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| Emerian Rich, author of Dusk's Warriors |
Baby Steps for New
Authors
I’ve spoken to hundreds of authors over the years... new,
old, mid-career, famous, struggling, you name it. One thing we all have in
common is that we were all once where you are. We know how it feels to submit
your first work and wait with high hopes by the mailbox (or email inbox) for
that special editor’s reply. We know about declines and how sometimes they seem
so crippling, you don’t even want to continue. The other link that many new
writers have is they are timid and shy about their careers and marketing the
“way the pros do it”. Well here are some Baby Steps to get you started.
1. Convince yourself
you are an important writer and have something valid to say. Once you’ve
accepted your fate as a writer and know you have no choice but to follow your
dreams, it will be easier to chip away at making those dreams a reality.
2. Start a List.
Lists are your best friend for brainstorming promotion ideas. Carry a little
notebook with you to brainstorm while waiting in lines, at the doctor, sitting
in the car wash, or while stuck at stoplights. Use every spare moment of the
day to work on your craft. Remember, you are a writer. Think of it as a real
job. A job you enjoy and will succeed at if you keep working on it. Plus, since
most of us have day jobs to pay the bills, this daily brainstorming will keep
you inspired to continue your writing career and less frustrated with
day-to-day mundane tasks.
3. Research your
genre and other authors that you admire to find places you might list your
book or things you may provide on your own website to draw readers to your
site. It is fine to review or discuss other writer’s work on your own blog in
hopes of drawing a crowd of those sorts of readers to your blog, but make sure
you are always respectful to the other writers you are speaking about. Also,
chat with visitors to your blog. The longer discussions you have, the more
people may pitch in. Make sure these are subjects you like and can geek out on
yourself. It’s okay to have fun!
4. Schedule time to
work on your craft every day. If for some reason your life is too crazy for
every day, make it every week, but do it. Don’t let other things get in the
way. Don’t cancel and don’t let others make you discount the importance of your
writing ritual. Think of it as a job. If you were at work, you wouldn’t
necessarily call in because you friends wanted to meet for cocktails.
5. Network with other
writers. Even simple discussions in a Facebook group could lead you to a
contact who knows other contacts who will help you advance your career. Don’t
go into the conversation with the goal to use people to get ahead... Just go
and chat. Let the networking happen naturally. If you act like a spammer, bot,
or used car salesman, you will be tuned out automatically. You also need to
tend to your social needs. We all need to feel like we have partners in this
crazy career. Count on others online to fulfill that need if you can’t or don’t
feel comfortable chatting with writers in person. Try to go outside your
comfort level and chat about everyday events in your writing career with others
who are going through the same thing.
6. Don’t get
discouraged. We’ve all heard, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try
again.” Get back on the horse and keep at it till you’ve amassed lots of tries.
At least one out of three will be productive. When you aren’t good at putting
yourself out there and communicating with people you don’t know, it may seem
debilitating, but keep telling yourself it will get easier, and it will.
7. Start a blog to
practice writing to your future readers. Who cares if no one reads it right
now? If they buy your book and start reading it, they will go back to read your
old posts. They will be interested because your book interests them and soon
you will have someone to geek out on your book with that loves it just as much
as you do. Readers love to see where an author started and how far they’ve
come. Don’t deny your fans the experience of traveling with you.
8. Be good to people. Don’t be a jerk. Treat them as your friends, because hopefully they will be. I’m not saying invite them over to your house for pizza, but you can be personable to them. Some of my favorite writers respond to their fan Facebook messages or Tweets. The more accessible to the readers, the more they will be interested in your work. You don’t have to put on a fake personality (unless that is your shtick) to gain readers. People respond to real. Just like they tell us to write what we know, you should chat about what you know and what you like.
Good luck with your writing!
~Emerian Rich
Heaven has opened up and welcomed the vampires of Night’s Knights into a new reality. As
they struggle to find their place in their new world, trouble brews on Earth.
Demon servant, Ridge, is causing havoc by gathering up all
the souls on Earth that have been touched by immortality. When he injures one
of the Night’s Knights crew, he
launches a war between the vampires of Heaven, the Big Bad in Hell, and a
mortal street gang of vigilante misfits.
Will Julien, Markham, and Reidar be able to defeat the evil
that’s returned, or will they once again need Jespa’s help?
Praise for Dusk’s
Warriors:
“All hail, the queen of Night's Knights has returned! Emerian Rich's unique take on
vampires delights my black little heart.” ~Dan Shuarette, Lilith's Love
“A world of horror with realistic characters in a fast
paced thriller you won't be able to put down.”
~David Watson, The
All Night Library
Praise for Night’s Knights:
“Fresh, original, and thoroughly entertaining.” ~Mark
Eller, Traitor
“Emerian brought the Vampire Novel back from the dead.” ~C.
E. Dorsett, Shine Like Thunder
Emerian Rich is an artist, horror
host, and author of the vampire series, Night’s
Knights. She is the hostess of
the internationally acclaimed podcast, HorrorAddicts.net. Under the name Emmy
Z. Madrigal, she writes the musical romance series, Sweet Dreams and she’s the Editorial Director for the Bay Area
magazine, SEARCH. She lives in the
San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and son.
Thank you for letting me guest!
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