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.
___________________________
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”.
This video is focusing on older writers, senior writers, over fifty writers, and those who need a shot in the arm to get in the writing chair.
If you are interested, you may pick up my book Ten Tips for Getting that Book Written on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2MkNPA7
You can find me on the web at: www.writergroupie.net and my writing site at: www.kimsmithauthor.com
This video was created with iPhone 12Pro.
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Disclaimer: This video description might have some affiliate links and I may receive a small commission. I only share resources that I love. Thank you so much for your support!
Here’s the 10 most asked questions by writers- and I am open to more if you have them!
I’ve finished my novel. Now what? Edit. Get some books on self-editing and give it whirl. You are not finished with the process once you type the end. If you are going to get an editor to aid in the book’s process, you do not have to have it perfect but as good as you can make it. An editor does not expect it to be publish-ready for you to send to them.
Tell us the difference between a novel and a book? A novel is a kind of book. Just like a magazine is a kind of book, a cookbook is a kind of book etc. in general a novel is a fiction book.
What do you wish you had known about writing a novel before you started? That there are so many layers to the process. There is the plotting/outlining stage, the drafting stages, because there is not just one draft ever of any book, and the editing phase. Then if you are going to self-publish there is the formatting, the cover design, the uploading to vendors and the promoting.
How do I find a publisher? If you are not going to self-publish then you should go out to Twitter and find agents to follow. Most publishers that are good and true have a requirement that you can only submit to them through an agent. Most of them are on Twitter. You can also find them through Agent Query.com
How many chapters should my book have? And or/ how many pages should a chapter have? Every book is different and based on if it is a non-fiction piece or a fiction piece and so on, the number of chapters can vary. Also, the number of pages in a chapter can be up to the author. Some chapters are only a paragraph long.
Final Five Questions
Tell us the difference between a scene and a chapter? Chapters are long collections of scenes. Scenes are the molecule of what is happening. For ex. A robber enters a bank. That is a scene. What happens the whole time he is there is a chapter.
Voice, what’s that? So many times, I hear an agent or editor say that they didn’t connect with the book because it wasn’t “voicey” enough. Well, that is because an author inserts that into the book by making the story and characters come alive with their own special twist. Anyone can write a twenty-five-year-old woman who works in an office but only you can make everything she does seem special and new with the “voice” you give the story via your own unique brand of creation. Too many stories with the same sound to them, she goes to work, she comes home, she watches tv, she goes to bed has no new voice to it, no unique vibration. But if you write that she goes to work and plays games with her boss whereby she wears short skirts that she lets ride up, and then she comes home and watches porn to learn how to do that even better, and when she goes to bed, she sets out a collection of blouses that are sure to entice, well, now that’s voicey. It’s different its new.
Is it true that no new stories exist that they have all been done? Yes. There are only so many stories. They have all been written. But that isn’t to say you cannot put your own spin on any number of old and tired tropes. That is how an old genre is revitalized. Be special and different in your approach and you will go much farther than others in your group who are trying to just rewrite the same old thing.
How can I market my book, I’m just a writer. There are many ways to promote your work. You can find podcasts that host authors, YouTubers who want to know about new books so they can read and review them, blog tour organizations that specialize in posts about and for authors and their work. The best way to promote your book is through Social Media still today. If you plan out your posts on your SM by teasing the audience all through the process, like, here is an excerpt from my WIP and post that then follow up with info on the book and how its going with the writing and then later on how its going with the editing and then teasers from the book and then the cover reveal and finally the preorder with teasers from the book and the cover art up until it releases, people will be on board to buy it. Preorders are a great way to see the sales coming in before the book ever even releases. My advice is find an author that you like and believe to be successful and follow how they do it.
Should I have a website/blog? Yes, you should. Why? Because as we have all seen with the demise of sites such as Myspace, LiveJournal, and others even more recently thanks to political leanings, social media sites can and oftentimes do go away. You will lose everything you had on that site when it does too. So, if you pay for a domain and build a website on it, it’s like building your own house. It is YOURS, bought and paid for. You can do a lot with it to brand yourself and you also can have a blog on it that you can use to augment your social media posts. A lot of times there are plugins that will do all the work for you. I use them myself.
The final thoughts on most asked questions
In conclusion, I believe that authors in today’s world have a lot to think about, and newer authors even if they are not young, hint hint, us seniors, need answers. If you are one of those who constantly thinks of things that you need an answer for and get tired of going to Google to find the answer (and isn’t google just a big old rabbit hole and tunnel for us all?) then be sure to post your comments below.
OBSERVATIONS
I’m happy to answer anything that you need an answer for in the writing vein if I can. Now y’all don’t be posting up stupid stuff like is the moon made of green cheese or how many times can a man travel to the farthest planet without a spaceship and like that. We all have legitimate questions. All of us. Me too. I do not know everything although you may think that I do.
Honesty
If I’m being honest, I wish I did. And also, I wish I knew how to make a million dollars sitting right here in my office chair. I wish I had gotten started with all the self-publishing and writing books and all that at a far earlier age. I might be a multimillion-dollar best seller by now. But as the adage goes, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. I am not riding yet, so I push on, and that’s what we all must do until we find our success. And we all have different ways to measure success when we find it, so no worries if your idea of success looks a bit different from mine. I just measure my success as how many bucks I put in the bank every week.
Writing a book is one of the best ways to make a side income and supplement your retirement. Let’s go through five tips for getting things rolling:
Tip one:
ADDRESS THE TIME FACTOR
We all only have about 12 hours in a day we can add tasks to. We all need to find ways to fit our fun and interesting hobbies in. So, to get it going, try the Pomodoro Method.
Pomodoro Technique. The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. The technique uses a timer to break down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. Each interval is known as a pomodoro, from the Italian word for a tomato,…
Tips for retired writers
Listen in on the podcast to find the other four tips I have for retired writers.
Tips like: How to find your own word count per hour- and why you need to know. How to know what your limits are based on your word count. What starting a blog like this one can do for you. And advice on not giving up on your dreams.
We all need a bit of encouragement these days. I hope you will find these tips helpful. I would love comments and subscribers, so if that feels right for you, join us!
You can find more of my writing life at my personal author blog here:
And if you want to join us on this site for the not regular emails I may send, please fill out a contact form, or use the widget on the sidebar. You may find this on the main page of this site also. https://www.writergroupie.net
Today I have uploaded a day in the life vlog for you to the YouTube channel. I have been sick with a sinus cold of some sort for about a week, so I couldn’t really record. It is terrible trying to talk and breathe when your nose is sooo stuffy.
No, I do not think it is Covid. I don’t feel that bad-but I am staying home away from everyone just in case. I have been staying away from people in general all this while, which is another reason I do not think it is Covid. Of course, my hubby works, so there is that possibility that he might have come into contact. He is not sick however, so I really do not buy that either. No, really, I think it’s the same crud I get every winter. Sinuses. Ugh. I am treating as such anyway. My desire is to feel better soon. I have SO much to do.
Writing while sick and quarantining
This video has clips from our fun New Years Day of going to the beach, and I end it with some writing (me writing). It is not very informational, and I promise to get to that soon. It’s winter and it’s cold here in Florida, Yeah, I know. But it was 38 when I woke up this morning. That’s cold by anyone’s standards.
DO check back for new videos and podcasts coming soon. If you like this day in the life style of video I will be happy to make more!
