Surprise! Top 5 Posts in March 2014

I've done this before, sort of given you a run-down of top posts. And I think it's good, especially if you've missed my daily posts and are just hunkering to read the best ones.

This time around I wanted to focus on a month time period. I wanted to see what readers were reading in this short time frame and see if I could come up with some reasoning for the favorites.

Here they are. Surprisingly, most were in the same topic arena. If this doesn't surprise you, it did me, and confirmed that I'll be continuing author interviews because readers and writers alike continue to enjoy them.

AUTHOR INTERVIEWS!

#1 Lorraine Carey
#2 Cindy Hogan
#3 David Belt
#4 Mikey Brooks
#5 Nancy Kyme

The only blog post that didn't fit into the above category was my post entitled, SHOUT IT OUT! What you can do to promote your writing without being obnoxious. It tied at #3 with David Belt and can be found here.

Part of the reason for the higher ranking top posts I think is the simple sharing of it. Not only do I share these posts, the writers themselves share them, so my readership doubles, and often, triples.

I also think that readers and writers enjoy reading posts that help them in their own writing. They also like to learn more about the writers they read.

Two of the five authors were also a part of the Write Here in Ephraim Conference, and that additional tag might have helped them in place standings #3 and #4, though it's interesting to me that in places #1 and #2, the tag of the conference didn't seem to be needed.

My findings:

Author signings in general bring in more readers if the author is also willing to promote along with me.
Strange titles, like SHOUT IT OUT! What you can do to promote your writing without being obnoxious, continue to garner in readers, simply because they stand out. The subject itself probably didn't hurt either.

Try this on your own posts. Find out what is being read and move forward with similar posts to keep your readership happy.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Cindy Hogan

Another great interview! Find out what "wows" Cindy, and how she comes up with her characters!

    Tell me a about yourself. What got you started in writing?

It’s sounds so cliché, but it’s true: I had a dream. LOL. I was minding my own business as a teacher when I had this incredible dream that was so vivid and heart pounding. I thought it should be made into a movie.  Since I knew no movie producers, I wrote the scene down in hopes of one day passing it on to someone. But, the story didn't stop there. It kept coming to me and I kept writing. Once Watched became a bestseller, there was no stopping the train and I had to choose between being a rocking author or an amazing teacher. After much debate and many tears, I left teaching, but I still get my fix with author visits and assemblies.

How and where do you write? Do you prefer a lap top or do you prefer writing freehand?  

I write with my laptop. I did write Watched free-hand first, though. I wouldn't suggest it. It doubles your work. I write in my dining room that is surrounded with windows. I see the mountains out one window, the blue sky out of another, the lake through the third and Salt Lake City out of the fourth. I need space to write for sure. In the Springtime, I sit out back on my deck  or on my front porch. I love the outdoors. Occasionally, I try to write in bed, but that never lasts long…

What's your favorite part about writing? Your least favorite part about writing? 

I love it when a scene comes to life. It’s crazy when you write something one day only to go back to it the next day and be wowed by what you are reading.

I’m not a fan of editing. It’s such tedious work. It drives me nuts. I wish I had a magic wand. I also don’t like marketing very much. It’s time to get an assistant for sure. I just can’t keep up.

How do you come up with your characters? Why would readers want to get to know them?

Good question. It’s funny because I’m not an outliner. I write by the seat of my pants not knowing what is coming next. In that same vein, my characters just pop right out and glom themselves into the story. They come with personalities attached and I love it when they bust into the story. Most people say they totally relate to my characters and either wish they could become any number of them or have a friend who is just like one of them. Hopefully, readers will fall in love with the hot guys that are in each of them.

What types of marketing do you do to promote your writing? 

I advertise with sites that send out alerts through email like Bookbub, Bargain Booksy, etc. I also have my own newsletter that I use. And, of course, I use FB, Twitter and I blog.

How do you schedule your writing time? When do you write?

I write mostly in the morning. I’m an early riser-at 5 am I pop awake. It’s nice and peaceful.

What are you currently working on? Do you have a new book out?

Adrenaline Rush and Gravediggers came out at the end of October and I just released Confessions of a 16-Year-Old Virgin Lips in February. I just gave my editor a book set in Paris-(It’s nameless still) and I’m almost done with Hotwire. A Christy spy novel set in Brooklyn, NY. I can’t wait for everyone to get to read them.

Do you have a project on the back burner? Tell me about it.

I do have a book I've been brainstorming for a while now about a girl who discovers her superpower…but, I've never written anything supernatural or fantasy-like and I’m nervous about pursuing it. One day…

What would you tell a beginning writer who wants to publish but doesn't believe he/she has enough talent? 

#1 keep writing. #2 Keep reading #3 Go to writer’s conferences. #4 get with a good critique group and learn to take criticism #5 keep writing J

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Thank you, Cindy! Learn more about Cindy at the following sites:

Her newsletter

Book links:

AdrenalineRush

Gravediggers

Confessionsof a 16-Year Old Virgin Lips

Author page with all of her books