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Promoting Your Work
So, you’ve written that book, short story, compilation of poems, screenplay or anthology and you’re ready to share it with the world. As much as I would like it if all you have to do is say “hey, here it is”, the truth is it’s going to take a lot more than that to get the word out. In fact, I’m sorry to tell you this, but once the work is ready and released, the real work is just beginning. Promotion is the bane of most of us.
Now, before I get into the meat and potatoes of this blog post, I wanted to say a bit about promoting your work. I know when we all set out to be writers and authors, we never thought we’d have to have a degree in advertisement or know the ins and outs of promoting your own work, but the reality is much different. Unless you happen to work for a large enough publishing company that they have a promotions budget and team that takes care of that for you, you’re going to have to find ways to do it yourself. That means, for the largest percentage of us, we’re on our own. I hope that this helps you, even if only a little.
Let’s cover some of the things that I’ve tried, with different levels of success.
Social Media. Advertising on Social Media does work, but not as much as you would hope. While it does get your work before a large audience, Social Media sites have this funny way of limiting your posts reach. Yeah, that’s right, they limit your posts on purpose. Then they can sell you ways to boost your post and based on how much you pay them, they’ll open that up a crack and let you reach a few more people. I’ve known quite a few people who have paid this with only minimal returns. Use this method with caution, because it’s designed to help the social media site more than it is to help you. There are plenty of groups, pages and people on social media that will happily allow you to post your links there to promote your work, but remember that hundreds if not thousands of other authors are doing that, too. You also run into the possibility of over-posting. If you go onto, say Facebook, and you post in a dozen groups/pages in a day, then people who know you will see that dozen posts show up in their feed. Then you run the risk of people either unfollowing you, ignoring your posts or unfriending you. People get tired of seeing a glut of posts from a single person. Be careful how much you post at a time. Also, keep the posts brief and on topic. Longer posts tend to get ignored. Use Social Media sparingly. Also, don’t use it just to post links and ads for your work. People on social media want you to engage with them. Failure to do so will get your posts largely ignored. Fair Warning.
Book Promotions Websites. Yes, they exist. Yes, they can be effective. No, most of them aren’t free. Use caution when looking at this option. Google the name of the website and see if there are testimonials out there about the effectiveness of their services. Some places charge you and don’t give you much bang for your buck. Some may or may not do anything at all. Just listing you on their website is fine, if they’re a high traffic website. However, if you’ve never heard of them, odds are no one else has either. Now, some of these sites are totally legit and deliver what they promise. Just do your research before you start paying for services that don’t really deliver. Googling the website can be very illuminating. Also, check out websites like “Predators and Editors” and “Writer Beware.” They will post websites and publishers and other services that have not been beneficial to the writer community, to put it mildly. You can learn a lot about them on those two sites. A little research now can save you a lot of money in the long run. Again, some of these sites are fantastic and deliver exactly what they promise. But, some are there just to make money of struggling writers. Use caution and do your research before you buy.
Interviews. Getting yourself booked onto shows and doing interviews does a good job of promoting your work. It gets you in front of audiences that you might not have reached before. It allows you to not only showcase your work, but to connect with audiences on a personal level. It can be a lot of fun, too. Some interviews are written, where they send you a list of questions and you answer them and return them to the sender. Then you’ll appear on a blog or website or magazine or something along those lines. I’ve done quite a few of those and they’re great. Especially if it’s with a high-traffic website or larger publication. Then there are the audio/video interviews. Podcasts, radio shows, TV shows and other places are constantly on the lookout for content. You can have a lot of fun with these. I’ve done numerous interviews like this and loved them all. Don’t worry, if you’ve never done one before, most hosts are more than happy to walk you through the process. I had the good fortune of having a couple of different hosts take me under their wing and teach me how to do it. It’s a great experience and I highly recommend it. You not only learn about how to promote, you get to be involved in the experience and connect with potential readers. Plus, I’ve made some very good friends along the way. Interviews are a great way to promote, engage and grow your audience, and the only cost you a bit of your time. That’s a win.
Trade Shows and Conventions. Bringing printed copies of your books and booking tables at Trade Shows and Conventions is a lot of fun. I’ve been doing shows like these for years and it’s always a great time. You connect directly with potential readers, talk about your books and other things of common interest, meet really interesting people and get the chance to show you’re more than just a picture inside the back cover of the book. Sometimes this isn’t easy for you to do, but it’s good for you and your writing career. Get out there, engage your target audience and maybe make some new friends. You can’t sit at the table and say nothing, then expect throngs of people to line up to buy your book. You’ve got to shake the trees, shake a few hands and show people that you, and therefore your book, are interesting and worthy of reading and getting to know. Get out there and engage your audience. It’s not just fun, it’s a great way to market, network and meet people in the industry. You never know when you might meet the one person who was just waiting to find a book just like yours to showcase in their next article, interview, television show or production. You can do it.
Blogs and Newsletters. Writing your own or getting featured on someone else’s, blogs and newsletters reach a lot of people. They connect across multiple media and across continents. You should never underestimate the reach of a blog, even a small one. Because sometimes the small blogs are noticed by bigger blogs and they share the posts. Then suddenly, that little blog just reached a much larger audience. If you do start your own blog, try to be consistent in your posts. That doesn’t mean you have to dedicate time to writing a blog post every day, but try to do it weekly or bi-weekly. Have a schedule and try to stick to it. Consistency in a blog is everything. Newsletters are sent out from an email list and sometimes get forwarded to other email lists and then the reach can get astronomical. Building your own email list and therefore a newsletter is a great way to connect, let your fans know about upcoming releases and appearances as well as keep everyone informed of news and relevant happenings. Newsletters can also be time consuming, so be careful about how often you create one. Never underestimate the power of a blog or a newsletter. They can go a lot farther than you think.
Hiring a Publicist or Advertisement Agency. Honestly, I have no experience with this method. I included it just to show you that it exists as an option. I operate on a shoestring budget. Hang on, scratch that. Since my back injury, I operate on a budget so thin, it’s practically monofilament. I can’t afford this method but I’d love to know if you have had success with it. It’s something I would like to try, if I could. I know that publicists and ad agencies don’t come cheap and I would imagine that they would be as effective as you can afford. I mean, that they would work harder the more your budget was. Some work on a percentage of your royalties, so there’s that option. It certainly makes them more invested in your success. The more you make, the more they make. I’d love to know if you have had any experience in this. Feel free to drop me a line or post a comment on this blog entry. Thanks.
Well, that about wraps up everything I can think of. I know that there are more methods out there. I just don’t know what they are. If you do, please share with us, here at the blog. Well, by us, I mean me but I’ll share what I learn here, too. So, if you send new things my way, I promise I’ll make future entries about what I’ve learned. Any website, event, trade show, convention, publicist, ad agency, promotions page or whatever can be googled. Do a little research before you commit to anything that costs you money. Predators and Editors along with Writer Beware is another great resource. Remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be safe, be savvy and be informed. Good luck promoting your work. I wish you all the success in the world.
DA
#writing #poetry #writersofinstagram #writer #love #writingcommunity #quotes #poetrycommunity #writers #poem #writerscommunity #poetsofinstagram #art #poems #poet #writersofig #words #reading #author #life #write #writerslife #wordporn #books #instagram #bookstagram #thoughts #amwriting #quoteoftheday #bhfyp
The Author Platform
I’ve heard quite a few websites discussing your “Author Platform” and how important it is to have one. In this blog entry, I’m going to try to break that down into easier steps to help you with yours. Yeah, I know, I’m still building mine…but I didn’t have to pay an “expert” hundreds of dollars for the same advice I’m going to be going over here. It’s not rocket science and you shouldn’t have to pay for this information.
First, write a book. Or books. You’ve got to be an author to have an author platform. This doesn’t mean it has to be published yet. If you’re in the process, it’s fine to go ahead with the others steps. If you’re planning to release the book, go ahead and start building an author platform. It will only help and certainly can’t hurt, even if your planned release isn’t in the near future. Building the platform will let you start generating buzz for the book even before it’s finished. If you’ve already finished the book, it’s not too late to build the platform.
This isn’t any kind of race. Build and write at your pace. However, having said that, the platform does take time to build and grow. Again, this isn’t a race. It’s a marathon. Take your time and do it your way. There is no right or wrong way to do this. The best thing you can do is be honest and be yourself. Trying to be anything else will show and won’t seem genuine. Build it slow or build it fast. It’s up to you. Never let anyone tell you otherwise or tell you there’s only one way to do any of this. Supposed experts are most-likely trying to sell you something. So, in no particular order, I give you the basics of the author platform. I, in no way, claim to be an expert. There will undoubtedly be things I forget to add or things I get wrong. If you’ve had a different experience or know how to do things better, please let me know. We can share it here and help each other out.
Build a blog. Blogs are great ways for interacting with your audience on a personal level. You can go into much more detail and express more information than in a social media entry. Most social media entries are supposed to be short. People tend to skip over or ignore long posts. Blogs are different. They came to the blog to read what you have to say. Be expressive, be open, be honest and be yourself. Blog about anything. Writer’s tips, that vacation to the mountains, the fishing trip, and the meal you had at the new restaurant, or the garden you’re building in the backyard. You can literally blog about anything you like. The trick is being consistent in posting content. I’ve been guilty of that myself. It’s not always easy to do.
Social Media. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, and many more. They’re all platforms that you can use to get the message out about your writing. However, unlike the blog, you need to keep the posts shorter. Small, digestible bites. Also, you need to post more than just links to your books. I know, this is starting to sound time consuming. Well, it can be. If all you post is links to buy your book, people will lose interest, quickly. You need to engage. Post a pic of your dog, talk about your passions, be fun and smart. However, I recommend avoiding politics and religion. They are guaranteed ways to alienate half your audience right off the bat. I try to keep my personal religion/politics out of my posts, but I can’t help posting things about law enforcement. I can’t help it. I’ve been a cop too long. I’m sorry if that upsets some people, but that’s who I am and I can’t/won’t change it.
Build a Website. They’re easy to do. There are dozens of sites that will help you build yours. For example this page is from WordPress. They’re great. But if they’re not for you, then try Weebly, Wix, GoDaddy and about a hundred others. Just Google website building sites. You’ll find lots of them. Your website doesn’t have to be extravagant. You just need the basics. You need an “about you page.” A short bio and a pic. You want all of your contact info. Social Media, website, email and so on. A page for your book(s) and where to buy them. You also need to build an email list for a newsletter. I’m still working on this one. If you’ve got any advice, I’d love to hear it.
Never underestimate the power of Hashtags. Use them in all of your social media posts, your blog, your contact information and so on. I found that instead of having to think up a bunch of them or hunt for what’s trending, I use best-hashtags.com. It’s free and easy to use. Just put in your topic, hit search, then copy the results. Bingo, easy as pie with no muss or fuss. Trust me, use the hashtags. To borrow a phrase from Star Wars: You have no idea of the power of the hashtag.
I know there are things I’m missing. I know there are things I should be doing or doing better. This entire process is an experience and I’m learning as I go. I’m more than happy to share the things I’ve found that worked for me along the way. I hope they work for you, too. If you’ve found something that you’ve had success with, share it here. I’m sure that we’ll all appreciate it.
Writing has always been a journey for me. I am enjoying every step along the way. But remember, my journey in no way means you don’t get to take one. I’ve been to the beach, that doesn’t mean no one else can. This isn’t a competition. I don’t have to make someone else fail in order for me to succeed. You don’t have to fail for anyone to succeed. Success is something we can all experience without diminishing anyone else’s.
I have a big book shelf in my bedroom. That shelf has lots of different writers that I have enjoyed over the years. Just because I like Tony Hillerman doesn’t mean I can’t like Dean Koontz. Just because I like Edgar Allen Poe doesn’t mean I can’t like Jack London. Just because someone reads my books doesn’t mean they won’t read yours, too. It’s not one or the other. There is a lot of room on the bookshelf. Plenty of room for us all. Readers will always look for new stories and adventures to read.
Writing is a journey. Let’s take it together. The End is Only the Beginning.
DA
By the way, here’s my social media links. Please check them out, give them a like or a follow and say hi. I know I have followers on the blog and my not see my social media. I look forward to meeting you all.
https://www.facebook.com/DARobertsAuthor/
https://www.instagram.com/darobertsauthor
www.amazon.com/author/daroberts
#writing #poetry #writersofinstagram #writer #love #writingcommunity #quotes #poetrycommunity #writers #poem #writerscommunity #poetsofinstagram #art #poems #poet #writersofig #words #reading #author #life #write #writerslife #wordporn #books #instagram #bookstagram #thoughts #amwriting #quoteoftheday #bhfyp
Shared Universe
Years ago, I began the Ragnarok Rising Saga, starting with the first book in the series, Ragnarok Rising: The Awakening. Little did I know that I was taking the first steps on a journey that would take me far beyond my wildest expectations. It would become more than just my beginnings, it would become the vehicle that would shape the course of my career as an author.
Originally planned to be a trilogy, I found that the story was evolving beyond that. Part of it was my doing and part of it was just the nature of the story, itself. You see, Ragnarok took on a life of its own and there were times where I felt like I was just along for the ride. And what a ride it’s turned out to be.
When originally published, the series spanned five large volumes, each totaling around 150k words, give or take, or roughly 500 pages. When the series was picked up by J. Ellington Ashton Press, I had the task of changing it from five large books to ten smaller books. Their publishing model is based on a roughly 250 pages per book. If you have the original five books, thank you for joining me on the journey then. If you haven’t read the new ten book series, you might find a bit more details and a fresh edits, plus some additional content to make the transition to the new format a bit smoother. However, the overarching story didn’t change.
The story. That’s the big thing. I wanted to tell something epic. Something worthy of the word SAGA. You can read any of the books and be entertained. At least, that’s the plan. However, if you read the entire series you’ll find that it tells one story, much bigger than any of the books, themselves. You’re part of a journey that takes ten books to completely tell. It’s something I always wanted to do. Like the Tolkien “Lord of the Rings” books. You have to read all of them to experience the entire story. It’s epic. That’s what I tried to capture with the Ragnarok Rising Saga.
There were characters that I never intended to keep who grew to be instrumental, characters that I didn’t know at the time would become more than originally intended and some that left long before even I expected it. This series above all else, is alive with characters. Characters with distinct personalities, all their own. Characters that sometimes surprised even me.
For example, Chrissy “Spec-4” Wilder. Most people don’t know that I had no intention of her surviving the initial battle at the roadblock where she was first introduced. I had originally planned for Wylie to survive that fight alone, then have to find his way back to the others. Then, something unexpected happened. She just seemed to jump out of the pages at me. I loved the dialogue between her and Wylie and found that I liked the character. So much so that I kept her around. Little did I know that she would become such an integral part of the story. It simply couldn’t have been told without her.
Then there’s White Bear. He’s introduced later in the series, but fills a much needed role. Then, later, when I needed a character in another series to fill a similar role, there he was again. While doing research for the Apex Predator Series, I found that he just seemed to be already there, as if waiting for me to catch up. I’ll give you all a little hint. The Lakota word for White Bear is… you guessed it… Matoskah. Jay Matoskah is White Bear. Something that had been part of the Ragnarok Rising Saga was again taking on a life of its own.
Enter the book, Lakeview Man. The Main Character is a man named Daniel Clark. He’s a small county deputy who stumbles into something bigger than himself. Something he doesn’t fully understand. As the story evolved, Clark needed help. Needed knowledge that he couldn’t find anywhere else. He discovers a way to get the knowledge and meets… yet again… Jay Matoskah. Enter the White Bear.
When writing Lakeview Man, I had planned on making it a standalone book with no bearing on any other series. But, somehow, the characters and events took on their own life and guided the story in a way I hadn’t expected when the book was conceived and started. It set itself up for a new series. It set the stage for the Wild Hunt.
From Lakeview Man, Daniel Clark is recruited by the Wild Hunt to help them hunt monsters. A task he’s already shown a great aptitude for. As they history of the Wild Hunt team was being created, I found that it played right into the growing theme throughout my books. In the history of the team, another thread linked back to… yet again… Jay Matoskah.
With this common theme running through all of my books, there seemed to be a pattern forming. A shared link. A shared universe? Hmm. That would mean that all of these stories are not only linked, but share a universe. The timeline might be interesting, but it’s there. That means that the Ragnarok Rising Saga takes place after the events in these other books. That means that they are somehow linked. That means this SAGA is much bigger than I ever planned, yet here it is.
Do I know where it will all end? Well, that’s an interesting question. I know more than I’ll say, and more than you suspect. But there are elements, characters and themes that even I might not have fully anticipated yet. There are things moving through this universe that haven’t fully revealed themselves.
If you read all of the books, I think you might see patterns forming. Certain characters emerging that have significance across the universe and across multiple series. I’ve already told you about Jay Matoskah, but who are the others. Yes, there are others. Some might be more obvious than others and some might still surprise both of us.
As this universe continues to evolve, more will be revealed. More will appear and some might not. Can you spot the key appearances? The characters that will span the greater universe? More will be revealed as books are written and stories are told.
What does that mean for the future? Well, it means that everything has a hidden meaning and nothing has truly ended. It also means that we haven’t seen everything there is to see. Ragnarok isn’t finished quite yet, now is it? There might be stories that haven’t been finished there. Now more than ever, my tagline takes on more significance. Find out what that means as the books evolve. Join me on this journey. Let’s see where it takes us, shall we? After all…
The End is Only the Beginning.
Thank you all.
DA
#horror #horrormovies #halloween #art #scary #horrorfan #creepy #horrormovie #movie #film #horrorart #movies #horrorfilm #gore #terror #spooky #dark #horroraddict #cosplay #thriller #s #goth #fridaythe #blood #horrorjunkie #cinema #horrorfilms #horrorcollector #instahorror #bhfyp
Putting Character in Your Characters
It would be pretty tough to tell a story without any characters in it. I’m sure it could be done, but I don’t know how exciting it would be or even if I’d want to read it. Let’s face it, the best stories are driven by great characters. Creating those characters requires thought. You can’t just throw something together and expect people to like them
What you know about your characters is as important as the function they have in the story. I mean, you don’t have to write a twenty page bio to really know them. But, having some basic information in mind beforehand really goes a long way towards bringing those characters life. Let’s explore that a bit, shall we?
Great characters are great not just because of the dialogue or the action sequences, but because of the things we know about them or learn along the way. Characters with mysterious backgrounds are great, but you have to drop a hint about that background once in a while, or the readers will lose interest. Details are what make the characters come to life.
Now, using my own writing, I create a mini-bio for each main character I write. I can tell you where they were born, their birthday, what their favorite food is, whether they went to college or not, if they were in the military and if they were ever married. I can also give you a good physical description, even if I don’t always put all of this information into the book. I like to let readers imagine their own details, on certain things. I give them the outline and let them fill in the little things.
Now, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t give your readers good details. On the contrary, you need to give them enough to give the character a life of its own. However, don’t go the other direction and give a six page history on what the character has done since pre-school. For one, it will bog down the pace of your story. For another, you don’t have to reveal everything about a character all at once. Give that basic description and include important details, but leave a bit of mystery about them, too. It builds both interest and suspense.
If your character has an accent, you can incorporate that into his or her dialogue. It not only makes them stand out, it’s a great way to make them unique. It’s just one of those little details that helps bring them to life, not just give them dialogue to say. I have had characters who had accents, some who never cursed, some who cursed a lot and some who just spoke very little. In each case, what you have them say is just as important as how they say it. It helps to make the character human, not just words on a page.
Do they have a unique physical characteristic? This is a great way to set a character apart from the others, but use it sparingly. If everyone in the story has something unique about them and you describe it to make the character stand out, then none of them will really stand out. Giving someone an odd shade of eye color or a strange scar or a missing appendage is great, but I’d only have it with one character or it can become overused. Then it really accomplishes nothing and might even take away from the development of the characters, instead.
Be careful of tropes, too. Not every character you make needs to be a Green Beret / Ranger / SEAL / Ninja / Sniper / Super-Spy. Character weaknesses are just as interesting as their strengths. I tend to have a lot of characters who are police/military, but I mostly write books that are centered on that lifestyle. That’s my thing. But, not every character is a badass. Most are just average guys in their field, trying to do the best job they can in the circumstances I’ve thrown them into.
Also, I understand using some details from your own life to create your characters. Experience is what we draw on as an author. But, be careful of using too many details. Or, be careful of creating what are known as Mary Sue or Gary Stu characters. I won’t go into a lot of details about those types of characters. If you want to read more about them, Google will give you tons of information. Suffice it to say that these types of characters will give your writing the wrong reputation and is likely to drive away serious readers. That affects sales and building your following. If all you’re wanting to do is put your writing on a website and let your online community read it and post their own stories, as well, then go for it. If that’s your thing, then I say Rock On. Enjoy it. Just remember that it might not help you in the publishing world.
Whatever details you pour into your characters, be it accents or physical characteristics or whatever, just remember one thing. Be consistent. If they speak a certain way in one chapter and not in the next, the readers will notice. There’s an old saying that I heard years ago and I’ve found that it has never been more true than when dealing with your writing. “The Devil is in the details.” It is, after all, the details that form the foundation of everything you write. They form the basis that the rest of the story will stand on. If the little details are bad or not there at all, then the rest of the story won’t stand on firm ground.
Suspension of disbelief is key when it comes to fiction. Readers can suspend their disbelief on the existence of monsters, but if your character hacks into a secure server from a cellphone in the middle of nowhere with no WiFi or cell service, the readers are going to call bullshit. But, if you’ve established that the character is trained in that field and is using an encrypted data uplink, then they’re more inclined to believe it.
The details make all the difference. Not only in the story but in the creation of your characters. Take the time to craft good characters, as well as a good story and your fans will love you for it. Build the foundation on solid details and your story will have the beginning structure to build into a solid tale.
So, write those amazing stories, tell those fantastic tales, take us to strange places and into unknown dangers. Just remember that those small details in the background help to make those experiences come to life. And nothing brings more life to your stories than awesome characters.
After all, “The Devil is in the details.”
DA
#writing #poetry #writersofinstagram #writer #love #writingcommunity #quotes #poetrycommunity #writers #poem #writerscommunity #poetsofinstagram #art #poems #poet #writersofig #words #reading #author #life #write #writerslife #wordporn #books #instagram #bookstagram #thoughts #amwriting #quoteoftheday #bhfyp
Finding your Voice
Your voice as an author is more than just what you have to say, but how you say it. It’s your style, your signature and your fingerprint. Each author is uniquely different. That’s what sets us all apart. For example, we’re all familiar with Stephen King. Take his novel, Salem’s Lot. I loved that book and the way that story was told gave me chills. It’s a fantastic piece of literature. Now say we take that exact same story and have it rewritten by Tom Clancy.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love Tom Clancy. He was one of my favorite authors. His books are so amazingly written and technical that they astound their readers with the realism and level of detail he brings to the table. Tom Clancy’s vision of the same Salem’s Lot story would be completely different than Stephen Kings. I’m not saying it would be bad. Hell, I’d read it just to see how it went. But the fact remains that King and Clancy are very different storytellers. Their styles are nothing alike but they both tell fantastic tales.
That’s the point I’m trying to make. Each of us are different in how we tell our stories. In order for you to write your stories, you have to find your voice. You can’t sit down and write a book just like Stephen King. You can’t be Tom Clancy. You can only be yourself. The thing is, I can tell you that but I can’t tell you HOW to do that. That comes with practice and work, and that means through your writing.
As you write, your skills will evolve. It’s like any other skill, it gets better with practice and work. Fair warning, it’s an ever-evolving skill. That means, while you might reach a point where you’re happy with your writing, but you never stop learning more tricks of the trade. Well, hopefully you never stop learning. Don’t ever become complacent and convinced that you know everything there is to know about the subject. None of us do, no matter what some people might claim.
Another thing to bear in mind is this. Just because you can’t be Stephen King doesn’t mean you can’t be a successful storyteller. There are hundreds of authors out there who tell wonderful stories, and only one of them is Stephen King. Your style will be your signature. It will be the thing that your readers will see and enjoy about your storytelling. After all, stories are as much about how their told as what is told. I can think of people who are amazing at retelling information, but say it like it came out of a textbook. While that’s not bad if that’s what you’re going for, but if your intent is to both tell the story and entertain, then you’ll lose your audience pretty fast.
The best research you can do for learning your style is to read lots of books and to write lots of stories. The books will show you how others have done it and the writing will help you decided how you like to tell your tales. It’s an ever-evolving process, too. The more you learn, the better off you’ll be. Ask any writer how they feel about their early work and they’ll likely just shake their head and say, “well, it got better.”
I’ve been reading all kinds and genres of books since I was small. It molded who I would be both as a reader and a writer. It helped to not only shape my tastes in literature, but in how I liked to share that literature with my own audience. I don’t plan on stopping reading or writing anytime soon. You keep your own craft alive by constantly feeding that creativity in your mind. Constantly growing and improving.
While my own writing and style are far from perfect, I will continue to hone my craft as I go. I know my voice and how I write, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room to improve. I love telling stories and sharing them with my readers. I hope that they enjoy reading them, as well. That’s the goal, anyway. To tell stories that readers love to read and, hopefully, tell their friends and family about. Word of mouth and praise from your readers is the best form of advertisement. That’s how classics are made, when people talk about the books and then share them with the people they care about.
So, I hope these ramblings have helped you in your journey, even if only a little. I love telling stories and I truly enjoy helping other writers with their own journey. If you have any questions for me, my social media contacts are on this website or you can email me directly at DARoberts@DARoberts.net . If I can help, I’ll be happy to.
I’ve said this many times in this blog and I’ll say it again in this entry. Writing is not a competition. Your success in no way negates my own. Success does not have to come at the expense of others. My success is not contingent on your failure. Your success is not dependent on anyone else’s failure. There are lots of different authors on my book shelf and I’m always willing to add more as I discover new ones.
That means there’s room on the shelves for both of us. Readers are always looking for more stories to read. They love finding amazing new stories and authors. Just because they’re reading a book by Stephen King doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy yours.
So, be good to each other. Support one another and always encourage other authors to keep writing. You might only have good karma to gain but you never know what dividends that could pay off in the future. After all, who among us couldn’t use a little good karma, now and then? I know I certainly could.
To borrow a phrase from Bill and Ted… “Be excellent to each other.” The world needs your voice and your stories. New stories and new adventures are what fuel the human experience. Write your stories and encourage others to do the same. Keep working and improving, because writing is a skill that takes practice and time. Let’s all enjoy those stories, together.
There’s room on the shelf for all of us.
DA
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