The Life Cycle of a Blogger - Ten Stages

 

Wash Rinse Repeat
Photo by Bill Stilwell

So lately there have been a lot of posts about blogging fatigue, twitter promotion overload (here and here), and the state of blogging in general. Also, many bloggers seem to have hit the overwhelmed point and are either thinking of stopping altogether or doing some major readjusting. And as I read through these posts, I often found myself nodding my head because I share many of the sentiments.

 

I've been blogging for almost 2.5 years now and have been on twitter about a year and a half. That's a lot of posts (both writing and reading.) And there are some days where it's still totally fresh and exciting; there are others where I want to crawl in a cave and forget all of it. There are also days where I find myself rolling my eyes at the constant promotion some people do or the same topics for blogs getting recycled over and over again.

But I realized as I was reading everyone's posts that many of us are in a certain stage of our blogging careers. When you've done something for years, there are bound to be points where you feel burnt out or annoyed or totally overwhelmed. And you may vacillate back and forth between those stages.

But for those of us who maybe have hit the cynical stage, we need to remember that every day there are new writers and new bloggers entering the blogosphere. It's all new to them. So a post on not using adverbs may be the hundredth one you've seen, but it may be another writer's first. And it will be an epiphany for them.

It's kind of like high school. When you're a senior, you look at the freshman and think--wow, I can't believe they're getting excited over that. But when YOU were a freshman, you had that same enthusiasm because it was new to you.

So I think it's important to recognize that, like anything else, blogging/social networking is a cycle. We're going to find ourselves in different parts of it at different times.

 

The Life Cycle of a Blogger - 10 Stages

Image via Daily HaHa

1. Bright, shiny newness. 
OMG, look at all this information that's out there for FREE!!! And look at all these cool people who want to be writers too! I must follow everyone I meet and we're all going to be BFFs and I'll comment on all of my friends posts because I want to be supportive and want them to comment on mine. And this is going to be amazing!

 

Dog chillin' with red sunglasses
Photo by Rollan Budi

2. People are following me! I must be a totally killer, kickass blogger.
I must blog every day because people will wonder what happened to me otherwise and they won't be able to function in their day if they don't hear from me. They like me, they really like me.

 

 

 

3. Lucy in the candy factory.
Wow, it sure takes a lot of time to answer every comment and to visit every blog in my blog roll and leave a comment for them. And boy, my twitter feed is scrolling by at the speed of a CNN ticker. And crap, I need to write an apology post for not being a great blog friend and must promise to do better! *stares at unfinished manuscript*

 

 

Head in Hands
Photo via Alex E. Proimos

 

4. Breaking down.
I need to take a blog vacation or an unplugged week or go to Mexico for a month because I'm not getting anything done and there's all this PRESSURE to blog and build my platform.

 

panic

Photo by Nate Steiner

5. AHHH! Panic
Oh no, my Klout score has dropped and my follower numbers have stagnated. I'm barely getting comments! I must get back on the wagon because I must build my platform. But I don't know what to blog about anymore. I'm out of ideas. What am I going to do?

 

 

Crazy Sister

Photo by joseloya

6. Mania
I can do it all. Of course I can. I can be a parent and a spouse and a blogger and a writer and keep a clean house and pay my bills. Oh yeah, and write books and get published, because that was the point in the first place, right?

 

 Perfect.

photo via BaileyRaeWeaver

7. Screw it All
I'm quitting. Blogging doesn't sell books anyway--especially ones I don't have time to write--so why bother? I need to dedicate my life to my art and writing alone. I need no one! No one I tell you!

 

 

Pioneer Zephyr Train

Photo by Mr. T in DC

8. Reinvention/Streamlining
Okay, so maybe I do need someone. I miss my writer buddies. I'm going to redo my blog schedule. I'm going to take the pressure off myself. I'm going to talk about things that excite me. I'm going to stop apologizing for not being the "perfect" blogger or blogging friend.

 

EVERYTHING SUCKS!
Photo by Tim Pierce

9. Fatigue with a dash of cynicism
Why are the same posts being re-written over and over again. It's all been said before. And would people just stop freaking tweeting about their books and promoting themselves non-stop?! I want to stab everyone with a fork. My online world sounds like blah blah blah white noise.

 

 

Relax

Photo by Scarleth White

10. Finding the sweet spot 
I'm only going to do the online things I enjoy. I'm only going to read/interact/participate in the things I have time for and like doing. There are always people coming up with fresh content, I just have to be open to looking in new places. There is always something new to learn and a new friend to make.

 

I have to say I've probably stopped in at each of these stages at some point. I hang out at 6, 8, and 9 a little too often probably. :)

So how about you? Do you recognize yourself in any of these stages? Where are you at right now? Have any stages to add?

 


 

"Revved up and red-hot sexy, CRASH INTO YOU, delivers a riveting romance!" --Lorelei James, NY Times Bestselling author of the ROUGH RIDERS series

 

CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order!

Read an excerpt here.


 


All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

 

Fill-Me-In Friday

 


It's time for Fill-Me-In-Friday where I share my favorite links of the week. Hope you enjoy!
On Writing/Publishing:
The Dark Side of Metrics by Kristen Lamb
Get in Late, Get Out Early - A Writing Tip by Bryan Thomas Schmidt
Google Now Alerts for Books by The Digital Shift
QR Codes, The New Sexy by Jenny Hansen
Do Writers Need to Think About SEO? by Erin MacPherson (via Rachelle Gardner's blog)
How To Make Your Own Book Trailer by Jungle Red Writers
Just For Fun:
Yoga, Jersey Style by JM Randolph
Wendigisms compiled by Todd Moody 
What You May Have Missed Here:

by Sierra Godfrey
by Mina Khan
What You Missed on my Author Blog:

 
(even if you're an 80s purist like me)

Favorites from Tumblr this Week:
(for bigger pic, click here)
(for bigger pic, click here)
(for bigger, click here)
Alright, so those are my favorite links of the week, what were some of yours? 

Hope everyone has a fantastic Halloween!

 

 


 

 

"Hot and romantic, with an edge of suspense that will keep you entertained.” --Shayla Black, New York Times Bestselling author of SURRENDER TO ME

 

 

CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order!

Read an excerpt here.


 


All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

 

3 Tips for Writing Paranormals by Mina Khan

This week we have not just one but two guests! Feels a little strange because that means I'm not blogging on here except for Friday's round up. But when I have guests with great things to say, I can't resist! 
So today I'm welcoming back Mina Khan who is debuting Nov. 1 with Harlequin. Congrats, Mina!
Now, over to Mina...



3 Tips for Writing Paranormals
by Mina Khan

Hi all!Thank you Roni for having me over again!

I loveRoni’s thought-provoking blog posts that make me think and always teach mesomething new. So when she invited me blog here to celebrate my upcomingrelease – THE DJINN’S DILEMMA, available Nov. 1, I wanted to try and uphold herstandard.

I writeParanormal Erotic Romance because, well, that’s what I love to read.  I like a story that helps me escape the chaosof ordinary life (having kids, cats & dogs will do that) with itsparanormal elements, that brings together love and spicy sex for combustiblechemistry. Mmm, delicious!

So itsaddens me to hear predictions like the paranormals are on the way out,vampires are dead (actually, they are the undead…so there!) and the market isglutted, so new stories aren’t selling. Here’s what I believe: there’s alwaysroom for a good story with great characters.

The bestthing about being a paranormal writer is bringing to life the fantasticcreatures that haunt our dreams and live in the shadows of our psyche. Thehardest thing is bringing them alive in readers’ minds. Here are some tips Ipicked up in my writing journey:

1.       Look within you. You can assign thesame topic to five separate writers and end up with five very different storiesbecause people are individuals. We all bring our own brand of fears, secrets,desires, and experiences to the writing table. Use them and you will create newtwists and unique creatures. 
For my novella, THE DJINN’S DILEMMA,I delved into stories of djinns and ghosts from my Bengali childhood, broughtin my experience as a journalist in Texas, and added a liberal dash of what Ilove about men as a grown woman. J

2.       Yes, you’re writing monsters andcreatures, but make them real, almost flesh and blood.  I’m not saying they have to be human in anyphysical sense, but they have to be real and relatable for readers. Things Ilove about my hero Rukh O’Shay include his sense of humor and his take on life.When he hurt, I hurt. I actually cried when I wrote one scene toward the end.

3.       Have fun, stretch your imagination,and then make it plausible. Since this is your world, populated by yourcreatures, don’t limit yourself. Write what you want to write. Rukh, my djinnassassin, melts into shadows and controls air, he flies around all over Austinwithout an airplane, and he pops in on the heroine (the Texas journalist) inthe middle of a shower.  All completelyfun…and plausible within the context of the story.

As a writerI love letting my imagination run and play with crazy possibilities. Some daysI feel quite a bit like Dr. Frankenstein. How fun would it be to have a ghostwho’s scared of the dark or a super-model who turns into a hairy werewolf? So,if you were coming up with paranormal characters, what kind of specialcreatures would you create?


MinaKhan is a Texas-based writer and food enthusiast. She daydreams of hunkyparanormal heroes, magic, mayhem and mischief and writes them down as stories.Between stories, she teaches culinary classes and writes for her local newspaper.Other than that, she's raising a family of two children, two cats, two dogs anda husband.

You canfind her on facebook www.facebook.com/Mina.Khan.Author
or ontwitter @SpiceBites



The Djinn's Dilemma will be available Nov. 1 from HarlequinNocturne’s Cravings line.
Blurb: Rukh O'Shay,half-djinn and assassin, is used to taking out the bad guys. But his latestassignment, Texas Journalist Sarah White, is nothing like he expected. Aglimpse of her bright aura reveals her gentle spirit, while her beauty makeshim long for only one thing—to taste her.
Sarah sharesthe raw desire to connect with Rukh. He can turn her on with a glance, andsatisfies needs she didn't even know she had.
But Rukh hadbeen hired to kill her—and the only way to save her is to find out who wantsher dead before someone else finishes the job….


"Revved up and red-hot sexy, CRASH INTO YOU, delivers a riveting romance!" --Lorelei James, NY Times Bestselling author of the ROUGH RIDERS series

CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order!
Read an excerpt here.


All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

Is It Chick Lit or Women's Fiction? An Agent Answers by Sierra Godfrey


Welcome to genre Monday! Ever wonder what kind of books fall under women's fiction? Have questions about chick lit? Today guest contributor, Sierra Godfrey, interviews my lovely agent Sara Megibow and gets us some answers.

Chick Lit vs. Women’sFiction
by Sierra Godfrey

I write women’s fiction—or what I think of aswomen’s fiction—even though most people, including my husband, think of it aschick lit. Many women’s fiction writers are particular about what people calltheir genre, because it matters to the publishing industry. We have heard chicklist no longer sells. We’ve heard editors are looking for upmarket women’sfiction. We think what you call it in a query matters. Or does it?

In my RWAWomen’s Fiction special interest chapter, one of our members definedwomen’s fiction as the story of a woman on a journey. But if my protagonist isa 22 year old woman who is searching for her sense of self, would it beclassified as chick lit? What if upped her age to 36? What if the storyfeatures none of the stereotypical elements of chick lit like martinis, a city,and shoes? Similarly, if I write a story about a 32 year old woman on a journeythat leads her to save herself, that might be women's fiction--but is it stillwomen’s fic if I nudge her age to 21? How much does age have to do with genre?

I asked Roni’s agent, Sara Megibow at Nelson Lit, whorepresents women’s fiction. She had some great—and surprising answers.

Chicklit is selling Sara says not only is chick list selling, but thatshe would never discount a submission based on concept. Sara’s method involvesreading and evaluating submissions based on quality of writing—and looking atthe elements of a book and choose editors whose imprints are producing similarkinds of works. She said, “To that end, Ballantine Bantam Dell produces booksby Sarah Addison Allen, which I would consider solidly women's fiction.Meanwhile, Broadway - another imprint of Random House -produces THE DEVIL WEARSPRADA which I would consider chick lit.”

Knowwhere your book rests The job of the author, Sara said, is towrite the best book possible.
But you should have a general understanding of where theirbook would rest on the bookshelf in a store. But that’s it. The agent is theone who should really be familiar with the different editors, imprints, andhouses.

There isan age-range, but… Sara clarified something I saw her say in asummer issue of my RWA women’s fic chapter newsletter (RWA is a fantasticresource!). Ages do influence genre, but story elements matter. Sara said thata submission about a woman who is learning about life after college, whose daysare filled with the first job, dating, money, apartments, martinis, clothes andboys is a chick lit story. “These submissions are almost entirely ones in whichthe heroine is 22-35ish and she has the only POV (or maybe an alternating POVwith the hero). There can be a happy ending, although there doesn't have tobe.”

Meanwhile, for Sara a submission about a woman who is 35to 55ish is women's fiction. “These stories are about family, marriage, midlife crises, divorce, health and health problems (life REAL LIFE AND LIARS byKristina Riggle). Similarly, the story is in the heroine's POV or maybealternating POVs and the ending can be happy but doesn't have to be.”

But, Sara, said, “If the book is about a mature womandealing with life issues - marriage, health, career, family, children, but thatwoman is,
24 years old, I would still shop it as women's fiction.Then, I would troll through my database and choose editors looking forcommercial women's fiction. If, however, that 24 year old woman is spendingmost of the narrative talking martinis and dating, I would choose chick liteditors.”

Justwrite the book of your heart As Sara pointed out, trying to writeto genre is tough. I certainly have discovered this with a story about a 32year old woman who is learning about life – a late bloomer. I struggled a longtime with whether it would be chick lit or women’s fiction and finally decidedit fell more on the women’s fiction side. I questioned whether I should bewriting it at all. In the end, I came to the conclusion that echoes what Sarasays:
“Honestly, the only thing for a writer to do is write thebook of their heart….If the book is about a mature 24 year old and it's women'sfiction, then it's women's fiction regardless of age. Likewise I could see a 40year old woman partying, dating and etc and sell it as chick lit. A savvyauthor will look at titles on the shelves and see where their book might fit.If that author imagines a pretty pink cover with cutesy pictures on the front,then it's chick lit. If the author imagines a more complex, deeper cover indarker tones and maybe even in trade paperback or hard cover it's likelywomen's fiction.”

Thanks so much to Sara Megibow for taking the time toanswer my questions.

So what would YOU classify as chick lit and women'sfiction? If you write either, how do you feel about the the aboveclassifications? Does genre matter to you?

My recommended read for this month is Samuel Park’s" This Burns My Heart, which is probably commercial fiction, but easilywomen’s fiction. It deals with a protagonist who starts young and grows throughlife into her 30s and 40s. It deals with marriage, love, duty, and sacrifice.It’s a gorgeous story with a wonderful female protagonist who will stay with mefor a long time.

Sierra Godfrey writes stories about women who grow fromthe choices they face—and get the guy at the end. She's amember of RWA and RWA-WF, the women's fiction special interest chapter andworks as a freelance writer and designer. Visit Sierra at her blogor on Twitter.







“...a sexy, sizzling tale that is sure to have readers begging for more!" –Jo Davis, author of I SPY A DARK OBSESSION

CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order!
Read an excerpt here.


All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

Fill-Me-In Friday

 

I've been visiting family in New Orleans this week and haven't gotten very much computer time so today's links list will be short but still awesome.
Master the Craft of Writing by Rachelle Gardner
and on the same topic...Numbers Are Our Friends and the Wild World of Metrics by Kristen Lamb
What You Missed on the Author Blog:

 

What You May Have Missed Here:

 
by Suzanne Johnson
Favorite Tumblr of the Week:
VIDEO: Joe Manganiello accepts an award, remembers to thank the author, and GROWLS. 

Alright, that's what I loved this week. What great links did I miss while I was out of town? Fill me in via the comments. :) Have a great weekend!



"Hot and romantic, with an edge of suspense that will keep you entertained.” --Shayla Black, New York Times Bestselling author of SURRENDER TO ME

 

 

CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order!

Read an excerpt here.



All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

 

Killing the Mystique: Can You Know Too Much About Your Favorite Authors?

Last night I was reading this fabulous post over at Dear Author on Three Must Haves for Author Websites. The tips were great, but what was even better was reading all the comments from readers on what they liked and hated about author websites.

Interestingly enough, not many commenters mentioned anything about author blogs.  Most were more concerned with having a user friendly site and easily finding book information. It really was all about the books--that was there main focus.

One commenter even said that she doesn't like to have the blog on the first page because she avoids blogs--reading the author's blog ruins the book experience for her. 0.0

Now I don't know if anyone else out there feels that way, but it did get me to thinking--at what point does our open-book online presence affect a person's reading experience? Having our lives and personality so easily accessible does kind of reveal the wizard behind the curtain a bit.

It used to be that we could imagine what we want about our favorite authors, just learning about them from the occasional article or interview. So we could picture that horror writer living in some old, spirit-filled house and typing away his manuscripts in a half-lit attic. We could weave our own image that matched the type of books they wrote.

Now instead we can hear about how that super scary horror writer spent his weekend taking a cake decorating class. It's real, but it does take away some of the mystique. (Kind of like when Ozzy Osbourne got a reality show. Or when Britney Spears actually started talking to the media without her people telling her what to say.)

But beyond that, I think the bigger concern may be that we can, in essence, create a new kind of "author intrusion." I covered traditional author intrusion in your writing here, but what I mean in his case is--you know so much about an author by following them that when you read their books, you *feel* the author's presence there and it pulls you out of the story.

For instance, a romance author tweets "I wish I could eat M&M's off Joe Manganiello's abs." (A valid wish, I might add.) But then you read her book a few months later, and her heroine is eating candy off the hero's stomach. Your mind is automatically going to scream "AUTHOR is here!" and it can yank you out of the story's world. Now, some people may not mind. It might be like a little inside joke--you know something another reader who doesn't "know" the author does. But it can go either way.

I don't think it's something we need to stress out about. But it does make a case for not venturing into TMI territory with your online presence. I definitely don't want to be reading a love scene in a book and thinking that the author is writing an autobiographical scene, lol. That definitely will pull me out of a story. *awkward*

I'm okay with sacrificing the mystique because the result is that you get to know an author and see that they're a real person. But there are also times when I wish I didn't know so much.

This is why when I went to a 30 Seconds to Mars concert and they were signing autographs in the lobby after the show, I didn't want to go meet them. My husband could not understand it. He was like--but you have this ridiculous crush on Jared Leto, don't you want to meet him? And I'm like--no, I don't want to ruin the fantasy image in my head. Of course, hubs then says: "This is because you don't want to truly accept that he's shorter than you, isn't it?"

Word.

But what do you think? Do you like knowing everything about your favorite authors? Have you ever been disappointed when you found out you really didn't "like" the author once you got to "know" them online? Do you sometimes miss the mystique? And have you ever had one of those moments reading a book where you felt the author standing there in the pages?

5 Tips For Not Screwing Up Your Character's Name by Suzanne Johnson

It's genre Monday and today Suzanne Johnson is going to cover a topic I seem to always have trouble with--naming characters in a way that isn't confusing, redundant, or just plain wrong.

For the record, these tips also apply to naming your children. :)

Take it away Suzanne...

Hello, my name is anonymous

Photo by quinn.anya

 5 Tips for Naming Your Character (aka I Screw Up So You Don’t Have To)

I’m in the throes of writing the third book in my upcoming urban fantasy series, and have spent the last hour looking at a key scene involving my heroine and a regent (think: big boss) vampire who might or might not be a murderous necromancer. So far, the vampire’s name is VAMPIRE. Catchy, eh?

Names are no different for paranormals than for romance—or any other kind of fiction. They have power. They resonate (we hope in a good or bad way, depending on the character) with readers. Sometimes we struggle to find them, and sometimes they come to us unbidden. They are important, in other words. And if we are writing series....we’re going to be stuck with them for what we hope is a very long time.

So here are a few lessons about character names I’ve learned the hard way. Think of it as “Suzanne screws up...so you don’t have to.”

The cardinal rule: LOVE the name because you never know how long you might be stuck with it.
I’m like most writers, I suspect, in using a hodgepodge of methods to come up with names. My heroine—technically the only character in my series who cannot be killed—is Drusilla Jane Jaco. What a horrific name for a young, cute blonde wizard, in retrospect. When I started the first book in the series in 2008, I thought naming her after my great-great grandmother would be fun. A little in-joke between me and, well, me. Three books later, I’m tired of finding new ways to explain how she goes by DJ and was named after great-aunt Dru and hates her name blah blah blah, because that has to be done in Every. Single. Book.

Just because Charlaine Harris got away with it doesn’t mean you should try.
Just as you don’t want names that are uber-pretentious (Lord Ar’guth’nirz) or unpronounceable (Cthulhu), you also don’t want names so plain they put your readers to sleep. In one of my manuscripts, Beth Harris was Beth Harris for 93,000 words...until I realized she was bland and vapid, and her name proved it (my apologies to any of you named Beth Harris). The exception to this rule is if your own name is Charlaine Harris. In her ridiculously popular Sookie series (technically, the Southern Vampire series, from which HBO made “True Blood”), Harris planted tongue firmly in cheek and gave the well-endowed Sookie the surname of Stackhouse. Her vampires were Bill and Eric (again tongue in cheek...Eric, who was a Viking when he was turned vampire, uses the last name Northman). But still, I wonder, now that the series has reached book number twelve or something like that, if Ms. Harris ever wishes Bill were named...Jackson, or something un-Bill-like.

Want a really cool name for your character? Use surnames. There are several good online databases of surnames, even broken down by country. One of my own favorite characters is named Mirren. And yes, he was named after Helen Mirren (but don’t tell him since he’s a big macho alpha male and would feel emasculated. I’ve managed to keep that secret from him so far).

Use a name that’s pronounced like it’s spelled.

Just for your own peace of mind. I love my merman twins Rene and Robert Delachaise and their daddy Toussaint, but I know people are going to pronounce their names wrong unless they’re from South Louisiana. It really doesn’t matter except that I like their names with the correct pronunciation: “Renny” and “Row-bear” and “Too-sont” “Della-shay.” So if I’m the only one who enjoys the way a name sounds tripping off the tongue, isn’t that kind of like a tree falling in the woods with no one to hear?
Check your history.

This is a lesson most applicable to writers of historicals or paranormals. Poor, dull Beth Harris’ love interest in my paranormal romance was a 400-year-old Irish vampire named Galen, born in 1570 in the area near Kinsale and turned vampire when he was in his early 30s. I loved Galen Murphy. He was Galen for months and months...until a savvy beta reader, damn her, did a little research and pointed out gleefully that the name Galen was not in use in Ireland in 1600—in fact, it didn’t make it there until the 1800s. So Galen bit the dust, replaced by Aodhan, a fine bit of Gaelic that today is Aidan. But he’ll always be Galen to me.

Variety is good.

Look at your cast of characters as a whole and make sure there aren’t similar names. Not starting with the same letter, certainly, but also not all hard consonant sounds or soft vowel sounds. Did I follow this advice? Of course not. It’s why, three books into my series, I still have major characters named Jean and Jake. Never mind that Jean is an undead French pirate and Jake is a honey-tongued devil from Picayune, Mississippi, who owns a Bourbon Street bar. Jean and Jake; Jake and Jean—and throw in DJ, just so we’ll have another J going. And remember Aidan, who replaced Galen? His brother’s name is Owen. Aidan and Owen. Owen and Aidan. Vowels. So confusing. Don’t do it.
So, there you have it. Now, I’m still looking at my new vampire, who has to compete on the playing field with DJ, Jake, Jean, and Alex (my only character with the good sense to take a unique, likeable, pronounceable name). Perhaps Adam? No....

In honor of names, my recommended read this month is Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows, Book 1)
, a funny, sexy urban fantasy by Kim Harrison and the first in her long-running Hollows series. In it, you’ll find Rachel, Ivy, Trent, Jenks, Kisten, and Al. (AL, you might ask? Well, yeah, he’s a demon and it’s short for Algaliarept.)
 

 





What’s been your most problematic character name?

 

Suzanne Johnson is an author of urban fantasy “with romantic elements.” Her first book, Royal Street, a magic-based fantasy set in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina, will be released by Tor Books on April 10, 2012. Two more in the series will be released in Fall 2012 and Spring 2013. Find Suzanne online at her Preternatura blog, or read about her books at her website.

*Look for more from Suzanne here every 3rd Monday of the month!

 

 

 


“...a sexy, sizzling tale that is sure to have readers begging for more!" –Jo Davis, author of I SPY A DARK OBSESSION

 

 

CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order!

Read an excerpt here.



All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

 

Fill-Me-In Friday

 

Woo-hoo, it's Friday! Time for a round-up of the most fantabulous writing (and just for fun) links of the week!
On Blogging:
First, everyone (including me) was abuzz about blogging these last two weeks, so here's a sampling of those posts:
I Am Tired of Blogging by Natalie Whipple
Now a few others related to blogging...
On Group Blogging by Elizabeth S. Craig
Is Blog Fatigue on the Rise? by Nathan Bransford
How to Use StumbleUpon by Lorie Huston
On Writing and Publishing:
A Time to Kill...Your Novel by Marcus Brotherton on Rachelle Gardner's blog
Tips of Marketing Your Novel at Adventures in Agentland
Standing on My Skyscraper Eating Some Crow by Roxanne St. Clair (her experience using Candace Havens' fast draft method.)
Type Hard, Type Fast by James Scott Bell  (This and the previous two links above are really convincing me that I need to give this fast draft thing a try.)
For Gits and Shiggles:
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dip (Food P0rn at its best. Someone try this and tell me if it's as delicious as it looks.)
Wedding Photos + Zombies via Badass Digest (These are great, dorky in the best way.)

 

 


What You May Have Missed Here:

 

 

What You May Have Missed on the Author Blog:

Favorite Tumblr Pics of the Week:
for larger pic click here
for bigger pic, click here
AND WINNER OF JODY'S BOOK FROM MONDAY'S CONTEST IS...Leona Bushman! Congrats

 

Alright, those are my picks for the week, what are some of your faves this week? And I'd love to hear feedback on this feature. I know it's not a comment-inducing post, so it's hard for me to judge if you like this round up each week or not. So let me know in the comments (or by clicking the like thumbs up/down button in the top left corner of the comments section.) Just want to know if y'all find this helpful or not. :)

Have a great weekend! 


 

 

 


"Hot and romantic, with an edge of suspense that will keep you entertained.” --Shayla Black, New York Times Bestselling author of SURRENDER TO ME

 

 

 

CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order!

Read an excerpt here.



All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

 

The Post In Which I Rant About Blogging, Platforms,and the Pressure on Writers

Typically, I am not one to rant. I'm a pretty easy-going, live-and-let-live kinda girl. But this past week, I was pushed a bit to the brink with this whole author blog thing.

I wrote this post last Friday and since then, the lovely Anne R. Allen has tackled the same topic, so I suggest you read her post as well because I'm going to attempt to not be redundant and to come at it from a different angle.

*Warning: This is a ridiculously long post. I apologize in advance. Grab a cup of coffee and a pastry in case you get peckish halfway through.*

Writers are under a lot of pressure to build their platform. We talk about it ad nauseam here and there are posts everywhere you turn in the writing blogosphere. When I read those posts, I try to pull out the tidbits that may help me and let the rest roll off my back.

But lately, it seems like the noise of what we should and should not do is becoming not just loud but cacophonous, contradictory, and oftentimes, unrealistic in my opinion.

Luckily Agent Sara and my lovely editor are perfectly happy with my web presence and never put pressure on me to do any of it. But this doesn't mean I don't put pressure on myself. And I know many of you out there are doing the same.

So let's look at what's being said as of late about blogging...

1. "Writers should not blog about writing." 

Okay, first Kristen Lamb said it and I understand where she's coming from--you want to reach readers, not just writers. Then Janet Reid said it because she thinks writing about writing makes for a "boring" blog. (From Twitter: booooring. your website is about your finished writing, not your process. Its like watching sausage being made: nooooo")

My reaction: I GET it. I understand why it behooves us to have a broader audience than just writers. This is why I bought Kristen's book and started my separate author blog. But I disagree that blogging about writing is boring and something that should be frowned upon. Anything can be boring if done the wrong way. Also, I think for the writer just sticking their toe in the blogging waters, writing about writing and getting connected to the online writer community are not bad things. It can help you find your blogging voice and build a support network. Then you can gain the confidence to experiment to branch out and expand your topics.

So I trudge along with my "shouldn't be doing it" writing blog and my "more for readers" author blog. I'm not on the ledge yet. I'm doing alright.

Then...

2. There's that post by Wendy Lawton that inspired my Is Blogging Dead? post where she says that blogging may not be worth the time because the blogosphere is glutted and it's going to be impossible to stand out.

My reaction: You can read my full post, but basically, I think if you love blogging, do it. If you think it's going to put you on the NYT Bestseller list, you're probably going to be disappointed. I see fellow authors all the time who've built significant online presences, but I don't see there names rocketing to the bestseller list because of it. I'm sure it doesn't hurt their sales, but you have to think realistically. Even if you have 5000 blog followers and EVERY one of them bought your book--which believe me, will not happen, maybe 5-10% will. You're still not going to make any major list (unless those 5k people bought your book all in the same week--also not likely.)

So off I go, still typing my little blogging heart away, but being realistic. Then...

3. People start talking about what kind of stats you should be getting to be considered a decent blog by NY Publishers.

Agent Rachelle Gardner puts out the statistic that a blog should get about 15k hits a month to be considered good. Then Meghan Ward hears from agent Andy Ross that 100k hits is where it needs to be to get attention and an editor says less than that, but 10k Twitter followers is a good range. So Meghan's research reveals somewhere around 30k hits is what they want us shooting for.

My reaction: *jaw drop * *rant starts boiling within me*  I respect all of these agents who are giving this information. However, this is a seriously intimidating bar to set for people. In summary: Blog, but not about writing, and only if you can get a crap ton of hits, otherwise don't bother because it's worthless. 0_o

This blog, which I think most would consider respectably successful (including my own agent who is totally excited by my numbers), has taken me two years and 500 posts to build. I have roughly 2k followers when you combine RSS and google connect. I definitely don't get 30k hits a month. Not even close to any of those numbers thrown out above.

And 10k Twitter followers? You know how you get 10k twitter followers easy peasy? You go follow 10k people. The number of twitter followers can be completely misleading. People who follow everybody and their daddy will get people following back. But are they engaging with you? And are you going to be able to engage with all those people in a genuine manner if you're following everyone just to get your numbers up? It becomes a meaningless number. (Read Kristen's Having the Right Friends for more on that.)

So after all of this piled up in my brain, here is what I wanted to shout at the heavens: "I am not a blogger who writes. I am a WRITER WHO BLOGS!" *insert expletives that aren't appropriate for this blog*

My main goal is not to become one of the uber blogs that gets 100k hits a month. People who are doing that are BLOGGERS. That is their job. MY job is to write books that people are going to want to buy. My blog and twittering and everything else are accoutrements to that goal. If I wanted to be a blogger for a living, I would've gone and worked toward that.

So I'm begging those out there to take the pressure off of writers.

Yes, blogging and social networking are great tools for your platform. Even though, frankly, the jury is still out on whether it actually sells any significant amount of books. (Check out this post on the supposed uber blogger/writers that Anne linked to in her post.) There will always be "break out" cases and hopefully some of us become one, but the reason why people always say Seth Godin, Neil Gaiman, Konrath, etc. is because there are so few who actually reach that level with an online presence. For every one of them, there are thousands who blog and network their little hearts out and go completely unnoticed.

And yes, blogging about something other than writing will give your readers variety. But almost every "big time' author who regularly blogs, blogs about writing sometimes. Readers like to hear the behind the scenes on occasion. So you don't have to cut it out cold turkey.

And honestly, post-publication, readers go to author blogs to get to know you better. Writing is obviously part of who you are, so why not include some of that along with other things you're interested in.

Niche blogs do the best hits wise (i.e. blogs on cooking or celebrity gossip or crafts), but listen--once you are a published author, YOU are the niche. YOU. Readers aren't coming to you to learn how to scrapbook or play checkers (unless you write books about those things.) They want to know about topics related to your books and you as a person.

This idea that you're going to build some crazy big blog and people are going to flock to it for tips on playing tiddlywinks and think--ooh, look, she's a paranormal romance writer too, I'm going to go buy her book!--is unrealistic in my opinion for fiction writers (non-fic is a whole other animal). If you are not blogging about something that is related to the kinds of books you write, the two dots are not going to connect. I could build a cute puppy pics site, but it's not going to make people want to buy my erotic romance.

And even if it's related, it still may fall flat. I enjoy reading historical romances. But I do not have any particular interest in learning facts about the Victorian period. So if you make your blog about that, I'm not going to be interested. You've gone too niche-y. So try to think of things that are appealing to a broad group of readers. Meg Cabot has a great blog. It's just her using her voice to talk about whatever. And it works because she's an established author and people seek her out--then they see her blog is interesting too, so they stick around.

As for those numbers thrown out there, the only reason you'd need a blog with 100k followers pre-publication is if you want to get a book deal BASED on your blog like that Julia Child book/movie. And your chances of that happening are about the same as striking oil in your backyard. I doubt that's what most of us are going for.

In my humble opinion, here is what a writer should be focused on...

1. Write the best damn books you can (duh). Because ultimately, that's what's going to give you a lasting career and draw people to you.

2. Build an online presence that is meaningful to you and that you get excited about. 

3. Blog about what you want but try to find things that you think will appeal to your target audience. If you're passionate about whatever it is, that will come through and people will want to read it. You are introducing people to yourself and your voice first, the topic is secondary.

4. Do not obsess on the number of followers and hits. It's about building engagement with others NOT about a statistic that may or may not be meaningful. (There are even authors like Natalie Whipple who are so frustrated with that focus on numbers that they are deleting their follower gadget.)

5. Be visible to readers  -- get book bloggers to review you, do interviews, hang out in forums. Don't just stick in the little writing corner of the the world.

6. Genuinely engage with others. Be helpful, be funny, be entertaining--whatever works best for you. A thousand engaged followers is way more valuable than 10k strangers.

7. Decide if you want to be a writer who blogs or a blogger who writes. Big difference. We only have so much time and creative energy in a day, where do you want to channel the majority of yours?

Which path do you think is going to be more likely to lead you to a book deal or writing success?

Spending the majority of your work time writing and honing your craft, while doing social networking and blogging in between?

Or, spending all your time building a mega blog and hoping New York will notice you?

I'm putting my money in the first basket for 99% of cases.

So I'm here to tell you, fellow scribes, to give yourself a break. Stop stressing. My publisher didn't even ask about my blog when they gave me a book deal. As long as I have a website and they know I'm on the social networks, they're fine. They are much more concerned about me writing great books and making deadlines.

And my small potatoes writing blog has gotten me a lot of opportunities. I've been invited to speak for groups without even having a book to sell yet. I've been blessed to meet all kinds of people who are willing to promote me without me asking. I've had people recognize my name who I had no idea were even aware of me.

Will it help me sell books? *shrug* Maybe, maybe not. But I wouldn't go back and change it. The people I've met through blogging have made this more than worth the effort. Maybe I'm doing it all wrong, but it's working for me.

That's not to say that I'm not always striving to do better and that I wouldn't love to get those crazy number of blog hits at some point, but that is not what is going to keep me up at night. I've got enough sleepless nights with my characters chattering at me, thankyouverymuch.

*end rant*

So has any of the recent blogging advice gotten you all stabby? What frustrates you the most about the advice out there? What have you found most helpful? What do you want your blog to be? And do you think blogs sell books?

Why No Sex Doesn't Mean No Tension by Author Jody Hedlund

Today I have the super fabulous Jody Hedlund with us. Jody is one of my favorite bloggers to read and is just an all around lovely person. I feel like I learn something every time I stop by her site.


And today she's going to talk to use about something I have no expertise in--writing romance with *gasp* no sexy scenes. :)  I love this topic because it shows how wonderful and diverse the romance genre is. There truly is something for everyone.


AND make sure and leave a comment WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS because Jody is giving away a copy of her newest release, The Doctor's Lady, to one lucky winner!


So without further ado, take it away Jody...




Are Sweet Romances Boring?

Does including sex in your romance novel help it to sell better?

There are those that might argue that, “Yes, sex sells.” And to some degree, that’s true. Why else would commercials use scantily-clad Victoria Secret-like models to sell everything from chewing gum to dish soap?

Okay. So I might be exaggerating just a tiny bit. But the point is that even in the book world, readers are attracted to covers with beautiful women who have lush bosoms and bare-chested men with sculpted abs.

But what about the sweet romances, books like mine, that have demure women on the front (literally covered from head to toe), and usually have limited (if any) sex in them? How do they sell? You might be asking, do they even sell at all?

My first book, The Preacher’s Bride (debuted in 2010), had to do with Puritans in England in the 1600’s. So even things like kissing and touching were fairly taboo. After my main characters get married, I depict them on their wedding night, sharing an intimate moment alone in their small house. But . . . I end the scene before they head to the bedroom.

Does that make my book boring?

Well, most of those who’ve read my book so far don’t seem to think so. In fact, my book has made the CBA best-seller list a couple of different times and has garnered first place in RWA’s Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award and Award of Excellence.

Could my debut book have done even better though, if I’d thrown in a little sex?

I don’t think so, and here are three reasons why:


1. I’m writing for a niche market.

My publisher, Bethany House (a division of Baker Books), specifically targets readers of religious fiction. A reader who picks up a book with a Bethany House logo has certain expectations about the book, including that it contain some spiritual themes, and that it won’t have explicit sexual content.

In the editing of my book, my publisher has asked me many times to tone down especially passionate kissing scenes, because too much intimacy could alienate readers who expect a sweet romance when they open up a Bethany House book.  I realized those expectations going in to my contract, and even though I tend to push the boundaries every now and then, I respect the standards of my readers.

2. Diversity within the romance genre is important.

Roni and I are at the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to sex in our romances. While mine have none, hers are so hot the words sizzle off the pages. But the diversity between our books and within the romance genre is reflective of the diversity of life, the varying tastes people have in their reading, and their own personal preferences.
If writers were all trying to hit the “middle group” we’d leave out some readers who like more and some who like less. Besides, if we were all writing the same thing, our books and lives would end up being boring replicas.

3. Your characters don’t need to have sex in order to develop sexual tension.

What makes a story riveting and enjoyable isn’t necessarily the amount of sex it has in it. Instead, one of the key factors in making a captivating romance is how the author develops the sexual and romantic tension.
I like stories best that keep tightening the relational tension—that enigmatic push and pull between the hero and heroine. The two continually grow more attracted to each other, but the obstacles keep growing too. Their passion is igniting, but insurmountable conflict keeps them apart.

Developing an intense emotional relationship, creating flirtatious and fun banter, and the tender building up of intimacy—those are the things that make a romance truly satisfying.

In fact, one reader said this about my new release, The Doctor’s Lady: “For a story with no sex scenes, you have some very sexy moments in there. Love that.”

What do you think? Do romances need to have sex in order to sell well? Have you tried a sweet (sexless) romance? Were you bored?


And don't forget to leave a comment and your email address to be entered to win a copy of The Doctor's Lady!

©Jody Hedlund, 2011

Jody Hedlund is an award-winning historical romance novelist and author of the best-selling book, The Preacher's Bride. She received a bachelor’s degree from Taylor University and a master’s from the University of Wisconsin, both in Social Work. Currently she makes her home in Michigan with her husband and five busy children. Her second book, The Doctor’s Lady released in September 2011.







CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order!
Read an excerpt here.


All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

How I Built My Platform and What I'd Do Differently


Hey guys, I've been interviewed over at Laura Barnes' blog for Savvy Sensation Saturday about building an online presences, social networking, and what's worked and failed for me. I'd love for y'all to stop by and say hi!

Hope everyone has a great Saturday!



“...a sexy, sizzling tale that is sure to have readers begging for more!" –Jo Davis, author of I SPY A DARK OBSESSION

CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order!
Read an excerpt here.


All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

Fill-Me-In Friday

 


Hope everyone had a fantastic week! I'm *thisclose* to finishing the draft of my novella, so I'm thrilled about that. Now in case you've been busy as well, here's the weekly roundup of the best stuff I've come across on the web this week.

 

On Writing and Publishing:

Is Blogging A Waste of Time? by Meghan Ward

Yes, Authors, You Can Respond to Negative Reviews (with hilarious illustrations) by the League of Reluctant Adults

Up the Wattage: Highlighting Your Books and Byline at Cynsations

10 Things You Should be Doing Right Now by Janet Reid--which turned out to be a bit of a controversial post and inspired "kool-aid" responses like...

Jami Gold's How To Avoid the Publishing Kool-Aid

And another related one by Chuck Wendig: The Publishing Cart Before the Storytelling Horse (BEST post of the week IMO.)

Tips for Twitter by Lauren Dane in which she makes this great point: "when you retweet (RT) an entire list of @ from a #FF (Follow Friday) just to say thank you – this ends up in the feeds of EVERY SINGLE PERSON who was in the original #FF tweet. This happens over and over and it’s getting worse. What this means is that even if I don’t follow you, you’re messing with MY feed"

10 Rules for Twitter Success by BookEnds

8 Ways to Grow Your Social Media Footprint by Jenny Hansen

10 Tidbits About Author Platform by Rachelle Gardner (though I do disagree that for an author blog to be worthwhile it needs 15k hits a month. That's a little high IMO.)

25 Insights on Becoming a Better Writer on The 99 Percent

25 Ways to Stay Creative by Moby Picture

Body Language - Reading Signs and Gestures at Learn, Think, Inspire

Build Your Name and Brand Through Networking (great list of sites to network on) by Curiosity Quills

The Secrets I Don't Tell You by Tawna Fenske (on balancing how much of your personal life you share
online)

Just for Gits and Shiggles:

T-Shirts with Classic Book Themes  at Out of Print Clothing

Top 100 Best Movies of All Time by Lifed

How To Read More: A Lover's Guide at Zen Habits

25 Pictures Taken at Exactly the Right Moment at Buzzfeed

20 Sexy Advertising Campaigns at DeMilked

20 Cool Home Library Design Ideas by Shelterness

Celebrities that Could Be Twins by Faithfully Frugal

Awesomely Creative Celebrity Photos

What You May Have Missed on my Author Blog:

 


What You May Have Missed Here:

My Favorite Tumblr Post of the Week:
For a bigger pic, click here


Okay, so those are my picks for the week? What are some of yours? Fill me in via the comments. And have a great weekend!

 

 



"Hot and romantic, with an edge of suspense that will keep you entertained.” --Shayla Black, New York Times Bestselling author of SURRENDER TO ME

 

 

CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order!

Read an excerpt here.



All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

 

Don't Be a Poser: Write What You Love

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of hearing author Tracy Wolff speak at my local RWA meeting. Her talk was about finding your place in the market. I figured the talk would be about what's hot, what's not, if you should go traditional or indie, that kind of thing. And she did discuss some of that.

But really, what the talk ended up being about and what I took from it was that you have to write what you love and what speaks to you.

Well, duh? Right.

Not really, actually. Tracy talked about how her debut book, a sexy, suspenseful romance, was the one that got her the first book deal. However, instead of it being bought as a sexy romance, the publisher wanted her to amp it up a bit to fit in the erotic romantic suspense genre. She agreed to that and got a multi-book deal, which meant she signed up to write more erotic romances.

However, she discovered that erotic romance wasn't really what came naturally to her or her style of writing. So she wrote her books and they didn't do as well as she'd hoped. After that, she moved on to write Harlequins, a paranormal series under a new name, and young adult. And she found her place in those genres and the books are doing well.

Now you may be thinking--oh, I know what I'm writing and it's what I love. Yeah, but what happens if an agent or publisher asks you to change that? 

When Sara signed me, she originally wanted me to dial up the suspense in my romance so that it was more erotic romantic suspense than contemporary erotic romance. I readily agreed to that because a) I loved Sara and liked the vision she had and b) I thought--sure, I can do that. I love suspense.

Yeah, well, I did it. I changed some things, pumped up the suspense, sent it back to Sara. And promptly got a  note from her basically saying in her very nice way--this isn't working, let's call a do-over. :)

What it came down to is that I am a character-driven writer whose main focus is the romance. I put suspense in my stories, but it is a subplot. My heart is with the romance and that showed when I tried to change the book into something different. Sara, luckily, recognized that and set me to rights. We did another major edit and brought the story's central focus solidly on the couple and my heroine's journey. Then we went on submission and the rest is history.

So, back to my point about not inadvertently becoming a poser. There are always going to be things that may be selling better than others. For instance, erotic romance sells well. So many times you see someone who prefers to write sweet romance or straight up suspense or whatever jump into that pool because there is a demand for it. But you know what often happens with that? The stories fall flat.

I can almost *feel* it when I'm reading an erotic romance by someone who is not totally comfortable in the genre. There are sex scenes that seem forced (not in a rape-y way, forced meaning they don't belong in that part of the story.) There's language (and dirty talk) that doesn't come across as authentic. In the BDSM subgenre, you see mistakes that show that the author hasn't done their research into that lifestyle. It doesn't work.

I write erotic romance because it's what I love to read, because it's the type of stories that come (*snicker*) to me. I also love young adult and read a lot in that genre. The first book I wrote was YA, and I haven't ruled out trying my hand at again one day. But say, high fantasy stories became super hot and trendy. I wouldn't be able to write one of those to save my life. I don't read them, I've never watched Lord of the Rings (I can hear the collective gasp on that one), it's not my thing. Even if I did all the research I could, my story would not be authentic.

So try to find the balance between writing a story that you think will sell with writing the story that you are passionate about. Your reader will feel that passion (and will be able to spot the lack thereof if it's not there.)

Have you ever found yourself tempted to write something "trendy" because you think it will give you a better chance? Have you ever read a book where you can tell the author isn't really a fit for the genre?

Why Self-Promotion Shouldn't Be a Dirty Word

Okay, so today I'm talking about something that I've touched on briefly before on my author blog, but after reading this post by the lovely and talented Lydia Sharp (who you should all follow on Twitter because she tweets some of the best stuff for writers), I thought I would expand on it here.

Lydia's post is about how we'll always need blogs for writers, which I agree with. I don't know where I'd be if I hadn't found blogs when I started querying two years ago. Bloggers were my writing saviors. But one of the things Lydia talks about in her post is authors promoting their books on their blogs.

Here are her thoughts:

"I do not blog about writing as a way to sell my books. I bet a lot of you didn't even know I have books out there available to purchase. I do. But that's not what this blog is about. This isn't my 'author blog', this is my writing blog -- a blog for writers. It's about writing and reading and publishing and how all of those go hand in hand.And just between you and me, it kind of annoys me when I see 'buy my book' pimpage in my Google Reader. I'm not following those blogs because I want to buy the author's book. If I want to buy your book, I'll find your book on my own, I'm not stupid, I know how to click on a link in your sidebar and how to use an Amazon search box..."

This part of her post inspired me to write today's post because I think this idea that authors shouldn't promote their own work on their own blog is a little extreme. When Nathan Bransford did a tongue and cheek post promoting his book, people jumped his case and I didn't understand all the ire. (I blogged about that here.)

I totally get that we don't want to be beat over the head with advertisements and book spam. God knows there are people out there who do it all day long on Twitter and such. And my guess is that those types of self-promoters are who many people are frustrated with. Obviously, that is the wrong way to go. Social networking and blogging are about building relationships and community. However, I also think swinging so far in the other direction in that promoting your own work at all is some sort of insult to your followers is a bit ludicrous.

I am a service-minded person. I genuinely write this blog hoping that my posts provide you guys with solid information or something to think about or tips or whatever it is that day. I take a lot of time to (hopefully) provide you with quality content. And I have kept my writing blog a writing blog and started a separate author blog because I didn't want to bait and switch you by changing the focus once I needed more of a broad online presence.

I enjoy the blogging process. I enjoy talking with everyone and hearing people's feedback on different topics. I love the blogging and social networking community.

BUT I also hope to sell books so that I can continue to follow my passion and do what I love for a living. And  if I told my agent or editor that I wasn't going to promote my book on my writing blog that I've spent two years building, they would look at me like I had grown a third head.

And I understand the thought of--you don't need to talk about your book because if I want to see if you have a book, I'll go look for it. But really, that's not the case in a lot of ways. If it's not obvious, I'm not going to go hunt down to see if a blogger I like has a book out. I don't  have that much time on my hands and there are hundreds of books I want to buy at any given moment. So if I have to "work" to find out if there is a book, I'm probably not going to.

I WANT bloggers I like to tell me about their book. No, I don't need a weekly post about it and a thousand "check out this latest review" tweets. (One of my personal goals is that once my book comes out, I don't turn into someone who only talks about things having to do with my book. I've seen that happen to many a blogger who transitioned from pre-pubbed to post-pubbed.) But mentioning your book and talking about it on occasion are good. Having a book link in your sidebar and even at the bottom of your posts (like I do below because you can't see sidebars in google reader) is a good way to advertise your book without smacking people in the face with it.

If someone stops by my blog for the very first time, I want it to be glaringly obvious that I have a book if they are interested. They shouldn't have to hunt the info down.

And I refuse to feel ashamed or apologetic about promoting my own book on my own blog. Blogging is a give and take relationship. I expect when I go to someone's blog that I am taking away something (information, a laugh, whatever) and in exchange I'm giving that blogger my attention to their platform/their book/whatever it is they may be promoting. It doesn't mean that I have to buy their book, but it means that I have to expect to be exposed to it.

So what are some things you can do to make sure you don't become one of THOSE people who give self-promotion a bad name?

6 Ways to Promote That Won't Make People Want To Punch You in the Face

 

1. Make sure your online content offers something to your reader. 

You are writing these posts for them. It is not about your own agenda. This is why posts in which the blogger whines about something never work. You're not offering the reader anything, you're looking for someone to soothe you--not a good blog post.

2. Be a cheerleader for others.

Like Lydia suggests in her post, promote other people's stuff if you've enjoyed it whether that be a book or a blog post or whatever.

3. Once you are published, do not contract "published author disease."

This disease is characterized by only posting about YOUR book ALL THE TIME and linking to review after review, awards, contests giving away your book, and what magazines you've made it into, etc. Some of that is fine because you're excited and want to a share. But make sure that kind of stuff is no more than 10-15% of the content/tweets/etc. you're putting out there.

4. Expand your online presence in a way that doesn't alienate your original readers and followers.

I knew I needed more of a reader-focused blog once my book was getting closer to publication. I needed a place where non-writing readers would want to visit and hopefully hang out. Had I kept this blog more broad in its focus, I could've just expanded that here. (Ah, hindsight.) But I hadn't. This was a writing blog. So instead of pulling the rug out from under that, I started a separate author blog on my website and kept this one the same. That way people could choose which kind of content they wanted.

5. Promote your books in a way that is very visible but still subtle.

I don't blatantly blog about my book unless I'm revealing a cover or blurb or something. I will, however, have a big fat glaring post the day it releases, just warning ya. ;) But in general, having a clickable cover in the sidebar, a book page with buy links, and a link at the bottom of each post (so that people who only read you in a reader can click) are all unobtrusive but effective ways to go about it.

6. Be genuine, friendly, and helpful.

Of all the things above, this is the most important. Social networking is about building genuine relationships. We can all spot a faker a hundred yards away.

So how do you guys feel about self-promotion? Do you get annoyed if a blogger talks about their book or are you fine with the give-and-take relationship? What are some self-promotion methods that you think are effective and non-annoying? What makes you want to punch someone in the face? :)

Fill-Me-In Friday

 

Hope everyone has had a fantastic week. Welcome to Fill-Me-In Friday where I share some of the best links I've come across this week (and also shamelessly update you on what you may have missed here.) :)
But first a quick announcement: If any of you live in the DFW area, I am doing my first public reading along with a few other authors at the Authors' Roundtable at Bedford Public Library at 7pm on Saturday. (Here are the details if you're interested.) Come see me blush profusely as I try to skip past the parts that I refuse to read aloud in public. :)
Alright, now on to the links...
On Writing and Marketing:
Blogging Tips: Make Your Text POP by Angela Ackerman at The Bookshelf Muse
Your Only Real Competition Is Yourself by Cynthia Leitich Smith on Adventures in Children's Publishing
Meet the Maven: We're Here Whether You Want Us or Not (types of social networkers you should know)  by Kristen Lamb
10 Tips For Planning a Blog Tour by Bryan Thomas Schmidt
Flick Chicks by The New Yorker (found via @Jamie_Wesley 's tweet)
Expect To Work Hard by Jody Hedlund
7 Ways Successful Creatives Think Differently than Unsuccessful Ones by Michael Hyatt (link found via Jody's post above)
Writers Must Kill Self-Doubt Before Self-Doubt Kills Them by Chuck Wendig (and Jenny Hansen's post bouncing off that Do Writers Need Validation?)
Have You Read a Self-Published Book? by Nathan Bransford (make sure and read the comments, interesting thoughts from people.)
For Fun:
Swagger Wagon (found via KB Owens' Blog)
What You Missed on the Author Blog:
What You May Have Missed Here:


 


Favorite Tumblr Posts of the Week:
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Alright, that's what I have for you this week, what were some of your favorite links of the week? Hope everyone has a great weekend!


 

 


"Hot and romantic, with an edge of suspense that will keep you entertained.” --Shayla Black, New York Times Bestselling author of SURRENDER TO ME

 

 

 

CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order!

Read an excerpt here.



All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

 

Five Ways To Guard Your Brand

So last week I got a lovely invitation from a friend of a friend to join Triberr (called the reach multiplier). Basically what happens with this service is you get invited to join a tribe of other bloggers (it's by invite only right now). If you accept, then what you agree to is that anytime one of your tribesmates blogs, a link to their blog is automatically tweeted by all member of the tribe. In return, you get the same treatment, you blog and your link autotweets from every one in your tribe's twitter accounts. The idea behind it is that you get exposed to lots more people and your reach is thereby amplified.

Sounds cool, right? And it is. But as I dug into exactly what it all meant, my control freak side took over. Did I really want to auto-tweet twenty-something different peoples blog links without really knowing them? What if they didn't blog content that I liked or that was relevant to those who follow me on Twitter?

I put out the question on Twitter to see if anyone had experience with Triberr and guess who tweets me back? One of the founders of Triberr (oh, the power of following keywords on Twitter). But guess what he told me? That I shouldn't use Triberr. He also sent a link to this post: Why You Shouldn't Be on Triberr

It seemed a little odd that the owner would try to talk me out of joining, but I realized why. One of his reasons the service may not be for you is: Your Twitter Stream Is Your Brand

Well, bingo. That's exactly why I was hesitant.

Everything I put out on the internet (whether I intend it or not) is part of my "brand."

The things I retweet on Twitter aren't haphazard.

I'm tweeting it because I: a) read it b) enjoyed it or found it informative and c) think my followers would appreciate it.

I do that because I want the people who follow me to trust that I am going to give them good content. (Well, in between my ramblings.) They (hopefully) know if I tweet or retweet a link that it has a high chance of being something worth clicking on.

Your brand is the promise you make to those that follow you

--whether that be on your blog, facebook, twitter, and your books for that matter. For instance, I know if Elizabeth Craig retweets something, it's often going to be something I find useful because she's proven to me that her content is consistently great. If she started tweeting random posts that weren't worth my time, she'd lose some of my "trust." I know if erotica author Tiffany Reisz tweets a link, there's a sixty percent chance it will involve nudity, lol. So of course I always click on hers. ;)

So don't be afraid to be protective of your brand. Sometimes it can feel like you're being snobby or something, but it's vital to keep your arms around it. For instance, I get many requests from people to read their book and feature it or them on the blog. For the record, I don't do reviews anymore anyway. But I've had to learn to say no a lot, which goes against my nature. I want to help people out. But if I don't know you or your writing (and don't have time to read it), I'm not going to feature you on my blog and let it look like an endorsement.

See it sounds stuck-up, doesn't it? But it's the promise I've made to you. If a book or author is featured here, it means that I either have read the book and loved it. Or I know the author and am familiar with the quality of their writing and their guest posts, etc. That's why I handpicked the Monday genre guests. I knew those ladies rocked at blogging, so I felt comfortable (and honored) to have them be a part of my blog.

So here are some suggestions...

Five Ways to Protect Your Brand

1. Don't accept every offer people give you to guest blog on your site.

Make sure you like their blog and know that they can provide something your readers will enjoy.

2. Don't accept every "free book" offered to you in exchange for featuring that author on your blog.

With the onslaught of self-publishing, there are a lot of people looking for places to be guests. They will offer you a free book in exchange for the promotion. That's cool. But what happens if you don't like the book or don't have time to read it? Vet it before you promote it to your readers.

3. Don't give 5-star reviews to all your friends on Goodreads and Amazon simply because they are your friend. 

If you really love the book, then great. But just agreeing to give a perfect review just because you're BFFs will teach people not to trust your reviews. (If you do reviews.)

4. Don't auto-tweet things you haven't looked at first and don't only tweet your friends posts just to be nice.

I don't expect my friends to retweet me just because we're buddies. I only want to be retweeted if the post is worth it.

5. Be very careful with group blogs.

There are many awesome group blogs out there. But be careful when deciding to join or start one. You need to know absolutely that the people you are blogging with are going to be a fit with what you want associated with you. This is why my group Tumblr blog lasted about, oh, five seconds before I went on my own. (Kristen Lamb would also argue that group blogs aren't effective because no one remembers the individual bloggers' names.)

So what do you think? Do you feel there is an inherent "brand" trust between people and their followers? How do you feel about services like Triberr? Has any blogger/tweeter ever lost your "follower trust"? Have you found yourself saying yes to feature people or books that may not fit on your blog?

Tweet

Bringing Humor Into Suspense by Joan Swan

It's genre Monday. This week author Joan Swan is talking to us about bringing humor into your suspense. Take it away, Joan...

 

The Benefits of Humor in Suspense
by Joan Swan

 

Humor isn't an element one might immediately associate with suspense or thriller fiction, but it’s one I've found very delightful lately in a number of suspenseful reads.
I find humor a double benefit to the suspense novel:
1) Humor lightens the darkness, eases the intensity, providing a "break" for the reader
2) Humor quickens pacing
Yes, we want our suspense tight.  We want white nail beds gripping the edges of our Kindles and Nooks.  But, honestly, if there isn't any break in that muscle-knotting tension, many readers will put a book down just to get a breather.  A touch of humor, on the other hand, gives a reader just the break they need...without ever leaving the pages.
I've noticed with several recent reads how authors particularly talented at writing humor--whether witty or sarcastic, within character or dialogue--can make the pacing of a story fly.  Time flies when you're having fun, right?  Reading on to the next line, the next paragraph, the next page for the those quippy zingers or quick bites of sarcasm make time pass without notice.

An author who is utterly amazing at using humor as a compliment to suspense is Darynda Jones.  Her debut novel, FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT, the winner of the RWA's Golden Heart contest in 2009, was picked up by St. Martin's Press and printed out of the shoot in hardback.  Both her premise and her writing are stellar and unique.  I just finished Darynda's second novel, SECOND GRAVE ON THE LEFT, and I loved it even more than the first -- which enthralled me.

Darynda makes me laugh out loud.  She makes me feel good and keeps me intrigued all at the same time.  She makes me lose myself in her characters and intricate multiple plot lines.  Her novels are true quality entertainment.
If you like a touch of humor with your suspense, I'm recommending either (preferably both) of Darynda's GRAVE novels.
Which of your favorite authors do a great job of adding humor into their suspense?  What is one of your favorite novels incorporating suspense and humor?

 

 

Joan Swan is a triple RWA® Golden Heart finalist. She writes sexy romantic suspense with a paranormal twist, and her debut novel, FEVER, with Kensington Brava releases February 28, 2012.  A second in the series, BLAZE, releases October, 2012.  You can find Joan at her blog, One Word At A Time, her website or Twitter.

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

"Revved up and red-hot sexy, CRASH INTO YOU, delivers a riveting romance!" --Lorelei James, NY Times Bestselling author of the ROUGH RIDERS series

 

 

CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order!

Read an excerpt here.


All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

 

Fill-Me-In Friday

 

Yay, it's Friday! And that means it's time for my favorite links of the week....
On Writing and Promotion:
5 Reasons I'll Read Your Blog by Wendy Thomas Russell
Goodreads Launches a Book Recommendation Service (a la Netflix Recs) by Techland
So What's an Author to Do? by Wendy Lawton (The follow-up post to the post that sparked my Is Blogging Dead? post this week.)
Writing Your Fears at Writer Unboxed

What You Missed on the Author Blog:
What You May Have Missed Here:
by Suzanne Johnson
(lots of great comments on this one)


My Faves from the Tumblr this week:

 

 

This made me LOL--bigger pic here
Bigger pic here


So those are some of my favorite links of the week, what were some of yours? Fill me in via the comments. Hope everyone has a fab weekend!


*All links open in the same window. If you don't want to leave this list, right click and choose "open in a new window". I'm trying to figure out how to get the links to open up in a new window in Blogger without having to individually alter the html of each link. If anyone knows of a way to do it globally for all posts, please let me know. Thanks!

 

 


"Hot and romantic, with an edge of suspense that will keep you entertained.” --Shayla Black, New York Times Bestselling author of SURRENDER TO ME

 

 

CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order!

Read an excerpt here.



All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

 

Is Blogging Dead?

Last week I read a post by Wendy Lawton over at Books & Such Literary Agency in which she talked about "What's Not Working?" when it comes to marketing. One of the things that surprised me was that she listed blogging as the first one that is "not working." She even goes so far as to say this:

"I wouldn't recommend a writer start blogging in order to publicize his book in today's climate. It would be tough to picture a scenario where the outcome would justify the means." 

I have to admit, the statement shocked me a bit. Obviously, I'm a bit biased because I'm an avid blogger and really enjoy that part of social networking. But after I got over my initial pause, I read through the post again to think through what she was saying more rationally.

Her argument is that unless you've already built an uber-blog, then you're going to have a nearly impossible task of standing out in an over-saturated blogosphere.

Okay, I can see her point there. The blogosphere IS glutted. And when it comes to writers blogging, we're a wall-to-wall crowded room of writing advice, writer ramblings, interviews, giveaways, and randomness. After a while, click after click begins to blend together and sound the same. I know my blog reading has gone down in the past year because of lack of time and because much of it feels like reruns. It takes a great headline on Twitter at this point to get me to click over to something. My google reader goes neglected.

So how in the world do any of us stand out in that crowd?

I'm not entirely sure. My guess is that it's often like books--it comes down to the voice of the blogger, the freshness of their take on things (even if they are old things), and their engagement with their readers. And even then, many times the audience on the blog is comprised of other writers--so we're still really only reaching a niche group. A fabulous group, but a limited one a best.

Wendy also, by the way, isn't big on blog tours for the same reason. Authors put forth all this effort to write up new posts and interviews for tour stops--which takes a crapload of time--and then "tour" on sites that pretty much appeal to other writers. So you're swimming in the same pond, promoting to the same school of fish.

Believe me, that is weighing heavy on my mind as I try to formulate my plan for my book release. I am planning to do a blog tour, but now I'm wondering if my time might be better spent doing something else. I mean, there are only so many interviews people want to read. And I'm hard-pressed to think of sites that I could guest on that would expose me to a totally new group of people. I honestly think getting reviewed on the book blogger sites is probably much more effective.

So in that respect, I can see Wendy's point about blogging's effectiveness. (For the record, her exception to the "blogging doesn't work" belief is the person who has a particularly unique slant, some previous celebrity, or an already established audience.)

Does that mean I'm giving up blogging? Hell no. I love blogging. It makes me happy and I feel blessed that you guys are still reading me after two years, lol. (Thank you!) And I really do love reading others' blogs. But this post is not about me (shocking, I know.) ;) This post is for those of you reading who are in the early stages of your blogging or who are considering starting a blog or who have been blogging but kinda sorta loathe it. Here's my opinion, take it for what it's worth.

Even "If" Blogging Is Dying, You Should Blog If...

 

1. You just love blogging and don't care if it's promoting you as a "brand."

2. You are a published author who has or will have fans seeking you out online.

(Caveat: If you are a published author and don't like to blog, that's fine. Just find some online outlet where readers can get to know you and interact--twitter, facebook, whatever.)

3. You have a unique slant to offer (like Wendy mentions).

Meaning, you have something to offer your readers that would sustain a popular blog even if you weren't an author with a book.

4. You write non-fiction.

I'd be hard-pressed to imagine how blogging wouldn't help a non-fiction writer.

5. You're not into short-form social networking like Twitter, FB, Tumblr, etc. and feel more comfortable connecting online in long form.

I'm sure there are others, but these are the ones that come to the top of mind for me. Number one is my reason (and hopefully number two will apply to me soon too, lol.)

So what are your thoughts on this? Do you think blogging is dying? Do you find yourself reading fewer blogs, leaving less comments, or do you see traffic on your blog trending down? How do you connect with the authors you love? What makes a blog a must-read for you even when you develop blog reading fatigue?

Steampunk, Werewolves, and Spaceships—What’s All That About? by Suzanne Johnson

Hope everyone had a great weekend! :) It's genre Monday time, and Suzanne is helping us with something I know I was definitely in need of--a breakdown of all the different types and hybrids of fantasy and science fiction. There are so many genres being crossed and straddled, that it makes my head spin when I looking through book choices. So take it away, Suzanne...

Steampunk, Werewolves, and Spaceships—What’s All That About?

by Suzanne Johnson

It’s a common question we all get as authors: “So, what kind of books do you write?” I used to say “urban fantasy with a touch of romance”—to which I’d get a lot of polite, blank stares.

Then I’d try to qualify it more: “You know, my books are sort of Harry Potter and Stephanie Plum meet Stephen King, except in a real city.” Blank stares turn to the type of nodding looks usually reserved for the crazy aunts we keep locked in our attics down here in the South.

Now, I just wave my hand around and say, “oh it’s kinda like science fiction,” which seems to satisfy them.

Except, really, it’s not. So, here we go, my attempt at a Lexicon of Speculative Fiction. Next time someone throws a term like “steampunk” or “historical paranormal romance” at you, you’ll know what to expect. It’s a whole brave new world out there!

I do a series of monthly columns for my publisher’s website (the oh-so-fabulous Tor.com) called “Fiction Affliction,” in which I look at all the speculative fiction books being released the next month. So I’ll divide the speculative sub-genres here much as I do there.

First, there’s

SCIENCE FICTION

Sci-Fi is the granddaddy of speculative fiction, of course, and basically refers to any alternative reality or futuristic story that has its basis in science (as opposed to magic). All may have romantic elements, though romance is secondary to the plot in most, and books in each category are published for either adult and Young Adult (YA) readers. Common sub-genres within Sci-Fi are:

Space Opera

These are the stories set on space ships, on other planets, or that have alien critters running around on Earth.

Hard Sci-Fi

Just what it sounds like. Usually some technological advance that goes awry or is misused in some way.

Apocalyptic/Dystopian

“End of the world” stories that usually involve a radically degraded culture due to environmental negligence, a virus, or technology run amok.

Cyberpunk

Sort of a street-level science fiction, if you will. I’ve heard it called “high-tech, lowlife” fiction. Tends to be violent and dark.

Alt History

Want to find out what happened if the South won the Civil War, or if Hitler had prevailed in Europe? Alt History’s your genre.

Steampunk

Stories are set in the late 1800s, reimagining what life might have been like had the rapid (often steam-driven) technological advances of that era run amok. A newer subgenre called “Weird West” sets the wacky technological marvels in the American Wild West. (Cowboys in airships, anyone?)

Time-Travel

This is self-explanatory and can be either science fiction or fantasy, depending on whether the time-travel results from scientific advances or magic.

Sci Fi Romance

Can be any of the above subgenres, only the romance is the centerpiece of the story, and there’s at least a happily-for-now ending.

Next, leaving science fiction behind, we have

FANTASY

High fantasy, also known as epic fantasy, features stories based on the magical or supernatural, either in character or plot or setting.

Sword and Sorcery

These are the “dungeons and dragons” kinds of stories, set in imaginary realms, with lots of swordplay and magic.

Quest.

A band of oddly matched travelers, who might or might not be human-like, work to achieve something noble like saving the world. Think Lord of the Rings.

Historical Fantasy.

Often set in imaginary, medieval-like worlds, and featuring warring kingdoms or political factions.

Fantasy Romance.

Could be any of the above fantasy subgenres, only the romance is the centerpiece of the story, and there’s at least a happily-for-now ending.

Finally, we have the FANTASY HYBRIDS, the genres that have really taken over in the last two decades, beginning with Harry Potter and then Twilight and True Blood and now Hunger Games. Fantasy hybrids involve paranormal creatures such as vampires, werewolves, zombies, wizards, mermaids...you name it...but in a real-world setting.

Urban Fantasy

A head-on collision between the fantasy world and the real world. Usually set in a real urban area but with magic or paranormal creatures. Urban fantasy often has romantic elements, horror elements, or both.

Paranormal Romance

Basically, urban fantasy where the romance is the central focus of the book, with the requisite happily-for-now ending.

So there you have it—a handy guide to speculative fiction. There are other sub-sub-genres, but we’ve at least hit the high points. Now...a recommending reading list? Here are a few:

*Sci-Fi/Time-Travel/alt history:

Kill three birds with one book by reading Connie Willis’ Blackout and sequel, All Clear.

*Epic Fantasy:

You can’t go wrong with anything by George R.R. Martin, but try his A Song of Ice and Fire series, beginning with A Game of Thrones.

*Urban Fantasy:

This is my genre and there are so many I love, but try Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series, beginning with Moon Called.

* Paranormal Romance:

For hot and sexy, read J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series, beginning with Dark Lover.

For hot and funny, go for Jeaniene Frost’s Dark Huntress series, beginning with Halfway to the Grave.

Suzanne Johnson is an author of urban fantasy “with romantic elements.” Her first book, Royal Street, a magic-based fantasy set in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina, will be released by Tor Books on April 10, 2012. Two more in the series will be released in Fall 2012 and Spring 2013. Find Suzanne online at her Preternatura blog, or read about her books at her website.

*Look for more from Suzanne here every 3rd Monday of the month!