Why Author Giveaways Are Great for Writers and Readers Alike

I am so happy! I have won five books this month from author giveaways. The good news is that I’ve got lots of great reading ahead. And I will do a review for each one on this blog and on other sites as well, along with a review of A Luminous Future by Teodor Flonta (which I didn’t win). Watch to find out what I say about each one, and if you would like me to do a review of your book, post a comment here or on one of the review posts. I will be honest, but know that I am a generally positive person and I only offer constructive criticism if any.

At first, giving away my book for free seemed counterproductive. Then, I remembered why I wrote it. I had an important and interesting story to tell, and I wanted others to read it. It is exciting when my friends and family read the book. So far, they have all been very enthusiastic about it. And let me tell you, this is not an enthusiastic bunch on most days.

It is fun to hear them telling me the story as if I don’t know what’s in it. They tell me what they thought and felt when they were reading the book, and they seem quite fascinated and moved. Just what I wanted! It builds my confidence more than ever.

I have also done other giveaways as well. All but one person has reviewed it. The ones who posted on Amazon gave me five stars, seemed very happy to have read it and excited to tell other people about it. That’s not just good publicity, but it is also good will. Now, they are looking forward to my next book. I can’t wait to finish it and make it available for them to read.

I got two reviews on GoodReads as well. Both readers only gave me three out of five stars. But, face it: GoodReads members tend to be tough. Most of them have read many, many books, and are sometimes comparing my books to the greats of literature. Well, this is my first book, after all, and I don’t expect to measure up to those standards.

Even though the two GoodReads author giveaway winners didn’t give me five stars, they were very positive in their reviews. In addition, they pointed out a few things that they would have liked to see more of in the book. Their advice was very helpful for the most part. And in the end, both of them recommended my book.

If you are a first time author, I would suggest that you do author giveaways too. You don’t have to give a signed print copy, either. All of the books I won were either PDF files or Kindle downloads. So, it doesn’t have to be any great cost for you, if any at all.

Giving away your book to just a few readers is a great way to connect with your audience and get people reading and talking about your book. I give author giveaways five stars, and I would recommend them to authors and readers alike!

I am doing several giveaways in September as a part of my blog tour. I will add a post with all my blog dates and URL’s so you can enter if you wish. Each winner will get a signed copy of my first novel, Loving the Missing Link.

In the meantime, check out this great giveaway by another author. She is giving away several Kindle Fire ereaders. That’s right, I said Kindle Fire! What a great way to thank readers and expose her work to people on social media. Here’s the Link: http://bit.ly/17aF9ji

Best of Luck on all your giveaways, both the ones you enter and the ones you sponsor.

And, as always, happy reading to all of you!

Copywriting – I Wouldn’t Be Writing Fiction Without It

Seven years ago, I couldn’t have told you what online copywriting was. I was doing, well, nothing. Wasting most of my time every day, watching TV when I wasn’t busy with housework. I did read, though, and I’m so glad I did. Without regular exposure to well-written language, I might still be watching TV and dreaming of becoming a writer.

One day in 2007, my daughter came over to use our printer. We started to talk, and I realized I hadn’t been keeping up with what she was doing at all. She had gotten a job working as an online copywriter. That day, she had more work than she could do, so she asked me if I would like her to set me up with her client. Out of sheer boredom, I said, “Sure, why not?”

Well, I worked exclusively for that client for a good three years. During that time, I wrote over 2000 articles, along with press releases and website content. I always had instructions to follow to please each of the boss’s clients, but some of the instructions were difficult to understand or just plain skimpy. No matter – I forged on and get each job done well before the deadline and to the clients’ satisfaction.

Working for that man was like a cross between boot camp and a sweatshop. I had to learn on the job. My daughter helped, but most of it was wracking my brain to remember what I had learned years earlier in college.

When I started out, I was earning $3.50 for a 500 word article. In order to make enough money to supplement our family budget, I wrote 12 to 14 hours a day, sometimes even more. I rarely took off a day completely, even a Saturday, Sunday or holiday. I just kept working, pounding out article after article until I was so exhausted I couldn’t see straight.

That particular business owner ended up filing bankruptcy and that was that. I heard at the time that he was squandering the money and not giving clients their completed work. I believed it at the time, but then I had the misfortune to find out how unreliable my source had been. The truth is, I don’t know why he started over. The one thing I do know is that he gave me an excellent start.

Over the years, the pay has increased dramatically, and I no longer have to sit hunched over the computer hour after hour, day after day. I actually have time to do more than work, eat supper and go to the bathroom. I have a life.

Most importantly of all o me, I am writing fiction again after decades of wishing I would. The discipline I developed, combined with the frequent praise from my boss’s clients put me in the right mind-frame to work on my fiction in a way I never had before. Instead of doing it when I had an “inspiration,” I did it every day. It became a part of my job, but one I enjoyed immensely.

Sometimes copywriting gets a bad rap. I’ve heard fiction writers say that it isn’t a creative enough use of their time. I have heard others say the field is occupied by hacks who do not know how to research or construct a decent sentence. And, I know for a fact that there are people who call themselves copywriters who are doing just that.

Yet, I wouldn’t give up my days of copywriting for the world. More of my time is now occupied with my fiction, but I continue to earn a buck now and then by writing press releases, articles and website copy. I enjoy helping out the small business who usually hire me. But, what is even more important to me is that copywriting keeps me honest. I have to adhere to strict rules about grammar, punctuation and usage. I have to get work done within the deadline. It all adds up to discipline, and it has made me a better fiction writer for it.

Got Lots of Excuses Not to Write? Time to Put on Your Big Girl Panties and Get to Work!

My daughter-in-law, as well as a lot of other people I know, loves to talk about “putting on your big girl panties.” Of course, it can refer to any rough job you have to do, from confronting an old enemy to going to work when you don’t feel well. If you know the job has to be done, you have to put on some kind of armor to get you through the day, and big girl panties work as well as any other.

Big girl panties are amazing at squelching the entire gamut of excuses we have to do the things we are trying to avoid. Unfortunately, there are times when I just don’t feel like sitting down at the computer and pounding out something worthwhile. Or don’t think I’m able. Well, when that happens, I force myself to do what I don’t want to do or don’t think I can do. I put on those big old panties and forge ahead. Here are some of the writing problems I have had to overcome and how I have done it.

I Don’t Feel Well Enough to Write
When I am feeling lousy, it is not a time to try to produce anything worthy of being published immediately. There is too much of a chance that my illness will distract me enough to ruin my work. That doesn’t mean I take the day off of writing. Even if I can only write for 15 minutes, I do it. I do it because I don’t want to get out of my routine, and because it often helps me feel better both mentally and even physically.

The Stress Is Killing Me Around Here!

Stress and anxiety have been a major problem for me. In the past, anxiety kept me from following my dreams, meeting new people, and even keeping up with household chores. Thank goodness my husband is not afraid to do a dish or sweep a floor. But in recent years, I have learned to work with my anxiety. Instead of letting it destroy my happiness, I manage it like I would manage an unruly child. I observe the times, places and situations that make me most relaxed, and I take advantage of them constantly. For example, I write every night from midnight to 7am. That is the time when my anxiety is at its lowest point and when I can be most productive. Instead of telling myself it is impossible to write when I feel anxious, I put on those big old pants and arrange my schedule so I can get it done. I wouldn’t recommend this sleep schedule for everyone, but it works for me.

The Noise Is Overpowering!

When the noise is just too much around your house to get any work done, look for places where you can get the least amount of audio interference. I have an office/laundry room where I write when things are too loud for me. If I am still hearing too much outside interference, I just do some laundry. Of course, it does make noise, but it is like white noise, blocking out unwanted sounds while creating no sudden noises of its own.

My Kids Won’t Let Me Write!

Hey, don’t blame it on your kids! If you really wanted to write, you would find a way. Night writing works for some people. Others get creative in finding ways to occupy their children while they work. The kids can do art projects or even write their own stories while you are occupied. If all else fails, you can hire a babysitter or take your kids to the daycare center for a few hours each week. Then, use that time to write. If you are committed to your writing, it is not too great a sacrifice.

I Don’t Have Anything to Write About!

If that were true, you would not be interested I writing at all. Somewhere inside you, there is a story you want to tell. If you don’t realize what it is right away, there are several ways to deal with it. First, you can create some characters and put them into unusual situations. Have your character take a wrong turn o the way to work and see where it leads her. Or, you can spend some time simply observing the world around you. Take along something to record your observations. Then, go through these notes until something sparks your interest. A creative writing teacher (mine and a lot of others I imagine) used to always say, “Writers write.” The point is, if you want to be a writer, don’t just talk about writing, don’t just dream about writing. No, if you want to be a writer, pick up a pen, sink your fingers into your computer keyboard, talk into a recorder, or whatever you have to do to get the story started. It doesn’t matter if every word is not a jewel. You can work o it more later. In the meantime, put on those big girl panties and start writing!

Young Cheryl Speaks…On Hope

“I don’t see what’s so great about having big plans and dreams. They never amount to anything. Just ask Dad. He hoped to be foreman at his job by now, and look where he is. Slogging to work every day with a sad look on his face. Going straight to bed after supper without even watching the news like he used to. He is beaten. He knows it and I know it.
“But at least he isn’t like Mom. She can manufacture hope out of nothing. She didn’t get discouraged when Dad didn’t climb up the corporate ladder. No. That would have been too easy. Instead, she turned her hope on me – full force. I try to ignore her as much as possible. She is a boring, babbling idiot.
“I don’t want to be mean, but she should get a life of her own. Quit bothering me for a change. I would rather hang around the café or the baseball park with Jerry. He knows me too well to try to turn me into a success. He likes me without that. I wouldn’t say I have fallen in love with Jerry, or anything as sappy as that. I just know him and he knows me. It means a lot in a town where everybody thinks they know you but really don’t have a clue about the thoughts that fill your mind.
“This town is – oh – it is crazy, and all the people in it are crazy too. Mom doesn’t think so. She thinks it’s the damn cradle of civilization or something. She thinks I’m going to become something great, and she thinks it has something to do with living here. I don’t understand it, but she thinks I will leave this town and conquer the world. She’s really the one that’s crazy.
“I guess it’s just not something I want to think about. Hope toys with you. It gets you excited, knocks you down and leaves you on the floor. Then, it goes away as quickly as it came, with you waiting for a rescue. Well, I don’t want to put myself in that position anymore. I just want to live my life, take what comes, and try to find a place where everybody is not so snoopy and judgmental. Why can’t she understand that? All I want is to be free of her and her impossible ambitions. All I want is to find a place where hope is far away and real life is what it’s all about. All I want is peace.”

Survival Mode

I have often wondered about the theory of “Survival of the Fittest,” and how it applies to modern life. In current times, we have a lot of help in surviving, even if we are not very fit. You might not live a long, healthy life, but many people can survive for a very long time in a sickened, weakened state. My thinking on the subject is that you do not have to be fit to survive in the 21st century.  On the other hand, you have to be fit to really thrive.

So, what does fitness mean these days? First, it means physical fitness. As a writer, I could sit around all day, pecking at the keyboard and never getting off my desk chair. Some writers do this and still succeed at writing. The problem is, they cannot fully enjoy their success if they do not take care of their health.

The truth is that physical fitness can help you build your brainpower. Doctors and researchers have known for years that mental health is enhanced by exercise and a healthy diet.  It stands to reason that, no matter how you use your mind, it will serve you better if you keep those brain chemicals happy to get the most out of your mental processes.

Mental fitness is also important to thrive. Many writers feel that a touch of madness, despair or hopelessness can bring them to a place where their writing is more passionate and relatable. Maybe it works for them, but for me it seems better to be mentally fit as well as physically fit. Your thoughts and feelings need not be depressed or disturbed to write well. In fact, you have more control over your writing if your mind is functioning at its best. And, your passion is more sustainable if you are in an emotionally sound frame of mind.

The way I exercise my mental capacities is to write nonfiction. Specifically, I am working for Internet copywriting services. My favorite, and the one I am most loyal to, is Article Write Up. There, the atmosphere is more personal and meets the writer’s needs more fully. Article Write Up is also a place where the client’s needs are the first order of business. It primes the pump for better fiction writing.

I write for a number of copywriting services. It is not a glamorous job, but one where I have to write according to someone else’s standards. This is helpful to me, because it keeps me honest. I cannot tell myself “grammar does not matter” or “it does not matter who reads my writing; as long as I keep at it, I will eventually succeed.”

Instead, I am quite aware that I have an audience, and my audience expects me to follow certain conventions. This audience wants particular things from my fiction. It is not a matter of sacrificing freedom of expression. It is simply a matter of meeting your readers’ basic needs.

The most important need the reader has is to have questions answered eventually. Not every question must be completely spelled out, but it needs to be addressed in some way.  If you set up a contract with the reader, she will be happier if you follow through in some way. In “Loving the Missing Link,” I started out with a great story, but one that left too many questions unanswered.

Now that I have worked in nonfiction, I have learned to satisfy the client (reader). In fiction, I do not have the same commitment to doing what the reader wants, but I do have to keep her interested. I have a goal to meet, and my healthy passion will help me reach that objective. Survival of the fittest may no longer be true, but I plan to thrive in writing through my physical, mental and emotional fitness. The plan seems to be working well. At least, I know I will have the capacity to finish if I take care of my needs as well as the readers’.

“Loving the Missing Link” Begins

To say my novel is just beginning is certainly stretching it a bit. It started out as a short story a long time ago. Since then, the story has grown and blossomed. I am busy writing again, building on the original story to create fuller lives for my characters. I hope you will follow along as I go through the process of writing, editing and publishing “Loving the Missing Link.”

Right now, I am roughly 1/3rd of the way through my first draft. Although I am a full-time writer, I spend a lot of time working for other people to pay the bills and to save for ePublishing services. No matter what kind of writing I am doing at the moment, I enjoy it and find it incredibly exciting.

I have been networking with some other writers, too. One piece of advice that I really needed was: “Finish your first draft before you do your edits. Never, never do a major rewrite before you get through it once.”

It makes sense the more I think about it. Without knowing where I am going with the story, I do not know how to edit effectively. Once I do, though, I will tear it to shreds if I have to in order to make the most of my ideas. Besides, rules may be meant to be broken, but I think you have to be dead familiar with the rules before you understand when to break them. But only time will tell…

With my early draft of “Loving the Missing Link,” I am telling the story of a young woman who finds it hard to find hope in the world. Her mother, on the other hand, is brimming with exciting plans. The trouble is, the mother’s plans never seem to work out. My protagonist, Cheryl, feels even more hopeless every time her mother fails.

It is a sad story, in a way, but Cheryl has a wry sense of humor. She is a little sarcastic at times, I have to admit. I am using the first-person narrative to show how she assesses her life and how she feels prone to react.

At the current point in my writing, Cheryl has finally made it our of her tiny town and into a bigger little town. She shuns hope, but I believe she will ultimately find it. The story is in its infancy really, even though a part of it was written over a decade ago. It is a big, whiny baby, waiting for me to spend time with it and nurture it into full-fledged reality. I am ready to spend those extra hours. As I do, I will be checking back in with updates on my book and my writing experience. Stay with me to the end, and I will give you a story that will touch you deeply. Along the way, I hope to add a bit of Cheryl’s sense of humor to the mix. Come along and enjoy the ride!