Tag: romance writers

Coming May 28th… Launch & Release Day

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RWchat 5-28-17

Graphic by Alexis Daria

It’s our last topic for May Marketing Month!

It’s the big day, release day, the day you’ve been working toward for months, even years and . . . What do you do?

There’s so much build up and planning for it. What kinds of plans do you make for a “Book Launch?” Do you have special things that you try to do or recommend doing ? Or is it more of a kick back and relax and let all the hard work you’ve put in do its job kind of thing?

Come share with us your experiences and your questions. See you Sunday at 4pm PST/ 7pm EST!

~Robin Lovett

Got Promo?

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RWchat giveaway and promo graphicMay is Marketing Month on RWchat, and this week we’re talking about giveaways and promo. Check out Kimberly Bell’s take on giveaways, and read on for promo tips compiled by Alexis Daria.

I’m kind of a conference junkie. It’s fun to hang out with other authors, readers, and industry professionals, swapping book recs and writing advice. But as much as I love the social aspect, that’s not the only reason why I’m there. I’m there to learn. My favorite thing about writing conferences is the opportunity to attend workshops and classes led by people who have built up a wealth of knowledge about all aspects of the life and business of being a writer, either through formal education or trial and error. Yes, a lot of this info can be found online, but there’s something special about being in the same room with an author whose career you admire, hearing them speak about their own experiences, and then getting to ask questions.

Before I attend a conference, I set a goal for what I want to learn. In March, I attended the Liberty States Fiction Writers’ “Create Something Magical” Conference with the goal of learning about marketing and promotion. The workshops did not disappoint. Last week, I posted what I learned about newsletters. This week, I’ve compiled some tips on promo from two workshops: “Buzzing Your Book & Building Your Brand,” led by Jillian Stein and Liz Berry (1001 Dark Nights), and “The Six Goals of Online Book Promotions (& the Tools to Achieve Them)” led by Laura Kaye (Raven Riders series).

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Me: Super Lazy. Giveaways: Super Cool.

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As you may have heard, May is Marketing month here at #RWChat. We made it marketing month because none of us chat hosts are putting in the effort we ought to be with marketing, so it was time to group think this shit out and get motivated.

(There are a lot of chat topics that make the list because we personally need a push or some inspiration. #sorrynotsorry)

Of all of us, I have the most shame around my lack of book marketing. I have broken some serious records (and banked some serious dollars) in a previous career in e-commerce. I have been a social media consultant to some pretty big brands. And I currently work as the operations manager for an email marketing company.

My shame run so very, very deep.

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5 Things to Include on Your Author Website If You’re Not Yet Published

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When I started building websites in the 90s, it was hard. Now, we’re living in a golden age where anyone can turn a free theme into a functional author page. My intention when I started querying was to turn my online art portfolio into an author site—but a hacker wiped it! Rather than rebuild from scratch, I gave my rarely-used WordPress blog a fresh layout. But one question remained: If you aren’t published yet, what do you include on an author website? Below, I’ll give you some easy elements to add to your site, including the one that netted me several comments from agents. 

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Coming May 7th… Newsletters & Websites

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RWchat 5-7-17

Graphic by Alexis Daria

It’s May Marketing Month!

The next four weeks we’ll be doing marketing topics. Starting with newsletters & websites, then onto giveaways & promo, advanced readers & reviews, book launch & release day.

Bring your experiences, the good and bad, to share your stories with us. Come with your questions too. (I have lots!) There’s no such thing as knowing too much about marketing, because just writing books isn’t enough. We have to sell them too!

See you Sunday at 4pm PST / 7pm EST!

~Robin Lovett

Host Talk: Jealousy

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RWchat Host Talk Jealousy 2 (1)

Your co-hosts at #RWChat – Kimberly Bell, C.L. Polk, Alexis Daria, and Robin Lovett – have started a video chat, and we did our first one on professional jealousy. Hear us gab for 18 minutes about how we experience jealousy and how we support each other through it.

Let us know what you think – if you like it and what we should talk about next. Questions welcome!

See you for today’s #RWChat on Jealousy!

Hey Jealousyyy

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This week’s #RWchat topic is all about jealousy. (And yes, this post title comes from a Gin Blossoms song.)

Envy is real. We look over at someone else getting the book deal, winning the award, hitting the bestseller list, and we think, “I want that.” But envy can be useful. It can guide us toward new goals, and allow us to study how other people got to where we want to go. Envy can push us to work harder and smarter. But if left unchecked, or allowed to run rampant in the mind, envy can quickly turn to jealousy, which is far more insidious.

jealous_liz_lemon

 

The dictionary defines jealousy as, “jealous resentment against a rival, a person enjoying success or advantage, etc., or against another’s success or advantage itself.” The key word here is resentment. Resentment can fester and grow, sapping creativity and damaging personal and professional relationships.

jealous_xtina

 

Last month, I attended the Liberty States Fiction Writers’ “Create Something Magical” conference with fellow RWchat co-host Robin Lovett. On a whim, we went to a session called “I Want What She’s Got: How to Cope with Professional Jealousy” led by Avery Flynn and Kimberly Kincaid. Normally I’m a compulsive note-taker, and I live-tweet workshops and panels, but this felt too personal to live-tweet.

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Coming April 9th… Spring Goals

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RWchat 4-9-17.png

Graphic by Alexis Daria

So, remember those New Years goals? How are they going? Do we even remember what they were?

Now’s the time to assess how the year is going so far. Are we on track for where we want to be? Are there things in the way of our goals? If so, are they things out of our control or within our control? How can we readjust our goals accordingly to keep us motivated and encouraged in the coming months?

Join us with your ideas and thoughts. Or come to lurk and learn. See you Sunday 4pm Pacific / 7pm Eastern.

~Robin Lovett

We made #RWchat stuff!

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We wanted #RWchat stuff to wear, drink out of and write in, so we thought we’d share them with you. (Including the ones that say “Romance Writers do it on Sundays.”) There’s over a dozen different styles of shirts and tank tops for women and men.

The Zazzle store happens to be 25% off today.  (Tip: to see all the products, you’ll need to change the content filter from “safe” to “off”.)

Enjoy!

Coming April 2nd… Publishing Process

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RWchat 4-2-17

Graphic by Alexis Daria

Getting a book written and revised is just the beginning. The path from there to publication is tumultuous. Whether it’s traditional or self-publishing, there are multiple rounds of edits to go through with an editor. Knowing and learning how to work with an editor is an intricate relationship to navigate. Since the days of writing one book per year are pretty much gone, there’s the problem of juggling a publishing schedule and managing more than one project at once. How do you do it?

Come share your expertise, learn from the experts, and ask us your questions, Sunday 4pm PST / 7pm EST.

~Robin Lovett