Book Contests: Should you try them?

I used to be all for book contests, and I guess I still am to some extent, though there are a few things you should know up front if you decide to do them:

1. Many people who enter contests, even for free books, are, quite frankly, looking for a free handout. They may enter contests all over the globe to see what they can get., and this may not be the best bet for you, especially if they also don't read the book that they've won.

2. Contests done up on blogs versus prominent sites like Goodreads, may not produce enough entrants to make your contest worthwhile. If the site uses a Rafflecopter, however, you have a better chance of entrants.

3. Book contests may bring in new readers, or they may not. But your book does get noticed when you have them, and it may take some time (maybe up to 7 or more posts) of varying types, before readers buy. This is called the "Rule of Seven". Some of the concerns of would be readership for your book may include, price, lack of trust of you and your product, or, frankly, that they don't need it yet. There is a terrific article on the Rule of Seven here.

4. Timing is important. I usually do a book contest after the release of my book, during holidays like Christmas or even Black Friday (which isn't really a holiday, but hopefully you get my drift) and when I'm adding a new book to a series and want to get folks reading the first or second so they will buy the third. I don't always have impeccable timing with contests, (though Amazon does a terrific job getting the word out and I have a great list of places that will advertise my book for free).

Third and final book in the Parable Series
Coming in September!

I'm a firm believer in doing what works. Although I still do contests as described above, I also do other things that bring in new readers (like blog interviews, reviews, book trailers and imaginative author signings) - and this is why my books continue to sell.

Secrets: When You Should Keep Them in Writing

If you're a writer of mystery or suspense, you've probably heard that keeping secrets is the name of the game when it comes to writing in either of these genres. And that's simply because you don't want to spell everything out in the first chapter.

But consider a romance; one that keeps you jumping. Will they ever get back together? Will he ever tell her why he doesn't want to get married?

Sometimes the secret is for the character; the reader knows, at other times, neither the character nor the reader has an inkling of what's going to happen next.



Photo by: @Doug88888, courtesy of Flickr
Why does she come to the park alone?

And that's as it should be.

Consider a novel that spells it all out and never leaves anything to the imagination, or worse, tells you what everyone is thinking and the secrets they've been keeping. Consider knowing it all in the first chapter. Would you want to go on to chapter 2?

Of course not.

Secrets, well kept, still lend themselves to some hints, of course. You want to lead the reader along, probably not by a dog collar, but by a thin thread that keeps them wanting more. The secrets can be between the characters, or the secrets can be between the author and the page. In either case, keeping secrets adds great tension to your story and keeps the interest rising.

Why doesn't he tell her he's been previously married? Why does she act so strangely around cats? What makes him cower whenever he sees a mushroom?

Sometimes secrets are meant to be kept, and when it's time to release them, timing is everything. Like a perfect ending to a less than perfect life, you want your reader to feel rewarded for having spent the time trying to figure it all out.

Constancy

The stone of constancy is the final stone in "Conquering Your Goliaths".

How constant are you in following through with projects? Do you find yourself jumping from one to the next and never finishing anything?

Being constant in our endeavors not only helps us to finish them, it gives us a good feeling and maybe some extra money. Constancy means that we don't give up but continue forward no matter how tough it gets. Constancy walks hand in hand with tenacity. With tenacity we create the energy, with constancy we stay on track--no matter what.

Of course, I've begun many projects only to stop them before they're finished. This is usually because:

Photo by Pauls imaging, courtesy of Flickr

• I get burned out. I force myself to move forward too fast, don't take enough breaks for refueling, and expect to get everything done yesterday.
• The project's timing isn't right. When I get started in something new I am usually pretty excited about it. As the weeks push on, my interest may wain because I have too much of my focus elsewhere. The truth of the matter is, being constant in anything takes balance as well as timing. If we spread ourselves too thin, nothing great ever gets accomplished, so it's better to let some things go in favor of other things. 

Being constant in anything takes focus, the kind of focus that gets you from one side of the race track to the other while still making time for that well-needed pit stop.

Here's hoping you make time for it.  

Writing for Money?

Much has been said on this topic, but I wanted to take a different turn on it.

I think it's important to write, I also think it's important to make money. But it's more important to me that I write without being absorbed in the end result--money.

Photo by: tnarik, courtesy of Flickr

If you're dreaming about becoming rich as a writer, quitting your current full-time job, raking in the dough after only a few short months of writing, think again. I don't want to burst any bubbles here, but the truth is, writers rarely get published that first year that they begin. And if they do, it's because they have their own blog or have published their own book. Writing for money rarely comes until the writer is seasoned, and even then, it comes slowly and intermittently, sort of like a dripping faucet.

Photo by: Jeff Golden, courtesy of Flickr

When I began to make some real money writing I wasn't focused on the money anyway. I was more focused on the project, the person I was mentoring, the opportunity to share what I had written. When the money came it was because of the timing of the project as well as the attention I'd given to the piece. When I worked with a writer, I focused on their strengths and opportunities for growth, and less on the money they'd be handing me.

The money came, of course. But it came only after I'd prepared myself to receive it. I had to focus in a different place; my concern had to be for others more than it was for myself.

If this sounds a little "far out" to you, try it anyway. Focus on ways to improve your writing. Take classes. Be open to ideas that come to you. Let go of fear when you write and find your voice. Be assured that your distinct voice will come, just as the money will come, in its time.

Writing Right

Not everything you're going to write will be liked; in fact, sometimes I write things, think I like them, go back to edit, and trash the whole thing!

I save the "thing" of course, but sometimes many years go by before I take a peek and decide to continue with the project.

I often tell my clients that timing is everything. Just because you've written something marvelous, doesn't mean others will see it as marvelous. While it's important to write what you're passionate about, it's not always the most appropriate time to sell it. And this is not always because the idea or your writing is "bad," but more than likely, that the suject matter itself needed some time to gell before other folks got excited about it.

My sisters and I take some time off--sister on the left is a dancer, on the right, a writer

Ten years ago I wrote a short book on drawing closer to the Lord at Christmas. For many reasons, the timing wasn't right. This year I'm going to try it on this blog, so come back and take a peek. You will see the first idea on December 1st. If you're already a journal keeper, you will find the spiritual ideas that I present an extension of what you're already doing; if you haven't picked up a journal in years, you may find that my journal ideas will get you going again.

Writing Right means you hold off until the time is right. You put away that novel for another time, you share that poem with close friends only, you keep that story in your heart.

The best news? When the time comes to share it, you'll know.