Hey everyone and welcome back to the channel. I am Kim Smith, author of the Shannon Wallace Mysteries and my new book release, In the Holler, comes out on April 15.
I have had about 14 releases now. So, I sort of know how it feels. But let me tell you, the feeling stays pretty good all this way through.
IF you are a tiptoe from being here, at book release time, and you really don’t know what to do now, check out this video for some tips.
BOOK RELEASE
Here are a few extra tips for your book release.
Ask for reviews
Put it on PREORDER
Blog about it in advance
Add a link to it in your email signature
Go to your social media sites and change your profile or bio to include it
Create teasers and excerpts
These things will gain interest in your book and help you share with your fans and friends and followers.
NOTE: Try not to check your Amazon page every hour. Trust me on this one!
You do not have to be famous...you have to be fantastic -- Kim Smith
Good day friends! I am providing another tarot for writers video. It is getting so warm and nice outside, that I am finding it difficult to stay inside and shoot! So, in the beginning of this video I included a bit of my daily walk and so you can see and enjoy spring in Florida.
But I digress…
This week’s video is all about someone who has become discouraged and embittered because life is not going like they want for it to. I almost felt as though I read for someone in the viewership, it was a very strong reading.
But if you have a romance novel or story you are working on, this may be an important video for you to check out. Someone is going down the tubes and someone is coming to save them 🙂 — I loved how the cards laid out and how the story went from conflictual to a happy ever after ending.
And at the very end of the video, I include my sweet book cover for In the Holler coming out April 15. I would love it if you would go to Amazon and get it as it is out there available for preorder RIGHT NOW! And it is also a ROMANCE but it has some pretty cool women’s fiction elements. I call it ROMWOM. I hope you enjoy it!
Finding a genre. Welcome to another episode of my podcast. Today I want to help older writers to understand that every writer has multiple books or literary works inside of them, they just have to find a genre. Here’s why I say that…
Hi, I’m Kim and I am the author of published works, and in today’s episode I want to help you understand that every writer has multiple books or literary works inside of them. The one that will allow you to get readers, true fans, followers, sales, all of it—is the one you are most passionate about.
People don’t know what to write when they are first starting out. The truth is you can publish a number of books, non-fiction, fiction, how-to-I’m-a-guru, lots of different options to try- but one of those books would sell much faster if you knew the formula.
I’m talking about the formula to success for older writers, over-fifty writers, who are just getting started in the process of finding a genre.
Hey everybody, this video was shot at the end of February and into the first week of March. I show how I set up and take down my kanban board each month. I also go through some planning and journaling steps.
Do you like Facebook Live? Do you think I should do a few? Leave me a comment down below!
Today, let’s chat about book sales and the lack of results…the sales you’re NOT getting.
So, say you wanted to excel as a writer in any genre, but you didn’t know how. Could you do it?
In this video, we’re going to talk about how some writers struggle with finding their sweet spot.
You know what? When you just get started as an author, when you launch your very first book–when you first begin on the publishing journey–it’s exciting and fun and just the thought of readers enjoying your book and going to book events and signing your books for adoring fans, and oh yeah, ALL THAT MONEY you make on doing something you really love to do, it is FANTASTIC!
And certainly, if I can do it, you can do it.
check out my book page at www.kimsmithauthor.com/books
But just because I can and have (13 books so far)-doesn’t mean you can repeat and rinse and come out with the same book sales.
So, to find out more about my thoughts on this subject and also see some fun video of a day at the farmer’s market near my home, check out the YouTube channel video above. If you like it, please consider subscribing.
Have you ever thought about how much negative self-talk you produce every day? I didn’t either until recently when I found a fellow online that really impressed me with his affirmation ideas. This got me to thinking… and I decided that everyone INCLUDING WRITERS needs positive reinforcements.
So, this week’s video is all about positive affirmations for writers. That’s all writers, young, old, and in-between.
Many people have wonderful positive affirmations like I am beautiful, I am peaceful, I am joyful. But I wanted to say things like, I am a writer. Because sometimes we just need to hear that.
I have put together this little video with voiceover speaking positivity into your ear. I hope it is something that benefits you in the days to come. If you ever need someone to just talk to about writing, well, I am always listening.
Please consider liking, sharing, and subscribing to the Writer Groupie channel over on YouTube. I would love to have you as a fan and follower.
Writer Groupie is also on iTunes if you are a podcast listener. Sometimes it is about writing, sometimes it is about writing mindset. If that sound like something you would be interested in, would you consider adding the podcast to your favs?
Writer Groupie Podcast
Be sure to leave a comment below if you want to see a specific video on the channel. And leave me a comment with your thoughts on what I am doing. I am trying to do more and better videos, but it takes time!
Habits. Did you know that if you do something for a month it will become a habit? Here’s why I mention it.
There are quite a few things that writers should follow, like other writers. But I am not talking about that today. Today, it’s all about habits.
3 Habits all writers should follow
1. Write something every day.
a. Sit down and start typing.
b. You can free write until the ideas flow
c. The key is don’t edit yourself now. Just write.
2. Read–for fun
a. Reading should be fun. It was once, wasn’t it?
b. You learn from others
c. Make reading a priority to stay current on what kinds of books are out there.
3. Go for a walk
a. Don’t take your phone–instead focus on nature
b. Allow creativity to flow
c. Accept inspiration when it comes
Did you enjoy this episode? Please go to iTunes Podcasts and make Writer Groupie one of your favorites!
If you prefer videos, we have a YouTube channel also. You can check it out here. Please consider liking, sharing, and subscribing! When it gets to 100 subscribers, then we can get the WRITER GROUPIE name in the URL to the channel. That’s pretty exciting!
Also, I am a writer, too! Please go to my writing site to hear all about what I am up to in the writing world. I have a book page and you can visit that here
I sometimes have books that I am enjoying listed there, as well as some of the books on tour with some of my favorite book tour companies. If you are a book lover like I am, please check out the latest over on KimSmithauthor.com
I will be back soon with another podcast! I hope you will visit the site again soon,
Recently, I had the privilege of interviewing Samuel Davel about writing and the writing life. He grew up in rural Wisconsin leaving home at 18 for the Army. In the Army, Sam was an Airborne Ranger Who was constantly taking in the world around him. He has lived in NYC while pursuing a film and television career and actually appeared on the small screen.
Dear Monica is his first published work.
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INTERVIEW
Share about yourself
 I’m an author, writer, and sports podcast host. Mostly enjoy writing romance and have found that to be what I lean towards when writing. It has to do with growing up watching romcoms with my mom. Currently 26 years old and I live in NYC. Was a member of the 1st battalion 75th ranger regiment before moving to New York and acting and writing. I try to write about small moments, the easy stuff that we as people often overlook. I mostly do it because it makes me feel like I notice more, allows me to be more present, and appreciate being present.
Share about your work
I write romance with mental health twists or dark twists. There seems to be a lot of light in modern-day romances but I’ve found that in life there is a lot of darkness, a lot of horrible things happen and in my writing, those things still happen but often aren’t enough to wreak someone’s life, or are they?
Tell us about your writing style
My style is really a basic version of F Scott Fitzgerald, I love his similes and metaphors and have really tried to incorporate those kinds of realism into my writing. I say basic because I keep my vocabulary pretty every day and write as people actually talk. I try to keep it as real as possible for me and the reader.
What do you find challenging about the writing life?
The biggest challenge I find in the writing world is staying focused. I’m sure most of us authors have other jobs and other things to pay the bills. so it’s easy to put writing aside for a day that ends up turning into a few weeks. The monetary gains just aren’t there and a book takes months to produce if not years so the instant satisfaction isn’t there with writing too. so it can be difficult to stay true and keep pressing on through multiple books.
If you could write from any place on earth, where would you choose to write from?
If I could write from anywhere in the world I would write from a beach somewhere. I have some sunglasses on and a mojito close by for when I get thirsty.
When asked to set goals, what do you see for yourself or current WIP in five years with your writing?
In 5 years I see myself as a mainstay in the romance genre. I truly believe in myself and the stories I want to tell. I think that will happen and I hope it does.
What are you reading right now?
Right now I’m reading a mystery called “The Whispering Man” by Alex North. it’s very good.
Who is your favorite author?
F Scott Fitzgerald. the way he writes about love and life you can really drift away and dream about those stories.
Give a bit of advice for an aspiring author
My advice to people who want to write is just to start. you will only get better but you have to start. my first novel took 5 edits before I thought it was even okay enough for my sister to read. It took another 15 before I finally published. Everything can be made “Better” but someone once told me “don’t hide greatness from the world waiting on perfection”.
