by Alicia S. | Jan 13, 2020 | Goals, Monthly Discussions |
Have you ever set some lofty goals and experience set backs?
I have. I do it often but I can’t seem to learn from my mistake. Guess it’s the optimist in me that tries too hard to keep trying. Eventually I will learn something or get that goal done đ
But yeah… lofty goals can be something that is your pie in the sky and would be awesome if you can get it done.
Mine was to write the last 18 chapters of one my books for this past week. Did I do it? Nope.
Why? Was it too lofty? Too ambitious?
Kind of… and kind of not.
For you see I know and have written over ten chapters in 1 day (that’s over 20k words) so I know that I could have done it for last week. However, there were a few factors that kept me from acheiving that goal.
One I didn’t have the setting right. It had been over a year since I last touched the book that I was writing. So I needed to re-acclimate myself to the characters, their manners, what was happening and what was to happen next.
Second, life happens. My partner lost her grandfather about a week ago. We attended his funeral this past Sunday. He was dear to my heart as well even though I didn’t know him as long as my partner had known him. Wonderful and gentle man. May he rest in peace.
So, dealing with grief and not being ready to write was my roadblock to attaining my lofty goal.
Yet, I am ready to try again this week and get back on track. I’ve done my research and have my notes ready to go as I tackle this awesome task to write the remaining 18 chapters of my book.
Setting goals each week helps drive me forward. Sure, I might not attain it but I do learn from it. How about you?
What kind of lofty goals and set backs have you had in the past? Are you experiencing one now?
I would love to know how you handle them.
Lofty goals are nothing like SMART goals. Don’t know what a SMART goal is? Then check out our previous post on SMART goals.
by Alicia S. | Jan 6, 2020 | Goals, Monthly Discussions
As with each and every new year it brings about goals and ambitions. Whether they be new or old… including SMART goals.
That my friend is what you and I will discuss today and for the rest of this month.
Last year was a wee bit too ambitious to do a blog post… every. single. day.
* heavy sigh and eye roll *
So, this year… this blog (myself along with my fellow amigos) will have a brand spanking new post up every Monday.
W00t! New stuff to read!! Yay, yay, yay!
If I’m excited then I know that you are đ … right?
Now let’s discuss goals.
What are Goals?
A goal simply put is a dream with tasks / steps needed to obtain it.
A goal has a timeline.
SUPER DUPER SIMPLE… but…
I’m one of those that cringes when I’m asked to make goals. Especially SMART goals.
Sure I can dream all day long yet when it comes to putting it into action I am known to drag my feet.
What are SMART goals?
Glad you asked.
SMART goals stand for…
- Specific (simple, sensible, significant).
- Measurable (meaningful, motivating).
- Achievable (agreed, attainable).
- Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based).
- Time bound (time-based, time limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive)
SMART goal definition swiped from MindTools
They have tons of excellent articles on goals and other tips on managing your career.
Back to SMART goals
You could read the article on SMART goals by MindTools OR I can give you the abbreviated version.
As you know the first part of making your goals SMART is to be SPECIFIC.
Yeah you can see how a creative type like me would cringe on something like that. It stops me dead in my tracks.
Though there are some friends to help you along and you know it as the five W’s…
Yup, that’s right — what, why, who, where and which
The first part of being specific is asking what do you want to accomplish then follow it up with why is it so darn important to you.
Third is to ask who is involved — like do you need your family members and friends to respect the time you’ve set aside to ‘X’ so that you can meet your goal?
Forth is where is it happening? Is it online, in a physical location or where are you going to do this goal or where does it need to happen?
Finally ask which resources or limits are involved with this goal. <- This is a VITAL question. Because resource COULD mean money that is needed to make the goal a reality. DO NOT SKIP THIS QUESTION
Next part of SMART goals is to ask if it is MEASURABLE
How much, how many and how do you know when you’ve met the goal.
Lots of people make measurable goals such as ‘I will lose 5lbs by April.’
They will know if they made that goal when they’ve lost 5 pounds AND it’s before April. Just in time for the beach season in the Northern Hemisphere đ
Third part of SMART is ACHIEVABLE
You should think long and hard on this one for it once again should include questions about finances (if the goal involves moo-lah)
Also you need to ask how you’re going to accomplish this goal. Remember to break it up in to tiny steps if seems too big.
Smaller steps = a much more attainable / achievable goal
Now we’re on the RELEVANT portion of SMART goals
Your goal will be relevant if you can answer “yes” to the following:
- Is it worthwhile?
- Is the timing right?
- Does this match my effort / needs?
- Is this goal right for me?
- Is it applicable to here-and-now?
Last but not least the final portion of SMART goals is TIME-BOUND
You need to set when you think you’ll finish your goal. Ask yourself if you can do it six months from now or six weeks or even today.
Be real and keep your daily obligations in mind when charting out the timeline for your goal.
Yeesh, I still cringe even after writing all of it. Though we all need to eat our veggies if it will do us more good.
So, I am giving you a challenge…
Come up with at least one SMART goal and let me know about.
You can keep me accountable for the Monday posts and I can help keep you in line with your goal.
Deal?
by Marie Hoping | Oct 25, 2019 | Monthly Discussions, Newsletters, Social Media |
Today, we are going to talk about group promos and their important use. You know what a swap is and group promo isnât much different.
What is a group promo?
Itâs basically a swap with many authors in it. Usually, they have a common theme such as âHalloween booksâ or âSweet romanceâ or âKU books.â
- In group promos, all authors must share the group promo at least once in their newsletter.
- Dates. The promos donât ran forever so you can only share on the according date.
- Sometimes, thereâs a specific list number requirement.
- Ex.: Accepted lists from 1k+
- Some group promos are specifically designed for KU, 99 cents or even free books.
Types of group promos
Sales: This kind of group promo is for books at a reduced price
Giveaway: This group promo is to attract readers to your other books so itâs best if you submit a part of your first book of your series or a reader magnet. That way, you get readers and subscribers.
Kindle Unlimited: Only books that are in KU will be accepted.
What do I do?
On the days of the promotion, you put the banner and the link and you send it like a normal book đÂ
Where do I find them?
There are lots of ways to find group promos. One of them is to scour cross-promoting groups on Facebook. Another way is through Story Origin and websites such as that.
So are group promos a newsletter replacement?
It’s up to you. You decide whether you want to use social swaps in lieu of newsletters or as an additional tool to reach more people.
by Marie Hoping | Oct 24, 2019 | Monthly Discussions, Newsletters |
What are newsletter swaps?
As an author, youâll hear the word, ‘swaps’–short for newsletter swaps, a lot and personally, I can tell you itâs one of the most important ways to market your books.
That got your attention, huh? Good.
You share my book and Iâll share yours. Gears working? Swaps is the term we use for sharing another authorâs book in our newsletter.Â
What do I have to gain with that?
A lot. You spice up your newsletter since you donât talk only about your books. You may discover a book you like because letâs not forget, youâre a reader too. Being featured in other lists, you can get sales.
Yes, thatâs right. Sharing in social media might be a good start but it doesnât necessarily gives you sales. With swaps, you have more chances to get sales and if youâre having a sale, even more so.
Remember, stick to your genre.
Why? If youâre a horror author and you swap with a romance author, thereâs little chance for both parties to get sales. Fantasy and Paranormal Romance though are very close.
Take advantage of holidays.
If your book is about horror, take advantage of Halloween. Romance book pairs with summer and so on. Even if you donât have a sale, readers stick to the holidays. In Christmas though, they might stray a little further and get multi-genre books.
Now that we sorted the basics, youâre ready to swap. But wait, where do I start?
Excellent question! On Facebook, you can find tons of groups for swaps. Just type the keywords âSwapâ or ânewsletterâ and join the groups.
What do I have to do?
First, go through the most recent posts. Take a look at the dates. If your newsletter send date is between the dates of the asker, let them know you can swap with them. Or send them a private message.
Tips: Tag the asker on your comment. Why? Because Facebook doesnât always notify us if one responded in our post.
Can I make my own post?
Why, of course! Just put what you want to swap, when and if you have a sale. Some groups have a special format of asking. Take a look before asking and post. Donât be disappointed if no one answers. Post in different groups and donât stick to one.
What is Story Origin? Itâs an easier platform to find swaps and personally, I rate it as the best app to find swaps. At the moment, itâs free to join.
First, you have to make an account. Then, go to Author Dashboard -> Campaign Planner. Your campaign planner is when you have scheduled your newsletter date. After you post the necessary data, youâre ready to swap so you must go toâŠ
Newsletter Swaps
Click to find a swap. It will take you to a huge list so if you want to narrow it down a bit, go to Filters positioned on the top. Read the description and send date of each swap. Once youâve found one that interests you, click Exchange Book Mention. Youâll have to wait for verification on your email. Once youâve got it, itâs recorded on your profile under Newsletter Swaps.
Donât worry about forgetting them. Story Origin has them recorded and on the date you must send your newsletter, it notifies you that today is your newsletter send date. Cool, huh?
Iâve sent my newsletter, now what?
There comes the receipt. Go to our campaign planner, click Edit to Archive link and put your newsletter link. In that way, the authors know you have included their books.
Include Story Originâs track link only.
Why? Because Story Origin can track the swaps inside your newsletter and authors will know you have included your books. Same way goes for your books. They are all listed under Authors Promoting My Work
Other websites similar to Story Origin.
by James Meservy | Oct 21, 2019 | Monthly Discussions, Newsletters |
Mornin’!
I am James Quinlan Meservy
Fantasy Author Extraordinaire,
Creator of Creatures,
Embellisher of Events,
And Firebrand âStories that Kindle Imagination”
I wanted to take a moment of your time and share my thoughts on newsletters or reader groups, as they are occasionally termed. I am not a big fan of newsletters, personally, I rarely subscribe to newsletters, rarely open newsletters when I receive one in my inbox, and rarely try to increase my number of subscribers, so my thoughts on the subject should be taken with a grain of salt, for despite reading about and learning about the importance of keeping an active newsletter, I have a hard time getting excited about newsletters. And that is what I want to discuss, my mindset on newsletters specifically and marketing & promotion in general.
While I served as a professional District Executive for the Boy Scouts of America a few years back in Wyoming, my greatest asset in working with adult volunteers was my enthusiasm for the youth programs supported by the BSA, how participating in those programs as a youth positively influenced my life, and how the values of the Scouting movement could positively influence the lives of today’s youth.
I lack that enthusiasm in my newsletters and my other marketing & promotion endeavors. And that is the personal challenge I am working on at present, finding a way to become enthusiastic about newsletters, finding my voice in a newsletter I can be excited about.
One thought that struck me from this recent month of posts about NLs was to write a newsletter to a specific friend. It should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with me and my Facebook presence that fellow Burning Embers co-founder, Alicia Scarborough, is a good personal friend of mine. And I greatly enjoy sharing ideas about my books with her as she shares her ideas with me. And we both get excited and enthusiastic about one another’s works. I have a similar friendship with KR Martin (author of the Sovereign of the Seas Series) and JN Tomczak (author of the Kingdom of the Faeries Series) and Tessonja Odette (author of the Lela Trilogy) just to name a few. So my challenge to myself, and if you are having as difficult a time as I sharing an enthusiastic voice when crafting your newsletter my challenge to you as well, is to pretend you are not sending out a newsletter, but that you are sharing a private message with a close friend.
Share with your friend, in the newsletter, updates on your current writing projects, book recommendations, both old & new releases, recent book reviews, or whatever your chosen NLs theme is. I have a strong suspicion, granted at this time it is just a suspicion that has not been tested, that as you get excited about crafting your newsletters, your followers will be more receptive to your message than if you used a bland monotone “here is the link to my new book, everyone please buy a copy” type voice and approach.
by Alicia S. | Oct 8, 2019 | Daily Discussions, Monthly Discussions, Newsletters |
What in the world does audience & genre have to do with newsletters?
A lot. Trust me. They are more intertwined than you know.
Most seasoned newsletter veterans know that your audience and genre are key to delivering a successful newsletter.
Don’t believe me? Then ask around.
The ones that know what the heck they’re doing can pretty much have their fans eating out of their hands.
Pretty powerful stuff, eh?
Though to be honest, not all newsletters key in on these crucial pieces. They are missing either the genre or they are speaking to the masses instead of their intended individual.
Okay down to business…
What does genre have to do with your newsletter?
It determines the mood, theme or what you will be talking about in your letters to your adoring fans.
If you write paranormal horror then there is no way in heck that you would be writing about Peter Rabbit in the next letter… not unless Peter had an unfortunate event. Only if the subject relates to the genre that YOU write should it be included in your newsletter.
So if you write coming of age youth stories then you would write about youth related news that involves coming of age topics. You would include promotions for youth coming of age books — like Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl or Percy Jackson.
Genre will determine what giveaways or promos you could give away to your fans. Romance might be candles or youth might call for some cute kid thing-a-ma-bob you could send your fans. Remember your genre is key to keeping your audience ensnared in your news and craving for more.
What about audience? How does that play into your newsletters?
Did you do the exercise from part 2?
If not then here it is…
Write down the one person that you are writing your story for (they can be fictitious if you want them to be):
- What is his/her name?
- Age?
- Likes and/or dis-likes?
- Do they like reading?
- What is the one quality that makes them stand out?
You need to know who you are writing for… down to the last freckle on their nose.
You are writing for that person and that person alone. Not Bo-Jim and not Sally-Ann.
No.
If you chose to write to Billy down the street or little Suzy then that is who you are writing to and only them.
Do not…
under any circumstance…
write your letters…
as though you are…
addressing a huge crowd.
No.
That is not how you do them.
Each letter is meant to be a one-on-one letter. You need to write them as though you are talking to Billy sitting across the table from you. Billy wouldn’t like it if you were talking to him through a megaphone and to the entire cafe.
He will probably get up and leave if you do that. So, don’t do it.
Please for the love of G, don’t do it.
One more thing… keep it conversational.
Alright let’s wrap things up.
As you have read by now you should know that a successful newsletter has two things nailed down:
- Genre – What you write
- Audience – Who you are writing for
Once you have those two things figured out then you’re at least 5% better than the average newsletter that is out there.
If you have any questions then please do not hesitate to ask in the comments. Weâre always happy to answer for weâre all in this together.
Thank you for reading Burning Embersâ Newsletters for Beginners Part 3 â Audience & Genre.
Next post will be Newsletters for Beginners Part 4 â Fellow Author Newsletters
Missed Part 2? Go ahead and catch up on Newsletters for Beginners Part 2
