IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN

The time where the leaves begin to change and the stores have started putting out the Christmas decorations.

For authors, new and old, it is the time to either, dust off their old novels and begin selling them again or publishing their first novel and getting it into the hands of readers.

Either way, it is an authors most busy time of the year.

We want to make sells for Christmas, just like Wal-Mart and Target. 

We don't have the million dollar budget that those stores have. Instead we have friends and readers to spread the word.

BUT how do we get to those people?

It's called networking.

Although 2020 put a lot of authors in a bind, it also made us sit down and write or come up with marketing plans for the time when outside was open again.

I decided that I will no longer wait for people to ask what I do. 

When I am introduced to someone, I immediately tell them I am an author. 

It leads to many more questions and just this summer, led to 6 book sales while I was camping.

Side note: I am the toast of the campground now because those that read the book just can't help seeking me out to ask more questions.

So if you are an author, be like Wal-Mart and Target; start your Christmas sales now. Start promoting a buy one get one sale. Promote your novels like that is your ONLY job!

After all, its the most wonderful time of the year, right?

SUMMER IS ALMOST OVER

What have you done in your writing life?

Did you go to any conferences? Did you sign up to attend some conferences? 

Did you complete that manuscript? Did you submit your completed manuscript to a publisher?

Did you set up a dedicated writing space? Do you use that writing space at least once a day?

These are questions that you should be asking yourself. Remember, this was supposed to be the summer of embracing your author life.

What? You didn't answer yes to any of those questions? Why? What is the hold up? Why didn't you take the Summer of 2017 to be the summer of you embracing being an author? 

I haven't done much in my writing life except purge some old manuscripts that haven't seen sunlight since they were first conceived. However, what I did do was that I began to prepare myself for the fall conference and writing workshops. 

Being an author is never ending. Being an author is not as easy as just sitting down at a computer and typing out a great story. It involves marketing, being a business person and being your own biggest fan.

Being an author means that you are attending conferences, that you are writing at least once a day and that you are finishing up the manuscript and submitting it to a publisher. It also means that you are prepared for the criticism that comes with being an author.

So, summer is almost over. What are you going to do to prepare for the fall?

OBSERVATIONS

I have been very observant in the last few weeks.

Having a very high blood pressure makes you take notice of small things.

Not that I want to do that but I've been trying to find out the cause.

1. I learned that I am a high energy person. 
With high blood pressure sometimes that high energy is not a good thing. 

2. I learned that I breath slower when I'm stressed. 
Most people breath rapidly during a stressful period. For some reason I like to be different.

3. I learned that I write the best erotic/sexual scenes when I'm stressed.
Hmmm, is that a good thing or a bad thing.

4. I learned that I like mystery and thriller novels.
Yep, I am a staunch book reader and now I'm widening my book reading library.

5. I learned that no matter how small my house is, I'll always have books.
Yep, now re-working those tiny house plans because I need space for my books.

6. I learned that people that SAY they are in your corner and who SAY they will support you, don't.
Yes, this was one of the hardest lessons to learn. 

If you aren't going to support that local author, or that friend, stop saying you will. We don't need to hear it. We would rather know it.

See the difference is that everyone wants to feel like they can do something. If you can't do something, you can't do it. But when you say, out loud, that you will. Now that is where the problem lies.

You have backed yourself into a corner. Stop saying what you think they want to hear and just say what they need to hear.

"Yes, I'd like to buy that book but I don't really have time to read." "Yes, I'd like to donate but really don't have any money." "Yes, I'd like to come but I really just want to stay home and relax".

See, it's not that hard. 

Observe what people say and then act accordingly. 

That's what I do now and it's leading to less stress for me.

STRESS RELIEVER

My health depends on me not being stressed.

It's getting harder and harder to do that. 

Life is a stress. Driving is a stress. Relationships are stressful. Hell, going into a store is stress nowadays.

You never know what you will encounter when you leave the safety of your home.

What I do know is this. My stress becomes almost non existent when I begin writing. 

My stress is poured into the pages of my writing and actually makes me happy.

Stress writing is what I call it and some of the words that come out during those times are simply, amazing!

I don't look at what I have written during my 'stress writing' but when I do, I am truly in awe of myself.

Yes, I even pat myself on the back because it's like, where did THAT come from. 

The only drawback of 'stress writing' is that I can't duplicate it. Once that stress has been alleviated, it's gone and I can't get back into that flow of 'writing'. I have to pick up the writing and make it work from that point on.

But lucky for me; every day brings new 'stress' and a new chance to 'stress write.' 

Did I mention wine is also a great stress reliever? Yep, that helps in my writing too but that's another blog later this week.

Do you stress write or what do you do as an author to relieve your stress?

I LOVE MYSELF, DO YOU?

Yes, I heard someone on the radio say that this morning.

Do you love yourself? Some say it is selfish and some say its is being self centered.

What is wrong with that?

We can show love to our children, our friends, family and some co-workers but when it comes to ourselves; we often over look the obvious.

Sometimes you have to take a day to be selfish. Do something you want to do.

Go to the park, by yourself. Enjoy that picnic that you made especially for you. Oh wait, you don't like deviled eggs...doesn't matter. I do!

Go to the movies and see that thriller, romance or comedy that only YOU want to see. Oh wait, you don't want to go. Good, I wasn't going to invite you.

Go out to the bar and treat yourself to a Martini, Red Wine or just sit and listen and watch the people. Oh wait, you don't want to go. Good, wasn't asking you.

See sometimes we NEED to be selfish.

Call off from work. Take a mental day. Yes, those are what those sick days can be used for. What good is your job when you are stressed in it and can't stay home in the bed to rejuvenate yourself.

Pick a day to do this:
1. Sleep late. Turn off your phone, alarms and all other noise making gadgets.
2. Walk around in your pajamas as long as you want to. (or nude depending on your mood)
3. Don't shave, comb your hair or brush your teeth. (Hey, its your day)
4. When you do decide to get dressed, take yourself out for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Your choice and make sure it is to a place you want to go to.
5. Take a selfie of yourself doing something you want to do. (you will want to remember how much fun you had so you can do this next month too)
6. Don't feel guilty

See that last thing is most important. We often feel guilty for doing things for ourselves. DON'T.

We are entitled to it. 

We work hard all other days of the month, week and year. Giving yourself one day is not going to hurt anyone.

Imagine if you do this once a month. 

Your co-workers, kids, husband/partner and friends will notice a difference in you. Your step will be lighter. Your mood will be high and your energy will be off the charts.

Just try it once. I dare you! 

I'm having my day today! Today is the day that I am going to be selfish. After all; 

I deserve it!

STILL AT IT

Some may think that I have completely forgotten about writing since I have been busy designing my tiny house.

That is not the true.

On Friday, May 12 I was able to sit on a panel discussion about the "Business of Writing" at the Festival of Literary Arts.

During this panel I was able to learn some tips and tricks from the best in the business like +OmarTyree and +JessicaTilles.

On this panel +AustinCamacho spoke about the changes that he has seen happen in the years he has been in the business.

Gone are the days of packing books into your car and driving down to the local Borders book store to set up and sign your new novel. Borders was a very friendly author book store that welcomed all authors into their stores with open arms.

Those days are now replaced by packing boxes in your trunk and heading to the local barber shop, beauty salon or local mall to try and sell books to a crowd that believes that if you are an indie author; your book can't be good.

Omar Tyree said it was "numbers that got him noticed" in 1994 with his novel Fly Girl. He sold 25K book,s by hand, by doing what he knew best. Hustling on the streets and at work. It didn't hurt that he was also a writer for a large newspaper and had connections that would help him reach those numbers.

Today you need luck, numbers (as in books sold) and your hustle. You have got to be willing to work at being an author like you work your normal job.

This is going to require you making an effort to sell yourself as well as your writing to people who have no idea who you are.  This will require you to work more than 40 hours some weeks and it will require you to have a budget for everything that needs to be done for your novel.

So, this goes back to me. I'm still at it. How? On June 7th I will be on +KLoweryMoore's Internet radio show. In July I will be traveling to Indianapolis for business but while there; I hope to sell some novels because after all; I will have a very captive audience and my author persona will come out if anyone asks me about what I do.

You see; I'm still at it.

Are you?

WHY AM I GOING TINY?

I have gotten this question a lot of times and I give a very short answer.

Today; I am going to give you the longer answer. 

The reason I am going tiny is because my needs in life have changed. I have reached my milestone age. I turned 50 in 2016 and started rethinking my life. 

A health issue reared it's ugly head and I had to re-think a lot of things that I took for granted. 

I stepped down from an amazing job for Intrigue Publishing because my health needed all of my attention.

Lucky for me; I had two men in my life that took excellent care of me and gave me the courage to take life by the horns and fight it until I won.

I had been researching tiny houses since 2015 when I stumbled across the show Tiny House Big Living.

I was like a child wanting for Santa. Every week, I altered my schedule to make sure that I was home to see the entire episode. 

This new 'movement' as it was called, caught my attention.

If you have seen my small 'reading room' you all know that I like small spaces. That space is no bigger than 3x4 sq feet. I love this room and stay in it most of the time. 

The size of my home will be 8 x 24. This model is owned by Regina in Florida. This will be similar to the one I get. 

Regina's 24 foot tiny home

My other reason for going tiny? Financial gain. I have paid cash for a small plot of land. I will pay cash for my tiny house. I will not have a mortgage. I will pay for my land taxes once a year. I will not pay for water because I have well water. The only 'utility' I will have is electric and now I am thinking of trying to use solar power. 

Another reason for going tiny is that I can travel with it. Did I mention that the tiny house will have wheels? YES! Do you feel that excitement? All I need is a truck to haul it. Wait; no I don't. All I need is a +U-Haul  that will tow something that is 12,000 lbs. 

So my reason for going tiny is simple. I want to enjoy life. I want to be able to take a trip whenever I want to. I want to live stress free and going tiny makes perfect sense, for me.

Could you go tiny? Leave a comment and let me know.

NEW YEAR AND NEW GOALS

It seems as if 2016 flew by in a blur.

For most of us authors, it was a year filled with lots of activity. There were lots of edits, rewrites, conferences, submissions and rejections that occured in 2016.

For 2017, it may be filled with the same but how will you approach it?

Will you take what you learned in 2016 into 2017? Will you submit your manuscript to more publishers? Will you rewrite that manuscript in your desk drawer? Will you attend another conference or maybe your first conference? Will you look at those rejections with new eyes and make improvements on your writing?

Whatever you do in 2017, remember that being an author is a privilege that a lot of people WISHED they had the courage to do.

Remember that you, yes you, can improve on being an author if you do one simple thing.

Be the best author you can be.

That means; attending workshops, conferences and seminars geared towards your genre of writing. That means not limiting yourself to one specific audience. That means taking time to market yourself to everyone; not just your family and friends. That means taking a leap of faith and submitting your work to a publisher, editor or doing it yourself.

Whatever you do; do it to the best of your ability.

I hope that your 2016 ends on a high note and that 2017 begins on a higher one.

See you in the new year.

WRITING DURING THE SUMMER

During the summer I want to do many things and writing is not really one of them.

However, I'm an author and writing comes natural to me. Have you ever been somewhere and thought; wow that would make a great mystery? Or maybe you went on vacation and said, wow this would be a great place to put some characters and see what they can get into?

If you haven't done that; you are not a writer but most writers will know what I am talking about.

If you notice by the shirt, I wished I was in NYC right now and participating in +ThrillerFest Volunteer Coordinator  but I missed it this year due to being on tour for my own novel. But next year I will be back!

During the summer months, I sit in my office and I just stare off into space. There is not much to do when the students are on break but I get a lot of writing done.

Hopefully you are getting some writing done in between going to the pool, the beach, taking the boat out or fishing. If you are; snap a selfie and post it in my comments below.

I'd love to see what you are doing when you are 'supposed to be' writing.

Happy Summer!

MARKETING AND SELLING; TWO DIFFERENT THINGS

By nature I am a great marketer. By nature I don't like hand to hand sales. By nature I'd rather write but we all must do things in our writing lives that make us uncomfortable.

Selling my novels to my friends and family is easy. Well everyone knows that, right? You tell them you wrote a book, invite them for free food and giveaways and they will buy a book. (Most of the times)

It's those times when I have to set up a table, talk my way into a bookstore or sell to total strangers that I am uncomfortable with.

By nature I'm a very shy person. Yes, I'm shy. However when it comes times to sell my novels to the masses; I become even more shy. I feel like people will judge me. And actually they do. Imagine the 'slick' comments I get with my name. Yes people; for the hundredth time; It IS MY LEGAL NAME. Although it does make a great stripper name and if I was more ambitious I'd be selling my novel at the local 'gentleman's club". But I'm not that ambitious...yet.

So on the occasions that I get to stand in front of strangers, I try to smile and not look so uncomfortable.

I am a "social butterfly" and can post to Twitter, Facebook and other social media outlets 50-60 times a day. Not a problem but that is just marketing. When it comes to selling...now that's a different story.

I'm lucky that my 'brand' has continued to carry me through these such days.

My shoes are FIERCE! and when people see me standing for four or five hours in six inch heels or see the stiletto perched onto of my book display; it always brings them to the 'yard' I mean, table.

So matter how uncomfortable I am, I can always smile when someone asks. "How do you do it all day?" "I used to wear those heels in my younger days". "Your feet don't hurt?"

I smile and answer them and then it happens, the put me in my comfort zone by asking me to tell them all about my book. Let the selling begin!

And THAT my friends is the difference between marketing and selling. Marketing happens whenever someone asks about your novel. Marketing happens when you post on social media. Marketing happens when you print up materials to hand out.

Selling happens when you step out into the world; let people see your brand, your novels and yourself. Selling happens when people ask you; What, Where, When, How and Why? Selling happens when you least expect it.

Step out of your comfort zone and step into the magnificent world of an author. I promise you the feelings of euphoria takes over and you will be on cloud nine!

WHEN TALKING GETS YOU IN TROUBLE

While I am a great talker, I'd like to think of myself as a better writer. I talk because I can't live without talking; well no one can really.

But I have found out that I am a great talker. I was told last week that I am a "great interviewer" and "you are so good at this, why aren't you doing it full time." 

Who knew?

I knew I could write and that will be another blog but who knew I was also a great interviewer. Not my words but a guests.

So being the talker that I am; I always ask questions hoping that the answer is one that I want to hear. I was once told, just ask and all they can do is say no. So I asked. I asked this great novelist to be on my show and he said YES.

Wait, what? Yes...what am I suppose to do now? I didn't expect a YES! So I do what I do when I'm unsure; I go shopping!

Shopping for shoes! That is what calms me when I'm stressed. And trust me, I was instantly stressed. How else did I talk this great novelist into being on my show? 

So as I shopped I found some great shoes and it came to me! I'll just ask questions that I want to know and I became very confident in that moment. I got some really cute shoes and some really great questions came to mind.

So I hope you caught the interview with R.L. Stine and if not...please check it out here. R.L Stine Interview

WHAT WILL I DO IN 2015

I plan on doing the same thing; only more of it.

That's the simple answer.

The real answer is: Work harder to sell more novels; Work harder to get more people to read; Work harder to make my radio show better and Work harder in my personal and professional life.

That is why I will now begin posting my show  here as well as on YouTube. Most people don't like YouTube but for me; I've learned that you have to step out of your comfort zone and tackle the things that scare us the most.

You will now begin to see my show, The We B Swangin Show every Friday.

Consider it a rerun of my Wednesday show. So what I want you to do...yes, I'm talking to you. Don't look around, I'm talking to you, the one reading this.

I want you to share it on your Google pages, Share it on your Facebook pages, Share it on your Twitter pages and you never know..you may earn a spot on my show with me. Showing off your shoes, your writing skills or just hanging out at the coolest station ever!

So now that you know what I will be doing in 2015; what will YOU be doing?

Marketing and Branding...two different things

A lot of people ask me, why do you always say that marketing and branding are two different things?

That's because they are. Marketing is what you do to get your novel, product or name out in the public eye. Branding is when you are in the public eye and people recognize your novel, product or name by the 'symbol' that you have associated it with.

I am sure that whenever you see an I Pad, you see an APPLE and that APPLE is their brand. When you see Under Armour you see the double U intertwined to look like a U and an A...that symbol is their brand.

For me, whenever people see B.S.W..they think B. Swangin Webster. and that is my brand. Those initials are something that I purposefully wanted to everyone to see whenever I am around. Everything I do, has B. S or W on it. That is why when I tell people start marketing yourself six months BEFORE your novel hits, and make sure that you know what BRAND you want people to remember because when you book comes out, you want that BRAND to be the first thing they see and remember...oh, that (insert your name here:__)

I'm all over social media and when you type in B. Swangin; you will immediately see me...yippee! So my branding is working and my marketing efforts are paying off.

So, tell me what BRAND are you creating to make sure that you stand out among all of the authors dropping books this month and have you started MARKETING yet?

PUBLISHERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

I have seen more and more publishing companies jump into the social media arena.

My publisher is no different. +Intrigue Camacho is now on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, GoodReads and Google +

The social media magnet, whom we refer to as the Marketing Guru has signed them up and has them all over the place; well all over the internet.

I am sure the big publishers have an entire department that handles their social media presence.

What about the small guys? Who does their's?

Well I know for Intrigue Publishing, that job falls to one person and she does it very well. She has her phone all the time, she is tweeting, posting, updating and announcing things almost 24 hours a day. She does this all while doing her OWN social media.

I honestly don't think she sleeps enough but hey, she handles non sleep just as well as the rest of us who sleep at least 6-8 hours a night.

If you want to see what they are doing, have a look at what we do in the offices or see the latest events that me and the other authors of Intrigue will be participating in, check out the following links:

Intrigue on Twitter
Intrigue on Pinterest
Intrigue on Facebook
Intrigue Publishing Website
Intrigue on Instagram