S.L. Danielson's Blog, page 25
February 2, 2019
What to Do After the First Draft
Great advice for what to do after those precious pages have finally appeared from your fingertips.
by Katie McCoach
Your fingers hurt. Your eyes burn. You haven’t had anything to drink except coffee for the past few days, weeks, year. You are pretty sure you haven’t slept a full night without dreaming about characters and plot lines.
You are certain you will never type again. Because you finally finished writing the first draft of your novel. Phew!
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February 1, 2019
When the magic feels gone…
It’s been over two months now since I’ve written or edited a word in my books. Nothing cleaned up, nothing new, no ideas outlined.
Sigh.
Is the magic gone? Has the will to write left me?
No. It’s still there; but it lies dormant for now as I struggle to find the energy and commitment that I once had.
Does this sound familiar to you? How do you break up writer’s block that’s as thick as ice on a Chicago lake?
Steph
January 31, 2019
Guest Blogging is the Best FREE Publicity for Writers: 12 Tips for Landing Effective Guest Blog Spots – by Anne R. Allen…
I definitely plan to do this…now to find those niche bloggers for gay male romance…
Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog
Guest Blogging: learn to target the right blogs and write a good query
Most author marketing gurus will tell you that guest blogging is one of the best ways to promote your book.
Beth Hayden wrote on Jane Friedman’s blog about the many ways guest blogging builds platform and sells books.
She points out that it increases your authority as well as getting your name out there and increasing sales. And it’s right up your alley.
You don’t have to be a great photographer or a telegenic public speaker. All you have to do is write.
You got this.
And it’s FREE!
Find out more HERE
Top 9 Trends in Publishing for 2019
Some interesting trends for 2019!
The Written Word Media (WWM) regularly posts great material examining the latest trends in publishing; trends of interest to every author – particularly Indie ones. Here is my summary of Ricci Wolman’s predictions for 2019, along wth my comments:
1) Amazon Advertising Ads Go Mainstream
Amazon Advertising (formerly Amazon Marketing Service, aka AMS) 
Ads will become an essential part of the author’s toolkit in 2019. More and more authors are reporting rising costs on Facebook Ads. This, coupled with Amazon’s ambitions to grow its advertising business, will make paying to get visibility on Amazon a pillar of every author’s marketing strategy.
Personally, I have stopped advertising on other media, with the exception of running promos for any titles I may have on offer (on free days/Kindle Countdown Deals). To learn more on Amazon Advertising, consult the guides I wrote for SearchNurture.
2) Book Quality Becomes Critical to Success
In an…
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New Affiliate…
This is my baby boy, Jack. He is the love of my life and I’d do anything for him.[image error]
If anyone here is a pet parent to a cat, dog, bird, ferret, hamster, etc etc…you should really check into chewy.com
My little boy is diabetic and has a colon issue (I won’t go into detail) (You’re welcome)
They offer Rx food, testing kits, treats, toys, etc. Even his litter.
Their customer service rocks! I got a refund back on food that he was getting sick on without even having to return it. 
760 to go…
Hello all! This is Nurse Stephanie taking a breather from caring for her hubby. He is doing OK and needs a little less of my time, so I can finally away to my computer for a short while and say howdy!
It’s not all lovely though…beyond starting up a game of the Sims or researching some random item, or even just a quick check of FaceBook, it lies it waiting.
You know what I mean…that insidious thing called email. (cue the Imperial March)
I shudder when I open my email…(anyone else) and see over 700 emails to address!
How did it build up so much? I get over 100/day and if I don’t stay on top of things…well, you get the picture.
Now, I’m seeking out ways to consolidated all of these so that 1. I don’t miss something helpful or important and 2. to group maybe by sender or subject?
I use gmail, so if anyone out there in blogland has a tip, please let me know.
January 26, 2019
Regret is going to break your heart
Regret is awful…I’ve suffered with it and am now trying to rectify my inactions.
Your brain is kinda dumb. I mean, all it’s trying to do is keep you alive. It’s incredibly good at it. Food, shelter, sex…
That’s why the plethora of mental issues we’re struggling with as we try to navigate through what our brains consider to be unhealthy and complicated lifestyles.
Is the goal to survive? I’d like to think that our goal is to thrive. Survival is weak. Survival has become increasingly easy.
Or better yet. Think of it this way: do you want to be the hero of your own story? Your life’s story? You’d be surprised at how many people act as if they are the villains of their own stories, or a minor character. No. You can write your own story, and you better live a life that is worth writing about and worth listening to.
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No Rainbow this week…
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I’m playing nurse to my hubby who had surgery this week. It’s exhausting fetching everything for him and keeping up with a kitty (who also has health issues) plus keeping up with the house.
Wish us luck that he can be back on his feet soon and on the road to recovery
January 22, 2019
Procrastination is a Self-Perpetuating Cycle: 9 Tips for Getting Unstuck – by Katie Davis…
Wonderful advice for those of us who procrastinate!
Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog
on Anne R. Allen site:
Procrastinating? Here’s how to break the pattern of putting off your writing.
When the year begins, all fresh and shiny, we tend to make promises to ourselves.
When we first took over the Institute for Writers, I wanted to help our community of writers––our students––so I polled them. I asked, “What do you think the top two reasons are for not starting (or continuing) your book?”
I thought the big answer would be “getting an agent” or “lack of publishing knowledge”, or something like that. The top answer by far was procrastination. Procrastination can grab hold and become a habit. It can allow you to play mind games with yourself.
Continue reading HERE
