Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 193

Twitterific

Below are the writing-related links I tweeted last week.

The Writer's Knowledge Base search engine, designed by software engineer and writer Mike Fleming, makes all these links searchable—try it for searches on plotting, characterization, querying, book promo, and more. Sign up for the free monthly WKB newsletter for the web's best links and interviews: http://bit.ly/gx7hg1 . .

I released an ebook recently. Progressive Dinner Deadly is a Myrtle Clover mystery and is available for $2.99 on Kindle and Nook. Hope you'll mention it to any friends who enjoy mysteries.

There is a book published every 10 seconds. How to stand out in the crowd: http://bit.ly/orHgz4 @Mommy_Authors

Pacing Your Novel Correctly: http://bit.ly/qopUEm

How To Build A List Of Readers For Your Next Book Launch: http://bit.ly/mX0lSy @thecreativepenn

10 Principles of Writing for the Web: http://bit.ly/n14HBS

Writing to read aloud: http://bit.ly/prLljT

Telling Important Stories Through Apps, Not Books: http://bit.ly/okfMJN @janefriedman

Why we need more space adventures: http://on.io9.com/o2m5Ef

Think Outside the Book Cover for Promotional Ideas: http://bit.ly/o2Xb1N

Unexpected gold in self-help books: http://bit.ly/oh0296

Don't lose your story's uniqueness when you're revising: http://bit.ly/nusAxX @BTMargins

On "littering book pages on @Amazon with 1-star reviews." @Penenberg http://ow.ly/6kGtQ via @JaneFriedman RT @Porter_Anderson

Tips for writing bible studies: http://bit.ly/oxERpM

Tips for learning something new--without info overload: http://bit.ly/n2Z8Te

Need help with pacing? http://bit.ly/gbXFZH

Romance--the calm before the storm: http://bit.ly/rdBRQ4

10 Tools for Author Success: #4, Understand Your Market: http://bit.ly/r976wv @SaschaIllyvich

Revealing info about your protagonist through interactions w/ other characters: http://bit.ly/nFtImG @HP4Writers

52 Types of Blog Posts that Are Proven to Work: http://bit.ly/qC59zP

10 Tricks To Motivate Yourself To Write: http://bit.ly/r5Q2bb

Creativity Tweets of the Week: http://bit.ly/oLjrf7 @on_creativity

Tips for making time for your writing: http://bit.ly/nS5adm

5 Questions to Consider When Writing for Children: http://bit.ly/qihNri

Hiring a freelance editor: http://bit.ly/oFxTkb

101 of the Best Fiction Writing Tips, Part 4: http://bit.ly/paKK0m s @writeitsideways

The Procrastinator's Guide to Starting Your Writing Career: http://bit.ly/oRJbJj

Writing lessons 1 writer took from a recent read: http://bit.ly/noBy3K @juliemusil

Self-Publishing–The "American Idol" of the Publishing World: http://bit.ly/pUlmNw

An agent reminds us that our books should be good from the beginning: http://bit.ly/oFTA1W

Joe Konrath tells writers to develop thick skins: http://bit.ly/o0uWVD

Sprinklers and Vacuums: Two Types of Social Media Users: http://bit.ly/pNZFKD

An agent says the querying process is like looking for a job: http://bit.ly/n3ZT52

It's Still Not New (Literary Genre Fiction -- Pah!): http://bit.ly/qJFPzb @shaunduke

5 Ways to Make Our Stories Different & Unique: http://bit.ly/q1bQPe @JodyHedlund

Beware of the Self-Publishing Predators: http://bit.ly/mRoM3s @mybookshepherd

The Ongoing Dilemma of Ebook Pricing: http://bit.ly/njy6JN

By the Time A Self-Published Author Hits it Big, Do They Really Need a Publisher? http://bit.ly/oavXSJ

When to keep your distance: why you don't always want the reader in the thick of the action: http://bit.ly/qMcrgY @dirtywhitecandy

13 Ways Not to Start a Novel: http://bit.ly/pgHDSm @annerallen

5 Time-Saving Tools to Add to Your Twitter Tool Belt: http://bit.ly/pYfkTK

Tips for using multiple POV characters: http://bit.ly/oG90F0 @authorterryo

Successful character traits of writers: http://bit.ly/r6Q60A

Is the Digital Revolution Saving the Novella / Short Story? http://bit.ly/pg4XGk

5 ways to get more Amazon reviews: http://bit.ly/nrBjZK @KMWeiland

8 tips for treating your writing like a business: http://bit.ly/nrBjZK @BookMarketer

10 tips for a successful book signing: http://bit.ly/q476Q8 @JodyHedlund

How some authors paid the bills before they made it big (via @JaneFriedman): http://bit.ly/qMyDOU

How to Reinvent a Book with a New Book Cover: http://bit.ly/rrdqeO

Literary pets: http://bit.ly/pTjCk9

Need tips for handling backstory? http://bit.ly/ol1ycT

A Case Study of Science in Science Fiction: http://bit.ly/qkLsOD

1 writer's reasons for writing have changed: http://bit.ly/pHnbIZ @agent139

25 Things To Know About Self-Publishing (Or, "How To Sell A Bazillionty Books In 17 Minutes"): http://bit.ly/pgreiR @ChuckWendig

The Art And Craft Of Writing And The Dilemma Of Self-Publishing: http://bit.ly/qAeK9Z @thecreativepenn

Building Your Web Presence for Authors: Finding the Best Keywords for Your Website: http://bit.ly/pTFpaD @curiosityquills

The Race to the Bottom: Are low ebook prices hurting writers? http://bit.ly/p2tasU @woodwardkaren

What have you got to lose by starting your 1st draft? http://bit.ly/oCbzRG

The Research Plan: Putting History into Your Historical Fiction: http://bit.ly/qaO3lZ @hartjohnson

Deadly Sin of Writing #6–Drifting in the Doldrums: http://bit.ly/mZ8sAJ

How 1 writer has naturally gravitated toward different genres: http://bit.ly/mOVwPc @JudyAlter

4 Creative Ways to Attract More Visitors to Your Website: http://bit.ly/qF8fpM

Why 1 writer is rethinking her social media habits: http://bit.ly/mOvOzV @inkyelbows

10 Ways to Create Vivid, Compelling Characters: http://bit.ly/pJusv3

New ways to sell short stories: http://bit.ly/oVG8FY

Go back to the basics to promote, advises 1 writer: http://bit.ly/o36LhU @junglereds

Promo--there's hope for shrinking violets: http://bit.ly/qU1itb

What writers can learn from spam: http://bit.ly/ratyya @JamiGold

3 tips for co-authoring a novel: http://bit.ly/o74qRK @LTWFblog

Why Amazon's tablet will challenge Apple in a way that Google can't (Guardian) http://bit.ly/poRLTK

An Agent on Rethinking Pseudonyms: http://bit.ly/rqweiT

A helpful roundup of last week's agent advice, via @HeatherMcCorkle : http://bit.ly/r4fA40

Read YA or don't bother writing it: http://bit.ly/qDQMkF @RoniLoren

How to Capture Ideas Faster Using Evernote: http://bit.ly/nAA2p7 @JeffGoins

Tips for an effective author photo: http://bit.ly/q6Yfnt

Typomania – Higher Consciousness or Curse? http://bit.ly/omyS4Y @PassiveVoiceBlg

An agent reminds us that we don't have to accept an offered contract: http://bit.ly/nLAtQs @greyhausagency

How to Add a Newsletter to Your Blog or Website: http://bit.ly/mTcQhz

For literary inspiration follow @AdviceToWriters. Jon Winokur dispenses writerly wisdom of the ages. http://bit.ly/kaOOvq

Difficulties Superheroes Would Face in the Real World: http://bit.ly/pnOIhZ

Tips for naming your book: http://bit.ly/qsncBa @woodwardkaren

Linear Writing vs. the Scattergun Approach – Which Are You? http://bit.ly/pbAT46 @PBRWriter

1 liberating factor of e-publishing: http://bit.ly/p98eEX @TheresaStevens

Dorte Jakobsen's generous review of my $2.99 ebook. :) http://bit.ly/pmRjDl (on sale here: http://amzn.to/rp41hP )

How to begin querying: http://bit.ly/rt0DZ0 @QueryTracker

Search my tweets-- http://dld.bz/KPgS

How to Choose Between "Into" or "Onto" and Their 2-Word Forms: http://bit.ly/ogex8M

10 lessons for writers: http://bit.ly/qwOCrm @elspethwrites

The Perils of Writing the Indefinable, Genre-Crossing Novel: http://bit.ly/oPSrTJ @BTMargins

How to speak publisher - D is for dummy: http://bit.ly/q36V7w @annerooney

Productivity: Not About Making Every Minute Count: http://bit.ly/ntr13J @camillelaguire

Managing Feedback that Hurts: http://bit.ly/oOecxP

Become a Better Writer by Practicing Gratitude: http://bit.ly/pgBNd2 @writeitsideways

Internal and External Inspirations: http://bit.ly/nrmZFL

Details bring life to a scene, but generalities connect with readers: http://bit.ly/qSeHkz @4kidlit

There's room for all in #publishing, says an editorial director--it shouldn't be us vs. you: http://bit.ly/n5XdPO

Juggling social media & : http://bit.ly/qGYEwb

5 Ways to Make Your Dialogue Flow: http://bit.ly/nW4emb

Tips for eating at conventions: http://bit.ly/oPeoLe

An Argument Against Agent-Publishers: http://bit.ly/nEAHPL @pubperspectives

A Solution for Pantsers with Plotter Envy: http://bit.ly/nSdPpj @RoniLoren

Dialogue - It's Not Just Talking: http://bit.ly/rhg6M1 @greyhausagency

The problem of kids and science fiction: http://bit.ly/qXuGJv @bookviewcafe

Why 1 writer is glad he made a book trailer: http://bit.ly/p3IUPz @BlurbIsAVerb

10 Deadline Tricks to Boost Productivity: http://bit.ly/n9Wm8G @CherylRWrites

Assigning Depth of Field: http://bit.ly/n88BKh @RavenRequiem13

The character-building of Peter V. Brett: http://bit.ly/qDlUGK @FantasyFaction

Links to help you write better dialogue: http://bit.ly/ocD8y0 @EmilyCaseysMuse

Necessary Doesn't Mean Productive (and Vice Versa): http://bit.ly/o3via9 @camillelaguire

Crime fiction murders that bring some characters together: http://bit.ly/pll6Pz @mkinberg

Contradictions in writing advice: http://bit.ly/q4BXzP @LauraPauling

Save My Writing: Focus for the Focus-Challenged: http://bit.ly/nWwetF @fuelyourwriting

Successful character traits of writers: http://bit.ly/nlMHQt

Start Now on Google Plus: http://bit.ly/qfXT90

How To Write Fight Scenes: http://bit.ly/peTHef @TheCreativePenn

When agents edit: http://bit.ly/nbqU9d @rachellegardner

A thoughtful roundup on @JaneFriedman 's blog by industry follower & journalist @Porter_Anderson: http://bit.ly/qeFAFn

On ebook prices: http://bit.ly/oDSXef @DeanWesleySmith

Asking For Amazon Reviews: How Far is Too Far? http://bit.ly/nYpxOn @JodyHedlund

Trends in publishing: http://bit.ly/p2oGzO @40kbooks

15 Frequently Confused Pairs of Nouns: http://bit.ly/q2O3vA

The 3 lives of a writer: http://bit.ly/p2hQIr

30 Ways to Use Your Library Card: http://bit.ly/qvBv3d

Metaphors as tools for worldbuilding and brevity: http://bit.ly/nvaATt @JulietteWade

Use surprises for high-impact storytelling: http://bit.ly/oRIFU4

The Scoop On Then & And Then Sentences: http://bit.ly/o7hOxI

Zen and the Business of Fiction Writing: http://bit.ly/qKg4KI

Perfectionism and Productivity: http://bit.ly/nl8Plo

WKB--now with over 10,000 links to help writers find resources: http://bit.ly/dYRayA

Non-Linear Writing – Focus On Your Story's DNA: Non-Linear Writing – Focus On Your Story's DNA @jhansenwrites

Make Time to Write: http://bit.ly/nR7Yta @Christi_Craig

Coauthoring A Novel: Part 2: http://bit.ly/o5HZxh

For writing-related quotes and inspiration: @Quotes4Writers

Errors and the Dreaded Stigma of Self-Publishing: http://bit.ly/r8vW6X

Making readers care about the products of our imagination is a profound & complex task: http://bit.ly/r14Lnq @CoryDoctorow

How do objects inform storytelling? http://bit.ly/nLJgPP @BTMargins

An agent with advice for agents: http://bit.ly/n4dfys @RachelleGardner

Joe Konrath goes digital and culls 300 paper books: http://bit.ly/qpWyqx

An agent reminds us that authors have the power to influence sales--we just need to get started: http://bit.ly/oQxFVm @jennybent

Writing is all about giving ourselves permission: http://bit.ly/nGIGVz @JamiGold

E-reader and Tablet Ownership Grows Among Women and Over 55s: http://bit.ly/oufGIP

The movie outline---for your novel: http://bit.ly/pptQBy @ajackwriting

Second Book Syndrome: http://bit.ly/pKeaTy

Initial thoughts on ebook challenges: http://bit.ly/n4Cuh0

Building a Following: The 4 Types of Bloggers: http://bit.ly/pJz8x7 @RoniLoren

Best Articles This Week for Writers 9/9/11: http://bit.ly/qSzBHQ @4kidlit

Why 1 publisher won't settle for just a book's physical rights: http://bit.ly/ntv70y

5 things the writing experts won't tell you: http://bit.ly/rlxcj9 @jammer0501

What 1 screenwriter wishes she'd known & what she's now doing differently: http://bit.ly/qYqVLf

5 Tips For Getting Back Into The Writing Groove: http://bit.ly/otHc9c @ProcrastWriter

8 things to consider when choosing character names: http://bit.ly/nteoRL @carrieryan

Why 1 agent doesn't send rejection letters: http://bit.ly/onc0Vx

7 legal tasks authors should complete to prepare for their death: http://bit.ly/oZvVm2 @PassiveVoiceBlg

How an agent learns craft: http://bit.ly/pKBbWF

7 Tips to Increase Your Blog Comments: http://bit.ly/nTd6Kx

The dos and don'ts of the 99 cent price point: http://bit.ly/oWCb6s @ChuckWendig

Alternate History at the Personal Level: http://bit.ly/p2oGzO

The Power of Online Retail: Amazon Could Beat the California Taxman: http://rww.to/nhek3T @ReadWriteWeb

25 Things You Should Know About Queries, Synopses, Treatments: http://bit.ly/pzLLDW @ChuckWendig

Fantasy and science-fiction in anime and manga: http://bit.ly/qTdkRG

7 steps to thinking big: http://bit.ly/p8Jcs7 @michaelhyatt

Critique group anxiety: Why's everybody always picking on me? http://bit.ly/nzE6eZ @flawritersconf

A 12-Step Process for Submitting Copy for a Professional Edit or Critique: http://bit.ly/n7IXu8

Write what you think will sell to the *readers*, not to the publishers: http://bit.ly/oUBBGC @sarahahoyt

Don't be afraid to write a bad book: http://bit.ly/mVKcdI

How to format block quotations: http://bit.ly/n7S5Dr

How to research your book (besides using Google): http://bit.ly/qN68P3

3 schools of thought on ebook pricing: http://bit.ly/q74xbe via @PassiveVoiceBlg

You Still Have A Long Way To Go - Revisions: http://bit.ly/qcN5u8 @greyhausagency

1 writer's plotting process: http://bit.ly/pVCsIq

3 Ways to Determine if Your Writing is Crap: http://bit.ly/p8DeOx @JodyHedlund

How to survive the edit letter: http://bit.ly/n0qTxK @ShariLArnold

Writing-Related Tasks vs. Writing

I hope y'all will bear with me as I explore yet another productivity-related post this week (yes, I really am obsessed.) It's on my mind a lot right now. :)

A couple of times this week I was reminded about the importance of writing-related tasks. Not writing…but either preparing to write (research, sketching out a mini-outline, scheduling time on the calendar to write), doing promo, learning how to do something that results in finding readers (a social media application, self-publishing information, etc.)

Once was during a conversation with another mom about the number of hours our sons were spending practicing their instruments for marching band. This week is a record 15 hours (of actual playing.)

The other mom asked me if I spend that much time writing in a week (she was thinking, in general, of the arts and practicing skills).

I told her that ordinarily I don't write 15 hours in a week (although I've been under deadline crunches where I've written 6 hours a day. But fortunately, those don't happen often.)

That wasn't really completely true, though. I'm not usually putting text on a page for 15 hours a week usually, but I'm spending far more time than that on writing-related tasks—sketching out ideas, making lists of where I'd like to take a story, promoting books that are out, writing blog posts and guest posts, scheduling tweets while building my author platform, learning the ropes of e-publishing, etc.

Those are all important things. Although they're not writing.

I'm definitely streamlining my writing-related tasks, as I mentioned in my post on Wednesday. I've got to keep my online time under control so that I can write as much as possible.

But, even streamlined, these writing-related tasks are still important and necessary.

Writer Camille LaGuire had an interesting post on necessary vs. productive on her blog, The Daring Novelist, this week. She defined necessary as:

…tasks which are necessary but not productive: Creating to do lists, dealing with email, research, studying, learning, practice, eating, sleeping, reading, sharpening pencils, shopping, filling out paperwork.... these are all necessary things. Some of them very necessary, and even immediately relevant to the task at hand. But they are not the task itself.

Camille goes on to say:

What's necessary is necessary. Leave enough room for it. And leave slack in both the necessary and the productive parts of your schedule so that you have elbow room to work.

Although I know that no writing-related tasks are necessary if there's not , at some point, some writing done, it still made me feel better to think that there is value in what I'm doing in the promo, the research into platforms and social media, etc. It supplements the writing. And, although I'm streamlining it all as much as I possibly can, it's okay for me to realize its value and make time for it…and schedule some buffer time between it and other tasks.

It doesn't have to be all or nothing. I don't think we can shut off social media or industry research, etc., cold turkey…not for very long, anyway. Because they're necessary to our writing, too.

What necessary tasks are a part of your writing day? Are you giving yourself enough time to do them? Do you feel guilty when you do them…even though they're necessary?

Initial Thoughts on Ebook Challenges

One reason why I think traditionally-published writers are slow to make the leap to being dual-published (traditionally and self-published) is because the learning curve for self-publishing is so very high.

Here are my thoughts, so far, on e-publishing—in the hopes it will help someone else out there. Others, of course, will draw different conclusions from their own experiences…and I'd love to hear them because I'm figuring this out as I go.

Formatting and Conversion

I read and read and read about getting ebooks ready for publication. I even created mobi and epub files of my Word document…and thought they looked pretty good through the Calibre application.

The difference is, though, that I didn't want pretty good. I'm used to having an interior book designer for my books…for the Memphis books, for example, I've got little pigs around the chapter numbers, etc. Just a lot of detail.

I know I posted yesterday on perfectionism and how it holds us back, but I wasn't happy with my efforts at formatting/book design. Plus, there are only so many hours in a day and only so many things a writer can do well (or even competently). So I handed it over to a book designer and was much happier with the results. I paid for that service, but I know I'm putting an investment into my book for (with any luck), long-term results. In fact, I put in about $400-$450 into the ebook (can't remember which), which again, I'm thinking will end up paying off in the long run by having a nice looking book.

Covers

Covers are important for ebooks, but they've always been important in publishing. With ebooks, though, you can even change a cover and see how the results work out. I'm very happy with mine, though (designed by writer and artist Kendel Flaum), so I'm not planning on doing any tinkering. A cover should look good in a thumbnail (such as you'd see on a Kindle or Nook).

Pricing

If you want a 70% royalty on an ebook (or 65% if you're looking at Barnes and Noble's PubIt), you'll price your book at $2.99 and up. If you want to price your book lower than $2.99, you'll get a 35% royalty from Amazon (40% from Barnes & Noble's PubIt).

But you can also run short-term sales on a title. Sales on your ebooks can have other benefits—exposure (see below.) Mine will ordinarily be priced at $2.99, although I've run $.99 sales on it.

Exposure—Promo

For ebooks, promo seems to be a lot about getting noticed. There isn't a physical bookstore, after all. You're trying to get attention in a sea of books.

What helps a lot is to get into the ebook retailer's algorithm ("customers who bought this, also bought this"). So, for me, if I've got a sale running on my book, it might mean (short-term) more sales. This means that people are buying my book at the same time they're downloading other cozy mysteries. So the ebook retailer might recommend my book to cozy mystery readers when they're shopping.

Getting our book noticed by an online retailer like Amazon means trying different things—short-term sales, asking bloggers for reviews (maybe sending them a free copy of the ebook…without requiring a favorable review), tagging books with appropriate tags to help connect readers with our novel, etc. There are also forums where it's appropriate to post about our books---the Meet our Authors forum on Amazon (don't post promo anywhere else there) and the Book Bazaar on Kindle Boards.

Thoughts on earning out with ebooks

With traditional publishing, there's a point where your book earns out the advance you received from the publisher. It's a very happy time. :) With self-publishing, you're also looking to earn out in a way….but to recoup the money you put into the book on the front end (cover, editing, book design, etc.)

The best bet, overall, seems to be to write quickly, edit carefully, and publish as many ebooks as possible online. And, I'll add that I think it's important still to pursue traditional publishing—you'll just learn so much and gain a real confidence in what you can do.

Remember, I do have a directory of ebook professionals that I'm adding to on a nearly daily basis. It's a good starting off place for your search for someone to do a cover, book design, etc. There are a variety of services and a range of prices.

Got any ebook insights? Or ebook questions (although I'm probably not the right person to answer them, since I'm new to this, myself!) ?

Perfectionism and Productivity

I'm continuing on with the productivity theme this week. :) That's because I'm revamping some of my mindset to get more writing done.

I've always been pretty good about resisting perfectionism during first drafts. That's because I'd never get anywhere with a book if I tried to make it perfect as I went. The first draft is supposed to be a disaster. I don't look at what I wrote the day before, just end my writing time with a quick cheat sheet to tell me where I left off and where I need to pick up.

I've even tried to get over my perfectionism for the final draft that I send in to the publisher. I still send last minute emails to editors and my agent saying, "Would you please use this copy of the manuscript and not the one I emailed you yesterday?" I'll do that a couple of times if they don't cut me off. :) But I'm doing better about it. If it's done, it's done---if my editors see a problem with the book, then they'll be sure to let me know and I'll fix it during the revision process.

But now I've run into a new issue—a backlist title that has been giving me fits for a month or more. I'm trying to squeeze in revision work on it right now because I'm waiting on outline approval for the second book in the quilting mystery series…and I have a little break before Hickory Smoked Homicide comes out November 1.

My plan has been to re-release this backlist book as an ebook at some point later this year or early next year. I've hacked it into bits and changed massive parts of it and am still unhappy with it. And I haven't even reached the end of the book yet.

Maybe for you it isn't a backlist book…maybe it's a manuscript that you put aside for a long while and are coming back to. The good thing about doing this is that we can see the manuscript with fresh eyes and can see all its faults. The bad thing is that we can see all its faults. :)

What I've been doing (which I'm now realizing is *not* working for me) is to reread and revise the book from the beginning. So I'll take a few pages, edit them, then rewrite the scene from scratch—taking the meat of the scene and presenting it in a different way.

The problem with doing this is that it takes forever. I don't edit my other manuscripts this way. So why am I treating this one differently?

What I've realized in the last couple of days is that I need to make separate passes through the document—and not to get off-track by spinning my wheels in one particular spot in the story by trying to make it perfect. I'll treat it as a draft. I'll make a pass for basic changes (deeper POV, showing instead of telling.) , a pass for setting, a pass for character development, a pass for subplots that add to the main plot, etc. Then at the end of that, maybe I'll make a pass through and see if I want to add or delete scenes.

This, I think, will at least make me feel like I'm making progress on the book. I need to believe there's a light at the end of the tunnel or I really start losing motivation. With repetitive passes through the book, I'll get a little sick of the book, but it's not as bad as realizing I'm halfway through and have already spent more time on revision as it usually takes to write a first draft.

How do you keep perfectionism from holding you back?

Juggling Social Media and Writing

I read a post from Inkygirl, Debbie Ohi, which really resonated with me the other day.

Debbie is an author and illustrator. She's also very active online and is well-respected in the writing community for helping connect writers with resources.

She's got a lot going on.

Debbie said:

I'm a social media addict. I've been a huge fan of online communities before the term "online community" even existed. These days, however, I'm feeling spread too thin over too many social networks: Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Second Life, various writing and illustration communities, plus all the blogs I either manage or in which I participate as a collaborator.

Debbie goes on to say that her main, long-term, goal is to get more books published. And the only way to do that, she explained, is to rethink the amount of time she's spending online.

I've got the same goal—to write as much as possible and have more books published. There's a big shift in my mindset, too. I've realized that I just can't juggle everything every day. I've become more forgiving of myself and a little more flexible. And I realize my limitations.

These are ways I've tried to trim or streamline the amount of time I spend online:

Decrease the times each day that I check email. I also try to have dedicated times that I respond to email.

Plan more than one blog post at a time. I brainstorm blog posts for a week.

Timer: I set a timer to remind myself when I need to take a break from being online.

Blog visiting: I try to visit as many blogs as I can (I love finding out what everyone's up to and love to get writing tips), but I divide up the blogs by different days so I'm not taking too much time out of .

Twitter—I skim my Google Reader and load the most-helpful post links into SocialOomph to post over a 14-16 hour period. First thing in the morning each morning, I make sure Twitter is set to load. Once a day, I check for @ messages and DMs to respond to.

Facebook and Google+: I have my blog set up to post on my Facebook page and just try to check in a couple of times a week (Facebook isn't my favorite.) I enjoy Google+ more, but am trying to pace myself there, too.

Blog breaks: There's also nothing wrong with taking a blogcation to recharge or with decreasing the number of days that you post. Please let us know beforehand before you stop posting that you're taking a hiatus to relax—otherwise, we'll worry about you. :)

How are you managing your online time? Feeling the need to cut back or are you balancing it well?

What Hat am I wearing today? by Judy Alter

I have many hats—one a cloche with a fan of feathers for when I write mystery (don't you think it makes me look mysterious?), a sunbonnet for western fiction, a fedora for nonfiction, a gimme cap for young-adult works, and, of course, a toque for cookbooks and other food writing. I used to have a mortarboard for my career in academic publishing, but I've turned that in.

Some people ask me how I can wear so many hats, but the answer, to me, is simple. It's all writing in one form or another, and I am a writer. I cannot do math and probably couldn't pass high school algebra. But I can work problems out in words—it's what I do best and what gives me satisfaction. I like to take an idea or subject and figure out how to put it into words so that other people will read about it.

When I wrote historical fiction about women and young girls of the American West, I had to imagine myself in the nineteenth century West, though I doubt Libby Custer or Jessie Benton Frémont ever wore a sunbonnet. Still I had to know what they did wear—like weights in the hem of their skirts to keep them from blowing in the wind. And I had to think about what it would be like for Libby to ride across the plains on a reckless horse, or for Lucille Mulhall, the first Wild West cowgirl, to rope several horses, or for Etta Place to take part in a bank robbery and the hard ride of a getaway. It was a wild and exciting ride for a bookish girl like me who never was comfortable on a horse.

Young adult nonfiction was probably the greatest challenge to working out problems in words. I wrote for several companies that published for school libraries. The company would assign me a topic, and I'd research and write, usually about 5,000 words. I have written books on everything from vaccines and surgery to passenger ships, various state histories, biographies of several presidents. Probably the hardest one I ever did was on international women's right.

Wearing a toque was no problem. I actually have one that I've worn to several book signings, but food writing comes easily to me because I love to cook and to eat new food. I did have to learn the mechanics—the proper presentation of a recipe, for instance. And copyright regulations (ingredients of a recipe cannot be copyrighted but directions can).

Mystery has been the hardest hat to keep on my head—that cloche wanted to slip off. I wrote my first mystery, if you want to call it that, almost 50 years ago. It was a knock-off of Nancy Drew that I wrote in the car while my then-husband drove us across country. It was, quite frankly, awful. Around 2000 I wrote a mystery I thought was pretty good and gave it to an agent—naïf that I was I didn't realize that it mattered that cozies were not her field. I may go back and revisit that one someday.

I am forever grateful to Susan Wittig Albert for telling me to join Sisters in Crime. Then I joined the Guppies and Agent Quest and soon learned what an insider's game looking for an agent was and how many people submitted countless queries without success. I was, I discovered, not only a newbie but a small guppie in a very large pond. I read listservs, I read blogs, I took online courses, and I learned so much it's hard to hold it all in my brain. And members of Sisters in Crime and all its sub-groups are incredibly supportive of newbies.

My goal was to publish a mystery, and after seven or so rewrites and six years, Skeleton in a Dead Space launched from Turquoise Morning Press on August 29. I really like that cloche with a feather and intend to wear it for quite a while.

Thanks so much for guest blogging today, Judy! And for giving me some encouragement about trying new genres!

Judy Alter of Fort Worth, Texas, is the author of about sixty books for children and adults. Her main interest has been the experiences of women in the American West, and she's written six adult novels with that theme and seven young-adult novels, as well as countless children's books, mostly done for libraries on the American West and a variety of other subjects.

Judy is also the author of a memoir/cookbook, a collection of short stories, young-adult biographies of figures from Texas history, and two books studying the work of Texas author Elmer Kelton. Recently retired after 30 years with Texas Christian University Press, 20 of them as director, she is now devoting her attention to writing mysteries and, still and forever, writing about Texas. You can find Judy at her blog and website.

The Author Talk—Different Messages for Different Groups

I'm speaking this Sunday at a Sisters in Crime meeting in High Point, North Carolina from 2-4.

I'm looking forward to the talk because I'm most comfortable with writers. Although I probably should be more comfortable with readers…it just hasn't worked out that way.

I don't have an assigned topic to speak on (sometimes when I speak with groups, they ask me to talk on a particular topic.) So I'll set my own topic—it's always better to go in with a plan. I've found that most writing groups want me to talk about how to juggle different series and publishers at once, how to use social media to promote, and how I got my start in publishing. This is all stuff I know by heart. :)

But I also speak with other types of groups, although I don't think of myself as a good speaker (I'm getting better.)

Here are some of my thoughts and tips on speaking to different audiences:

Talking to children (if you write for adults): This is so dependent on the age-group you're speaking to. I've done presentations for early elementary through middle school age, and my tip is to know your audience. The little guys just don't have an attention span. Bring in lots of props. For early elementary age, I usually bring in my journals and writing from when I was a kid, encourage them to write their own stories, show them a marked up manuscript (for some reason they're always very interested in this), and then follow up by reading a favorite picture book.

For older children (again, if you write for adults): I ask the teacher (whoever gave me the invite), how they're teaching writing and what they're focusing on. The last thing I want to do is undo what they've taught! I follow their lesson plan (frequently on topics like elaboration, how to start and end a story, focusing on a small part of a story instead of throwing the net too wide) and talk about how I use what the teacher has taught in my own writing. Older kids really want a Q&A session, too.

Talking to other writers: It's important to know what you're there for. Once I apparently didn't get the memo and found out when I was at the event that I was talking about humor in mysteries. That was fine, but I usually don't do well shooting from the hip! Sometimes they'll want you to talk about something really specific—editing or promo or dialogue or POV. Sometimes they'll leave the topic up to you (but you'll want to plan ahead for what you'll speak about….just to make your talk more polished.) I'm fond of handing out sheets with helpful websites, resources for writers, etc.

Talking to readers: This is always completely different from talking with other writers. Readers like to hear more about the writing life, how we come up with characters, why we chose our genre, where we find our inspiration, our favorite authors, etc. There's also, subtly, a bit more of a sales aspect to talking to readers (because your books are for sale on the back table) and so you'll want to use quick and interesting examples from your own work.

Talking to book clubs. How is this different from talking with readers? Because these folks have all read your book! And boy, you should know that book backwards and forwards. If you have written a fair number of books or have a poor memory (I can claim both) then bring a cheat sheet with you of characters and plot points. Believe me—you'll need it.

Readings. Um…well, I hate readings. But you should always be prepared to give a reading, no matter who you're speaking to. I've been surprised before by moderators who asked me to read from my book and was frantically flipping through, trying to find a good spot to read from. Just mark a book with a Post-It note and be sure to bring your reading glasses. Try to read with inflection. Keep it short. That's about all the advice I have on this topic. :) I keep mentioning to event organizers that I don't do readings, but apparently this message gets lost.

I could also talk about speaking on panels, but I'll skip it here because it's pretty easy—you're usually speaking on an assigned topic, responding to moderator questions, sharing time with other writers (don't hog the spotlight), and addressing one of the groups I've mentioned above (readers if it's a readers' convention, writers if it's a writing convention.)

Have you spoken to different types of groups about your writing? Do you have favorite groups to speak to? Got any public speaking tips?

Twitterific

Below are the writing-related links I tweeted last week.

The Writer's Knowledge Base search engine, designed by software engineer and writer Mike Fleming, makes all these links searchable—try it for searches on plotting, characterization, querying, book promo, and more. Sign up for the free monthly WKB newsletter for the web's best links and interviews: http://bit.ly/gx7hg1 .

I'm compiling a directory of ebook professionals—cover designers, formatters, freelance editors, etc.—to make it easier for writers to connect with services. The directory can be accessed here.

I released an ebook last week. Progressive Dinner Deadly is a Myrtle Clover mystery and is currently available for $2.99 (currently on sale for $.99 for a Labor Day weekend sale) on Kindle and Nook. Hope you'll mention it to any friends who enjoy mysteries.

9 Reasons to Attend Local Writers Conferences: http://bit.ly/oMVou9 @keligwyn

101 of the Best Fiction Writing Tips, Part II: http://bit.ly/oIIfjk @Writeitsideways

The Myth of the Lone Creative Genius: http://bit.ly/plMCq8 @JaneFriedman

The Repeats and the Choruses--the Rhythm of Our Writing: http://bit.ly/oxUI0Y

How writers can deal with frustration: http://bit.ly/pX2ySM

Red Flags for Female Characters Written By Men: http://bit.ly/rq8Gtl

The art and science of Twitter: http://bit.ly/qckMfd

Organizing your writing--3 writers with tips: http://bit.ly/mZDUdg

1 writer's book launch party: http://bit.ly/mQ7Erm

Real Life Diagnostics: Hooking the Reader From the Start: http://bit.ly/oSDds7

Physical descriptions put readers in your place: http://bit.ly/qfG97s

Why bad decisions make good stories: http://bit.ly/nvCm0E

Resources for historical and suspense writers: http://bit.ly/noNe4B

Defining and using authorial voice: http://bit.ly/nlpync @authorterryo

What Do Authorship and Entrepreneurship have in Common? http://bit.ly/rdxOcV @thecreativepenn

The difference between an IP lawyer and a contracts lawyer (& why writers should care): http://bit.ly/nlIopi @PassiveVoiceBlg

Preparing for success--the mental game: http://bit.ly/qqTX0E @jillkemerer

5 Tips On Being Naked In Front of an Audience: http://bit.ly/rcbU24 @roniloren

7 Ways to Pay it Forward Online: http://bit.ly/nsOucM @MarianSchembari

8 tools for plotting (& plot-driven v. char. driven stories) : http://bit.ly/nu5pk3

A new book discovery search engine tracks 32,160 distinct data points per book: http://bit.ly/pJtPlr

An Agent Identifies Signs of Overwriting and Explains Why It's a Problem: http://bit.ly/qued2c

Help plotting mysteries--juxtaposition of clues: http://bit.ly/nd5H3q @HP4Writers

Buying Internet Advertising For Your Book: Part I: http://bit.ly/qkSDso @BlurbIsAVerb

Writing 411: Picture Book E-Queries: http://bit.ly/qvTcOX @WriteAngleBlog

The Basics For Novice Writers: The DON'TS In Article Querying: http://bit.ly/rjl2hn

Can you split your novel into 4 equal parts? http://bit.ly/oXKS4a @dirtywhitecandy

How Readers Become Addicts: The Elasticity of Demand (Pricing of Ebooks): http://bit.ly/pQgIG1 @thecreativepenn

Remind agents and editors who you are if you've met them at conferences: http://bit.ly/oLHYEl

10 Ways To Ensure You Never Have A Writing Career: http://bit.ly/pCMsKs @sarahahoyt

Character-led fiction: http://bit.ly/p8Jlu8

How to Satisfy Your Reader without Being Predictable: http://bit.ly/obbvJP @anncrispin

Bodies found in bathtubs in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/nT7jy4 @mkinberg

When Your Writing Becomes The Enemy Of Your Writing: http://bit.ly/qeIIyz

A look at key story elements in 'Love and Gladiators': http://bit.ly/qEecDY

What to do if Your Copyright is Infringed: http://bit.ly/oZwnCB @PassiveVoiceBlg

Publishing terms to know: http://bit.ly/or6RSD

10 traits of writers who speak from the heart: http://bit.ly/pFuiKC

Get Started Guide: Blogging for Writers: http://bit.ly/p20ld9 @JaneFriedman

How to Critique Works That You Find Awful: http://bit.ly/qUAZLE

A method for developing an elevator pitch: http://bit.ly/r5792b

Is Your Writing Cup Half Empty Or Half Full? http://paranormalpointofview.blogspot.com/2011/08/is-your-writing-cup-half-empty-or-half.html

Conflict & Characterization: Lessons from an Old Anime: http://bit.ly/oH9m0S

An Aspiring Writer's Guide to Conventions and Conferences: http://bit.ly/ngJcQ4

All about back matter (material at the end of the book): http://bit.ly/ns1bvv @BubbleCow

10 Tips for the Time-Strapped Writer: http://bit.ly/onQHre @CherylRWrites

Getting Jitters While Waiting For Feedback on Our Books: http://bit.ly/rqmMGe @JodyHedlund

Author Sues Publisher for Restraint of Trade: http://bit.ly/nCRI2Q @passivevoiceblg

How to get published in a magazine: http://bit.ly/rqmMGe

Writing a mystery? How to feed misinformation to your readers: http://bit.ly/pqNpZU @HP4Writers

Choreography of dialogue attribution: http://bit.ly/pQc6KO

Barnes & Noble Posts Q1 Net Loss of $57M: http://bit.ly/nwtrlw @galleycat

An agent reminds us that we're not Tolstoy or Dickens: http://bit.ly/nmic1I

Are all distractions bad? http://bit.ly/r5IugC @JamiGold

Why Success Always Starts With Failure: http://bit.ly/nL6RNI

Why 1 writer chose to self-publish: http://bit.ly/pZq1Uq @dirtywhitecandy

Education in Fantasy Worlds: http://enchantedinkpot.livejournal.com/100753.html

A translator explains the challenges of translation in America: http://bit.ly/qXzzp5

10 tips for authors using social media: http://bit.ly/qLlYF3

5 Ways to Keep Parallel Lists on Track: http://bit.ly/nSt1wf

Breaking the Writing Rules Can Lead to Failure or Possibly to Magic: http://bit.ly/pF3Wm7 @4kidlit

Giving a talk? Death by PowerPoint — How to Avoid it: http://bit.ly/pakKYr

The Kid in You: The Untapped Resource in All of Us: http://bit.ly/pEHN8U

Tips for writing a synopsis: http://bit.ly/n5qeW6 @WriteAngleBlog

Tips for getting more blog comments: http://bit.ly/pmJCHn @spunkonastick

7 Surprising Ways Blogging Can Change Your Life: http://bit.ly/pznsUf

The Future of Publishing: Make Your Own Audiobooks: http://bit.ly/qt5CON @clarissadraper

An interview with industry expert Jane Friedman on author platforms: http://bit.ly/qhGwq5

For writers located outside the US--how 1 author got an ITIN (US Taxpayer ID) for epubbing: http://bit.ly/oFYpFy @dirtywhitecandy

Your character's 1st impression: http://bit.ly/odEyq4 @erinlthomas

6 essential elements for writing success: http://bit.ly/qxUVKI @jillkemerer

1 writer's method for staying in 1 POV: http://bit.ly/n51q6K

Resources for character development: http://bit.ly/ovkuEB @FaeRowen

Reading is wealth creation for writers: http://bit.ly/rquO0R @annerallen

Critiquing pointers for beginners: http://bit.ly/rkH3rY , http://bit.ly/qEl7Vb , http://bit.ly/qKcwmU @marybaka

Self-Care for Writers and Obsessive Creatives http://bit.ly/nrON5w @JanetBoyer

10 things not to do when building characters: http://bit.ly/qNnclm @JulieMusil

Top 10 Dirty Fighting Techniques For Your Writing: http://bit.ly/nkOAHV @jhansenwrites

Taking on time management: http://bit.ly/noVXCl @Mommy_Authors

How to Report Scraper Sites to Google: http://bit.ly/noeUkf @galleycat

5 Great Fonts for Book Covers: http://bit.ly/nfJs6F #ebooks @JFbookman

May Contain Nuts Or Nudity: Labeling on Book Covers: http://bit.ly/nLLmK8 @BTMargins

3 types of secondary characters: http://bit.ly/mT2pgW

Tips for learning something new: http://bit.ly/n2Z8Te

There's already tons of free content for readers. But writers are still making money: http://bit.ly/mWHuTX

An agent explains how much to share online: http://bit.ly/p04QFA

Why Writers Need to Understand Marketing: http://bit.ly/pWoh8O

You Say Editing, I Say Proofreading: http://bit.ly/q7RyC7

5 ways to promote your Kindle #ebook online: http://bit.ly/roSnRu

The formula for great blog content: http://bit.ly/oUp5EU

Unreliable narrators in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/oAxGi3 @mkinberg

Will the World End When Publishers Stop Paying Advances or Immediately Afterwards? http://bit.ly/o0L1jz @PassiveVoiceBlg

11 Blog (& Manuscript) Proofreading Tips You Can't Afford to Ignore: http://bit.ly/pAwkFn #editing

101 of the Best Fiction Writing Tips, Part 3: http://bit.ly/qFD3Qt @writeitsideways

A new weekly roundup on @JaneFriedman 's blog by industry follower & journalist @Porter_Anderson: http://bit.ly/qeFAFn

How to Host a Video Book Club Visit: http://bit.ly/o5QduP @galleycat

4 Goals to Polish Your Story: http://bit.ly/qTuEuP

10 Tips For Becoming A Top-Notch Proofreader: http://bit.ly/oSILxc

'Ask an author' feature added to Kindle: http://bit.ly/quovxU

Trying to sell books? Get sticky: http://bit.ly/peRuxs

Tips for Writing Distinct Character Voices: http://bit.ly/oc4Fjg

Tips for writing sequels and series: http://bit.ly/oxYx3Q @Sarafurlong

The Evolution of Middle-Grade Fantasy and Television: http://bit.ly/r8yPpz @KgElfland2ndCuz

19 Ways to Get More Readers for Your Author Blog: http://bit.ly/nWggLF

Test Driving Scrivener Software for Writers: http://bit.ly/pw0Eqt

3 Factors That Influence How Much Editing a Book Gets: http://bit.ly/q1p8Cp @JodyHedlund

Three Acts, Two Acts or No Acts? http://bit.ly/oI7Vy3

An interview w/ @JaneFriedman, who encourages writers to experiment w/ different soc media platforms: http://bit.ly/qwtNfp

My tweets are archived and searchable at the free Writer's Knowledge Base: http://bit.ly/dYRayA

10 things to consider when pricing #ebooks: http://bit.ly/pOjVz7

The importance of tagging blog posts: http://bit.ly/nzQi6d @keligwyn

Why You Should Be Writing at Night: http://bit.ly/oLlBxm

Ebooks: Time to Diversify Your Portfolio? http://bit.ly/qzNmFf #ebooks

Joe Konrath on a formula for success: http://bit.ly/p0NpHi #ebooks

Simple things 1 writer wishes she'd known about writing (that her editor pointed out to her): http://bit.ly/pJSEA7 @LadyGlamis

Your author brand--tips for creating one and where writers hang out on Twitter: http://bit.ly/qH4BQO @jhansenwrites

The power of deadlines: http://bit.ly/mS10hm @CherylRWrites

A helpful thesaurus for settings, emotions, symbolism, weather, & character traits: http://bit.ly/eIGRMO @angelaackerman

Search my tweets-- http://dld.bz/KPgS

7 Signs Your Manuscript May Not Be Ready For Prime Time: http://bit.ly/niLx58 @Grammar_Diva

How much do readers factor into what you write? http://bit.ly/peiERz

Rejection and Persistance: http://bit.ly/pzCOUa @BTMargins

Best Articles This Week for Writers 9/2/11: http://bit.ly/nmW5yb @4kidlit

Progressions Make the Story Worse and Worse–and That's Good: http://bit.ly/nA2Loq

An Author's Guide to Free Sales Data: http://bit.ly/p7eQ8W @BlurbIsAVerb

How Do Superpowers Affect Your Characters' Perspectives and Worldviews? http://bit.ly/qP3k5v

Why We Think "I Want To Quit Writing!" And Why We Can't: http://bit.ly/nsz4Xf @MuseInks

4 ways to look at your whole story: http://bit.ly/qbRhzO @sierragodfrey

8 Ways to Write Better Characters: http://bit.ly/nmbA38 @WritersDigest

5 writers explain how they prevent saggy book middles: http://bit.ly/pw8ONl

Build Your Platform – Get Yourself Some Gigs: http://bit.ly/q7g316

Making Characters Multi-Dimensional: http://bit.ly/rlL7pO @jeanniecampbell

The Business of Screenwriting: Script readers, Hollywood's threshold guardians: http://bit.ly/qnYaxx @GoIntoTheStory

A peek into the world of book cover design: http://authorculture.blogspot.com/2011/08/peek-into-world-of-book-cover-design.html

Clever Costuming to Convey Character: http://bit.ly/oWBNQb @StephanieLMcGee

On the prevalence of US tropes in storytelling: http://bit.ly/qool1q @aliettedb

Movies vs. Fanfiction: http://bit.ly/pvnd7c

15 Household Technologies Recreated in #Steampunk: http://bit.ly/qmuJ8k

5 Big Media Appearance Mistakes You Don't Want to Make: http://bit.ly/n9Qzhj @BookMarketer

How Evernote helped 1 writer go paper-free: http://jamietr.livejournal.com/1447571.html

Books With Soundtracks: The Future of Reading? http://bit.ly/pWOY2B

Does Your Character Need a Job? http://bit.ly/pX1rbF

Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing: You Can Only Write What Is Hot: http://bit.ly/oZwqYe @DeanWesleySmith

Convention readings: what to read, and how to get an audience: http://bit.ly/nOiFeM @JulietteWade

Traditional Publishing: Pros & Cons: http://bit.ly/pYH3Ji

1 reason why we should know our characters well: http://bit.ly/r4fyWf

One Reason to Know Our Characters Well

There's a festival of music, rides, art, and food that Matthews, North Carolina, is regionally known for.

It's always on Labor Day weekend and it's called Matthews Alive.  Every year there are over 200, 000 visitors to the festival. This for a suburb of Charlotte that usually only has 25,000 residents.

The cogs that keep the Matthews Alive festival turning are the volunteers.  There are a couple of local organizations that fill most of the volunteer slots.  My son belongs to both of them. :)

So I've got a busy weekend.  I was asked to volunteer on behalf of both Scouts and marching band.  So it was Scouts yesterday and it'll be ticket sales for band tomorrow.

Art is one component of the festival.  I fondly hoped for my volunteer duty to incorporate the arts in some respect.

Instead, I was assigned traffic duty.

If I'd been a character in one of my own books, I'd have loved putting me in this situation.  After all---I'm an introvert who hates drawing attention to myself.  I avoid crowds at all costs.

So… why not put this person in a Day-Glo outfit in the middle of a huge crowd of people, in charge of doing something she doesn't know how to do?

My gig tomorrow isn't any better….ticket sales.  Have I mentioned that the left side of my brain is apparently completely missing?

This is one reason why it's important to know our  characters well—we need to know how to stress them out.  It's important to be able to provide little bits of tension or conflict.  It's good to know how to trip them up, knock them off-balance, and see how they'll react.

We can learn our characters either by doing an activity like a character worksheet (check out this link for some that might help), or by just thinking about our character and how they might act in different situations.  We could even walk through our usual day, with a virtual character….thinking about how they might react to different things we encounter that day—what would they do differently?

I did survive my stint of traffic duty.  I learned a lot, too…maybe I grew as a character. :)

How do you get to know your character?  Tormented your character lately?

Revisiting Profanity

I always take emails that I get from readers very, very seriously. Actually, I listen to them just as much as I do to my editors.

And I watch market trends, too, especially for the types of books that I write (traditional mysteries, also known as cozies.) I try not to take myself too seriously…it's really all about the readers and what they want.

So when I received an email a few days ago from a lady who expressed her interest in reading my books, but first wanted to know if I used profanity in my series, I paid attention.

This isn't the first time I've received an email like that. In addition, I've also noticed a rise in sites like Clean Cozy Mysteries and Genre Reviews (with a blog subtitle that states: In Search of Well-Written, Clean Novels), and an Amazon forum topic on 'clean mysteries'. It all makes me think.

Let's face it, I'm trying to accommodate as many readers as possible. Do I write for myself? Yes. But I wouldn't try to be published at all if I were only writing for myself. I'm not trying to be an artist—I'm trying to provide entertainment. Am I losing anything by writing John cursed, or using alternate expletives in place of real ones? If I'm not, why not just leave it out?

I've never gotten an email from a reader saying how much they enjoy profanity in my books.

Now of course, this only goes so far. If readers asked me to try my hand at a genre that was out of my reach or to make a change in my books that I felt strongly against doing, I'd have to politely tell them that was something I couldn't accommodate them with.

But if there's a slight change I can make that could possibly pick up new readers without losing old ones? Sure, I'm willing to make that change.

In fact, I have. I let the lady know that I had a book coming out in November with no profanity in it, and a series debuting next year that was expletive-free, too. But I couldn't direct her to my first three books. :)

How about you? How far are you willing to go to make your book reach more readers? How much do your readers factor into what you write?