Sandy Appleyard's Blog, page 7
January 21, 2015
Don’t be ‘Nora Roberts’
Disclaimer: This post is by no means a slam to Nora Roberts. She is a wonderful, talented author who has been around for decades, and is one of the best. Truly.
Here is what this post is about…
“Luck is what you have left after you give 100%”
It’s a great inspirational quote, isn’t it? It’s grounding, realistic and puts whatever you’ve got going on in your life into perspective.
This quote is something that popped into my mind after reading Russell Blake’s blog post “Being Nora Roberts”. Here is...
January 19, 2015
Authors: It’s Not About Numbers
Authors: The Most Important Thing Social Media Can Give You is Not NumbersOkay, I wanted to make that the title of this post, but it was too darn long.
I digress.
This post is both about what social media can give authors and what it probably can’t.
For authors just starting out on social media, the first thing you should not be thinking is that every new follower or person who likes your page is a potential sale.
Here is a dose of reality:
Most who like or follow you will not buy your books
Many a...
January 16, 2015
The Benefits of Multi-Genre Writing
If you only have one book published and have no plans for another you can probably skip this post. However, if you’re considering your second or more, this post might benefit you.
There are lots of reasons why authors should consider multi-genre writing
As writers we’re also readers, right? And do we all read only one genre? Probably not. So it’s kind of a no-brainer that authors should be multi-genre writers. That’s the obvious part. What might not be so obvious are these few things you should...
January 14, 2015
New Authors: 4 Ways to Get Traction
If you’re a seasoned author, you can probably skip this post. But if you want a refresher on the basics, hang on, you might pick up a thing or two.
Newbie authors, stay put!
I’m going to introduce you to a neat little word that you’ll need to learn and learn well in order to succeed in the literary world.
The word is: traction
It basically means momentum, but the buzz word around here is traction.
What is it…and how do you get it you ask?
Well, I’ll tell you. Traction is, in the literal sense, find...
January 12, 2015
Book Reviews and Their Controversy
If you’re a new indie author, you probably won’t be able to relate much to this post. However, you probably should pay attention because it may very well become a much dreaded problem for you.
Seasoned indie authors? You’ve probably found yourself researching this topic, sending out emails and giving away pdf and mobi files of your precious work, only to wait weeks and see no response. Sound familiar? Do you know what I’m talking about?
the dreaded…book reviews
Yes, I said it. The swear word in...
January 9, 2015
Authors: Let Indie Freedom Reign
A fellow indie author and I got to chatting the other day about adding humour to a suspense or horror storyline, and the fact that that wasn’t widely acceptable in the traditionally published world.
It reminded me of one of the greatest joys of being an indie author….freedom.
As indie authors, we have the freedom to push the envelope and write what we want. Most of my work borderlines and mixes genres together, without being restricted to the confines of what an editor would want.
And I’m not th...
January 7, 2015
Have You Tried This Free Createspace Feature?
Okay, all authors who only publish books in ebook format, this post is not for you. However, if you ever considered publishing in paperback, have a read as this might make you consider the idea further.
Createspace is so easy to use
Createspace, a platform commonly used for authors who want to publish their books in paperback, is a free service to all and is relatively easy to use. It must be, because I figured it out!
Not only does this service allow you to upload your book for free but it also...
January 5, 2015
An Interview with Author A.J. Waines
A look at A.J. Waines’s chilling thriller The Evil BeneathThere’s a body in the water – and she’s wearing your clothes…
Impulsive and intrepid psychotherapist, Juliet Grey, can’t resist responding to an anonymous text message telling her to go to Hammersmith Bridge at dawn. But it isn’t simply the dead body in the water that disturbs her, it’s the way something uniquely personal to Juliet has been left on the corpse.
Another obscure message – another London bridge – and Juliet finds herself cau...
January 4, 2015
Book Review-Sugar’s Faith
About Sugar’s Faith
In this final installment of ‘Sugar’, aptly titled ‘Sugar’s Faith’, the main character encounters well-placed challenges, namely pregnancy, and in doing so she rises as her faith is tested by Him.
Sugar and Van learn they are expecting a child, and in the beginning, the couple is overjoyed as are their loved ones, so the reader doesn’t expect the plot twists. As they travel to Ireland to explore Van’s heritage, he faces unexpected news about his family, which seemingly exorc...
January 2, 2015
What are the Five ‘R’s of Author Success?
I spent some time trying to figure out how to boil it down: how to succeed as an author. What I came up with was five very important concepts, the five ‘R’s that authors must implement, if they haven’t already, in order to be successful. Allow me to explain…
Reliability
Reliability means more than doing what you say you’re going to do. It also means providing quality content consistently, releasing your books and/or material as stated and on time, and following through with promises to readers...
