I’m moving! Well, my blog is anyway. I love the look and feel of WordPress, but I just really prefer blogging on blogger. That’s where my other blog is, so I’m moving this blog over there as well. I know I might lose followers for this, but I really think it’s the best thing for me to do. I would love for you to follow me over there, you can find my new blog at: http://authorheatherhart.blogspot.com/ – or simply click the button below:
I hope to see you there!
Filed under General
As we are busy preparing for Christmas, I thought that I would keep this post short. No writing tips, no author tools, nothing beneficial whatsoever. Just a note to tell you Merry Christmas. I hope you enjoy your Christmas celebration, and time with your family this weekend.
Filed under General
Earlier this month I had the privileged of helping two fabulous authors out with the launch of their most recent book (Forgiveness Formula) on Amazon. I was excited about this for multiple reasons. Most importantly, I now know how much work goes into a best-selling book launch. When it is time for the launch of my next book, I will have a much better idea of what I need to do. I wanted to share a little bit of what I learned with you.
If you are interested in setting up a best-seller book launch for your next book on Amazon, here are some of the things that you might want to consider:
The authors conducting the book launch I helped with were CJ and Shelley Hitz. You can read Shelley’s advice about putting together a best-seller launch at SellingBooks.com.
~I do want to point out that you can utilize more than just Amazon when you launch your book. If your book is carried by Barnes and Noble (or any other book store) you can contact them about hosting a launch event as well.
Do you have any tips for authors who are planning a book launch? I’d love to hear from you!
Filed under Book Marketing
One of my all time favorite blogs on writing is written by Jeff Goins, and I just found out that he is offering a free course on intentional blogging! So, since I was so excited, I decided to chuck the review that I was planning on sharing with you out the window, and tell you about it instead! 😀
A little bit about Jeff Goins:
Jeff is a writer who blogs about writing. He started his blog to catalog the answers he found to the questions he had on becoming a professional writer. I’m not sure how long he has been blogging, but his blog is one of the most helpful tools I have ever found as an author. His blog is so successful, as a matter of fact, that he had a publisher approach HIM about writing a book for them (which he is in the process of doing now).
He is a Pez eating missionary, who is married to the girl of his dreams and they are currently expecting their first child. You can learn more about Jeff on the about page on his website.
About the blogging course:
Intentional Blogging is said to be a 12-week email course that delivers a new lesson on blogging every week, where authors will learn about starting blog, finding topics, building audiences, and a lot more. This is a free course offered by Mr. Goins, and I for one am really looking forward to it! You can learn more and sign up at: Intentional Blogging.
Filed under Tools for Authors
Okay, it’s time for me to share my pet peeves with you, take notes because I read a lot of books, and once I’m annoyed your book no longer means anything to me.
I’m sure that there are more, however those are the main ones. What about you? Do you have any pet peeves that we should avoid in our writing? Please help us out and share!
Filed under Grammar, Writing Tips
Social media can be an authors best friend, worst enemy, or even a bit of both. There are so many social media sites around today that it’s hard to know which ones are good and how to use them. So, here’s my short list:
I’m still learning, however it is said to be better that Facebook because you don’t have to have mutual relationships. Just because I follow you, doesn’t mean you have to follow me too. I like this for a number of reasons! However, Facebook has that option on their pages, so for us authors with Facebook pages, we already had that… hmmm….
My favorite part about Twitter (well, it’s actually a love/hate thing), is the shortness of tweets. It takes just a few seconds to skim my entire timeline. You don’t get stuck there for hours (although, you probably could if you clicked every single link listed… but I don’t recommend doing that!).
Oh, and you can find me on Twitter @_HeatherHart
A fellow blogger posted this video earlier this week, and I can’t describe it any better than this:
<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/hC_M6PzXS9g” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen>
The only thing I can possibly add to that is a quote that was posted on Twitter about Google+ :
“Google+ is like the gym of social media. Everyone joins, but nobody actually uses it…”
I wrote a blog a while back about Google+, announcing my love for it. It has great potential, however before it can conquer the world, it has to get people who have their accounts, to actually interact there…
But if you are interested, you can find me on Google+ at: Heather Hart
I’m sure that by now you have figured out that I am a Facebook girl. I love my Facebook, however it does have its downsides. You can get totally and completely lost in Facebook. Spend the entire day there and not really get anything accomplished. Still, I personally think that having a Facebook page is a must for authors. It allows you to connect with your readers, other authors, keep track of news in the publishing world, it’s just great okay!
You can view my author page at: https://www.facebook.com/heatherhartauthoreditor
While there are numerous forums and groups for writers, LinkedIn is one that can’t be left off the social media list. It’s big, what can I say. You can link your LinkedIn with your Facebook, Twitter, and so on and so forth. It really is just a great forum. There are so many groups to choose from, and almost always someone there can answer any question that you have (although there are those that only answer with “you can find the answer to that question in my book”… yeah, that’s not helpful). Anyway, it’s worth checking out if you aren’t there already.
You can link up with me at: Heather Hart
There are still tons of other social media platforms, what are some of the ones that you use?
Filed under Tools for Authors
I recently took part in a book launch to help out another author, and I learned SOOO much! I am in the midst of planning the book launch for my next book (expected to be released in March 2012) and I had no idea how much work was put into a book launch. I defiantly will be better equipped to plan my own! Besides learning the ins and outs of a successful book launch, I learned a little grammar along the way. The book I was helping with (Forgiveness Formula by CJ and Shelly Hitz) became an Amazon best-seller in one of its categories before the day was half over, and remained number one for almost a week. Which led to the debate of best-seller, best seller, or bestseller?
It took a bit of research to find out the correct way to write it, and all three of the above are widely used and accepted. Amazon has its “Best Seller” lists, I read several press releases announcing other ‘bestselling’ titles, yet grammar sites all say that the correct version is actually ‘best-seller’ as the word ‘best’ is modifying ‘selling’ not describing it. (source)
However the reasoning for needing the hyphen is a bit debatable. If the book is a best-seller, would it not also be the best in its category? So both ways would technically be correct. And furthermore, every dictionary site that I have used that includes best-seller, also lists bestseller under the same definition, and when I was growing up words only qualified as words if they were in the dictionary, and since they both are…
What do you think? Best-seller, bestseller, or best seller?
Filed under Grammar
Eleanor Shepherd is back at my blog this week to share with us about marketing our writing. She is a fabulous author, and really gives some great advice. Here’s what she has to say:
A Saga of a Book – Marketing our Writing
by Eleanor Shepherd
When I began to work on my newly published book, More Questions than Answers, I gave no thought to the marketing of that book. I knew that I wanted to write about love as the distinguishing mark of a Christian. That was about all. Then as I picked up books and articles, I kept coming across phrases that related to listening, caring and accepting without judging. When a tragedy struck our family, I was forced to look deep within for some answers. I had begun to develop a collection of these articles and chapters of books and when I was ready to begin writing I began to sift through them and try to organize them into consistent categories, coloured by the experiences of my pilgrimage. Slowly my book began to take shape.
The gestation of the book lasted ten years during which time its form developed during evenings at the computer where I spent hours writing and editing and rewriting and editing some more and then rewriting and editing again. Finally, I arrived at a stage where I dared to let some trusted friends who seemed to be on the same wavelength read some of the chapters I had written. Their comments and suggestions led me to more rewriting and editing until the manuscript was polished enough to present to publishers.
Each year I sent the manuscript for advance critique before attending a writers’ conference. The critiques helped me to see areas that needed improvement and the positive comments that accompanied the rejections gave me enough courage to keep persisting because the material itself had merit.
Finally, an editor was ready to consider publication but assigned me the task of rewriting the whole book in a less scholarly and pedantic way, creating instead a friendlier, everyday manner of expression more consistent with the material in the book. It was the advice my husband had given me. The timing was precise. It happened just at before I was laid off one job and was unable to start a new one for three months. The amount of time was sufficient to do the rewrite.
By this time, I was convinced the Lord could use what I had to say for his purposes. I had come to a fork in the road. I loved the material of my book, but I knew that I either had to persist, rewrite and see it through to publication or let it go forever. I prayed what I thought was a bold prayer. “Lord, if you want to use this book, you will have to give me the time to write. I cannot work full-time and give it the attention that it needs. “ Two weeks later, I was laid off from my employment.
The next three months were such joy. Every day I spent eight hours at the computer rewriting the text as a story and not as an instruction manual. I found that my own heart was stirred as I read over what I was writing. I sensed the presence of the Spirit with me. I knew that I was the instrument that He was using to echo His thoughts and ideas. They were being fashioned in His love.
When it was rewritten, I submitted it to another publisher and it was accepted. When I first read the e-mail, I could not believe my eyes. Signing the contract with the publisher was only the beginning of the next stage. The book required professional copyediting and preparation for typesetting with re-readings at every step along the way.
I loved the cover that the publisher created and I sensed it was just right. I was so excited the first time I clicked on the publisher’s website and saw the book there ready for purchase. I did not even have my author’s copies yet. They were in the mail to me.
By the time my copies arrived, I had begun to understand something about the next stage in the life of this newborn. I could not just tuck her away in a corner and expect her to survive. I had to care for her, to nourish her, to expose her to the light and take her out to be with others. That was going to mean I had to learn about marketing.
When writers want to learn about anything, the first place they look is in books (or at least that was the case before the internet). I went online to The Word Guild listserv and requested suggestions of good marketing books. Off I went to the local bookstore to buy the first one. The others I ordered online.
While the publisher is helpful, I know that they have hundreds of books to market and if I am going to get mine into the hands of those who will benefit from it, it is up to me to try and find as many markets as I can myself. I am gleaning ideas about marketing from all kinds of sources. Just as when I began to think about the book, I kept running into articles and stories about listening, now I am constantly finding material about marketing.
A debate that rages is particularly acute for us as Christian writers. The key issue is whether we need to market ourselves, which is often what we are doing as we try to sell our books or whether we just leave it to the Lord to bring the people who need them to our books. As with most debates, I expect this is not an either/or question but there are times when we need to speak out for our books as Arthur Paul Boers pointed out in an earlier post. At other times, we will be able to stand still and see God at work using the creation that He has gifted us with for His purposes in ways we could never have imagined. It is not all work and it is not all grace. As it so many other areas of life, it is cooperative grace.
You can find Eleanor online at her blog: Eleanor Shepherd
She is also a contributor at Canadian Writers Who Are Christian, where this article was originally posted on April 18th, 2010.
Filed under Guest Bloggers
Are you an author that is looking to branch out into social media to gain more exposure? If so, you don’t want to miss this moving sale at Self-Publishing-Coach.com! Shelley Hitz, the author of the series Book Marketing on a Shoestring Budget has moved and now you get to benefit. For a limited time only, when you purchase four of Shelley’s products, you get them for 75% off!
Here’s the scoop:
For 72 hours only – December 7th, 8th and 9th get the following promotional package for only $21:
• “Get Your Facebook Page Done!” ($47)
• “YouTube Marketing for Authors” ($17)
• “A Step-by-Step Guide to Guest Blogging” ($10)
• “Twitter 101 for Authors” ($10)
Get the tools you need to gain exposure, build fans and sell more books this holiday season, and save money too!
Here’s what is being said about these amazing author tools:
“Shelley helps you get your Facebook done and is a great resource if you need more personal help. She is professional, has great follow-up and will get you up to speed quickly. I highly recommend her seminars and personal services! She makes it fun.” – Linda Pyle, Author of “Peaks, Palms and Picnics”
“If you’re looking for a resource that will teach you how to increase your online exposure quickly and easily, then you need to read Shelley Hitz’s, A Step By Step Guide to Guest Blogging….A Step By Step Guide to Guest Blogging gives you the training, the tools, and the direction you need to jump into the exciting and valuable world of guest blogging. This is a must-read resource that needs to be within arm’s reach of every author tasked with doing his or her own promotion and marketing.” – Tony Eldridge, MarketingTipsforAuthors.com
“I am grateful to have found Shelley’s website because she is an incredible source of information and resources related to self publishing. She way over delivers and offers so much for free and the content is high quality. She is also warm, friendly and caring with her customers.” – Sharon Gibson, http://www.15minutewriter.com
To learn more about the products that Shelley has to offer and take advantage of this fabulous offer, visit her website at: www.self-publishing-coach.com today!
Filed under Tools for Authors
A few weeks ago, I asked the question “Why did you become a writer?” Well, this week, I am honored to share Eleanor Shepherd’s response to that question:
As writers, we receive encouragement from many different sources. Being raised in a home where I was surrounded by books, nurtured my love of reading. Before I went to school, I had already learned to read. I loved the sounds of words and the magical way when they were put together they could tell a story.
While reading became a passion while I was still quite young, it was in the sixth grade that the possibility that I might also be able to write began to dawn upon me. That year we had a teacher who required from us an essay every Friday. She assigned us a different topic each week. This first exposure to deadlines, also called forth my creative capacities. The adrenalin pumped as my pen flew across the page hardly able to keep up with the thoughts tumbling over one another that I tried to capture before they fled. What fueled my passion was the commendation of this teacher who really believed I had some writing ability.
Throughout the rest of my schooling, the curriculum often offered opportunities for creative writing. I enjoyed these and knew that I could anticipate a decent mark for such endeavors. With the confidence this success engendered, I had no hesitation in signing up for a creative writing course my first year at university. I still am not quite certain what happened that year, but the professor and I were on entirely different wavelengths. I learned some valuable lessons about developing journalistic and writing skills, but I barely passed the course and concluded I was not cut out to be a writer after all. The experience was so devastating that I even doubted by ability to write a research paper, a problem that dogged me for the rest of my university career.
Although I still loved to read, my writing was limited to the prayer journals that I kept. They mostly recorded names and prayer requests.
In my early thirties, I needed to take an elective course to complete my requirements for ministry in our denomination. I gathered up my courage and enrolled in a journalism course that was being offered by correspondence. Though I doubted my ability, the desire to write persisted. I was amazed when each of my lessons was returned with such positive comments and good grades. Maybe I could write after all.
The clincher came when the editor of the women’s magazine for our denomination came to lead a women’s’ ministry Sunday service for our congregation. As we visited together over lunch, she asked about my interests; I mentioned the journalism course I was taking. She asked to see something I had written. I showed her a couple of articles. She requested that I send them to her for publication in our denominational women’s magazine. That was the beginning of my writing for publication and I have not looked back.
I still struggle with my fears. I write and rewrite and rewrite, and wonder if what I have written will be helpful to anyone; yet, I sense that to write is to exercise a God-given ability. Currently my book about listening is on its way to publication. The typeset proofs were sent to me last week, so I could check for errors and get them back to the publisher again by the end of the month.
This past weekend, I attended a conference in Phoenix related to my work. On the flight west, I began to read over the proofs and mark any corrections needing to be made. My goal was to finish this task on the flight home. I really wished someone else could also read it. I feared there were things I would miss since I am so familiar with the manuscript. I have been working on this project for ten years.
When we boarded the plane in Phoenix, I began chatting with the woman next to me. She had been in Phoenix to receive her PhD that weekend. When she saw the manuscript and pencil in my hand, she said, “It looks like you have some work to do.” I explained what I was doing.
To my surprise, she asked if I would like her help. She enjoyed doing that kind of thing and would be glad to read it over for me. I was delighted and handed her the first section of the book. This included the table of contents, forward, acknowledgments, endorsements and introduction, along with the first chapters. She began to read and put her markings on the pages. I figured she would soon tire of this, but I was glad she was willing to help.
When she completed the first section, she handed it back to me and asked for some more. By this time, she was beginning to ask me the odd question about the book. She seemed intrigued by some things I say about listening. I handed her another bunch of pages and thought that I would be fortunate if she was willing to do even that much. By the time we arrived in Chicago, where we both were changing flights, she had read and marked about sixty pages. I thanked her and offered her one of my daughter’s CDs as a token of my gratitude.
Our connecting flights to Montreal and Syracuse were leaving from adjoining gates at O’Hare airport. Instead of taking the shuttle, between terminals we walked together and chatted about the book. When we got to my gate, we still had about an hour and a half before our flights. My new friend sat down beside me and offered to proofread the next section of the book. Her interest in the book affirmed for me it is now ready to touch the lives of people in the way that the Lord intends. That is why I write.
You can find Eleanor online at her blog: Eleanor Shepherd
*Please note that Eleanor’s post was originally posted at Canadian Writers Who Are Christian on March 27th, 2010.
This is the first of two guest posts by Eleanor Shepherd. Check back in next Friday to read what she has to say about marketing our writing.
Filed under Guest Bloggers
Heather Hart 