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August 28, 2013

5 Steps for Restarting Your Book Marketing Efforts After a Break

“Break’s over.” – Jed Bartlet, The West Wing

Photo: araza123 | FlickrLife loves to throw curveballs.

As soon as you’re feeling good about how things are moving — WHAM! — something comes along to knock you back.

If you’re part of our mailing list, you’ve read about the personal curveballs Shannon and I were thrown this summer, but I’m sure you’ve experienced similar situations, too.

A change in seasons (“Summer’s here — I’m going outside!”), big life events (“I’m having a baby!”) and just the simple ebb and flow of life all affect our priorities, habits and schedules.

At some point in your writing career, building your fanbase will be the farthest thing from your mind.

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Filed Under: Marketing & Promotion, Motivation
May 8, 2013

Gut Check: How Bad Do You Want It? (Publishing Success, That Is!)

successI think my husband is a little bit weird.

I don’t think I’m the only partner to think this way about her significant other (am I right?), but it wasn’t until very recently that I  started to figure out what makes him so (adorably) socially awkward.

Back when I was in college, I spent my Tuesday nights taking advantage of Domino’s Two for Tuesday deal and watching American Idol in my dorm room.

When Michael was in college, on the other hand, he spent Tuesday nights at the computer science lab, working diligently on his current coding assignment and studying his butt off to stay ahead of the game.

You see, from the time he was a little kid, all Michael wanted was to be a computer programmer. And he knew he would have to work his butt off to get there. So, while other college students were checking out parties (and each other), he worked.

And studied. And read. And sacrificed.

So, when I quote an obscure movie from 2003, and he’s never heard of it…maybe I should cut him a little bit of slack.

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Filed Under: Motivation, Time Management
April 18, 2013

Feeling Stuck? End Book Marketing Paralysis in Just 5 Minutes

dalekLast night, I jumped out of bed after having one of THOSE dreams.

You see, wacky dreams are kind of my thing, but they (luckily) usually keep to the neutral/non-scary end of things. Every once in awhile, though, I’ll have one like this:

[Harp-y Dream Sequence Sound Effect]

I’m laying in bed, watching a bit of TV before bed.

The next thing I know, I’m in my bedroom closet, hiding from the Daleks, these Doctor Who villains who attack you with weapons that look like a whisk and a plunger (I know).

Anywho, they’re barging into my house yelling “EXTERMINATE!” and, suddenly, I decide to stop hiding and fight them (because, apparently, now I AM the Doctor).

I race into the hallway…and come face-to-face with one of the cold-blooded creatures.

I freeze. Like I’m super-glued in place, I can’t move or speak. The Dalek moves closer…

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Filed Under: Motivation
February 11, 2013

Why Writing is a Business – and How to Win at it [Guest Post]

The following is a guest post by Nick Thacker.

I’ve been writing books for only a couple years – I’m releasing a thriller later this year, and I have a few nonfiction books on writing and self-publishing under my belt.

But I’ve been a “writer” for over seven years. It doesn’t seem like much, but that’s well over a quarter of my life (go ahead and do the math; I’ll wait).

What I’ve learned throughout my career blogging, writing articles, and maintaining content networks for clients and businesses is that writing, whether for personal desire or as a career path, is best handled as if it were a business.

I know, blasphemy, right?

But it’s true: if you approach writing as if it’s a business, you’ll have a much better chance at winning it.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Guest Posts, Motivation
January 23, 2013

Don’t Lose Your New Year Momentum! 5 Ways to Keep Up Marketing Motivation

resolutionsAs dawn broke on 2013, did you find yourself setting goals for the year ahead? You know, those (gulp) New Year’s resolutions?

If so, you’re definitely not alone. Here in the US, 45% of folks make at least one resolution every year.

Want to hear something sad, though? Four-fifths (80%) of those resolutioneers (totally made up word, but I like it) will eventually break those resolutions.

In fact, a third have already fallen off the wagon.

Scary stuff, right?

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Filed Under: Motivation