing style that makes you different from the competition. Some of these qualities are positive, but some are negative. Unfortunately, the negative ones are the easiest, because they tend to look like mistakes. Be careful not to fall into their snare.