Three Steps to Creating Your Author Brand (Article) - 12/12/2017 5:31:01 AM
As I read I found this to be rather bland and unfocused on what really happens with branding. When I think of famous authors, they tend to be characters. Or, their books are made to movies. Pictures of Stephen King make his face look like he has actually lived through all those horrors he writes about. Pictures of Ernest Hemingway seemed to show him in sporting events and sometimes dressing very gallantly like a movie star.
I think the impression that people first get of me is that I am in a wheelchair and severely disabled. So I expect they would think that I would write about my disability first. Also, my disability does limit the time I can spend in public promoting and sharing my books.
My hope is that one of my books will resonate with people for a long time, particularly one or two of the predictions that I've made about the future that may or may not come true.
Ron
YOU (PRETTY MUCH) ALREADY KNOW HOW TO DECIDE WHICH PLATFORMS TO USE FOR BOO (Article) - 11/13/2017 7:55:28 AM
I'm currently using two platforms for my non selling books. I am not dismayed. People like to read books that are notorious for one reason or another for books from their favorite best-selling author. People are bit reluctant to read anybody that is unknown or untried. If they reach something first page of the story that affronts their beliefs, they may put it down or never read it because of the genre or some other reason.
To use all of the platforms that you suggest and do them justice, other than just dropping your books off there and then forgetting or just not going back and participate, is way too time-consuming. After all, as writers, we want to write, not market or promote.
Ron
Book Marketing - Freebie Reader Magnets (Article) - 10/18/2017 5:10:05 AM
I like the pasta example, is quite creative, although I don't understand because I'm not a pasta connoisseur. ;-)
I've been giving away my books for some time. People don't buy books anymore because they can get free books very easily, especially from the Internet. You're right, as an unknown author, it's one way to get people to read your work and determine whether they would like to read more.
Ron
BOOK MARKETING - HOW TO STAY MOTIVATED (Article) - 9/13/2017 6:11:14 AM
An interesting way to look at how to improve book marketing. I have always been self disciplined when it comes to regular activities alone. I've found that it works best for me and my only regret is not being able to share many things that were so positive with others, like long walks at the nearby state park with amazing wildlife encounters until I couldn't walk anymore.
I recall going to Strength Unlimited for recovering spinal cord injury people. After struggling with going there, having a problem with where they made me park (too far from the gym) and even with a young guy that assisted me, still declining physically while exercising three times a week, I stopped going with my rehab doctor's approval.
I have neglected marketing and need to get back to a book I have on 99 ways to market my writing. For now I'm happy with small victories when it comes to getting my work accepted.
Ron
BUTT IN CHAIR – IT APPLIES TO EDITING, TOO (Article) - 8/15/2017 5:54:29 AM
While I prefer tutoring I taught at the graduate level for number of years in technical areas where writing was not the strong suit. Since I had so many years of English classes, I naturally picked up the rules of English and apply them to my friends' compositions even while in school. But when I began to teach and require papers, I graded and corrected as many as 90 to 120 papers/essays a week. I used a colored pen profusely, to many of my students' disdain.
I also learned the rules of academic publishing during my dissertation and was a stickler for form and format for many other documents having started out learning how to write a proper formal letter in typing class in my sophomore year of high school.
But, I make mistakes. The voice dictation system I use creates mistakes I never would make otherwise. I generally don't rewrite my work because my mind is organized enough so that my prose flows well and I don't have to go back and "fill in the gaps." I generally only go back to get my facts straight. Readers often remark about, "my excellent research." I have found a good proofer, but find that I have to reread and edit/proof my work about three times even before I post it here as a draft.
I don't find myself delaying editing or proofing because at that point I am very eager to publish and any delay in necessary rereading delays the publishing date. If anything, I speed up my work on the piece I'm working on.
Lately, however, I have picked up the habit of watching very badly written TV dramas and with some fakery, reality shows "on-demand," greatly cutting into my writing. Most of the writing for those is so trashy with fantasy, violence and idiocy that it's a relief to get back to my more, realistic writing.
Well, I had better get my butt in the chair and stop all this commenting on everybody else's work. ;-)
Ron
