Lori L. Robinett's Blog, page 13

Social Media: Lurking or Living?

Social media is a time suck. You know it and I know it, yet I can’t quit. It’s kind of addictive. Once I pull that feed up and start reading, I keep reading. Post after post. Meme after meme. I want to know what everyone is thinking and doing.

Last night I asked my 19 year old daughter if she saw something I posted on Facebook recently. She shook her head and said she doesn’t really read her Facebook feed very often. As I laid awake in bed last night, I thought about that.

When you are on social media, do you read obsessively? Do you look to see what everyone is doing and saying? Who likes this, who doesn’t? I catch myself doing that with my posts. Is anyone reading what I write? Does anyone care? My Instagram feed is full of beautiful people in exotic places, or creative types that are running successful businesses (all while looking perfectly put together). I compare myself to them, wish my photos were better, wish my house was neater, wish I had a decorator’s eye. Come on! Get real! That’s like looking through a peep hole, watching people – and seeing only that tiny bit of their lives that they choose to share.

That’s lurking.

 

 

 

Or do you occasionally post an update, fill people in on what’s going on? Is social media a tiny slice of your life? Does it fit in between your activities, here and there, as you have time? Are you DOING things that enrich your life and make you happy?

Katelyn & me at Silver Beach

That’s living.

 

 

 

 

We need to disconnect from social media, lift our heads, open our eyes and look around. What’s around you right now is LIFE.

Get out and live it.

SuperFans

As most of you know, my second book was just released. My hobby is quickly becoming a second job. As I work harder, I’m looking for a few special SuperFans to help me beta-test ideas. If you are selected, you will get to:

read some of my work before anyone else
have some say in what makes it to print – and what doesn’t
have input about book covers.
attend launch parties (virtual and real)
enter exclusive giveaways only available to my SuperFans.

As part of the planning process, I am trying to decide whether to just call this group “SuperFans” or give the group a name. What do you think? Do you want to be SuperFans? Or Lori’s Gems? Other suggestions? I’m just spitballin’ here . . .

If you are interested, please send an email to lori(at)lorilrobinett.com and answer the following questions:

How many books do you estimate you read a year?
What social media outlets are you active in/on?
Are you interested in live or virtual events?
Do you leave reviews anywhere online? Where?
Do you have an e-reader? If yes, Nook, Kindle or Other (please specify)

The importance of Reviews

Before I started writing, I never left reviews on Amazon or Barnes & Noble or Goodreads. But after I started writing, I began to pay attention to how I used reviews. Not only did I want them as a writer (and, oh, how I looooooove reviews!), but I want them as a reader.

When I finish reading one book, I’m immediately ready for another. Because I have LOTS of books on my to be read list (I mark mine on Goodreads – feel free to connect with me if you want to share lists/books!), and it’s really hard to decide what to pick up next. Admittedly, part of my decision is made on the cover of the book. But the main thing I do is read reviews. I look on Amazon and Goodreads, look at the average star rating, then read a handful of reviews – from those who liked the book and those who didn’t.

Once I realized how much I used reviews, I decided to start writing them. Some reviews are really long and in-depth – a work of art in and of themselves. Some reviews are short and to the point – “I liked it.” Some are serious, some are hilarious (one of my favorites is the banana slicer – pop over & take a read). My reviews are somewhere in the middle.

Here are some tips to get you started:

Did you like the book?
Was the plot engaging? Did it keep your interest?
Did you like the characters? Are they people you’d want to have lunch with, travel with, meet at a pub . . . or would you cross the street to avoid meeting them?
Was the setting something you could relate to? Someplace you’re familiar with, or did it transport you to an exotic location?

If you haven’t written a review yet, go try it on one of my books. You’ll get some experience and you’ll make my day!

Denim & Diamonds

Fatal Impulse

How to Write a Novel: The First Draft

I’ve been writing for a long time – semi-seriously for over 10 years. I spent years on the first draft of my first novel. And it’s still not finished. So, how did I break through and finally FINISH a first draft?

Recognize that a first draft is an imperfect grouping of words, sentences, paragraphs. It is perfectly simply because it exists. It’s not supposed to be perfect.
Declare your intentions. You need to be accountable. You don’t have to tell the world, but tell a good friend. And have them check your progress.
Decide what method to use. There’s the snowflake method, or Holly Lisle’s index card method, or you can just fly by the seat of your pants. It doesn’t matter what you use this time. This time is all about learning and experience. If it works, use it again. If it doesn’t work, try something else next time.
Treat writing as exercise. Writing is like a muscle. Do it daily, and it will get easier.
Start. You can sit and think forever, but that doesn’t get that first draft written. You have to actually sit your butt in the chair, put your fingers on the keyboard and type.
Slog through. The middle is mucky. You’ll get stuck, the forward movement will be slow. Just keep going.
Finish. Find a way to wrap things up. It doesn’t have to be the perfect ending. You’ll polish it later.
Finally, put it away. Give the draft time to percolate and let yourself get some distance before you go back to revise. And celebrate. You did what very few people actually do.

Denim & Diamonds: A Book Club Guide

Denim & Diamonds

Someone I know through work emailed me a week or so ago to let me know that her book club has chosen Denim & Diamonds as their April read. Exciting stuff! I’m looking forward to meeting with the Bookies and talking to them later this month.

When the book first came out, someone suggested I create a book club guide – and now I’m so glad I did! Here’s an electronic version – feel free to use it for your own reading group if you choose to read the novel. If you have specific questions, feel free to email me and I’d be happy to answer or speak at a book club meeting.

Discussion Questions

When Beth learns that her father’s Will stipulates that she must move to the Diamond J for a year, she takes the challenge. Do you think she would have taken that challenge if her fiance hadn’t cheated on her? How would things have been different if she and her fiance hadn’t broken up?
Beau struggles with his own lack of family (for instance, he wants a relationship with his crazy aunt, but doesn’t trust her). How do you think this affects his relationship with Beth?
Beth is bitter about her father’s lack of involvement and support, and is jealous of his relationship with Beau (and, for that matter, other members of the Diamond J family). How does that jealousy color her own feelings about the ranch?
What event is the tipping point in the relationship between Beth and Beau? Why?

Questions and Answers with the author

How long have you been writing? All my life, but seriously for a little over 10 years.
Where did you get the idea for Denim & Diamonds? The seed of the story came from a client at the law firm I worked for. A client wanted to make sure her horses were cared for after her death.
How long did it take you to write this novel? I wrote the first draft in 30 days, as part of National Novel Writing Month, but it took years to rewrite, edit and polish the story.
Who was the inspiration for Beth? As for her physical appearance, I always pictured the actress Molly Quinn as Beth.

Enhance Your Book Club

The theme of Denim & Diamonds is the importance of family (which doesn’t necessarily mean blood relatives). I encourage you to try one of the following activities after you’ve read the novel:

Share a story from your youth with a younger member of your family (like Beth telling about visiting the planetarium with her brother).
Write a letter to a member of your family telling them why you value them, and perhaps share a special memory with them.

How to Host a Virtual Launch Party

When my first book, Denim & Diamonds, was released, I thought about hosting a virtual launch party, but wasn’t quite sure how to pull it off. For my second book, Fatal Impulse, I decided to do a little research and host a Facebook event. It was Saturday, and now that it’s over, I’m declaring it a success. Over 60 people attended, and the ebook surged to 53rd place on the Amazon bestseller list (for women’s fiction / detective mysteries). It may not be the NYT bestseller list, but it was enough to make me proud. So, how did I do it? And what am I going to do again?

Schedule. As soon as you have the release date for your book, schedule a Facebook event.
Open House. Instead of hosting a “party,” host an “open house.” I ran mine from 9 am – 9 pm. This allows you to cover lots of time zones, and allows folks to come and go as their schedules allow.
Public. You want the event to be public, so that anyone can attend. Check your settings in the event to be sure everyone is able to attend.
Invitations. Invite everyone on your friend list that you think might be interested. Post links on groups that you belong to. Share with non-reading groups that might have an interest in your topic. For instance, I’m a papercrafter and belong to a scrapbook organizing group. I used my crafting supplies to make gifts for my party, so I shared pics of my giveaways with that group and issued an open invite to any of them who wanted to attend. Notify your local library and local bookstores. Tell friends and family about it.
Countdown. Post links on your Facebook wall, your Twitter feed, and other social media outlets leading up to the event, reminding them of it.
Prizes. Everyone loves giveaways. Plan to have several small gifts and a couple of larger ones, plus a “grand prize.” I chose to give away a proof copy of the paperback as the “grand prize,” plus a “first prize” of a $10 gift card to an independent book store of the winner’s choosing.
Plan. Have a series of questions prepared ahead of time to keep things rolling the day of the party. Good questions include details about your book, but focus on your readers. For instance, something like, “In Fatal Impulse, Andi describes herself as round. What word would you use to describe yourself?”
First Post. Outline how the party will work, what you are going to do, what prizes will be given and when. “Pin” this post so that it appears at the top of the page.
Schedule. Post at least once an hour, something that will generate comments and interaction.
Interact. Comment on your guests’ comments and respond to any questions they have. This is a chance for them to get to know you – and for you to get to know them.
Links. Throughout the day, post links to your other social media profiles (Twitter, Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.) to encourage your readers to connect with you.
Your last post. Thank your attendees. Let them know you appreciate them.
Wrap up. Mail out all of your giveaways. Connect with your readers on social media. Evaluate your use of time: how many attendees, how many books were sold, sales ranking, etc.
Celebrate. You pulled it off. Everyone had a great time. Give yourself some time off social media to reflect on your success!

If you want to look at the posts at my Fatal Impulse launch, click HERE. And if you’ve hosted a successful launch party, please share your tips!

 

Happy Launch Day to Me! (#launchparty #amreading)

Today has been an absolute dream. My second book, Fatal Impulse, releases today as an ebook (Kindle). I’ve spent all day on Facebook chatting with friends and giving away prizes. It’s been so much fun to share this with old friends and new. A little bit ago I pulled up Amazon to see how the book is doing. To my surprise, there’s a nice little bit at the bottom of the description – the book is now at #53 on the Amazon bestseller list (for detective mysteries). I find that a bit funny, since this isn’t a detective novel, but I’ll take it!

Come on over to the Facebook page – we’ll be partying until 9 pm. The big prize is a proof copy of Fatal Impulse and the first prize is a $10 gift certificate to an independent bookstore of your choice. There are other prizes, too!

Building My Brand . . . Or Being Me?

One of the difficult things about being a writer is putting yourself “out there.” Shortly after I started going to writing conferences, I realized that I was hearing one word over and over. Branding. Agents. Editors. Publicists. Everyone talked about the importance of building your brand. I’ve struggled with that. I mean, what is my brand? What is it about my writing that appeals to people?

Then it occurred to me – I am my brand. My brand is me. If you’re struggling with capturing your brand, take a minute and write down who you are, what interests you, what you do. Here’s a partial list for me to get you started:

Animal lover (especially dogs, cats, horses, turtles . . . )
Drive a Jeep (lifted, big tires)
Paralegal
Empty nester
Crocheter
Papercrafter
Scrapbooker
Shoot guns (I prefer my Browning semi-automatic pistol)
Love watching old TV (especially Star Trek, Wonder Woman, Batman, and recently discovered Dean Martin movies)

The idea behind this is to recognize that you have lots of interests, and a lot of things in common with your readers. Chances are, your interests will come through in your writing. For example, I’ve always loved horses . . . and my first book, Denim & Diamonds, is set on a horse ranch. Your readers won’t connect with a single book you write – they will connect with you.

Share with us in the comments below – what are 5 words/phrases that describe you?

How to Research Locations for Writing

Courtesy of Photo Morgue

We’ve all heard the old adage to write what you know, but seriously, how boring would that be? I want to learn just as much from writing as I do from reading. Although my first book, Denim & Diamonds, is set in Missouri, my second book is set in Maine. I’ve never been to Maine. Now, before anyone writes to me and points out every error in any of my books, let me point out that I write fiction. Sometimes I take creative license with exactly where things are or how they look. That said, I want the feel of my settings to come across to my readers, and I do research to be as accurate as possible.

For instance, here’s an excerpt from Fatal Impulse:

They drove down Main Street, rounded a curve and the harbor appeared before them. Tall masts sprung up from the boats like a forest of toothpicks, and white sails billowed in the salty breeze. As they turned into the parking lot, Andi was blown away by the number of cars already there. Parking would be at a premium after the tourists arrived after Memorial Day, but early May was still quiet. She drove down three aisles before she found a parking space.

Not lots of detail, but I used the senses of sight and smell, and incorporated the mention of tourists to give the idea of it being a touristy-area.

If you are writing about an area that you have not personally visited, there are lots of resources to draw upon.

People. Let folks know what you’re writing about and likely someone you know knows someone who is from there, or has visited there. Talk to them.
Books. Tourism books are great, but also pick up fictional books set in that area.
Google Earth. This is invaluable. You can actually “drive” the route you are talking about to see what the area is like.
Reviews. To include authentic details, read reviews of restaurants and shops in the area. You’ll pick up on all sorts of little details, like local specialties.

Word of warning: do your research, don’t wing it.

(as an aside: I read a book years ago by a woman from New Hampshire. Her book was set in Missouri. Her character stepped out of her motel room and looked “south at the Ozark Mountains.” This was mentioned several times in the book, about looking south at the mountains. I was acquainted with the writer, so I emailed with what I hoped was a helpful note about not being able to see the Ozarks from Kansas City, in case she decided to write another book set in Missouri. She sent back a snippy email that she was entirely capable of looking at a map and that the mountains should be clearly visible from Kansas City. Um, okay. I haven’t emailed her again, nor have I bothered to see if she wrote another book.)

Fatal Impulse: Facebook Party

Lori L. Robinett

Have you ever attended a Facebook party? I’m hosting one Saturday, so I thought I’d share a little info for those who aren’t sure what it’s all about.

What IS a Facebook party?

Also called an “event,” which takes place on its own page/wall. On the day of the event, during the event, you’ll actually click on the event link on the upper right page of your wall. There’ll usually be a message there that says something like “1 event today.”

What do we DO at the Facebook party?

The person coordinating the party will periodically post. Often he/she will ask questions to get everyone involved. All you have to do is read the posts and comment, if you are so inclined. Or you can just read and enjoy.

Why do we do this?

It’s often a way for folks to get involved who are in lots of different places. For example, I’ll have a few local events for Fatal Impulse, but not everyone will be able to attend. This way, people can participate from their own homes. Plus, there are presents. And we all like presents!

Can I invite other people?

YES! Please do! I appreciate everyone who shares my posts and helps spread the word about my new book.

If you want to attend the party on Saturday, March 28, drop by Facebook for more info.