![The Dead Game by [Leist, Susanne]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51-m2nzT31L._SY346_.jpg)
Do you have any advice for writers who are struggling in certain ways, making progress with writing but also dealing with too much meantime?
It is hard to juggle writing with promoting books, creating an author platform on various social sites, and living a life outside of books. The best solution is to allocate different parts of the day to the various chores. I like to promote my book in the morning on Facebook and Twitter. Then I write poems for my blogs. Poetry began as a promotion for my book and has now turned into a hobby for me. It allows me to use all the flowery words and adjectives that are now frowned upon in book writing. On the days, I work on my second book, I put aside a chunk of time for it, usually in the afternoon or late at night. Sometimes these afternoon writing hours continue into the middle of the night. I don’t always follow my advice, but I try.
Reviewer: Susanne Leist’s “The Dead Game” is like a scavenger hunt with a twist of the board game “Clue”.
How much time do you spend on the craft of writing?
As mentioned in the answer above, I set aside time for writing that can run from a few hours to a whole day and into the night. I can’t predict how I will write on a particular day. On some days, the words flow smoothly, and on other days, they don’t. When they do, I pound away at the computer.
Reviewer : A fast-paced, epic read!
Do you flex those creative muscles every day or how often?
I write something each day, whether a poem or pages of my book. These muscles need to be flexed on a regular basis, just like our arms and legs.
Reviewer: Write with energy and imagination! That’s what the great Oz said on the day author Susanne Leist was born.
What were the circumstances and challenges you faced getting your first book out?
I self-published with Outskirts Press. I didn’t know at the time that I should have promoted my book before its release. As soon as my book was printed, Outskirts Press listed it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. It didn’t have a description. I didn’t have an author bio prepared. In one week, I rushed to set up blogs and open Twitter, Facebook, and Google Accounts. I lost those first few precious days of sales of a new book.
Reviewer: If you like action-packed, heart-stopping thrillers blended with supernatural elements, then, this is the book for you.
What have you learned on your writing journey that is helped you on your latest creative endeavor?
This time I will be prepared for my second book’s release. I’ve used proofreaders along the way. It’s almost ready for the editor. My book will have a description, links set up, and reviews.
Reviewer: It launches directly into chills and thrills and lays out a wonderfully dark and engaging foundation on which to build all ensuing events.
Love ya!
Jane
While I understand that many readers may be eager to grab up the "latest book out" like some shiny new appliance, hence your concern about prepublication publicity. But a book is not like a movie that appears on the screen and gets most of its revenue from that first week of being in the theaters. A good book should attract readers much longer, especially if it has good reviews. In fact, the Internet gives our books a very long shelf life.
I'm not much for keeping up with the Joneses, so I pass on most of the early opportunities to be the first to read, use or otherwise be the first on the block to have had a great experience.
Ron